Ep. 14: Danny Seo

CleverEpisodes
Written By Amy Devers

In this episode, eco-friendly lifestyle expert Danny Seo talks to us about how he found his true calling at 12 years old, how being famous in Korea at a young age helped him keep his ego in check, and how he navigates tough situations by trying to understand the underlying intentions. Also, there may be a snake loose in his cabin, and he really hates golf.

Photo: Jonas Jungblut

From the age of 12, Danny has pretty much known what he wanted to do with his life. He started a successful nonprofit during high school that changed the entire trajectory of his life. From international recognition to 10 books to a magazine to a TV show, Danny takes advantage of reaching as many people as possible to spread his message of designing a sustainable life. He recounts his unusual story with us, including some of the challenges of running an international organization in rural Pennsylvania while still trying to graduate high school. 

In recent years, Danny has been planning his eco-friendly takeover of all media, launching a magazine, Naturally, Danny Seo, which he is now bringing to the small screen with a TV show on NBC of the same name. He has long been known in the community as being a huge advocate of people making small changes in their lives, whether it be buying a hybrid, using a sustainable surface for countertops (as he demonstrated in his own home pictured below), or simply buying local produce. 

Danny on set

Danny's previous home in Bucks County, PA. All American-made products were used to renovate the kitchen - Wilsonart laminate for the countertops, herringbone ceramic wood grain tile flooring and green tile backsplash from Shaw Flooring, appliances from Bosch, and stainless steel cabinets from Lasertron. Bar features Wilsonart HD laminate walls and countertop in Walnut.

Danny created this upcycled light fixture for the outdoor dining room in his former house.

Reading nook in Danny's cabin features a vintage cot from eBay that he filled with throws and pillows to create a really cozy spot to relax. He added vintage horse show ribbons for a fun, colorful addition to the space. Watch out for the snakes! :) 

Listen to Danny tell stories of cabin snakes and how he came to meet Jane Goodall (fyi - she's awesome!), and more! 

Upcycled bath mat made with corks

Reclaimed wood picture frames

For more Danny Seo, visit naturallydannyseo.com and follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 

Danny's show, Naturally Danny Seo, premieres on NBC this week. Check out all of his books here.

If you want more Clever, sign up for the newsletter to get notified of new episodes as they're released. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And most importantly, please spread the word to anyone who you think would dig it. 

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, SoundCloud, or subscribe using our feed: http://clever.libsyn.com/rss via your favorite podcast app. And please, if you like us, give us a rating!

Special thanks to Chris Modl of Yore Studio for editing this episode.
Music in this episode courtesy of El Ten Eleven—hear more on Bandcamp.
Shoutout to Jenny Rask for designing the Clever logo.

Keep Listening

Featured
Ep. 219: Federico Negro on Making Tools to Empower and Scale Sustainable Design
Ep. 219: Federico Negro on Making Tools to Empower and Scale Sustainable Design

Founder and CEO of Canoa, Federico Negro, was born in Uruguay during a time of political turmoil and lived in four countries by age 14. As a teenager in Chicago, he used music as a means of learning English, and during college became fascinated by forensic architecture, which informed his fixation with “how we build with what we build.” An Architect, designer, toolmaker, and entrepreneur, his first company, CASE, was acquired by WeWork. From there he served as the Global Head of Design for Wework during the company’s rapid expansion, and witnessed first-hand the pain points and environmental challenges that could be mitigated with better tools. So in 2019, he founded Canoa, an AI-driven, collaborative software aimed at revolutionizing the interior design and furniture industries by addressing environmental issues and becoming a tool to help us build a better future. 

Ep. 218: The Exquisite Love, Magic and Maximalism of Londubh Studio
Ep. 218: The Exquisite Love, Magic and Maximalism of Londubh Studio

Custom surface artists Lisa Donohoe and Brynn Gelbard met and fell in love in the queer underbelly scene of San Francisco in 2002, a time before bi-national same-sex marriage was legal. Self-proclaimed party animals, their diverse community was built on love, curiosity and celebrating each other's differences. In an evolution that was equal parts organic maturity and cosmic intervention, Brynn and Lisa moved to Los Angeles and founded Londubh Studio, specializing in elaborate and maximalist hand-applied surface designs. Now the duo, oft considered the design world’s secret weapon, are translating their wildness, love, magic, and the sacred, through exquisite artistry and pristine craft, into visual celebrations that vibrate with love and emanate joy. Turns out these former revelers are still going full-blast on life. 

Ep. 217: Design Researcher Amanda Schneider on the Art of Contextualizing the Data
Ep. 217: Design Researcher Amanda Schneider on the Art of Contextualizing the Data

Founder and President of ThinkLab, Amanda Schneider, grew up outside of Chicago, inspired by a blend of engineering and design. Now a self-described “designer by degree, journalist by accident, and researcher by choice” at the helm of ThinkLab, she examines the ecosystem of the design world, unearthing and synthesizing the social and cultural shifts and drivers that impact the interiors industry. Together with her team, she offers insights and context that can empower better decision-making while also bridging the communication gap between creatives and the business sector. A keynote speaker (catch her recent TEDx talk) and the host of the podcast Design Nerds Anonymous, Amanda shares her wisdom on topics like communication strategies, storytelling, and the future of work.

Ep. 216: Clever Extra - Interior Designer Kerrie Kelly on Uniting Beauty and Function
Ep. 216: Clever Extra - Interior Designer Kerrie Kelly on Uniting Beauty and Function

Interior designer and lifestyle expert Kerrie Kelly is known for her distinctive California-inspired design philosophy. She got her start at Ralph Lauren Home and then moved to Del Webb Corporation where she was a boots-on-the-ground high-volume designer of homes, before founding her multi-faceted design studio, Kerrie Kelly Design Lab, in 1995. A graduate of both design and business school, she blends both of these skill sets in her work as an interior designer, trendspotter, and brand partner. She’s driven by a commitment to bringing thoughtful design into everyday life, which for Kerrie means blending beauty with functionality and translating that through a palette of luxurious and organic materiality.

Ep. 215: Kinfolk’s Idris Brewster Uses AR to Empower Collective Memory Building
Ep. 215: Kinfolk’s Idris Brewster Uses AR to Empower Collective Memory Building

Artist, creative technologist, and educator, Idris Brewster grew up in Brooklyn, being filmed for a documentary about his education as a black student at a prestigious, primarily white, school. His coming-of-age, only partially caught on camera, included a lot of basketball and hands-on artistic development. A grant awarded in college gave him early access to VR technology which opened a path to combining all of his talents and interests and expressing them through new media. Now, as co-founder and Executive Director of Kinfolk Foundation, he’s harnessing augmented reality, location-based technology, and community to engage in placing digital monuments in public spaces, memory building, and foregrounding the Black, Brown and Queer histories that have been intentionally silenced.

Amy Devers
Previous

Ep. 15: Sandy Chilewich
Next

Ep. 13: Tanya Aguiñiga