We’re looking forward to introducing you to Danny Russo. Check out our conversation below.
Danny, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Most mornings start with a quick mental triage: clients, projects, team, and whatever fire popped up overnight. I’m usually up early—coffee in hand—doing a fast scan of emails, quotes, timelines, and site updates like I’m checking the runway before takeoff. If something’s off, I want to catch it early so the day doesn’t go sideways at 3 p.m.
But let me be clear—there is no such thing as a normal day in the world of interior design, and definitely not in the world of Danny Russo. Every day has its own plot twist. The trick is learning to love that part.
After that, it’s a split life. Part creative director, part therapist, part budget ninja.
One minute I’m reviewing fabrics, layouts, and finishes, making sure the design story feels cohesive and bold. The next minute I’m on a call walking a client through why we’re spending here and saving there—because beautiful doesn’t mean reckless, it means smart.
Then there’s the team rhythm: checking in with designers, vendors, trades.
I’m looking at drawings, approvals, lead times, and asking the big questions:
Does this still feel like the right move for the client?
Are we protecting the budget?
Are we keeping the magic and the schedule?
In the middle of the day, I’m usually in one of three modes:
On-site: walking a project, solving problems in real time, moving furniture with the confidence of a man who has absolutely moved furniture before.
Studio/office: reviewing concepts, refining selections, and pushing a plan from “good” to “oh wow.”
Content/media: podcast prep, interviews, filming bits, writing, planning—because the brand isn’t separate from the work, it’s the megaphone for it.
By late afternoon, I’m back in wrap-up mode: final decisions, client notes, purchase orders, making sure tomorrow is set up to win. I like ending the day with clarity—what got done, what needs love next, who needs what from me.
And somewhere in there—because this is real life—there’s usually a moment of “wait, why is this taking six months to ship?” and a brief pep talk to the universe.
So the short version:
I spend my day making things beautiful, making them make sense, and making people feel taken care of—often all at the same time.
It’s creative sprinting mixed with strategy, logistics, and a little bit of chaos… which, honestly, is exactly where I do my best work.
“My day is half designing bold spaces, half running a small orchestra of people, budgets, and deadlines—and somehow making it all feel effortless for the client.”
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Danny Russo — interior designer and creative director at Daniel Home, a full-service design-build firm. I’ve been designing professionally since 2008, when I started my first company during the Great Recession. That leap eventually grew into SRG Interiors in 2012, and later the “Daniel Russo Home” brand — now evolved into Daniel Home. Through every version of the business, my mission has stayed the same: create bold, livable spaces that feel personal, functional, and smart with budget — not “showroom perfect,” but real-life beauty. I’m not chasing pretty for pretty’s sake; I’m after purpose + personality, and I love pushing comfort zones in a way that still feels like home.
Since 2008, I’ve had the chance to build a career that’s crossed design, media, and education. I created an award-winning website that helped set a new standard for how designers show up online, and I’ve contributed to numerous design publications and organizations along the way. I’ve been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, iHeartRadio 610 WTVN, ESPN Radio, and in Architectural Digest, Forbes, and Fortune. I was also selected for the Columbus Museum of Art Designer Showhouse in 2017 and 2019, projects that supported local nonprofits and brought design to a broader community.
You might know me from my TV show, Danny Does Design, or my podcast, The Design Exchange AKA The TDX Podcast, where I talk design, culture, and the real-world stuff that shapes how we live at home. And today, what makes Daniel Home special is that we handle the entire journey under one roof — from the big vision to the build to the final install — so clients get one team, one story, and a seamless, human experience start to finish. We just refreshed danielhome.com to reflect that Design-Build approach, and we launched an online shop curated by me with pieces I genuinely love and use, chosen to fit all budgets, so great design feels exciting and attainable.
No matter the platform, the goal is the same: help people feel confident making brave, beautiful choices — and have a little fun while we’re at it.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
Ah, the classic human design puzzle—just like figuring out why a room feels off and how to make it feel just right. What breaks the bonds between people often comes down to the same stuff that can ruin a good design: lack of listening, missed signals, or letting little cracks turn into bigger gaps. Sometimes it’s just life’s renovations pulling people in different directions.
And what restores those bonds? It’s kind of like good design magic: a little empathy, a willingness to adjust the layout, and a shared vision for the space (or relationship) you’re trying to create. Basically, you fix bonds by treating them like any great room: pay attention, be willing to move the furniture around, and always aim for a space where everyone feels at home again.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Oh yeah. If someone says they’ve never almost given up, they’re either lying or they’ve never tried to build something real.
There have absolutely been days when my team and I looked at each other and joked that we wished the office would burn down — not because we actually wanted that, but because the pressure was so high and everything was hitting at once. Deadlines, shipping delays, clients needing ten miracles by Tuesday… you know the vibe. It’s a bit humorous, but it’s also very real. When you’re running a design-build firm, there are moments when the chaos feels louder than the creativity.
I started my business in 2008, right in the middle of the Great Recession, so I learned early how to keep pushing when the world is basically yelling “good luck.” Then the pandemic came along and tested all of us in a whole new way. I pivoted so much I was basically doing pirouettes like a ballerina — and it was a dizzying few years of recovery. There were definitely nights I thought, “Do I even have the energy for this anymore?” I had to start from scratch with an entirely new team. Teamwork and the people that I work with mean so much to me. I could not do what I do without my team. I am very selective and protective of them as they are family to me. I will never let someone say that they “work for me,” they “work with me,” because I would be nothing without the support of my team!
But what keeps pulling me back is the why. Design changes how people live and how they feel in their own homes. And every time I’ve hit that “almost done” wall, it hasn’t been a sign to quit — it’s been a sign to evolve. I treat mistakes as fuel, I listen harder, I adjust the plan, and I keep moving.
So yes, I’ve been close. We’ve all been close. But I’ve never been closer to giving up than I’ve been to leveling up — even on the “please let the office spontaneously combust” days.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yeah… but it’s the edited-for-the-room version of me. Not fake—just curated.
The public me is still authentically me. I’m not playing a character, and I’m not trying to be what I think people want. If you meet me off-camera, you’re getting the same Danny—same energy, same values, same sense of humor, same point of view.
What changes is the filter, not the truth. Public Danny has a job:
1.) Represent Daniel Home well!
2.) Protect clients’ privacy.
3.) Keep the message clear and do not drag everyone through every behind-the-scenes stress tornado.
But even with that polish, I’m always the authentic version of myself—and I can be brutally honest at times. I’ve been told that’s actually a quality most people appreciate, because they know where they stand with me and they trust what I’m saying. I’m not here to sugarcoat; I’m here to help people get to the best outcome.
So no, the public version isn’t a different person.
It’s the same house, just better lighting.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. When have you had to bet the company?
Oh, I’ve had a few “push the chips in” moments. When you’ve been building something for 20+ years, you don’t get to grow without a couple of heart-in-throat bets.
The first one was starting at all.
I launched my first LLC in 2008 in the middle of the Great Recession. That wasn’t a cute little side hustle moment — that was me betting on myself when the economy was basically saying, “Absolutely not.” I didn’t have a safety net big enough to make that comfortable. I just had the belief that if I worked hard, listened hard, and delivered, I could build a real studio. That bet became the foundation for everything.
The next big bet was leveling up from “designer” to a real firm.
Growing into SRG Interiors in 2012 meant hiring, taking on bigger scopes, bigger overhead, bigger expectations. You go from “I can do this” to “I’m responsible for a team doing this.” That shift is a bet every single day — on your people, your process, and your ability to lead under pressure.
Then came the bet on evolution — becoming Daniel Home as a design-build firm.
Design-build is a whole different animal: more moving parts, more risk, more logistics, more accountability. It’s also way more powerful for clients when it’s done right. Choosing to own the full journey — design to build to install — was a strategic bet that we could deliver a smoother, better, more honest experience. It raises the bar… and we raised ourselves to meet it.
And most recently: betting on the brand in a bigger way.
Refreshing danielhome.com and launching the online shop curated by me wasn’t just “let’s make a website pretty.” That’s a real business bet — investing in the long game, expanding how people experience Daniel Home, and making design accessible at every budget level. It’s me saying: we’re not just doing projects, we’re building a platform.
So yeah, I’ve had to bet the company more than once.
But every bet had the same backbone: if we stay authentic, do the work with integrity, and keep pushing the quality forward, the risk is worth it.
And honestly? I don’t think you can build anything special without a few moments where you look around and go, “Alright… we’re doing this.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.danielhome.com
- Instagram: thedanielhome
- Soundcloud: tdxpod
