Welcome to Media Matters, an interview series on Fublis where we engage with leading media professionals to explore their insights, experiences, and contributions to the ever-evolving world of journalism, writing, and digital content creation.

In this edition, we feature Rita Catinella Orrell, a seasoned architecture and design journalist with a rich career spanning both print and digital media. Rita has written for major publications like Contract Design and Architectural Record and runs her own blog, Designythings, where she explores the intersection of consumer products and design.

Join us as Rita shares her journey into architecture journalism, the challenges of balancing creativity with technical accuracy, and her thoughts on the evolving landscape of design media.

What drew you to specialize in writing and editing on architecture, interior, and design, and how has your focus evolved over time?

Rita Catinella Orrell: After I graduated college, I applied for an editorial assistant position at Contract Design, a commercial interior design magazine that later became Contract. I really knew nothing about interior design, but when the managing editor mentioned we got to write about restaurants, hotels, spas, and similar projects, I was intrigued. I got the job, and one of my areas of focus was to write up the product pages – which is were I began my love of industrial design. During my time there I got to meet with product designers, architects, interior designs, and landscape architects who were truly inspiring.

While I was products editor at Architectural Record, my focus expanded to covering residential products and projects as well.
I also began writing about consumer product design when I launched my blog designythings.com and wrote my first book about product design called “Objects of Desire” from Schiffer Publishing.

How does creativity on design aspects get merged with technical accuracy when it comes to coverage for print and digital platforms?

Rita Catinella Orrell: It’s critical that you fact-check every single detail – from the size of the square footage to the correct sources for all of the materials and products specified. There are thousands of parts to making a single project (or product) and you need to distill the key creative aspects and design elements into the space you have available – whether that’s on the page or screen.

What specifically motivated you to create your blog, Designythings, and how has that shaped your perspective into the design industry?

Rita Catinella Orrell: I loved writing about architectural building products but I had a strong interest in also covering gifts, gadgets, and gear for consumers. Designythings lets me cover things we wouldn’t talk about with a professional audience like toys, jewelry, or innovative water bottles. It also introduced me to a new batch of creatives and gave me an outlet that I needed.

Having worked in both print and digital publishing, what are some of the challenges and opportunities you see transitioning between the two?

Rita Catinella Orrell: The biggest challenge with print is word count – there is only so much space on the page. It’s easier to fix your mistakes on digital articles – while in print you have to write a correction in the next issue.

As a journalist, I don’t change anything about the way I write for digital or print magazines – everything has to be “good enough for print”. My blogs however are the exception – those are just for fun so I can be a little more relaxed.

How do you pick and choose between what design trends and architectural innovations go in your magazine, especially considering how fast the industry is moving?

Rita Catinella Orrell: For Texas Architect, where I’m contributing products editor, my editor and I have a discussion about the editorial calendar based on what we feel are the strongest product categories. But this might change as we go. For example, during Covid we had to rethink our office product roundups to include products that helped with social distancing.

Trends change, but products such as contract flooring and furnishings take months in R&D. No one wants to make anything too trendy anymore – clients expect products have to stand the test of time.

With your background in product marketing within the design field, how do you marry marketing strategies with engaging editorial content?

Rita Catinella Orrell: My blogs themselves are my marketing strategy – I publish a story and then share it on social media and tag the brands and designers. It’s a digital calling card and a way for me to contribute to the industry even when I’m not writing for another publication. Otherwise, I share content on my Instagram, Facebook, and Linkedin pages.

What role do you think blogging plays in shaping public perception and awareness of architecture and design today?

Rita Catinella Orrell: Blogging has truly opened up the A+D world to the public in a way that never would have happened before. Design magazine subscriptions can add up financially, so not as many people would have had access to the information that we can now read on blogs and online magazines.

How do you keep the content fresh and relevant for such a competitive and visual industry like architecture and design?

Rita Catinella Orrell: I write about what I like and what I think adds value to the design world. I go to tradeshows to meet new brands and report back on my blog or for other journals. I wish I could update my blogs more often but my paid freelance work has been keeping me busy.

What are some of the key lessons you have learned throughout your years in both editorial and digital content creation that influence or drive your work today?

Rita Catinella Orrell: You have to know your audience. Sometimes you are speaking to professionals and sometimes consumers, and you need to know what level of information they are looking for. Don’t talk down to them, but make the most of the time they are taking to read your work. Add value, not noise.