Choose things that are timeless: http://vignellidesign.tumblr.com/post/5506381479/timelessness
We like design that has strength. This is what the Bauhaus was all about: simple things that work, that last, that are good, that are real.
@Shorty2Short411 Great. Can you share any interview notes or a recording with us?
Training the eye is crucial. Go to Venice or Florence. Walk down the streets there and you’ll learn more about design than at design school.