The Interior Design Business

Wildwood
  • 4.0 (9)
  • DESIGN
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

"The Interior Design Business" is a monthly podcast for professional interior designers working in the UK. We hear from practitioners, educators and influencers who appreciate the day-to-day and longer-term challenges that designers face and offer practical, first-hand advice on how to deal with these issues. "The Interior Design Business" enables you to learn from others in the design community so that you can develop the skills you need to succeed as an interior designer. We're informed, insightful and entertaining, too. "The Interior Design Business" is a joint production of Tessuto and Wildwood Plus, the people who connect the professional design community.

  1. 23H AGO

    Why Craft Matters

    We live in a mostly mass-produced, machine-made world of globalised banality. Interior spaces from north to south look and feel the same. Yet, as human beings, we revel in our individuality and crave the means to add a personal stamp to the way we live and the places we inhabit. We yearn to possess things that are unique to us and that no one else can have. Artisan-made items created by skilled and loving hands will deliver those special touches that make a room memorable and distinctive, but where should designers go to find these precious pieces? How can craft makers find an appreciative audience for their work? And how can designers best explore and source from the vast range of crafts in existence? To discuss this topic, we're joined by makers, Natasha Mann and Claire Coles, Louisa Pacifico from Future Icons, Sam Fisher from Decorex and internationally renowned interior designer, Katharine Pooley. Recorded in Katharine Pooley Studio in London. A big thank you to our series partner, Decorex Chapters (00:00:00) - Welcome to the Interior Design Business(00:01:21) - Three of London's best-known artists and their business(00:02:43) - What is craft in France?(00:04:03) - In the Elevator With Craftspeople(00:05:22) - How to Train to Become a Painter(00:11:57) - How Do You Find an Interior Designer?(00:13:00) - Are Artisan Made Materials Naturally More Expensive?(00:15:12) - Making Spaces at Decorx(00:16:41) - Making Spaces(00:20:40) - Interior Designers Work With Makers(00:23:08) - How to decorate a large house with an online gallery(00:24:52) - Claire's Small Business(00:26:21) - Storytelling in the Art World(00:27:02) - When You're On Your Own(00:27:50) - The Story of Interiors(00:31:39) - Will Your Objects Go to an Art Gallery?(00:32:20) - Bespoke Design: Managing Client Expectations(00:37:26) - The Color of Light(00:37:40) - Where should designers go to find the makers of tomorrow?(00:41:34) - Crafts in the Interior: Future Icon Selects

    45 min

  2. JAN 30

    What They Don't Teach You at Design School with Laura Hammett, Franky Rousell and Charu Gandhi

    As interior design gains ground as a serious career and profession, more and more academic institutions are offering degree and master’s level interior design courses to teach the rudiments of this highly technical subject. But is this enough?  Susie and Jeff are joined by three renowned designers - Charu Gandi from Elicyon, Franky Rousell from Jolie Studio and Laura Hammett from Laura Hammett Interiors to discuss whether design schools adequately equip budding designers with the skills they need to take their place in our industry. We explore the the important subjects that they don't teach at design school, and invite our panel to suggest what students and employers should do to identify and plug those gaps. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience of designers at Arte in the Design Centre Chelsea Harbour. Thank you to our series supporters, Decorex 2026. We are a Wildwood Plus production.  Chapters (00:00:00) - What Don't They Teach You in Design School?(00:01:45) - Interviewing Designers(00:04:53) - Interviewing: Fit and Hard Work(00:07:04) - How do you test out a candidate's portfolio?(00:12:13) - Have You Got What it Takes to Be a Design Designer?(00:13:16) - Do graduating designers have the skills they need to survive life in an(00:19:46) - Teaching the management of client relationships(00:24:17) - The role of guest lecturers in interior design(00:27:31) - Can Anyone Become an Interior Designer?(00:28:59) - Are Interior Designers Team Players?(00:30:26) - What do you think are the really valuable lessons that they can't(00:36:27) - The Secret to Working As an Interior Designer(00:38:34) - The Importance of Interiors(00:39:33) - The Interior Design Exhibition

    40 min

  3. JAN 23

    A BIID Awards Special: Turning Great Design Into Industry Recognition

    Entering an interior design award can boost visibility, credibility, and client trust - but not all awards are created equal. In this episode, Jeff and Susie are joined by two BIID award-winning designers, Jennifer Hamilton from The Vawdrey House and Melinda Kiss from Keyhole Interiors for a deeper dive into the awards process. We'll explore how designers can identify award schemes with genuine merit and industry recognition, how to present a standout project and the storytelling techniques that capture attention and bring design concepts to life. Thanks to our episode partner, the British Institute of Interior Design, for their support. We are a Wildwood Plus production.  Chapters (00:00:00) - The Interior Design Business(00:01:25) - Jennifer Vaudrey House(00:02:06) - The BIID Interior Design Awards(00:04:00) - The British Institute of Design Awards(00:05:56) - The Making of an Award Entry(00:09:17) - The Marketing and Awards(00:11:15) - The Impact of Client Wins and Awards(00:13:52) - The BIID Awards(00:16:37) - British Institute of Interior Design Awards(00:17:59) - The BIID Awards 2017(00:18:50) - What truly defines an award winning interior design project?(00:20:54) - BIID Awards 2017(00:22:29) - Projects for the Future: Eskdale vicarage(00:23:48) - What Is The Secret to Timeless Spaces?(00:25:17) - The Narrative of the(00:26:42) - The Clients' Project(00:28:58) - Outstanding Project(00:30:09) - The BIID Awards 2018

    31 min

  4. 12/29/2025

    Divas, Devils or Delights? With Joanna Wood and Paul Fitzgerald

    Interior designers have a bad rep on building sites for being demanding, difficult and dis-organised, but is this fair? In their drive for perfection, are interior designers their own worst enemy? Do designers efficiently provide the information needed by builders, or do contractors sometimes wilfully misunderstand their design intentions? What can designers and contractors do to make each other’s lives easier? In this episode, Jeff and Susie are joined by renowned interior designer Joanna Wood, Founder of Joanna Wood Interiors and Paul Fitzgerald, Founder and Managing Director of Hawksmoor Construction to answer these questions and more.   This episode was recorded as part of the Design Talks programme at Decorex 2025. Thanks to Decorex and to our episode partners, Sofas & Stuff for their support.  Chapters (00:00:00) - Interior Designers: Difficult, Diva and Irrit(00:01:01) - Interior Design and Construction(00:01:48) - Both of the presenters start off with a brief introduction(00:03:22) - Do Interior Designers Have a Bad Reputation Among Contractors?(00:05:06) - Are Interior Designers Accused of Neglect?(00:05:54) - Do Interior Designers Have Prejudices About Their Jobs?(00:06:40) - Are Interior Designers Bad For Contractors?(00:11:02) - Projects and Construction Contractors(00:13:09) - Tender Process(00:16:41) - The quality of the Tender Pack(00:19:05) - Choosing a contractor(00:23:57) - Interior Designers: Do You Need a Contractor?(00:26:18) - Paul, have you ever refused to work with an interior designer on(00:28:26) - Paul and Joe: The Contractor Relationship(00:31:24) - How often do you need to go to site on a project?(00:32:59) - What's your biggest bugbear?(00:37:12) - Interiors Design: When Problems Occur, Do Designers Let(00:38:26) - What's the funniest, maddest thing a designer's(00:40:14) - The Worst Contractor Ever Do(00:42:26) - Inside The Interior Design Business Podcast

    43 min

  5. 12/01/2025

    Taking The Strain with Christian Bense and Helen Bygraves

    Taking The Strain - How To Be a Safe Pair of Hands. The only things in life more stressful than building or renovating a home are bereavement, divorce, and redundancy. And yet the finished result should be life-changing for the client and worth all the pain of the experience. To assist their clients, interiors designers must act as a safe pair of hands, ready to support and guide through the ups and downs of the design and project process, skilfully managing any unforeseen dramas, problems, or delays enroute. So, how can we best prepare and manage our clients to minimise the stress for them – and for ourselves, and emerge successful and feted at the finish line? Jeff and Susie are joined by two acclaimed interior designers Helen Bygraves, Co-Founder of Hill House Interiors and Christian Bense, Founder of Christian Bense to find out the best strategies behind achieving a stress-free project.  This episode was a recorded in front of a live audience of designers at Decorex 2025. Thanks to Decorex and to our episode partners, Sofas & Stuff for their support.  Chapters (00:00:00) - Welcome to the Interior Design Business(00:01:40) - Interior Designers(00:02:54) - Interior Designers on Vandalising a Home(00:04:51) - Having a career change in interior design(00:06:50) - Interior Design: The Client's Issues(00:09:24) - Does a stressy client affect your fee proposal?(00:11:43) - Project budgets and timescales(00:18:23) - Clients' emails and WhatsApp(00:22:41) - What do you do about clients' fear of making decisions?(00:24:51) - How should designers go about managing their clients expectations?(00:27:31) - Setting guidelines for the build phase(00:29:42) - Projects and the stresses of designing(00:32:42) - Interior Design Report(00:34:43) - How to Win the Client's Trust(00:36:41) - The Interior Design Business

    37 min

  6. 10/31/2025

    Awkward Clients and How to Manage Them With James Roberts and Simon Mayhew

    It has often been said that interior design would be a great job if it wasn’t for the clients. They can be unappreciative, indecisive, and unreasonable even when their project is on track and bellicose, belligerent, and litigious when things go wrong. In fact, the designer-client relationship which often begins as a love affair can sometimes end tragically in the bitterest of divorces. But is there really such a thing an awkward client, or are any problems just down to poor communications? What can make a good client turn bad? And how can designers effectively manage this most important and sensitive of relationships? Jeff and Susie are joined by  Simon Mayhew from Txtured and James Roberts from James Roberts Interiors to answer these and other questions in front of a live audience of designers at the Design Central North West event at Capesthorne Hall in Cheshire.   Thanks to our series partners Naturalmat for their support.     Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro to the Interior Design Business(00:00:39) - An awkward Client(00:01:41) - Three of the Designers(00:03:06) - Getting Off On The Right Foot With Your Clients(00:04:53) - How To Lead a Design Team With Age(00:08:40) - How To Win A Friend's Over(00:09:18) - Are there any client categories that you avoid?(00:12:38) - On Working With An Angry Partner(00:13:26) - How to manage a big project's budget(00:14:12) - The importance of access to the client(00:16:37) - How to Talk Budget With the Client(00:17:53) - Budgeting in the UK(00:20:15) - Projects' length and timings(00:23:37) - The Challenges of Leading a Project(00:27:29) - The Importance of a Fee Proposal(00:31:17) - Interior Design: Natural Mat(00:35:43) - A Good Team For Tougher Clients(00:38:03) - The Big Picture(00:41:34) - Structural engineers: Quality of design and cost(00:46:37) - "It's like a funeral..."(00:46:53) - How To Read 2-D Plans(00:51:49) - How to Deal with Difficult Contractors(00:53:19) - The On-Site Blame Game(00:58:21) - "When to say enough is enough?"(00:59:00) - What Do You Do When a Client Threatens to Sue You?

    1h 1m

  7. 10/10/2025

    Lighting The Way With Lee Lovett and Henriette von Stockhausen

    Interior designers know that lighting is crucial to the success of every project. Bad lighting can be simultaneously gloomy and glary – deadening colours and flattening textures, while good lighting can make even basic decorative schemes sing. But lighting is also a highly complex and technical minefield that designers must somehow learn to navigate.    Susie and Jeff are joined by Lee Lovett, founder and managing director of Soho Lighting and award-winning interior designer, Henriette von Stockhausen, founder and Creative Director of VSP Interiors to explore how interior designers should go about managing this critical design element. They also discuss how early in the project cycle lighting should be considered and the lighting knowledge and tools that designers need to succeed at every project stage. This episode was recorded in that front of a live audience of designers at the Simpsons showroom in the Design Centre Chelsea Harbour.Thanks to our series partners Naturalmat for their support. We are a Wildwood Plus production.    Chapters (00:00:00) - The Importance of Lighting in the Interior Design(00:01:27) - Both of the Electricians have now reached 25 years of practice(00:02:56) - Lighting(00:04:38) - Should Lighting be Included in Project Space Planning?(00:05:52) - The Lighting of a Home(00:07:04) - How to Describe Good Lighting(00:09:11) - How Lighting Affects the Client's Mood(00:09:43) - How to light a house room(00:12:06) - The Art of Architectural Lighting(00:13:34) - How to light architectural features indirectly(00:15:25) - How to Lighting a Low Ceiling with High Ceilings(00:20:07) - How to light a period house?(00:22:03) - Natural Mat(00:23:13) - Lighting layering(00:25:48) - Interior Lighting(00:28:36) - Lighting and shadows(00:32:08) - In the Elevator: Architectural Lighting(00:34:54) - The Perfect Spotlight(00:37:47) - Dimming Systems(00:40:30) - Setting the lights on and off(00:42:11) - The Secret to Lighting Design(00:42:58) - Inside The Interior Design Business

    44 min

  8. 09/17/2025

    Decorex And The Power Of The Pop-Up

    In this episode, Jeff and Susie dive into the dynamic world of pop-up installations while exploring the enduring appeal of Decorex. Recorded at the Sofas & Stuff showroom on the Kings Road, they’re joined by designers Tolù Adẹ̀kọ́(Adẹ̀kọ́ & Co) and Lucy Mayers (Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler), both creators of standout temporary spaces for Decorex 2025. Together, they explore what makes a pop-up truly successful, the creative and logistical challenges behind these here-today-gone-tomorrow marvels, and how temporary design can deliver lasting value. The conversation continues with insights from Decorex’s Sam Fisher, QEST’s Deborah Pocock, and Ricky Partner from Sofas & Stuff. They look at the secrets behind Decorex’s ongoing relevance, the importance of curation, and the role of live craftsmanship in engaging audiences. Whether you’re a designer, exhibitor, or simply passionate about interiors, this episode offers inspiration and practical advice on making the most of pop-ups and trade shows. Tune in for expert perspectives, behind-the-scenes stories, and a celebration of creativity at the heart of the design industry. Thanks to Sofas & Stuff and to our series partner, Naturalmat, for their support. We are a Wildwood Plus production.    Chapters (00:00:00) - Welcome to the Interior Design Business(00:01:24) - Introducing the Design Teams(00:02:18) - What makes a good pop-up?(00:03:56) - What Makes a Signature Space?(00:05:23) - How a bar can feel like a garden?(00:08:01) - The Circus Lounge at Decorex(00:12:54) - The Luminous Tented Bar at Decorex(00:20:04) - The DPA Pop Up(00:23:57) - What motivates you to create pop up design?(00:26:46) - Decor X: What Lessons Have You Learned?(00:30:32) - Natural Mat(00:31:48) - Decorex(00:32:25) - The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust(00:33:17) - Decor X: What sets Decor X apart?(00:37:07) - Decor X: A Curation Experience(00:38:38) - What Makes the Decorex Show So Successful?(00:39:53) - What exactly are the goals of an exhibitor at Decorx(00:43:58) - Decorx: Making Spaces(00:47:42) - How do exhibitors measure the success of their participation in Deco(00:53:19) - Wonders of the World 2017 talk(00:54:35) - Decorex Pop-ups

    56 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

"The Interior Design Business" is a monthly podcast for professional interior designers working in the UK. We hear from practitioners, educators and influencers who appreciate the day-to-day and longer-term challenges that designers face and offer practical, first-hand advice on how to deal with these issues. "The Interior Design Business" enables you to learn from others in the design community so that you can develop the skills you need to succeed as an interior designer. We're informed, insightful and entertaining, too. "The Interior Design Business" is a joint production of Tessuto and Wildwood Plus, the people who connect the professional design community.

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