Talk Shop with Ariel Okin: A Fenimore Lane Production

Ariel Okin
  • 4.7 (44)
  • DESIGN
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Delve into the personal worlds of the top interior designers & tastemakers around the globe – interviewed by Ariel Okin, House Beautiful Next Wave Designer, Founder of Fenimore Lane, and Contributing Writer to Vogue, Architectural Digest, & Coveteur. These insightful conversations range from a designer’s favorite resources when sourcing for clients, to how creatives, shopkeepers, and artisans built their businesses, and more. Tune in each Wednesday as Ariel welcomes a new guest to discuss their career journey, design inspirations and even share a little advice for fellow design enthusiasts!

  1. 1D AGO

    Revisiting a S2 Favorite: Louise Roe From Television to Timeless Design

    This week, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes: Louise Roe! — Joining Ariel this week on Talk Shop is Louise Roe – an iconic figure in the fashion and lifestyle industry who has worked as an editor, TV host, and writer for over 15 years. With a storied career that includes stints as a former fashion editor-at-large for Glamour magazine, as well as time writing for Vogue, Elle, The Telegraph and House & Garden magazine, Louise’s personal style is clearly honed and undeniably chic. After a decade in LA, Louise returned to England with her husband, Mackenzie, and their two young daughters, where she turned her passion for interior design into the next stage of her career, founding Sharland England in 2021. Tune in as Louise and Ariel discuss what drew her to pave a new path in design, the origin story of her brand Sharland England, where she finds inspiration, and all about her love for rattan. — Explore Louise’s ShopMy storefront: https://shopmy.us/shop/louisevroe — To join Ariel and our Season 5 guests on ShopMy, download the ShopMy app, create a shopper account, and start building wishlists and shopping your favorite pieces, now at go.shopmy.us!

    35 min

  2. 6D AGO

    Designing for Real Life with Lilse McKenna

    This week on Talk Shop, Ariel sits down with Lilse McKenna for a thoughtful, personal conversation about designing homes that are meant to be lived in — and loved — over time. Lilse is known for creating spaces rooted in tradition and tailored to reflect each client’s personality and lifestyle. Drawing on years of experience in residential design, she expertly layers pattern, color, and texture to create interiors that feel sophisticated yet deeply livable. Longevity sits at the heart of her work, as she brings together a wide range of stylistic influences to ensure her clients’ homes can grow and evolve alongside them. In this episode, Lilse shares her path into design, from growing up surrounded by shelter magazines and strong opinions on furniture proportions, to training under esteemed designers Lindsey Coral Harper and Markham Roberts before launching her own firm in 2017. Today, she is based in New York and Connecticut, with projects spanning the East Coast and abroad. Lilse was recognized as one of House Beautiful’s Next Wave 2022 designers, and her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Luxe Magazine, Domino, and more — but at its core, her work is about helping people build homes where memories, community, and everyday life can unfold. — Learn more about Lilse McKenna: https://www.lilsemckenna.com/ Follow on social @lilsemckenna And subscribe to her Substack: https://lilsemckenna.substack.com/ Explore Lilse’s ShopMy storefront — To join Ariel and our Season 5 guests on ShopMy, download the ShopMy app, create a shopper account, and start building wishlists and shopping your favorite pieces, now at go.shopmy.us!

    52 min

  3. JAN 7

    The Salvesen Graham Story // From Georgian Roots to Modern Living

    This week on Talk Shop, Ariel sits down with the powerhouse duo behind London-based design studio Salvesen Graham: Nicole Salvesen, and Mary Graham. Established in London, their studio combines over 25 years of experience and a deep understanding of both residential and commercial design to create beautifully curated spaces for clients in the UK and around the world. Since founding their studio in 2013, Nicole and Mary have developed a signature approach to blending the elegance of Georgian England, the vibrancy of historic Indian textiles, and a modern sensibility–a unique design philosophy they call "Future Heritage."Ariel also chats with Mary and Nicole about the impetus for launching The Collection by Salvesen Graham, their own chic range of fabrics, wallpapers, and furniture inspired by the elements that have shaped their aesthetic, and what's on the horizon, with new SKUs releasing in 2026. With over 25 years of combined experience, Nicole and Mary share how their partnership—rooted in trust, collaboration, and friendship—has shaped a studio known for richly layered, deeply livable interiors. An episode fit for both anglophiles and design lovers of all stripes, this is one you won't want to miss. — Learn more about Salvensen Graham: https://www.salvesengraham.com/ Follow on social @SalvensenGraham Explore their ShopMy storefront: https://shopmy.us/shop/salvesengraham — To join Ariel and our Season 5 guests on ShopMy, download the ShopMy app, create a shopper account, and start building wishlists and shopping your favorite pieces at go.shopmy.us.

    1h 1m

  4. 12/17/2025

    From the Mississippi Delta to Reed Smythe: Keith Meacham’s Story of Friendship and Craft

    Some people collect memories; others collect stories, objects, and traditions. Keith Meacham does it all, creating a beautiful alchemy of unexpected home goods that celebrate her Mississippi roots. This week on Talk Shop, Ariel heads to the heart of the American South to welcome Keith Smythe Meacham, co-founder of Reed Smythe & Company, the home goods shop she launched in 2018 with her dear friend and fellow Mississippian, the late Julia Reed, a beloved industry legend. Rooted in the Mississippi Delta and shaped by a deep respect for craft and collaboration, Reed Smythe & Company partners with artisans across the South and beyond to create uncommon goods for house and garden. Keith shares her journey from a long career in public education to entrepreneurship, the power of female friendship, and the importance of trusting your gut, both in design and in life. Keith’s work and home have been featured in Veranda, Elle Decor, Flower, and Southern Living, and she’s been recognized as a Southern Living Tastemaker and a judge for the Garden & Gun Made in the South Awards. From career pivots and creative risk-taking to honoring legacy and building community through design, this is a thoughtful, inspiring conversation about making a home, and a life, that feels true to you. — Learn More about Reed Smythe: https://reedsmythe.com/ Follow on social: https://www.instagram.com/reedsmytheco/ Explore Keith’s ShopMy storefront: https://shopmy.us/shop/mksmeacham — To join Ariel and our Season 5 guests on ShopMy, download the ShopMy app, create a shopper account, and start building wishlists and shopping your favorite pieces: https://go.shopmy.us/join/arielokin

    48 min

  5. 12/10/2025

    How Shea McGee Built a Design Powerhouse: One Home at a Time

    This week, Ariel sits down with Shea McGee, Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of Studio McGee, and one half of the powerhouse duo behind the beloved design brand. Shea shares how a single home remodel, documented casually on social media, sparked an unexpected career pivot, growing into the Studio McGee universe we know today. She walks us through the evolution of her brand: from launching her design firm in 2014 to building a thriving e-commerce platform, McGee & Co., and spearheading collaborations with Target, Kohler, Ann Sacks, and more. Ariel and Shea also dive into her bestselling books, Make Life Beautiful and The Art of Home, and of course, her hit Netflix series Dream Home Makeover. Thoughtful, grounded, and endlessly creative, Shea reveals how she’s helping millions “Make Life Beautiful” through elevated, accessible design. You’re going to love this conversation. — Follow Shea: https://www.instagram.com/shea_mcgee Learn more about Studio McGee: https://www.mcgeeandco.com/ Explore Shea’s ShopMy storefront: https://shopmy.us/shop/sheamcgee — To join Ariel and our Season 5 guests on ShopMy, download the ShopMy app, create a shopper account, and start building wishlists and shopping your favorite pieces: https://go.shopmy.us/join/arielokin?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid_sponsorship&utm_campaign=talkshop

    44 min

  6. 12/03/2025

    Inside the World of Guy Oliver: Britain’s Master of Timeless Design

    This week on Talk Shop, Ariel heads across the pond to welcome one of the UK’s most accomplished interior designers: Guy Oliver, the creative mind behind Oliver Laws in Mayfair. Guy’s path to design is anything but conventional, from childhood weekends hunting antiques in Scotland, to leaving home at 17 to serve in the Royal Navy, to ultimately becoming one of Britain’s most respected designers and philanthropists. Guy has transformed some of the world’s most storied hotels, including Claridge’s, The Connaught, and The Shelbourne in Dublin, and even redesigned the State Rooms at 10 Downing Street. But beyond his work on luxury hotels and private estates, his passion lies in craft, heritage, and cultural preservation. As Creative Director of the Turquoise Mountain Foundation, Guy works to restore historic architecture in Afghanistan, trains local artisans, and integrates their extraordinary craftsmanship into projects around the world—including his suites at The Connaught, where Afghan woodcarving and miniature painting add profound depth and narrative. This conversation is filled with lessons on creativity, purpose, resilience, and the power of design to honor history. It’s an inspiring look at a life lived with curiosity and conviction. — Learn more: https://www.oliverlaws.com/ Explore Guy’s ShopMy storefront: https://shopmy.us/shop/guyoliver — To join Ariel and our Season 5 guests on ShopMy, download the ShopMy app, create a shopper account, and start building wishlists and shopping your favorite pieces: https://go.shopmy.us/join/arielokin?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid_sponsorship&utm_campaign=talkshop

    53 min

  7. 11/26/2025

    Revisiting A S2 Favorite: Annie Meyers-Shyer on a life Inspired by Film & Design

    While we’re preparing new episodes, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes: Annie Meyers-Shyer. A friend, and returning guest to the show, Annie has meticulously been documenting the renovation of her family’s historic home in sunny Los Angeles on her instagram account, @thisoakhouse – and it’s quickly become a fan favorite. So whether you’re hearing it for the first time or revisiting, this episode is a must-listen. — Originally from LA, Annie comes from a life grown up in Hollywood, thanks to her filmmaking parents, the iconic writer, director and producer Nancy Meyers and her father, also a writer, director and producer, Charles Sheyer. Annie’s love for design and fashion has followed her from a young age, as a fresh out of college editor at Harper's Bazaar to working on the PR team at Chanel, and has most recently landed her in the form of a modern day design oracle. Ariel sat down with Annie to chat all things interiors, home inspiration, renovation musts and don'ts, and more! — Explore Annie’s ShopMy storefront: https://shopmy.us/shop/thisoakhouse — To join Ariel and our Season 5 guests on ShopMy, follow these simple instructions: 1. Download the ShopMy app, linked below 2. Sign up for a Shopper Account 3. Create a Circle with Ariel & your favorite tastemakers! (For inspiration, we've added some of our #TalkShopPod favorite ShopMy storefronts from guests past and present below!  Start building wishlists and shopping curated goods from your favorite tastemakers all in one place: https://go.shopmy.us/join/arielokin?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid_sponsorship&utm_campaign=talkshop --- Shop Friends of the #TalkShopPod's ShopMy Storefronts:  - Annie Meyers-Shyer, This Oak House LINK: https://shopmy.us/shop/thisoakhouse  - Louise Roe, Sharland England LINK: https://shopmy.us/shop/louisevroe -Paloma Contreras, Paloma Contreras Design + Paloma & Co LINK: https://shopmy.us/shop/palomacontrerasdesign  - Amanda Jones Vaughan, That Said LINK: https://shopmy.us/shop/amandajonesvaughan - Eliza Crater Harris, Sister Parish Design LINK: https://shopmy.us/shop/sisterparish?Section_id=312498&tab=collections

    51 min

  8. 11/12/2025

    The Things That Matter: Nate Berkus on Home, Style, and Storytelling

    This week on Talk Shop, Ariel is joined by one of the most influential designers of our time, Nate Berkus. Known for his classic, layered, historically-rooted approach to interiors, Nate has spent nearly 30 years helping people create homes that reflect who they are, not just how they live.  Starting his interior design firm at just 24, Nate’s world has since expanded far beyond interiors, into product collections, television, film, and bestselling books. From curated furniture collections to collaborations with Kravet, Living Spaces, PetSmart and more, Nate’s design sensibility extends into every corner of the home. Nate is also the Travel Ambassador for Celebrity Cruises, and even served as Executive Producer on the Oscar-winning film The Help–multifaceted is an understatement. Nate has authored two New York Times bestselling books, and his newest book, Foundations: Timeless Design That Feels Personal, out November 18th, is the most intimate distillation of his philosophy: your home should tell your story, and that story should unfold slowly, over time. Join us for this warm and wise conversation with the wonderful Nate Berkus. - Join Nate and Friends on November 18th for a special event in NYC at Symphony Space: https://www.symphonyspace.org/events/nate-berkus-and-friends-foundations-timeless-design-that-feels-personal — Learn more: https://nateberkus.com/ Follow Nate on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nateberkus/ Explore Nate’s ShopMy storefront: https://shopmy.us/shop/nateberkus?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid_sponsorship&utm_campaign=nateberkus-storefront — Get Started on ShopMy Today To join Ariel and our Season 5 guests on ShopMy, create a free shopper account to build create a free shopper account to build wishlists and shop your favorite pieces: https://shopmy.us/home/shoppers?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid_sponsorship&utm_campaign=talkshop

    1h 5m
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4.7
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Delve into the personal worlds of the top interior designers & tastemakers around the globe – interviewed by Ariel Okin, House Beautiful Next Wave Designer, Founder of Fenimore Lane, and Contributing Writer to Vogue, Architectural Digest, & Coveteur. These insightful conversations range from a designer’s favorite resources when sourcing for clients, to how creatives, shopkeepers, and artisans built their businesses, and more. Tune in each Wednesday as Ariel welcomes a new guest to discuss their career journey, design inspirations and even share a little advice for fellow design enthusiasts!

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