Space by Stansons

Guy Stanley

Welcome to Space by Stansons. Listen to raw, thought-provoking conversations with key players in the interiors industry, as we challenge conventional thinking towards aesthetics and sustainability. Most importantly our objective is to inspire designers to think holistically, creating spaces where people of today and the future, truly flourish.

  1. Oct 13 ·  Video

    Cookie-Cutter Offices, Colour & Designing Spaces That Care | Emma Morley, Trifle

    Why do so many offices look the same? Emma Morley, Director of Trifle*, talks with Guy about giving workplaces their own identity, using colour with confidence and designing spaces that show people they're cared for. ✨ Subscribe to Show Notes: https://www.stansons.co.uk/space ✨ This week on Space by Stansons, Guy sits down with Emma Morley, Director of Trifle*, to explore personality in the workplace, the power of colour and why no two offices should look the same. Emma explains the layered thinking behind the Trifle* name and why walking into an office should immediately tell you who a company is. She warns against landlord-led, cookie-cutter spaces that make every business look the same. She also explains that a well-considered workplace shows people they're cared for. Turning to colour, Emma shares practical ways to use it with confidence. You can start with paint, add bold pops through furniture and rugs, or test one colour at different strengths across four meeting rooms. She also reflects on 16 years of running Trifle*, from hiring help sooner to being braver with ideas. To finish, she looks at how wellbeing, hybrid working and AI are shaping the future office. In this episode: Why businesses underestimate the opportunity of their physical space.The risk of cookie-cutter offices that all look the same.Designing for how people feel, not just how a space looks.Using colour with confidence, from paint and rugs to bold accent pieces.Lessons from 16 years of running Trifle*Wellbeing, hybrid working and the future of the office.

    Cookie-Cutter Offices, Colour & Designing Spaces That Care | Emma Morley, Trifle
  2. Sep 29 ·  Video

    Know your self-worth, building confidence through career reinvention with Sonja Bannerman

    ✨ Subscribe to Show Notes for more from Space by Stansons at https://www.stansons.co.uk/space ✨ This week on Space by Stansons, Guy sits down with Sonja Bannerman, Project Designer at Morgan Lovell, to explore confidence, personal brand and the importance of designing workplaces with their own identity. Sonja reflects on being made redundant twice and how those experiences changed the way she approached her career. She shares why knowing your self-worth, speaking with confidence and being yourself became central to finding the right role and culture, rather than simply taking the first opportunity available. The conversation also looks at personal brand and putting yourself out there as a designer. Sonja explains why she stopped worrying about whether every LinkedIn post performs, why sharing what genuinely interests you can help people understand who you are, and how inspiration can come from other designers, travel, hospitality and everyday experiences. Turning to workplace design, Sonja discusses the growing use of colour, pattern, tiles, wallpaper and richer residential influences in commercial interiors. She explains how thoughtful placement of brand colours can create impact without overwhelming a space, why meeting rooms do not all need to look the same, and how different areas should create different feelings for the people using them. Sonja also shares why she does not want to be known for one fixed design style. From calm, Scandinavian-inspired interiors to bright, technology-led workplaces, she is focused on challenging herself, listening closely to clients and creating spaces that feel individual rather than copy and paste. Whether you are building your career, developing your personal brand or designing workplaces, this episode is a reminder to back yourself, stay curious and create spaces that reflect the people and culture behind them. In this episode: Knowing your self-worth and rebuilding confidence after redundancy.Why being yourself matters when finding the right workplace and culture.Building a personal brand without overthinking likes or engagement.Using travel, hospitality and other designers as sources of inspiration.Bringing colour, pattern, texture and brand identity into the workplace.Why different areas should create different moods and experiences.Listening to clients while using data and workplace strategy to challenge assumptions.Why Sonja wants every interior to have its own identity rather than a copy-and-paste style.

    Know your self-worth, building confidence through career reinvention with Sonja Bannerman
  3. Sep 16 ·  Video

    Beyond the Desk, An Office People Want to Use with Liam Spencer

    ✨ Subscribe to Show Notes for more from Space by Stansons at https://www.stansons.co.uk/space ✨ This week on Space by Stansons, Guy continues his tour of Thirdway’s new home with Liam Spencer, exploring how the building has been designed around the way people actually work, meet and connect. Across the working floors, Liam explains how different teams use the office in different ways, from fixed desks and call pods to informal collaboration areas and quieter spaces away from the main floor. Even the central staircase was a deliberate cultural investment, encouraging people to cross paths, stop for a conversation and stay connected across the business. The office also doubles as a live showroom for Thirdway’s work. Liam shares how materials, finishes and furniture choices have been used to demonstrate what can be achieved at different price points, showing that thoughtful design is often about clever application rather than simply spending more. As the tour moves upstairs, the focus shifts towards clients and hospitality. Purpose-built presentation areas, catering spaces and the rooftop terrace allow Thirdway to host different types of meetings, events and conversations without relying on a traditional boardroom for everything. The result is a workplace designed to support both how people work and how relationships are built. Liam also reflects on the pressure of designing Thirdway’s own home, the difficulty of knowing when to stop chasing perfection and the pride that came with finally seeing people use the space. With flexibility built in for future growth, the office is designed to evolve alongside the business rather than remain fixed in time. Whether you’re thinking about workplace strategy, company culture or client experience, this episode is a reminder that the most effective offices are not just designed to look good — they are designed around how people actually want to use them. In this episode: Designing different working zones around how teams actually use space.Why circulation and a central staircase can help create culture and connection.Using the office as a live showroom for materials, finishes and cost-conscious creativity.Creating client-focused spaces for presentations, hospitality and relationship building.How the rooftop terrace supports work, wellbeing, events and flexible use.Why letting go of perfection and designing for evolution can create a workplace people want to use.

    Beyond the Desk, An Office People Want to Use with Liam Spencer
  4. Sep 15 ·  Video

    Inside Thirdway’s New Home, Designing Culture Into Every Detail with Liam Spencer

    ✨ Subscribe to Show Notes for more from Space by Stansons at https://www.stansons.co.uk/space ✨ This week on Space by Stansons, Guy visits Thirdway’s new home with Liam Spencer to explore how a workplace can reflect the culture, personality and evolution of the business behind it. Set inside a transformed 1950s warehouse on St John Street, Liam explains why Thirdway spent years searching for the right home and how the team approached the building as more than just an office. From replacing an unsympathetic facade with handmade brick to borrowing ideas from hotels, restaurants and galleries, every decision was designed to create a strong first impression without losing the character of the original building. As Guy and Liam tour the space, they discuss how Thirdway has matured from its younger, rebellious roots without losing the values that shaped the business. Playful details, internal artwork and recurring design elements sit alongside quieter hospitality-inspired spaces, helping the building feel as much like a members’ club or hotel as a traditional workplace. The conversation also explores the balance between creativity, cost and practicality. Liam shares why the best design is not necessarily about spending more, why time can be more valuable than budget, and how thoughtful materials, natural light and carefully planned spaces can create an office people genuinely want to use. Whether you’re designing a workplace, shaping company culture or simply interested in how a brand can be expressed through physical space, this episode offers a behind the scenes look at turning an office into a true home for a business. In this episode: Why Thirdway spent years searching for the right building for its new home.Using hospitality and gallery design to rethink the traditional office arrival experience.How Thirdway’s workplace reflects the evolution of its brand and culture.Balancing maturity and quality with personality, playfulness and original values.Why great design is about thoughtful choices, not simply bigger budgets.How natural light, materials and multifunctional spaces shape how people use an office

    Inside Thirdway’s New Home, Designing Culture Into Every Detail with Liam Spencer

About

Welcome to Space by Stansons. Listen to raw, thought-provoking conversations with key players in the interiors industry, as we challenge conventional thinking towards aesthetics and sustainability. Most importantly our objective is to inspire designers to think holistically, creating spaces where people of today and the future, truly flourish.