Designers rely heavily on contractors to faithfully execute and deliver on their visions for our clients. This reliance can mean that it is often difficult to fully control the finished quality of our projects, a situation that can vary from being merely frustrating to utterly tragic. But is there anything we can do to prevent this? How can designers ensure they have the best-fit contractor for their projects and for their clients, and the right people capable of faithfully executing their designs? Jeff and Susie are joined by Rina Patel from Vastu Design and Brian Woulfe from Designed by Woulfe to find out. 

The Interior Design Business is a Wildwood Plus production. 

In a world far, far, away from your average night club, cult rapper Stormzy, with a little help from design dynamo Sally Anne McCoy and her friends at the Cream Group, has just opened, House Party, the ultimate party place in a 7-storey building in London’s Soho. But what is the back story to the project? What inspired the team to come up with their wildly original theme and why is it so perfect for right now? Find out in this fascinating conversation with Sally which took place on location in the House Party kitchen. 

The Interior Design Business is a Wildwood Plus production. 

In this episode, we look ahead to Decorex 2024, Europe’s leading event for interior design professionals, taking place at Olympia London between Sunday 6th October and Wednesday 9th October.

Event Director, Sam Fisher and Marketing Manager, Carly Barclay set the scene for this year's show. We also hear from Tim Butcher at Fromental, Shayne Brady at Brady Williams, Jules Haines from The Haines Collection, Mirry Christie from B Able, John Stubbs from YesColours and decorative artist, Ellen Merchant, about their involvement in Decorex 2024. 

The Interior Design Business is a media partner of Decorex 2024.

More information on the show can be found at www.decorex.com.  

There are few UK designers as admired and emulated as Laura Hammett, both for her signature style and for the glamorous international projects in her portfolio.

But what is her back story? Has her eponymous company always been so successful? How does she continue to stay one step ahead of the competition? And where is she planning to take her business next?

In this episode, Laura joins Jeff and Susie in conversation to share her fascinating story.   

In this episode, we explore the changing face of workplace design with help from James White, Co-Founder of global interior design powerhouse, MAWD, and May Fawzy, Founder and Creative Director of MF Design Studio and President of the British Institute of Interior Design.

What does the post-pandemic, hybrid-working office look like? Can co-working spaces provide a second option to working from home? And, how does this new reality impact the design of office and co-working spaces?   

The Interior Design Business is a Wildwood Plus production.

25 years ago, there were only a handful of UK universities where undergraduate students could study interior design. Today there are 53 offering a total of 117 courses, and this does not include the growing number of private schools who also offer interior design degrees. 

But are these courses producing well-rounded students, fully equipped and ready to take their place in industry? Is the current degree model a bar to inclusivity? And would apprenticeships be a better way to train new talent in what is essentially a practical discipline?

To help us untangle these complex issues we are joined by Professor Graeme Brooker, Head of Programme, Interior Design at the Royal College of Art, Leanne Wookey, Director at international commercial design juggernaut, T P Bennett, and Courteney Kieley, Founder and Creative Director of Scene Interiors and instigator of the Interior Design Apprenticeship Scheme.

How should designers approach the subject of neurodiversity with their clients? How can they accurately assess their client’s needs and, most importantly of all, how should they translate these requirements into their designs?

In this episode, Susie and Jeff are joined by specialist inclusive design consultant, Judi Watkinson and dementia specialist, writer and presenter of the definitive Third Age Design podcast, Lori Pinkerton Rolet, to find out.   

Health and wellness continue to be top priorities in residential design. Interior design that addresses both the mind and the body challenges designers to learn new skills and adapt their design approaches.

As part of this evolution, we find out the role that home technology plays in delivering a comfortable, healthier and mood-enhancing lifestyle at home with help from BIID award-winning designer, Susie Pfeiffer of Pfeiffer Design, Ben Channon of specialist well-being design consultancy, EKKIST and Damien Smith of leading home technology firm, New Wave AV.

This episode was recorded in front of a live audience of designers at Decorex 2023. 

Art in all its glorious forms plays a key role within the interior, providing emotional context that can make a person feel comfortable, or not comfortable, within the space.

But, in recognising the power of art to transform and complete an interior, how should designers go about preparing their buildings, and their clients, to best showcase these important elements?

We’re joined by Julia Bell from Parapluie and Jennie Trethewy from Studio Far West to explore the important steps to take when designing spaces for art.

This episode was recorded in front of a live audience of designers at Design Central South West.   

Many interior designers want their projects and expertise to be featured within magazines and the interior sections of newspapers but are unsure or unaware of how to present themselves, their projects and their stories to do that.

We're joined by Hatta Byng, Editor of House & Garden and Katrina Burroughs, Interiors Editor of The Times and Sunday Times as they share their insights on how the media works, the content that journalists are looking for and the best approaches that designers can take to engage effectively with writers and the media.

Recorded in front of a live audience at Decorex 2023.  

For the super-rich who spend their lives moving between homes in the world’s most glamorous cities, it can be reassuring to buy a property endorsed by a designer brand who they already know and trust.

In this episode, Jeff and Susie are joined by Antonio Quesada, MD of design studio Morpheus & Co and Heidi Schmidtke, Managing Director of JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group to discover more about the recent trends in the space. Listen in to find out more about the rise of the branded residence and learn how interior designers can be involved in this lucrative but challenging sector of the market.