In this episode of the Uploft Interior Design Podcast, I shared how I recently changed my podcast schedule to make my busy workweeks more manageable while juggling exciting design projects like a plastic surgeon’s office and a corporate lounge space. I also talked about taking Mahjong classes as a way to build community in Connecticut and how I became obsessed with a Mahjong influencer’s colorful style, only to realize after spending hundreds of dollars on clothes that I was trying to become someone else instead of embracing my own style. That experience led me into a bigger conversation about how people often fall in love with aspirational interiors or fashion that don’t actually fit their real lives, homes, or personalities. I answered a listener’s question about why dining chandeliers should hang lower over tables, explaining how lighting placement creates intimacy and visual connection in a room. Finally, I dove into my mixed feelings about Lena Dunham’s memoir Famesick, praising her incredible writing while also criticizing what I felt was a lack of honesty about privilege and accountability in parts of the book.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Betsy shares new podcast schedule and recent interior design projects
05:10 – Starting Mahjong classes and the “Dear Maj” fashion identity crisis
12:45 – Why inspiration photos & trends don’t always fit your real life or style
18:30 – Listener Q&A: Why dining chandeliers should hang 30–36 inches above the table
27:15 – Betsy reviews Lena Dunham’s memoir Famesick and discusses privilege in Hollywood
38:40 – Final thoughts on memoir writing, pop culture, and embracing personal style