Business of Home Podcast: The Thursday Show

Episode Date: October 16, 2025
Host: Dennis Scully
Guests: Fred Nicolaus (Executive Editor, Business of Home), Sarah Harrelson (Founder/Editor-in-Chief, Cultured Magazine)

Episode Overview

In this week’s Thursday Show, host Dennis Scully is joined by executive editor Fred Nicolaus to dissect the latest news shaping the interior design and home industries. The episode dives deep into crucial topics such as the impact of new tariffs, the slowing luxury and general housing markets, and Kelly Wearstler’s intriguing new “Side Hustle” venture. A central question emerges: Do great rooms have to be photogenic, or is livability enough? Later, Scully interviews Sarah Harrelson of Cultured magazine, exploring her new home publication, the state of print media, the evolving art world, and how to build buzz in a digital age.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. High Point Market: Upcoming Panels

• [01:03] Dennis is headed to High Point and highlights key panels:
  • Saturday, 4 p.m., Woodbridge Showroom (200 Steele): Launching new Sanderson & Morris & Co. prints; panel with Stephanie Sabi and Katie Rosenfeld.
  • Sunday, Global Views, IHFC Building: Branding panel with David McEachin (Workshop APD), Naz Nazawa, and Christine Carney (BlackBerry Farm).

2. Recap: Emotional Insights with Corey Damon Jenkins

• [03:10] Recent "Conversation with Corey" episode praised for Jenkins’ resilience.
  • "Who has faced more setbacks in this industry than Corey Damon Jenkins? And yet look at the level he has risen to." — Dennis Scully [03:15]
  • The “Mariah Carey principle”—getting paid like a star—as a lesson for all designers.

3. Industry News

A. Tariffs: What’s Changing and Who’s Impacted

• [06:26] Fresh tariffs came into effect on lumber (10%), upholstery (25% to 30% in Jan), and kitchen cabinetry (25% to 50% in Jan).

  • Impact is global (with exceptions).
  • Notably, the tariffs don’t “stack” atop country-specific tariffs—the higher number applies.

• [08:42] On the consequences:

  • "Once we started to talk about lumber and kitchen cabinetry, we start to really get into the makeup of home prices. And so it becomes very real." — Dennis Scully [08:18]

• Most US manufacturers have mixed feelings; even with tariffs, they're often pricier than Asia.

  • "There actually is a constituency of people who are very happy about these tariffs... It's much harder to find that in the domestic upholstery world." — Fred Nicolaus [10:37]
  • "Everyone’s raising prices. There you go." — Dennis Scully [12:05]

B. Kelly Wearstler’s “Side Hustle” Project

• [12:58] Wearstler launches a collective project for cross-disciplinary art/design collaborations.
  • Not NFTs or metaverse-focused, but a tangible gallery-platform hybrid.
  • First exhibit: showcased in Wearstler’s Beverly Hills pool house.
  • "She definitely is like a restless talent... always experimenting with the new new." — Fred Nicolaus [14:50]
  • Interest is in merging high-art, collectible design, and commercial interiors.

4. Housing Market Check-In

A. Slowdown at the Top

• [16:58] Both luxury and general markets are cooling; luxury sales at lowest since 2013.
  • "Luxury buyers are moving as slow as molasses." — Dennis Scully quoting a Realtor [18:06]
  • Even the ultra-wealthy hesitate amid policy and market uncertainty (tariffs, stock market volatility, AI “bubble” concerns).
  • For designers: Pipeline for new projects is thinning for some.

B. Home Builder Woes

• [20:16] Builders ramp up incentives (discounts, mortgage rate buy-downs, freebies) to little effect.
  • "66% of home builders are offering some sort of incentive." — Fred Nicolaus [21:14]
  • Margins are shrinking as rates remain high; administration calls for more building, but tariffs and costs deter supply.

C. Gen Z and the Future of Homeownership

• [23:15] Fewer Gen Z buyers; more opting for stocks.
  • 37% of 25-year-olds invest; just 6% in 2015.
  • "If young people...start to believe that homeownership is out of their reach...then you know who's gonna be in trouble is furniture makers and fabric companies and everybody who is outfitting those homes." — Dennis Scully [24:43]
  • Broader worry: if Gen Z doesn’t start the “ladder climb,” future clients for design and home products may vanish.

5. Hot Take: Does a Great Room Need to Be Photogenic?

• [26:42] Inspired by House & Garden’s Claudia Bailey, the hosts debate whether photogenic interiors trump lived experience.
  • Scully’s Instagram poll: 70% of designers say “no, rooms don’t need to be photogenic.”
  • Designer Billy Seglia: "Too many overly styled photos, impractical setups with captions like, 'I love the way we live.' You can't possibly love it. No place to put down a drink." [27:26]
  • The editorial process often re-styles spaces for shoots—sometimes at odds with reality.
  • "Photographs, they're kind of lies. They're beautiful lies." — Fred Nicolaus [30:25]
  • While most design for real life, the “unreal” photo standard is pervasive, and the panel agrees it creates cultural distortion—and opportunity for fresh discussion at events like High Point.

6. Feature Interview: Sarah Harrelson of Cultured Magazine

Background & Mission

• [34:08] Cultured is a print-first magazine focused on chronicling the art world—and its overlap with design, literature, and food.
  • "We are a print first publication and a storytelling platform that is really interested in emerging talent, is really interested in covering people that perhaps have been overlooked by mainstream media." — Sarah Harrelson [34:19]

The Economics & Future of Print

• [36:52] Despite “print is dead” claims, Harrelson argues for the continued value and business of print.
  • "We're not treated the same way we were 20 years ago... but does it still matter? Absolutely, 100%." — Sarah Harrelson [37:29]
  • Flexibility, speed, and agility are core advantages; print still is 51% of Cultured's revenue.

Observations on the Art World

• [39:34] Art market “normalized” after 2021-22 boom; younger collectors remain engaged.
• Regular events at international fairs; next up—launch of Cultured at Home, a new home/design annual.

Cultured at Home: The New Home Publication

• [41:27] Aimed at offering a fresh take on the home/design market.
  • "Is there another path? Is there a different way to look at this world?" — Sarah Harrelson [42:17]
  • First issue launches in Paris, $50 edition; aiming for once/year frequency.

Editorial Vision and Business Practice

• Coverage focuses on stories and personalities—less on “celebrity for celebrity's sake.”
• Explores what resonates: old-fashioned service journalism, literary coverage, and curated food/studio recommendations drive digital/print subscriptions.
• An interesting experiment: an article on museum temperature became one of the summer’s “surprise” hits.

Criticism in Art (and the Lack Thereof in Design)

• [46:51] Cultured added a “critics table” for reviews/essays—a hit with artists, who craved real feedback and discourse.
  • Scully notes: The design world has almost no equivalent criticism or open debate about interiors’ merits.

The Enduring Power of Print—and Voice

• Harrelson and Scully agree: Niche, passion-driven media still forges lasting relationships.
  • Podcasting and print both create intimacy—trusted voices, deep engagement.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Tariffs:
  "No one can sit on an increasing 5 more percent, 10 more percent… prices have already gone up. They're going to keep going up."
  — Fred Nicolaus [10:37]

• On Livability vs. Photogenic Rooms:
  "Photographs, they're kind of lies. They're beautiful lies. But there's so much that's tweaked to get it to be something that sort of works as a photograph."
  — Fred Nicolaus [30:25]

• On Print’s Future:
  "This constant, like, print is dead does tend to drive me crazy because I just don't really think it's accurate… does it still matter? Absolutely, 100%."
  — Sarah Harrelson [37:29]

• On Young Buyers and the Industry:
  "If young people...start to believe homeownership is out of their reach and they prioritize putting their money elsewhere...there's so much that's written about young people wanting to have experiences...But it's a real concern longer term for the housing industry, for the furnishings industry and certainly for interior designers as well. Because these are your future clients—or maybe not."
  — Dennis Scully [24:43]

Important Timestamps

• 00:07–02:32: High Point Market prep and panel highlights
• 03:10–04:23: Corey Damon Jenkins episode recap
• 06:26–12:42: Tariffs explained and their ripple effects
• 12:58–15:59: Kelly Wearstler’s new “Side Hustle” venture
• 16:42–24:43: Housing market—luxury, builders, Gen Z trends
• 26:08–32:17: Debate: Do great rooms need to be photogenic?
• 34:08–58:20: Interview with Sarah Harrelson:
  • [34:08–36:52]: Origins and mission of Cultured magazine
  • [36:52–39:07]: Print media’s challenges and adaptations
  • [39:07–43:35]: How the art world is changing; new home title launch
  • [43:44–49:55]: Strategies to engage and grow audiences in digital/print
  • [46:51–48:54]: The surprising hunger for criticism in the art world
  • [49:55–55:38]: Tech disruption, newsletters, and the evolving media “diet”
  • [55:38–58:06]: Cultured at Home’s launch and future
• 58:34–end: Industry highlights; Kelly Wearstler’s business numbers; Scully's High Point appearances

Additional Industry Highlights

• Kelly Wearstler’s Product Revenue: $150 million (unconfirmed details; reported by Financial Times) [58:34]
• Events: Christopher Farcloth showroom launch at New York Design Center; Dovetail’s event for English/British makers (Sabine Rothman, Victoria Murray).
• Upcoming: Dennis Scully to host Corey Damon Jenkins in conversation at NYSID, October 30.

Resources Mentioned

• Cultured at Home: New print home publication from Cultured, $50 per issue.
• House & Garden (Claudia Bailey’s Piece): "Does a Great Interior Need to Be Photogenic?"
• Leonora Epstein’s “Artech Bro Homes”: Architectural Digest article on tech mansions and their future legacy.

Tone & Style

The episode combines Business of Home’s signature blend of warmth, transparency, and insightful skepticism about industry trends. The hosts balance analysis with humor and self-deprecation, and their genuine passion for design, media, and business comes through in every exchange.

For more news, job listings, and workshops, visit businessofhome.com.