Podcast Summary: Confessions of an Interior Designer

Episode: I confess… accessory to death
Date: December 3, 2025
Host: Caroline Turner
Guest: Sarah Lyon, writer and stylist

Overview

This episode explores the wild, hilarious, and sometimes spooky realities of sourcing accessories and vintage treasures for luxury interiors—highlighting the unexpected stories behind the hunt for secondhand finds. Host Caroline Turner welcomes Sarah Lyon to share her journey from higher education and journalism to full-time design writing, and they dive into real-life confessions from listeners about bizarre discoveries and near-misses in the world of estate sales and vintage shopping. The episode is full of candid, laugh-out-loud moments, practical sourcing tips, and a heartfelt conversation about trusting your gut and chasing your creative path.

Guest Introduction & Background (00:22–15:36)

Sarah Lyon’s Career Journey

• From Academia to Design Writing:

  • Started in college journalism, then moved to New York for internships and full-time editorial roles.
  • Transitioned from hard-hitting news to features, eventually focusing on home and lifestyle—despite originally thinking features were "too soft" for her style.
    Quote:
    “I was always kind of stirring the pot, kind of hard hitting journalism…Never thought I would end up doing features…but I absolutely love my job.” (03:04–04:11)

• Higher Ed Experience:

  • Completed a one-year master’s in higher education, worked in alumni relations, and honed valuable networking and communication skills.
  • Managed alumni events, wrote newsletters, and learned the subtleties of professional correspondence—skills she applies when interviewing high-profile design figures.

• Freelancing & Pandemic Shift:

  • Built a freelance writing and Instagram presence on the side while in a corporate university job.
  • The pandemic allowed her to “go all in” on freelance design writing, finding new opportunity as the home industry boomed.
    Quote:
    “Anyone with disposable income was spending it on their home, so the home industry was booming. I’m so fortunate…to really start building this career.” (09:50–10:21)

• Move Back to NYC and Community-Building:

  • Post-pandemic, Sarah returned to New York, leveraging new industry friendships made online and offline to feel at home in a new phase of her career.

Sourcing Secondhand: Vintage, Flea Markets, and Parisian Finds (15:36–25:14)

• Vintage Sourcing Roots:

  • Early obsession with Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace for secondhand finds.
  • Led free Zoom workshops for followers on how to shop Facebook Marketplace, eventually partnering with Facebook’s internal team.
    Quote:
    “During the pandemic, I led a bunch of Zoom workshops for my Instagram followers about how to use Facebook Marketplace…with the founder of Facebook Marketplace.” (17:32–18:13)

• Paris Flea Market Adventures:

  • First work trip to Paris in 2024 fueled new inspiration for the thrifting scene—described as “so rooted in their culture.”
  • Brought back finds in a “Hulken” shopping bag; confirmed it blends in with city living despite some followers asking if that was “too American.”
  • Researching European thrifting/thrift etiquette for her upcoming book.

• Book Project: Secondhand Style

  • Proposed and secured her own book deal (“I had to work really hard to pitch that out”)—focuses on the joy, practicality, and technique of sourcing vintage.

Listener Confessions & Outrageous Stories

Confession 1: "Accessory to Death" – The Ashes in the Vase (28:17–32:41)

Story Recap

• Designer scored a “perfect” vintage vase for a client.
• Discovered it contained a bag of human (or pet) ashes—almost installed it on a client’s console table!
• Called the estate sale, who quickly reclaimed the urn.

Hosts React

• Sarah: “Now I’m, like, terrified…do I need to go through my apartment after this?” (30:39)
• Both hosts joke about being “hyper vigilant” now, checking every vintage bowl or vase before bringing it home.

Memorable Exchange

• Caroline: “I mean, what if you literally just had someone’s ashes in your apartment and you didn’t know?” (30:50)
• Sarah: “Was this, like, the estate sale person’s husband in there?” (31:03)

Confession 2: "Tapestry Treasure" – A Masterpiece Hidden in Plain Sight (33:06–39:08)

Story Recap

• Designer at a Boston vintage market finds a “dramatic” forgotten tapestry, pays a couple hundred bucks, installs it in a client’s room.
• Later discovers it’s an extremely rare, valuable piece worth thousands—regrets not keeping it for herself.

Discussion Highlights

• Sarah shares her own €20 tapestry story from Paris—sometimes the thrill of the find makes it hard to part with an item.
• Caroline: “I have a tapestry behind me … appraised at $16,000. I would never sell this.”
• Both reflect on the emotional (and financial) value in the hunt, and learning to research significant finds before passing them on.
  Quote:
  “Just wait a minute before you give it to the client. Especially if it’s not a mass-produced thing.” – Sarah (39:08)

Real Talk: Pricing, Client Regret, and Freelance Lessons (39:08–43:35)

• The designers discuss undercharging clients, flat fees, and the hard lessons learned about pricing creative work—how mistakes are often “the tuition you pay for education.”
  • Sarah: “Lesson learned. I’m not going to go back [to the client]. If another reaches out, that will be my new baseline rate.”
  • Caroline: “There are a couple clients who have gotten such good deals on working with us.”
• Subcontractor + delivery company woes: Clients shouldn’t be responsible for professionals’ under-bidding or unplanned “overage” costs mid-project.

Favorite Finds, Secondhand Wins, & Design Story Highlights (43:35–48:37)

• Sarah’s Most Interesting Finds

  • A blue and white oversized standing mirror found at the NYC flea market, later discovered to be worth significantly more.
  • “Friendship chairs”—unique tapestry chairs found at a designer studio’s sell-off, split with a friend (“at first I was resentful…but they don’t need to be together”).
  • The importance of the “second lap” at a flea market:
    “Second lap is when I find the best stuff.” – Caroline (44:55)

• Book Preview: Secondhand Style

  • Aims to teach readers how to see potential in overlooked flea market finds, and to envision them styled at home.
  • Includes detailed, beginner-friendly tips for navigating different vintage shopping cultures (NYC, Paris, etc.).
  • Notes from Paris: Cash is king and haggling etiquette varies greatly abroad.

Rapid-Fire Favorites: What Made You Feel? (51:05–53:56)

• Reading Recommendations
  • Sarah: Recommends the “831 Stories” rom-com series—specifically a When Harry Met Sally-inspired road trip romance.
    “It was just really emotional. So highly recommend.” (52:20)
  • Caroline: Shares her love of reading too (140 books in last year!), and chatters about other favorites (Abby Jimenez, Emily Henry).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On trusting your gut in business:
  “Just trust your gut, even if it’s hard.” – Sarah (25:51)
• On vintage shopping:
  “You think you’re buying a pretty thing and suddenly you’re the unwitting caretaker of someone’s personal history.” – Listener Confession (29:17)
• On the joy of the hunt:
  “That’s exactly why I love vintage sourcing. You never know what you’re going to find, and there’s such a thrill in the hunt.” – Listener Confession (34:49)
• On community:
  “It’s major to be able to have people you can call upon who know what you’re going through. It makes it so much easier.” – Caroline (14:10)

Resources & Where to Find Sarah Lyon

• Instagram: @sarahlion9
• Website: Linked in bio
• Book: Secondhand Style (expected 2027)
• Podcast: Stream back episodes via carolineturner.co/pages/confessions

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:22 – Guest Introduction
• 01:19 – Sarah’s Journalism Background
• 09:50 – The Covid Pivot – Going Full-Time Freelance
• 17:32 – Facebook Marketplace Zoom Workshops
• 19:39 – Paris Vintage Shopping & Book Inspiration
• 28:17 – Confession #1: Ashes in the Vase
• 33:06 – Confession #2: Tapestry Treasure
• 39:08 – Lessons in Pricing and Client Regret
• 43:48 – Favorite Secondhand Finds
• 47:05 – Book Preview: Secondhand Style
• 51:05 – Rom-Com Book Recs (“What made you feel?”)

Perfect for:
Design professionals, thrifting fans, or anyone who loves wild behind-the-scenes stories from the world of interiors. Expect to laugh, gasp, and rethink what you bring home from the flea market!