Confessions of an Interior Designer

Episode: “I Confess... Felons Are My Niche”

Host: Caroline Turner
Guest: Megan Blau (Founder, Blue Copper Design)
Date: December 10, 2025

Episode Overview

This candid, laughter-filled episode dives into the unexpected realities of interior design—from deeply personal stories on navigating accessibility and disability to wild listener confessions that include ghostly encounters and clients with felonious pasts. Host Caroline Turner welcomes Megan Blau—an interior designer making homes more accessible and beautiful—to discuss her journey, debunk myths about accessible design, and react to shocking industry confessions. The episode is as insightful as it is entertaining, offering rich stories, practical design advice, and plenty of honest, unfiltered moments.

Meet the Guest: Megan Blau (00:22–01:37)

• Background: Megan has used a wheelchair for 16 years after a spinal cord injury at age 17, and founded Blue Copper Design to make inclusive design beautiful and practical.
• Journey into Design: Megan’s own search for an accessible home highlighted gaps in the industry. Her first house remodel at 20 set the stage for her career.
• Mission: Championing accessibility that goes beyond ADA and universal design, Megan’s work is deeply influenced by her own experiences and Arizona’s unique residential landscape.

“I was like, okay, so almost everyone with a disability or accessibility needs is having to remodel a house. Like, no house is coming off the rack this way. Like this is couture. This is not ready to wear.” – Megan (05:07)

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Megan’s Design Philosophy & Accessibility (01:31–08:38)

• How Her Disability Informs Her Work: Megan’s lived experience gives her a unique lens—one that’s much needed in a field lacking true accessibility resources.
• Family Ties to Design: Megan comes from a long line of furniture business professionals, making design “in her blood.”
• Silver Lining Perspective: Despite the tragedy, Megan sees her accident as a “positive thing,” directing her to a purposeful career that benefits others (03:57).

“My accident was probably one of the most positive things in my life... I would have never met my husband, I would have never had this business, I would have never, like, become the person I'm gonna be.” – Megan (03:57)

• Residential vs. Commercial Accessibility: Megan clarifies that ADA is built for public/commercial spaces—not homes. Real accessibility in homes is bespoke, not “universal” or code-based.

“The ADA should be the floor, not the ceiling.” – Megan (08:05)

• Misconceptions About Universal Design: There’s no one-size-fits-all solution; good residential accessibility customizes for the individual—not just the code (07:34–08:28).

Megan’s Career Trajectory (09:02–14:03)

• Education & Work Experience: Short-term certificate in interior design, stints in retail and commercial firms, always with an eye toward entrepreneurship.
• Finding Her Niche: Her firm takes a blend of “accessibility requirement” clients (including aging in place) and those who love “Southwesty desert style.”
• Arizona as the Perfect Setting: The state’s newer housing stock and snowbird/retiree communities made it easier for Megan to pursue accessible design.

“I have a huge snowboard population, a huge retirement community. Like, the foundation has already laid and made it a little bit easier to focus on the accessibility camp.” – Megan (13:35)

Listener Confessions & Reactions

Confession #1: The Haunted House (20:43–27:52)

Confession:
A designer in New England encounters eerie phenomena while renovating a historic home—flickering lights, doors slamming, and twice hearing her name clearly called by no one present. When confessed to the client, the client too had chilling experiences. Research reveals the house’s former owner died there; local lore supports the haunting.

Host & Guest Take:

• Both Megan and Caroline are suitably spooked and recall similar interests in hauntings and true crime.
• Discussion of regional “hauntedness”—Megan: “This is some Appalachia shit.”
• Amused speculation about solutions: mediums, sage, or…just not working alone.

“If you hear your name being called in the woods, like, don't answer, don't.” – Megan (24:38)

“There are no Ghostbusters. There's no one to help you.” – Megan (25:21)

Confession #2: The Felon Client (28:01–36:31)

Confession:
A showroom employee meets a well-dressed client with what turns out to be an ankle monitor. A quick internet search reveals multiple DUIs. The confessor jokes that “felons are becoming my niche,” after also having a client whose lawyer paid from jail.

Host & Guest Take:

• Caroline laughs at the “niche” and jokingly suggests it could be a lucrative one.
• Megan shares insights on house arrest (“it’s just a tracker, like, your microchipped, like a dog”) and affirms, “I would have immediately Googled that person as well.”
• Discussion on the nuances of legal trouble, social impact, and how this might be a new white-collar market segment.

“I have done that before with a potential client after an inquiry… I should probably Google every inquiry and run a background check.” – Megan (32:28)

“The felon niche—I love that. It could be lucrative, you know.” – Megan (35:53)

In-Depth Q&A: Accessible Design in Practice

Challenging Misconceptions (37:12–43:56)

• Misconception #1: Accessible design is ugly/hospital-like.
  • Megan: “Have you seen my house? My house looks better than your house... Anything we do, it's gonna look better than what it looks like now, regardless of the accessibility feature.” (40:26)
• Misconception #2: Only a small group needs accessibility.
  • One in four Americans are disabled—and that’s before considering aging, injuries, or temporary needs.
• Aging in Place: Barrier-free design is considered integral. Sometimes accessibility even means adding barriers for safety (e.g., in cognitive decline).

Practical Tips & Overlooked Features (44:03–63:14)

• Starts with Entry Points:
  • Always consider how to get into the home—ramps, garage access, bedroom/bath on the first floor.
• Simple but Crucial:
  • Handheld showers, reinforcement for future grab bars, wider halls and doors (minimum 36").
• The Cost of Doing Nothing:
  • “Have you ever gone through a renovation?” (53:04)
• The Curb Cut Effect:
  • Accessibility features benefit everyone (parents with strollers, people with suitcases, delivery workers).

Working with Architects & Codes (46:33–52:54)

• Fighting for Front Door Access:
  • Megan stresses that separate entrances are not truly equal and can be degrading.
  • Architects often focus on code over experience; designers should champion the latter.

“Separate but equal is never really equal.” – Megan (48:20)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “This is couture. This is not ready to wear.” – Megan (05:07)
• “The ADA should be the floor, not the ceiling.” – Megan (08:05)
• “Have you seen my house? My house looks better than your house...” – Megan (40:26)
• “Separate but equal is never really equal.” – Megan (48:20)
• “The price and the cost are not the same thing.” – Megan (57:26)
• “Girl, I got money to spend.” – Megan (58:01)

Megan's Professional Advice & Resources

• Consulting Available: Megan offers consulting services for other designers on accessibility projects.
• Find Her Work: Instagram, TikTok by @bluecopperdesign, and at bluecopperdesign.com.

Closing Reflections

• Big-Picture Takeaway: Accessibility isn’t just for a “small group”—it’s about dignity, independence, and good design benefiting everyone. As our population ages, the smart (and profitable) thing is to make all homes barrier-free and ready for any challenges life brings.

• Final Emotional Moment:

  • Megan reflects on a recent Kohler factory tour and marvels at the complex web of people and technology it takes to create a single product.
  • “We’re all these, like, little ants on Earth, just, like, doing our best and making our stuff.” (65:43)

Key Timestamps

• 00:22–01:37: Megan’s backstory, mission, and entry into design.
• 05:07: Redefining accessibility—"couture, not ready to wear."
• 08:05–08:28: Critique of ADA/universal design in residential settings.
• 13:09–14:03: Arizona as accessible home-design haven.
• 20:43–27:52: Ghostly client confession and paranormal banter.
• 28:01–36:31: Felonious clients and laughing about new design “niches.”
• 37:12–41:22: Misconceptions about accessible/beautiful design.
• 46:33–52:54: Battling for front-door accessibility in commercial projects.
• 54:57–57:26: The uphill battle for real change and importance of advocacy.
• 62:15–63:14: Most-overlooked accessible design detail: wide halls and doors.
• 65:23–66:41: The emotional impact of seeing collaborative manufacturing firsthand.

Final Thought

“The more that we include everyone in our public spaces, the better off I think we are in general. And I think it's not so scary to face aging if we knew that the spaces were accessible…” – Caroline (59:27)

Find Megan at:

• Instagram & TikTok: @bluecopperdesign
• Website: bluecopperdesign.com

For more behind-the-scenes design stories, follow Caroline Turner and submit your own confessions.