Confessions of an Interior Designer

Episode: I Confess… I Was The Other Woman

Host: Caroline Turner
Guest: Jenny Brown, Jenny Brown Designs
Date: March 25, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the sometimes hilarious, often shocking, and always relatable realities behind the luxury interior design world. Host Caroline Turner is joined by the affable and candid Jenny Brown of Jenny Brown Designs. Together, they swap design industry stories, reflect on mistakes, and react to juicy listener confessions—including one about becoming "the other woman" without realizing it. The episode explores setting boundaries, navigating professionalism in murky situations, lessons from career mistakes, and the joys and pitfalls of working intimately with clients.

Guest Introduction & Warm-Up (00:04–06:50)

• Jenny’s Path to Design:

  • Grew up on Chicago's North Shore, fascinated by luxury homes she visited as a babysitter.
  • Early internships at Sotheby’s and an art gallery—developed appreciation for beautiful things, but also saw decorators sometimes dismissed as superficial.
  • Realization she should be a decorator hit while picking out marble coasters for her mom.
  • “I just remember thinking, Oh, I should be a decorator. That was easy.” — Jenny (04:44)

• Old School Design Love:

  • Childhood and college experiences rearranging dorm rooms—always drawing floor plans.
  • “We didn’t get new stuff, we just moved our stuff around.” — Caroline (05:07)
  • “I’m chasing that high constantly.” (on getting vintage/thrift bargains) — Jenny (06:43)

The Side-Quest Life & Career Reflections (06:51–18:00)

• Love of the Hunt:

  • Both hosts bond over the thrill of finding unique items, comparing it to shopping highs and admitting to the compulsion to hunt for deals.
  • "I have this thing where you can find really high-end designer shoes ... for 40 bucks." — Jenny (07:04)

• Career Path Highlights:

  • Jenny’s move to San Francisco inspired by reading the firm listings in Architectural Digest.
  • Her first day at a major firm, The Wiseman Group, fell on September 10, 2001—a career and world-shifting moment.
  • “I was ordering a cappuccino pony hide wing chair. I just remember being … I have arrived.” — Jenny (13:54)

• Experience of Layoffs and Growth:

  • Jenny sees layoffs and major setbacks as crucial growth experiences, both personally and professionally.
  • “Getting laid off and getting fired is kind of key in a career, I think.” — Caroline (14:33)

Advice, Guilty Pleasures & Work/Life Balance (18:00–25:40)

• Side Quests as Self-Care:

  • Both discuss the thrill of fitting in extra tasks/adventures (the “side quest”) in a busy day.
  • “Advice is kind of like a guilty pleasure or a cheap thrill, you know?” — Jenny (19:18)

• Stopping Drinking:

  • Both stopped drinking, finding more energy and time for meaningful activities.
  • “I stopped drinking four years ago, which has been…the best.” — Jenny (20:13)

• Organizational Hacks:

  • Keeping notepads by each bed to jot late-night ideas, helping manage the chaos of side projects (“side quests”).
  • “Sometimes I’ll just have the pen and I’ll write in the dark…it’ll be like hieroglyphics.” — Jenny (22:14)

• Professional Social Media Weariness:

  • Conversations about Instagram fatigue and the odd intensity of digital access to strangers.
  • “Whenever I’m on Instagram, I’m like, are these people even real? …Is this AI?” — Jenny (25:10)

Listener Confession #1: The Other Woman (25:47–35:55)

Confession Read (25:47)

Summary:
A designer moves states, connects with a photographer via Instagram, and becomes romantically involved with him. After a year and a half of flirty DMs and hook-ups (some in clients’ homes post-shoot), she discovers through social media sleuthing that he had a live-in girlfriend all along. She’s since switched to a female photographer and never confronted him.

Reactions & Discussion

• On Photographers’ Bad Behavior:

  • “Not all men, but most. And maybe photographers especially…” — Caroline (27:46)
  • “I feel like that is…lots of bad behavior.” — Jenny (28:11)

• Modern Dating Realities:

  • Jenny admits being “out of the dating world,” and Caroline laments the state of things:
    • “It is bleak. It’s bleak.” — Caroline (28:22)
  • Exploration of how social media allows men to conceal relationships and expose other women to heartbreak.

• Professional Boundaries:

  • The importance of professionalism when personal and business lines blur.
  • “If I laugh at a joke that’s … kind of being sexual, and they’re like ‘oh, she’s game’, and then they do it the rest of the project.” — Caroline (31:16)

• On Cheating and Responsibility:

  • Both have zero tolerance.
    • “I have something against cheating, too. I know I’m not okay with this.” — Jenny (34:05)
    • “My thing is: hang them in the town square.” — Caroline (34:09)

Notable Quotes

• “It frustrates me that men continually put other women in positions to betray other women. Because that’s essentially what it is.” — Caroline (30:03)
• “He’s the ultimate…you know.” — Jenny (30:50)
• “Never be nasty. You can be mad, you can be sad, but you can’t be mean.” — Jenny (33:51)

Segment Timestamps

• Confession read: 25:50
• Professional boundary tips: 31:16
• Cheating discussion: 34:05

Boundaries & Self-Acceptance (35:56–41:14)

• Owning Your Role:
  • Both agree that, as professionals and humans, it’s important to accept mistakes, set new boundaries, and move forward.
  • “If you accept the role and…you move on and you don’t do it again, then you’re…” — Caroline (40:27)
• Enemies and Foes:
  • Playful chat on keeping “enemies lists” and accepting that sometimes you’re the villain in someone else’s story.

Listener Confession #2: Designer or Babysitter? (42:13–54:12)

Confession Read (42:13)

A young designer describes being manipulated into providing childcare during client meetings—eventually realizing she was being taken advantage of and setting a boundary.

Discussion & Insights

• Natural Slippery Slope:

  • Both hosts relate, noting how easily professional relationships blur, especially when you want to be liked or your business is young.
  • “If she’s willing to waste money for me to hang out with her kid…I’m what, $200/hour? That’s way more than a babysitter.” — Caroline (46:32)

• Importance of Boundaries:

  • “It’s up to us to set the precedent.” — Caroline (51:18)
  • Setting up clear meeting times and time limits earns more client respect.
  • “When I set time limits…I’m just way more respected.” — Caroline (52:23)
  • Self-reflection on being too eager, especially early in a career, and the value of learning from mistakes.

Penance & Moving Forward

• No villain, but the designer learned from experience and now sets boundaries earlier.
• “It happened once and it never happens again.” — Jenny (53:13)

Segment Timestamps

• Confession read: 42:13
• Boundaries discussion: 50:59
• Advice for younger designers: 53:11

Industry Wisdom: Changes, Trends, and Designer Tips (56:04–73:42)

• What’s Changed for the Better:

  • Design is “so elevated”—social media has forced both commercial and residential spaces to become more thoughtful, creative, and Instagrammable.
  • “I think businesses, restaurants are really seeing, like, that Instagrammable moment.” — Jenny (57:16)

• What We Should Revive:

  • Return to chintz and vibrant, patterned traditions for upholstery and textiles.
  • “We need to get back to chintz… Just nice quilted… I love a good floral chintz.” — Jenny (59:31, 61:10)

• Handling Hesitant Clients:

  • Both discuss how clients often make safe choices early on, only to regret not being bolder later.
  • “Shoot for the moon, because you don’t know what people are going to spend money on.” — Jenny (63:30)
  • Show clients full vision early—even if it feels “too much.”

• Estate Sale Tips (66:02–73:06):

  • Go for the experience, not just a deal.
    • “You don’t need to buy something. Always be respectful. Bring a tape measure. It’s really fun to see the house.” — Jenny (66:48)
  • Take photos for inspiration and brain-archiving.
  • Grab items you’re interested in (take the ticket) before thinking too hard—don’t let opportunity slip.
  • Be kind and patient. Don’t get upset if you miss out.
  • The website/app estatesales.net is the place to start.

Final Thoughts: Finding Joy & Meaning (73:42–end)

• What Made You Feel:

  • Family, friendship, and maintaining positivity despite the chaos of the world:
    • “My relationships and friendships are my favorite thing… I want to be a source of light and happiness and joy.” — Jenny (74:13)

• Design as Brightness:

  • Both hosts view their work as making the world more beautiful and spreading joy.

• Where to Find Jenny:

  • Website: jennybrown.com
  • Instagram: @jennybrowndesigns
  • “And you can probably find me at an estate sale.” — Jenny (76:19)

Notable Quotes

• “Every space has its sins.” — Caroline (00:04)
• “My, like, business mantra is never be nasty. You can be mad, you can be sad, but you can’t be mean.” — Jenny (33:51)
• “If you accept the role, sort of feel and then you move on and you don’t do it again, then you’re… [okay].” — Caroline (40:27)
• “Shoot for the moon…you don’t know what people are going to spend money on.” — Jenny (63:30)

Key Takeaways

• The Line Between Personal and Professional: Navigating blurred boundaries with clients and colleagues is an almost inevitable challenge in design—clear, early boundaries and self-respect are crucial.
• Learning From Mistakes: Early-career slip-ups and discomforts are not only common, but ultimately help designers discover their style, values, and build resilience.
• Supporting Each Other: The design world, while glamorous, is also rife with ethical minefields and emotional labor—but with candor and mutual support, designers can thrive.
• Love (and Limits) for the Hunt: Whether through estate sales or eBay, designers' passion for the chase is matched only by their need to edit, pace themselves, and accept that not everything can (or should) come home.

For more juicy design confessions, behind-the-scenes truths, and further episodes, subscribe to Confessions of an Interior Designer on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite platform.