Podcast Summary: Confessions of an Interior Designer

Episode: I Confess... My Client Was a Creep

Host: Caroline Turner
Guest: Jenna Peffley (Interior/Lifestyle Photographer & Brand Strategist)
Date: January 14, 2026

Episode Overview

In this candid and lively episode, Caroline Turner is joined by acclaimed photographer and brand strategist Jenna Peffley. The discussion centers around the untold, sometimes shocking realities of luxury interior design through listener-submitted confessions. From professional mishaps involving high-profile clients and their assistants to encounters with unsavory, inappropriate clients, the episode offers an honest glimpse into both the challenges and outlandish stories in the world of design. The tone is humorous, empathetic, and sometimes raw as they highlight moments of industry drama, personal reflection, and the growth of boundaries and standards within design and photography.

Spotlight: Meet Jenna Peffley (00:59–11:36)

• Jenna’s Path into Photography and Design:
  • Grew up in the design world due to her father’s work.
  • Mentored by a “devil wears Prada” style design firm owner, gaining early textile and color education.
  • Realized she had already learned much of what design school offered, leading her to photography.
• Professional Milestones:
  • Moved to LA “with $500 and a dog,” facing industry saturation and a male-dominated world.
  • Stints at Nasty Gal and working with Who What Wear/MyDomain, quickly gaining production and photography experience.
  • Layoff led to rapid freelance success, aided by a robust professional network.
• Quote:
  "I thought I would get there and be a famous photographer right away, of course, duh. And I got there and it was so saturated and... pretty much a man's world." (04:35, Jenna)

Notable Discussion Points & Memorable Segments

1. Vice Confessions & Designer Life Realities (12:54–14:09)

• Jenna’s current “vices” are wholesome—Erewhon and crystallized ginger.
• Light-hearted banter about the “healthiest bad habit.”
• “Now you know what to buy me for Christmas.” (13:55, Jenna)

2. Confession #1: The Assistant’s Takeover (14:07–29:03)

• The Story:
  • Designer hired to create a home for a famous actress but only allowed to interact with the actress’s assistant.
  • The assistant micro-manages and provides conflicting directions, leading to confusion and a poorly unified install.
  • When the actress finally sees the finished result, she clearly hates it—eventually firing the assistant and working directly with the designer to realize her actual style.
• Key Takeaways:
  • Working strictly through intermediaries can result in costly miscommunication and wasted effort.
  • Proper documentation and professional boundaries are essential.
• Speaker Reflections:
  • Jenna: “I have seen it go the other way... where the assistants are trying so hard to please that they think they understand, and it’s disastrous.” (18:43)
  • Caroline: “It’s kind of a miracle... that they immediately knew it was the assistant and not the designer.” (26:43)
• Lesson:
  • Prefer direct communication with clients or, at minimum, require sign-off from the actual decision-maker.
  • “Sometimes it’s just easier to do it yourself.” (27:56, Caroline)

3. Confession #2: The Creepy Client (29:26–52:17)

• The Story:
  • Early in their career, a designer works for a wealthy “older bachelor” with questionable taste and a bizarre (and gross) locker room setup—women’s swimsuits and lingerie sorted by size for his guests.
  • Multiple boundary-pushing, uncomfortable interactions, including encountering a young woman at the penthouse.
  • Later, runs into someone who recounts the exact same creepy locker room setup as a dating horror story.
• Caroline & Jenna React:
  • “Ew... Just ew.” (32:49, Jenna)
  • Both discuss the normalization of toxic, predatory behavior earlier in their careers vs. today.
  • Broader critique of how “bad behavior was rampant” (34:09, Jenna) in the industry until relatively recently.
• Cultural Reflection:
  • Progress from the rampant normalization of sexual harassment toward today’s greater accountability—though issues remain.
  • The role of generational change, with younger women being more fearless and supported now (40:41, Caroline).
• Suggestion for ‘Penance’:
  • Donate to a women’s org like Planned Parenthood in the creepy client’s name (50:10, Caroline).
  • “I think the man needs to get outed... that would be the great penance.” (51:57, Jenna)

4. Industry Reflections and Advice (52:31–77:14)

On Photographing Designed Spaces

• Best Practices:
  • Lived-in, layered spaces photograph best. Props and styling (including a good prop stylist) are key to conveying warmth.
  • Avoid sterile, untouched spaces if aiming for editorial.
  • “The houses that feel the most alive... are shot after someone’s lived there and they have personal artifacts.” (52:40, Jenna)
  • Stylists should create natural, not try-hard ‘lived-in’ touches.
• On Photography Rules:
  • “Every home kind of tells you how it wants to be shot.” (66:10, Jenna)
  • Jenna uses unconventional lighting techniques and breaks rules learned from male mentors.
  • On trendy evening/dusk shots: sometimes works, sometimes doesn’t—“I just hate these concepts of this is trendy right now.” (72:28, Jenna)
• Working Toward Publication:
  • Pointed distinction between shooting for magazines vs. client marketing.
  • Importance of having a team known to editors (photographer, stylist) for legitimacy.

On Professional Growth & Networking

• Saturation of Industry:
  • The field is more saturated now—building an authentic network is essential.
  • Skills: Technical ability, great lighting, openness to feedback, and reliability (esp. with NDAs for high-profile clients).
  • “That authentic network of humans has been one of my greatest gifts in life.” (82:57, Jenna)
• Location:
  • Debate on whether moving to a big city is necessary—the landscape has shifted, but big city networks help.

5. Quickfire: What Made You Feel This Week? (84:48–86:18)

• Jenna shares a moment of pure joy: the first snow in her new home made her feel “like a child on Christmas morning.”
  “I was so excited... I got a season today!” (84:57, Jenna)
• Caroline echoes the magic of the first snow in Chicago.

Notable Quotes & Insights (with timestamps)

• “I thought I would get there and be a famous photographer right away, of course, duh...” (04:35, Jenna)
• “I was just gonna go up to small, but sometimes they wanna bring their chubby friend, so I added a medium.” (30:58, Locker Room Confession)
• “Sometimes we just have to learn big lessons the hard way all the way around.” (28:50, Jenna)
• “If you let me come in and do the thing that I do... but if you come to me with iPhone shots of every angle you want me to cover, then do it with your iPhone.” (64:19, Jenna)
• “I just hate these concepts of this is trendy right now.” (72:28, Jenna)
• “That authentic network of humans has been one of my greatest gifts in life, and that is the thing I think is the most important.” (82:57, Jenna)

Key Takeaways

• Direct Communication Beats Intermediaries: Design projects risk disaster when assistants, not clients, drive decisions.
• Healthy Boundaries Are Essential: Keep all design choices and communications in writing; don’t be afraid to require direct contact or sign-off from the real decision-maker.
• Industry Culture Is Evolving: There’s been real progress in calling out and reducing “creep” culture, though challenges remain.
• Styling and Layering Make the Image: Editorial-worthy images come from warmth, personality, and skilled prop styling—not from sterile perfection.
• Choose Your Team & Network Carefully: A photographer/stylist/editor network is fundamental for publication success.
• Know Your Limits and Skills: Be technically capable but also adaptable and intuitive—let the home guide you.
• Value Your Time and Labor: Don’t be afraid to charge for repeated or extra work due to other people’s mistakes.

Suggested Penance (For Those “Guilty” in Confessions)

• For designers enabling questionable clients: Consider “paying forward” with a donation to women’s orgs.
• For egregious clients: Public exposure (when possible) is the greatest penance.

Timestamps for Key Moments

• 00:59: Jenna’s background & career trajectory
• 12:54: Personal vices segment
• 14:07: Celebrity assistant confession & debrief
• 29:26: Creepy client/locker room confession & cultural discussion
• 52:31: Shooting advice and the editorial process
• 66:10: Jenna on intuitive shooting & breaking rules
• 72:28: Dusk photos and trends discussion
• 82:57: The value of authentic networks
• 84:48: 'What made you feel?' closing segment

For Listeners:

Expect more wild, hilarious, and insightful stories exploring the side of design you won’t find on Instagram mood boards or in glossy magazines. Whether you’re a seasoned designer or simply love industry gossip, Caroline and her guests deliver both laughs and wisdom in abundance.

Follow the podcast and join the conversation on their Instagram and Facebook Group. Submit your own anonymous confessions here.