I confess… season 1 might be over, but we’re just getting started

Summary

Confessions of an Interior Designer: Season 1 Finale Summary

Episode Title: I Confess… Season 1 Might Be Over, But We’re Just Getting Started
Release Date: March 19, 2025
Host: Caroline Turner
Guests: Gracie and Morgan

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Introduction: Celebrating Season One

In the final episode of Season One of Confessions of an Interior Designer, host Caroline Turner reflects on the journey of the podcast, expressing heartfelt gratitude to listeners and teasing exciting plans for Season Two. Caroline emphasizes the unique focus of the show—delving into the untold, often chaotic, and humorous stories from the luxury interior design industry rather than discussing trends or technical tips.

Notable Quote:
Caroline Turner [00:04]: "Every space has its sins. Are you ready to hear confession?"

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Confession 1: The Affair Behind the Drapes

Timestamp Highlights: 00:04 – 07:08

Overview:
Early in her career, Caroline recounts a tumultuous project for an ultra-wealthy East Coast couple. The wife was frequently away, leaving Caroline to work closely with the husband, who initially seemed professional but soon exhibited increasingly intimate behavior.

Key Points:

• Initial Professional Interaction: The husband complimented Caroline’s work and began seeking separate conversations about the project.
• Escalating Intimacy: One evening, after a stressful day, he invited her for a drink, leading to an affair that unfolded amidst chaotic project deadlines.
• Emotional Conflict: Caroline grapples with the ethical implications, especially since the wife was often absent and seemingly unaware.
• Outcome: Despite the affair ending with the project's completion and the wife's return, Caroline continues to receive referrals from the couple, leaving her uncertain about the wife’s knowledge of the situation.

Notable Quotes:
Caroline Turner [03:28]: "One thing led to another, and let's just say those drapes weren't the only thing getting a little rumpled that night."
Gracie [07:08]: "That would be like stabbing a knife into your client's back."

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Confession 2: The Chair Swap Scandal

Timestamp Highlights: 07:32 – 11:58

Overview:
Gracie shares a riveting story about a high-profile client who insisted on having $25,000 armchairs from Paris. When the chairs arrived incorrectly just before a crucial dinner party, Gracie and her team orchestrated a covert replacement with knockoff chairs to maintain the project's integrity.

Key Points:

• High-Stakes Installation: The incorrect chairs threatened to derail an exclusive dinner party.
• Ingenious Fix: Gracie’s team sourced near-identical $500 knockoff chairs, distressed them to match the desired aesthetic, and seamlessly swapped them in the dead of night.
• Client Deception: The clients remained oblivious, praising the chairs and continuing to refer future projects without suspicion.
• Aftermath: The successful swap not only saved the event but also humorously branded the act as "the biggest chair heist in design history."

Notable Quotes:
Gracie [10:34]: "They’re like the CIA. The Central Interior Design Agency."
Caroline Turner [10:55]: "I’m so impressed and, like, terrified in hindsight."

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Confession 3: The Filthy House and the Boat Captain

Timestamp Highlights: 11:57 – 16:16

Overview:
Caroline narrates her experience working on a Victorian home in New England notorious for its filth and eerie atmosphere. The project was managed by a boat captain, whose unconventional and controlling management style compounded the challenges.

Key Points:

• Unhygienic Conditions: The house was filthy with dead mice decomposing, creating a hazardous environment.
• Toxic Management: The boat captain imposed bizarre rules, such as no shoes and no speaking inside the house, intensifying the stress.
• Struggle with Standards: Despite hostile conditions, Caroline had to maintain professionalism, measuring for custom rugs and carrying out meticulous work under oppressive oversight.
• Personal Toll: The combination of the house’s conditions and the shipmate-like manager led Caroline to question her career choices and sanity.

Notable Quotes:
Caroline Turner [12:24]: "I was there in June. I have chills."
Gracie [13:13]: "What would you do if you went into a house and there's literally dead mice?"

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Confession 4: The Red Room Request

Timestamp Highlights: 17:29 – 29:20

Overview:
Gracie shares an internship story where a couple hired her firm to design a "red room." Misinterpreting the client's request led to an embarrassingly inappropriate design, highlighting the importance of clear communication and understanding client visions.

Key Points:

• Client Miscommunication: The couple requested a "red room" without clarification, leading to the design of an overly opulent space resembling a speakeasy.
• Embarrassing Realization: The room included deep burgundy walls, velvet paneling, and a massive chandelier, which was later understood to have more risqué implications.
• Professional Dilemma: Gracie and her boss struggled with the unintended consequence of designing something far beyond their comfort zone and professional standards.
• Project Outcome: While the clients loved the design, Gracie chose to exclude the controversial basement from publications, viewing it as her "secret shame."

Notable Quotes:
Gracie [26:02]: "It sounds like it's reminding me of Extreme Home Makeover."
Caroline Turner [27:42]: "If they were happy, it's not like she was sabotaging them."

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Confession 5: The Haunted Victorian Renovation

Timestamp Highlights: 29:20 – 34:34

Overview:
Caroline recounts renovating a Victorian home in a New England town known for its ghostly legends. The project became increasingly unsettling as supernatural occurrences intensified, leading to the clients abandoning the home out of fear.

Key Points:

• Eerie History: The house, dubbed the "Widow's House," was rumored to be haunted by a mourning widow.
• Supernatural Events: Caroline experienced tools moving on their own, unexplained footsteps, and the discovery of a hidden room with an antique rocking chair that seemed to possess a sinister presence.
• Client Reactions: Initially dismissive, the clients became terrified as their young daughter reported seeing and interacting with the ghostly apparition.
• Project Termination: After three months of escalating unease, the family decided to sell the house, unable to withstand the haunting disturbances.

Notable Quotes:
Caroline Turner [32:30]: "The biggest piece, a custom chandelier handmade with Murano glass that looked delicate, but, as the husband put it, could handle some movement."
Gracie [34:34]: "The ghost is waking everybody up, we're out. Like that's it."

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Confession 6: The Contractor Affair and Project Fallout

Timestamp Highlights: 34:34 – 38:34

Overview:
Gracie recounts a personal story involving a client, Ashley, and her contractor, Noah. Professional boundaries blurred into an illicit affair, ultimately leading to project fallout and the premature termination of the renovation.

Key Points:

• Initial Professionalism: Gracie and Noah collaborated seamlessly on Ashley’s penthouse project, receiving praise from their agreeable client.
• Illicit Affair: Late-night meetings overwork led to emotional entanglement between Gracie and Noah, unbeknownst to Ashley.
• Client Discovery: Ashley discovered the affair, confronting Gracie and Noah, which resulted in the immediate end of the project and a strained professional relationship.
• Aftermath: The once-promising project was abruptly cut short, with Ashley listing her home for sale under the shadow of the discovered infidelity.

Notable Quotes:
Gracie [38:34]: "They are friends."
Caroline Turner [38:34]: "It ended with, 'Do I regret it? No.'"

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Confession 7: The Expensive Sofa Dilemma

Timestamp Highlights: 42:14 – 55:53

Overview:
Caroline discusses a challenging project where she pushed for an extravagant sofa that ultimately clashed with the client's budget and style preferences. The situation raises questions about client-designer alignment and handling post-reveal dissatisfaction.

Key Points:

• Design Vision vs. Client Budget: Caroline recommended a high-end sofa to elevate the living room design, despite the client's hesitations and budget constraints.
• Client Discontent: During the reveal, the clients expressed discomfort with the sofa's extravagance, leading to tension and questioning of Caroline’s design choices.
• Professional Reflection: Caroline grapples with whether to rectify the situation by replacing the sofa or trust in her design’s overall integrity.
• Peers’ Advice: Gracie and Morgan provide strategies for managing such conflicts, emphasizing the importance of client communication and setting clear budgets from the outset.

Notable Quotes:
Caroline Turner [26:02]: "They couldn't stop raving about how it was better than they ever imagined."
Gracie [55:53]: "111,000%, no."

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Confession 8: The Unprofessional Stone Rep

Timestamp Highlights: 55:53 – 61:52

Overview:
Rachel shares an unsettling encounter with a stone representative who unprofessionally licked her finger during a consultation, causing discomfort among her lawyer clients and forcing her to change suppliers.

Key Points:

• Unprofessional Conduct: The stone rep’s inappropriate behavior during a demonstration created an uncomfortable and awkward environment.
• Client Reaction: The lawyer clients were visibly disturbed, leading to a strained meeting and Rachel’s immediate decision to apologize and switch stone yards.
• Industry Implications: The incident underscores the importance of professionalism in client-facing roles and the potential repercussions of breaches in expected conduct.

Notable Quotes:
Rachel [53:15]: "Gross. Like what?"
Caroline Turner [53:59]: "Nobody knows that. Definite foreshadowing."

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Confession 9: Working for a Mysterious Billionaire

Timestamp Highlights: 61:52 – End

Overview:
Caroline reveals a decade-long tenure working exclusively for a billionaire businessman known for his presence on power lists. Over time, Caroline uncovers unsettling truths hinting at potential illicit activities within his empire.

Key Points:

• Dream Job Turned Nightmare: The lucrative position demanded exclusivity, with Caroline prevented from taking on other clients and bombarded with NDAs.
• Isolation and Secrecy: Limited interaction with the billionaire's family and constant secrecy created an opaque work environment.
• Suspicious Activities: Caroline becomes increasingly suspicious of the billionaire's dealings, suspecting money laundering and fraud but remains constrained by confidentiality agreements.
• Climactic Reveal: The mysterious nature of the billionaire's operations culminates in a dramatic encounter with law enforcement, hinting at the collapse of his empire and Caroline's inadvertent entanglement.

Notable Quotes:
Caroline Turner [60:25]: "The whole project felt like some bizarre fever dream."
Gracie [61:52]: "Next season."

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Conclusion: Season One Wrap-Up and Teasers for Season Two

As the season finale concludes, Caroline and her co-hosts reflect on the intense and often ethically complicated stories shared throughout the season. They express excitement for the forthcoming season, promising more behind-the-scenes insights, juicy confessions, and candid discussions with industry insiders. Listeners are encouraged to follow the podcast on various social media platforms and participate in ongoing conversations within the community.

Notable Quote:
Caroline Turner [61:52]: "Until next season. Peace be with you."

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Final Thoughts

This season of Confessions of an Interior Designer offers an unfiltered glimpse into the high-stakes, emotionally charged, and occasionally scandalous world of luxury interior design. From professional dilemmas and illicit affairs to supernatural hauntings and unethical client behavior, Caroline Turner and her guests deliver compelling narratives that reveal the true complexities behind creating opulent spaces. Season Two promises to delve even deeper, with fresh stories and expert insights that will captivate both industry insiders and design enthusiasts alike.

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For more information, connect with the podcast on Instagram, TikTok, and join the discussion in the Facebook Group. Submit your anonymous confessions here to be featured in future episodes.

Transcript

[Caroline Turner]

Welcome to Confessions of an Interior Designer. I'm your host, Caroline Turner. Here we talk through the crazy stories that they certainly don't tell you in design school, because, let's face it, every space has its sins. Are you ready to hear confession? Hi, everyone. Welcome to our final episode of season one. This will be a compilation of some of my favorite confession moments, and I am so excited to relive them all. But first, I wanted to give a heartfelt thank you to all of you for listening. Genuinely, this has been such a fun and fulfilling experience for me, and I have so many ideas and thoughts for season two. There's so many incredible guests coming, and I really, really want to hear from all of you. What did you like about season one? What would you change all the feedback? I'm open to it because I want to make sure you love season two even more. But when I first had this idea for the podcast, I had no clue how many people it would resonate with. And I genuinely cannot even figure out how to express how much gratitude I have for everyone who has reached out, who has sent encouragement, and who has just been a listener throughout the whole thing. It will always mean a lot to me. And before we get to the juicy parts, I do have a couple favors to ask. One, please, please be sure you are following or subscribed on Spotify or Apple, because when we come with season two, it will immediately be on your feed and we won't even skip a beat. You won't have to remember dates or times or when we're coming back. It'll just automatically be there along with that. If you could please rate and review, it genuinely does help us so much with growth. I really, really appreciate it. Lastly, be sure you've joined the Facebook group. We're having some really fun conversations over there, and it's a great way for us to stay in touch while we're on hiatus. I'm also planning a roundtable, virtual and in person, very soon. So if you join, we'll be sure that you're on that list. Okay, thank you so much. And without further ado, let's get into the Confessions. Our first confession is called the Affair behind the Drapes. Ooh. All right, buckle up, because this one is wild. So I was early in my career working on a massive project for this ultra wealthy couple on the East Coast. Think a sprawling estate where you lose cell service somewhere between the guest house and the tennis court. I know you've been to some of those houses. Yeah, the wife was constantly flying off to Paris New York. Ibiza, Ibiza, Ibiza. Anywhere but home. Leaving me to work closely with her husband, who truly couldn't care less about the design process. Ooh, my nightmare. Yeah, my nightmare, genuinely. At first, it was innocent. He'd bring me coffee during site visits. We'd chat about the progress, and he'd comment on how hard we were all working and how I had such a great eye. But then the compliments became more intimate. I laughed it off. Oh, he's just a rich guy schmoozing with a younger designer, I thought. But as time passed, he kept finding ways to need to have separate conversations with me about the project. That, again, I knew he didn't care about.

[Gracie]

Hmm.

[Caroline Turner]

One evening, after a particularly stressful day of managing deliveries, he invited me to stay for a drink. I knew I shouldn't, but I couldn't help myself. He was older, sophisticated, and uber wealthy. But one drink became three, and before I knew it, we were sitting on the custom velvet sofa I'd designed for his living room. One thing led to another, and let's just say those drapes weren't the only thing getting a little rumpled that night.

[Gracie]

God.

[Caroline Turner]

And maybe I'm terrible, but I didn't feel bad. I never, ever met the wife, and she certainly wasn't around for her husband either. I figured they maybe had some kind of arrangement. Ooh. I feel that this is a tricky. I doubt they have. They had an arrangement.

[Gracie]

Right.

[Caroline Turner]

I also doubt that they had an arrangement, because it just doesn't. I think that if you have an arrangement, that's the first thing you say is, we have an arrangement. If it's not being addressed, I fear that the wife has no idea. Okay. I was nervous the next time I saw him, but he acted completely normal and even invited me to dinner to celebrate the progress of the kitchen install. Huh? The progress. Well, yeah, I'm sure you can guess how that went. For weeks, every time I came by to check on the project, we'd review the plans, which often ended in a tangle of sheets or stolen kisses between furniture deliveries. It was the most exhilarating, reckless thing I've ever done. And the thrill was like nothing else. I feel like I'm reading a wattpad.

[Gracie]

Yeah.

[Caroline Turner]

Yeah. Gosh. Okay. I don't relate because I feel like cheating is not a thing that, like, I think is hot, so. But I guess I wasn't there. I don't know. That is a. It sounds like a fun thing in theory, but I don't know. I'm too. I'm too Business minded. Like, my brain would never even go there. Like, I feel like if a guy even hit on me, I wouldn't even know. Okay. The thrill was like nothing else. Until it wasn't.

[Gracie]

Yeah.

[Caroline Turner]

And then just like that, it was over. The summer came to a close and the holidays started approaching and the wife came home more and more and the project wrapped up. We behaved when she was around, but I assumed he would still reach out to me, but never called. And I didn't reach out. Mostly out of a fear of being caught. I'll never forget the final walkthrough, though. The wife led me through each room, marveling at how perfect it all was. Completely unaware that the man beside her and I had practically christened half the furniture. Oh, gosh. Whoa. Okay. And if you can believe it, the final line is, here's the kicker. To this day, I still get referrals from them. Oh, wow. Her specifically. Every time I land a new project because of her recommendation, I wonder if she has any idea what happened. She probably does. I can tell you. She does not if she's still referring. Well, I bet even if it's the husband, he's probably, like, talking her up and being like, you should refer. Cause he doesn't want her to tell his wife. So he's probably being like, she. So. Oh, it's so messy. It's so messy. A little. A little too messy. But also, I feel like a referral network is typically, they're all friends. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And so, like, if you're working with people who are referred by kind of a difficult client, typically their referral is difficult because they're friends. Yeah. Like they, you know, they're okay with the same level of speaking to people a certain way or whatever it is. Right. Definitely messy. And it's also just again, so crazy. Like, when you're in someone's home, like the odd work, stuff like this happens all the time. But then to be in someone's home is like another thing. So it's so personal. And I feel like the trust that you are trying to build the whole project.

[Gracie]

Yeah.

[Caroline Turner]

I mean, that would be like stabbing a knife into your client's back. Which you basically did. Basically did. Basically did.

[Gracie]

The chair swap. Scandal.

[Caroline Turner]

Ooh, scandal.

[Gracie]

When I first read it, I thought it said swamp. And then I'm like, wait, now I'm more intrigued. But it's good. All right, ready?

[Caroline Turner]

Ready?

[Gracie]

All right, so here it goes. I was hired by a very high profile client. Think celebrity couple who shall remain nameless.

[Caroline Turner]

Okay.

[Gracie]

Dying to know who. And I know this is supposed to be anonymous, but, like, message us after I teleport.

[Caroline Turner]

Send in your guesses, please. Yeah.

[Gracie]

And everything about the project was super hush hush. NDAs, private entrances, you name it. And of course, they wanted everything custom and no expense was spared. Silk drapes, marble from Italy, and a pair of $25,000 armchairs from Paris.

[Caroline Turner]

This sounds like the dream project.

[Gracie]

Yeah. Also, $25,000. Like, what? That's a lot of money. Just kidding. Okay, so these chair their pride and joy. They even joked that if the house caught on fire, those chairs would be the first thing they'd save.

[Caroline Turner]

Oh, my God. Foreshadowing. Yeah.

[Gracie]

I also hope that, like, they don't have children. And.

[Caroline Turner]

Can you imagine if they do? Little Sarah and Johnny. And they're like, we're taking the chairs.

[Gracie]

I'm taking the dog. Taking the chairs. All right, so fast forward to installation week, and everything's going fine, right? Until disaster strikes. So the chairs arrive, and they're totally wrong. Think wrong color, wrong size, everything. So apparently the manufacturer mixed up the orders, and the right chair wouldn't arrive for another four months.

[Caroline Turner]

Holy shit. So every designer is like, yep, been there, been there, been there.

[Gracie]

All right, so now here's where things get insane. So the client was scheduled to host an exclusive dinner party that weekend. And of course, those chairs just had to be there. And I'm like, what the hell? What do I do? So in a panic, I called my assistant, and I'm like, we need to make a plan, and we need a plan now. So we did some quick thinking, and we did something that I am both horrified and also slightly impressed by. They found a near identical knockoff chairs. $500 each, and they had them delivered same day. Was it Amazon? Same day.

[Caroline Turner]

Oh, my God.

[Gracie]

Yep. So they carefully distressed the fabric. We added a few scuffs. They made them look like they had just spent months traveling first class from Paris. The dinner party went off without a hitch. The clients had no idea.

[Caroline Turner]

Oh, my God.

[Gracie]

They even told me how much they loved the chairs and how they were even better than they imagined. Okay. It's like when you have a fake designer bag and, like, you're wearing it around and no one knows. Four months later, when the real chairs arrived and in the dead of night, the clients were out of town, we swapped them out with the fakes without even a soul knowing. Also, did you break into your client's house?

[Caroline Turner]

Also, they're like the CIA. The Central Interior Design Agency. Interior Design Agency. Seriously? You guys need a career change. You could be, like, spies. I am. Genuinely. My mouth is hanging open from. I'm so impressed and, like, terrified in hindsight, but so fucking impressed.

[Gracie]

Impressed. And they said, to this day, they're still sitting in this celebrity's house, and the celebrity is thinking that their beloved Parisian treasure is been there the whole time.

[Caroline Turner]

Oh, my God.

[Gracie]

It ends with, do I regret it? No. The client was happy, the party was a success, and now I can say I pulled off the biggest chair heist in design history. But if those clients ever find out, well, let's just say that they'll be writing me from a different address. So we do need to put this person in under witness protection. Witness protection. I'm dying to know who the clients are. I'm. Now I have to know the chairs. Like, whoever wrote this in, please, please, please send us.

[Caroline Turner]

We won't tell anyone. The Mouse Mansion. Are you ready for this?

[Morgan]

I don't like mice, but let's go in here.

[Caroline Turner]

Yeah, you're gonna hate this one. Then you're gonna hate it. Okay. I once worked on a house so filthy that it could have been condemned. And the cherry on top? Dead mice were literally baking inside since January. And I was there in June. I have chills. And I'm not exaggerating. Imagine the stench. No ac. Just the heavy, humid summer air turning the entire place into an oven of rot.

[Gracie]

I can't.

[Caroline Turner]

I had to hold my breath while trying to measure for custom rugs, mentally questioning every career decision that had led me to that moment, which is so true. We've all been there, working really genuinely. How did I get here? Negative connotation, not positive. Okay. The clients were nowhere to be found. As usual, their stand in, a self appointed project manager, their boat captain of all people who insisted on micromanaging every detail. He was a character straight out of a horror movie. Not only were we not allowed to wear shoes in the house, but we were also forbidden from speaking inside. There are dead mice rotting, and they can't wear shoes.

[Morgan]

I'm just concerned about.

[Caroline Turner]

Right.

[Gracie]

Like, I think we need to focus on the priorities. Like, please, sir, girl boss, figure out what we actually need to do here.

[Caroline Turner]

What would you do if you went into a house and if one of your designers sent you and was like, hey, can you go do, like, look at finding finishing touches and, like, get a plan. You go in there and there's literally dead mice, what do you do? Do you leave? Do you, like, call your boss? Like, what happens? What's the next step?

[Gracie]

Call 911.

[Morgan]

I mean, just like. Cause I think we've all smelled like, you know, we live in Chicago alleys. We've gone in the back, and we're just like. And it's ventilated. We're outside, and it's like, I start gagging. So imagine, like, something that's been, like. That's where I was. My head was still like. But this has been, like, shot for, like, the sun and the heat and, like, months.

[Caroline Turner]

Like, that's just truly so upset.

[Gracie]

People were going to be in their home.

[Caroline Turner]

That's the thing. It's like they're. Do you know the house manager? Please, I'm begging you. The boat captain. The boat captain sounds manager, and I don't think that's really working. Okay. Not allowed to wear shoes. Not allowed to speak. Every whisper was reported back to the owner's, like, state secrets. He would turn everything we said into some huge issue and get the clients worked up for literally no reason, which this has also happened to me. I've had an experience with a house manager where, like, small things go wrong in an install, because they always do. That's, like, part of this job, and that's why you have a punch list, and that's why you have multiple rounds. You know what I mean? Like, there's always going to be small things.

[Morgan]

I guess my issue, too, going back to this house manager being, like, a boat guy wherever he is. Like, like, hire people that know what this process is. Like, please. Like.

[Caroline Turner]

Like, a boat captain would be the last person I would employ for that. Like, in fact, I don't think they care anything about the way interiors look because they care about, like, Very weird choice. Very weird choice. Okay. One day, I had the thrilling task of steaming green linen dining chairs, and the captain hovered over my shoulder, inspecting every wrinkle.

[Gracie]

What can he go out on, Sir?

[Caroline Turner]

Go. Go to the sea.

[Gracie]

Go touch water.

[Caroline Turner]

Okay.

[Gracie]

Get a job.

[Caroline Turner]

I just snorted. Y'all did not hear that. Okay, okay.

[Gracie]

Like, don't use, like, a boat to fix or to tend to.

[Caroline Turner]

Please. Or, like, get the rats out of here. Like, we have bigger priorities. When the fabric wasn't perfectly crisp, I had to redo the entire thing. After sweating through that ordeal, I needed water, but surprised the kitchen sink was off limits. What?

[Gracie]

So is that a thing? Is there sometimes with how.

[Caroline Turner]

I have never had them say, you can't use the sink. I have had clients who are upset that people like, the workmen use their toilets, like, use their bathrooms.

[Gracie]

But what were they supposed to do?

[Caroline Turner]

It's always an interesting thing. It's giving the help.

[Gracie]

Yeah.

[Caroline Turner]

No, literally, it is. Like, you do know these people who are working on your job are people. Like, they are still people. It is. It's a weird. And I mean, that's partially why we're here talking about this, because the power trip that happens when these people and it's bizarre. It is bizarre.

[Morgan]

Totally.

[Caroline Turner]

It is so strange.

[Morgan]

I mean, I mean, I think we've had those experiences. We're just kind of a little bit shocked of the things that they expect or don't from us.

[Caroline Turner]

Absolutely.

[Morgan]

We are not the help.

[Caroline Turner]

We are not the help, period. So true. Okay, so she wasn't allowed to use the sink. I had to wander outside to fill my water bottle, praying I went and collapsed from dehydration before finishing the job. I almost wish you had. So someone had to be like, this is bad. Okay. The client obsessed with the most over the top details wanted lacquered trellises on the ceiling. I never even got to meet the homeowners of this project. I just followed orders relayed their captain slash caretaker. The whole project felt like some bizarre fever dreams. Dream. Are you ready to hear confession? Always. Here's a story from a year ago when I was working for a client in Silicon Valley. I've had my firm for about 15 years working in San Francisco, and I've worked with a lot of rich and interesting clients. I had this one client who was a tech millionaire and hired me to completely redesign his penthouse, which was already over the top. Think glass floors, a personal sushi bar, and LED lighting that made the whole place feel like a nightclub. Ew.

[Gracie]

We always talk about, like, the wrong people having money.

[Caroline Turner]

And this example.

[Gracie]

Example, like, I mean, he. At least he had the insight of their fortitude enough to know to hire an interior designer.

[Caroline Turner]

At least this person made money. Maybe. Who knows? Yeah. Remains to be seen. He wanted edgy. And honestly, I was excited about the challenge. Okay, I salute you. From day one, though, it was clear this guy lived differently. He'd called me at all hours of the night with genius ideas like installing a live moss wall in the shower or a floating DJ booth over the pool. I'd humor him, sketch some concepts, and somehow manage to bring his eccentric vision to life. One day, during a design presentation, he was unusually fidgety. I was going over custom furniture ideas when he interrupted me and said, you're a genius. You're like Picasso, but with couch. You deserve a reward. What a weirdo.

[Gracie]

I don't like the reward.

[Caroline Turner]

I Don't like that version of what is the reward?

[Gracie]

Or like, here, she's like a dog. Like, oh, you're feels a little patronizing. Yeah.

[Caroline Turner]

I'm gonna reward you. Junius doesn't deserve.

[Gracie]

Deserve an award. Yeah.

[Caroline Turner]

Yeah. It's, like, so weird. That's strange. I laughed, thinking he was joking. But he walked over to his marble coffee table, slid open a drawer, and pulled out a small shiny. I thought it was going to be a watch or maybe some rare trinket. Nope. It was cocaine. A lot of cocaine. Go ahead, he said with a smile like he just offered me a latte. Take the edge off. You work so hard. Um. Very generous. Very, very generous offer. Okay. I froze, completely caught off guard. I mean, what do you even say to that? Thanks, but I think I'll st to coffee, I stammered. He looked genuinely surprised, as if I just turned down a winning lottery ticket. You sure? It's good stuff. I got it in Ibiza.

[Gracie]

Ibiza.

[Caroline Turner]

And the reason I say that is because, you know, that little asshole said Ibiza instead of Ibiza.

[Gracie]

I don't know why I'm just imagining him being, like, such a little twerp this time.

[Caroline Turner]

Like a little, like, little gross bald man is how. I'm not that all bald men are gross, but. But small in stature. Close to a troll. Yeah. You know, just like the cocaine troll. A sheen. A little sheen. A sheen across his entire body. That was definitely there.

[Gracie]

Yeah.

[Caroline Turner]

Okay. He's saying he got this in Ibitha. Kimberly, what are you doing at this moment? What am I doing? I know what I'm doing. I think you know what I'm doing. What did I say my vice was? We won't make you say it, but okay, that's one way to do it. I feel like I would have been like, I only do things that grow from the ground. Because that is true. Just for, like, my personality. I feel that I prefer things downers, really, is what it is. Like something that's more of a depressant than a. That will height me up. You can't need anything to make me more depressed. You're like, no, I'm not, actually. It's so good. All right, let's find out what she did. I quickly pivoted back to discussing the drapery fabric, pretending like the whole thing hadn't happened. But the energy in the room was weird. From then on, he kept pushing, saying things like, you can't be this creative without a little help. Right. I finally wrapped up the meeting as fast as I could and got out of there. The project continued, but I started bringing my assistant to every meeting as a buffer. When we finally finished the install, he threw a massive housewarming party complete with strobe lights, dancers and no surprise here, a party favor station in the corner. I didn't stay long.

[Gracie]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Caroline Turner]

The first one is called the Red Room Request. Okay. When I was in college, I interned for this high end design firm outside of Pennsylvania. Now where this confession takes place is important because you'd think this would take place in la, Vegas or even New York City, but nope. Good old Pennsylvania, right outside of Pittsburgh. All of our clients were fairly wealthy, normal people, except for this one couple. They were super serious, super awkward and almost borderline rude. We couldn't get a good read on them. And they had bizarre style. Wanted this weird mix of modern with African tribal elements from their travels. Not really our style, but I was just an intern, so what did I know? In one of our meetings with the couple, we were going over initial designs for their basement remodel and their three story home and they mentioned they liked to host parties and wanted a place for entertaining. My first thought was, who would want to hang out with these people? But again, what do I know? We were going over ideas of what they might want for their space. Large bar, movie theater, big tv. They seemed so disinterested in all of our ideas. Then the husband butts in and says, this sounds fine, but we're going to need another room for our extracurricular activities. Okay, again, in my head I'm like, what? These people don't strike me as the kind of people who would want a golf simulator or bowling alley. My boss continued to ask some follow up questions around what they were thinking. And he said, as matter of factly as if he was ordering a burger, we would like a red room, but tasteful. Cue the longest pause of my life. I thought, surely he means like a literal room painted red, right? I don't know what this means. I'm like 20. At the time, my boss acted so casual and was like, we could absolutely do that. And asked them to send over some inspiration of what they were thinking. My boss and I left the meeting and I asked so stupidly. So they want an entire room just painted red? Why would they want that? You should have seen the look on my boss's face. Poor woman had to then explain to me what that meant and what really goes down in a red room, which is so fucking embarrassing. Oh my God. Oh my God, kill me. They sent their inspiration, which included photos I'm certain no designer should ever have to see and in their email included. We'd also like the shower in the basement to fit at least 10 people. Love 10 people. I almost spit out my coffee. I don't even wanna know why. But I was starting to get the gist. I dove into research like the professional I am on incognito mode in Google. We went with deep burgundy walls and velvet paneling, custom leather seating and moody lighting you'd normally see in a speakeasy. The shower was another story entirely, fully tiled in black marble with 14 shower heads and a bench the size of a twin bed. Wow. Oh, my God. The biggest piece, a custom chandelier handmade with Murano glass that looked delicate, but, as the husband put it, could handle some movement. I decided not to ask for clarification on what he meant by that. When the project was finally done, I gave them the walkthrough. They were thrilled. The wife kept saying, it's exactly what we imagined. And I thought, is it? Because I didn't imagine this at all. What's funny is that we did actually end up photographing this project for print publication, but conveniently left out the basement entirely. If you do a little research, I'm sure you won't have too hard of a time finding the project, which is a really good challenge for the Internet. And they're gonna take that. I'm confident. I know, right? Okay, first of all, thoughts? That is wild. I mean, yeah, it kind of, like, is reminding me of Extreme Home Makeover. When then, like, one person said they like horses and needed to do, like, a whole horse themed room. But, like, X rated. Morgan and I are pointing at each other because we talk about this all the time. I wanted to do a video series on, like, if you like horses, here's what your room can look like instead of living inside of a literal horse. The hay on the walls, like, oh, my. I cannot believe you just said that. It's exactly that. They read 50 Shades of Gray one time, and we're like, we want a red room. Honestly, I'm here for it. Live your hobbies, babe. Do what's best for you. At least they're making it chic. Chic, chic, chic. Well, Gracie, are you ready to hear confession? Confession. I am so ready. I'm so excited. Let's do this. Okay, here goes. I had this client who had a very specific vision for their home. Let's just call it Pinterest Overload meets Mid Century Mayhem. I'm gonna steal that.

[Gracie]

Yeah.

[Caroline Turner]

I feel like that's what a lot of people are coming to us for. They wanted everything to be trendy, but they didn't want to listen to a single piece of advice I gave them. Every designer's like, yeah, my tiny maids are boiling. Yeah, I'm talking neon colored accent walls. Every part of that description should never exist. Neon and accent wall. You can do that wall.

[Gracie]

Accent walls are crazy.

[Caroline Turner]

You can't. And then absolutely neon 2010.

[Gracie]

Oh, my God.

[Caroline Turner]

Like an SAE rave or something. Like it. Feel it. No. Mismatched furniture that clashed horribly, and even a custom shag carpet in bright orange. Because they wanted a retro vibe. At first, I tried to push back gently and steer them towards something cohesive, but they shut me down every time. After weeks of back and forth and feeling totally defeated, I just gave up. I thought, fine, you want this disaster? You got it. So I designed the space exactly the way they wanted, against every fiber of my creative being. I didn't care anymore. I was just trying to finish the project and cash the check. But here's. I know that's. Here's the kicker. When it was done, they loved it. They couldn't stop raving about how it was better than they ever imagined.

[Gracie]

It's exactly what they wanted, babe.

[Caroline Turner]

I mean, we would never get that lucky. No. If we did something like that, that would never happen to us.

[Gracie]

I should have hated it. Why'd you make me do this?

[Caroline Turner]

No, literally. Literally. Clients ask us all say they white sofas all the time. I can tell them until I'm blue in the face that you should not do a white sofa. But performance doesn't matter. It's still a white sofa. It's still white. And so sometimes they just have to learn.

[Gracie]

Yeah.

[Caroline Turner]

And we've installed white sofas, and I've had clients look at me and say, why didn't you tell me, babe? I tried. Excuse me while I could walk into traffic. Brb. No worries, though. We'll definitely figure it out for you. Okay. Sorry. I'm like, getting flashbacks. Meanwhile, I was praying that no one would ever find out I was the designer behind that monstrosity. To this day, I still leave it out of my portfolio. It's my secret shame. But, hey, the paycheck was nice. I mean, at the end of the day, get your check. Yeah. And if they were happy, it's not like she was sabotaging them. Like, if it was like, I hated my clients, so I made their house ugly. That's a different machine. Did what they wanted. I could Never. I don't. Yeah, unfortunately. Would you be able to do that.

[Gracie]

If it was completely different?

[Caroline Turner]

No. I would have to say. I don't think that you want me as a designer because we're not aligning. Let me recommend someone else. I don't. Well, because at that point, too, they're taking the space of another project that could be. That could want your work and how you design something. I mean, it's. I feel like we've had this where it's become a really big red flag for us in the onboarding process or. And, like. Cause at this point, we're hiring them as much as they're hiring us almost. And so I feel like we're really watching for that. Of if they're coming for us and our work and, like, our general sensibility, or if it's just they want what they want and they want you to do it. Which. I've said this before, but this is. To another level. I would. Yeah. I don't think I could put my name on it. No.

[Gracie]

Yeah.

[Caroline Turner]

At all. I mean, I definitely wouldn't put my name on it, but I definitely would have a conversation and be like, I don't think this. I don't think we're seeing eye to eye. I don't think this is working.

[Gracie]

What about. Like, this is. You just started your firm. This is the only client you have, and you're desperate. I think. I mean, and there's not a right or wrong answer to.

[Caroline Turner]

I think there's. That. What you're different mindsets of, like, where you are in your career.

[Gracie]

It's like, sometimes you just have to take it. But then there's other things to what you were saying, Gracie. It's like when you say yes to a project, you're saying no to two other projects, and you have to make sure it aligns with what you're building. But also. Sometimes there's not desperation, but there's.

[Caroline Turner]

But every client we've taken out of desperation. I've said this, but it's true. Every client we've taken out of desperation turned out to be the nightmare from hell client who doesn't go away for two years, who you don't get paid for the last six months because they've lost. Like, it. It. It's not worth it. Okay. You ready to hear confession? Sure. Of course. Let's do it. Let's do it. Let's do it. A few years ago, I was hired to renovate a stunning Victorian home in a small New England town. Sounds like the dream. The House was straight out of a gothic novel. Turrets, intricate woodwork, stained glass windows that caught the morning light just right. It had been on the market for years, and the new owners were thrilled to turn it into their forever home. But they warned me up front. The house has a history. Apparently. The locals call it the widow's house. The story was that a young widow had lived there alone after her husband died at sea. Some said she did have a broken heart. Others claim she vanished without a trace. Over the years, rumors of ghostly activity spread. Footsteps in empty rooms, lights flickering, voices whispering through the halls. My clients didn't believe in ghosts, but they couldn't deny the eerie vibe the house had when they first toured it.

[Gracie]

I feel like every town has a house like this. Growing up, there was that town where you're like, no, something bad happened there.

[Caroline Turner]

And so it's just like an old person who's kind of a hoarder and that older kids are scared. Like, the home Alone guys. Like, what did they ever do to you? Exactly. Okay. The project started like any other. We plan to preserve as much of the original character as possible while modernizing the kitchen, bathrooms, and bedrooms. But from the first day, strange things started happening. Tools would go missing and show up in places no one remembered leaving them. Workers swore they heard footsteps upstairs when they were the only ones in the house. One guy even refused to go back after he said he felt someone breathing on his neck while he was working in the basement. Like, I have a little bit of a shiver. That is. Okay. Things escalated when we started demo. In the dining room, behind a false wall, we found a small hidden room, maybe 6ft by 6ft. It was empty except for an antique rocking chair and a dusty old photograph of a woman. She had this intense, piercing gaze that seemed to follow you wherever you moved. No, my clients. I have chills up my entire body. No, my clients wanted to keep the chair as a conversation piece. Quote, it's part of the house's history. They said it's gonna be a no from me.

[Gracie]

No.

[Caroline Turner]

But I had a bad feeling about it. Yeah. No. That's the most haunted shit I've ever heard of in my entire life. After the chair was brought into the living room, the atmosphere in the house changed. Yeah, it does.

[Gracie]

Yeah.

[Caroline Turner]

Lights would flicker even though the wiring had just been updated. The thermostat would swing from freezing cold to stifling hot in minutes. What? One night, while I was walking through the house to check progress, I heard the unmistakable sound of the chair creaking.

[Gracie]

No, No.

[Caroline Turner]

I Feel like.

[Gracie]

I'm sorry.

[Caroline Turner]

I feel like I'm an American horror story or something. Like, huh? When I turned the corner, it was rocking back and forth slowly even though no one was there.

[Gracie]

That would be my last day.

[Caroline Turner]

I wish like my chills showed up on camera because. Okay, the final straw came when the family moved in. Okay. So they hadn't been living there, so she must have been there alone. At first they chalked up the strange occurrences to old house quirks.

[Gracie]

So it seems like the clients are.

[Caroline Turner]

Like, they're okay enough charming or whatever. Yeah. Then their 8 year old daughter started waking up every night at 3am which is like, that would be it for me. I'd be like, now we have to move. We're done, we're done, we're done. Well, my sleep. I don't care about the ghosts. You're like kids screw. I need to sleep. Thank God.

[Gracie]

The ghosts have been bothering me.

[Caroline Turner]

You need to go to bed, so you need to stay asleep. We are not getting up at 3 in the morning. If the ghost is waking everybody up, we're out. Like that's it. No, no, no. You're having boundaries with the ghost. Yeah. No, no, no. I think everyone's safe. We just all need to go to sleep. Like we need to get into rem. Okay? That's the priority. Yeah.

[Gracie]

Mommy has a big day tomorrow.

[Caroline Turner]

Yeah. Supposed to wake up.

[Gracie]

Nope.

[Caroline Turner]

Oh my God. Okay. Their eight year old daughters are waking up at every night at 3am crying about the lady by the window. No. She described the woman from the photograph perfectly down to the dark dress and solemn expression. When they asked how she knew about the photo, the little girl said, she told me she lives here. No, I have pills all over my body.

[Gracie]

Nope.

[Caroline Turner]

The family lasted three months before they called me frantic and said they were putting the house on the market. Wow. They couldn't handle the constant unease, the strange noises or the feeling of being watched. Confession number two. Like always, the names have been changed to protect the innocent. And not so innocent. When I first met Ashley, she was all smiles and designer handbags, her enthusiasm spilling out as she walked me through the sun drenched 5,000 square foot shell of what she called her forever home. It was love at first client. And the best part, she beamed. My best friend Noah is the contractor. Noah arrived moments later, which, first of all, can I say that these names kind of sound like we're reading like a romance novel, but I'm gonna go with it. This is Noah. Just makes me think of the notebook. Exactly. Okay. Noah arrived Moments later, exuding that easy confidence contractors seem to be born with. That's funny. He was charming, quick with a joke, and wore his tool belt like it was part of a designer outfit. Okay. From the start, Ashley treated him like the golden boy, lavishing him with compliments about how he always came through for her. That sounds like some foreshadowing. This is a different kind of story. Yeah, right. I know. I'm like, are we reading a wattpad? Like, what's okay. The project began smoothly enough. I selected bold, timeless pieces for the space, layering textures and colors to make every corner single. Noah's team brought my designs to life with stunning precision. Ashley, meanwhile, flitted in and out, calling us her, quote, dream team. Then came the late night meetings. It started innocently. An urgent text from Noah about a supply issue that couldn't wait until morning. Like, what supply issue can't wait until morning? How are you going to solve that if everything's okay? Sure, sure. Mind meeting me at the house? He asked. I went. Of course, professionals don't let project stall, which I. I can appreciate that. That meeting turned into a series of late night rendezvous. At first, we'd discussed tile delays and paint samples, but the air grew thicker with every encounter. I told myself it was just the intensity of the project, the pressure of delivering Ashley's dream. But when Noah leaned across the unfinished kitchen island one night, his hand grazing mine, it was clear we'd crossed a line. It wasn't long before those meetings stopped being about work. The house took on a different energy. Every room bore traces of secrets shared. A misaligned sconce became an inside joke. The new herringbone floors became playground for whispered confessions. All the while, Ashley remained blissfully unaware, treating us both like extensions of her flawless vision. But secrets don't stay buried, especially in a house full of open spaces. Ashley walked in one day early, catching Noah and me mid laugh, mid touch. Her eyes darted between us, and the silence was deafening. You think I don't see what's going on? She said, her voice sharp enough to cut the air. This house isn't big enough for your little affair. The project wrapped in record time. Ashley's text turned curt, and Noah and I avoided eye contact on site. When I handed her the final invoice, she paid it without a word, her smile a weapon. Months later, my friend told me she had driven by and saw a for sale sign in the yard. Some spaces, it turns out, are too haunted to live in. Ooh. Okay. Very juicy. That's straight out of a Romance novel. Yeah, I think so too. So, okay, let me get this straight. Noah and Ashley are just friends, Right? They're not a couple that we know of. Right? They are. Yes. Correct.

[Gracie]

Friends.

[Caroline Turner]

They are friendly, sure. It also. Is Ashley single? That's my other question. Because I feel like if Ashley's, like, married and he's not, that that still should have happened. But I feel like it is a little bit. Like, if Ashley has a crush on him or like they're, like, best friends, that feels especially heinous. We're not an svu. But that feels especially like a betrayal, you know? Like, I think that would be a little bit worse. I don't know. I'm trying to think of, like, if a client. Like, I think my clients. If they thought the contractor and I were flirting and they were married and, like, you know, weren't friends with him, they might be. Like, I don't think they would care. Like, I don't think the flirting with the contractor is as big of a deal. I would never. I could never. Those men. Not for me. I feel like I do, you know, I mean, we have one especially hot contractor in one of our jobs that's not in Chicago. And, I mean, I think our client would understand. Yeah, they have eyeballs. Yeah. Let's get into this next one. It had been a busy month, and I was in the midst of yet another whirlwind project. 23 years in the business, and it still had a way of keeping me on my toes. I'd worked with countless clients, but this one, James, was different. He was in his early 40s, sharp, well dressed, and had the kind of charm that made you feel like you were the only person in the room. Oof. He'd hired me to design his, quote forever home, a sprawling modern house nestled on a quiet plot of land. The vision was luxurious, but somehow understated, something I found myself enjoying more than I expected. I'd met him at a cafe for our initial consultation, and he'd spoken passionately about creating a space for his family, A place where they could grow, settle, and make memories. He even mentioned a wife, though he didn't say much more. Hmm. Interesting. Yeah. Still, I was focused on the work. I've been doing this for long enough to know how to separate the personal from the professional. But when I Googled him a few days later. Curiosity, I suppose, combined with a name that sounded familiar. I found an unexpected surprise. The wife he had mentioned wasn't listed anywhere in his social media profiles. Instead, there was a photo of him with another woman. The two of them smiling, holding hands at some gala. It wasn't hard to connect the dots. This was his real partner. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my God. Whoa. That's crazy. I did not say that to me. Okay, okay. But I didn't want to make assumptions. I'd been doing this for long enough to know that appearances could be deceiving. Still, something gnawed at me as I proceeded with the project. Today we were at the stone yard, choosing marble for the kitchen countertops. James was telling me about the veins in the marble and how they tie in with the rest of the design. But my mind was elsewhere, distracted by my discovery. As we walked past the rows of stone, I saw a woman in the distance. Tall, with long dark hair, wearing a pair of oversized sunglasses. She had the kind of polished, effortless beauty that made her stand out. And then she turned slightly. My stomach sank. It was her. The woman from the photo. Oh, my gosh. The one I had seen with James online. Holy shit. In the stone yard. I could be sweating for this. It's like Cruella de Vil or something. Like vision. Oh, my God.

[Gracie]

It can.

[Caroline Turner]

Literally. Yeah, Just, like, not. I could feel the shift in the air. James didn't notice me. Staring. Too busy flipping through a sample book. I couldn't help myself. I took a few slow steps closer, trying not to make it obvious, but unable to look away. There was something so familiar about her, something that made my stomach twist with an uncomfortable certainty. And then, as if sensing my gaze, the woman turned, her eyes locked on mine. She froze for a moment, then gave a small, confused smile. Hi, she said, voice warm, but with a hint of hesitation. Do I know you? I felt my heart race. The words caught in my throat. I could barely respond before James spoke up from behind me. Hey, babe. Over here. His voice was bright, casual, and utterly unaware of the storm brewing in the space between us. The woman's face shifted, her polite smile slipping for just a fraction of a second, revealing something I couldn't quite place. Then she took a step toward James and kissed him on the cheek, A gesture so intimate that it made the air between us feel too tight. It clicked. This wasn't his wife. This was his side piece, the woman he was building this forever home for. Oh, my God. I felt. And you're just in a stone yard. No, like, what do you do? And this woman is just, like, smirking, like, yeah, I know. I know. You know. Oh, my God. Wearing her big sunglasses. Wow. My God. Yeah. That would be chilling. I'm not sure. I felt heat rising in my chest, anger mixing with disbelief. I forced a smile, trying to hide the disillusionment creeping up on me. I didn't realize you two were working together on this, I said, trying to sound neutral. James turned to me, oblivious. Oh, this is Jessica, he said casually. My partner. Partner. We're just picking out the final pieces for the kitchen. Partner? The words stung in a way I hadn't expected. Jessica gave me another smile, this one cooler than the first. I'm glad we could finally meet, she said, though I sensed there was nothing friendly in her tone. I nodded, trying to remain professional. It's nice to meet you. My voice felt distant, like I was speaking through a fog. James turned back to the stone samples, already back in business mode, as if nothing had happened. But I couldn't shake the feeling that the entire project, this so called forever home, was a L. This wasn't about creating a family space. It was a monument to deceit. See, that's where I would be at. I'd be like, what? He lied to me about everything. This is like a lie. Like I'm in a lie right now. And also, you have to know that information to do your job correctly. Absolutely. It's just a complete and utter bait and switch. Oh, can you imagine just being the designer that, like, knows that he has a wife and you're just oh my God, I can't. I'm really, really trying to think about what I would Next one Next one A few months ago, I was hired by a wonderful family to redesign their living room. The project seemed like a good one. They wanted a comfortable, modern space that still had a cozy, inviting feel. The budget wasn't enormous, but there was enough flexibility to source some beautiful pieces and I was all in. It was the perfect blend of my favorite styles and I was excited to bring it to life. We had a couple of design presentations with lovely but fairly boring final selections. That's the worst. I hate when that happens. But there was one piece I had my eye on. This gorgeous statement sofa I knew would really tie the whole room together. It was high end and a bit more than the client was originally planning to spend, but it was a showstopper. I felt like it would elevate the entire space, so I recommended it. They hesitated, but after some back and forth, they agreed. We moved forward. Now, here's where I need some advice. As the project progressed, I started noticing small details about the family. Things that didn't quite feel right to me, like how they often made comments about how they, quote, needed to save money. Yikes. Or quote, how luxury pieces weren't their thing. I began to second guess that sofa purchase, but at the same time, I had a vision. I didn't want to back out and compromise the integrity of the design, which I do understand. Yeah. Like, clients will often be like waffle. And they'll be like, I. I've been thinking about that, and I'm not sure. And I have to look at them and say, if you can trust me, I promise this will be amazing. Right. But I wouldn't ever do that if I also wasn't 100% sure. Which I think is the, you know. Fast forward to the big reveal. The family loved everything except for the sofa. The moment they saw it, the husband raised an eyebrow, and the wife immediately mentioned how, quote, over the top, it was for their space. They appreciated the design as a whole, but couldn't get over how extravagant the sofa seemed. Was it, like, gilded in 24,000 gold or something? What could have been so extravagant? I don't. What it sounds like to me is buyer's remorse. Yeah. Like, I don't think there was anything wrong with the sofa. I don't think so either. I think that they started realizing, like, at the end of the project, you tally up how much money you spend. Right. Exactly. And if you spend $8,000 on a sofa and you're $15,000 over budget, that $8,000 sofa starts to look like an irresponsible decision. And I think that's when people get a little squir. Honestly, I was gutted. And here's my confession. I knew deep down they weren't truly comfortable with the piece from the start. Well, that's. But I pushed it through anyway. I didn't listen to my gut when I should have, and now I feel like I let them down, like I missed the mark. They haven't mentioned it again, but I can tell there's tension. So here's my question for all of you. How do I navigate this? Should I offer to replace the sofa with something more in line with their budget and style, or should I let it go and trust that I still created a beautiful space? I'm torn between wanting to make things right and feeling like I did deliver what was best for the room, even if they didn't get on board with that one piece? What do you think? How do you deal with situations where, you know a client is unhappy but doesn't come right out and say it? I've been in design for years, but this one's really throwing me help. I. I'm so torn between. I know. It's a. This is a really hard one. Especially since she said she had a gut feeling at the beginning that, like, it wasn't. She shouldn't do it. I guess it's like, for me, if she had had a gut feeling, it wouldn't look right. That would be an issue. Yeah. I think the gut feeling of, like, the client might have an issue with it. I mean, I don't know. It's hard because part of your job is to push your clients to do things outside of the other. Always do. But I agree with you. I mean, if she knew, they're gonna have a problem with this. It sounds like it's custom that can't be returned. Right, Right. That's not something you take a chance on. So. So I don't know. I don't know. And I know that's not the answer that she wants. I think, frankly. And this is probably gonna sound bad. It would depend on the client. Yeah. Yeah. Like, was the client perfect in the rest of the process? And they love every other thing but that one sofa. Did you make enough of a profit that you can absorb the sofa and still not, like, be in the hole? Yeah. If. So, I would say, yeah, congratulations, you now have a new sofa. And I would buy your clients a, like, West Elm, CB2, whatever they feel comfortable with or, you know, maybe offer to. I don't know. There's. There's ways I think you could negotiate that a little bit and. Yeah. Thoughts? I think. Yeah. I. I think the thing is, she went in knowing that they were on a tight budget. Yeah, true. That was. I mean, I. You've had confessions on here where the designer finds out later how cheap. Yeah. How cheap the client is. Yes. So I do think that there needs to be, you know, caution. If they're even hesitant a little, then it does. Okay. Maybe they can't afford this. Yeah. So obviously, when we take on this process, we're doing an allowance that's breaking down, like, what every single thing we think should cost, and then it gives you the total. Right. I think there's gotta be something like that to prepare the client. And I'll say I normally, because furniture is towards the end, because we're often doing construction. And so in that process, I'm educating them, like, here's what you should be spending money on. On. Actually, let's not buy the expensive tile, because I want you to be able to buy this sofa down the line or vice versa. Let's do the expensive tile and we'll do a cheaper sofa. Yeah. So I think, like, our clients give us one number and then we work within that number to make it all work. Hi, I'm Rachel. Hi, Rachel. I'm Rachel, an interior designer. Thank you. And I've got a story that still makes me cringe every time I think about it. It happened at a stone yard and involved a stone rep, a couple of lawyers, and, well, something that should never have happened. I was working with a couple on a full home renovation. They were both lawyers, smart, meticulous, and very particular about everything. Naturally, I was doing my best to ensure every detail was perfect. We were at the stone yard choosing the slabs for their entire home. This is real. The client was already excited about the project and we were narrowing down our options. Everything was going smoothly until we met a new stone rep. We'd never worked with her before, but I assumed things would be fine. I was explaining the difference between honed and polished marble finishes, when out of nowhere, the rep licked her finger and ran it down the slab to demonstrate the difference. Oh, cute. You read that, right? She licked her finger. I froze. My clients, already a bit skeptical, exchanged horrified glances. The wife actually gasped and the husband just stared at me like, is this really happening right now? The rep, oblivious to how uncomfortable the situation had become, continued as if nothing had happened. As you can see, the polished finish would make the stone appear darker. She said, clearly proud of her demonstration. Meanwhile, I was mortified. I tried to recover quickly, redirecting to another slab, but the damage was done. For the rest of the meeting, the mood was tense. My clients were polite, but clearly put off by the incident. Afterward, I had to send a follow up apology to my clients. The whole experience was awkward, to say the least. Needless to say, we worked with a different stone yard. Moral of the story. People are weird. I do think that is probably the moral story. Gross. Like what? I understand what she was trying to do, but also, typically at a stone yard, right next to polished shape, I was a shape. Literally like, you can. I do have every time you go to a stone yard, illustrate honed leathered polish. You can find a slide. They're usually each of her. Oh, my goodness. It's also because, like, you don't know who's a germaphobe and like, I have some clients that like, would literally be like, we are not working with these people. Because who knows what's going on behind the scenes if they're licking a lab in front of us. Look, I've done Tons and thousands of appointments, right? Walk through demonstrations, telling the stories, different materials. Let's take Soapstone, right?

[Gracie]

Soapstone's the number one thing that, you.

[Caroline Turner]

Know, we need water to show, really indicate the differences. I have never licked my fingers to show.

[Gracie]

But I mean.

[Caroline Turner]

I mean, every time. Every time I look at Soapstone and I have this conversation with someone, I'm.

[Gracie]

Gonna think of this.

[Caroline Turner]

You absolutely are.

[Gracie]

I'd be like, should I?

[Caroline Turner]

No. I still don't slick it a little bit. The irony. I don't know if you girls remember, you're probably too young, but there was a commercial back in the day with.

[Gracie]

Like, Volkswagen, and it was like they.

[Caroline Turner]

Were running out of cars on the.

[Gracie]

And so, like, that's what people would do. They were running to the car and, like, licking the handles.

[Caroline Turner]

Cause it's like, it made it like theirs.

[Gracie]

And so anyways.

[Caroline Turner]

That'S funny, but, like, the other day, I literally said to someone, I was like, oh, it's like, it's Taj Mahal.

[Gracie]

You should just go lick it.

[Caroline Turner]

I literally said that and never mind. Nobody knows that. Definite foreshadowing. So then, yeah, now we're talking about it, so that's great. Oh, my God. That is so funny. Oh, my God. That's not. In our training practice. We don't train anyone new to lick. I can't imagine your girls walking through with us and being like, oh, no, now it's giving a thing, and we're going to YouTube that or whatever, and it's going to send it to an TikTok.

[Gracie]

Yeah, TikTok.

[Caroline Turner]

That's it. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Well, that one made me giggle. I loved it. That's a new one. Yeah. All right, well, should we get into confessions? I'm excited. Hi, Caroline. I'm an interior designer and have an interesting story that I think might be worth sharing on your podcast. I've told very few people about this, and I'm going to be vague with some of the details to protect the identity of those who were in involved. I love when they say that because that means it's going to be juicy. I'm excited. Early in my career, I worked with a man who you have probably heard of. Everyone probably has. He's a billionaire businessman famous for being on all those power lists. But not many people know who he really is. And I spent 10 years working for him before I finally found out. Out. Oof. What? At first, it sounded like a dream job. The salary offer was ridiculously good. The benefits were unbeatable. But he didn't want just any designer. He wanted me to be his personal designer for all of his properties. Every mansion, every private estate, yachts, planes, the works. I mean, yeah, talk out a dream job. Yes.

[Gracie]

But also, that's throwing up red flags for me.

[Caroline Turner]

1,000%.

[Gracie]

But, like, only as a grown up.

[Caroline Turner]

No, no, no. Now you know what I mean? Early in my career, it would have been like, sign me up, give me the contract. Where do I sign? Now I'd be like, I don't know about that. Especially because wanted to be the personal designer. Okay. Which let me keep going. The catch was that no one else could hire me even if there was no work being done. Not even his friends could. It was exclusive, which meant my time, my talents, and my designs were his. That's the red flag to me. What do you mean? Like, even with no work being like, what am I supposed to. I'm just supposed to sit there and you're just gonna pay me for no work? Interesting. I mean, like in. I guess that sounds too good to be true. Agreed. And, you know, at first I didn't ask questions. Who would? I had my own career. Sure. But this was the opportunity I was set for life. And I thought, how could I not? But then came the NDAs. So many NDAs. Oh, I know. Every time I signed one, it felt like another wall was being built around me. And the more walls there were, the less I really understood about him or his empire. It felt like I was just another cog in this massive machine. And as long as I kept delivering on his properties, I'd be fine. It's getting a little. We were just talking about. This is such a fun job. It's so we get to giggle. This is like the opposite of that, Gary. I feel like I would be afraid to laugh in his presence. That is okay. It was an interesting environment to work in. Aside from working with his staff at times. I had met his wife and she was lovely, but she wasn't involved much or even around. So the majority of the communication was with him. His kids were grown adults by the time I started, so I had been their designer on occasion. But I had hardly had interaction with them and only worked with their assistants, which I hear about that all the time with, like, celebrities and stuff. I would have such a hard time not getting to work with the person that you're designing for. Exactly. We gotta. I need to know you on a personal level to be able to make this a personal home. Where I'm designing a home for your assistant. Exactly. And that's Not. Huh. Well, and I have had that experience at one of the firms I worked for. They were designing a celebrity's home. We only worked with her assistant. And, like, it made it so weird because obviously the assistant is getting paid as much as, like, what they're spending on one sofa. Like, the yearly salary of the assistant is the cost of a $60,000. Do you know what I'm saying? And so for the assistant to be signing off on a $60,000 sofa was so uncomfortable, which for. I wasn't even making $60,000, so I totally get it. But, like, to be the one that's like, yep, approved. That was. It was an. It was weird, for sure. But that was my role. His interior designer, an employee. Okay, that's interesting verbiage, because. Right. So you're W.2. Like, okay, no personal dinners, no family vacations. Just the designer. Oh, I see. They're trying to make. Okay, I see just professional interactions and discussion. Nothing. So I came and went as I was told, and I kept it professional. Okay. That distinction is interesting. But, oh, God, the things I saw. I mean, if you're a residential designer, you see a lot. A lot. From expensive art to vaults full of rare collectibles. His obsession with certain design requests that didn't always make sense and sometimes striked me as odd. I didn't ask questions, though. It was all part of the job. Right? And besides, I kept reminding myself that pay was incredible. Okay. But the longer I stayed, the harder it became to ignore the questions. What was he really doing? I never knew the details of his business, but there was always money to spend. So, so much money. Almost too much money. Hmm. There are rumors, whispers, really. Money laundering, fraud. But I was a designer, not an investigator. I told myself that I didn't need to know, and I didn't. I just kept working and stayed out of those conversations, which, like.

[Gracie]

Yeah.

[Caroline Turner]

What? Yeah, I mean, you can't be like, I overheard you on the phone and that's not right. Like, obviously you can't do anything. Like, if you're in this position for, like, a job that set you up like this, like, I'm not going to be asking questions. No, you're going to keep. What do you mean? Are you doing something illegal? And also, like, hindsight is 20 20. Obviously. Of course. But I will say, like, with money laundering, if there's, like, even a question of that, that can get real dicey real quick. Like, if a diner feels safe, you're accepting money that is, like, for the sake of being laundered. You're potentially breaking the law without even knowing that you're doing that. So that would be where I'm like, whoa, if I'm in jeopardy of going to jail, then I do need to say something. Yeah. Yes. Yes. Then about two years ago, I was at one of his properties in the mountains overseeing a renov. The estate was sprawling, quiet, and peaceful. Or at least it was until the FBI showed up. Yeah, I have chills. Can you imagine? You're at your client's house getting ready for the install and literally pass up, literally. The SWAT team's there, like. Like, where are the cameras? I'm getting. My God. Until next season. Peace be with you.

[Gracie]

Bye.