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Alice
Foreign. Welcome to Dear Alice, a lifestyle approach to interior design.
Jess
Hello, everyone. Welcome to Dear Alice. Today we have Allison Kenworthy from Homeworthy on. I am so excited about this interview. Those of you that have been watching Homeworthy, we know how much we love it. We're getting a first hand peek into all these fabulous houses. I went on Homeworthy in January of 2025 and I noticed in reading the comments that so many people were like, how did you get on Homeworthy? They love the show. They're hanging on every word and it's been like, it's been like everybody's favorite TV show that loves design. So if you haven't heard of it yet, you've got to tune in. And you're gonna love hearing from Allison today in our interview.
Alice
Her background is incredible. Yeah, more than anything that was like fascinating to understand, like why Homeworthy works. And it's because of how she's wired and her DNA. Like that is the only way this succeeds is because of her. So enjoy. So good.
Molly
Before we get into that though, we've been getting so many amazing reviews from all you listeners and we're super thankful. Um, Molly, Riv wrote into us and left us a review that says, this is my all time favorite podcast. I love the design and love the wealth information that is shared, but I also enjoy the personalities of these three people. So, yeah, so sweet.
Alice
Riv.
Jess
Yeah, thank you. Thanks for writing in.
Alice
Okay, and then really fast, before we get into the episode, if you were doing a remodel or you're thinking about a new build, Alid is taking new applicants for the rest of 2025. That latter part is into the forever future. So if you have a project and we can help you, please write in and you can just go to design services on our website and then you'll just go down to Alice Lane Interior design, fill out the application and we'll get back to you. We're so excited. We love a good project, so, yes, we do.
Jess
Okay, let's get on to Allison.
Alice
Allison Kenworthy is a three time Emmy award winning television producer and the founder of Homeworthy, a media network that highlights extraordinary people and their homes. That's our favorite. Founded in 2020, Homeworthy now generates over 1.2 billion minutes watched annually across its streaming platforms. She formerly worked at ABC's Good Morning America, where she covered entertainment stories from the red carpets to the Golden Globes and the Met Gala. Allison grew up in a historic neighborhood in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. of Georgetown, Washington, D.C. which is where she developed her love of Homes and decor. She lives in Manhattan with her husband and two children. Welcome, Allison. We're so excited you're here.
Jess
Yes. Yay. We're so lucky. Everybody listening right now. If you haven't heard of Homeworthy, you're in for such a treat.
Alice
Fall out of the rock that you're in. Yeah.
Jess
Yeah. This is Allison. I can't believe that somebody didn't think of this before you. Of course, it took your brilliant mind to think of it, and I would love for you to tell people. How did you come to this idea? You obviously had a really successful career producing at abc. What made you take the leap?
Allison Kenworthy
Well, I had been in television for my entire professional career. I'd been in local News in Washington, D.C. and then I was at ABC News at the network in New York City working for Good Morning America. And I loved network news. I loved the intensity of it and the pressure of it and the pace of it and the fact that every day was different. One day you might be covering the Met Gala, as you had mentioned earlier. Another day you might be covering a breaking economic story. Another day you might be covering a natural disaster. I mean, every day was different. But I always, always had this common thread sort of through me that was a passion for home and story and design. And as I was just thinking about my own career and future, I never envisioned being a CEO or a founder or any of it. I thought I would just remain a producer in the news world forever. But I just had this sort of little voice in the back of my head that was saying, I think that you could create something that combines your two passions of storytelling and design. And that's really what Homeworthy is. It's the intersection of storytelling and design. And I think that's what sets us apart from other outlets and organizations is really sort of the story side of it because the person is so integral to our episodes. They are all hosted by the homeowner themselves. So you're getting a chance to welcome them into your home. You know, people are watching on their TV screens. 50% of our viewers project onto television. So they're sitting down on a Wednesday night with a glass of wine or a Saturday morning with a cup of coffee, and they're enjoying these 45 minute hour long episodes that are deep dives into people's homes. So it's turned into something I hadn't imagined when I first started. From the beginning, I just thought, I just want to tell stories around the. Well, really at the time it was like the Tri State area. I'm Based in New York City. So it was just sort of the areas around me. And since we were founded in 2019, we've expanded. But it was just this idea that I had, and I thought, why not just go for it?
Jess
Yeah. So in the beginning, was it different than it is today? I mean, the sheer amount of content. Alison, I can speak from experience. I went on Homeworthy the beginning in January of 2025, and they had asked me, do you want to do your house for holiday? Because they were actually shooting in November. And I was like, no, let's not worry about holiday. We'll just show the home as it normally sits. And they said, okay, because we're doing a different house every day of December.
Allison Kenworthy
That 25 days of Christmas.
Jess
Okay. It broke my brain that you guys could film that much content with that much people's homes already decorated for Holiday, which some people do get started in October. But you guys are going at breakneck speed, and you're creating the most content I've ever heard of in my life. How on earth are you doing it? How big is your team?
Allison Kenworthy
I think had I not worked in news prior launching this brand, we would not create this much content. But when you come from an environment like ABC News and Good Morning America, where your deadlines are so tight and they're so fast, that that's essentially what we're doing at Homeworthy, we're trying to create. I mean, this is. I mean, lofty. But this idea of kind of see the CNN of design, where we have just, like, premium content, all the. You know, and this really, in my mind, just the beginning stages of it. I mean, I hope that this is just like the beginning. And we have a team of, I would say, well, it's probably about 120 producers, videographers, editors all over the world. So when we want to film something in Morocco, we've got a great team there. And that's what's been so exciting, is to watch this team grow from just me in the early days on my iPhone. Oh, my gosh, a little tiny attachment, calling in favors from friends, saying, hey, you know, I have this idea. I'm starting this new brand called Homeworthy. Could I come over and interview you and feature your home? And I would film everything on my iPhone. And, in fact, the earliest episode we ever did with Bunny Williams was filmed on my phone.
Jess
No, I just got cold chills.
Allison Kenworthy
And that episode has over a million views. I'm gonna say.
Alice
I'm like, that's the most viewed video, I think, on your account. Right.
Allison Kenworthy
Top. Top five. Yeah. People love Bunny. And we've got.
Jess
Where does. Where does Bunny live? Where's her. Where's her home?
Allison Kenworthy
She has a place in Connecticut.
Jess
Okay. All right. Yeah. I didn't think she was, like, in New York City proper, so probably have.
Allison Kenworthy
No, she's out to the beautiful country house with lush gardens and so fabulous. And she's unbelievable on camera, so. But filmed on my iPhone and at the end of my time at gma, we were actually filming some content or broadcast that was being seen by 6 million people on phones. And the other thing I'll mention about the early days and filming on a phone, and what I learned from it was you really disarm people when you don't show up with a large production.
Jess
Such a good point.
Allison Kenworthy
And I think that that's really part of our secret sauce, is that we could show up with a soundtrack. I mean, we could show up with a massive, massive crew. But there's something about having a small footprint that gives you more authentic answers. You're from the person that you're interviewing. And that has been such an important part for me, really, the storytelling aspect and really getting the person to feel comfortable with a camera in their home as they're showing you their powder room or the inside of their fridge or all of these nooks and crannies of their home that people are just like, dying to see.
Jess
So you're not still filming on iPhone, though, are you?
Allison Kenworthy
No, no, occasionally. I mean, if I'm in a real bind or. I was in Washington actually, a few weeks ago filming with a woman who's 97 years old and she's such an incredible woman. She was the. What was her title? I think it's that she was the chief of protocol in the White House under President Reagan.
Jess
Oh, my gosh.
Allison Kenworthy
She oversaw like a hundred state dinners. She greeted every major dignitary who came to the White House. She's got just incredible photos of her with Jackie Kennedy, with Queen Elizabeth, with President Obama. I mean. And so for me, that was so important to really hear her story and not sort of shock her with a big camera crew. So I did that with my phone.
Jess
That's amazing.
Alice
Gosh, the stories that you've heard.
Jess
I know.
Alice
I'm just.
Allison Kenworthy
I'm still back.
Alice
Is there like, back in your last. For that gal that. Anyway, that worked for the White House, I'm like, I. I know.
Allison Kenworthy
Well, stay tuned.
Alice
She's coming stories. I cannot wait.
Allison Kenworthy
I just felt like she, you know, she had a front row view to history. And just being able to hear her stories was so wonderful for me. And then to be able to share her stories with other people who may not know her. And she doesn't skip a beat. I mean, at 97 years old and she was proud to say it. She was like, I'm just like, I feel like I should go shout it from the mountaintops something to 597. I mean, she just like, had so many great, great lines.
Jess
So is there a certain type of home that comes in and you're like, this is. This is. Is there like a certain thing that just gets your pulse racing? You're like, this is like. Like this gal obviously in her 90s that worked in the white. Is it that they're people of interest and so you know that their homes are going to be interesting? Or is it a location or do.
Alice
You go after them?
Jess
Well, yeah, well, it's a combination.
Allison Kenworthy
So a lot of people now approach us and. But we certainly go after people as well. But I think for me, like, my personal esthetic, I love maximalism. I love layers. I love a lot going on. I love stacks of dusty books and, like tchotchkes. And I mean, I'm like one paperclip away from my apartment, just like busting. I have so much stuff and that is what I like. So I'm really excited personally, when I see those kinds of homes. But not everybody likes that. So we really try and be an equal opportunist on the channel and showcase modern and showcase beautiful sort of country homes, beach homes, mountain homes, city apartments that are 300 square feet, homes that are minimalist. I mean, it may not be my personal preference, but it's somebody's. So I think that when we're looking for bookings, it's a combination of who is the person? Do they feel comfortable on camera to carry an episode themselves because they're the only person there. And then does the home feel like it has a soul and a story and what can they share about certain items? It's never been for me, this came from, you know, this cost this much money, or this is this designer or this is. It's really, for me been about what is the story behind the item? Did you get it at a flea market for $20 and. Or did you break on the side of the road to pick something up or was something passed down from a family member? Or maybe did you way overpay for an antique that you realized you got totally ripped off on? So it all goes back to the story, whether it be about the person or about the home?
Molly
Jess, we've been getting a ton of questions on who makes your glasses.
Jess
Oh, really?
Molly
Yeah.
Jess
Oh, my gosh.
Molly
Everyone wants to know, you guys.
Jess
I'm so. I'm at this age now where my near vision is leaving me. You're not quite as old as I am. Yeah, but sue, you're experiencing this 40.
Alice
Hit and like, yeah, I needed my glasses before, but I really, really need them now.
Jess
Yeah, between 40 and 45, that cell phone type gets really tiny. So I was in search for the perfect pair of readers and I tried Look Optic. And I have to say I've loved them so much that I've actually began working with them a little bit as an advisor. And my dad's an eye doctor, my brother in law is. I really, really love eyewear and it's been really fun to be back in the game. And I love the readers. I love the fashion frames. It's not a pair of frames that looks like I'm wearing something made for men. You know, those readers when you go to Walgreens or when you go to the grocery store or somewhere, and they're just like a three pack and they all look like they were made for men. Look Optic actually has really cute frames that are made for women, especially for.
Alice
Again, those ones that look like men's. They look like a giant man on my little head.
Jess
Yes. Suzanne small. Suzanne has a child sized head and they actually have minis at Look Optic. The Diane Keaton collection. I gave you all my dying Diane Keaton.
Alice
I love the Diane Keaton collection. They fit my, like, head great. They're comfortable. They have the cutest colors, like some from a matte. They have the bone ones. I love them so much.
Jess
Yeah, they're cute. And one of, one of my little, like fast passes I want to tell everybody is that if you do the progressive lens, it's clear up top. You just get magnification in the bottom where you need it because that's how you're looking in a cell phone or you're reading paper down here or you're on your laptop. You don't need magnification out the top because that's going to make your eyeballs look huge.
Molly
Yeah.
Jess
And then you really look like you're wearing a reader. So we're trying to like keep this low profile. And so I always go with the progressive. My favorite styles, I really love the Laurel. And they have this cool one that's like the Muse. It kind of looks like a 70s update. It's cool. They have one with the pink lens too. In fact, my daughter stole that one from me. It's great. Anyway, you guys can discover your own styles. But I will say Look Optic has been such a gateway for me as I've needed to jump into that reader category.
Alice
Right now you can receive some free glasses from Look Optic. All you have to do is text ALICE to 21252. That is text ALICE A L I C E to the number 21252. The first 20 new customers will get a free pair of readers. And if you're an existing customer, we also have an amazing discount for you. If you go to lookoptic.com you can use the code ALICE15 for 15 off.
Jess
You know what I love about Homeworthy? I mean we all love 80 open door. You don't, you don't get them very often. It's only celebrities. And Homeworthy is this great place where we get to play with open door every day and we get to see not normal people because you, I mean you have extraordinary people like this lady in the White House and Bunny Williams like we talked about. But you get to see sort of a whole nother volume of great homes and interesting ways people are living. And we're all such voyeurs. Like we all want to see what's happening on the inside and we get to meet all these characters and because you're long format, we really get to hang out with them for a while and, and see like this huge dynamic of their space. And I just, I there, there needed to be a platform like this. We all love interior design. We all buy the shelter magazines or we used to. And this is like our new shelter magazine is watching this on video. But it was really so brilliant of you to do it when you did it. And I think there's like everybody's so fascinated. I. We also always say there's not an amazing interior design show.
Allison Kenworthy
There's interesting.
Jess
Right. There used to be million dollar decorators on.
Allison Kenworthy
Yes, right. That was talking to two of those decorators, by the way.
Jess
Okay.
Alice
Yes, amazing.
Jess
And we just haven't had that. We have so many million dollar listing New York. We have all of the real estate shows where we get to like peek into these beautiful houses. But other than that, we don't get to see fabulous homes on tv. And it's time and homeworthy. I'm not surprised that people are casting this to their TV because we want to see this on tv and you get the reality piece of it because it is real and you've Got the person that lives in that home that's not a media trained professional showing you through their houses. So you're getting homes on TV now if you're casting or maybe you're watching it on your phone or your laptop or whatever. But there was, there's a real need for this in the market. For those of us listening to the podcast right now that love design, those of us that do design professionally, who can we look up to? What can we see besides, you know, magazines or, or Pinterest? This is so amazing.
Allison Kenworthy
Well, and there are so many homes. And there are so many homes have beautiful spaces and they are proud of them and they want to show them to the world.
Jess
Yeah.
Allison Kenworthy
And with, you know, there's only a certain number of publications and there's only a certain amount of pages that they have in their, in their magazines to publish. But for us, it's endless. I mean, we could put out 10 episodes a day if we had the bandwidth for it and if our viewers had the appetite for it. And I think that we'll continue to push the limits to see how much appetite there really is. Because as we consider about, as we think about growth in the future, what does that look like? Does it look like five episodes a day? Is that, is that too much?
Jess
Speaking of bandwidth, like, you create more content than a content creator. Like, nobody has this bandwidth. And I think because you were brought up in television, you do have this crazy ability to take on something like this. And I don't know that a network could do it at the speed and veracity that you're doing it. So I just, I mean, you've got this whole market cornered and it's, it's incredible what you've accomplished.
Allison Kenworthy
Thank you so much. I mean, it's really a testament to the team that we have, and they are so good and really dedicated and so smart and have really bright ideas. And I'm just excited for the future with this team that we're growing. So, and you had mentioned earlier people wanting to know maybe how they can be featured. Yeah, we always encourage people to reach out to us and share pictures, share their story. I think the email is helloomeworthy.com Hopefully I'm not sending them somewhere they shouldn't go, but we want to hear from people because maybe there's a fabulous home and an incredible story in Tulsa, Oklahoma, you know, that needs to be told and we want to tell it. So. We love your submissions. We really do.
Jess
I always felt safe because of him. My home was a sanctuary. We loved it. When dad was home. He's the biggest tease. He's so much fun. And such the heartbeat of our house this Father's Day. What better way to create that sanctuary for him than with Cozy Earth? This Father's Day, I'm going to be giving both my husband and my dad the same thing. Bamboo stretch knit pajama pants. They're cooling. I know both my dad and my husband sleep really hot. And these make you sleep cooler. They're really lightweight. They're stretch in every direction and they're going to sleep really, really, really great. Cozy Earth makes comfort that lasts, guaranteeing a lifetime warranty on all apparel items. And for this Father's Day, you can find the perfect gift for him. Go to cozyearth.com and use code Dear Alice for up to 40% off all men's apparel. That's cozyearth.com code Dear Alice, I could.
Alice
See very easily going and binging. Homeworthy.
Allison Kenworthy
Yes.
Alice
On TV and, and it's so relatable. And I love, I love how real the people are because even in those, in those, you know, million dollar listings, everything's, everything's so pristine that they can't see themselves living a beautiful life that way. So I think the ability for us to tell our own stories becomes a lot more real. While watching Homeworthy.
Jess
I also feel like most of those, like million dollar listing, L.A. all of those, it's always these new, brand new contemporary spaces that nobody's lived in. And they're always slick and glossy. Yeah. And, and what's so fun and contrasty about it to Homeworthy is that there's life that's being lived in these homes for a long time. It's not freshly installed spaces like when we shoot our projects where it's like perfectly. This is perfectly imperfect. Everything about it is believable. It's as real as reality TV gets without any drama. And you get to see how they're really living their lives. And you'll get a sneak of a pet or, you know, like love pets. Yeah. Oh, what's her name? She's a fashion gal. Her daughter was really big on tick not tick tock and had a big following. And then the mom started showing her clothes. And everybody is obsessed with the mom and she has so many cats. And I'm like, I'm so excited to finally see her house. And the, the, her club chairs were just completely thrashed from all the cats. And she loved that the silk was ripped and shredded and it was just like, it was so light. Yeah, it was so fun getting to see how she lived because all you ever see is her bathroom wearing all these cool curated, you know, outfits that are put together anyway. Yeah, we got to just really admire the real person and how they really live.
Allison Kenworthy
Well, we try and have a mix of sort of relatable content, but also aspirational content so that there's something for everybody. And going back to the long form idea of it, I think what's exciting too about this YouTube platform is that you can watch it on 2X. So if you want to speed through or you want to scrub through, you know, if you really want to get to that living room or to that, you know, guest bedroom, you can just move right ahead to get there. I mean, that's kind of the beauty of these episodes. I mean, if you want to watch 45 minutes, you can. If you want to piece it together, you can also do that.
Alice
Yep, I love it.
Jess
Do you have a favorite?
Allison Kenworthy
That's like asking you to pick a favorite child. It's.
Alice
Pay more than one if you want to.
Jess
Yeah, I mean, I'll. Yeah, I would love to know.
Allison Kenworthy
Well, I think some of the favorites for me are some of the ones that have really helped build the brand. The ones that were done really kind of in the early days. I have a dear friend, his name is Eric Motley. He is the deputy director of the National Gallery of art in Washington D.C. he is the. He's an author of a book and he's got a. Just a really compelling personal story. And he collects beautiful pieces of art and he collects rare books. He had just bookcases full of old, old books, you know, kinds that have etchings on the bindings so that when you actually flip the binding of the book, it almost tells a story. So he was a really fun one to profile. I loved Miles Red and Alex. That was a great conversation of the two of them in conversation at Miles's townhouse. And it was so funny. Alex walked in. He's a big collector. He loves to just amass, you know, things here and there. And he walks into Miles house and he goes. He says something to the effect of like, oh, this I can go shopping again. He like being in Miles out. He felt reassured that like, oh, Miles has even more things than I have.
Alice
Permission granted.
Jess
Yeah.
Allison Kenworthy
So. So now he can shop for even more. So those have been. And then of course, Bunny Williams is so fabulous and everything that she does is just so. It was great to profile her. We have a wonderful woman who we have a series with. She lives in A town called Berwyn, Pennsylvania. Her name is Ruth McKinney. She's got a beautiful home with ruins on it and an old farmhouse that she and her husband took from nothing. I mean, it was in the most dilapidated state. State. And they really put their gloves on and refurbished this home over the course of, like, a number of years. And it's rolling hills, beautiful gardens. And we have a fabulous series with her. She actually has a really fun episode coming out all about, like, Derby Day. And we. We sort of follow her life and produce roughly, I think, one episode a month with her. So.
Jess
Wow.
Allison Kenworthy
We're also trying to build up personalities and really make it so that people are coming back and they're seeing some of the same people who they really like. We have a great series called the Paris Project, where we follow interior designer Garo Kedigan around Paris as he redoes a gorgeous apartment that he has there.
Jess
That's so fun.
Alice
That's amazing.
Allison Kenworthy
Then we did some other really fun, like, shopping segments. We went to the Paris flea market with an incredible woman who lives in Paris, Raja Key. She is a great coffee table book. And it was just fun to kind of tag along with her as she's the expert. And she showed us all through the flea market. So. And we've got so many exciting things coming up. So it's. There's no shortage of content on Homeworthy.
Jess
My gosh. And it's got to feel like such a dream to you because you had this idea. You did it. It's been a hit. It keeps evolving. It keeps growing more and more legs. You keep running with it. Your husband's involved now.
Allison Kenworthy
Like, no, it's real family affair. Like, 20 minutes before we started this podcast, we're documenting some of our apartment and. And the redecoration of it. We just moved into this new place.
Jess
Oh, let's do give a shout out to your apartment really quick. Those of you that are watching on either Spotify or YouTube. Allison's own home. She sitting with your living room behind you, Alison.
Allison Kenworthy
Yes. And I need window treatments. It's so light. It's too bright.
Jess
How long have you been in this house? It looks like you've been here forever. Five months. You've been busy. Do you use a designer or is this just you?
Allison Kenworthy
Yes, I am using a dear, actually. It's a cousin of my husband. Her name is Claire Fleming Peters. She's fabulous. Everybody should look her up. She was trained under Buddy Williams and she now has her own firm. She's based in Long Island.
Jess
Hey, wait Claire. Funny.
Allison Kenworthy
Claire Fleming. Peters.
Jess
Fleming, Peters. Okay, we'll check her out.
Allison Kenworthy
She's great. She's got. Her taste is a little different than mine. She's like. Walking into her house is like walking into the. Like something's gotta give house, you know.
Jess
That'S my house too.
Allison Kenworthy
You know, like, so beautiful. And I'm like, bring on the pink walls. I don't know if you can really see it here, but I do.
Jess
So good. Beautiful. Oh, good. Oh, you're an art collector.
Alice
I see you have an up and over.
Allison Kenworthy
Yeah, well, it's a hodgepodge a bit, but it's good though.
Alice
It's so good.
Allison Kenworthy
Yeah, I just. I'm a collector. I collect stories, I collect trinkets. And that's what's been just so fun about Homeworthy is just the chance of getting to meet so many different people and hear so many people's sort of different stories. Oh, one other thing I'll mention one. Another favorite episode was a gentleman named Joe minton. He's a Fort Worth based interior designer and he's also in his 90s, I think. And he. We were chatting. I said, joe, what do you. I can't remember what the question was, but he basically said to me, I'm just getting started. Like, I'm in the prime of my career.
Jess
I love him. That's amazing.
Allison Kenworthy
He lives in an unbelievable house in Texas that is like. I think it was part of a castle in England. Dropped in to Texas and it's a total feast for the eyes. So I would highly recommend.
Jess
What. Tell us his name again. We got to watch that episode.
Allison Kenworthy
Joe Minton. M I n T O n. Okay, I love. And I met him at a party in Dallas. I was at like a Christie's event and somebody said, oh, you need to go meet Joe. And he's right over here. So I walked over, I introduced myself to Joe and I was like, joe, you would be so fabulous on camera. We love to feature you. I said, but I'm leaving. I'm going to New York in two days. I only have the opportunity to film tomorrow and I had already another shoot scheduled in the afternoon. He was like, oh, honey, I don't wake up until 11. You know, I. My two. I need my two coffees and I need my paper before you come over. Because he's a real night owl and he works late anyway. Made it work. He invites me over and. And it was something that had just been booked the day before. And honestly, sometimes those are the best episodes for sure.
Jess
Just spontaneous.
Allison Kenworthy
Yeah.
Alice
That's for sure.
Jess
Okay. I can't wait to see Joe's house. That's so.
Allison Kenworthy
You'll love it. I love it.
Jess
I love that. Okay. What? Roadblocks are common for homeworthy. I ask this because so many people that are listening are in the design business, and I just feel like roadblocks are part of the job, and knowing kind of how you overcome it. Feels like nothing's hard to you, Allison?
Allison Kenworthy
Oh, definitely.
Jess
I don't know you well, but it just seems like you're like, yeah, whatever. That's. That's fine. I'm used. I'm used to hard. If it wasn't hard, it wouldn't be fun. Like, you just.
Allison Kenworthy
That is true. But that doesn't mean it's not frustrating sometimes. I mean, I think that I. If something seems too hard, sometimes it's like, is this worth it? Sometimes it is, and then sometimes it's just. You just have to let it go and just move on. Because I don't have the energy to spend time trying to. To fit a square into a circle if it's just not going to work. But I think that from a media perspective, I think what can be challenging is as we want to tell more and more stories globally, how can we find the people in. How can we find people in Japan and find our crews in Japan and find the people in Japan? How can we do the same in India? How can we do the same in Africa? I mean, how can we really go global and tell stories in all corners of the world? I mean, I think that that's a challenge for us. You know, we have our people in Los Angeles. We have our people in Texas. We have our people in New Orleans. We have our people in Florida. But as we grow, how can we build out these teams in the far corners of. Of the world is sort of the challenge that we're trying to sort through now.
Jess
Wow.
Allison Kenworthy
Because I do want to go global. I want to tell stories all over the world.
Jess
I want to see those houses, too.
Allison Kenworthy
Why?
Jess
Yeah, because it sounds like you probably have houses in those regions, but you just need the crews now to do it, or so finding.
Allison Kenworthy
And also really finding people.
Jess
It's kind of a chicken in the egg thing. Like, which one comes first? Right. Is it probably the homeowner first? The fabulous home, and then you can find a videographer.
Allison Kenworthy
Yeah, we pinpoint the home and the person, and then we build around them. Sometimes we actually do call outs on social media, and they, you know, hey, we want to film in Jaipur in India, like, who should we film with there? And then you never know who you're gonna get responding. Oh, hey, check out so and so. And they'll send a link to an article or they'll send a link to an Instagram account. That's the amazing thing about social media and how it just opens up the world.
Jess
Oh, so cool. It's amazing.
Alice
Fan club everywhere.
Jess
Yes. Okay, well, we've kept you really long. One question that we ask every guest that comes on the podcast is, how do you define luxury?
Allison Kenworthy
Oh, my gosh. Well, for me right now, running this business and having a three year old and a one and a one and a half year old, it would probably just be like a hot shower and a really good night's sleep at this point for me. But, you know, I don't know. I think that question is. Is so subjective. But like a cozy sweater and a great magazine and a candle burning and a fire going and just like a quiet night at home for me right now is really what I'm craving. I'm such a nester and I'm. I really am a homebody, which is probably how I developed this love for design and decor is. I really like being at home. So just like a night in is honestly luxury right now. And quiet at home.
Alice
I love that.
Jess
Yeah, that's a really good answer. Well, I think I'll shower. Yeah. And we, we can all. We can all experience that harder, obviously, with little kids, but it's something we all have. And luxury doesn't have to be expensive. Right. It just is kind of a state of mind and being home and getting cozy and getting to smell that favorite smell. Do you have a favorite candle you're burning right now?
Allison Kenworthy
Oh, my gosh. I burn a nest candle a lot. It's like a bamboo scented candle. I think it's bamboo. I also really love for a splurge. This would be in line with your question of luxury. Like the Diptyque Bayes candle, I think that is. I love that candles actually do. I mean, when I used to go to an office and come home at night, the first thing I would do is like, dim the lights, burn a candle, and like turn on music and just to like, set the tone of, like, being at home. And really that to me is luxury, just small things. And to your point, Jess, when you said it doesn't have to be expensive to be luxury, I very much feel like that about homes and the value of homes. It's not to me about or to our company about it being filled with the most Expensive designer items. I mean, you can create and just as beautiful of a home, I believe, with thrifted finds. And in some cases that's where the stories are.
Jess
Well, and that's really the front row seat that Homeworthy is showing everybody every, every day, every episode is that it doesn't have to be expensive, it doesn't have to be made by this Italian design designer. It's, it's really just about collecting the things that are so you and creating home wherever it is, and that you can live fabulously wherever that is, you know, whatever fabulous means to you, whatever personal is to you. And I just love that because like I said, we've only ever been able to peek inside celebrity homes or homes that are $25 million and on a real estate show. And so you guys are just for the first time allowing us to really see how people really live. And it can be people with great taste like Miles Red and other interior designers or just people of interest, but we all just get to sort of peek behind the door thanks to you and your very hard working crew and, and your ability to get in there and get it done. And I just can't tell you what huge fans we are of what you're doing. So thank you for coming on.
Allison Kenworthy
Thank you so much for having me. I'm just deeply honored. And we loved the filming with you.
Jess
Thank you.
Allison Kenworthy
Keep the suggestions coming. If you have other ideas of people who we should feature, we, we're, we're just, anyway, so grateful to be here and just a huge thank you to all of our viewers who continue to watch our content. So thank you both so much.
Jess
Yes, definitely. And to find Allison, tell people where they can find homeworthy.
Allison Kenworthy
So on YouTube they can look up Homeworthy on Instagram. Our handle is at Homeworthy. Tik Tok. We are home Homeworthy. We just signed a deal with Amazon, so we're going to be coming to you from different places. So we've got so many exciting things ahead and episodes. So stay tuned. We've got Bunny Williams Part 2 coming out soon.
Jess
Oh, you heard it here, folks. That's exciting. Well, thank you for your time, Alison. We'll let you get back to it. But we're so happy that all of our listeners got to hear from you firsthand about the work that you're creating and doing in the world.
Allison Kenworthy
Thank you both so much and love the podcast. Really appreciate being on.
Jess
Oh, thank you. Thanks for joining us. Thanks so much, guys. How great was Allison?
Molly
That's honestly, that's my favorite. Yeah, I was just sitting back, listening, just being a fly on the wall. And it was so. Yeah. So entertaining. I loved it.
Alice
And I feel like I have permission to go get more tchotchkes. We all have more permission to go get more things to tell our story. Yeah, I love too, that that's our ethos, I think, on everything that we do is we tell the human story. Like a fabulous human should have a fabulous house. Whatever kind of, you know, whatever your story is, that should be what's plastered on your walls. And this is just like a front row seat at an hour at a time to just binge watch. And that's what I'll be doing probably this weekend, is tuning into those episodes that she just told us to go watch.
Molly
Yeah, I have some Bunny Williams episodes to watch and like she said, she's shooting a new one. So I'm.
Jess
I want to get into that France series. Yeah. Serious? Yeah, I'm going to do my homework. I want to go to France this year.
Alice
Wait for the progressive dinner in New Orleans.
Jess
Like, so good. Yes.
Alice
Take me there.
Jess
So good. Well, you guys, if you have any episode ideas or any guests that you really want us to have, come on. Please send those Into Dear Alice alicelanehome.com We would also love it if you'd leave us a review. We love to read those. We love to hear from you.
Molly
Yeah. So if you want to leave a review, you can go to our Apple podcast page. And if you scroll down just above, like where the reviews start, there's a little purple or blue icon that says write a review. Click that. It'll take you to the page to do it. And yeah, we love hearing from you guys.
Alice
So on a bad day, that's where we go.
Allison Kenworthy
Exactly.
Alice
Yeah. Keep them coming.
Jess
Thanks for tuning in, guys. We'll catch you next time. Hey, thanks for listening. If you like our show, please leave a five star rating.
Podcast Summary: Dear Alice | Interior Design
Episode: How Alison Kenworthy Built Homeworthy Into A Must-Watch For Interior Design Lovers
Release Date: May 29, 2025
In this captivating episode of Dear Alice, hosts Jessica Bennett (Jess) and Suzanne Hall (Suzanne) engage in an enlightening conversation with Allison Kenworthy, the visionary founder of Homeworthy. Allison shares her journey from a successful career in television production to creating a groundbreaking media network that has become a staple for interior design enthusiasts worldwide.
[02:10] Allison Kenworthy
"Homeworthy is the intersection of storytelling and design."
Allison Kenworthy, a three-time Emmy award-winning television producer, founded Homeworthy in 2020. With a background at ABC’s Good Morning America, where she covered high-profile events like the Met Gala and the Golden Globes, Allison leveraged her storytelling prowess to create a platform that showcases extraordinary homes and the unique stories behind them. Growing up in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., Allison developed a deep-seated passion for homes and decor, which eventually led her to establish Homeworthy.
[03:20] Allison Kenworthy
"I never envisioned being a CEO or a founder, but I wanted to combine my passions for storytelling and design."
Reflecting on her career transition, Allison explains how a persistent inner voice guided her to merge her love for storytelling with her passion for interior design. This fusion birthed Homeworthy, a media network dedicated to highlighting the personal narratives and design choices of homeowners. From its inception, the platform emphasized authentic, long-form content, allowing homeowners to narrate their own stories within their living spaces.
[06:38] Allison Kenworthy
"Our team has grown from me filming on an iPhone to 120 dedicated producers, videographers, and editors worldwide."
Allison attributes Homeworthy's extensive content library—over 1.2 billion minutes watched annually—to her strong background in high-paced television environments. Initially, Allison managed productions solo, utilizing her iPhone to film episodes like the highly popular Bunny Williams feature. Today, Homeworthy boasts a robust team of around 120 professionals globally, enabling them to produce diverse content across various regions efficiently.
[09:00] Allison Kenworthy
"We disarm people by not showing up with a large production, allowing for more authentic storytelling."
A distinguishing factor of Homeworthy is its focus on genuine narratives. By keeping production teams small, Allison ensures that homeowners feel comfortable and authentic while presenting their spaces. This approach fosters deeper connections between the audience and the featured individuals, as viewers gain intimate insights into the lives and stories that shape each home.
[24:05] Allison Kenworthy
"Profiling Joe Minton, a 90-year-old interior designer living in a former English castle in Texas, was unforgettable."
Allison highlights several standout episodes that have significantly contributed to Homeworthy's reputation. Notable mentions include:
These episodes exemplify Homeworthy's dedication to featuring a diverse array of homes and personal stories, making each episode a unique viewing experience.
[31:02] Allison Kenworthy
"Expanding globally presents challenges in finding local crews and authentic stories."
As Homeworthy continues to flourish, Allison acknowledges the challenges of scaling the platform internationally. Establishing local teams and sourcing genuine stories from different cultures and regions remains a priority. Strategies include leveraging social media to identify potential homeowners and collaborating with local talents to maintain the authenticity and quality of content across diverse locales.
[33:25] Allison Kenworthy
"For me, luxury is a hot shower and a good night's sleep—a quiet night at home."
Allison offers a heartfelt perspective on luxury, emphasizing that it transcends expensive designer items. She believes true luxury lies in the simple comforts of home and the ability to create a personal sanctuary. Homeworthy reflects this ethos by showcasing homes that embody both opulence and everyday coziness, highlighting that luxury is subjective and deeply personal.
[20:38] Allison Kenworthy
"We encourage people everywhere to share their stories, whether they're in Tulsa or Tokyo."
Allison emphasizes the importance of community engagement for Homeworthy. By inviting homeowners from all walks of life to share their spaces and stories, the platform fosters a diverse and inclusive environment. Allison encourages listeners and viewers to submit their own homes for feature considerations, ensuring that Homeworthy remains a dynamic and expansive repository of human-centric interior design narratives.
Jess and Suzanne express their admiration for Allison's accomplishments and the impactful work done by Homeworthy. They highlight the platform's ability to offer an authentic glimpse into diverse lifestyles and design philosophies, positioning it as a modern-day equivalent of traditional design magazines but with the intimacy and depth of video storytelling.
[37:17] Jess
"We are huge fans of what you're doing. Thank you for coming on."
Allison reciprocates the gratitude, reiterating her commitment to expanding Homeworthy and continuing to share compelling home stories with a global audience.
Allison Kenworthy on Homeworthy's Essence [03:20]:
"I think that you could create something that combines your two passions of storytelling and design."
Allison on Content Creation [06:38]:
"We've got about 120 producers, videographers, editors all over the world."
Allison Discussing Authentic Storytelling [09:00]:
"We could show up with a soundtrack... there's something about having a small footprint that gives you more authentic answers."
Allison on Defining Luxury [33:25]:
"Luxury is a hot shower and a really good night's sleep at this point for me."
Allison on Community Engagement [20:38]:
"We want to hear from people because maybe there's a fabulous home and an incredible story in Tulsa, Oklahoma."
Allison Kenworthy's journey from television producer to the founder of Homeworthy exemplifies the power of combining passion with storytelling. Homeworthy stands out in the interior design media landscape by prioritizing authentic, personal narratives over glossy, staged presentations. This approach not only resonates deeply with viewers but also democratizes the concept of luxury, making beautiful home stories accessible to a broader audience.
Listeners are encouraged to explore Homeworthy across various platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, and stay tuned for upcoming episodes featuring beloved personalities and their unique abodes.
Discover More About Homeworthy:
Thank you for tuning into this summary of the Dear Alice podcast episode featuring Allison Kenworthy. For more interior design insights and inspiring home stories, be sure to listen to the full episode and explore Homeworthy.