Homing with Matt Gibberd: Natasha Landers on Curating Black Art, East London & The Home as a Living Exhibition

Date: February 5, 2026
Guest: Natasha Landers
Host: Matt Gibberd

Episode Overview

In this episode of Homing, host Matt Gibberd sits down with diversity consultant, interior designer, and art curator Natasha Landers. Together, they explore the intricate ways childhood, culture, creativity, and community shape not just the homes we inhabit, but also our deepest sense of self. Natasha shares her journey from a colorful council estate in Hackney to curating Black art in East London and transforming her home into a living, breathing exhibition space. The conversation meanders through themes of belonging, boundaries, creativity, and the ongoing act of making a space one’s own.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Early Influences: Childhood Home and Hackney Roots

[00:50–07:14]

• Natasha paints a vivid picture of her childhood home: filled with bold colors and warmth, a unique space that stood apart from the typical Caribbean homes of her peers.
• Her mother favored an individualistic approach to decoration, eschewing trends like flock wallpaper in favor of eclectic feature walls and mixed furniture. Art and creativity were embedded from the start.
  • "If I picture my childhood home, it was very individual. It was very warm and it felt very safe and it was very colorful." — Natasha [01:03]
• Natasha explores how, even as a child, her personal space became a canvas for self-expression. She recalls chocolate brown walls, a bold wallpaper, and an early inclination for distinctive fashion choices.

Family Dynamics, People-Pleasing & Identity

[06:19–10:58]

• Raised by her mother and stepfather (her “dad”), with her biological father in and out of her life, Natasha describes herself as the people-pleasing, studious one.
• She openly connects her tendency towards people-pleasing to both cultural (Caribbean and working-class) expectations and her own internalized pressure, leading her to pursue practical studies and roles.
  • "I'm a people pleaser, 100%. And I think that's still a problem today." — Natasha [06:58]
  • "This is all me... me trying to people-please at the detriment of myself." — Natasha [09:43]

Navigating Safety, Bullying, and a Sense of Place

[10:58–15:39]

• Home was a refuge during a time when Natasha experienced sustained bullying at school. She highlights how the sense of safety offered by her home was vital, especially in the absence of support elsewhere.
• A complex relationship to the community emerges: Hackney was both stigmatized (statistically the "poorest borough in Europe") and a place of deep belonging.

Dyslexia and Creativity

[15:39–16:38]

• Natasha discusses discovering her dyslexia later in life—a revelation that both explained her challenges and helped her appreciate the creativity that often accompanied neurodiversity.
  • "I think there is a connection between creativity and dyslexia... maybe the other part of the brain compensates." — Natasha [15:57]

University, Culture Shock & Belonging

[16:38–20:35]

• Leaving home for Wales brought significant culture shock, homesickness, and exposure to racism and classism.
• Paradoxically, university expanded her sense of mixing with different communities, highlighting the complexities of "diverse" urban life.
  • "You still have your cliques of cultures and communities that might live side by side but don't necessarily merge into one community." — Natasha [19:15]

Professional Identity: Diversity Consultancy & Creative Work

[20:35–25:04]

• Social justice and equity are central: from supporting survivors of domestic violence to challenging organizations to address unconscious bias.
• Natasha is also an interior designer and curator. She founded the Lemon Sea Project to spotlight Black artists in a welcoming, accessible way.
  • "I collect art by Black artists predominantly... so my house becomes an installation and a gallery for Black art, and then open it up to the public." — Natasha [24:22]

The Lemon Sea Project: Home as Gallery

[25:04–29:15]

• Natasha discusses transforming her home into a social, public space—a site for exhibitions, private views, and broader conversations about representation.
• The intimacy of home removes barriers that might keep people from traditional galleries and shows that great art belongs in everyday spaces.
  • "Having curated a space in the home feels more welcoming, that you're welcoming somebody into your home that takes away that barrier." — Natasha [27:22]

Boundaries, Privacy, and Hosting

[29:15–33:40]

• Opening her home to the public necessitates careful boundaries: which rooms stay private, limiting access, and adjusting to changing norms about privacy (including her reaction to receiving letters at home).
• The importance of having control and trusting her instincts about safety is repeatedly emphasized.

Finding & Transforming Her Forever Home

[33:47–39:56]

• Natasha reflects on buying her Victorian home in Walthamstow—an unloved property with great bones bought as a single mother.
• The process of making the house her own took years; rooms evolved with patience and careful finances, gradually manifesting her creative vision.

Home as Legacy and Investment

[39:56–41:12]

• Home ownership is deeply tied to family legacy and providing stability for her daughter; she has prioritized paying off her mortgage and making conscious, steady investments in her home.

Social Life & Hosting

[41:24–43:13]

• Her home functions as a communal hub, hosting parties, Christmases, and gatherings. The kitchen-dining area serves as the natural heart of these interactions, the site of food, laughter, and warmth.

The Meaning of Home for Her Daughter

[44:01–44:47]

• Natasha’s daughter, Maya, sees the house as her unwavering base—even as an adult with other ambitions, home remains her security.

Walthamstow vs. Hackney: Adapting Belonging

[45:26–47:09]

• Natasha confesses to years of feeling homesick for Hackney, her original locus of identity.
• Eventually, she grows to appreciate Walthamstow’s green spaces and community, but admits nostalgia for Hackney never fully fades.
  • "It's almost like a place works itself into your bones somehow, isn't it?" — Matt [47:30]

Dreaming of the Future: Retirement, Nature, and Simplicity

[48:48–54:44]

• Natasha envisions retiring abroad, craving nature and water more than a specific “homecoming” to her Caribbean roots.
• She describes a dream of a simpler, more elemental life—perhaps with an art hub for creatives—centered on art, land, and serenity, not status.

The Power of Art in the Home

[54:44–55:17]

• Art is vital: "I can't imagine a space without art... It kind of hugs me having it." — Natasha [54:47]
• Wherever she goes, her art will move with her; art, not furnishings or size, will always define her space.

Routines, Chaos, and the Importance of Rest

[55:17–59:14]

• Daily rhythms are set by her lively cockapoo, Reggie, and cherished rituals like Sunday drip coffee and jazz records.
• She shares her hard-earned wisdom about rest after years of people-pleasing and burnout, emphasizing therapy, sobriety, and self-care as turning points.

Relationships, Divorce, and Redecoration

[61:32–66:09]

• Natasha reflects candidly on her brief marriage and subsequent decision to end it—prioritizing well-being and individuality.
  • "The best part of my marriage was the divorce." — Natasha [62:27]
• Redecorating after the split was both literal and symbolic, reclaiming the space as her own.

The Personal Meaning of Home

[66:36–68:08]

• Ultimately, home is an extension of self:
  • "It feels like me, you know. So it’s not like walking in the door and thinking, 'Oh, I put this here because this looks good on social media.' It’s here because I like it and it represents me. I often talk about I dress like my house and my house dresses like me. It’s interwoven into my personality." — Natasha [66:36]

Authenticity in Personal Style

[67:32–69:06]

• Natasha describes how her love of hats, color, and bold style are expressions of authenticity. She dresses for herself and relishes being recognized for her distinctiveness—never sacrificing personal taste for trends.
  • "What I'm presenting is authentically me. Really." — Natasha [69:06]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "If I was to close my eyes, I would see color, lots of color." — Natasha [01:03]
• "I'm a people pleaser, 100%. And I think that's still a problem today." — Natasha [06:58]
• "I think there is a connection between creativity and dyslexia... maybe the other part of the brain compensates." — Natasha [15:57]
• "Having curated a space in the home feels more welcoming, that you're welcoming somebody into your home that takes away that barrier." — Natasha [27:22]
• "I can't imagine a space without art. It gives me comfort. It kind of hugs me having it. So wherever I go, my art will go with me." — Natasha [54:47]
• "What this place means for me simply is it’s home. It feels... safe. It feels like me." — Natasha [66:36]
• "I dress for me... What I'm presenting is authentically me. Really." — Natasha [68:16]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Childhood Home & Creativity: [00:50–05:27]
• Family Dynamics & Identity: [06:19–10:58]
• Bullying, Safety & Belonging: [10:58–15:39]
• Dyslexia & Creativity: [15:39–16:38]
• University & Mixing Cultures: [16:38–20:35]
• Career & Diversity Work: [20:35–25:04]
• Lemon Sea Project & Home as Gallery: [25:04–29:15]
• On Boundaries & Privacy: [29:15–33:40]
• Buying & Transforming Her Home: [33:47–39:56]
• Home as Legacy: [39:56–41:12]
• Social Life & Hosting: [41:24–43:13]
• Daughter’s Sense of Home: [44:01–44:47]
• Belonging: Hackney vs. Walthamstow: [45:26–47:09]
• Future Dreams & Simplicity: [48:48–54:44]
• Importance of Art: [54:44–55:17]
• Routines, Rest & Self-Care: [55:17–59:14]
• Relationships & Redecoration: [61:32–66:09]
• Meaning of Home & Authentic Style: [66:36–69:06]

Final Thoughts

This conversation reveals Natasha as a deeply creative, reflective individual who brings the same sense of warmth, vibrancy, and authenticity to her home as she does to her life and work. Her journey—marked by both vulnerability and resilience—offers a powerful meditation on belonging, boundaries, and the transformative magic of making a home truly, unapologetically one’s own.