Podcast
The Interior Design Business
Hosted by Wildwood · EN
"The Interior Design Business" is a monthly podcast for professional interior designers working in the UK.
We hear from practitioners, educators and influencers who appreciate the day-to-day and longer-term challenges that designers face and offer practical, first-hand advice on how to deal with these issues. "The Interior Design Business" enables you to learn from others in the design community so that you can develop the skills you need to succeed as an interior designer.
We're informed, insightful and entertaining, too.
"The Interior Design Business" is a joint production of Tessuto and Wildwood Plus, the people who connect the professional design community.
25episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
INSIDE WOW!HOUSE 2026
2d ago00:37:36Tap to summarizeFrom bold concepts and standout schemes to the latest collections making their international debut, WOW!house has firmly established itself as an exciting and pivotal stage in the interior design calendar. In this episode, we take you behind the scenes of WOW!house 2026, talking with designers, brands and sponsors about what we can expect to see at this year’s event. We discuss the creative energy that fuels WOW!house, the role it plays in setting trends, and what we can learn from its ever-evolving approach to storytelling and collaboration.
Transcribe →The Power of WOW!house
2w ago00:43:40Tap to summarizeWOW!house is renowned as an international showcase for acclaimed designers, bold, emerging voices and stellar brands with creative collaborations transforming ideas into fully realised, inspirational spaces. In this episode, we explore the true impact and potential of WOW!house through the voices of those shaping it from the inside. We’re joined by Natalia Miyar, who designed the Bedroom within WOW!house back in 2023, Sara Cosgrove of Sara Cosgrove Studio, who will be designing the Drawing Room for WOW!house 2026, and luxury sponsor THG Paris. Together, they discuss what makes WOW!house such a catalyst for creativity, collaboration and commercial opportunity and why it has become a launchpad for new ideas, partnerships and design careers.
Transcribe →United in Design With Alex Dauley And Eman Akbar
Apr 3000:44:42Tap to summarizeTraditionally, interior designers in the UK were well-heeled, well-connected lady decorators with good posture and expensive handbags, creating interiors for people just like them. One could even go so far as to say ‘Pale, Stale and Female’. It felt like this would never change, but then, in 2020, seemingly out of nowhere, a charity called United in Design appeared with a mission to shine a light on the issue and do something about it! Jeff and Susie welcome Alex Dauley and Eman Akbar from United in Design to talk about the charity, explain what exactly did they set out to do and find out how are they doing it? This episode was recorded at the wonderful showroom of The Rug Company in Chelsea Harbour, London. We are a Wildwood Plus production.
Transcribe →Putting The WOW In WOW!house With Claire German, Durgesh Sinh And Benedict Foley
Apr 1300:36:59Tap to summarizeWe are all eagerly anticipating WOW!house 2026 which will run from 2nd June until the 2nd July so what better time to take a look at the phenomenon that is WOW!house. From a standing start in 2022, WOW!house has, in 5 short years, grown to become the UK’s premier showcase for luxury interior design talent and style. Going way beyond the mere setting of trends, WOW!house has come to embody the aspirational direction of travel for the whole UK prime residential market. But how did it all begin? Where did the original inspiration for the event come from? And, how has it developed year on year to become the most hotly anticipated event in the London Interior Design Calendar? For this show, recorded in front of a live audience of designers in the Design Club at the Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, Susie and Jeff are joined by Durgesh Sinh from returning WOW!house sponsor, Nucleus AV, acclaimed interior designer and WOWzer, Benedict Foley, and the woman who launched WOW!house, CEO of the Design Centre, Claire German. We are a Wildwood Plus production.
Transcribe →Why Craft Matters With Natasha Mann, Claire Coles, Louisa Pacifico, Sam Fisher And Katharine Pooley
Mar 1300:45:29Tap to summarizeWe live in a mostly mass-produced, machine-made world of globalised banality. Interior spaces from north to south look and feel the same. Yet, as human beings, we revel in our individuality and crave the means to add a personal stamp to the way we live and the places we inhabit. We yearn to possess things that are unique to us and that no one else can have. Artisan-made items created by skilled and loving hands will deliver those special touches that make a room memorable and distinctive, but where should designers go to find these precious pieces? How can craft makers find an appreciative audience for their work? And how can designers best explore and source from the vast range of crafts in existence? To discuss this topic, we're joined by makers, Natasha Mann and Claire Coles, Louisa Pacifico from Future Icons, Sam Fisher from Decorex and internationally renowned interior designer, Katharine Pooley. Recorded in Katharine Pooley Studio in London. A big thank you to our series partner, Decorex
Transcribe →What They Don't Teach You at Design School With Laura Hammett, Franky Rousell and Charu Gandhi
Jan 3000:40:06Tap to summarizeAs interior design gains ground as a serious career and profession, more and more academic institutions are offering degree and master’s level interior design courses to teach the rudiments of this highly technical subject. But is this enough? Susie and Jeff are joined by three renowned designers - Charu Gandi from Elicyon, Franky Rousell from Jolie Studio and Laura Hammett from Laura Hammett Interiors to discuss whether design schools adequately equip budding designers with the skills they need to take their place in our industry. We explore the the important subjects that they don't teach at design school, and invite our panel to suggest what students and employers should do to identify and plug those gaps. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience of designers at Arte in the Design Centre Chelsea Harbour. Thank you to our series supporters, Decorex 2026. We are a Wildwood Plus production.
Transcribe →A BIID Awards Special: Turning Great Design Into Industry Recognition
Jan 2300:31:25Tap to summarizeEntering an interior design award can boost visibility, credibility, and client trust - but not all awards are created equal. In this episode, Jeff and Susie are joined by two BIID award-winning designers, Jennifer Hamilton from The Vawdrey House and Melinda Kiss from Keyhole Interiors for a deeper dive into the awards process. We'll explore how designers can identify award schemes with genuine merit and industry recognition, how to present a standout project and the storytelling techniques that capture attention and bring design concepts to life. Thanks to our episode partner, the British Institute of Interior Design, for their support. We are a Wildwood Plus production.
Transcribe →Divas, Devils or Delights? With Joanna Wood and Paul Fitzgerald
Dec 2900:42:51Tap to summarizeInterior designers have a bad rep on building sites for being demanding, difficult and dis-organised, but is this fair? In their drive for perfection, are interior designers their own worst enemy? Do designers efficiently provide the information needed by builders, or do contractors sometimes wilfully misunderstand their design intentions? What can designers and contractors do to make each other’s lives easier? In this episode, Jeff and Susie are joined by renowned interior designer Joanna Wood, Founder of Joanna Wood Interiors and Paul Fitzgerald, Founder and Managing Director of Hawksmoor Construction to answer these questions and more. This episode was recorded as part of the Design Talks programme at Decorex 2025. Thanks to Decorex and to our episode partners, Sofas & Stuff for their support.
Transcribe →Taking The Strain With Christian Bense and Helen Bygraves
Dec 100:37:24Tap to summarizeTaking The Strain - How To Be a Safe Pair of Hands. The only things in life more stressful than building or renovating a home are bereavement, divorce, and redundancy. And yet the finished result should be life-changing for the client and worth all the pain of the experience. To assist their clients, interiors designers must act as a safe pair of hands, ready to support and guide through the ups and downs of the design and project process, skilfully managing any unforeseen dramas, problems, or delays enroute. So, how can we best prepare and manage our clients to minimise the stress for them – and for ourselves, and emerge successful and feted at the finish line? Jeff and Susie are joined by two acclaimed interior designers Helen Bygraves, Co-Founder of Hill House Interiors and Christian Bense, Founder of Christian Bense to find out the best strategies behind achieving a stress-free project. This episode was a recorded in front of a live audience of designers at Decorex 2025. Thanks to Decorex and to our episode partners, Sofas & Stuff for their support.
Transcribe →Awkward Clients and How to Manage Them With James Roberts and Simon Mayhew
Oct 3101:01:24Tap to summarizeIt has often been said that interior design would be a great job if it wasn’t for the clients. They can be unappreciative, indecisive, and unreasonable even when their project is on track and bellicose, belligerent, and litigious when things go wrong. In fact, the designer-client relationship which often begins as a love affair can sometimes end tragically in the bitterest of divorces. But is there really such a thing an awkward client, or are any problems just down to poor communications? What can make a good client turn bad? And how can designers effectively manage this most important and sensitive of relationships? Jeff and Susie are joined by Simon Mayhew from Txtured and James Roberts from James Roberts Interiors to answer these and other questions in front of a live audience of designers at the Design Central North West event at Capesthorne Hall in Cheshire. Thanks to our series partners Naturalmat for their support.
Transcribe →