How To Decorate

This week we were pleased to speak with Sara Barney—founder and principal designer of the Austin-based firm BANDD DESIGN. Sara is an Austin native who spent the first 10 years of her career in California in the sports and entertainment industries. Now back on her home turf, she’s taking the design world by storm. Sara was named one of Fortune Magazine‘s Most Powerful Women, one of Austin Monthly‘s Women to Watch, and is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers and the Female Founder Collective. What You’ll Hear on This Episode: Much of Sara’s style draws from her varied professional background and from living in California. Sara decided shortly after having her 2 daughters that she wanted to switch careers and try her hand at design. She took a 1 year online program and her business was booming before she even finished. We talk about Sara’s approach to styling shelves and her love/hate relationship with floating shelves. Solids work well for large elements and Sara ties in textures, layers

This week, we welcome legendary designer Markham Roberts to talk about his new book, Notes on Decorating. We talk about how his style has evolved, and he shares his knowledge and humor with us. We discuss why practicality is key, how to better combine traditional and modern style, and why his love of hot dogs is unparalleled. What You’ll Hear On This Episode: Markham thinks the most important thing is understanding your clients and what makes them happy. Practicality is key. Not all decorating is created equal. Markham recommends considering the difference between mountain houses vs. beach houses, country vs. urban, etc., and to choose materials that reflect location, terrain and climate. When combining traditional and modern styles, Markham thinks there are no rules and it’s best just to DO IT. See what happens and how they relate to each other. We talk about 3 houses Markham decorated all out West, belonging to 3 clients that were friends, that are very different. The Nantucket house that Markham deco

Painter, shop owner, decorator, and author Sean Scherer joins us this week. We talk about creating authentic interiors that tell a story, and Sean shares the inspiration behind his new book, Kabinett & Kammer. We also talk with Sean about using scale and composition to keep balance and flow within a room, using small objects and bright colors to create a large impact, and why it’s okay to just go ahead and purchase that piece you’ve been eyeing up. What You’ll Hear On This Episode: Trials and triumphs on some expensive roman shades, rewiring a lamp, a broken chair, tree talk, and exciting new house plans! In Sean’s new book, Kabinett & Kammer, he celebrates practical yet beautiful interiors in an honest and humble way. It’s all about taking the things we already have and love and displaying them in a new way to get a striking effect. Sean’s mother was a collector, and by watching her reorganize and repurpose, he fell in love with the process. In Sean’s new book, Anderson Cooper wrote the foreword and appr

There's so much more that goes into shopping for a great chair than just picking what looks pretty. We invited our in-house upholstery experts Kelly, our Merchant and Buyer, and Hillary from our Product Design team to share their insights. We talk about everything from chair height, placement, arms, ottomans, and everything in between. We pick their brains on what to look for when purchasing a chair, and where to splurge vs. save in the chair department. Whether you want to swivel, recline, or sit up pin-straight, this is the episode for you. What You’ll Hear On This Episode: Just as important to consider how you are going to use a chair is how you are going to use the space where the chair is going. That will determine the function whether it’s for office use, entertaining, What instances you would want high back chairs vs. lower back chairs. The best chairs for entertaining, and the best times that you can sacrifice comfort for something a little tighter. How your frame is the foundation of a chair and

We kick off this week with some tree talk, then welcome our guest, Interior Designer Katie Ridder. We couldn’t be more excited to talk with Katie about her new book, More Rooms, which is yummy beyond words and featuring color and exquisite details out of this world. We talk with Katie about her bold choices, her love affair with custom banquettes, her advice on bedding, and how she counters colorful choices with colors and tones that blend together seamlessly. What You’ll Hear On This Episode: Trials and triumphs about a big plant overhaul, a much needed cushion deep cleaning, rotting plants, and spooky chic Halloween decor. More behind the amazing details and bold statements of color featured in Katie’s work, how she dreams up all the details without it feeling too busy or overdone. How she chooses color scheme and builds on it with all the colors, and why you need to just trust her when she mentions bringing in a brown couch. Why she chooses quiet carpets when you have colorful carpet schemes. More abo

Award-winning interior designer Joy Moyler joins the show this week to share how we can carve off a little slice of luxury in our own homes. Joy works with actual royalty, along with dream celebrity clients such as Leonardo Dicaprio and John Mayer. Based in New York, Joy absolutely loves creating a whole home for her clients and talks about ways we can make both simple and layered designs clean and stunning. She shares what textiles and pieces are making her do a happy dance these days, and how working with huge brands such as Revlon and Ralph Lauren helped bring her eye for fashion into winning design creations. What You’ll Hear On This Episode: Joy shares the benefits of working with different design firms and both residential and commercial projects. The same way that others mentored her, Joy pays it forward with hiring interns and mentoring the budding designers of tomorrow. How Joy works with clients who choose to layer heritage pieces, and those who opt for a minimal and simplistic style. What she l

New York-based designer Marshall Watson joins us this week to talk about trusting your intuition, his connection to Swedish design, and more. We also talk with Marshall about the importance of creating a floor plan and knowing a home’s architecture before going in on a big design. Marshall also talks about his new book, The Art of Elegance: Classic Interiors which pairs his personal stories of beautiful homes with photos showing their elegance and luxury. What You’ll Hear On This Episode: Why hiring a New York designer is the best - just ask Marshall how many unexpected obstacles and challenges come up when designing in small spaces that need both beauty and function. Marshall believes in getting the architecture right first, then other design elements will fall into place. Marshall is a native of Kansas City and graduated with three majors from Stanford University. He also has a love for theatre design and made it onto the Soap Opera As The World Turns as an actor! We can interview ourselves when about t

This week, we are happy to welcome Carmeon Hamilton, a Memphis based designer who is also behind Nubi Interiors. Carmeon talks to us about the positive effects great design can have on our mood, how her background in retail merchandising and working around construction gave her a solid foundation, and her book that teaches us to all be better plant parents. Carmeon also shares some great plant purchasing and plant care tips, and affordable ways to spruce up our home and add extra space as we continue to work remotely. What You’ll Hear on This Episode: Trials and Triumphs about ways to make your space better at no cost, a drop ceiling replacement, new cabinetry, and paint jar organization. How Carmeon went from having the best designed dorm room in college to switching from physical therapy to design as her focus in college. The ways that working with construction and architecture gave Carmeon an understanding of what a project needed before interior design can even begin. Carmeon’s work in healthcare show

Tish Mills is known for creating peaceful yet livable spaces that reflect the homeowners personality. She joins us this week to talk about her love of construction, how a great design team makes the whole thing seem effortless, and ways we can create peace and harmony in our busy homes and lives. We also reminisce about the showroom we worked on together in 2014, and draw from that how to take pieces and customize them in a beautiful way that is meaningful to you. What You’ll Hear On This Episode: Trials and triumphs on good neighbor relations when it comes to painting, a fun pastel door color, the wrong sized curtains (take two), and a few of the best options for good ergonomics when working from home until who knows when. The difference between console and desks in terms of height and surface working area. Why Tish used the word “peaceful” when it comes to her design, and examples of projects that fit this description perfectly, including a home with fluted kitchen cabinets. How a great team in design c

We kick off this week’s show with our favorite design books, and what better time to start reading then now, while we are all still at home? Then, we welcome designer Jena Salmon from Atlanta to talk about her style that incorporates classic and traditional with a little funk. Jena discusses her love of color, how novices can get started with bold choices that will stand the test of time, tips and tricks for wallpaper, and ways to mix in traditional older pieces with modern furniture and design. What You’ll Hear On This Episode: Our top books in design for beginners, fancy homes, “normals”, and everyone in between! Design books can be an investment themselves, but they are a great accessory and also make for great gifts and trading. Jena’s style is funky, but also classic and traditional. She shares how just using one acrylic or contemporary piece out of context can make a big difference. How to choose colors that are bold but stand the test of time. An inner glimpse at a Frank Lloyd Wright inspired hous

This week we give a warm welcome to Julie Massucco Kleiner and Melissa Warner, founding designers of the West Coast-based firm Massucco Warner. Their portfolio is a joy to look at, so we couldn’t wait to catch up with them to talk about using color, texture, and unexpected details in an approachable way. We also talk with Julie and Melissa about patterns, their great lamp game, making the most of the space in a double-height room, the importance of using samples, and color threading from room to room. What You’ll Hear On This Episode: Why Julie and Melissa love working with color so much, and how they pull it off in such a fun and approachable way. Neutral doesn’t always have to mean beige or white, it can be navy blue or any other solid color when done correctly. Ways we can color thread throughout our home so colors complement rather than compete with one another. Using samples are important and leave them out long enough to decide if it really is a fit for your everyday life long term. Ways that Julie

Let’s bring some joy and color into our week with Courtney McLeod, the designer behind Right Meets Left Interiors. Known for her beautiful and fun yet sophisticated body of work, Courtney is a true pro at using color to create joy and personality in her clients' homes. She talks with us about taking risks in business and in design, ways that we can start to incorporate more color in our design, and how to use color in small spaces. What You’ll Hear On This Episode: Trials and triumphs about new art lighting up our homes, a doctor’s visit for the pup, and great solutions for those unorganized beach towels. How Courtney’s background of business and the finance industry mixes with her artistic side to create a perfect balance of mixing creativity with the analytical. Courtney’s process at Right Meets Left Design is all about listening to her clients and interpreting their desires and dreams into what is doable for their particular situation, taste, and budget. Color doesn’t always have to be loud, but it can

This week we welcome Designer and Artist Marika Meyer, who has a lot of advice about fabrics and rugs from creating and running her own firm, Marika Meyer Textiles. Marika discusses her style that mixes beautiful patterns, polished pieces, and rooms that can provide both beauty and space for young families. Marika also talks with us about how to keep a room looking elevated and gorgeous even when it is heavily used, the process of creating fabrics, and how she picks a color palette for her collection. What You’ll Hear On This Episode: Trials and triumphs about the removal of both a cast and trees on the roof, some patio construction, repurposing a terrarium, and some creative fixes for lighting up a ceiling, Marika combined her love of business and data with art and photography when following a career in design and opening her own firm. Being a designer is a very personal business, so you better make sure you are into people before you choose this path! Our homes can be the background for great stories, a

This week, we welcome Ellie Cullman and Sarah Ramsey of Cullman & Kravis Associates, one of the top design firms in the country known for providing the highest quality of design and personal service. They discuss how the firm was founded and rose to be one of the leaders in design, along with the inspiration behind their new book, From Classic To Contemporary. We talk with them about ways to infuse traditional interiors with a modern and liveable perspective, what to do when you don’t want to be formal in a larger space, and how to create an art collection that best showcases your emotions and unique style. What You’ll Hear On This Episode: Ellie shares her great story of getting into design through a screenplay that didn’t go to well in a pitch meeting. The four ways to make a huge impact when creating a space that feels refreshed and flows seamlessly. All your art does not have to come from one specific time period or collection. You can have art reflect your individual taste and lead with emotions rathe

This week we are joined by the wonderful, whimsical, and swagger filled Jonathan Adler. He talks with us about how he grew up on a tiny farm town in New Jersey and used his skills as a potter to see beyond just one path and create a huge and well-respected name in the industry as a designer, author, and personality. Jonathan shares how he got started in design, the inspiration behind the iconic Parker Hotel Palm Springs and Modern American Glamour style, why worrying about trends is a thing of the past, and why we shouldn’t be afraid to design with putting our most optimistic and bold foot forward. What You’ll Hear On This Episode: Trials and triumphs including a whole lot of painting, Ikea basket storage, furniture placement, and office spruce up. Jonathan grew up in a tiny farm town in New Jersey and tried pottery when he was 12 at camp. He fell immediately in love with the art and knew he wanted to pursue it for his lifelong passion in a unique and inimitable way. Jonathan got studio space in SoHo by te

We have two very exciting guests this week, Jennie Seward and Ann Mashburn. These two powerhouse designers just happened to have daughters that ended up rooming together as college freshmen and are now two peas in a very well decorated pod. Jennie and Ann talk with us about ways to maximize space in a small shared area, tips for making the most out of bed storage, and share a few of their favorite budget-friendly ideas for adding warmth and personality to a dorm. What You’ll Hear On This Episode: Trials and triumphs about a broken femur, trip to Maine, a very heavy fountain, dripping faucets, and much more! How Jennie and Ann’s daughters ended up rooming together, and how these two peas in a pod get along. The difference between decorating a dorm room for a boy vs. a girl, and why the boys just may be happy with one loan Home Depot bucket. How Pinterest has changed dorm room decorating, and where Jenny and Ann and their daughter’s collected ideas for inspiration. All about the bed including bed skirts, m

This week it’s all about the dining room, kitchen, and fun seating options with our in-house expert Sara Stephen. Sara guides us through ways that we can use our existing dining room and kitchen furniture to maximize space, support the flow of a room, and create a consistent yet not too matchy look. We talk with Sara about how to choose a dining room table, what trends she is seeing in the world of kitchen and dining decor, why banquettes and benches are so hot right now, and whether you really need to sit next to your loved one at a party. What You’ll Hear On This Episode: What to look for a dining room table including size, shape, function, clean up ability, and seating size. Beautiful fabrics that are also easy to care for - they are out there! Sara explains which fabrics are great for families that have to deal with spills and messes way too often. How to know which chairs go with which tables, and it’s okay to mix and match! We can also have host and hostess chairs that stand out to break up the patte

In today’s episode, Birmingham, Alabama interior designer Dana Wolter joins the podcast to about how to create drama and edge in design, ways to use texture and layers to create softness, and the magic of drapery panels. What You’ll Hear On This Episode: Trials and triumphs about the most traumatic power outage, new house plans, digital picture frames, adjusting to a longer working from home schedule, paint color testing, rose tips, and some fun basement renovation. Dana’s goal is to give her clients something custom, unique, long-lasting, and special to them. When using trendy pieces, she tends to pick items that are a lower price point so it’s not a huge loss to move along from them every few years. Dana gives some advice on creating drama and edge using different layers and textures. Just because a space is neutral, doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of depth and layering. When the architecture is strong, we need less drama in our design. Coming from a large family, Dana understands first hand how import

Our guest Keita Turner is a New York-based interior designer who talks with us about stepping out of your comfort zone, rules for hanging art, and ways you can find what works for you and blend it together in a seamlessly clean and interesting way. What You’ll Hear On This Episode: Trials and triumphs featuring a beautiful painting with a floating frame, working without an office, the perfect place for a great houseplant, a water heater that won’t define us, How effective command hooks and organizational trays can be to keep our spaces free and clear. Keita shares how her background in mass-market fashion and high-pressure corporate work lead her to take classes and work for her mother in interior design. How Keita’s mother’s style inspired her own, and ways that they are different in their personal approach. How freelancing gave Keita the confidence to know that she could branch out on her own. Keita’s motto: “don’t be afraid to do things that frighten you.” Ways that we can mix things through travel

Antiques expert, designer, and author Tara Shaw joins the show to share her passion for antiques and how to decorate with them in our homes. She talks about sourcing antiques, steps for bringing beautiful pieces in our space, and the inspiration behind her new book Soul of the Home: Designing with Antiques. What You’ll Hear On This Episode: Tara’s new book, Soul of the Home: Designing with Antiques ties in education about designing with antiques and explanations of how furniture that is both old and modern can work together. Take it from us, it will be the kind of book you want to bring out on a relaxing morning and savor with a cup of coffee. Tara’s amazing story of how she made the transition from antique importer to working on Harry Connik Jr.’s home in Connecticut, and how the experience of “doing it afraid” opened the door to take on new clients. How she went to school for education, worked in apparel, and ended up in antiques. What an exponent is, and why personal carvings are so special when shopp