Jewellery designer Stephen Webster shares his story, from apprenticing aged 15 at Hatton Garden to working on his latest collection, Sworn Enemies. Plus, he reflects on why we are experiencing an exciting jewellery renaissance. Tune in for more.

This episode is sponsored by Naturalmat. naturalmat.co.uk

From early days flat-sharing with Martin Waller of Andrew Martin, to her studio in the old Aston Martin building in Knightsbridge, Karen Howes and her team have redefined luxury in interior design. Her credits include Soho’s glam-goth-meets-polished-punk hotel Chateau Denmark, to Knightsbridge penthouses and super-luxe ski chalets. Tune in to hear how she made it to the top. 

This episode is sponsored by Naturalmat. naturalmat.co.uk

Nicky Haslam, one of the most important figures in British interior design, chats with Carole Annett. "People think they've got to make it perfect but the whole point of decorating is layers and layers of imperfection making something wonderful".

This episode is sponsored by Naturalmat. naturalmat.co.uk

What should you look for when buying a new sofa? How do you test comfort and longevity? Carole Annett sits down on a perfectly plumped cushion with Amanda Barrett of British furniture maker George Smith to talk sofas, seat depth, wooden frames, duck feathers, colour and craftsmanship. Tune in for more.

My House Guest today is Karen Barlow of The Old Potato Store, which specialises in sourcing decorative antique and vintage furniture and accessories that make a space feel individual and personal. We chat about the best hunting ground - which fairs and boot sales are best for sourcing, what to look for and also how to photograph and style your finds if you want to sell them on.

Sustainability is at the forefront of her business - but, as a designer, aesthetics are everything. ‘If something is useful and beautiful, I believe that it can be reused or repurposed,’ she says. Inspired by salvage designers such as Retrouvius, she and her husband renovated their home using mainly reclaimed and vintage finds.

The Old Potato Store is located in a former Victorian, stone floored building in Manchester. It was previously owned by the local Allotment Society from 1901. Tune in for more.

My House Guests this week are James Arkoulis and Saskia Howard of Howark Design. Launched five years ago and based in Chiswick, Howark Design creates characterful and timeless interiors with an emphasis  on  practical and charming design. The focus of our chat is rugs - what to buy, how to choose, what colours work best and how to use in an interior setting. “Having a very saturated rug (with colour) in a space can be draining,”says Saskia, “and scale is important.” They suggest buying rugs early on in a project, “it’s an investment,”says James, “buy well and it will give joy for years to come.”Howark Design has a small rug collaboration with Holmes Bespoke. Tune in for more.

My House Guest today is Harry Triggs who, along with Andrew Molyneux, set up TM Lighting in 2012. They design and manufacture LED products for private residences, stately homes and galleries. “With the right lighting you can lead the eye in an interior to focus on a beautiful object and, like lighting a subject on a stage in a theatrical performance, lighting a house or restaurant is the same”. We chat about the best ways to light art, colours of light, light distribution and why LED light is the most energy-efficient - a fascinating dive into illuminating the home. Tune in for more

My House Guest today is Luke Deering, an art director, artist and occasional product designer whose work in the art department includes Spiderman and The Crown.

This is our CHRISTMAS SPECIAL podcast - the last of the year and I have gathered two good friends - Martin and Jay of Martin Hulbert Design. We met at the Dorchester Collection’s country outpost, Coworth Park in Ascot. Martin Hulbert Design has been instrumental in its rebirth from a dilapidated private house to a sumptuous hotel and polo venue.

Their most recent tweaking has been to the Adam Smith restaurant, Woven, which is pure MHD - a cosy and imaginative interior with original artwork and clever lighting. Martin and Jay share stories of creating the interior from finding a paper-maché sculptor for serving tables, to the carrot and turnip-strewn plaster-cast artwork (which involved a trip to the local vegetable market). Tune in for more and Happy Christmas to all. Thank you for your support for The House Guest podcast and we look forward to being back next year with a starry array of guests.