How to Decorate

This week, we're talking with the 'First Lady of Ballad' Rebecca McKelvey. Since she's married to our president Ryan McKelvey, we thought she needed to stop by talk about how she owns two of every product we've ever made, the river cabin they're currently building, and a wealth of Ballard insight she has to share. Plus, trials and triumphs are back for another round!

What You'll Hear on This Episode:

The three of us share our trials and triumphs -- including several 'oops' momentsKaren's trial involves slipcovers and cowhide rugsMy trial involves several inches of water in our kitchenTaryn's trial and triumph involve a painting projectRebecca explains the curious nickname she calls her husband, our president Ryan McKelveyRebecca tells us about their home's style and how she approaches decorating her spaceRebecca talks about their 'no shoes' policy in the houseRebecca tells us about how she needed a bathroom cabinet, so Ryan designed our Miranda Corner CabinetWe start bribing Rebecca to help us get our product ideas madeWe talk about Ryan's obsession with the floor planner and how he used it to design their river cabin, new build house, and even their daughter's dorm roomShe shares her tips for new construction -- it's all in the builderRebecca explains why she travels with her vacuum cleanerRebecca talks about the carpet debate she and Ryan had when they were building their houseRebecca tells us about how she and Ryan collected all of their oriental rugsWe talk antiques and how Rebecca and Ryan blend new and old in their homeWe talk entertaining tips, how Rebecca seats Thanksgiving for 26 people, and the idea of a 'payback party'Rebecca talks about her go-to entertaining entree -- standing rib roastWe talk about funny Southern words that we'll define for you

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Once we photographed Virginia's house, we knew we had to get her on the podcast. She graciously invited us over to talk about her Atlanta bungalow and of course to answer your decorating questions.

What You'll Hear on This Show:

We all talk about the decorating compromises we've made in our homesTaryn tells us about her brown on brown den that she hatesWe talk about 'sit-abouts' and how silly they areKaren tells us about the leather-wrapped rockVirginia tells us about why she left architecture school to get into interior designWe talk about Virginia's style and how she blends traditional, southern style with the California cool she picked up while living on the west coastVirginia tells us about micro-sealing and how she plans to do this to her homeWe talk about the difference between her clients in California and her clients in AtlantaWe talk about contrast and why it's important to consider when you're furnishing your homeWe discuss whether it's a yay or a nay to paint antiquesWe talk about Virginia's genius TV trickWe talk about whether each of us appreciated interior design when we were youngWe talk about working with renovation choices that previous owners had doneWe talk about lighting and why dimmers are important

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When we were in New York for Miles Redd's launch party, we got the chance to stop by the House Beautiful offices and have Editor in Chief Sophie Donelson on the podcast! She tells us what makes a home beautiful, what projects make it into the magazine, and we test her interior design knowledge!

What You'll Hear on This Episode:

We play a little pop quiz where I test Sophie, Taryn, and Karen's knowledge of design and interior designersWe talk about editors' letters and how Sophie writes hers. Does she wait until the last minute?We ask Sophie what in her mind makes a house beautiful?Why a house does and doesn't make it into the magazineWhat the House Beautiful team does to a home when they come to shoot itWe talk about how purple is making a comeback -- yes, purple!Sophie tells us what she thinks has changed about the way people decorate their homesWe talk about paint colors and how to pick them

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We invited our exclusive artist Andrea Costa onto the podcast to talk to us about art, being an artist, and how she began her career as an interior designer.

What You'll Hear on this Episode:

Andrea starts by telling us how she began her career as an interior designer before transitioning into artShe talks to us about how she gets her inspiration for a new painting and her favorite size canvas to paintWe ask her about how she works with interior designers to create art for a specific roomShe tells us about decorating her new space and how often she mixes up her decorShe talks about why she loves to hang other people's artwork instead of her ownWe talk about the pros and cons of having a separate studio space rather than a studio in her basementAndrea tells us about how her music playlist impacts the look of her canvasAndrea coaches us on picking out a piece of art -- she suggests first choosing a budgetAndrea likes to start a room with her piece of art, then building a room about that pieceAndrea tells us about her first big art pieceWe ask her about gallery walls and how to put one togetherAndrea tells us how to mix different colors, styles, and sizes of art in one roomKaren talks about why she loves accessorizing her dining roomWe talk about feedback, seeing her pieces in real homes, and working with expectations for a commissionAndrea talks to us about how long it takes her to paint a piece and why painting abstract pieces takes so much longerAndrea gives us a lesson on paint mediums and why you might prefer working with one versus anotherWe talk about how she started working with Ballard and why she wanted to sell her prints through usWe talk about our Exclusive Artist program and why we love having this option for our customers

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Celebrated New York decorator Miles Redd welcomed us to his home for this week’s episode of the podcast. With the launch of his new collection, we couldn’t resist the chance to talk with him about his inspiration for the pieces and how he envisions them living in people's homes.

What You'll Hear on This Episode:

We all share the best thing we’ve done to our homes, and also our biggest regret or mistakeHe talks about his home, and how he longs for wide open spacesHe shares how he went about designing the pieces for his collection, nearly all of them in his own homeHow his experience as the Creative Director for Oscar de la Renta helped inform his Ballard Designs collectionWe ask him about his favorite pieces in the collection — the dining table and the Kidney Accent TableWhy juxtaposition is so important in decoratingWe talk about drama, and why Miles doesn’t necessarily see his collection as being ‘dramatic’He tells us the story of how he custom built his Miles BookcaseWe talk about how his Fire Island home is all beigeWhat color would he pick if he could pick the 2018 Pantone Color of the Year

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If you love color, then this is an episode you can't miss. Interior designer Meg Braff injects vibrant hues into all of her spaces, but always in an elegant, tailored manner. She shares the process behind writing her new book, her love of color and pattern, her recent house renovation project, and gives us a little lamp shade lesson.

What You'll Hear on this Episode:

We all share our dream vacationsMeg tells us about how she realized she loved decorating -- it has to do with her dorm room at VanderbiltShe tells us about the process of writing her book which took three yearsShe gives us a lesson in mixing patterns -- where to use them and how to mix them togetherWe talk about her love of color and how even though she uses a lot of color, white is the main color in many of her spacesMeg reveals her favorite colorWe talk about her use of color -- using one really generously with teeny accents of something complementaryWe ask whether a house needs to have the same palette all the way throughHow a home's location influences the color palette you should be working withWe talk about treating fabrics to make them more stain resistantHow she decorates her home with four boysHow often she redecorates her own homeTaryn mentions how often we've pulled her rooms as inspiration for building our seasonal roomsMeg talks about why she loves a dressing table so muchWhy editing is so crucial to creating a beautiful, comfortable homeOf course, we ask Meg about her decorating pet peeveMeg gives us a little lesson on using lampshades and lightingMeg tells us about her recent home renovationShe tells us about her wallpaper line and how it fell in her lap

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Our resident art expert Karen Fleenor stopped by the podcast to talk buying, hanging, and framing art! We talk about how to pick the perfect piece, how to size art over your furniture, framing options, cost, commissions, and gallery walls.

What You'll Hear on This Episode:

We all talk about our best art moment in our homes -- where we got them, how we hung them, and why we love them so muchKaren tells us about her background in the art world and how she started working with Ballard DesignsHow do you know if it's the right piece for your home and for your spaceWhy you should hang a piece of art over a piece of furniture with a contrasting styleWe talk about our exclusive artists and why it's perfectly fine to have art that isn't originalsTaryn asks us how she can update a piece of art that belonged to her husband's grandfatherWe talk about how to hang art -- including what height they should hang and how far apart pieces should beWe talk about small art -- hanging it with other pieces, on a small sliver of wall, or hang it low over a piece of furnitureWe talk about framing and why it's so expensive (it basically comes down to materials and labor)What size piece should you get if you're hanging it over a piece of furniture

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Interior designer Maggie Griffin from Gainesville, Georgia decorates spaces much like her personality, warm, happy, and with classic Southern charm. We loved touring her house and couldn't resist the opportunity to get her on the podcast. If you aren't yet following her on Instagram, then you're gonna want to start. We talk about decorating with kids, how to build a gallery wall, the deal with decorating around the TV, and other decorating 'don'ts' like ceiling fans.

What You'll Hear on This Episode:

Maggie shares the unique way she built up her first clientsShe talks about how she and her husband love renovating and movingShe tells us about counseling James Farmer while he was building his house, FarmdaleWe talk about how she starts a room -- either a rug or a special keepsakeMaggie's always moving things, and she shares how art is the way she keeps things freshMaggie cleverly treats all of the TVs in her home, and she shares her best tips for decorating around themWe discuss the dreaded ceiling fan -- is she for or against the ceiling fan?She tells us about redecorating her husband's bachelor pad once they got marriedShe talks about decorating her sons nurseries and how to decorate your child's bedroom with pieces that will endureHow she manages all the kids toysShe talks us through laying out a room -- where to startMaggie gives us a lesson on wallpaper and shares her favorite white paint colorWe talk about building a gallery wall

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Atlanta interior designer Nancy Braithwaite stops by the podcast to talk about her signature style, her book Simplicity, how she trained her eye to see rather than just look, and of course she helps us answer your decorating questions.

WHAT YOU'LL HEAR ON THIS EPISODE:

-Nancy talks to us about her style, how she zeroed in on it, and what steps she takes creating it

 -Nancy talks about seeing vs. looking

 -Nancy compares dressing a room with dressing yourself, and why accessories sometimes take away from your design

 -Why proportion and scale are crucial to creating a well designed room

 -She tells us a story about being mesmerized at a decorators showhouse in New York and how it changed the ways she decorates

 -We ask Nancy how we can train our eyes to see instead of look

 -Nancy tells us about working with Deanne Levison, one of the top American antiques dealers in the country

 -How Nancy and Deanne came to work together and their adventures at antique shows all over the country

 -How to compose your room -- start with large pieces then add what makes those large pieces feel better

 -We talk slipcovers, which ones Nancy likes, and why she uses them so often in her spaces

 -She tells us about staining the floors in a recent project black and why it transformed the space

 -We talk about how she helped her daughter decorate her home which was featured in Cottage Living

 -How you can learn from the best by studying their work and learning to see rather than look

 -We talk about when to stop

 -Nancy talks about when she started to really understand her own style and aesthetic

 -Why it's so important to just go for it -- try something and move things around if they don't work

 -We discuss one of the pillar's of Nancy's style -- whimsy

 -Nancy chimes in about where you should invest your decorating dollars

 -When to use symmetry and when to use asymmetry

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We couldn't pass up the opportunity to sit down with Jason & John, the Madcap Cottage Gents, at their home in High Point, North Carolina. They graciously invited us over for dinner, and before we dug into their spread, we discussed all of the gorgeous details in their home, their upcoming book Prints Charming, and much more.

What You'll Hear on This Episode:

Taryn shares her trial -- putting toilet bowl cleaner in her dishwasher!Her triumph was successfully getting her dog's drool off her car's leather interiorI share my newest go-to appetizer for entertainingKaren's triumph was getting some new goodies from Etsy for her summer vacationWe talk about Jason & John's upcoming book, Prints CharmingThe guys talk about why you should always talk to the antique dealer to hear the story of the pieceWe discuss many of the details in Jason and John's home -- like the way they hung art in their librarySo many pieces in their home have special details they've customized themselvesWe talk about creating seating areas -- you can likely fit in more seating than you thinkWe talk about the lost art of entertaining and why you shouldn't stressLighting is so important -- you likely need more than you thinkWe talk about the challenges of rentingWe talk about why you should mix styles in your home

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