the GUSSIE

The secret to a dynamic home is embracing change. Just like personal style, your house should be constantly evolving. This means occasionally moving around your furniture, art, and accessories, and discovering new ways to appreciate what you have. Good designers use the changing of the seasons as a signal that it’s time for a home refresh. From linens to books, carpets and more, we breakdown the art of a good fall facelift. This episode is Botox for your home!

In this cheekily named episode, we take on two ingredients essential to the bones of a good room. When should you opt for wall-to-wall carpeting? What are the advantages of a custom-cut carpet? We also lay out our favorite kinds of carpets and tell you why you should never ask your party guests to take off their shoes. In our window segment, we debate the different types of treatments, breakdown our love of dining room panels, and discuss dead giveaways that your drapes are outdated.

In this episode of “The Gussie,” we take on the taboo subject of design budgets. When should designers talk budgets with their clients? If designing for yourself, how do you balance your goal of finding quality items with the temptation of an online sale? Are there really any great “steals” out there? We also lay out some hard-learned facts about the design business, including our thoughts on childproofing, shipping costs, online purchasing, designer pet peeves, and the essential ingredients for a well-designed home. Get ready to hear our design industry bare-all!

Good interior design starts with editing. When working with a design client, or designing for yourself, the first question you need to ask is, what stays and what goes? For our second episode of “The Gussie,” we dive into the world weeding, Marie Kondo, and Swedish Death Cleaning. How do you decide what pieces of furniture to hold onto? How do you overcome that inevitable feeling of resistance when paring down? We also talk upcycling, the value of well-made furniture, and how to find and gussie-up older pieces. When it comes to vintage finds, with a little time and knowhow, someone’s “yuck” can become your “yum.”

For our very first “The Gussie” episode, we decided to begin at the beginning. What are the different styles of interior design? How do you figure out which style is “you?” You will also hear about our own personal design evolutions, how we got here, and why we are venturing into the world of podcasting. We touch on our favorite design books, our sources of inspiration, and pose the age-old question: why there are no cute dog gates!?  (Yes, there will be tangents). Plus, we introduce our weekly segment, aptly named, “The Gussie.”

Are you ready to get gussied?