Paloma and Caroline begin with September overload, tennis trauma, and the apparently unreasonable notion that opponents should hit the ball somewhere you can actually reach it. Then they welcome Annie Meyers-Shyer, whose path from Harper’s Bazaar and Chanel to the beloved This Oak House proves that a sharp eye is only the beginning—the details, collaboration, and occasional plywood mock-up make the room. Annie shares how she preserved the soul of her Gerard Colcord house, built an audience by pulling back the curtain on renovation, and learned to follow “the next right thing.” Plus: why balance is a fallacy, living rooms are underrated, and fake cutting boards should be shown the door.

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YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
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Paloma: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
TikTok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Caroline: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
TikTok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
ShopMy: @carolinegidiere

• 00:17 — September Scramble
• 02:24 — Fitness High
• 03:41 — Tennis Trouble
• 07:50 — Television Tolerance
• 12:48 — Austen Adaptations
• 14:22 — Meet Annie
• 17:33 — Fashion Foundations
• 21:04 — Defining Taste
• 24:15 — Designer Collaboration
• 28:55 — Finding Home
• 31:05 — Colcord Character
• 32:34 — Preservation Pressure
• 33:53 — Hard Decisions
• 36:59 — Let It Breathe
• 38:50 — Sharing Sources
• 41:49 — Balance Fallacy
• 44:56 — Storytelling Homes
• 48:07 — Rapid Fire
• 52:20 — Phase Two
• 54:24 — Birmingham Bound

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Part Two strips the lacquer off designer showhouses: behind those glossy rooms are six-figure budgets, vendor favors, impossible timelines, and enough last-minute crises to qualify as cardio. Caroline and Paloma trade war stories involving rejection from the stone sponsor, rugs stuck in customs, draperies four feet too short, and 145 yards of fabric mysteriously disappearing into a valance. But there is a reason designers keep coming back: one memorable room can lead to clients, press, product collaborations, stronger teams—and some highly effective “trauma bonding.” They close with a rapid-fire guide to what to install, what to avoid, and why doing two traditional showhouses in one year might be just a little bit unhinged.

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Subscribe to The Install Edit on Substack for more design talk, behind-the-scenes stories, product finds, and installments of Ask the Install.

The Install
YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
TikTok: @theinstallpocast

Paloma
Website: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
TikTok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Caroline
Website: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
TikTok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
ShopMy: @carolinegidiere

00:16 — Part Two
01:23 — Budget Reality
03:07 — Sponsor Strategy
09:37 — Vendor Drama
12:04 — Loans & Sales
15:05 — Tight Timelines
17:34 — Plan Z
18:25 — Disaster Stories
26:40 — Drama City
27:47 — Stay Organized
30:23 — The Payoff
34:01 — Hidden Returns
36:52 — PR Strategy
38:58 — Bankroll It
40:09 — Saying No
43:20 — Rapid Fire
48:46 — Dream Showhouses

Paloma and Caroline continue to endure the on-going Southern summer heat and humidity, a Botox clock that suddenly seems to be running fast, and the Sisyphean task of growing out one’s hair—fortified by probiotic ice cream and a root touch-up pen stashed in the car console. They celebrate Substack’s slower, meatier charms and make a spirited case for shelter magazines to come back thicker, more beautiful, and worth paying for. Then the gloves come off on designer showhouses: career-making exposure, multiple-six-figure rooms, the glamour of being assigned a basement hallway, and the hard-won truth that one great photograph can matter more than square footage. Part one ends with the volume turned up—and the really juicy disasters still waiting in the wings.

Subscribe to The Install Edit on Substack for weekly essays, product links, behind-the-scenes extras, and the next installment of Ask the Install.

The Install
YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
TikTok: @theinstallpocast

Paloma
Website: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
TikTok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Caroline
Website: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
TikTok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
ShopMy: @carolinegidiere

00:17 — Heat Wave
02:16 — Beauty Maintenance
04:20 — Full-Fat Treats
07:44 — Hair Rescue
11:28 — Substack Revival
14:25 — Industry News
15:34 — Print Matters
19:42 — Showhouse Secrets
22:17 — Showhouse History
23:38 — Career Momentum
26:53 — Basement Reality
30:49 — Invitation Only
32:50 — Room Strategy
35:13 — Budget Shock
36:40 — Small Spaces
39:07 — Creative Freedom
43:44 — Announcement of Part Two

Paloma and Caroline sweat through the last gasps of summer while tackling a still-suspicious rug, the indignity of hauling two Apple devices in one tote, a bittersweet staff change, a possible Sussex homecoming, and Vanity Fair’s best-dressed list—including the eternal question of whether Lenny Kravitz is technically dressed at all. Then they tumble headfirst into the RushTok rabbit hole, where reported $20,000 dorm rooms, chinoiserie lamps, Broadway-worthy recruitment numbers, and corporate sponsorships prompt the only sensible conclusion: girl, get to class.

Keep the conversation going between episodes: Subscribe to The Install Edit on Substack for more from Caroline and Paloma.

YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
TikTok: @theinstallpocast

Paloma: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
TikTok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Caroline: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
TikTok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
ShopMy: @carolinegidiere

00:18 — Summer Heat

01:25 — Rug Rescue

06:40 — PowerBook Problems

09:34 — Bag Baggage

13:53 — Embracing Change

18:54 — Royal Return

25:37 — Best Dressed

33:11 — Dorm Décor

39:42 — Too Much?

47:22 — RushTok Rabbit Hole

55:41 — Brand Invasion

58:24 — Rush Anxiety

Caroline’s ideal weekend—pool time, Mahjong, and a teenager who voluntarily wants to hang out—meets its natural nemesis: a Starbucks that forgot to open, while Paloma celebrates Margot’s first day of kindergarten and reflects on a painfully heavy run of news. The mood lifts with a revealing identity game in which Caroline emerges as an orange, Easter-loving Sunday-morning smoothie, while Paloma is an olive-green, Valentine-loving Friday night with unmistakable croissant energy. Then they put “chic” on linguistic probation, make a surprisingly persuasive case for a little gatekeeping, and sentence balloon trousers, board shorts, and several other late-summer trends to fashion jail.

Keep the conversation going between episodes: Subscribe to The Install Edit on Substack for more from Caroline and Paloma.

YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
TikTok: @theinstallpocast

Paloma: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
TikTok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Caroline: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
TikTok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
ShopMy: @carolinegidiere

00:17 — Mahjong Magic
04:14 — Starbucks Chaos
06:52 — Kindergarten
10:25 — Heavy News
16:51 — Personality Game
27:18 — Chic Overload
32:46 — Gatekeeping
40:03 — Scarf Season
41:40 — Retro Summer
44:03 — Peplum Problems
46:35 — Fashion Feeling
48:06 — Utility Mode
49:10 — Sporty Spice
51:06 — Sign-Off

Paloma plans a trip to Paris Deco Off trip while Caroline uses Lionsgate to manifest the number-one interior-design podcast, one “big, fabulous, juicy nugget” of a project, and a back that survives two dogs sleeping on her feet. Meg Braff joins for a gloriously wide-ranging conversation spanning her new book, Gracious Interiors, her vibrant wallpaper and fabrics line, her time as an ambassador for U.S. Cottton, Scorpio jewelry, Palm Beach light, and more. Along the way, she makes the case for client chemistry over giant budgets, starting every project with a floor plan, and letting the house tell you what it wants.

YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
Tik Tok: @theinstallpocast

Paloma: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
Tik Tok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Caroline: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
Tik Tok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
Shop My: @carolinegidiere

00:16 — School Days
01:31 — Paris Plans
06:25 — Manifesting
11:18 — Growing Pains
13:10 — Meg Braff
15:42 — Miss Cotton
18:04 — Morning Rituals
20:06 — Scorpio Club
22:46 — Shop Talk
27:39 — Pattern Archives
30:47 — Design Process
36:42 — Client Chemistry
39:19 — Floor Plans
42:09 — Rapid Fire
45:06 — Guest Edit
49:26 — Book Tour

Caroline and Paloma tackle underarm “chicken nuggets,” summer-camp chaos, and a once-pristine abaca rug under canine attack. They trade television recommendations, debate Nantucket’s “No Influencers” dustup, and consider the many ways money can whisper—or flex. They close with candid advice for aspiring designers: keep overhead low, hire carefully, and recognize when someone is in over their head.

The Install Podcast is now on Substack. Subscribe today!

YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
Tik Tok: @theinstallpocast

Paloma: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
Tik Tok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Caroline: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
Tik Tok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
Shop My: @carolinegidiere

00:16 — Chicken Nuggets
06:48 — Weekly Recap
10:57 — Kitchen Comeback
13:44 — Rug Rescue
22:31 — Screen Time
30:14 — Cheer Pressure
34:22 — Influencer Wars
41:35 — Design Careers
44:44 — Smart Growth
47:32 — Costly Lessons
51:31 — Sign-Off

Caroline and Paloma battle triple-digit heat, post-surgery recovery, and a case of TikTok-certified “tech neck” before celebrating the multigenerational client relationships that make interior design feel like a family affair. Then they reveal the things truly worth the splurge—from French butter and signature fragrance to the perfect white T-shirt, an indestructible suitcase, and the workout subscription the internet loves to hate. They close with two artful new collaborations and a master class in scale, proving that when in doubt, go bigger, hide the lamp harp, and never underestimate the diagnostic powers of a cardboard box.

Help us row the Podcast! We would be so grateful if you take a minute to subscribe, like, rate, review and download!

Subscribe to The Install Edit on Substack!

YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
Tik Tok: @theinstallpocast

Paloma: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
Tik Tok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Caroline: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
Tik Tok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
Shop My: @carolinegidiere

00:13 — Heat Wave
02:44 — Highs & Lows
04:45 — Tech Neck
10:49 — Family Ties
15:45 — Install Updates
20:39 — Paloma’s Picks
27:19 — Caroline’s Picks
42:25 — Chic Collabs
44:08 — Artful Fashion
48:56 — Scale School
57:36 — Sign-Off

Fan favorite Bryan Huffman returns—gloriously uncensored—to review the seven deadly sins of polite conversation before whisking us back inside Bunny Mellon’s world at Oak Spring. He spills on no-tape gift wrapping, microscopic vegetables, Lay’s potato chips, ice in wine, Porthault linens, and Givenchy “armor,” while revealing the humor, discipline, generosity, and tenderness behind an American icon. Consider this your invitation to luncheon—just don’t discuss your sleep score, diet, or route there.

Follow The Install Podcast

YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
TikTok: @theinstallpocast

Follow Paloma

Paloma: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
TikTok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Follow Caroline

Caroline: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
TikTok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
ShopMy: @carolinegidiere

00:15 — Bryan Is Back
01:18 — Social Studies
10:10 — Southern Manners
12:35 — Picky Eaters
16:54 — Inside Oak Spring
21:14 — Art Without Fuss
23:04 — Wrapping, Bunny-Style
26:36 — The Bunny Bar
30:52 — Luncheon Is Served
37:30 — The Famous Cabbage
39:13 — Bunny and the Swans
41:54 — Giving It Back
45:57 — Porthault and Old Money
50:11 — Givenchy as Armor
55:37 — Champagne for Eliza
1:02:23 — Bryan Signs Off

Paloma and Caroline take a conversational tour starting with Caroline’s one-and-done push-up and the psychological tyranny of a kitchen-island pile to the comforts of office routine, their new Substack, The Install Edit, and a heartfelt remembrance of Urban Electric founder Dave Dawson. Along the way, they celebrate couture craftsmanship, referee World Cup loyalties, review royal and Wimbledon fashion, debate marriage, motherhood, and women’s financial independence, compare an overly affectionate ChatGPT with a judgmental Claude, and issue a unanimous restraining order against men’s flip-flops. They close with a spirited defense of interior design timelines and fees—part business reality check, part closing argument.

Substack: The Install Edit

Instagram: @theinstallpodcast

Tik Tok: @theinstallpocast

YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast

Paloma: www.paolomacontreras.com

Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign

Tik Tok: @palomacontrerasdesign

Caroline:www.carolinegidiere.com

Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign

Tik Tok: @carolinegidieredesignbts

Shop My: @carolinegidiere

00:13 — One Push-Up and Weekly Highs
02:39 — Routines, Travel, and Resetting
05:10 — Cluttered Home, Cluttered Mind
08:39 — The Install Edit Returns to Writing
12:52 — Remembering Dave Dawson
15:53 — Couture as Creative Energy
20:17 — The Beautiful Game
25:09 — Royals, Reunions, and Wimbledon Fashion
30:18 — Marriage, Motherhood, and Independence
34:52 — ChatGPT Bestie, Claude Scold
37:46 — Hot Takes and Men’s Feet
39:41 — How Long Design Takes
42:05 — You Can’t Rush Creativity
45:04 — The Real Value of Design
50:06 — Twenty-Five Hours Is Nothing
51:18 — Spicy Caroline Signs Off