Interior designers undertake complex, highly skilled, technical work, within a framework of building safety regulations and consumer protection legislation yet are still largely credited only for good taste and an ability to shop.

But are designers their our own worst enemies? And if that is the case, how should they sharpen up their act, disabuse the public of this perception, and command the respect they deserve?

In this episode, recorded at the London offices of LXA Projects, Susie and Jeff are joined by Sammy Bikoulis, Associate Director at LXA and Liz Bell, Director at Absolute Project Management and President Elect of the British Institute of Interior Design to answer these questions and explore the roles and responsibilities of interior designers.

idb is a Wildwood Plus production.

It’s a problem most interior designers are familiar with. You have been given a brief for a lovely project, and you quote a fee based on that brief. But then the actual job turns out to be much more complex and difficult than you had expected and nothing like what you had quoted for.

What can designers do to protect themselves from goalposts that move and projects that creep?  And what steps do they need to take at the start of a project to ensure smooth running further down the track?

We’re joined by two renowned interior designers, Anna Burles founder of Run For The Hills, and Andrea Benedettini, founder and principal designer of Andrea Benedettini Interiors to explore the issues and potential solutions.

This episode was recorded at the London office of Run For The Hills.

idb is a Wildwood Plus production. 

Intimately connected with the interior of our homes, we use our outdoor spaces to relax, eat, socialise and connect with nature, and we appreciate the contribution they make to our wellbeing and mental health.

But who should be trusted with the design of these significant spaces? Is it the role of the interior designer or the garden designer? And should these relate to the interior or the exterior of the host building?

In this episode, recorded in front of a live audience of designers at the Design Central South West event in Bristol, Jeff and Susie explore these and other questions in the company of Cathryn Bishop from Cornish Interiors and Caroline Palk from Ashton House Design.   

We live in interesting, if not very challenging, times.

But how do global conflicts, trade wars and economic uncertainties impact on the cosy world of interior design? Is this turmoil having a detrimental effect on our international clients both at home and abroad? And if so, can interior designers do anything to protect themselves from the chill winds of change?

Jeff and Susie are joined by international design duo Nicole Salvesen and Mary Graham, founders and co-directors of Salveson Graham, to find out more and learn how they are continuing to thrive against all the odds.

A Passivhaus is any building, new or retrofitted, that achieves the highest certifiable standard of energy efficiency while using negligible fuel for heating and cooling.

As the planet warms, this is clearly where we should all be heading, but passive houses are not without their detractors, who claim that these buildings are boxy, stuffy and chilly.

And is it enough for a building to be Passivhaus or does this still leave us a million miles away from achieving a truly sustainable built environment? What is the truth behind the hype? And is it possible to take a conventionally built 1990s house and turn it into a paragon of stylish sustainability?

For this episode, we are joined by Jenny Hamilton and Ian Chapman, founders and co-directors of BIID award-winning architecture and design practice, The Vawdrey House, to explore these issues through the lens of a recent project.

The British have always been famously crazy about their animals, cossetting them with as much tender treatment as they do their children.

Today there are 13.5 million dogs, 12.5 million cats, 1.5 million birds and 1.0 million pet rabbits in the UK, plus nearly a million each of tortoises, horses, Guinea pigs, hamsters and snakes. Unsurprisingly, interior designers are now being asked to design spas and bespoke bedrooms especially for pampered pets of all shapes and sizes, treating them as significant stakeholders in their projects.

Jeff and Susie are joined by Lyne Arbid of Studio Indigo, Jo Sampson of Absolute Project Management and Katrina Burroughs, Interiors Editor of The Times and Sunday Times to explore this design trend in more detail and find out where it might be heading next.    

This episode was recorded in front of a live audience of designers as part of the Design Talks series at Decorex.

The Interior Design Business is a Wildwood Plus production.   

Everyone has had the experience of packing up a home, removing the pictures and personal objects and realising with a shock that suddenly the space is no longer theirs.

Functional interior spaces that meet our practical needs are essential, but it seems it is the art and objects we use to personalise those spaces that give them their heart and soul.

We instinctively know that art in all its glorious forms provides emotional context that can make a person feel comfortable, or not comfortable, within a space.

But, in recognising the power of art to transform and complete an interior, how should designers go about preparing their buildings, and their clients, to best showcase these important elements.

We're joined by renowned interior designer, Sophie Paterson, and acclaimed artist and international curator, Stephanie Nebbia, in front of a live audience of designers to explore the fine art of display. 

This discussion was part of the Design Talks programme at Decorex 2024.

Interior designers are forever being asked for their opinions on the latest trends in paint colours, kitchen, tiles, furniture styles and so on.

And the supposed answers fill the pages of countless glossy style mags and newspapers, encouraging consumers to update their homes. But how should we respond to these questions?

As we move away from the throw-away attitude of recent times and journey towards a more sustainable future, do trends have any part to play in the work we do and the stories we tell? And how should we be advising our clients in this regard?

In responding to these questions and more, Susie and Jeff are joined by two Northern Design Award winners, Helen Knox from Lewis Knox and Jen Williams from Mon Interiors.

This episode was recorded in front of a live audience of designers at Design Central North-West.  

Designers rely heavily on contractors to faithfully execute and deliver on their visions for our clients. This reliance can mean that it is often difficult to fully control the finished quality of our projects, a situation that can vary from being merely frustrating to utterly tragic. But is there anything we can do to prevent this? How can designers ensure they have the best-fit contractor for their projects and for their clients, and the right people capable of faithfully executing their designs? Jeff and Susie are joined by Rina Patel from Vastu Design and Brian Woulfe from Designed by Woulfe to find out. 

The Interior Design Business is a Wildwood Plus production. 

Notes: During this episode, we discuss workmanship documents from the National Association of House Builders. Our faux pas: this standards document is actually produced by the NHBC- https://nhbc-standards.co.uk/

In a world far, far, away from your average night club, cult rapper Stormzy, with a little help from design dynamo Sally Anne McCoy and her friends at the Cream Group, has just opened, House Party, the ultimate party place in a 7-storey building in London’s Soho. But what is the back story to the project? What inspired the team to come up with their wildly original theme and why is it so perfect for right now? Find out in this fascinating conversation with Sally which took place on location in the House Party kitchen. 

The Interior Design Business is a Wildwood Plus production.