In this To-The-Trade podcast episode, Laurie Laizure and Nile Johnson interview DC-based designer Isy Jackson, founder of Chelt Interiors, about British-inspired homes, antiques, and sustainable business habits for design pros.

Isy explains how her creative roots in the UK, from a fashion sketching Nana to parents who flipped houses and a stepfather in high-end tiling and crystal, taught her to see both structure and beauty in interiors. She describes her style as layered and lived-in, with patina, books, and dogs that make spaces feel welcoming rather than staged.

The conversation dives into antiques and sourcing strategies. Before suggesting changes, Isy tours a client’s home to identify what is truly sentimental and must stay. Only then does she bring in estate sales, Georgetown shops, and auction houses like Sloan and Kenyon, Weschler’s, and Quinns, always setting a maximum budget and aiming to bid around half the low estimate. Hence, clients get value without losing control in the auction rush.

Holiday decorating shows up as both joy and revenue. Isy and Laurie talk about how seasonal installs can take over one to two months. Still, once decor comes down, clients suddenly see bare rooms and are ready for the next project, making holidays an innovative moment for designers to drive marketing and retention.

On money and client transparency, Isy walks through her pricing strategies for designers who want to maintain high trust. She currently bills hourly with frequent invoices so clients always know where they stand, then splits the margin on trade discounts to show how much she saves them below retail. She also uses a room-by-room budget spreadsheet and an investment guide with low, medium, and high ranges, which helps clients understand realistic spending and prioritize investments.

Finally, the group tackles overwhelm and boundaries. Laurie describes the cure for overwhelm as true “nothingness,” a reminder that creative energy needs rest, especially during holiday crunch season. Isy shares how communication, personality awareness, and a service mindset help her navigate client and trade conflicts without burning out. The result is an interior designer tips-packed episode on client management for designers who love antiques, history, and thoughtful homes.