Business of Home Podcast

Interior designer Mary McDonald rose to prominence in the early aughts, as her work began to show up on the cover of shelter magazines. She’s stayed at the top of the field ever since—McDonald is a regular fixture on industry best-of lists, and her licensed collections with Schumacher and Chaddock are perennial hits. On this episode of the podcast she speaks with host Dennis Scully about the challenges facing young designers, the surprising reason she finds RH useful to her firm, and why interior design is a never-ending learning curveThis episode is sponsored by Loloi and Daniel House ClubLINKSMary McDonaldDennis ScullyBusiness of Home

Founded in 1935, Pierre Frey has become one of the most admired names in the world of high-end design, revered for its inventive, colorful creations. Patrick Frey, the son of the founder, has steered the company for decades as it has grown its presence all over the world.  The firm now offers wallcoverings, carpets and furniture, having acquired the storied French rug maker Braquenie, and the fabric houses Boussac, LeManach and, just last year, Thorp. Frey has recently turned over control of the company to his sons, Pierre, Vincent, and Mattieu, while keeping the creative direction for himself.On this week’s episode, taped in Paris in the thick of Déco Off, Frey spoke about why he’s optimistic that the home industry isn’t due for a slowdown, the important lessons he learned from his father, and why, in design, you have to put creativity first and business second.This episode is sponsored by Loloi and Cozy EarthLINKSPierre FreyDennis ScullyBusiness of Home

Industrial designer Stephen Burks career started in the early 2000s, when he became one of the first Americans to design furniture for European powerhouses like Roche Bobois, Moroso and Cappellini. Over the past two decades, he’s become one of industrial design’s most notable figures, creating collections for top brands and working with artisans around the world. On this episode of the podcast, Burks speaks with host Dennis Scully about the archaic way that industrial designers are paid, how bureaucracy shapes what kind of furniture gets made, and the persistent role race plays in the design industry.This episode is sponsored by Loloi and Cozy EarthLINKSStephen BurksDennis ScullyBusiness of Home

In 2011, Roxy Owens left behind a marketing career to start a furniture and decor brand dedicated to playful traditionalism. Eight years later, the rise of “grandmillennial” style helped Society Social find its moment—Owens is coming off a year of record growth and an expansive new collaboration with The Colony hotel in Palm Beach. On this episode of the podcast, she speaks about the tension between being inspiring and being real on social media, how customer loyalty and a few smart pivots got her through COVID, and why prioritizing mental health is so important for business owners.This episode is sponsored by Loloi and Cozy EarthLINKSSociety SocialDennis ScullyBusiness of Home

A member of the UK’s rising generation, Interior designer Sophie Ashby has achieved widespread attention for her colorful and eclectic projects. During COVID, she got even busier, opening Sister, a retail brand, and United in Design, a nonprofit that seeks to address the lack of diversity in the British design industry. On this episode of the podcast, she speaks with host Dennis Scully about why shipping furniture from the UK is cheaper than buying it in the US, whether RH can succeed in England, and why being brutally honest with clients is tough but worth it.This episode is sponsored by Loloi and Cozy EarthLINKSSophie AshbyUnited in DesignDennis ScullyBusiness of Home

Alexa Hampton is, by any definition, a lifer in the trade. The daughter of celebrated designer Mark Hampton, she grew up in the business, and took over her father’s firm at the age of 27 after his untimely passing in 1998. Since then, Alexa has never slowed down, earning endless plaudits for her work, appearing regularly on industry best-of lists, authoring books and columns, and designing product for everyone from Kravet to Theodore Alexander to The Shade Store.  On this episode of the podcast, she speaks with host Dennis Scully about how interior design is like a language, why her ideal firm size is 11 employees, and why it’s important to embrace—not turn away from—transparency and change.This episode is sponsored by LoloiLINKSAlexa HamptonDennis ScullyBusiness of Home

This week on the podcast host Dennis Scully is joined by BOH’s editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen and executive editor Fred Nicolaus. Together they look back on an eventful year in the design industry and ahead at what’s to come in the new year. Topics include the two companies that will determine the future of the industry, which tech innovations actually matter, and why, despite economic stormclouds, 2023 might be the year to fall back in love with design.  This episode is sponsored  by Loloi and Las Vegas MarketLINKSKaitlin PetersenFred NicolausDennis ScullyBusiness of Home 

Though American Leather may be an unfamiliar name  in the design trade, the company is a powerhouse of furniture manufacturing, with 800 employees in a Texas facility that’s capable of churning out 500 pieces of furniture a day. President Veronica Schnitzius has risen through the ranks over two decades— as a young woman she left behind cartel violence in Colombia to come to the US, and found a role at the company, where she’s helped grow its business by leaps and bounds.  On this episode of the podcast, she speaks with host Dennis Scully about why change comes slow to the furniture industry, the quest to design an attractive recliner, and why manufacturing is like a symphony.This episode is sponsored  by Loloi and Las Vegas MarketNext week, BOH editors will be on the show to recap an eventful year. If you have a question for the podcast, or a general query about the design industry, drop us a line at podcast@businessofhome.com.LINKSAmerican LeatherDennis ScullyBusiness of Home

To the outside world, Amber Lewis is an interior designer. Behind the scenes, her business is a complex operation with more than 100 employees, tackling everything from retail shops, product design and e-commerce to books, licenses and residential projects. Lewis has grown it piece by piece over the past decade, bootstrapping the company, without outside funding.On this episode of the podcast, she speaks with host Denis Scully about the challenge of turning creativity on and off at will, running a big business with a small business mindset, and how a serious medical diagnosis gave her a new perspective on work and life.This episode is sponsored  by Loloi and Las Vegas MarketLINKSAmber LewisDennis ScullyBusiness of Home

In 2011, Athena Calderone was a young mother in Brooklyn, looking to turn her considerable creative energy into a career. She started a blog, Eyeswoon, which has grown into a powerful platform for her various endeavors, including cooking, styling, and design. A decade in and fresh off a major collection for Crate and Barrel, Calderone is poised to kick off a new phase of growth: she’s in the midst of launching an e-commerce business and working on a residential development project—not to mention a few design jobs, partnerships with the likes of Tiffany and American Express, and attending to her nearly 1 million Instagram followers.  On this episode of the podcast, Calderone shares with host Dennis Scully why she loves to prove the doubters wrong, how embracing the chaos of creativity is healthy, and why doing more than one thing is both a blessing and a curse.This episode is sponsored  by Loloi and Las Vegas MarketLINKSAthena CalderoneDennis ScullyBusiness of Home