Business of Home Podcast

A rising star of Chicago’s design scene, Summer Thornton has won national acclaim for her bold, playful take on traditional style—her work has been featured extensively in top tier shelter magazines, and she’s on the verge of debuting her first book: Wonderland, Adventures in Decorating . On this episode of the podcast, she speaks with host Dennis Scully about her ‘five F’ system for vetting poten...

Natalie and Caleb Ebel are the husband-and-wife team behind direct-to-consumer paint brand Backdrop. The Ebels started Backdrop in 2018, inspired by a frustrating experience buying paint for their newborn’s nursery. In a few short years, they built a unique brand, driven by clever color names, stylish marketing, and surprising collaborations with the likes of Madewell and Dunkin’ Donuts. Last year...

Amanda Hesser —CEO of kitchen-oriented content-meets-commerce brand Food52—and Sara Fritsch —president of Portland-based manufacturer Schoolhouse—have been on The Business of Home Podcast before, but never as partners. Following the news that Food52 had bought Schoolhouse in a deal valued at $48 million, they return to the show to discuss what goes on behind the scenes in a high-stakes, high value...

The last time Stephane Silverman—founder of the fabric brand Castel and the president of the Decorative Furnishings Association—was on the podcast, he delivered a masterclass on why fabric costs what it does. This time around he shares a breakdown of the trade industry as it is today, ranging from rising competition from retail brands to the endless complications of doing business online.  Stephan...

As a young man, John Pomp fell in love with glassblowing. What started as an obsession soon became a thriving business, one that eventually grew to include handmade lighting and furniture. A maker, through and through, at every step of the way Pomp has pushed to control and perfect everything his company does—whether that’s manufacturing its own nuts and bolts in-house, or building a skateboarding...

Alex Willcock and Felix Conran are the father-and-son team behind the direct-to-consumer furniture brand Maker & Son. Founded in the UK in 2018, the company has grown quickly with an unorthodox approach. Its core product is a pillowy sofa that retails for over $10,000, and rather than brick-and-mortar showrooms, Maker & Son relies on a fleet of decorated vans that will visit potential customers in...

A successful actress and screenwriter for decades, Meridith Baer got into staging by chance. In the late 1990s, one of her friends needed help with a home that was languishing on the market. Baer helped decorate it, the house sold in a matter of days, and a business was born. Today her eponymous company dominates the industry, staging thousands of homes all over the country every year. On this epi...

If you’ve opened up a design magazine in the past decade, you’re familiar with Douglas Friedman's work. As one of the premier interior and architecture photographers of his generation, he’s worked with everyone from Steven Gambrel to Bridget Romanek to Ken Fulk—to say nothing of the portraits he’s shot, ranging from Hilary Rodham Clinton to Faye Dunaway. On this episode of the podcast, Douglas cha...

Two years ago, designer Orlando Soria was riding high, with a hit book, buzzy brand partnerships and a new show on HGTV. In 2020, it all came crashing down in a series of unfortunate events that he’s been chronicling online. On this episode of the podcast Soria shares with host Dennis Scully a rare inside look at how design TV really works, and highlights the perilous nature of the influencer econ...

Grant Trick ’s custom upholstery workshop is a little off the beaten path: He operates in Irondale, Alabama, just outside Birmingham. But that hasn’t stopped him from becoming a secret source for designers around the country, who come to Grant for his impeccable technique and fine-tuned appreciation for the tailoring that goes into a custom piece. On this episode of the podcast, he speaks with hos...

Suzanne Tucker earned her stripes working first for Peter Hood in London, then for iconic California designer Michael Taylor. Now she leads Tucker & Marks , one of the west coast’s most prestigious firms. On this episode of the podcast, she tells Dennis Scully some incredible tales from her storied career, shares the secret to working well with architects, and explained how clients have (and haven...

Business of Home’s editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen and executive editor Fred Nicolaus have spent the past 12 months reporting on the highs and lows of an unprecedented time in the design industry. On this episode of the podcast they join host Dennis Scully to take stock of an eventful year, discussing everything from how long the home boom is going to last, what long-term effects out-of-control l...

Eric Chang started his company—high-end furniture brand Hellman-Chang—in 2005 with his childhood friend Daniel Hellman. At first, it was a hobby, but the two of them quickly rose to prominence with a signature look and a bold, buzzy marketing campaign. In addition to running a thriving brand, Eric is also a former president of the Decorative Furnishings Association, where he had a front-row seat t...

The last two years have been a rollercoaster for Alex Shuford . His company—Rock House Farm, a group of furniture brands ranging from Century to Highland House to Hickory Chair—went from losing eighty percent of its business at the outbreak of COVID to a boom that has seen it struggle to keep up with demand. At the moment, catching up with his own backorders is the biggest thing on Shuford’s plate...

Founded in 1880, Glen Raven has a deep history manufacturing fabrics of all kinds. In the 1960s it began producing a waterproof textile used for awnings under the Sunbrella brand. Over time, what was outside came in—no company has been more associated with the rise of performance fabrics than Sunbrella. On this episode of the podcast, CEO Leib Oehmig chats with host Dennis Scully about the madness...

Bob King founded Humanscale in the early 1980s, just as personal computers were becoming common in the office, and workers had no idea how to sit properly to use them. Now his company, which today supplies chairs to corporations like Apple and Google, finds itself at another pivot point, as millions of Americans look for ways to make working from home work for them. On this episode of the podcast,...

With a bustling interior design business, a popular Dallas showroom, and a product line sold all over the country, Jan Showers wears many hats. She’s also a champion of the Texas design scene—this year she co-chaired the second annual Kips Bay Showhouse in Dallas, which just wrapped last month. Recently Showers made a big decision—to pull her line out of showrooms and go direct to designers. On th...

Interior designer Katie Ridder and architect Peter Pennoyer make for unique partners—they’re married, and they do occasionally collaborate, but the two have forged impressive independent careers in their own right. Peter’s firm, a regular on the AD100 list, is one of the most respected traditional architectural practices in the country, while Katie, renowned for her keen eye and vibrant colors, ha...

Robert and Cortney Novogratz are the husband-and-wife design duo collectively known as ‘ The Novogratz .’ In the 1990s the two bought a condemned townhouse in Manhattan and renovated it themselves. That kicked off a journey that has seen the two try their hand at everything from high-end house flipping; to hotel design; to starring in a reality TV show with their seven children. On this episode of...

Twice a year, thousands of designers, manufacturers and retail buyers flock to a small city in North Carolina for the biggest furniture trade show in the world. It's High Point Market, and this year's fall edition just wrapped up. To discuss what happened at High Point, this week Business of Home's editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen and retail columnist Warren Shoulberg joined host Dennis Scully on...

Garry Martin , founder of The Martin Group multiline showroom, is a veteran of the industry and the longest-lasting tenant of the Boston Design Center. Over the course of three decades he’s brought dozens of the trade’s finest makers and brands to New England. He’s seen the industry at its highs and lows, and has a keen sense of where things are headed.  On this episode of the podcast, he speaks w...

Thomas Lavin—founder of the Los Angeles multiline showroom that bears his name—got his start working in another showroom, Kneedler Fauchere, where he honed his aesthetic and developed a keen instinct for sales. In 2000 he went out on his own, and over the past two decades has built a thriving business representing some of the finest brands in the industry. In this episode of the podcast, Lavin tal...

Bew White started Summer Classics in the late 70s, almost by chance. After coming across a tag in a shop with the words “Summer Classics' ' written on it, the phrase struck a chord, and he dreamt up a company. Today, along with its sister indoor brand Gabby and growing accessories line Wendy Jane, Summer Classics has become a powerhouse of the industry. The story of the company’s growth is full of...

Brian McCarthy began his career with a bang—right out of design school he was hired on at the legendary firm Parish Hadley, where he worked alongside future luminaries of the profession like Bunny Williams and David Kleinberg. When he left in 1992, it was the beginning of a sparkling solo career: McCarthy’s inspired interiors have won him a spot on the Elle Decor A-List and the AD100, and in 2020...

A celebrated interior designer whose work has graced the cover of countless shelter publications, Victoria Hagan, who is often described as the reigning queen of restrained elegance, is one of the defining talents of her generation. On this episode of podcast, she speaks with host Dennis Scully about what she’s learned from working on projects during COVID, why the business is getting faster, and...