How To Renovate

If you’ve renovated before, you’ll know that it can be very exciting—but let’s face it, it can also be overwhelming. In this episode of I’m talking about something not often discussed but absolutely essential: the power of a well-timed pause.  A strategic breather can give you clarity, reduce costly mistakes, and help you reconnect with your vision. Join me inside where I’ll share signs you might...

Recently, a well-designed home office has become one of the most requested rooms in the renovation projects I work on. As more and more people are working from home a few days a week, or even permanently, creating a dedicated workspace that's comfortable and  functional, is essential for productivity and wellbeing. The shift to remote work has revolutionised how we think about our homes—no lo...

This episode delves into the art of designing with heritage, exploring how to preserve the soul of your period property. We talk about what to preserve, what can be adapted, and how to blend the charm of historic details with the functionality of modern living. I also share stories from my own renovation projects, from Victorian terraces to Art Deco apartments, and the joy of sourcing reclaimed tr...

Today’s episode is a gentle but firm permission to break the floor plan! Stop letting outdated room labels or cookie-cutter layouts dictate how you live in your home. Estate agents may have labelled the rooms, but that doesn’t mean you have to live in them that way. Maybe you need a yoga space. A music nook. A second office. Or just a calm, sunlit corner to drink your morning coffee and take a bre...

Renovating your home isn't just about floorplans, finishes, or finding the perfect team — as much as those are important, it's also about managing your energy and emotions. In this episode, I’m getting real about renovation burnout.  It’s a challenge that rarely gets discussed in the renovation world, yet it affects many homeowners when their lives don't stop during major home trans...

In this episode I talk about art adds personality, depth, and soul to your home, and how it can be a powerful guiding force when planning your interiors too.  I unpack how to plan for art early on in your renovation—from considering sight lines and lighting, to using art to influence colour palettes, textures and floor plans. We’ll also cover how to add sentimental pieces, and how to find somethin...

Today I share the renovation mistakes you don’t know you’re making – until it’s too late . I'm going to help you avoid those mistakes that I find people find out just a little bit too late. They've spent years thinking about their renovation, they've spent months and months carrying out their renovation, only to move into their finished home and find that a few things are just not q...

Sometimes in renovation, you hit a wall—literally. Whether it's a support column smack in the middle of your open-plan dream, or a chimney stack that you just can’t remove… every home has its quirks. But here's the thing: some of those stubborn features can be opportunities in disguise. In this episode I’m walking you through how to reframe those unchangeable features—the ones that can’t...

In this episode of How To Renovate , I’m helping you see around corners when it comes to your renovation budget. It's so easy to focus on the big, shiny items like kitchens and bathrooms — but what about the hidden costs that quietly creep up on you? Today, we dive into the often-overlooked expenses that can derail your project if you're not prepared, from the real costs of late-stage ch...

Light isn't just about brightening a space, it fundamentally transforms how we feel in our homes. When you walk into a light-filled room, there's an immediate sense of warmth and energy that simply can't be replicated with artificial lighting. In this episode I share a personal experience of how dramatically different educational environments—one dark and oppressive, one flooded wit...

Do you ever open your wardrobe and feel instantly… annoyed? Overflowing drawers, crammed rails, mystery piles of socks — we’ve all been there. But here’s the thing: wardrobe storage doesn’t have to be a daily frustration. In this week’s episode of How To Renovate , I’m sharing my go-to strategies for designing wardrobe storage that actually works. This episode is full of practical tips I use with...

What makes a house truly feel like home? Beyond beautiful furniture and perfect paint colors lies something more profound – the personal stories woven into your living space.  Taking inspiration from a recent client project where we've moved beyond renovation to thoughtfully selecting meaningful objects, this episode explores why surrounding yourself with items that tell your story creates a...

This is the 50th episode of How To Renovate. When I started the podcast, back in February 2024, the idea was to  focus on short informative episodes about the renovation process. And although I’ve mainly stuck to that, I’ve also found so much joy in interviewing some incredible people and exploring just how much our homes mean to us. Our homes are powerful, they can either support our needs, daily...

Renovation inspiration doesn’t always have to come from a screen. It doesn't have to come from Pinterest and Instagram and TV, useful as they may be sometimes! In this episode, I want to help you explore other places and ways to get that inspiration for your home. Seeing something on a screen and trying to copy it can look, well, copied. I find that best design ideas come from unexpected plac...

What makes a home truly special? It's not the magnolia walls or the  generic fixtures that developers often choose to please everyone—and ends  up inspiring no one! Whether you're renovating to stay or planning to  sell later, the "vanilla renovation" approach robs your space of the very thing that makes a house feel like a home: personality. Join  me inside as I make the case...

Ever catch yourself staring at your walls, feeling a bit… meh ? Like your home has lost its spark, but you’re not quite sure why? That creeping sense of boredom doesn’t mean you need to start knocking down walls or scrolling Rightmove. Sometimes, all it takes is a few small shifts to completely change how your home feels . In this episode, I’m sharing six simple but impactful ways to fall back in...

******************* PLEASE CAST YOUR KIND VOTES HERE! This podcast has been shortlisted for a UFurnish Home Award in the Best Interior Content Creator Category. https://homeawards.ufurnish.com/2026/en/page/vote?nomination=9fce-tash-south   ******************* Hi, I’m Tash South — interior designer, renovation consultant, and founder of South Place Studio. In this podcast, I share practical renovat...

This week, I was lucky enough to interview Kate Watson-Smyth. If you love interiors, you’ll undoubtedly know about her!  Kate is a renowned interiors author, journalist, podcaster and consultant on all matters interior design, and the founder of the award-winning blog Mad About The House, which can now be found on substack.  Kate wrote an article in The Times that caught my eye - about why she tak...

Today on the podcast, it’s all about contractor quotes! Quotes for renovation work can come in completely differently, making deciphering and comparing them impossible! It’s a really common problem.   And that then leads to making choosing the right contractor, and budgeting for your project really difficult.  In this episode, I show you you how to ensure all your quotes are in a consistent format...

If you are renovating a newer property that’s perhaps lacking some style and character, then this episode is for you.  I’m  often asked how to add personality to newer properties, so in this episode I cover a few ideas -  showing that a home can feel more inviting and soulful through thoughtful renovation and design choices, and personal touches.  There are so many ways to add interest to boring a...

It’s the podcast’s first birthday!  In this episode I wanted to talk about the meaning behind home renovations, because renovations are more than just bricks and mortar.  I chat about the emotional connections we have to our spaces and how design can enhance our mental and physical well-being.  We discuss how light and space can profoundly influence the atmosphere and our emotional health, particu...

She's outraged!  I thought as I listened back to myself to edit this episode about de-cluttering 😂 I realised how angry I sounded, and I did consider re-recording it, but then realised that I am actually angry about clutter. 🙈  I’m angry and annoyed about the stress and overwhelm it causes for my brain, and I really don’t like how clutter robs a space of calm.  This episode is hugely based...

In this episode of How to Renovate, for the first time, I’m breaking down my Five Pillar Process, the structure I’ve developed over my many years of renovating, and I one I follow now for every renovation I take on, whether its one of my own, or one for a client. This Five Pillar Process is also the framework that guides many of the podcast episodes, and what my online renovation course, RenoVersi...

I’ve renovated 14 homes and built one from scratch, this episode contains the mistakes I won’t make again! Oof! it got a bit real when I added all those up! Made me feel older than I care to admit 😂 This episode is the second part of Design Lessons, last week I talked about what really worked and what I would do again and again, and this week, I’m delving deep into all those past 14 renos and a h...

For the next two episodes, I’m doing something a little different, I’m calling it Design Lessons, and this week I chat through a few things that have worked on every project and would do again and again, and next week I’ll discuss what I would have done differently - so you don’t make the same mistakes.  The purpose of the podcast is to provide renovation education and what better way than for you...