Style Matters

In this episode of the Slow Style Home Podcast, I have an inspiring conversation with Julia Chasman, who transitioned from a 30-year career in the feature film industry to becoming a home designer. Julia shares how industry changes and her growing disinterest in film led her to renovate historic homes in Los Angeles. She highlights her approach to design, emphasizing the importance of storytelling...

In this solo episode, I dive into the concept of 'Slow Style,' a thoughtful approach to home design that emphasizes developing your signature style over time. I discuss my personal love for tinkering with home decor and how it reflects my evolving needs and inspirations. The episode offers actionable advice on creating a deeply connected vision for your home, starting with the fundamental question...

My guest today is Haskell Harris, the style director at the lifestyle magazine Garden and Gun and author of her first book, 'The House Romantic.' In our conversation, we explore  Haskell's philosophy on creating a meaningful and beautiful home, which aligns closely with my Slow Style philosophy. Haskell shares insights from her book, emphasizing the importance of infusing homes with items that hol...

In this episode of the Slow Style Home Podcast, I chat with Maggie Dillon, an interior designer featured in House Beautiful, about her unique design approach. Maggie discusses how she gently pushes clients out of their comfort zones by incorporating bold patterns and colors. She shares stories of successfully integrating unconventional elements like plaid fabrics and sentimental heirlooms into her...

How often do you think about the hardware in your home?  In other words, the drawer knobs and pulls? I actually think about them more than a lot of people but still, you may be wondering how we’re going to fill up an entire podcast episode about knobs and pulls! I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by this conversation, especially if you’re a renter, it’s really for anyone who’s looking to refre...

In this episode of the Slow Style Home podcast, I sit down with Kay Pressney and Becca Cherry, authors of 'A Home for All Seasons.' They advocate for aligning home decor with the natural cycles of the seasons, instead of commercial holidays. Both guests share how their deep-rooted connections to nature influence their design philosophies and discuss the concept of biophilic design, which integrate...

In this episode of the Slow Style home podcast, I take you behind the scenes of my journey in writing a design book. Despite my experience interviewing design book authors on my podcast, I knew very little about the editorial and publishing industry. Feeling burnt out from the podcast and desiring a new project, I decided to pursue my idea for a book based on my 'slow style' philosophy.  The journ...

In this episode of the Slow Style Home Podcast, I chat with Barry Bordelon and Jordan Slocum, also known as the Brownstone Boys , about their journey from renovating their first historic Brooklyn brownstone to helping others do the same. They share insights from their new book, ' For the Love of Renovating, ' and offer practical advice on whether to renovate or move, making the best renovation dec...

In this episode of the Slow Style Home podcast, I discuss listener Josie's challenge of decorating large, double-story walls in her home’s entryway to reflect her family's love for nature, travel, and craftsmanship. We explore ways to create a meaningful and personal space including creating a gallery wall with found objects, using diverse materials, considering wallpaper, and incorporating mouldi...

On this episode of the Slow Style Home Podcast, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Trevor Fulmer, a Boston-based designer launching a new line of eco-friendly hand-knotted rugs . We discuss the importance of sustainable design, the impact of rugs on a room, the art of combining contemporary and antique pieces, and the exciting trends in the world of design like sculptural elements and innovat...

In this episode, I chat with Marie Cloud, the founder of Indigo Pruitt , a design firm dedicated to creating emotionally supportive and visually appealing environments. We discuss her unique approach to design, which combines aesthetics with emotional well-being, and the role of family and heritage in her work.  Additionally, Marie shares her involvement in community projects aimed at aiding those...

Today we’re talking cleaning products. Specifically, the process of developing and manufacturing eco-friendly, safe-for-our-skin cleaning products, with Kristi Lord and Lindsay Droz, co-founders of L’Avant Collective . Like many of us, they wanted a plant based alternative that actually worked as well as the chemical laden products we’ve been using. So they decided to do something about it! We als...

“Break the rules on purpose because we believe the room will look better. Not because we don't know better.” That's the premise of Myquillyn Smith’s new book, “House Rules.” In my conversation with her we pull apart some of these key rules and why they’re so useful, across the board. I love her examples of balancing casual and formal elements, the value of antiques and art, and how decorating with...

Home is the place you can be yourself in your wildest dreams because home is where we are creating who we want to become. This is the overarching theme of this week’s conversation with Carla Morano of the wallpaper and mural company, Fine & Dandy . Take some risks in putting yourself out there, visually, visibly throughout your home, and don’t worry so much about rules, or what other people th...

In this episode of the Slow Style Home podcast, I sat down with Bo Shepard and Kyle Dubé, the founders of Woodward Throwbacks and authors of the new book “ Throwbacks Home Interiors” . They share their journey from salvaging materials in Detroit to creating unique furniture pieces with a story. We also explored the philosophy of Slow Style, the importance of trial and error, and how individual pie...

In this episode, and a Slow Style Home Podcast first, I had a conversation with one of our listeners, Lisa, about a common design dilemma - choosing the right rug. Specifically, how to choose a rug to go underneath the dining table.  www.slowstylehome.com/qanda-lisa The Style Matters podcast is now Slow Style Home! Click here for the latest episode.

In this episode I welcomed back artist, collector, and shop owner Sean Scherer, to talk about his 2nd book, Sean Scherer’s Vignettes . He shared why he loves certain objects, how he chooses them, and his process behind crafting vignettes to tell a story. We also explored the role of vignettes in creating a sense of belonging in one's home.  https://www.slowstylehome.com/episodes/sean-scherer The S...

In this episode, I talk with Elizabeth and Ethan Finkelstein, the creators of the popular Instagram account Cheap Old Houses . During the interview, they shared insights about their inspiration for the account, their thoughts on the American dream, the value of renovating old homes slowly, and the significance of preserving everyday American homes. They also discussed their own experiences with th...

In this episode, I walk you through our new ' Fix My Room' quiz, aimed at helping you assess and enhance the functionality and aesthetics of your rooms. I address four main pitfalls: not applying basic design rules, managing clutter, lacking a specific vision for the room, and lacking design confidence. At the end of the quiz, you’ll know which pitfall is the one you’ve fallen into and why it’s so...

In this episode, I have a fun conversation with Bilal Rehman, a 23 year old designer making waves in the industry. We discussed the importance of creating personalized spaces that reflect a person's unique style and needs. Bilal shared insights on lighting, mixing metals, and incorporating cultural artifacts. And true to form, Bilal didn’t shy away from sharing his honest opinions on what’s going...

Can you be a minimalist and a maximalist at the same time? In this episode, I talk about the concepts of minimalism and maximalism. I share my personal experience with decluttering and the conflicting emotions I feel as someone who loves collecting things but also craves simplicity. Throughout the episode, I challenge the traditional definitions of these two styles, exploring the possibility of be...

During our insightful discussion on the podcast, Dana Che continually emphasized the concept of a "win-win" mentality while dealing with home-related conflicts among couples. Rather than trying to make one partner conform to the other's preferences, Dana offered strategies that encourage understanding, compromise, and finding mutual ground. Dana expertly pointed out that navigating home decor conf...

In this episode of the Slow Style Home podcast, I have a delightful conversation with designer Chad Graci. We discuss defining personal style, blending different styles, and the importance of balance in design. Chad shares his eclectic approach, influenced by travel and a mix of old and new elements. We explore merging styles in our own homes and the importance of investing in quality pieces. We t...

My guest is Lyndsay Caleo Karol, co-founder of The Brooklyn Home Company and co-author of their new book, also called “The Brooklyn Home.” Theirs is a truly unique design/build firm with a distinctive style, drawing inspiration from historical classical architecture, along with the concept of Passive House building. We also dive into the concept of "exchange" in their work, which refers to the int...

How do you show up in your home? Would I know something about you just by looking around your rooms?  In this episode I discuss the importance of aligning our homes with our personalities, passions, values, and what energizes us. I provide prompts and examples to help you assess how you are currently showing up in your home and suggest ways to make your home more reflective of who you are. This no...