The Great Indoors

Ep159 – Style Surgery: The Final Episode We’re wrapping up the series with a mega Style Surgery special! Sophie’s in beige (yes, really) and Kate is scandalised… but once we recover from that fashion bombshell, it’s straight into your design dilemmas. Melissa’s juggling spotlights in a moody blue dining room, Jo wants a freestanding bath in the bedroom (and now so do we), and Rebecca’s trying to h...

This week, we’re talking all the bits that bring a room to life... the cushions, the lamps, the art, the knick-knacks. It’s the final episode before the big Listener Style Surgery and we’re wrapping up our Back to Basics series with a real joy bomb. Kate explains how to use a red thread to create flow through your home, while Sophie makes the case for a “disruptor colour”... something bold and une...

Episode 157: Colour Scheming Sophie and Kate are back with the fourth part of their Back to Basics series… and this one’s all about colour. Some people are all for bold Crayola vibes - others prefer a calming neutral. Either way, this episode has you covered. Sophie shares her go-to method for starting a scheme (hint: it usually begins with a cushion) and explains how to layer colour in a way that...

We’re talking brass tacks in Episode 156! It’s all about designing on a budget. Where to spend, where to save, and how to make your money go further without losing style or impact. Sophie and Kate roll up their sleeves and get stuck into the juicy details... from when it’s worth splurging on designer paint and when it really isn't, to budget-friendly alternatives for tiling, taps, lighting, and ev...

Ep155 - Plans in Place We’re still going strong with our Back to Basics miniseries and this week’s chat is all about the planning phase... and trust me, it’s a juicy one! Before you even think about picking up a paintbrush or splashing out on tiles, you need to tackle the layout. Sophie and Kate get properly stuck into how to make your space work for your lifestyle… swapping rooms around, rethinki...

We’re back to basics! Where to start with your home redecoration, and it’s not what you think.
 Ep154 We’re back! And we’re kicking off this new 6 week season by asking the big question: where should you actually start when redecorating your home? Spoiler... it’s not picking a paint colour. Sophie and Kate unpack the emotional side of interiors, why mood comes first, and how to plan your layout be...

Wrapping up this mini-series Kate and Sophie interview each other and get under the skin of their own design philosophies. What is it about brown that turns Kate on? Did Sophie’s parents hide away the colouring crayons leaving her with an unmet need to cover everything in rainbow bright shades? Indeed why do we decorate our homes the way we do. A fascinating insight into how we form our own design...

On today's podcast we pass the mic over to you our lovely listeners to ask Kate and Sophie your much agonised design dilemmas. From the perils of planning your lighting for an open plan space, to designing a rainbow themed bedroom for your 4 year old ‘client’, we have you covered with a myriad of options and advice. We cover budget hallway makeovers and decorating ideas for a north facing bathroom...

This year is the 60th anniversary of Habitat and today we are thrilled to be chatting to Andrew Tanner, head of design at Habitat who heads up a team of 28 designers who have all been super busy re-issuing and updating iconic archive products as well as creating exciting new ones. We all have our own fond memories of the high street store that delivered exciting fresh designs. At one point it seem...

And we are back! Well almost, as this return episode was recorded during the summer break, so why not take our holidays as interior inspiration. Kate is inspired by the pastel palette of Italy which has inspired her new paint range with Graphenstone while Sophie takes a great escape to Bali for some blue skies and jungle greenery. And perhaps the odd snake, spider and lizard thrown in too. And if...

It’s our last episode before we go on a break so we take the time to reminisce about the last five years and 149 episodes of interior design debate, advice, guests, fun and a lot of laughter. From our popular Design Crimes, Style Surgery and touring the houses of some fabulous guests it has been a whirlwind! If you want to keep in touch with what we’re doing, you can follow and subscribe to Kate o...

Join us for our last Style Surgery before we take a break, as we answer your design dilemmas. From how to house 3000 books, to turning an open plan nightmare into a serene space, this episode is jam packed with fun interiors chat and advice. Sophie actually advises one of our lovely listeners to drop the pattern and go muted, whilst Kate recommends a green so vibrant it even makes Sophie proclaim...

We’re off on the road again to Ham Yard Hotel for a personal tour and interview with designer Kit Kemp and GP&J Baker’s Ann Grafton to celebrate their new collection. Listen to find out more about the design inspiration behind the fabulous collection of fabrics and wallpaper, how collaborations like these first come about and how they have brought antique archival designs up to date to suit modern...

Join us as we have a fun catch up in Sophie’s home, chatting all things Spring refresh from table settings and cushions to bedlinen, curtains and diy. As you can imagine we have very different takes on the subject, as Kate praises the virtues of brown all year round and Sophie gives us a sneak peek into her secret seasonal crockery cupboard. Sign up to become a friend of the show and receive weekl...

We’re interviewing the founder of ‘How to Basically’, Justin Kelly, who runs a workshop in East Sussex which teaches people practical living skills from basic DIY, electrics and plumbing to how to look after everyday appliances. Listen along as Kate and Sophie attempt to put up a shelf themselves – something they’ve never done before! Link to 'How to Basically': https://howtobasically.co.uk/welcom...

This week we’re discussing an important topic we should all consider when updating our homes – how to make choices that are sustainable, use less energy, save us money and will last. We share what we have done recently to make our own homes more eco-friendly and who we love to follow for sustainable tips and inspiration. Sign up to become a friend of the show and receive weekly newsletters, access...

We’re answering your Style Surgery questions this week, from whether thermal wallpaper makes a difference, to how to design multi-task rooms and make the most of open plan living. We all agree beautiful apex windows are a nightmare for window treatments and there’s a gap in the market for a product that actually works. Listen to this episode full of practical tips that will help you with design di...

From the sublime to the ridiculous we look at some of the trends forecasted for the year. The Pinterest Trend Report 2024 brings all the fun looking at increased searches from last year to garner what people will be into this year – think chrome, bows, kitsch kitchens and more out there suggestions like ‘the jellyfish aesthetic’ and ‘aquatecture.’ Our recent trip to Deco Off in Paris provided a mo...

Colour psychology and behavioural design expert, Karen Haller joins us for a fascinating chat about how the colours we surround ourselves with are having an emotional effect on us and our behaviours. Karen believes knowing which colours will affect us positively is helpful to avoid blindly following trends and societal ‘colour norms’ when designing the spaces we live in, but choose colours authent...

It’s time for our popular Style Surgery where we discuss the design dilemmas that have been bugging you. Are wash basins in the bedroom outdated or a genius idea? How do you make a ceiling statement work with the rest of the room and what artwork should I put in a bathroom to make it feel less boring? Listen to this episode for more tips on colour theory for an effective work space, hanging decora...

There are so many ways you can refresh your home affordably this time of year. If like us, you're low on funds and energy in January, listen to this episode for the best ways to make your home feel cosy and ‘new’ without having to spend a fortune. From having a clear out, to moving art around, or upcycling a small Facebook Marketplace find, it’s all about the little changes that make a big impact...

It’s time for a big catch up after the festive break, whilst Sophie spent it enjoying her new kitchen with friends and family, Kate was knee deep in dust in the house in Italy. Sophie has been using the time to vision board for 2024, dreaming big dreams without getting caught up in the detail, and together they choose a word of the year. Will Sophie have her own interiors shop one day? Did the bui...

It’s the last episode of the year so we chat all things Christmas as it hurtles towards us at an alarming rate! It’s true what they say that ‘time speeds up as you get older,’ so join us as we take a moment to reflect on the year just gone and discuss our Christmas plans and traditions, what we’re looking forward to and what we like to avoid. We also chat about the pressure we put upon ourselves t...

In our monthly Style Surgery, Kate and Sophie take on the task of answering your design dilemmas. From how much is too much when it comes to colour drenching, the best whites for a large room or bold choices in a small bedroom, these questions provide ample opportunity for some lively discussion and debate. The episode also includes some fantastic tips on improving the exterior of your home, stair...

In this episode we talk to chef and foodie expert Ed Smith about how to cut down costs on food over the festive period plus florist, broadcaster and writer, Hazel Gardiner, gives us her tips on how to decorate with foliage in a sustainable and thrifty way. As your resident design experts (ahem?!) we share all our favourite ideas for Christmas decorating on a budget, and if anyone has spotted Kate’...