The Great Indoors

We don the lab coats and answer listeners' monthly round up of interior design dilemmas. Sophie asks should she go chrome or brass for her kitchen hardware, a listener wants to know if door curtains are a design crime and what can you do to tart up a noisy plastic lean- to? Other than knock it down. Send us your style surgery questions to help@thegreatindoorspodcast.com Become a friend of the podc...

While Sophie starts her mini renovation by smashing huge holes in the side of her house to make way for some sexy new glazed doors, Kate is just back from Turin. She’s picked up the keys to her 30 year dream, a place in Italy, and there are squeals of delight and horror as it dawns on her that she’s starting another renovation project before the dust has even settled at home. For those in need of...

With cucumbers and lettuces disappearing fast from British supermarket shelves don’t say we are not the only ones who have thought its about time we grow our own. We are delighted to bring to you the absolute joy monger that is Rekha Mistry, food and garden writer and presenter on Gardeners World. Whether you are going full on walled vegetable garden, or thinking of starting with a few pots, Rekha...

Kate and Sophie address the issue of how to save money on your build with help from Tom, Sophie’s builder husband, who took time out from his own build - and broken down truck - to offer his calm and safe advice while Kate mostly runs around panicking that her worktop delivery is delayed. Is it, in fact, behind Tom’s broken down truck? Listen in for some really good advice. And drama.  Learn more...

Kate and Sophie share their trade secrets and the contents of their address books to save you money when it comes to designing your own home, including how to get a designer kitchen for less and ideas for making your very un-designer kitchen look more bespoke. Tips include hacking flatpack furniture using fabric, paint and wallpaper, incorporating a tiny amount of a luxe material rather than a lot...

Sophie is full of the joys of Spring and plans to tidy up her garden so she can take coffee on the patio while Kate, having just renovated her windows and replaced her boiler and radiators is quite happy for Winter to carry on for a bit longer especially as her garden is full of renovation rubble. This week on the show the pair interview Jules Haines, of The Haines Collection, who is on a quest to...

Welcome to our monthly style surgery; the episode where you get the chance to have your burning design dilemmas answered by design experts Kate and Sophie. From how to combat the acres of cream and beams in a period house to adding character to a new build, our expertise knows no bounds! The burning question though, is where should Jordon hang his wall art in his small bedroom? Could it be time fo...

Don’t they say the best things come in little packages? Well that’s the topic of today’s debate as we explore the smallest rooms in our homes and make the case that they are to be cherished, indeed celebrated. With the trend setters kicking the open plan knock through off the lust list, we are all falling in love with walls again. Designers are going one step closer and putting an enormous amount...

Kate takes a break from grappling with her builders to bring you this delightful interview with the TV presenter and design writer Michelle Ogundehin. BBC One’s ‘Interior Design Masters’ returns this month, so Michelle is happy to share what’s instore this series! When she’s not bringing aspiring interior designers to task, Michelle can be mostly found tidying up! She’s just completed a month of l...

Fearne Cotton's wardrobe, Kelly Hoppen's fridge and Jay Blades on the magic of mending. The death of grey, the banning of white and the utter horror of the scented candle. All this and much, much more as Kate and Sophie romp through the archives to celebrate the show's 100th episode. As long as no one mentions painted furniture... You can follow them on Instagram @sophierobinsoninteriors @mad_abou...

If it’s a fight between maximalism and minimalism, then Maximalism has just pulled a right hook. In the is week’s episode of The Great indoors, Kate and Sophie drool and dissect Lily Allen’s freshly revealed Brooklyn home that went viral this month, thanks to a house tour courtesy of AD magazine. Painted murals, tiger print, pattern carpet and a pink bedroom in a cupboard should all be red flags,...

Once again Kate and Sophie come to the rescue to help listeners caught up in a design dilemma. From how to divide and decorate an open plan space to whether you should choose curtains or blinds the Great Indoors has all the answers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Kate is back from a trip to Paris for Maison & Objet, the international design trade show. She’s brimming with talk of trends and fresh design inspirations. It was a welcome break from her own house renovation. And on that topic, we asked listeners to share their renovation horror stories, as a problem shared is a problem halved as they say. And Sophie and Kate provide solace and words o...

This week’s episode brings you a fascinating interview with Senior mortgage broker Kim Balasubramaniam from The Mortgage Mum. Kim has recently helped Sophie secure a new mortgage during a very challenging time, post the mini-budget’, which saw interest rates rocket. Kim believes a house is more than just bricks and mortar. It’s a place where memories are made, dreams realised and comfort is sought...

Happy new year 2023! On today’s show Sophie and Kate share what their dreams and aspirations are for the year ahead. Sophie has produced a whole vision board and Kate has come up with a word, such is her enthusiasm for the year ahead. Musing about the trends we can look forward to seeing in 2023, what’s in, and what are we quietly quitting. And will Kate ever we persuaded away with her love affair...

Tis the season to be jolly, and we got into the festive spirit with our latest guest to The Great Indoors, Saima Khan of the acclaimed Hampstead Kitchen. Saima is the queen of creating beautiful food and a table setting that is a visual feast for the eyes to boot! In this episode she shares expert insights on simple menu planning, creating mouth-watering table displays and keeping it thrifty, low...

While Christmas is traditionally a season of excess, Sophie and Kate discuss how you can it more sustainable. For all your Christmas and Home decoration desires visit our sponsor Anthropologie and use the discount code SPARKLE at check out for your 20% off your purchase, valid from the 1st – 21st December. This offer does not include furniture, cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer, i...

Sophie and Kate devote themselves to all things Christmas in this special edition where they answer and argue over listeners style dilemmas. From how to style your Christmas themed mantel to how to make a drag queen tree topper, the Great Indoors has you covered. For all your Christmas and Home decoration desires visit our sponsor Anthropologie and use the discount code SPARKLE at check out for 20...

Let there be light - but not too much. Kate and Sophie discuss Autumnal lighting and explain how to create ambience and atmosphere in your home. They also talk future proofing your home and how to get ready for inevitable changes in your life without compromising on style. Plus - should patterned carpet be confined to the Queen Vic and other dodgy boozers? Kate thinks not, and is even considering...

What's next for paint trends? Is Downpipe a design crime? Why on earth is Jitney called Jitney? And HOW do you decide what colour to paint your front room? Joa Studholme is the colour curator for adored paint and paper brand Farrow & Ball. Here she reveals all, from how she mixes colour in a ramekin at the kitchen table, to what colour paint she knows will always mean "home" to her children. Do fo...

Are radiator covers a crime against the environment AND a design crime too? In the style crime scene that is Kate's new home, Kate and Sophie discuss stylish ways to save energy and reduce your heating bill. They also look at wallpaper trends, why an animal motif definitely won’t be making it onto Kate’s new walls and novel alternatives to the MDF radiator cover. Macrame, anyone? Useful links and...

Can you really have it all? Industrial cosy colourful minimalism? Or must you choose? In this first edition of the regular Style Surgery Specials, Kate and Sophie help a listener caught in a torrid triangle of conflicting design passions. They also advise on stylish solutions to storing vinyl, suggest the best colours to complement views of the great outdoors, and have stern words with a listener...

Is your shower curtain out to get you? Kate and Sophie consider the homicidal billowing mass in the bathroom... is it a design crime? There's a juicy stack of new design books that might help you get ahead with your (whisper it) Christmas shopping. Plus stacks of tips on how to get the best value out of your furniture. These are the books Sophie and Kate discussed: - More is More Decor by Siobhan...

Are beetles just middle class flamingos? In this week's interview, Laurence Llewelyn Bowen tells it like it is (and Kate and Sophie struggle to get a word in edgeways). What's the secret to pulling off maximalist decor? Is minimalism really misogynist? And why do we all need to #BeMoreRita? All that and More More More (including why we should never listen to designers...) Laurence's book More More...

Is a kitchen island a design crime? Is hot pink a timeless classic? Will Kate ever escape from under a mountain of packing boxes? Sophie and Kate tackle all the big questions. There's downsizing, decluttering and ditching your O level coursework (but what if you need it?) There are sexy new paint colours from the likes of Dulux and Farrow and Ball. And there's a very controversial candidate for De...