Best Kate Watson Smyth Interior Design Experts Podcasts (2024)

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149: We’re going on a break! 51:02

22d ago51:02

51:02

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 w…

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148: Style Surgery - Open plan nightmares, 3000 books and Sophie recommends a muted palette 44:10

29d ago44:10

44:10

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…

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147: Interview with Kit Kemp and GP&J Baker’s Ann Grafton 40:25

1M ago40:25

40:25

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 …

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146: Is brown a spring colour though?! 35:01

1M ago35:01

35:01

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 u…

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145: Can Kate put a shelf up? With How to Basically’s Justin Kelly 36:18

2M ago36:18

36:18

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 …

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144: Sustainability, green washing and buying to last 45:22

2M ago45:22

45:22

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 …

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143: Style Surgery - Thermal wallpaper, multi-task rooms and apex windows 42:57

2M ago42:57

42:57

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 o…

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142: ‘Espresso Yourself’ with the Pinterest Trend Report plus Deco Off 2024 48:30

3M ago48:30

48:30

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.’ …

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141: Discovering your authentic colour palette with Karen Haller 45:02

3M ago45:02

45:02

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…

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140: Style Surgery: Basins in the bedroom 28:13

3M ago28:13

28:13

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 …

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139: Refreshing your interiors without spending a fortune 36:09

3M ago36:09

36:09

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 al…

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138: The house in Italy and a shop for Sophie? 36:17

4M ago36:17

36:17

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 Sophi…

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137: Christmas, consumerism, and canapes 37:21

4M ago37:21

37:21

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 al…

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136: Style Surgery: Carpets, Colour and Curb appeal 43:28

5M ago43:28

43:28

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 …

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135: A fabulous and thrifty Christmas with Ed Smith and Hazel Gardiner 57:48

5M ago57:48

57:48

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 decor…

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134: Interview with Banjo Beale: How an Australian Cheese Maker from the Isle of Mull became a Successful Interior Designer 44:11

5M ago44:11

44:11

As winner of Interior Design Masters 2022, Banjo Beale has gone on to breath new life into homes and businesses in the television series ‘Designing the Hebrides’, plus bringing his infectious enthusiasm as host of the beautiful ‘Scottish Home of the Year’ on the BBC. Alongside this, he has continued to design, inspiring thousands on Instagram with …

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133: Book Reviews – From Sunny California to the Isle of Mull 41:02

5M ago41:02

41:02

Join us for our tales from Venice plus we review four more books that span the breadth of the interiors world. From the escapism of super luxe living in sunny California, to authentic and sustainable design in the remote island of Mull, and designing your home to align with how you want to feel in a space. Listen to our lively debate as we pick out…

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132: Style Surgery – Designing your home from scratch – with or without a moodboard? 45:05

6M ago45:05

45:05

This week's Style Surgery dives into questions from the essentials of kitchen design to where to start when designing a whole home from scratch and how to style a beautiful Georgian hallway. This week’s dilemmas are wonderful problems to have! Listen as Kate and Sophie champion the humble moodboard (and how to go about it if you’re short on time) p…

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131: Do we decorate our homes to fit our generational stereotypes? And should Kate be wearing silver trousers? 42:36

6M ago42:36

42:36

Join Kate and Sophie for this lively discussion as they go through each generation from Gen Z to Boomers, and debate how each group are seen to approach design differently. From 70s conversation pits, millennial pink and mid-century obsessions to the old adage of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, they look at which trends are returning, plus the s…

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130: Where design meets wellbeing: Interview with interior designer Juan Sandiego 44:23

6M ago44:23

44:23

Are you in the middle of a renovation and feeling stressed? Do you have a house move on the way that’s causing you anxiety? Or do you feel your home isn’t quite making you as happy as you’d like it to? These are just a few of the questions interior designer and wellbeing coach, Juan Sandiego, helps to answer in this week’s fascinating interview. Ju…

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129: Book Reviews - are gallery walls over and does sustainable design have to be beige? 48:13

6M ago48:13

48:13

We love to share our favourite interiors books with you - from choosing art for your home to styling the spaces you live in - this week's books celebrate homes which put sustainability at the forefront of design and are rich with practical tips and inspiration which always provoke some healthy debate (have gallery walls had their day?) between our …

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128: Style Surgery - From tiny loos to kitchens under £1k 44:49

7M ago44:49

44:49

It’s time for our popular monthly Style Surgery where we solve your design dilemmas and are we in for a treat today. Listen to Kate and Sophie discuss how to transform a kitchen for under £1k, how to connect adjoining rooms with colour and your ‘red thread’ and why they absolutely do not give you permission to have a ‘disjointed space’! From tips o…

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127: Radiate positivity: The art of Optimistic Decorating 34:50

7M ago34:50

34:50

Ever wanted to transform your home into a haven of joy and inspiration? Well, it would appear you are not alone. Following on from the recent Focus and London Design Festival talk of trends around the new collections are all about the notion of joy. Be that colour, pattern, tactile textures, it’s mostly about tapping into what works for you. And if…

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126: Are you ready for your walls to give you a sweet embrace? Interview with Marianne Shillingford from Dulux 41:09

7M ago41:09

41:09

Hot off the press of Dulux’s annual Colour of the year announcement, Sophie and Kate talk all things colour trends with Creative Director of Dulux, Marianne Shillingford. The colour all our walls will be wearing next year is Sweet embrace, a delicate pink, with a tinge of lilac nudging towards a cool grey. It’s a response to continued pressures str…

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125: AI friend or foe of interior design? 37:19

7M ago37:19

37:19

Here is a topic we didn’t think we’d be discussing a few months ago but the speed in which this technology is developing means we are already seeing it across our Instagram feeds. Opinion is that AI generated room designs are here, and not going anywhere. So how can you use this technology to help plan and visualise your home? Will these aspiration…

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124: Style Surgery: How far should the architecture of your home dictate your interior choices and pattern versus plain curtains 38:36

7M ago38:36

38:36

This is the monthly episode where we pass the mic on to you our lovely listeners. We hear From dilemmas that range from pattern or plain curtains, how to be inspired by a period style and make it modern, and is the rule that you need to paint your light filled room in a pale light colour hogwash? This episode gives our hosts plenty to row about, es…

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123: Battle of the Browns - Our Hosts Swap Sides 39:33

8M ago39:33

39:33

Kate and Sophie are back from their summer sojourn and have so much to catch up on. Sophie hijacks Kates love of chocolate brown for the walls of her new TV snug. Meanwhile Kate's channelling her inner unicorn as Sophies love of a rainbow infiltrates her Italian Reno. Have our favourite sparring hosts entirely swapped colour personalities? Who is i…

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122: Bathroom Special: Why your bathroom mustn’t be white, grey, or beige 48:04

9M ago48:04

48:04

This episode is a deep dive into all things bathroom design with plenty of ideas and opinions on how you can take your bathroom from the ordinary default white to something bursting with pattern and personality. We dismantle your floor plan, eek out every inch of small spaces and discuss how to light your bathroom to help you feel your best. To bec…

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121: From slogan T’s to wobbly pots - interview with Henry Holland 36:09

9M ago36:09

36:09

Lock down changed many of us but for British fashion designer Henry Holland his passion for pottery got a whole new opportunity to thrive. Turning away from his iconic graphic fashion brand in search of a more slow paced pursuit Henry has pivoted to pots. Kate and Sophie enjoy digging a little deeper to find what drives his phenomenal creative ener…

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120: Style Surgery: Should you put off your dream renovation plans and why colour blocking isn’t just for babies. 46:00

10M ago46:00

46:00

In our monthly style surgery Kate and Sophie help listeners with their personal design dilemmas. From procrastinating over plans to build a dream kitchen to conjuring up a cosy decorating scheme for a north facing living room there is a lot to advise and indeed disagree on. You can submit your questions for the monthly style surgery to help@thegrea…

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119: Barbiecore and all things Pink 39:28

10M ago39:28

39:28

Barbiecore pink is everywhere this summer. Spurred on by the trend and news that the film has in fact led to an utter drought of pink paint across the country, Kate and Sophie tackle a hot subject. Of course they don't share the same views on the colour and it's many shades, from fuschia to coral or rose - so tune in this week because hot pink rule…

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118: Why the British have the best taste: Interview with Anglophile and designer Jonathan Adler 38:18

10M ago38:18

38:18

Kate and Sophie sit down to drink tea with renowned designer, ceramicist and founder of a global brand, Jonathan Adler. Through the cacophony of teacup clinkage, Jonathan shares his esteemed knowledge for all things design. While growing up in New Jersey and based in New York, he has a strong passion for British crafts and architecture which has he…

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117: Bedroom Special - The Secrets to Designing the Perfect Night's Sleep 33:51

10M ago33:51

33:51

In this episode Kate and Sophie take a deep dive under the duvet to unpick how bedroom design can contribute to optimum rest and recuperation. With more data coming out every year on the importance of sleep to our health, happiness and longevity, it’s time to plump your pillows and get serious. While Kate likes to be cocooned in a tonal blend of co…

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116: Style Surgery: Imposter Syndrome and Your Questions Answered 39:48

11M ago39:48

39:48

In our monthly style surgery Kate and Sophie begin by pondering on the phenomena of Imposter Syndrome, and with her new dream kitchen installed, Sophie is left feeling like an imposter in her own home! Help is at hand for listeners design dilemmas with concerns over open plan versus broken plan, what to pair with a purple quartz worktop and how doe…

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115: Outdoor Living 39:02

11M ago39:02

39:02

Summer finally seems to have landed and on this week’s podcast Sophie and Kate discuss outdoor living. Kate is firmly of the opinion that you should take the indoors outdoors for true comfort. Kate wants armchairs, sofas and real crockery, while Sophie likes throwing a few rugs on the grass and a big pile of cushions. Head to wherever you download …

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114: Micaela Sharp 40:49

11M ago40:49

40:49

In this week’s episode we discuss whether Sophie’s new kitchen will turn her into a master chef - does the kitchen maketh the cook? As the builders move into Kate’s Italian house, we learn what her plans are. And don’t miss our interview with tv presenter and upholsterer Micaela Sharp who reveals what it’s actually like to take part in a television…

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113: Style Surgery 43:20

11M ago43:20

43:20

Kate and Sophie are back with listeners' monthly round up of interior design dilemmas. One listener in Texas needs ideas for how to brighten a dark kitchen. Another asks, how do you design a cosy and magical children’s bedroom for someone with asthma and dust sensitivity? And how can you help young people to find colour confidence when it comes to …

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112: Everything you need to know about kitchens 51:51

11M ago51:51

51:51

Including the kitchen sink! Having recently undergone kitchen remodels, both Kate and Sophie are primed to share all that they know to creating that dream kitchen. From floors to walls, worktops to appliances they share what works and what you might need to consider to get the hardest working room in the house, working for you. Send us your style s…

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111: Matt Siberry 47:37

12M ago47:37

47:37

An insightful interview with head of home at Pinterest Matt Siberry has Kate and Sophie musing on who really sets the trends. Do the brands influence us or are we dictating how we want to decorate to the brands? Either way Matt holds the crystal ball with Pinterest insights at his finger tips that reveal what we are all pinning, the colours we will…

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110: How to Make the Old Feel New 32:39

12M ago32:39

32:39

This week on the show we are looking at how to blend old pieces of furniture or objects within a more contemporary interior. #GrannyCore may be all the rage on Tik Tok but for those of us on the other side of 30 (possibly even 40) it’s a little too close to be ironic. You might have inherited some furniture from your actual Granny. You might have b…

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109: Style Surgery: Brass or chrome, door curtains and plastic lean-to’s 35:20

12M ago35:20

35:20

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@theg…

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108: Latest Spring Book Reviews 49:39

1y ago49:39

49:39

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 du…

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107: Grow your own with Rekha Mistry 41:12

1y ago41:12

41:12

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 gard…

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106: Managing your build and budget 42:36

1y ago42:36

42:36

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 fo…

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105: Industry Secrets 45:15

1y ago45:15

45:15

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 …

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104: Jules Haines 32:04

1y ago32:04

32:04

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 Hain…

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103: Style Surgery: Acres of cream and beams and the art of hanging art 44:04

1y ago44:04

44:04

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 …

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102: Tiny Rooms 40:42

1y ago40:42

40:42

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 goi…

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101: Michelle Ogundehin 49:59

1y ago49:59

49:59

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 f…

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100. The Best Bits of 100 Episodes! 55:37

1y ago55:37

55:37

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 th…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Kate Watson Smyth Interior Design Experts Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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