Behind The Design

Two years ago, Andrew George sat in this chair known as the Passive House guy. Now he's back, and he's not so sure he ever was. In this return conversation, the owner of Lou Projects looks back on the hardest stretch of his career: a run of complex projects, rushed contracts, countless variations, supply issues and long-distance jobs that left his business running on fumes, all while building a new shed, workshop and office and welcoming his son, Enzo.Camilla and Andrew talk about what it took to rebuild. Andrew shares how he turned dozens of spreadsheets into his own pre-construction platform, why he cut his subcontractor checklist from 50 items down to 10 or 15 quality questions, and why bringing 3D modelling in-house saves time and money. He also explains why he's let go of the Passive House label, how he talks to clients about budget, and why he believes most builders aren't charging enough because they don't understand the cost of running their business.It's a conversation about taking responsibility, slowing down pre-construction to speed up construction, and the kind of resilience that comes from quietly rebuilding one system at a time.In this episode:What growing the team to around a dozen people really costsWhy rushed contracts and unasked questions lead to variations, and the simple process to avoid thisTurning dozens of spreadsheets into a pre-construction platformThe difference between being thorough and being usefulWhy he no longer wants to be "the Passive House guy"Why builders aren't charging enough, how overheads explain the gap between quotes, and why he'd like to mentor other buildersHow Andrew uses AI in his business to save time and moneyJoin The Behind The Design Collectivehttps://youreinvited.behindthedesignco.au/Follow the guestLou Projects Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lou.projects/Website: https://louprojects.com.au/Follow Unfolded & Behind The Design:https://www.unfolded.com.au/https://www.instagram.com/unfolded_https://www.instagram.com/behindthedesignpod_/00:00 Builders aren't charging enough01:27 Welcome back to Behind the Design02:07 Engaged, a baby, a new home and a hard-fought business03:15 What growth actually cost05:36 Custom homes roaring in, and Lou Homes on hold06:24 The hardest stretch: rushed contracts and variations09:50 A series of chaos, and the moment things had to change11:49 Taking responsibility and weekly team meetings14:01 A word from Unfolded14:28 Pulling back to the Central Coast16:04 Who you bring into a project16:52 Building his own pre-construction platform19:41 RFIs and the discover, develop, deliver stages21:30 Thorough vs useful: cutting the checklist down23:14 Bringing 3D modelling in-house25:28 No longer "the Passive House guy"28:28 Passive House windows and long lead times29:14 Talking budget and Passive House principles with clients30:19 Status symbol, or health and durability?31:43 Why builders aren't charging enough33:28 What would surprise him from two years ago: resilience35:17 Demystifying overheads and mentoring builders37:57 Three questions in three minutes40:02 Wrap upinterior designresidential interiorscreative businessdesign consultancyBehind the Design podcastCamilla IngallAndrew GeorgeLou ProjectsCentral Coast buildercustom home builderpre-constructionbuilding variationsscope of worksbuilder overheadsquoting a build3D modelling for buildersPassive HousePassive House principlesheat recovery ventilationresilience in businessChaptersKeywords

Chloe Matters co-founded Tom Mark Henry, one of Sydney's most recognised design studios, and then walked away from it. Pregnant and working hours that left no room for family, she stepped back to work out what kind of mother, designer and business owner she actually wanted to be. That reset became Matters and Made, a studio known for calm, tonal, deeply tactile homes.In this episode, Camilla and Chloe get honest about what happened next. Chloe relaunched the studio during Covid with a one-year-old and a six-month-old, grew it far too fast without the systems to hold it, then made the call to downsize the team so she could stop feeding the machine and get back to the work she loves. She shares how her behavioural studies background shapes the way she reads clients, why she tailors her process to every one of them, and how a divorce and a rental she couldn't renovate led to her newest venture, Slow Matters.It's a conversation about reinvention, saying no, and the quiet power of a home that genuinely supports you.In this episode:How saying yes to every client after returning from Europe turned into co-founding Tom Mark HenryWhat a creative partnership teaches you, and why it only works when everyone stays in their laneWhy her behavioural studies degree has been more useful than her design degree for reading what clients really needGrowing too fast during Covid, missing time with her kids, and why she chose to trim the business backThe rental, the lamps on timers and the small changes that sparked Slow Matters, plus how the home wellness check and 21-day reset workThe hard questions Chloe asks herself before saying yes, and what's ahead for Matters and MadeJoin The Behind The Design Collectivehttps://youreinvited.behindthedesignco.au/Follow the guestMatters and Made: https://www.mattersandmade.comhttps://www.instagram.com/mattersandmade_Slow Matters: https://www.instagram.com/slow_matters/Follow Unfolded & Behind The Design:https://www.unfolded.com.au/https://www.instagram.com/unfolded_https://www.instagram.com/behindthedesignpod_/00:00 Intro02:25 Welcome to Behind the Design03:34 Co-founding Tom Mark Henry04:21 What a design partnership teaches you05:12 Why hospitality design builds a name fast07:13 Pregnancy and the decision to leave08:23 Behavioural studies and hearing what clients really need09:59 Ten Pinterest styles and trend-led clients10:59 Concrete pots on the balcony11:57 Defining a calm, tonal aesthetic13:37 Going solo: one vision, not a shared one14:22 A word from Unfolded14:52 Relaunching during Covid and growing too fast15:47 Systems, structure and what she'd change16:11 Downsizing to stop feeding the beast17:53 Two babies, divorce and learning to prioritise herself19:25 What the studio looks like day to day now20:36 Four-year projects and earning client trust21:51 Adapting the process for every client22:51 The rental that sparked Slow Matters25:44 Naming the problem: the home wellness check27:02 Why your home deserves the same attention as your body28:16 The 21-day reset, three minutes a day31:20 Turning something personal into a product32:45 Where the name Slow Matters came from33:14 Trust your gut: the questions to ask yourself34:48 What's next for Matters and Made and Slow Matters35:25 Three questions in three minutes36:11 Wrap upinterior designresidential interiorscreative businessdesign consultancyBehind the Design podcastCamilla IngallChloe MattersMatters and MadeTom Mark HenrySlow MattersSydney interior designershome wellnessdesigning a calm homerental stylingbusiness partnershipsworking mothers in businessreinvention after divorceChaptersKeywords

Twenty years ago, Sonia Warner and Jacinta Woods started Woods & Warner with two people, no plan B and a shared goal of creating beautiful spaces. Today they lead a seven-person Sydney studio, and most of what they know about running it was learned the hard way.In this episode, Camilla sits down with both directors for an honest look at what it really takes to build a design studio that lasts. They share the seven-bedroom project they designed without charging a cent, only to have it cancelled in a ten-minute meeting. They talk about IVF, bed rest and the mother guilt of building a business with three children under five, and how those years shaped a studio culture that genuinely supports motherhood. And they relive the morning their Hunters Hill project landed the front cover of Belle, just as their website and Instagram were hacked.It's a conversation about knowing the value of your design intellect, hiring properly, reading your clients and finding joy in the work for the long haul.In this episode:Why they ignored a mentor's advice to stick to one style and five suppliers, and what that choice has cost and given themThe unpaid seven-bedroom job that taught them to charge for their time and put contracts firstHow IVF, bed rest and early motherhood forced them to build a business that could run without themReading clients: telling the difference between a budget problem and a fear problemThe year they broke down in tears over the wrong team, and why paid trial days are now non-negotiableUsing AI to cut hours of admin, collaborating with architects and builders, and how they define success after 20 yearsJoin The Behind The Design Collectivehttps://youreinvited.behindthedesignco.au/Follow the guesthttps://www.woodsandwarner.com.au/https://www.instagram.com/woodsandwarner/ (confirm handle)Follow Unfolded & Behind The Design:https://www.unfolded.com.au/https://www.instagram.com/unfolded_https://www.instagram.com/behindthedesignpod_/00:00 The job that changed everything01:00 Welcome to Behind the Design02:50 20 years of Woods & Warner03:51 IVF, bed rest and being forced to step back06:10 Mother guilt and a studio that supports motherhood08:27 Structure, chaos and a week in the studio09:24 Two directors, two lanes11:57 Settling creative disagreements13:01 The advice they ignored: one style, five suppliers15:21 No signature look: connection as the signature17:02 A word from Unfolded17:39 Budget problem or fear problem?21:23 The year they broke down in tears24:34 Hiring for passion27:12 Using AI to cut the admin30:07 Hire like a corporate: paid trial days32:28 The seven-bedroom job they never got paid for38:50 Contracts, staff and the 50% nobody sees40:43 Working with architects and builders45:37 A Belle cover and a hacked website48:45 The next 20 years49:56 Success, gratitude and taking the plungeinterior designresidential interiorscreative businessdesign consultancyBehind the Design podcastCamilla IngallWoods and WarnerSonia WarnerJacinta WoodsSydney interior designerscharging for design feeshiring in a design studioworking mothers in businessBelle magazineChaptersKeywords

What happens when a designer spends years pursuing the practical path before finally trusting his creative instincts?Stefan Vignogna of Bespoke Joinery Design built his career around bespoke kitchens, considered interiors and technical expertise. In this episode of Behind the Design, he joins Camilla Ingall to share the personal and professional decisions that shaped his journey, from studying law to building a design business on his own terms.They explore why Stefan chooses to stay small, what eight years on the workshop floor taught him, and why great joinery involves far more than beautiful finishes.In this episode:Why Stefan walked away from law to pursue designStefan’s journey in coming out and what happened when he finally didWhat years of hands-on joinery experience taught him that formal education couldn'tHow he built a referral-based business without chasing growthThe underrated power of setting boundaries with his workWhy the details behind great joinery matter more than most people realiseHow he's making specialist design knowledge more accessibleIt's an honest conversation about finding your creative direction, building a business around your values, and deciding what success actually looks like.—------------------------Follow Stefan Vignognahttps://www.stefanvignogna.com/https://www.instagram.com/stefan_vignogna https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanvignognadesigner/ https://www.facebook.com/stefanvignognadesigner/ Follow Unfolded:https://www.unfolded.com.au/https://www.instagram.com/unfolded_https://www.instagram.com/behindthedesignpod_/  -----------------------Chapters00:00 Why Stefan Vignogna Chose Interior Design Over Law02:15 Growing Up Creative and Discovering a Passion for Design03:46 Why Stefan Studied Law Instead of Following His Creativity06:20 From Office Furniture to a Career in Interior Design08:25 Embracing His Identity and Finding Creative Confidence11:03 How Life Experience Shaped Stefan’s Design Philosophy12:47 What Eight Years of Hands-On Joinery Experience Taught Him14:45 Building a Referral-Based Interior Design Business15:48 Why Stefan Chooses Quality Over Business Growth19:39 Why Interior Designers Do More Than Design22:27 What Makes Bespoke Joinery More Than Just Cabinetry23:42 Making Kitchen Design More Accessible to Homeowners27:49 Building a More Profitable and Sustainable Design BusinessKeywordsbespoke joinery designkitchen designcustom joineryinterior designjoinery designkitchen renovationcabinetry designresidential interiorsjoinery detailingkitchen functionalityspatial planninginterior design businesscreative businessdesign consultancydesign business growthclient relationshipscreative entrepreneurshipStefan VignognaBespoke Joinery DesignBehind the Design podcastCamilla IngallAdelaide interior design

Bowerbird Interior’s success isn’t just a story about beautiful design. It’s a story about what happens when the business behind the design keeps getting bigger. Lauren Lewis, co-founder of Bowerbird Interior, joins Camilla to explore the side of the design industry we rarely see: the people, systems, logistics and commercial decisions behind the finished spaces.What started as a property styling business has grown into a much bigger operation spanning residential homes, commercial spaces, build-to-rent and large-scale furnishing projects. But what happens behind the scenes when a creative business reaches that kind of scale?Lauren shares what she has learned about building the infrastructure behind the creativity, working alongside her husband Jeff, finding the right people, and knowing when the founder needs to step back and let others take the lead.In this episode:• How Bowerbird evolved from property styling into a much larger furnishing operation• The systems, logistics and procurement required to operate at scale• Why creative instinct alone may not be enough to grow a sustainable business• How commercial thinking can influence creative decision-making• How Lauren and Jeff built complementary roles around their different strengths• What separates people who want something to happen from those who make it happen• Why delegation becomes harder, but more important, as a business grows• Knowing when to step away from the details and focus on higher-value work• What can sit behind the success people see from the outsideThere’s often a lot more behind a finished space than meets the eye. For Lauren, growing Bowerbird has meant navigating the tension between creativity, people, systems and the realities of running a much bigger business.But as a creative business grows, one question becomes harder to ignore: how do you scale the business without scaling away what made it special in the first place?------------------------Follow Lauren Lewis and Bowerbird Interiorhttps://www.instagram.com/lauren_lewis84/https://www.facebook.com/BowerbirdInt https://www.instagram.com/behindthedesignpod_/ https://www.instagram.com/bowerbirdinteriorshttps://bowerbirdinteriors.com.au/Follow Unfolded:https://www.unfolded.com.au/https://www.instagram.com/unfolded_https://www.instagram.com/behindthedesignpod_/ -----------------------Chapters00:00 - From Property Styling to Bowerbird02:15 - The Story Behind Bowerbird’s Growth05:40 - What Happens Behind Beautiful Spaces09:25 - Scaling a Creative Business13:10 - The Systems Behind Property Styling17:05 - Procurement, Warehousing and Logistics21:30 - Why Creative Businesses Need Commercial Thinking25:45 - Building a Business Around Different Strengths30:10 - Lauren and Jeff’s Roles at Bowerbird34:20 - Building the Right Team and Culture38:15 - What Makes a Great Team Member?42:05 - Knowing When to Delegate46:00 - Letting Go as Your Business Grows49:40 - The Reality Behind Business Success53:15 - Relationships and Community in Design56:30 - What Lauren Would Do Differently59:10 - The Future of Bowerbird and Creative Business Growth KeywordsBowerbirdLauren LewisBowerbird AustraliaBowerbird furnitureBowerbird property stylingproperty styling Australiafurniture hire Australiafurniture stylinginterior design businesscreative businesscreative entrepreneurshipcreative business growthscaling a creative businessdesign business growthcreative business strategybusiness systems for creativescreative business systemsproperty styling businessproperty styling business growthinterior styling businessdesign entrepreneurshipcreative leadershipbusiness operationscommercial design