So, How Do You… The Interiors Podcast

The world of interiors and renovations can be overwhelming, costly and time-consuming. Whether you want to do up your rental or you're renovating - it’s hard to know where to start! Well, stress no more because interiors obsessive, Laura Jackson, is here to help. In each episode, Laura explores a new topic with interior designers, tradespeople and good old DIYers to gather the insider secrets that will help you to make your dream home a reality, no matter your budget. For more tips and tricks follow @sohowdoyou.podcast.

So, how do you… DIY an entire renovation?

If you’re considering renovating a single room or working on a full house transformation, this episode is full of inspiration and hugely helpful tips from one of the OG DIY Instagram accounts.  Laura Jackson is joined by Jessica Horton, owner of ‘Since_1859’ (which since recording has rebranded to @deorling_) who bought an “ugly” Victorian Terrace and went on to achieve a beautiful house with no hired help.  Jessica reveals how they decided which rooms to do first, how they budgeted and where they saved money, plus she explains the incredible risk of tackling their pebble dash front – the results truly have to be seen to be believed. For more interior inspo, follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and our incredible guest from this episode: Jessica Horton @deorling_

06-13
37:22

So how do you… elevate your staircase?

The main route through your home is the staircase and yet so many of us neglect our halls in favour of the main rooms of the house. It’s time to give the backbone of your home a little love – enter the stair runner! In this episode, Laura Jackson gets the inside scoop from Kate Watson-Smyth who runs an interior styling consultancy and blog Mad About Your House. Kate discusses the importance of the first impressions in your home, how to keep your hall cohesive with your entire house,  and then shares her expert design tips for your stairs.  Laura then slips into the practical world of installing stair runners with Nicola Edwards, the founder of Nicola Edwards Carpet Edging.  Nicola explains in detail all things stair runners – from the best material options, how to accurately measure and fit it and whether you should DIY it.   For more interior inspo, follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and our incredible guests from this episode: Kate Watson-Symth @mad_about_the_house and Nicola Edwards  @nicolaedwardscarpetedging

06-06
45:24

So, how do you… make your home more eco?

We love finding eco-friendly interior options, but how much more can we do to make all our homes more environmentally friendly whilst also saving some cash? In this episode, Laura speaks to Hannah from The Green Bungalow who is retrofitting her 1990s home. Hannah explains how to make sustainable interior options, how she’s lowered her energy bills and tips we can do today to stop letting the heat out! Laura also speaks to Robin Charlesworth who built his eco home in his back garden about the build, what are the ideal environmental materials and how much an eco home actually costs.  For more interior inspo, follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and our incredible guests from this episode: Robin Charlesworth and Hannah from @thegreenbungalow

05-30
45:49

So, how do you… design a living room?

To find out the dos and don'ts of Living Room design and styling, Laura Jackson quizzes interior designer Sophie Ashby on how to achieve the perfect cosy living room, the optimal way to arrange your furniture, and clever tricks to hide your TV.  Laura is also joined by Natasha Landers, who tells us how to use paint creatively, how she’s created focal points fit for film shoots, and her repurposing secrets to create a truly unique space.  For more interior inspo, follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and our incredible guests from this episode: Sophie Ashby @studioashby and Natasha Landers @untillemonsrsweet 

05-23
51:18

So, how do you… go from shed to summer house?

With summer fast approaching is it time to make more of your garden shed? Or are you ready to build your own outside cabin for some peace and quiet?   In this episode, Laura Jackson gets insider knowledge from  Beata Heuman, whose extravagant shed has appeared in the likes of Architectural Digest.  Beata shares her tips for revitalising your garden shed, how to add clever finishing touches and furnish it creatively.  Laura then dives into the world of bespoke outhouses with the design director of Hutsmith, Dudley Radford.  Dudley shares some penny-saving secrets from his big budget projects, the little luxuries that can elevate your space and what exactly goes into creating a custom made cabin. For more interior inspo, follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and our incredible guests from this episode: Beata Heuman @beataheuman and Dudley Radfrod @hutsmith_cabinmakers

05-16
51:17

So, how do you… get creative with concrete?

Concrete is no longer reserved for building sites and paving slabs; you can have a polished kitchen floor, a pink basin or even a self heating bathtub! In this episode, Laura Jackson is exploring all the creative and sleek ways you can bring concrete into your home.  Laura discovers the ins and outs of a poured concrete floor by speaking to the owner of one, Hannah Beaumont. Hannah shares the difference between a poured and burnished floor, the process of getting it fitted and exactly how much it costs… Laura is also joined by the founder of The Poured Project, Andy Pedley, who reveals the endless interior concrete options, how you can add colour, and most importantly how to take care of it.  For more interior inspo, follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and our incredible guests from this episode: Hannah Beaumont @hannahbeaumontlaurencia and Andy Pedley @thepouredproject

05-09
51:08

So, how do you… design minimalism and maximalism?

Whether your dream home is a bold collection of prints and patterns or a simple canvas of serenity, this episode will teach you how to avoid messiness in maximalism and emptiness in minimalism.  If you’re a maximalist, Laura Jackson speaks to interior designer Meta Coleman. Meta shares her approach to layering, how to achieve a complimentary clash, and where to source furniture that achieves the chic, but more-is-more, vision.  But if you’re a minimalist, Laura chats with furniture designer Mimi Shodeinde. Mimi explains how to avoid creating cold and empty spaces, why she goes against the common philosophy of ‘practicality first’, and why, contrary to belief, ‘less is more’ isn’t the way to approach minimalism! For more interior inspo, follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and our incredible guests from this episode: Meta Coleman @metacoleman and Mimi Shodeinde @miminat @miminat_designs

05-02
44:58

So, how do you… hang curtains and blinds?

Framing your windows with stylish bespoke material or just needing something to keep the light out – curtains and blinds are as much of an essential as they can be a statement piece.  In this episode, Laura Jackson gets insider knowledge from interior designer Micaela Sharp (Interior Design Masters) on all the different curtains and blinds jargon, the best places to find ready made curtains, and her top advice for making the best looking choices.  Laura then speaks to the founder of East London Cloth Company, Gemma Moutlon, to dive into the process of curtain making. Gemma tells us the most important things to consider when going bespoke, how to choose your fabric and how to find a reputable person to make them.  For more interior inspo, follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and our incredible guests from this episode: Micaela Sharp @micaelasharpdesign and Gemma Moutlon @eastlondoncloth, @gemmalmoulton

04-25
47:39

So, how do you… choose flooring?

Before you even consider the endless options for flooring, there’s the space, the traffic and the upkeep to contend with as well! Luckily, this episode is dedicated to calming all floor related worries.  In this episode, Laura Jackson quizzes interior designer Angus Buchanan on what you need to consider when choosing flooring for each room, how to bring dull wooden floors back to life, and whether shag pile carpets are truly back in style.  Laura is also joined by Hill House Vintage’s Paula Sutton, who tells us how she’s making the most of her 200 year old home, the details of her extensive rug collection, and how she’s choosing flooring for her new extension.  For more interior inspo, follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and our incredible guests from this episode: Angus Buchanan @buchanan.studio, @angusbuchanan and Paula Sutton @hillhousevintage

04-17
52:07

So, how do you… do up a bathroom?

There are a lot of working parts to a bathroom, so even when you want to make minor tweaks it can end up feeling like a full renovation!   Kicking off season 2, host Laura Jackson will be speaking with interior designer Kay Westmaas about her top tips for space saving, the unusual places she sources bathroom inspiration, and how she feels about artwork above the tub.   Laura also chats to surgeon and DIYer Negi, who shares the ins and outs of her incredible bathroom renovation: which was done on a tight budget, managed by herself and she even went away with the builders in! Listen to find out how that turned out… For more interior inspo, follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and our incredible guests from this episode: Kay Westmaas @studio.westmaas and Negi @negi.at.home

04-10
54:54

So, how do you… show off your art?

From gallery walls to investment pieces, where do you begin with finding the perfect art for your home? In this episode, Laura talks to: Interiors content creator Lisa Dawson about how to create the perfect gallery wall; art consultant Georgia Spray who reveals that working with consultants isn’t as expensive as you think, and professional framer Dominic Brider shares how to do your art justice with a frame.  For more tips and tricks, follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and our amazing guests from this episode: @ _lisa_dawson_, @georgiaspray from @partnershipeditions and @briderandbull. – Thank you to the sponsors of the episode, to make use of all discount codes in the episode please head to Archive, Ruggable, Grass & Co and Glassette.  Production support from Astrid.

01-18
50:04

So, how do you… choose a builder?

Sometimes our ideas can go beyond our DIY capabilities, no matter how confident you might be. Whether that’s a partition wall or an extension, there’s one person you’ll definitely need to get involved… and that is a builder.  In this episode, Laura will take you through all the steps in order to find and work with a builder, to create the space you’ll adore.  She talks to: Creative and brand consultant Lucy Williams about her current full-house renovation; builder Neil Lloyd about communicating effectively with your builder, and interior designer Sophie Rowell to get her advice on achieving your vision.  Follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and find our guests from this episode on Instagram: @lucywilliams02, Neil from @adamlloydconstruction, and Sophie at @cotedefolk. – Thank you to the sponsors of the episode, to make use of all discount codes in the episode please head to Archive, Ruggable, Grass & Co and Glassette. Production support from Astrid.

01-18
48:04

So, how do you… design a kitchen?

Kitchens. For many of us it’s the centre point of the home. It’s where we eat, meet and… party! So it needs to work for you and stand the test of time. In this episode, Laura explores how to create the perfect layout with Fred Rigby, how to create the perfect pantry (even if you don’t have one!) with Matilda Goad and how to add character and personality to a new kitchen so it doesn’t look like everyone else's with Maria Speake. For more tips and tricks, follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and for more kitchen inspo you can follow our guests, Maria Speake from @retrouvius, @matildagoad and @fredrigbystudio.  – Thank you to the sponsors of the episode, to make use of all discount codes in the episode please head to Archive, Ruggable, Grass & Co and Glassette.  Production support from Astrid.

01-18
47:35

So, how do you… light your home?

Creating ambience is possible in every room big or small – all it takes is well thought out lighting.  Laura explores the perfect placement for lamps, downlights, spotlights and more with lighting consultant Max Barlow, where to source unusual light fittings and appliances with interior designer Shalini Misra and then figuring out the essentials on the electricals for you DIY’ers with electrician Cathy Cockin. So whether you’re renting or renovating - you’ll soon be feeling cosy and snug in your space. Follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and you can find this episode's guests on Instagram @maxwellgbarlow, @ shalinimisraltd and Cathy from @littlemisselectrical. – Thank you to the sponsors of the episode, to make use of all discount codes in the episode please head to Archive, Ruggable, Grass & Co and Glassette. Production support from Astrid.

01-18
44:34

So, how do you… choose a colour scheme?

There are endless hues of blue and when you finally make a decision, it looks completely different to what you expected… a waste of money and paint! However, if you’re unsure on what to choose - Laura’s got your back. In this episode, she explores how to choose the perfect colour for your room with artist and designer Luke Edward-Hall, how to choose the correct type and finish of paint with professional decorator Matthew Collins and gets the handy hacks on settling on your colour scheme with the Deputy Editor of Livingetc, Busola Evans. Plus, is there really a difference between the budget and expensive paints?!  For more tips and tricks, follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and follow our colour scheme connoisseurs @lukeedwardhall, @busolaevans and @mathewbrayandmatthewcollins. – Thank you to the sponsors of the episode, to make use of all discount codes in the episode please head to  Archive, Ruggable, Grass & Co and Glassette.  Production support from Astrid.

01-18
39:28

So, how do you… bring plants into your home?

For the serial plant killers amongst us… it’s time to ditch the plastic plants, you’ll be greenfingered in no time! In this episode, Laura takes a look into the benefits that plants have on our health and well-being with Biophilic Designer (you’ll find out what that is!), Oliver Heath, as well as getting top tips on keeping our ‘plant pets’ alive with author and content creator, Darryl Cheng and lastly, how to make indoor and small spaces a little more green with ‘The Balcony Gardener’, Isabelle Palmer. Follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and you can follow our guests @oliverheathdesign, Darryl from @houseplantjournal and Isabelle of @thebalconygardener – Thank you to the sponsors of the episode, to make use of all discount codes in the episode please head to Archive, Ruggable, Grass & Co and Glassette.  Production support from Astrid.

01-18
46:48

So, how do you… decorate a rental?

It can be really difficult to find a rental home that’s decorated to your taste, or a place with a landlord who’s happy to let you put your stamp on the place but there are things you can do to make your rental feel like your own.  In this episode, Laura chats to: Medina Grillo – the master of doing up a rental and approaching your landlord to get the greenlight on your plans; Jes Rose who founded Jes Rose Home - a company that makes non-permanent decorating vinyl that can transform your place without any damage and then Nina Tolstrup, the co-founder of Studio Mama to discuss furnishing your rental sustainably. For more tips and tricks, follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and for more inspiration if you’re renting, follow our wonderful guests on social: Medina at @grillodesigns, @jesrosevinyl and Nina from _studiomama. – Thank you to the sponsors of the episode, to make use of all discount codes in the episode please head to Archive, Ruggable, Grass & Co and Glassette. Production support from Astrid.

01-18
37:46

So, how do you… use Tadelakt?

If you’ve recently seen a wall that has a beautifully stony finish or a soft and curvy  element of architecture with a real depth to it, the chances are it’s Tadelakt. After Laura had her shower and bathroom finished in Tadelakt, it’s been a point of constant admiration which gets lots of questions so here are the answers! To help her delve deeper, Laura speaks to: Tadelakt applicator Dan Dixon-Spain to find out exactly what it is; Michaelis Boyd architect Sara Dowle to find out where it can be used in the home and why it’s so special and finally, Sarah-Louise Marks, founder of No.17 House, who has experimented with Tadelakt all over her home. To note, the photograph on the thumbnail for the episode is Laura’s Tadelakt Shower. Follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and our amazing guests from this episode: Dan from @theplastercollective, Sara from @michaelisboyd, and Sarah-Louise from @no.17house. – Thank you to the sponsors of the episode, to make use of all discount codes in the episode please head to Archive, Ruggable, Grass & Co and Glassette.  Production support from Astrid.

01-18
42:23

So, how do you… tile your home?

Whether you’re going for a minimalist or maximalist look, tiles are a sure fire way to add depth and interest to your space. But who knew they were so hard to fit, how many types there are to choose from?! Well, in this episode Laura gets all the answers by chatting to interior designer and tile lover, Alexandria Dauley, to find out what the different types of tiles are and how to determine the right ones for you. Then hear from content creator Lizzie Adam’s to hear how she’s used tiles throughout her home for a statement effect and to finish off, Laura gets the best DIY tiling tips from the wonder that is tiler, Ken Hudson.  For more tips and tricks, follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and our guests for even more tiling inspo and beyond: @alexandriadauley, Lizzie from @adamsfamilyreno and Ken from @hudstilingservices. – Thank you to the sponsors of the episode, to make use of all discount codes in the episode please head to Archive, Ruggable, Grass & Co and Glassette.  Production support from Astrid.

01-18
49:13

So, how do you… approach wallpaper?

Often, wallpapers are overlooked due to them being a riskier choice than paint - because it’s hard to you know if you’ll like the design in a few years time and it can be expensive to have put up but, Laura’s on a mission to give wallpapers the airtime it deserves! In this episode, Laura chats to: Laura Hunter who is the proud owner of incredible fully-wallpapered rooms to find out how she chooses wallpaper that won’t date; Interior Designer, Rachel Chudley, to explore the creative options we have with wallpaper in our homes and finally to the co-founder of Poodle and Blonde, Whinnie Williams, to find out how to hang wallpaper yourself if you’re feeling brave enough to take on the task!  For more tips and tricks, follow @sohowdoyou.podcast and to see incredible wallpaper in action, follow our guests on Instagram at @nofeaturewalls, @rachelchudley and @whinniewilliams from @poodleandblonde – Thank you to the sponsors of the episode, to make use of all discount codes in the episode please head to Archive, Ruggable, Grass & Co and Glassette.  Production support from Astrid.

01-18
44:47

Recommend Channels