Live Your Own Way - with Lucy Gleeson Interiors

I chat with Nicola Waller - Head of Furniture at John Lewis and Stuart McDonald - Herbert Parkinson as they reach a big birthday of 70 years manufacturing together here in the UK.

They tell me how how the teams will celebrate their momentous milestone.

Stuart gives the history of Herbert Parkinson and how the workplace has evolved since their partnership with John Lewis in 1953. All about the various skills within the workplace and Nicola explains why their products are unique to the high street. Also - does it make life easier for John Lewis having their soft furnishings made in the UK and why.

We talk about their own personal careers that have led them to work with John Lewis with some excellent advice for anyone wanting to become a craftsperson for somewhere like Herbert Parkinson or work on the business side in an esteemed company like Joh Lewis.

John Lewis have also made some environmental pledges on re-using, re-cycling and using even more sustainable textiles in the upcoming years so it’s good to hear what they are hoping to achieve.

As always, I ask about their own home and favoured styles.

Copyright: Lucy Gleeson Interiors Artwork: Karina Mansfield Music: Andy Henderson

Jane Rockett and Lucy St George founded their renowned homeware company over 15 years ago now. Their products have always been bursting with authenticity and uniqueness.

We discuss what inspired them to start Rockett St George, what were the first items they sold and how they developed a brand identity that has seen them move from strength to strength in the interiors world.

Some exciting news about new stores and the design thought process behind them.

We cover their books, wall paints ( and favourite colours ), where Jane goes to find inspiration for Rockett St George and how they work sustainably as a company. Also whether trends are important to them.

Jane and I discuss her home dating back to the 1500's and all of it's wonderful features being an old pub. She also tells me about Lucy's taste and decor.

Lots more chat and topics covered.

Podcast copyright: Lucy Gleeson Interiors

Artwork: Karina Mansfield

Music: Andy Henderson

An interesting and inspiring chat with multi award winning Melanie Lissack Interiors, a fellow home design blogger who is renowned for her unique DIY and hacks. Melanie is also a brilliant stylist and writer.

We discuss why she started her social media career after working in the music industry and the future of blogging. Is it still as important to curate posts and why?

I ask about her beautiful Georgian home, regularly featured in magazines and what will she be working on there next. Plus we talk about her love of creating flower scapes and why she loves getting up at 4 in the morning sometimes to start her days.

Copyright: Lucy Gleeson Interiors

Artwork: Karina Mansfield

Music: Andy Henderson

Great to chat with Co Founder Rob Abrahams of Coat Paints who along with fellow Founder Rob Green created their conscience led designer brand just 18 months ago. It is the first climate positive paint company on the planet! We discuss what this entails and how they keep to their word plus what drove their passion to start Coat Paints in the first instance. It was really interesting to delve in to paint VOC's and what they actually mean. A term that we hear often these days. Have we changed our colour choices in the last few years - are we influenced by the world around us? What are the staple hues that Rob sees as the most popular? I ask how they make their different formulas and which are suitable for usage in areas in our homes? With some fantastic collaborations under their belt already including Heals - how did they create the perfect palettes for the customers? Lots more about their latest paints and what's coming next for them as a business this year.

A really insightful chat with Richard Drew - discussing the psychology and inspiration behind some of the shows in Richard's career so far which started in 1988 and is the busiest is is has ever been as we almost enter 2022.

We focus on a few shows in particular including Ricky Gervais' After Life with some fascinating insight in to what inspired the colours and atmosphere for the intricate set and location design.

Just to mention a few programmes Richard has worked on to date ... Bergerac, One Foot in the Grave, Smith and Jones, Big Train, EastEnders, Crystal Maze, Smell of Reeves and Mortimer, Top of the Pops, Game on, Billionaire Boy, Rat Burger, Stath Lets Flats, Intelligence for Sky One and This Time with Alan Partridge.

Some great advice for anyone wanting to work in the creative area of television too.

Copyright: Lucy Gleeson

Artwork: Karina Mansfield

Music: Andy Henderson

Divine Savages create maximalist and wonderfully bold interiors and in just a short space of 4 years they have had great success with their wallpapers, textiles and home accessories. Their prints are timeless while encapturing eras and each time with a quirky twist.

I ask Jamie all about he and his husband Tom Kennedys' career changefrom the world of TV and fashion to starting Divine Savages, what inspires their cool collection names and all about the process of each range they come up with.

We are both in complete agreement on why a bathroom should be bold and brave in colour - and what spurred one of their first ever products being show stopping shower curtains.

Jamie gives some great advice about starting your own creative brand and we also discuss how their recent collaborations with National History Museum and Heals - real milestones for any brand.

Copyright: Lucy Gleeson Interiors

Music: Andy Henderson

Artwork: Karina Mansfield

I chat with Anita about why she started SketchUp Hub, a community learning space teaching SketchUp Canva and Photoshop Interior Design skills to create accurate plans, creative renders and mood boards.

We cover why learning these tools can be a game changer in the industry - how it differs from hand drawings and how addictive SketchUp becomes once you get going!

Lots of interior design discussion about favourite colour palettes, house plants and the challenges that we face in the industry.

We chat about Zac's career in and inspirations that led him to start his own practise over 20 years ago, sustainability and the future of architecture. Also discussed are some the amazing designs connecting nature with the interior of clients' homes on the show Inside Out Homes (Now airing on Amazon Prime).

A chat with Creative Director and Co Founder of Claybrook Studio Rob Whitaker.

I ask Rob about the inspiration behind their beautiful tile designs and eco conscious luscious paint colours.

We discuss their ethos and how they have become so big on the interior design scene in a relatively small amount of time.

Podcast Cover Artwork: Karina Mansfield.

Podcast Music and Production: Andy Henderson.

Live Your Own Way Copyright: Lucy Gleeson Interiors.

We discuss Studio Hardie, founded by William - a team of problem solving designer makers that specialise in a diverse variety of unusual high profile design projects including architecture, playgrounds, interiors, furniture, exhibition spaces and public art. What are they working on and how did they start up?

Over the years William has also developed some incredible designs on Channel 4's Amazing Spaces with George Clarke and visited some truly unique homes and places so we have a good chat about this. I also ask he picks a winner on Shed of the Year with such talent involved.

Podcast Cover Artwork: Karina Mansfield.

Podcast Music and Production: Andy Henderson.

Live Your Own Way Copyright: Lucy Gleeson Interiors.