Business of Home Podcast

Forerunner Ventures is one of the premier venture capital firms in Silicon Valley, having led major investments in companies like Glossier, Bonobos, Serena & Lily, Outdoor Voices and Warby Parker. Partner Nicole Johnson has been there since the very beginning, and now she’s leading a round for buzzy online design platform The Expert. On this episode of the podcast she chats with host Dennis Scully about ow venture capital works, what Forerunner is looking for in new companies, and why The Expert was the first interior design startup she said yes to.

This episode is sponsored by Thibaut and Hartmann & Forbes

LINKS
Forerunner Ventures
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Though Veranda has moved from Atlanta to New York then back to the south in Birmingham Alabama, the publication has never lost sight of its graceful take on traditional design. Steele Marcoux, the magazine’s editor in chief since 2018, is currently overseeing a redesign to celebrate Veranda’s 35th anniversary. On this episode of the podcast, she speaks with host Dennis Scully about the book’s unique audience, the challenge of getting designers to wait to be published, and why, in the midst of the digital media revolution, Veranda is betting on print.

This episode is sponsored by Thibaut and Hartmann & Forbes

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Veranda
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

In 1983, Holly Hunt took over a struggling showroom, and over the course of three decades transformed it into a powerhouse of the industry. After selling to Knoll for 95 million dollars in 2014, she stayed on for a while, but in 2020 Hunt finally left her namesake company. Now she’s back with a new venture, House of Hunt, a design and architecture firm. On this episode of the podcast, Hunt talks about what it’s like to be a designer after so many years running a showroom business, the competition between trade and retail brands, and how she feels about the industry’s shift towards transparency.

This episode is sponsored by Thibaut and Hartmann & Forbes

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House of Hunt
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

It’s hard to find a designer more celebrated than Kerry Joyce—his work has landed him on the cover of top shelter magazines and earned him a regular spot on industry who’s who lists—not to mention his Emmy for set decoration. Kerry also runs a bustling product business, which includes everything from furniture and lighting to award-winning textiles and rugs. On this episode of the podcast, he chats with host Dennis Scully about finding the balance between creative passion and business, why the furniture industry is in such a state of flux, and the secrets behind a successful fabric line.  

This episode is sponsored by Thibaut and Hartmann & Forbes

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Kerry Joyce
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

John and Christine Gachot are the husband-and-wife team behind the design studio that bears their name, Gachot Studios. The two first met while working together for iconic designer Bill Sofield in the late 1990s, but it took them a long time to start their own firm. First, Christine spent a decade with hotelier Andre Balazs, while John acted as design director for David Easton and then Thad Hayes. In 2012, the Gachots finally started working together, and their studio has been on a tear ever since, designing everything from magazine-ready homes; to the Shinola hotel in Detroit and the Pendry in New York; to a line of fixtures for Waterworks.

In this episode of the podcast, John and Christine speak with host Dennis Scully about taking on different kinds of work to stay creatively engaged, why they don’t charge markups on product, and their approach to thoughtfully growing—and keeping—a large design team.  

This episode is sponsored by The Shade Store and Crypton.

LINKS
Gachot Studios
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Shanna Tellerman, the CEO of e-design platform Modsy, has a background in tech. She worked at Autodesk and Google before the frustration of decorating her own home led her to an idea: why not use 3D rendering to power the design process and bring it to a wider audience? Seven years later, Modsy has raised more than seventy million dollars, employed hundreds of e-designers, and executed thousands of projects for clients all over the world. On this episode of the podcast, Tellerman speaks with host Dennis Scully about what artificial intelligence can and can’t do in design, how Modsy could work with high-end designers, and what the future holds for technology in the home industry. 

This episode is sponsored by The Shade Store and Crypton.

LINKS
Modsy
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

A rising star of Chicago’s design scene, Summer Thornton has won national acclaim for her bold, playful take on traditional style—her work has been featured extensively in top tier shelter magazines, and she’s on the verge of debuting her first book: Wonderland, Adventures in Decorating. On this episode of the podcast, she speaks with host Dennis Scully about her ‘five F’ system for vetting potential clients, what she’s hoping to get out of publishing a design book, and why she’s taking a careful approach towards growing her firm in a time of booming demand.

This episode is sponsored by The Shade Store and Crypton.

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Summer Thornton
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Natalie and Caleb Ebel are the husband-and-wife team behind direct-to-consumer paint brand Backdrop. The Ebels started Backdrop in 2018, inspired by a frustrating experience buying paint for their newborn’s nursery. In a few short years, they built a unique brand, driven by clever color names, stylish marketing, and surprising collaborations with the likes of Madewell and Dunkin’ Donuts. Last year, they made another surprising move, when the Ebels announced that Backdrop had been acquired by the parent company of fabric house Schumacher.  

On this episode of the podcast, the two speak with host Dennis Scully about what it means to start a company from first principles, what millennial consumers want, and why a 100-year-old trade brand was the perfect partner for a buzzy startup.

This episode is sponsored by The Shade Store and Crypton.

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Backdrop
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Amanda Hesser—CEO of kitchen-oriented content-meets-commerce brand Food52—and Sara Fritsch—president of Portland-based manufacturer Schoolhouse—have been on The Business of Home Podcast before, but never as partners. Following the news that Food52 had bought Schoolhouse in a deal valued at $48 million, they return to the show to discuss what goes on behind the scenes in a high-stakes, high value acquisition and why they believe the pandemic has permanently elevated the value of home. 

This podcast is sponsored by High Point Market and Modern Matter

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Food52
Schoolhouse
Dennis Scully 
Business of Home

The last time Stephane Silverman—founder of the fabric brand Castel and the president of the Decorative Furnishings Association—was on the podcast, he delivered a masterclass on why fabric costs what it does. This time around he shares a breakdown of the trade industry as it is today, ranging from rising competition from retail brands to the endless complications of doing business online. 

Stephane tells host Dennis Scully why inflation might have some surprising positive effects in fabric, whether interior designers are technically retail businesses, and why he thinks now is finally the time for the industry to come together and embrace transparent pricing.    

This podcast is sponsored by High Point Market and Modern Matter

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Castel
Dennis Scully 
Business of Home

As a young man, John Pomp fell in love with glassblowing. What started as an obsession soon became a thriving business, one that eventually grew to include handmade lighting and furniture. A maker, through and through, at every step of the way Pomp has pushed to control and perfect everything his company does—whether that’s manufacturing its own nuts and bolts in-house, or building a skateboarding ramp for his kids onto the floor of his Philadelphia workshop.

On this episode of the podcast, Pomp speaks with host Dennis Scully about why makers need to own their own real estate, the delicate balance between scaling a business and staying creative, and why everything he does comes down to a quest for self reliance.

This podcast is sponsored by High Point Market and Modern Matter

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John Pomp
Dennis Scully 
Business of Home

Alex Willcock and Felix Conran are the father-and-son team behind the direct-to-consumer furniture brand Maker & Son. Founded in the UK in 2018, the company has grown quickly with an unorthodox approach. Its core product is a pillowy sofa that retails for over $10,000, and rather than brick-and-mortar showrooms, Maker & Son relies on a fleet of decorated vans that will visit potential customers in person. On this episode of the podcast, Willcox and Conran chat with host Dennis Scully about whether sustainability and the value of craftsmanship are finally connecting with consumers, their unique approach to marketing, and how they’re using a surprisingly sophisticated tech operation to make data driven decisions in an old-school industry.

This podcast is sponsored by High Point Market and Modern Matter

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Maker & Son
Dennis Scully 
Business of Home

A successful actress and screenwriter for decades, Meridith Baer got into staging by chance. In the late 1990s, one of her friends needed help with a home that was languishing on the market. Baer helped decorate it, the house sold in a matter of days, and a business was born. Today her eponymous company dominates the industry, staging thousands of homes all over the country every year. On this episode of the podcast, Baer speaks with host Dennis Scully about what the housing market looks like from her perspective, whether midcentury modern style will ever go out of fashion, and why buzzy technology like augmented and virtual reality can only do so much when it comes to selling a home.

This episode is sponsored by Juniper Market

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Meridith Baer
Dennis Scully 
Business of Home

If you’ve opened up a design magazine in the past decade, you’re familiar with Douglas Friedman's work. As one of the premier interior and architecture photographers of his generation, he’s worked with everyone from Steven Gambrel to Bridget Romanek to Ken Fulk—to say nothing of the portraits he’s shot, ranging from Hilary Rodham Clinton to Faye Dunaway. On this episode of the podcast, Douglas chats with host Dennis Scully about the challenges of photography in a digital age, how the shifting economics of magazine publishing can create opportunities for designers, and why a great photograph can sometimes come down to moving a single flower in a vase.

This episode is sponsored by Juniper Market

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Douglas Friedman
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Two years ago, designer Orlando Soria was riding high, with a hit book, buzzy brand partnerships and a new show on HGTV. In 2020, it all came crashing down in a series of unfortunate events that he’s been chronicling online. On this episode of the podcast Soria shares with host Dennis Scully a rare inside look at how design TV really works, and highlights the perilous nature of the influencer economy. Topics covered include the long hours, tough working conditions and low pay that go into making an HGTV show, the pressure to be positive on social media, and why being an influencer is a lot less glamorous than it might seem. 

This episode is sponsored by Juniper Market. 

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Orland Soria
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Grant Trick’s custom upholstery workshop is a little off the beaten path: He operates in Irondale, Alabama, just outside Birmingham. But that hasn’t stopped him from becoming a secret source for designers around the country, who come to Grant for his impeccable technique and fine-tuned appreciation for the tailoring that goes into a custom piece. On this episode of the podcast, he speaks with host Dennis Scully about how the lead time crisis has actually helped his business, not hurt it; what he’s learned from launching his own line; and why custom furniture is more important to designers than ever.  

This episode is sponsored by Juniper Market. 

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Grant Trick
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Suzanne Tucker earned her stripes working first for Peter Hood in London, then for iconic California designer Michael Taylor. Now she leads Tucker & Marks, one of the west coast’s most prestigious firms. On this episode of the podcast, she tells Dennis Scully some incredible tales from her storied career, shares the secret to working well with architects, and explained how clients have (and haven’t) changed over the years.

This episode is sponsored by Juniper Market. 

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Business of Home’s editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen and executive editor Fred Nicolaus have spent the past 12 months reporting on the highs and lows of an unprecedented time in the design industry. On this episode of the podcast they join host Dennis Scully to take stock of an eventful year, discussing everything from how long the home boom is going to last, what long-term effects out-of-control lead times and rising inflation will have, and what lies ahead in the new year. 

This episode is sponsored by The Bruno Effect and Coppersmith. 

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Kaitlin Petersen
Fred Nicolaus
Dennis Scully 
Business of Home

Eric Chang started his company—high-end furniture brand Hellman-Chang—in 2005 with his childhood friend Daniel Hellman. At first, it was a hobby, but the two of them quickly rose to prominence with a signature look and a bold, buzzy marketing campaign. In addition to running a thriving brand, Eric is also a former president of the Decorative Furnishings Association, where he had a front-row seat to the challenges and opportunities of an industry in transition. In this episode of the podcast, he speaks with host Dennis Scully about why Hellman-Chang moved from Brooklyn to Georgia, the surprising reason why he loves RH, and why a lack of transparency has stunted the industry’s growth—and what we can do about it.

This episode is sponsored by The Bruno Effect and Coppersmith. 

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Eric Chang
Hellman-Chang
Dennis Scully 
Business of Home
 

The last two years have been a rollercoaster for Alex Shuford. His company—Rock House Farm, a group of furniture brands ranging from Century to Highland House to Hickory Chair—went from losing eighty percent of its business at the outbreak of COVID to a boom that has seen it struggle to keep up with demand. At the moment, catching up with his own backorders is the biggest thing on Shuford’s plate, but he also has his finger on the pulse of the broader furniture industry too. In this episode of the podcast, Shuford chats with host Dennis Scully about when we can expect the lead time crisis to finally calm down, whether the pandemic will cure the industry’s addiction to new product, and why interior designers will determine who wins the war for the future of furniture. 

This episode is sponsored by The Bruno Effect and Coppersmith. 

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Rock House Farm 
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Founded in 1880, Glen Raven has a deep history manufacturing fabrics of all kinds. In the 1960s it began producing a waterproof textile used for awnings under the Sunbrella brand. Over time, what was outside came in—no company has been more associated with the rise of performance fabrics than Sunbrella.

On this episode of the podcast, CEO Leib Oehmig chats with host Dennis Scully about the madness of the moment—his company’s products have never been more in demand, but it’s never been harder to make enough of them. He also shared an inside look at how performance fabrics are made, and explained why designers are key to Sunbrella’s future.   

This episode is sponsored by The Bruno Effect and Coppersmith. 

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Glen Raven
Sunbrella
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Bob King founded Humanscale in the early 1980s, just as personal computers were becoming common in the office, and workers had no idea how to sit properly to use them. Now his company, which today supplies chairs to corporations like Apple and Google, finds itself at another pivot point, as millions of Americans look for ways to make working from home work for them. On this episode of the podcast, King speaks with host Dennis Scully about what makes for a good home office, the challenge of making a good-looking ergonomic chair, and what designers can do to push for real sustainability from their manufacturers. 

This episode is sponsored by Ben Soleimani and SideDoor

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Humanscale 
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

With a bustling interior design business, a popular Dallas showroom, and a product line sold all over the country, Jan Showers wears many hats. She’s also a champion of the Texas design scene—this year she co-chaired the second annual Kips Bay Showhouse in Dallas, which just wrapped last month. Recently Showers made a big decision—to pull her line out of showrooms and go direct to designers. On this episode of the show, she talks with host Dennis Scully about what that change says about the industry, why Texas is a first-tier market now, and how she learned never to try and sell something she doesn’t love herself.  

This episode is sponsored by Ben Soleimani and SideDoor

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Jan Showers
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Interior designer Katie Ridder and architect Peter Pennoyer make for unique partners—they’re married, and they do occasionally collaborate, but the two have forged impressive independent careers in their own right. Peter’s firm, a regular on the AD100 list, is one of the most respected traditional architectural practices in the country, while Katie, renowned for her keen eye and vibrant colors, has seen her work grace the covers of top shelter magazines for two decades. On this episode of the podcast, they speak with host Dennis Scully about how they get clients to make the right choices, why technology in design can be a double-edged sword, and how architects and designers can work together for the good of the project.  

This episode is sponsored by Ben Soleimani and SideDoor

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Katie Ridder
Peter Pennoyer
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Robert and Cortney Novogratz are the husband-and-wife design duo collectively known as ‘The Novogratz.’ In the 1990s the two bought a condemned townhouse in Manhattan and renovated it themselves. That kicked off a journey that has seen the two try their hand at everything from high-end house flipping; to hotel design; to starring in a reality TV show with their seven children. On this episode of the podcast, Robert and Cortney speak to host Dennis Scully about why building a home brand is so challenging, how they brought a casual, whimsical approach to high-end design, and how their hands-on, try-anything approach has helped them break down barriers in the industry.

This episode is sponsored by Ben Soleimani and SideDoor

Twice a year, thousands of designers, manufacturers and retail buyers flock to a small city in North Carolina for the biggest furniture trade show in the world. It's High Point Market, and this year's fall edition just wrapped up. To discuss what happened at High Point, this week Business of Home's editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen and retail columnist Warren Shoulberg joined host Dennis Scully on the podcast. They spoke about the mood on the street in North Carolina, how the industry is continuing to grapple with supply chain issues, and why, even in the Zoom era, in-person events will carry on.

This episode is sponsored by The Bruno Effect and Ben Soleimani

LINKS
Kaitlin Petersen
Kaitlin's podcast Trade Tales
Warren Shoulberg
Warren’s podcast Retail Watch
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Garry Martin, founder of The Martin Group multiline showroom, is a veteran of the industry and the longest-lasting tenant of the Boston Design Center. Over the course of three decades he’s brought dozens of the trade’s finest makers and brands to New England. He’s seen the industry at its highs and lows, and has a keen sense of where things are headed.  On this episode of the podcast, he speaks with host Dennis Scully about how he bounced back from losing his biggest line, the challenges of bringing the trade online, and why showrooms everywhere are leaving design centers.  

This episode is sponsored by The Bruno Effect and Ben Soleimani

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The Martin Group
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Thomas Lavin—founder of the Los Angeles multiline showroom that bears his name—got his start working in another showroom, Kneedler Fauchere, where he honed his aesthetic and developed a keen instinct for sales. In 2000 he went out on his own, and over the past two decades has built a thriving business representing some of the finest brands in the industry. In this episode of the podcast, Lavin talks with host Dennis Scully about the pressures on the multiline model, how he’s teaching the next generation of designers to sell to their clients, and whether industry pricing should be more transparent.

This episode is sponsored by The Bruno Effect and Ben Soleimani 

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Bew White started Summer Classics in the late 70s, almost by chance. After coming across a tag in a shop with the words “Summer Classics' ' written on it, the phrase struck a chord, and he dreamt up a company. Today, along with its sister indoor brand Gabby and growing accessories line Wendy Jane, Summer Classics has become a powerhouse of the industry. The story of the company’s growth is full of ups, downs, twists and turns—it’s a journey White recounts in a memoir he published this summer.

In the latest episode of the podcast, he discusses some incredible tales from his book. He also explains why the industry’s lead time crisis isn’t over yet, how RH was able to get so big so fast, and why pivoting to working with designers helped save Summer Classics from the great recession. 

This episode is sponsored by The Bruno Effect and Ben Soleimani 

LINKS
Bew White's memoir "A Summer Classic"
Summer Classics
Gabby
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Brian McCarthy began his career with a bang—right out of design school he was hired on at the legendary firm Parish Hadley, where he worked alongside future luminaries of the profession like Bunny Williams and David Kleinberg. When he left in 1992, it was the beginning of a sparkling solo career: McCarthy’s inspired interiors have won him a spot on the Elle Decor A-List and the AD100, and in 2020 he received the Albert Hadley Lifetime Achievement award from the New York School of Interior Design—an accolade fittingly named for his first mentor.  In this episode of the podcast, he speaks with host Dennis Scully about what it was like to start his career at the best firm in the world, how he vets clients, and the secret to building a great design team. 

This episode is sponsored by Crypton Home Fabrics and Hooker Furniture. 

LINKS

Brian McCarthy
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

A celebrated interior designer whose work has graced the cover of countless shelter publications, Victoria Hagan, who is often described as the reigning queen of restrained elegance, is one of the defining talents of her generation. On this episode of podcast, she speaks with host Dennis Scully about what she’s learned from working on projects during COVID, why the business is getting faster, and the no-nonsense advice she gives people who are considering a career in design.

This episode is sponsored by Crypton Home Fabrics and Hooker Furniture. 

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Victoria Hagan
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Editorial coverage of design wasn’t always meant for the masses—that is, until reporters like Suzanne Slesin started writing about it. Beginning in the late 1970’s, Slesin helped usher in a new era at publications like New York Magazine and the New York Times home section, where she wrote some of the first service pieces and examined the greater cultural impact of interiors. From the top seat at popular titles like HomeStyle and House & Garden and most recently as publisher and founder of Pointed Leaf Press, she’s watched the rise and fall of influential design movements with a keen eye and a front-row seat. 

This episode is sponsored by Crypton Home Fabrics and Hooker Furniture. 

LINKS

Pointed Leaf Press
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

A little more than a decade ago, the world of digital printing was a different place, dominated by manufacturers and largely devoid of artists and designers. In 2007, Mariam Naficy set out to change that, founding Minted as a stationery company that would use emerging tech to promote the work of independent artists and designers. Nearly 15 years later, the company continues to stay ahead of the curve through its crowdsourced design competitions—giving consumers a hand in what’s sold on the site while simultaneously offering an early glimpse into rising trends.

This episode is sponsored by Crypton Home Fabrics and Hooker Furniture. 

LINKS
Minted
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

John Danzer, the founder of exterior furniture brand Munder Skiles, has always approached his work with an academic rigor—he spent years researching and lecturing on the history of garden furniture before making a single piece. Now, he produces a full collection, and does his own outdoor design work for clients on the side. On this episode of the podcast, Danzer speaks with host Dennis Scully about the surprising history of teak, taking design inspiration from Thomas Jefferson, and the speech that made him drop everything, switch careers and follow his passion.  

This episode is sponsored by SideDoor and Moore & Giles. 

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Munder Skiles
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Tom Kligerman is a co-founder of the award-winning architectural firm Ike Kligerman Barkley. His work, often on shingle style homes, has been featured in countless publications—including a 26 year run on Architectural Digest’s AD100 list. On this episode of show, he speaks with host Dennis Scully about the pros and cons of being known for a particular design style, how he experiments with client presentations, and how even prestigious architects land clients on Instagram.

This episode is sponsored by SideDoor and Moore & Giles Leather.

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Tom Kligerman
Ike Kligerman Barkley
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Jay and Schuylar Sweet are the father and son duo at the helm of Boyd Lighting. Their story begins a century ago when Jay’s grandfather founded the business after witnessing one of the earliest commercial lighting expositions. Boyd began as a custom lighting business working with architects in the SF Bay Area. The company has evolved as Jay suggested moving into a product line operation. And now Skylar’s startup sensibilities are coming to the fore. On this episode of the podcast, host Dennis Scully spoke with Jay and Schuylar about the moves that put their company on the map, how they got smart about designer collaborations, and what it means to lead a century old company into the next 100 years.   

This podcast is sponsored by SideDoor and Moore & Giles

LINKS
Boyd Lighting
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Timur Yumusaklar joined F. Schumacher and Co. in 2015, when the company still consisted of its heritage fabric and rug brands. He quickly set to work bringing the 131-year-old business up to date, developing the designer membership community Freddie, acquiring Los Angeles–based paint brand Backdrop and transforming the company’s newspaper into the glossy Frederic. In this episode of the podcast, Yumusaklar tells host Dennis Scully about his efforts to usher Schumacher—and the industry at large—into a brighter future.   

This episode is sponsored by Moore & Giles and SideDoor

Though David Kleinberg came from humble beginnings in suburban Long Island, an early interest in interiors and a chance encounter with decorators Robert Denning and Vincent Fourcade soon sent him on a journey alongside the most influential names in the New York interior design world. Kleinberg went on to work for renowned designers Albert Hadley and Sister Parish, spending 16 years at the pair’s firm before departing to build an institution of his own. Since founding David Kleinberg Design Associates in 1997, he’s used his insider knowledge of the industry as a foundation for a business that’s willing to adapt to changing client behavior.

This episode is sponsored by The House of Rohl and the Future of Home conference. 

LINKS
David Kleinberg
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

When Paige Cleveland, Brook Perdigon and Alexis Hartman began meeting for coffee in the early days of the pandemic, they didn’t realize that their casual conversations would evolve into a new model for navigating the industry. The trio of textile designers are putting their ideas to the test with the California Collective—a unique partnership in which they pool business expertise and resources to sell directly to designers in their home state. In this episode of the podcast, the group tells host Dennis Scully about pulling their products out of California showrooms, their early experiences with the new model, and how a more transparent industry could be best-suited to evolving client expectations. 

This episode was sponsored by The House of Rohl and The Future of Home conference.

LINKS
Brook Perdigon
Rule of Three
Lake August
California Collective
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

1stDibs has come a long way from its origins as an online marketplace for antique dealers—the platform now offers everything from jewelry to art to contemporary design. In recent years, the company also shifted business models to a direct e-commerce approach. That change may have ruffled a few feathers, but it set the stage for 1stDibs to go public, another big step in scaling up. On this episode of the podcast, 1stDibs CEO David Rosenblatt speaks with host Dennis Scully about the new visibility that came with last month’s IPO, why the industry’s future is online—and what that means for designers and the way they charge.

This episode is sponsored by The House of Rohl and the Future of Home conference.

LINKS
1stdibs
1stdibs files to go public
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Marc Szafran is the president of Holly Hunt. Szafran took on the role in a strange moment—just weeks before the pandemic turned the world on its head. Now, as life returns to normal, he’s steering the iconic company through a busy time, with a massive new showroom in LA, and a big push on e-commerce in the works. On this episode of the show, Szafran tells host Dennis Scully about his past experience running business operations for Thom Filicia and Michael S. Smith, why Holly Hunt won’t be exploring retail, and what it’s like to take over for a legend of the industry.

This episode is sponsored by House of Rohl and Future of Home

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Holly Hunt
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Jiun Ho's life story has been an incredible journey—one that took him all the way from Kuala Lumpur to Ames Iowa. Today he oversees a thriving interior design business in San Francisco, as well as a line of furniture, lighting and textiles carried in top showrooms around the world—including a few of his own. On this episode of the podcast he speaks with host Dennis Scully about how he learned to stop listening to the market and trust his own vision, what’s got to change about multiline showrooms, and how he earned the nickname “Mr. Overachiever.”

This episode is sponsored by Atlanta Market and House of Rohl.

LINKS
Jiun Ho
Jiun Ho: Experience (Pointed Leaf Press)
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

www.businessofhome.comA veteran of the trade and a master of her craft, Janice Parker has crafted exquisite landscapes for countless high-profile residential projects and won dozens of awards for her work. If you flip open a glossy design magazine and see beautiful rolling lawns, charming stone paths and a colorful garden, there’s a good chance she had something to do with it. On this episode of the podcast, Parker speaks with host Dennis Scully about the red hot market for exotic trees, how climate change is directly affecting her work, and whether our pandemic-inspired obsession with outdoor living will last. 

This episode is sponsored by Atlanta Market and The House of Rohl

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Janice Parker
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Founded in 2011, the Black Interior Designers Network provides support, mentorship and advocacy for black designers in the industry. In this episode of the podcast host Dennis Scully speaks to BIDN president Keia McSwain, an interior designer based out of Denver, Colorado; and BIDN chief development officer Kia Weatherspoon, whose Washington, D.C. firm Determined by Design brings a high-end aesthetic to affordable housing projects.

They discuss what has and hasn’t changed since the racial reckoning of last summer, bringing beautiful design to every income bracket, and pushing for progress in an industry that’s slow to change.  

This episode was sponsored by Atlanta Market and The House of Rohl.

LINKS
BIDN
Keia McSwain
Kia Weatherspoon
The Iconic Home
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

A unique challenge of the digital age: As more and more product is sold online, it’s easier and easier for designers' clients to shop around, cutting them out of the equation. Entrepreneurs Lynsey Humphrey and Chad Smith want to fight back against that with an online platform called Sidedoor. In the process, they're looking to help old school trade brands compete in a new era.  

In this episode of the podcast, Humphrey and Smith speak to host Dennis Scully about the enormous task of gathering data, why they don’t do returns, and the stark choices facing the design industry as the world goes online. 

This episode is sponsored by Atlanta Market and Rohl

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Sidedoor
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Justina Blakeney is a designer, author, artist, and creator of Jungalow—a lifestyle brand that celebrates bright colors, lively patterns, and indoor greenery in abundance. Jungalow’s success has catapulted Justina to design-world fame, leading to licensing partnerships with everyone from Loloi Rugs and Fabricut to Target and Anthropologie—not to mention a handful of bestselling books. In this episode of the podcast she chats with host Dennis Scully about harnessing the incredible power of social media, the difference between being an artist and a designer, and how a winding career path took her to just the right place.

This episode is sponsored by Crypton and Room & Board.

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Justina Blakeney
Jungalow
Dennis Scully 
Business of Home

A hundred-year-old company with plenty of heritage under its belt, Poltrona Frau took English furniture and gave it an Italian twist. Now the company is a European institution, known for its fine leatherwork—and for supplying interiors to Italy’s iconic sports car makers like Ferrari and Maserati. Over here in the states, Poltrona Frau is a little less well-known, but CEO Nicola Coropulis wants to change that.  

On this episode of the podcast he tells host Dennis Scully about how his company is tapping into a growing appetite for interior design in China, the mistake it made when it first came to America, and what it’s like to look at the market with Italian glasses on.  

This episode is sponsored by Crypton and Room & Board

LINKS
Poltrona Frau
The Vanity Fair chair
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

Originally founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1948 by potter Edith Heath, over the course of fifty years Heath became an iconic dinnerware and tile brand. By the late nineties, Heath had fallen on hard times—but in 2003 the married couple of Robin Petravic and Cathy Bailey purchased the company and turned its fortunes around. 

In this episode of the podcast, Dennis Scully speaks to Petravic about the goal of building an organization that can last 200 years, how the power of storytelling saved the company, and why, in the midst of a pandemic slowdown, Heath gave employees a raise.

This episode is sponsored by Room & Board and Crypton

LINKS
Heath's ESOP program
Heath's pursuit of Zero-waste manufacturing
Business of Home

Suzanne Tucker earned her stripes working first for Peter Hood in London, then for iconic California designer Michael Taylor. Now she leads Tucker & Marks, one of the west coast’s most prestigious firms. On this episode of the podcast, she tells Dennis Scully some incredible tales from her storied career, shares the secret to working well with architects, and explained how clients have (and haven’t) changed over the years.

This episode is sponsored by Room & Board and Crypton.

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Gary Wheeler is the CEO of the American Society of Interior Designers, or, as it’s more commonly known, the ASID. A professional membership organization for both commercial and residential designers, the ASID is almost 100 years old, but Wheeler has been in the top spot for less than 12 months. With a global pandemic to contend with, and racial inequality at the forefront, he’s had a busy start to his tenure. 

On this episode of the podcast, Wheeler speaks with host Dennis Scully about why he wants to end the squabbling between commercial and residential designers, the danger of interior design being taxed as a luxury, and why now is the right time to invite everyone to the table.  

This episode was sponsored by Serena & Lily and Artistic Tile

LINKS
ASID
Dennis Scully
Business of Home