House Guest by Country & Town House | Interior Designer Interviews (Country and Town House)

‘I loved houses – I watched all the programmes and bought all the magazines’, says Alex Dauley. As a young mother of two with a part-time job, she hadn’t considered pursuing a career in interiors until her husband persuaded her to find a course and follow her passion. Her studio is now ten years old; amongst a host of current clients, including a project for Capitol Records, she is designing the first ever media room at WOW House, entitled Date Night – a sumptuous, grown-up room that perfectly suits her 'introvert, extrovert’ (Alex’s words) personality.

Today’s House Guest is Randle Siddeley, the Lord Kenilworth, who set up his eponymous landscape business 48 years ago. Recognised globally for innovative and beautiful projects, he has worked on magnificent estates and hotel projects both in the UK and abroad. Randle’s father was a well known interior designer and it was expected he would follow in his footsteps. But Randle didn’t do well at school; he was dyslexic, and found solace and excitement outside the house rather than indoors. We chat about life and nature, and he is a fount of knowledge. ‘The most important thing I always say is: judge your garden by how it looks in winter,' he states. 'This is when you can tell you have a good structured garden. The most important element is the backdrop, ideally evergreen, because whatever you have in the foreground needs that backdrop… it’s like a stage.' Tune in for more, plus a special appearance by Diego the beagle.

It all started when Cal went to an auction in Scotland intending to bid for a two-bed flat in Glasgow and instead came away with a crumbled old wreck in the run-down area of Jameswood. Claire, his girlfriend and partner, is my House Guest this week. She recounts the last four years of their lives, from the ‘colander’ ceiling and the structural engineer who advised them to knock the house down to the joys and surprises of DIY renovation. Their Instagram account @whathavewedunoon sets out their extraordinary renovation journey and how it has transformed their lives and opened up a whole new world of friendship and community. A wonderful uplifting tale of our times. This episode is sponsored by Naturalmat. naturalmat.co.uk

Welcome to episode 151 of the House Guest podcast, where Country & Town House Magazine's Interiors Editor Carole Annett chats with experts from the world of interior design and decoration. This week’s guest is rug designer Deirdre Dyson. First and foremost an artist, Deirdre nearly had her career stalled by a headmistress who told her: ‘You cant make a living out of art’. Hence she left school without the necessary qualifications and worked as a secretary while compiling a portfolio. She talked herself into a place at Byam Shaw fine art school by doing shorthand for the head in the afternoons. By the second year she had a scholarship and also met her designer husband, James. Tune in to hear more about how she enjoys the restriction rug design imposes on her art,  spending lockdown on a boat in Guadaloupe and why Paris is a special place.

This week's House Guest is Clint Nagata, founder and creative partner of the award-winning BLINK Design Group. He chats to Carole Annett about his passion for travel and the origins of his latest project: Six Senses Loire Valley.

Welcome to episode 159 of the House Guest podcast, where Country & Town House Magazine's Interiors Editor Carole Annett chats with experts from the world of interior design and decoration. My House Guests this week are Lucinda Chambers and Serena Hood of Collagerie. 'The most beautiful shopping experience you can have', Collagerie offers an innovative online shopping experience, characterised with carefully curated stories. Created by former editors of Vogue, Lucinda Chambers and Serena Hood, Collagerie celebrates shopping at every price point. From fashion to beauty to lifestyle, they delight and inspire, finding you the one thing over everything. Here, they chat about their inspirations behind Collagerie, their experience of setting up a business together and their plans for the future. Tune in for more. Check out their website and Instagram. 

My House Guest today is Karen Barlow of The Old Potato Store, which specialises in sourcing decorative antique and vintage furniture and accessories that make a space feel individual and personal. We chat about the best hunting ground - which fairs and boot sales are best for sourcing, what to look for and also how to photograph and style your finds if you want to sell them on.

Sustainability is at the forefront of her business - but, as a designer, aesthetics are everything. ‘If something is useful and beautiful, I believe that it can be reused or repurposed,’ she says. Inspired by salvage designers such as Retrouvius, she and her husband renovated their home using mainly reclaimed and vintage finds.

The Old Potato Store is located in a former Victorian, stone floored building in Manchester. It was previously owned by the local Allotment Society from 1901. Tune in for more.

India Hicks is this week’s very special House Guest. A model, businesswoman and humanitarian, India is the third child of Lady Pamela Mountbatten and David Hicks – her mother served as lady in waiting to the queen and her father was a much-celebrated interior designer. We chat about family life on Harbour Island, her five children (she has two sons of 26, but they aren’t twins) and why Mick Jagger named her pet parrot Jenga. India is about to launch a new range of bedlinen for Heirlooms which features her mantra: 'Live an extraordinary life'.

My House Guests this week are James Arkoulis and Saskia Howard of Howark Design. Launched five years ago and based in Chiswick, Howark Design creates characterful and timeless interiors with an emphasis  on  practical and charming design. The focus of our chat is rugs - what to buy, how to choose, what colours work best and how to use in an interior setting. “Having a very saturated rug (with colour) in a space can be draining,”says Saskia, “and scale is important.” They suggest buying rugs early on in a project, “it’s an investment,”says James, “buy well and it will give joy for years to come.”Howark Design has a small rug collaboration with Holmes Bespoke. Tune in for more.

I am in awe of people who follow a dream and Karl O’Hanlon did just that after leaving London and a secure job to head to France to a place he and his wife Anita had always loved - the Languedoc. His dream was to venture into the hospitality industry and after an initial false start, in 2008, Domaine & Demeure was born - three beautiful wine estates brought back to life with a discerning eye and a passion for design.

I visited Karl at his latest venture - Chateau just outside Narbonne a small hotel and wine estate with 44 villas (mostly now privately owned) available for rental. Staying here you get the charm and authenticity of a working wine estate, and the style, service and laid-back ambience of a private club. It’s fascinating to hear how it all came together. ‘For us it was important that the whole estate is integrated into the environment and that we contribute to its ongoing development”, says Karl. That means creating a landscape without using chemical or irrigation (Languedoc is renowned for its dry countryside which gives the wine its minerality). One of the commitments to the local community was that they wd not use irrigation hence he engaged award-winning garden designer James Basson and plantsman and botanist Olivier Filippi, ‘a legendary figure when it comes to ‘dry gardening’” explains Karl. Karl designed the interiors of the villas using polished concrete (often used in wine estates) and colours of the landscape. One of my favourite features, his idea for using olive trees instead of sun umbrellas by the pool - ’so much nicer reading under the shade of a tree,’ he says. Tune in for more

This week, Carole Annett sits down with Zoë de Givenchy, a Melbourne-born homeware entrepreneur, to chat about Zoë's stunning lifestyle brand, Z.d.G. Sponsored by Naturalmat.

This week we are revisiting an old favourite: an interview with garden designer Richard Miers before last year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show. He ended up with the People's Choice award for his Love Garden. Tune in to hear all about how to design a garden fit for the famous Flower Show.

My House Guests this week are Skye Gyngell and David Rowley, who between them oversee food and farm at Heckfield Place in Hampshire. "When a restaurant has a real relationship with a farm, it's both of our work on the plate.' explains Skye, who rose to fame via the food pages of Vogue and the Michelin-star Petersham Nurseries before launching Spring restaurant at Somerset House. The ethos of food at Heckfield starts with the soil and follows the principles of biodynamic farming. David explains how understanding the movements of the sun and moon and seeding at favourable times results in fruit and vegetables that taste as Mother Nature intended. Tune in for more and to hear about Heckfield's monthly produce sales (starting this month) where you can visit the gardens and buy pickles, jams, cordial, flowers and home made bread - a wonderful day out and a taste of Heckfield (visit heckfieldhomefarm.com for details).

This week, Carole Annett sits down with Saffron Aldridge and Scarlett Supple of Alridge and Supple – a small, dynamic studio spanning decorating, interiors, sourcing and product design. They chat about the origins of the brand, give us a sneak peek into upcoming projects, and talk through their incredible restoration of a historic property on a Hebridean island. Sponsored by ABI Interiors.

'Over time I realised how important beauty is as part of the home', says John Sims Hilditch of Neptune. ‘I think it is something that elevates the spirit’. Launched in 1996 with friend and business partner Giles Redman, Neptune has grown into one of the UK's best-loved lifestyle brands. Tune in to hear how John went from a military career to designing a hammock which sold rather better than expected, and sowed the seed for something rather special.

This week, we're revisiting our chat with Emma Sims Hilditch, an interior designer who grew up in a creative home where her mother loved to follow decorating trends, from 70s swirls to 80s swags. Emma inherited her mother’s creative gene, but, ‘I wouldn’t follow a trend,’ she says, ‘because if you’re not careful trends move on and then you’re stuck’. As well as discussing her book, 'The Evolution of Home,' with Giles Kime – a fascinating dive into how English country house style has changed – she offers tips on how to bring atmosphere into a house (you need a multi-faceted approach) and why the dining room is back in fashion but not in its traditional guise. Tune in for more.

This week's, Carole Annett chats to Ippolita Rostagno, a jewellery designer and the co-founder of Artemest, an online gallery for Italian craft. Ippolita travels throughout Italy seeking out artisans bringing visibility to both ancient and contemporary arts. Tune in for more! Sponsored by ABI Interiors.

‘Design is much more than just things, it’s about the memories you create,’ says Jacu Strauss, creative director and designer for Lore Group hotels including the highly acclaimed 100 Shoreditch in London and Pulitzer Amsterdam.

After growing up in the Kalahari desert, where he spent hours building castles out of sand, Jacu headed for London aged 18. After working in a bank (to keep himself afloat), and studying architecture, he found work with Tom Dixon. He then embarked on the interiors of Sea Containers house, which brought him to the attention of Lore Group hotels – a career-changing moment which has allowed him total creative freedom in his new ventures. Tune in for more.

This episode is sponsored by Naturalmat. naturalmat.co.uk

My House Guest this week is Guy Oliver, managing director and principal designer at Oliver Laws. We natter about designing luxury hotels as two of Guy’s long-term projects are Dublin’s The Shelbourne and London’s Connaught hotels. Guy joined Oliver Laws after finishing his commission as a Royal Naval Officer and credits the training with being able to work with demanding clients including first boss, David Laws. ‘I was used to dealing with eccentric characters,’ he says, ‘they were no more challenging than the average Admiral, captain, or even my parents’. His work often involves historic or listed buildings and interiors - ‘Finding the subtle interplay between authenticity and taste is the very essence of what we do and are known for’. Tune in for more.

The two creative dynamos, Annie Selke (chief vision officer and founder of Annie Selke the Massachusetts-based go-to for colourful rugs and bedding) and Kit Kemp, founder of Firmdale Hotels and Kit Kemp design studio who together have launched a new collection of lifestyle designs based on three favourite destinations, London, New York and Barbados.  Having never met, the two were introduced when Annie was asked who she would most like to collaborate with ‘I immediately said Kit Kemp as I am a big fan of her hotels although we’d never met. It happened over Zoom and ‘we spoke the same language,’ she laughs. The collection includes rugs, pillows and bedding in natural jute and wool and also PET (made from plastics), ‘I was a bit sniffy at first about recycled material but it’s fantastic,’ says Kit. Designs include Jellyroll, Lily Pad, Eternal Spring and Horseshoe. Tune in for more. 

The Kit Kemp Collection for Annie Selke, a collaboration and friendship available at andrewmartin.co.uk and kitkemp.com

With Christmas and Thanksgiving coming up, our thoughts turn to entertaining - and who better than Joseph Marini, whose new book, Mastering The Art Of Entertaining, tells you all you need to know to be a thoughtful and authentic host. We catch up with Joseph ahead of the festive season.

Welcome to episode 154 of the House Guest podcast, where Country & Town House Magazine's Interiors Editor Carole Annett chats with experts from the world of interior design and decoration. This week’s House Guest is Nicky Dobree, a leading interior designer who specialises in luxury ski chalets. She began by transforming her own chalet from its pine cookie cutter style, to one with a big Italian kitchen, big picture frame windows and contemporary furniture, and she is now on her 50th chalet. We chat about how she got into the industry, the difference between a typical house project and a ski chalet, and attention to sustainability when embarking on projects. Tune in for more...

Guy Oliver of Oliver Laws has a background in architectural and design history, which stood him in good stead for a recent commission: The King’s Lodge at London’s iconic Mayfair hotel, The Connaught. A treasure trove of intricate panelling, jewel-coloured fabrics and carved marble, it was created in collaboration with King Charles’ Turquoise Mountain initiative which supports craftspeople in countries such as Afghanistan and Myanmar. Tune in to hear more about how the project came about and Guy’s own fascinating career. Sponsored by ABI Interiors.

We're kicking off a new series of House Guest with Jules Haines, founder of the textile resale platform Haines. Jules is on a mission to tackle waste in the textile industry by working with designer brands to resell their surplus and deadstock fabric. The Haines platform now offers a huge selection of products, from gorgeous fabrics to cushions made from offcuts destined for landfill. Tune in for more.

We kick off a brand new series of House Guest with England rugby player Maro Itoje and Simon Sadinsky of the King’s Foundation, who tell us all about a very special project. They sat down with Carole Annett at Dumfries House, a Georgian stately home bought by a consortium led by King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) in 2007. Sponsored by Naturalmat.

Today’s House Guest podcast is with Buchanan Studio - Angus and wife Charlotte set up their eponymous studio specialising in interior design, event and set design, creative direction and branding. Originality is at the core of everything they do. “We encourage clients to be brave’, explains Angus who worked as an assistant to fashion photographer Mario Testino before moving into set design alongside Michael Howells. ‘I walked onto a Versace set Michael had created for a Madonna shoot and thought, “This is for me”.

Angus runs the creative side while Charlotte wears the organisational, business hat. Projects include Wild By Tart restaurant in Eccleston yard, the branding and launch of Della Vite Prosecco (a project with the Delevingne sisters) the Studio Chair (one of the most photographed chairs of last year) and a fabric collection.

Welcome to episode 158 of the House Guest podcast, where Country & Town House Magazine's Interiors Editor Carole Annett chats with experts from the world of interior design and decoration. My House Guest this week is Tom Dixon, known as a restless innovator who rose to prominence in the mid-1980s as a maverick, untrained designer with a line in welded salvage furniture. While working with the Italian giant Cappellini he designed the widely acclaimed ‘S’ Chair and Creative Director at Habitat rejuvenating the brand while maintaining Terence Conran’s vision of enriching everyday life through simple, modern design. In 2007, he launched Design Research Studio, a design and innovations agency at the heart of Tom Dixon, now based at Coal Office in London’s King’s Cross, which operates as an office, shop, workshop and restaurant all under one roof. We chat about his love of making things, which includes food, hence his collaboration with chef Assaf Granit - Coal Office is their food and design playground, rich in material, style and flavour. He also has a wry take on his early designs: ‘After 20 years in the business, I still feel young and there’s a lot to do, it’s both fabulous and depressing that my stuff is now being sold in antique shops and occasionally a car boot sale'. Tune in for more.

If you're looking for a unique decorative artwork - perhaps a life-size leopard lounging above a doorframe, surrounded by jewel coloured birds, butterflies and beetles - then Adam Ellis is your man. We catch up with him to see what he's been up to with his fine art and design practice. Sponsored by Naturalmat.

In the final House Guest episode of 2023, Carole Annett chats to fashion designer Ozwald Boateng, who is dipping his toe into the world of interiors after nearly three decades of inspirational work in menswear. Tune in for more.

Architect Claus Thottrup chats with Carole about creating the Italian idyll, Borgo Santo Pietro. Originally a healing stopover for medieval pilgrims, the estate he bought, along with wife Jeannette in 2001, now comprises a 300-acre organic farm, cookery school (overseen by an 80-year old nonna), vineyard, two restaurants, manicured gardens and 22 suites. The concept hasn't changed - to offer a restorative sanctuary for modern souls along with an unwavering dedication to sustainability and organic living. 'We want to connect people to nature in a luxury way,' says Claus. Tune in for more.

For a review of Borgo, head to countryandtownhouse.co.uk

'I'm completely driven by curiosity,' says Suzy Hoodless in the final episode of this House Guest series. Since her studio launched in 2000, Suzy has become one of the UK's most exciting designers. She chats to Carole Annett about her signature style, her work at WOW!House, and how the interior design industry has changed.

This week, Carole Annett sits down with Paula Sutton – who listeners might better recognise as the woman behind @hillhousevintage. Carole discovered Paula's account on Instagram, and quickly became a fan of how she depicted life in the country with her family and beloved pooch Lady Dashwood. A Bridgerton addict, Paula delights with her vintage finds and decorating ideas.

Born and raised in Vicenza, Italy and then moved to New York City to start her career in design, Manuela Hamilford first cut her teeth at Bergdorf Goodman, working within luxury Italian home furnishings. She gained a flair for interior design and after heading back to London in 2000 she launched her own interior design studio, Hamilford Design. Manuela has created many beautiful projects over the last twelve years, noting a change in how children’s bedrooms are designed - the kids are now in control requesting theatre-style dressing rooms and gaming chairs. Tune in for more.

From Manhattan townhouses to sprawling country homes, Rita Konig is known for her no-nonsense approach to interior design. She chats to Carole Annett about her own house renovation, and talks through her online decorating course with Create Academy.

From aviation law to interior design, Noor Charchafchi made a significant career change and launched a successful design business, Celine Interior Design, while also bringing up three children. She is passionate about the impact of good interiors on people’s lives. Her Iraqi heritage also plays an important role: ‘l feel 100% Iraqi and 100% English rather than 50% of anything’, she tells Carole Annett. Tune in for more, including how to design amazing kids' bedrooms.

This week’s House Guest is Jason Stewart, associate director of David Collins Studio, who gives a glimpse into the design of Cunard’s new ship, Queen Anne, which is launching next year. ‘We have take elements of a bygone era and reimagined them in new ways,' he reveals.
We also chat about Cunard’s history, its importance in Liverpool, and what guests got up to in the early years of sailing (truffle sauce for breakfast and onboard games which included separate races for single and married ladies and pillow fights for men.) An exhibition of Cunard’s history is on at Liverpool's Victoria Gallery & Museum now. Tune in for more.

This episode is sponsored by Naturalmat. naturalmat.co.uk

Today's House Guests are Sophie Eadie and Fi Crole, founders of design studio Eadie & Crole. They chat to Carole Annett about how they met, where they find design inspiration, and their new fabric collection.

House Guest is back for another series! In the first episode, Carole Annett visits the home of designer Tim Gosling, whose clients include Elton John, David Furnish, Jo Malone and the late Queen Mother. They chat about the creative personalities Tim has worked with, his addiction to auctions – while revealing top buying tips – plus tales of renovating his own French chateau. 'Elton is one of the most remarkable collectors I have ever met’, he says. Sponsored by ABI Interiors.

Welcome to episode 155 of the House Guest podcast, where Country & Town House Magazine's Interiors Editor Carole Annett chats with experts from the world of interior design and decoration. It’s an exciting year ahead for this week's House Guest, the acclaimed interior and furniture designer Francis Sultana. His first hotel project opens in Capri in July (Hotel La Palma, part of the Oetker Collection) and his had taken on the custodianship of The Hunting Lodge, John Fowler’s gothic mansion in Hampshire – which Nicky Haslam recently vacated. He has no formal training, ‘Growing up in Gozo, I read House & Garden and World of Interiors magazines, and watched a lot of episodes of 80's TV drama Dynasty; I was a sponge for information. I knew I loved houses from a very early age’. He's on the international council for the design museum, is CEO of the David Gill Gallery, the Ambassador of Culture for Malta, and is working on Malta's first contemporary art museum which will open in 2023. Tune in for more...

‘Surprisingly, I didn’t think a maximalist would get that far,’ laughs Roisin Quinn, ‘but I won!' she says of her recent triumph in BBC's Interior Design Masters.
Roisin was spurred to change career in the wake of feedback she received after designing her own wedding (her dress was the only bit of white) and also doing the interiors of her parents' house during lockdown. ’This time last year I was still a travel adviser,’ she says. Join us to hear about her uplifting tale of following your dream.

This week, Carole Annett is in Paris meeting renowned French designer Mathieu Lehanneur, who created the torch for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Welcome to episode 147 of the House Guest podcast, where Country & Town House Magazine's Interiors Editor Carole Annett chats with experts from the world of interior design and decoration. This week's guests: interior designer duo Jenny Weiss and Helen Bygraves 

Very excited to announce today’s House Guest - Lee Broom is one of the UK’s leading furniture and lighting designers and a premium global design brand. His Crystal Bulb launched one of his earliest designs, and was an instant hit, making him a darling of the design world and one who has continued to reach new heights with everything he does. He has had an interesting career path, starting out in theatre school (age 7) and working with the Royal Shakespeare Company to catching Vivienne Westwood’s eye when he entered a competition with The Clothes Show (remember that?!). Thinking his future was in fashion, he stayed with Westwood until embarking on a course at St Martins (against her advice) which led him into interior design and finally product design. “You get an emotional connection to design in the same way you will with art or a theatrical performance. I don’t see why we can’t have similar emotions when looking at a chair or lamp or whatever it might be”.

He has a new book, just out, called ‘Fashioning Design’ (Rizzoli) and has won many awards including the Queen’s Award for Enterprise from Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace (wearing a Burberry suit). Tune in for more

For any interior designers looking for that special something – whether it's a unique piece of ceramic to finish an interior, or individual hand-made cushions – head to Luiza Marra at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour. At Colony by Casa Luiza, you will find beautiful objects, fabrics from Colony Roma, and furniture chosen with Luiza’s meticulous eye. As the daughter of an ambassador, Luiza has lived all over the world gathering knowledge and taking in the world around her. Interiors are her second career and her passion shines through. Tune in to hear about decorating Mosimann’s private dining room, how she discovered her flair for design, and her most recent collaboration with Natalia Miyar for WOW house, which opens next week (visit dcch.co.uk for tickets).