Business of Home Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Why House of Hackney put Mother Nature on its board of directors Dec 09, 2024

Show notes

A former buyer at the fashion chain Topshop, Frieda Gormley and her husband Javvy Royle left the corporate world behind to start a brand with a deep connection to nature. The result was a vibrant collection of patterns, and a business that looked to do good as much as it did well—Gormley and Royle have even taken the bold step of carving out a role for Mother Nature on their board of directors.

On this episode of the podcast Gormley speaks with host Dennis Scully about the difficult first year that defined their business, why they implemented a four-day work week, and why they’re very cautious when it comes to growth.

This episode is sponsored by Loloi and Klafs

LINKS
House of Hackney
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

The Thursday Show: Kravet sells. Plus: Lindye Galloway's new brand Dec 05, 2024

Show notes

BOH executive editor Fred Nicolaus and host Dennis Scully discuss the biggest news in the industry, including RH’s largest gallery ever, layoffs at EJ Victor, and big news from Kravet. Later, the husband-and-wife team of Winn and Lindye Galloway discuss the launch of their new brand, Le Maé.

This episode is sponsored by Kohler

LINKS
Lindye Galloway
Le Maé
Business of Home

Andre Mellone wants less perfection, more emotion Dec 02, 2024

Show notes

Born in Brazil, Andre Mellone’s upbringing took him from Sao Paolo to Syracuse when he moved to the U.S. to study architecture. From there, he worked for the heavyweights of high design in New York, from Robert A.M. Stern to Mark Hampton to Ferguson & Shamamian. Out on his own, Mellone has garnered buzz and media attention for his signature look, an aesthetic sometimes described as “midcentury masculine,” with a recent project for Lauren Santo Domingo landing him on Architectural Digest’s December cover.

On this episode of the podcast, Mellone speaks with host Dennis Scully about the key lessons he learned working for design icons; why all designers—no matter how much they hate it—should be involved in the financial side of their business; and why design is about emotion, not perfection.

This episode is sponsored by Loloi and Klafs
LINKS
Studio Mellone
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

The couple behind Patina Farm on why great design comes from feelings, not rules Nov 25, 2024

Show notes

The husband-and-wife team of Brooke and Steve Giannetti are nothing if not multitalented. He's architect, she's a designer, but together the two of them have done a little bit of everything: from opening a shop in small-town Tennessee to creating homes for A-List celebrities to caring for a menagerie of sheep, donkeys, goats and highland cattle on their farm, Patina Meadow.

On this episode of the podcast, the Giannettis speak with host Dennis Scully about how working with animals informs both their lives and their business, how they keep clients excited over the course of a long project, and why designers should be curious about new technology—not fearful.

This episode is sponsored by Loloi and Annie Selke
LINKS
Patina Home & Garden
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

The Thursday Show: Is the design industry ready for more tariffs? Plus: Ken Fulk's new LA shop Nov 21, 2024

Show notes

BOH executive editor Fred Nicolaus and host Dennis Scully discuss the biggest news in the industry, including the debut of Amazon’s ultra-cheap marketplace, a check-in on the housing market, and how tariffs might impact the home industry. Later, designer Ken Fulk joins the show to talk about his new Southern California retail outpost.

This episode is sponsored by Kohler and Klafs

LINKS
Ken Fulk
Business of Home

Why Tom Stringer gives his employees sabbaticals and executive coaching Nov 18, 2024

Show notes

An icon of Chicago’s design scene, Tom Stringer cut his teeth working for Alessandra Branca before starting his own firm in the mid 1990s. Over the decades his work has been widely featured in the shelter media, and his projects for some of America’s most notable families have taken him around the world.

On this episode of the podcast, Stringer chats with host Dennis Scully about his surprising vetting process for new clients, why he gives his employees sabbaticals and executive coaching, and why he’s at his best when he’s in a little over his head.

This episode is sponsored by Loloi and Annie Selke
LINKS
Tom Stringer Design Partners
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

The Thursday Show: Inside the rise of design Substack. Plus: Why designers are embracing WhatsApp Nov 14, 2024

Show notes

BOH executive editor Fred Nicolaus and host Dennis Scully discuss the biggest news in the industry, including the fate of the DCOTA, rising mortgage rates, and the design industry’s next killer app. Later, Substack writers Leonora Epstein and David Michon join the show to talk about how the platform is changing design media.

This episode is sponsored by Kohler and Klafs

LINKS
For Scale
Schmatta
Business of Home

Hickory Chair is betting on color Nov 11, 2024

Show notes

Started over one hundred years ago with a single product, Hickory Chair has grown over the decades and changed hands several times, but it never left North Carolina. Out of a single facility, the company produces both upholstery and case goods using the same techniques it has for generations.
On this episode of the podcast, host Dennis Scully speaks with the brand’s president Federico Contigiani about the challenges of building a brand in home; why design both is and isn’t like fashion; and why, no matter what technology brings, furniture will always be a trust business.

This episode is sponsored by Loloi and Annie Selke
LINKS
Hickory Chair
Dennis Scully
Business of Home

The Thursday Show: How Dan Rosen became TikTok's favorite design critic. Plus: Who will take the helm at Elle Decor? Nov 07, 2024

Show notes

BOH executive editor Fred Nicolaus and host Dennis Scully discuss the biggest news in the industry, including more Charles Cohen drama, changes at the top for several shelter publications, and a look at Kravet’s latest tech experiment. Later, comedian Dan Rosen joins the show to talk about his accidental career as a design critic.

This episode is sponsored by Kohler and Klafs

LINKS
Dan Rosen
Middlebrow Podcast
Business of Home

How Roche Bobois blends furniture, fashion, and the French 'Art de Vivre' Nov 04, 2024

Show notes

Founded in 1960, over the decades Roche Bobois has become synonymous with chic contemporary design. The first furniture brand to advertise in fashion magazines, today Roche Bobois’s hit products include the iconic Mah Jong and Bubble sofas, and hundreds of the brand’s showrooms are spread out all over the world.

On this episode of the podcast, the brand’s international director Martin Gleize speaks with host Dennis Scully about why the post-COVID landscape is fraught with confusion for furniture companies, the opportunities and challenges in China, and why the biggest mistake for any brand is to try to be two things at once.

This episode is sponsored by Loloi and Annie Selke
LINKS
Roche Bobois
Dennis Scully
Business of Home