Arts

The Install: Life & Design with Paloma and Caroline

The Install: Life & Design with Paloma and Caroline is a weekly conversation about creativity, business, and building a life shaped by good design.

Hosted by interior designers and longtime friends, Paloma Contreras and Caroline Gidiere, the podcast offers a candid, behind-the-scenes look at the realities of creative work. From running a design business and navigating growth, to travel, culture, and personal style, each episode blends industry insight with real-life reflection. Through thoughtful conversations—both between the hosts and with occasional guests—The Install is an inviting space for designers, creatives, and anyone drawn to intentional living and beautiful ideas.

Latest Episodes:

Beautiful and Never Boring with Dara Caponigro Oct 20, 2026

Show notes

Good taste may open doors, but what gets a room into a magazine? Dara Caponigro joins the ladies to discuss Domino’s legacy, Frederic’s distinctly grown-up point of view, and why memorable interiors need more than pretty things. Along the way, she shares what aspiring contributors should actually send an editor, the pleasure of pressed sheets, and the decorating detail she could happily retire. First, Caroline and Paloma prepare for High Point, where a leisurely lunch can cost you a very good antique.

Subscribe to The Install Edit on Substack: https://theinstallpodcast.substack.com/

YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
TikTok: @theinstallpocast

Paloma: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
TikTok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Caroline: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
TikTok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
ShopMy: @carolinegidiere

Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: SUDAKA5LHSDHNL85

Chapters

00:17 High Point Bound
04:10 Antique Urgency
06:45 Highs and Lows
14:14 Hair Apparent
17:21 Meet Dara
18:38 Cultivating Taste
21:24 Domino Grown Up
22:20 Betting on Print
24:56 Building Frederic
27:31 Editorial Point of View
29:26 Memorable Rooms
30:44 Standout Stories
33:26 Emerging Talent
36:47 Joining Schumacher
38:38 Inside the Archives
41:29 Creative Cross-Pollination
43:31 Beyond the Magazine
45:17 What Comes Next
45:58 Print Meets Digital
48:43 Getting Noticed
49:53 Submitting Your Work
50:40 Choosing Covers
52:17 Rapid Fire

Why Do You Want To Hurt Me? Oct 13, 2026

Show notes

Paloma has two new hires and a welcome reminder that a full calendar can also be a sign of abundance; Caroline has family travel on the horizon and very little tolerance left for television gore. On the design front, the ladies question why hiring a professional should come with a hundred fabric samples’ worth of homework—and make the case for floors that will outlast a trend. A seemingly innocent game of what they’d give up quickly becomes a negotiation over chintz, designer clothes, and whether vacations and beauty treatments are constitutionally protected. They close with advice on tricky vendors: extend grace, follow up, and know when being nice needs to become being firm.

Subscribe and follow

Subscribe to The Install Edit on Substack: https://theinstallpodcast.substack.com/

YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
TikTok: @theinstallpocast

Paloma: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
TikTok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Caroline: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
TikTok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
ShopMy: @carolinegidiere

Music attribution

Music licensed through Soundstripe.

Code: SUDAKA5LHSDHNL85

Chapters

00:00 Impossible Choices
00:39 Birmingham Afterglow
03:18 High Point Plans
05:20 Growing the Team
08:24 Recognizing Abundance
13:18 Sleepless Nights
15:30 Family Travel
17:31 Television Troubles
22:17 Designer Homework
29:04 Timeless Floors
34:09 Giving Things Up
35:21 Chintz Negotiations
36:42 Books or Television
40:52 Vacations or Vanity
41:34 Fabrics or Fashion
42:46 Instagram or TikTok
44:36 Bread or Cheese
45:33 Wallpaper or Furniture
47:03 Tricky Vendor Relationships
53:55 Until Next Week

Gracious or Graceless? Oct 06, 2026

Show notes

Together in Birmingham, Paloma and Caroline find Antiques at the Gardens tickets approaching black-market status and their social calendars threatening a perfectly respectable bedtime. Between Caroline's Harry Styles high and an accidental three-pair sunglasses purchase, they launch “Gracious or Graceless,” passing judgment on early arrivals, shoes-off parties, reclining airline seats, and the delicate business of telling someone there’s spinach in her teeth. The etiquette extends to design: borrowed ideas, unsolicited requests for sources, and knowing when inspiration has become imitation. The ladies finish with advice for a renter facing honey oak—and a welcome reminder that an unfinished house is no reason to put your life on hold.

Subscribe and follow

Subscribe to The Install Edit on Substack: https://theinstallpodcast.substack.com/

YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
TikTok: @theinstallpocast

Paloma: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
TikTok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Caroline: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
TikTok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
ShopMy: @carolinegidiere

Music attribution

Music licensed through Soundstripe.
Code: SUDAKA5LHSDHNL85

Chapters

Birmingham Together

Antiques After Hours
Weekly Highs
Harry’s House Party
Sunglasses in Triplicate
Sunscreen Discussion*
Gracious or Graceless
Arrival Etiquette
Shoes Off?
Spinach Diplomacy
Table Manners
Free Design Advice
Client Knockoffs
Reclining Rights
Inspiration Versus Imitation
Resource Requests
Party Posts
Regifting Rules
Sending It Back
Honey Oak Help
Permission to Wait
On the Road

But I Have Notes. Sep 29, 2026

Show notes

Paloma reports from the Southern Living Idea House in Texas, where the rooms are ready for their close-up—and her hotel room could use a second opinion. Caroline returns from a dreamy Alexandria project visit to a sofa saga involving disappearing yardage, multiplying delays, and enough chintz to test anyone’s composure. Between a spirited debate over whether audiobooks count as reading and a fall-fashion review featuring questionable shoes, purple sweatpants, and opposing views on satin shorts, the ladies have notes. They finish with thoughtful gifts for the designer in your life—with one important distinction between a grand gesture and a measuring tape.

Subscribe and Follow

Subscribe to The Install Edit on Substack: https://theinstallpodcast.substack.com/

YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
TikTok: @theinstallpocast

Paloma: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
TikTok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Caroline: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
TikTok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
ShopMy: @carolinegidiere

Music Attribution

Music licensed through Soundstripe.
Code: SUDAKA5LHSDHNL85

Chapters

00:16 — Texas Reveal
02:16 — Hill Country
06:00 — Calamity Club
08:01 — Reading Rules
10:38 — Southern Storytelling
17:41 — Opening Night
20:28 — Hotel Hangups
24:04 — Thoughtful Design
27:13 — Lived Experience
29:59 — Shower Politics
31:24 — Alexandria Homecoming
33:14 — Sofa Saga
43:11 — Holding the Bag
47:22 — Fall Forecast
48:40 — Fluffy Business
51:27 — Evening Affairs
53:47 — Gothic Florals
55:01 — Playful Proportions
55:52 — Bomber Debate
57:46 — Burgundy Season
58:09 — Suede Versus Leather
1:00:36 — Questionable Shoes
1:03:35 — Purple Reign
1:05:33 — Finishing Touches
1:07:05 — Satin Showdown
1:09:17 — Designer Gifts
1:13:10 — Until Next Time

The Next Right Thing with This Oak House's Annie Meyers-Shyer Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

Paloma and Caroline begin with September overload, tennis trauma, and the apparently unreasonable notion that opponents should hit the ball somewhere you can actually reach it. Then they welcome Annie Meyers-Shyer, whose path from Harper’s Bazaar and Chanel to the beloved This Oak House proves that a sharp eye is only the beginning—the details, collaboration, and occasional plywood mock-up make the room. Annie shares how she preserved the soul of her Gerard Colcord house, built an audience by pulling back the curtain on renovation, and learned to follow “the next right thing.” Plus: why balance is a fallacy, living rooms are underrated, and fake cutting boards should be shown the door.

Subscribe and Follow

Subscribe to The Install Edit on Substack: https://theinstallpodcast.substack.com/

YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
TikTok: @theinstallpocast

Paloma: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
TikTok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Caroline: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
TikTok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
ShopMy: @carolinegidiere

Chapters

00:17 — September Scramble
02:24 — Fitness High
03:41 — Tennis Trouble
07:50 — Television Tolerance
12:48 — Austen Adaptations
14:22 — Meet Annie
17:33 — Fashion Foundations
21:04 — Defining Taste
24:15 — Designer Collaboration
28:55 — Finding Home
31:05 — Colcord Character
32:34 — Preservation Pressure
33:53 — Hard Decisions
36:59 — Let It Breathe
38:50 — Sharing Sources
41:49 — Balance Fallacy
44:56 — Storytelling Homes
48:07 — Rapid Fire
52:20 — Phase Two
54:24 — Birmingham Bound

Music licensed through Soundstripe.

Code: SUDAKA5LHSDHNL85

Showhouse Secrets Part II - The Showhouse Must Go On Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

Part Two strips the lacquer off designer showhouses: behind those glossy rooms are six-figure budgets, vendor favors, impossible timelines, and enough last-minute crises to qualify as cardio. Caroline and Paloma trade war stories involving rejection from the stone sponsor, rugs stuck in customs, draperies four feet too short, and 145 yards of fabric mysteriously disappearing into a valance. But there is a reason designers keep coming back: one memorable room can lead to clients, press, product collaborations, stronger teams—and some highly effective “trauma bonding.” They close with a rapid-fire guide to what to install, what to avoid, and why doing two traditional showhouses in one year might be just a little bit unhinged.

Music licensed through Soundstripe.

Code: 1O1ULMY5AYH4LV7G

Follow The Install

Subscribe to The Install Edit on Substack for more design talk, behind-the-scenes stories, product finds, and installments of Ask the Install.

The Install
YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
TikTok: @theinstallpocast

Paloma
Website: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
TikTok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Caroline
Website: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
TikTok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
ShopMy: @carolinegidiere

Chapters

00:16 — Part Two
01:23 — Budget Reality
03:07 — Sponsor Strategy
09:37 — Vendor Drama
12:04 — Loans & Sales
15:05 — Tight Timelines
17:34 — Plan Z
18:25 — Disaster Stories
26:40 — Drama City
27:47 — Stay Organized
30:23 — The Payoff
34:01 — Hidden Returns
36:52 — PR Strategy
38:58 — Bankroll It
40:09 — Saying No
43:20 — Rapid Fire
48:46 — Dream Showhouses

Showhouse Secrets Part I - Breaking Down Costs and Benefits Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

Episode Summary

Paloma and Caroline continue to endure the on-going Southern summer heat and humidity, a Botox clock that suddenly seems to be running fast, and the Sisyphean task of growing out one’s hair—fortified by probiotic ice cream and a root touch-up pen stashed in the car console. They celebrate Substack’s slower, meatier charms and make a spirited case for shelter magazines to come back thicker, more beautiful, and worth paying for. Then the gloves come off on designer showhouses: career-making exposure, multiple-six-figure rooms, the glamour of being assigned a basement hallway, and the hard-won truth that one great photograph can matter more than square footage. Part one ends with the volume turned up—and the really juicy disasters still waiting in the wings.

Follow The Install

Subscribe to The Install Edit on Substack for weekly essays, product links, behind-the-scenes extras, and the next installment of Ask the Install.

The Install
YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
TikTok: @theinstallpocast

Paloma
Website: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
TikTok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Caroline
Website: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
TikTok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
ShopMy: @carolinegidiere

Chapters

00:17 — Heat Wave
02:16 — Beauty Maintenance
04:20 — Full-Fat Treats
07:44 — Hair Rescue
11:28 — Substack Revival
14:25 — Industry News
15:34 — Print Matters
19:42 — Showhouse Secrets
22:17 — Showhouse History
23:38 — Career Momentum
26:53 — Basement Reality
30:49 — Invitation Only
32:50 — Room Strategy
35:13 — Budget Shock
36:40 — Small Spaces
39:07 — Creative Freedom
43:44 — Announcement of Part Two

Dorms Gone Wild Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

Paloma and Caroline sweat through the last gasps of summer while tackling a still-suspicious rug, the indignity of hauling two Apple devices in one tote, a bittersweet staff change, a possible Sussex homecoming, and Vanity Fair’s best-dressed list—including the eternal question of whether Lenny Kravitz is technically dressed at all. Then they tumble headfirst into the RushTok rabbit hole, where reported $20,000 dorm rooms, chinoiserie lamps, Broadway-worthy recruitment numbers, and corporate sponsorships prompt the only sensible conclusion: girl, get to class.

Keep the conversation going between episodes: Subscribe to The Install Edit on Substack for more from Caroline and Paloma.

YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
TikTok: @theinstallpocast

Paloma: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
TikTok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Caroline: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
TikTok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
ShopMy: @carolinegidiere

00:18 — Summer Heat

01:25 — Rug Rescue

06:40 — PowerBook Problems

09:34 — Bag Baggage

13:53 — Embracing Change

18:54 — Royal Return

25:37 — Best Dressed

33:11 — Dorm Décor

39:42 — Too Much?

47:22 — RushTok Rabbit Hole

55:41 — Brand Invasion

58:24 — Rush Anxiety

I Know It When I See It Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

Caroline’s ideal weekend—pool time, Mahjong, and a teenager who voluntarily wants to hang out—meets its natural nemesis: a Starbucks that forgot to open, while Paloma celebrates Margot’s first day of kindergarten and reflects on a painfully heavy run of news. The mood lifts with a revealing identity game in which Caroline emerges as an orange, Easter-loving Sunday-morning smoothie, while Paloma is an olive-green, Valentine-loving Friday night with unmistakable croissant energy. Then they put “chic” on linguistic probation, make a surprisingly persuasive case for a little gatekeeping, and sentence balloon trousers, board shorts, and several other late-summer trends to fashion jail.

Keep the conversation going between episodes: Subscribe to The Install Edit on Substack for more from Caroline and Paloma.

YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
TikTok: @theinstallpocast

Paloma: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
TikTok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Caroline: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
TikTok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
ShopMy: @carolinegidiere

Chapters

00:17 — Mahjong Magic
04:14 — Starbucks Chaos
06:52 — Kindergarten
10:25 — Heavy News
16:51 — Personality Game
27:18 — Chic Overload
32:46 — Gatekeeping
40:03 — Scarf Season
41:40 — Retro Summer
44:03 — Peplum Problems
46:35 — Fashion Feeling
48:06 — Utility Mode
49:10 — Sporty Spice
51:06 — Sign-Off

The House Tells You What It Wants with Meg Braff Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

Paloma plans a trip to Paris Deco Off trip while Caroline uses Lionsgate to manifest the number-one interior-design podcast, one “big, fabulous, juicy nugget” of a project, and a back that survives two dogs sleeping on her feet. Meg Braff joins for a gloriously wide-ranging conversation spanning her new book, Gracious Interiors, her vibrant wallpaper and fabrics line, her time as an ambassador for U.S. Cottton, Scorpio jewelry, Palm Beach light, and more. Along the way, she makes the case for client chemistry over giant budgets, starting every project with a floor plan, and letting the house tell you what it wants.

Subscribe to the Substack for more: @theinstallpodcast

YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
Tik Tok: @theinstallpocast

Paloma: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
Tik Tok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Caroline: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
Tik Tok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
Shop My: @carolinegidiere

Chapters

00:16 — School Days
01:31 — Paris Plans
06:25 — Manifesting
11:18 — Growing Pains
13:10 — Meg Braff
15:42 — Miss Cotton
18:04 — Morning Rituals
20:06 — Scorpio Club
22:46 — Shop Talk
27:39 — Pattern Archives
30:47 — Design Process
36:42 — Client Chemistry
39:19 — Floor Plans
42:09 — Rapid Fire
45:06 — Guest Edit
49:26 — Book Tour