How to Decorate

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Nov 2026

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About the show

We want to teach you how to decorate! We'll help you unleash your inner decorator with interviews from interior designers, sharing the trials and triumphs from our own homes, and answering your burning decorating questions. Brought to you from the Ballard Designs team.

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November 5, 20261 hr 10 min

Ep. 490: 10th Anniversary Episode

The How to Decorate podcast celebrates its 10th anniversary and nearly 500 episodes of design advice, interviews, and decorating dilemmas. Hosts Caroline, Taryn, and Liz reflect on their favorite conversations, the evolution of design trends over the last decade, and the most memorable lessons learned from top industry professionals. Memorable Design Lessons Bunny Williams highlighted that successful design relies more on technical scale and function than aesthetic budget, offering advice that applies to any home. Melanie Turner shared her practice of creating annual vision boards to map out her business and personal goals, resulting in an incredible home and career. Architects like Gil Schafer and Stan Dixon changed the hosts' perspectives on how architectural scale directly dictates the feeling of a room before furniture is even added. Kathy Graham provided approachable, humorous tips for floral arranging, encouraging hosts to mix in unexpected objects like a Barbie doll for fun. Decorating Dilemma Themes Common listener challenges include managing double-story entryways, executing window treatments, and blending different styles in a marriage. Solutions frequently center on nailing the proper scale, understanding design rules before breaking them, and introducing softness through rugs and drapery. A Decade of Trends While stark black and white aesthetics dominated a decade ago, the design world is currently shifting toward warm hues, rich textures, and brown as the new neutral. True timelessness is less about chasing specific colors and more about curating a space that functions perfectly for your specific lifestyle. What was the most significant change you made to your own home's design over the past ten years? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

October 27, 202648 min

Ep. 489: Sam Cochran

Samuel Cochran, Global Features Director at Architectural Digest, joins the podcast to discuss his book, American Designers at Home. The book offers an intimate look inside the personal residences of 20 influential American interior designers, including Kelly Wearstler and Ken Fulk. Cochran explores how these professionals use their own homes as spaces to experiment and recharge, free from client demands, rigid timelines, and external expectations. Specificity of Place: Rather than relying on red, white, and blue clichés, Cochran noted that modern American design is often defined by a deep connection to local architectural history and the surrounding environment. The Freedom to Experiment: A shared American design ethos is the freedom to pull references from anywhere, honoring the past while maintaining the irreverence to break the rules, mix styles, and live with what you love. Embracing the Journey: Many of the featured homes were born from transitional life moments and evolved slowly over years, proving that even for top designers, a home is a process of trial and error rather than a polished overnight success. Ken Fulk (Provincetown, MA): Known for his polished, maximalist client projects, Fulk's personal waterfront home is a crumbling, weathered refuge where he preserves the historic house's peeling wallpaper and patina. Roman and Williams (Montauk, NY): Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch’s home reveals a wild, time-worn connection to nature that contrasts sharply with the slick, romantic commercial spaces they are known for designing. Jessica Helgerson (Paris): Helgerson embraced thrift and creativity in her small Paris apartment, hand-stenciling a bedroom mural and mimicking the building's basement millwork cutouts for her green kitchen cabinets. Jean Liu (New York, NY): The Dallas-based designer created a quiet personal escape in a grand uptown Manhattan studio, utilizing the extra-thick walls of Joseph Pulitzer’s former Gilded Age mansion to create an acoustic refuge. Markham Roberts: A masterclass in mixing styles, Roberts’s home is an eclectic, effortless mishmash that proves you have to truly know the rules of design history before you can successfully break them. Cochran hopes readers walk away from the book remembering Dorothy Draper's philosophy that decorating should fundamentally be fun. You can follow him on Instagram at @samuelcochran and find American Designers at Home anywhere books are sold. If you had the freedom to completely ignore timelines and expectations, which room in your home would you experiment with first? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

October 20, 202654 min

Ep. 488: Elizabeth Lawrence & her new book with Bunny Williams

Elizabeth Lawrence, partner at the interior design firm Williams Lawrence, joins the podcast to discuss her first book, Decoration, co-authored with her partner Bunny Williams. The book functions as a collection of essays that groups rooms by stylistic similarities rather than presenting individual projects, drawing inspiration from vintage French design books. To encourage readers to slow down and step away from screens, the physical book features a photo-free, linen-textured cover and pages that alternate between matte cardstock and gloss finishes. Rules of Scale and Floor Plans: While Lawrence believes most interior design rules can be broken, scale and a solid floor plan are the two non-negotiable exceptions. A strong floor plan serves as a roadmap that dictates the proper scale of the room's pieces, allowing you to confidently mix heavily carved antiques with clean, modern lines. Shopping for Antiques: When out shopping, it is best to take a photo or a tear sheet of an item you love, even if it does not fit your current project, because you will likely find a place for it in the future. Approaching Art: Art should be chosen for its personal meaning rather than simply to match a room's color palette. Artwork must be placed thoughtfully based on scale and medium, such as keeping delicate works on paper out of brightly lit spaces. Additionally, swapping out a heavy or dark frame for something simpler can completely transform a piece you thought you disliked. Wall Brackets: Adding wall brackets to a gallery wall provides three-dimensional interest and breaks up the flatness of frames. Brackets can hold jars, plates, or sculptures, and they often add grounding symmetry to an otherwise asymmetrical layout. Slipper Chairs: Small slipper chairs are versatile pieces that transition easily from a first apartment to a forever home. They can be placed in bedrooms for stacking books, covered in terry cloth for a bathroom, or used as supplemental seating in living rooms. Chair and Ottoman Pairings: Pairing an upright chair with an ottoman creates a dedicated reading spot. This combination also provides a practical alternative seating option for guests who might struggle to get out of a deep sofa. Hurricanes: A signature of Bunny Williams and John Rosselli, large hurricanes add necessary height and scale to coffee tables and dining tables. They also provide atmospheric candlelight, which can easily be achieved with modern remote-controlled, battery-operated candles. Dining Chair Details: Because the outside back of a dining chair is the first thing you see when entering a room, Lawrence recommends embellishing it with custom embroidery, a ticking stripe, or a small check pattern. Celebrating Artisans: Decoration features photography highlighting the chaotic, dusty workspaces of the craftspeople, painters, and upholsterers who make the designs possible. Lawrence notes that clear communication and pushing for custom samples lead to the best collaborations, citing one instance where a trusted artisan seamlessly reconstructed a three-foot lacquered jar that had shattered on a limestone floor. You can purchase Decoration by Bunny Williams and Elizabeth Lawrence on Amazon via Rizzoli, and you can keep up with Lawrence's work on Instagram at @elizabethmlawrence and @williamslawrence. What is one unusual antique or piece of art you have kept an eye on, even if you do not currently have the perfect spot for it? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

October 14, 202653 min

Ep. 487: Corine Maggio

Designing with Vibe and Layers with Corine Maggio California-based interior designer Corine Maggio joins the podcast to break down her strategy for adding warmth and character through strategic layering. The founder of Corine Maggio Design focuses her work on cabins, cottages, and historic homes, specializing in creating casual, deeply personal spaces that reflect the real lives of her clients. The Four Pillars: Corine bases every project on a careful balance of the client's style, their everyday lifestyle, the home's architectural style, and the budget. Visual Vocabulary: Rather than relying on design terminology like "modern," which means different things to different people, she requires clients to pull four to six inspiration images per room to establish a clear visual vibe. Sequential Sourcing: After establishing a space plan to serve as a shopping list, she sources the most substantial pieces first—like a living room sofa—since they carry the strictest requirements. From there, she pieces the room together like a puzzle, using smaller additions like lamps or chairs to continuously pull the room's style in the desired direction. The Rule of Contrast: Items sitting next to one another should always contrast in either color tone (light, medium, or dark), texture, or pattern scale to keep the room dynamic and prevent it from falling flat. Envelop the Room: Avoid plain white drywall by applying architectural texture to the walls and ceilings. Corine utilizes paneling, tongue and groove, beadboard, wainscoting, and wallpaper to make rooms feel cozy and complete. Embrace Patina: A home should not feel like a pristine showroom. Incorporating materials that age, scratch, and dent gracefully, like real marble, fosters a relaxed environment where families do not have to stress over spills or daily wear. Subtle Accessories: When hunting for accessories at estate sales, look for textured, neutral items like paper mache bowls, woven potato baskets, or antique brass boxes. These items add layered depth and utility without demanding too much visual attention or overpowering the room's main features. Design for Yourself: The most timeless, successful homes are created when owners stop worrying about trends or what their guests might think, and instead design exactly what they would want if no one else were ever going to see the space. You can keep up with Corine's work by following her on Instagram at @corinnemaggiodesign or by visiting corinnemaggiodesign.com, and you can shop her favorite versatile entryway storage piece, the Ballard Designs Nina Apothocary Cabinet. If you were to design a room purely for yourself with zero concern for trends or what guests might think, what is the first bold choice you would make? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

October 6, 202652 min

Ep. 486: Alton LaDay & Olivia Westbrooks

Alton LaDay and Olivia Westbrooks join the podcast to discuss Alton’s new book, In the House: Celebrating America's Leading Black Interior Designers. The book profiles 33 of America's most talented black interior designers, tracing both contemporary talent and historical pioneers. Alton, a veteran marketing director and PR firm owner, was inspired to write the book during the 2020 lockdown to highlight positive success stories within the design community. Olivia, an interior designer and host of Hallmark’s Home is Where the Heart Is, is one of the featured designers in the book. Key Takeaways from the Episode: Focusing on the Individual: When selecting the 33 designers, Alton required them to have nationally published work but prioritized their personalities and personal stories. To emphasize the people behind the designs, every designer in the book receives a full-page headshot. A Vast Array of Styles: The designers in the book are intentionally not listed alphabetically. This layout mixes up the design styles—from traditional to modern, neutral to colorful—to keep the reader engaged and demonstrate that black designers are not a monolith. Unconventional Paths to Design: Many of the featured designers discovered interior design as a second career, transitioning from corporate roles or law. One designer was a highly successful attorney on track to become a partner before leaving to go back to design school. Finding Inspiration Early: Olivia discovered her passion for design as a child by watching Christopher Lowell on the Discovery Channel in the 1990s. Her mother enrolled her in a weekend intensive program at the Art Institute of Houston, eventually leading Olivia to earn a degree in interior design from LSU. Historical Pioneers: The book also touches on the history of black designers, such as Harold Curtis Brown. Brown is considered the first documented black interior designer, known for his work on the Saratoga Club and Hotel Navarro in the early 20th century, though it is believed he later had to pass as white to continue his career in the 1930s. Inspiring Future Generations: Olivia notes that the book serves as a vital historical record and a tool to show future generations what is possible. By showcasing such diverse talent, the book keeps the door open for aspiring designers and normalizes the presence of black designers in top national publications and show houses. Personal Triumphs: Alton shares the inspiring story of Tiffany Brooks, a featured designer who has balanced a highly successful career with severe health challenges, including a kidney and pancreas transplant after being diagnosed with diabetes at age six. Also Mentioned in This Episode: In the House: Celebrating America's Leading Black Interior Designers is available at major outlets and Phaidon.com. Follow Olivia Westbrooks on Instagram at @oliviawestbrooksinteriors or visit oliviawestbrooks.com. Watch Olivia on Hallmark Plus's Home is Where the Heart Is. See Olivia's living room project on the Ballard Designs House Tour series on YouTube. Please send in your decorating dilemmas to podcast@ballarddesigns.net so we can help you with your space! Don't forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

September 29, 20261 hr 12 min

Ep. 485: Ben Pentreath's New Book

British architect and interior designer Ben Pentreath returns to the podcast to discuss his new book, A Year at the Parsonage, co-authored with his husband, Charlie McCormick. The book functions as a deeply personal visual diary of the 15 years the couple spent living in an 1820 Regency house in Dorset, England. Rather than staging polished lifestyle scenes, Ben and Charlie photographed the book themselves, capturing authentic daily moments, the evolving interiors, and the passage of seasons in Charlie's beloved garden. Ben initially rented the Dorset parsonage in a rundown state, complete with black mold—a condition he prefers, as it allows for updates without feeling guilty about tearing out a previous landlord’s expensive renovations. Nestled in an unspoiled estate village owned by the Williams family for nearly 300 years, the home began with neutral pale gray and white walls due to a lack of time and budget. Over the years, the home's palette shifted drastically: The dining room was painted "Victoria Plum," a 1960s purple inspired by David Hicks that looked magical by candlelight but made guests look ill during the day. It was later painted bright sky blue and eventually wallpapered for a Morris & Co. photoshoot. The kitchen transitioned from white to Farrow & Ball's burnt orange "Wet Sand," then to a high-gloss bright yellow that felt like living inside an egg yolk, before finally returning to white. While Ben stresses that architectural and structural decisions should be thoroughly planned, he believes interior decoration is easily overthought. Embrace Change: Repainting a room is an inexpensive and fast way to completely shift a home's energy. Physical Inspiration: To avoid losing digital inspiration, Ben prints out his phone screenshots, cuts off the social media logos, writes notes on the back, and pins them to his office wall to discover his personal style over time. The Soul of a Room: A room's true character comes from its people, pets, and the practical comfort of daily life, not from perfectly color-matched piping. When the Williams family decided to sell the Dorset estate, Ben and Charlie embraced the change and moved to Scotland. They purchased a mid-18th-century home called Westness on Rousay, an Orkney island with only 200 residents. The unspoiled property features a ten-acre garden where Charlie is currently clearing an overgrown Victorian walled space to cultivate vegetables. Have you ever experimented with a bold paint color that looked vastly different in the daylight than you originally intended? Please send in your decorating dilemmas to podcast@ballarddesigns.net so we can help you with your space! Don't forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

September 22, 20261 hr 4 min

Ep. 484: Scott Sottile | Ferguson & Shamamian

Scott J. Sottile, a partner at the prestigious residential architecture firm Ferguson & Shamamian, joins the podcast to discuss his firm’s new book, Transformations. Published by Rizzoli and written by Guy Trebay, the book highlights 15 distinct projects spanning from subtle restorations to radical rebuilds across the United States. Scott shares his deep passion for traditional architecture, which was cemented during his time studying Thomas Jefferson’s historic designs at the University of Virginia. He explains how to preserve the historical integrity of an old home while ensuring it functions seamlessly for modern, multi-generational living. The Mark of Great Architecture: A successful historical renovation should look completely effortless and timeless, leaving no heavy-handed imprint of the current architect. The goal is to make it look as though the modern updates have always been there. Keep Buildings Alive: Historic buildings should not be "mothballed" or turned into untouched museums; they survive best when they remain active, useful, and adapted for contemporary life. Designing for Reality: Before renovating, homeowners must separate their aspirational lifestyle from their actual daily routine. Do not dedicate vast resources to massive entertaining spaces or chef-level kitchens if you only host twice a year and primarily order takeout. Scale and Intimacy: When dealing with large rooms, create small, intimate seating arrangements—like a pair of chairs by a fireplace or a cozy bay window—so the space feels comfortable for intimate conversations, not just a crowd of twenty-four. Finding a True Builder: Seek out a "builder" who understands the art and craft of construction, rather than just a "contractor" who pushes paperwork. Ask to tour projects they completed five to ten years ago to see how their hidden weatherproofing, finishes, and exterior technologies have actually held up against the elements. Elevating Historic Details: To achieve a historic look without an unlimited budget, focus on substantial millwork. Skip standard big-box trims and visit a local lumber yard for thicker, more shapely door casings, bases, and cornices inspired by historic pattern books. Additionally, major window manufacturers often have specific historical lines featuring traditional putty-stop profiles that add immediate gravitas. Also Mentioned: Transformations by Ferguson & Shamamian Architects. Follow on Instagram: @fergusonshamamian. Historic architecture resources: The White Pine Series, pattern books by Asher Benjamin, and the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) via the Library of Congress. Please send in your decorating dilemmas to podcast@ballarddesigns.net so we can help you with your space! Don't forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

September 15, 202658 min

Ep. 483: Annie Meyers-Shyer & This Oak House

Former Harper's Bazaar editor and Chanel executive Annie Meyers-Shyer joins the podcast! Annie became an "accidental influencer" after launching her Instagram account, @thisoakhouse, to document the renovation of her family home. Now, she's sharing her thorough research, design tips, and beautiful editorial photography in her debut book, This Oak House. Annie chats with Caroline and Liz about how her fashion background translates to interiors, her most agonizing design decisions, and why you should absolutely video your walls before the drywall goes up. Prep with Purpose: Before meeting with her architect or designer, Annie would send a short bulleted list of functional needs (e.g., "plug in a drawer for a hair dryer") alongside a highly curated Pinterest board to establish a clear visual and written narrative. The Magic (and Torture) of Paint: Paint was one of the hardest decisions for Annie. To get an accurate read on a paint sample, paint it onto the actual material of the wall (like beadboard vs. plaster), remove any blue painter's tape that might cast a colored shadow, and pull up pink floor coverings like Ram board. Cohesive Finishes: To keep her home feeling connected, Annie selected a short list of materials—like wood floors and marble—and simply rinsed and repeated them throughout the house. Working with a Designer: Be completely honest about what kind of client you are going to be. If you want to be deep in the weeds and highly collaborative, tell them upfront so you can ensure your working styles are a match. Also, never underestimate the value of hiring kind people. Record Your Walls: Before the drywall goes up, walk through your home and take a video on your phone. Knowing exactly where the electrical and plumbing are hiding behind the walls will save you massive headaches if you ever need to make changes later. The Case for the Formal Living Room: Annie purposely designed her living room to be a TV-free, adult-focused space. While her kids are allowed in the room, it brings her joy to have one space in the house that stays exactly how she left it. The Nancy Meyers Connection: Annie's mother is legendary filmmaker Nancy Meyers, known for her coveted movie sets. Annie notes that the magic of those movie homes is deeply tied to the complex characters, the wardrobe, and the story being told, which is a great reminder that your own home should tell the story of the people living inside it. Follow Annie on Instagram: @thisoakhouse Pick up her new book, This Oak House, available on September 15th. Try the hot fudge recipe included in her book Please send in your decorating dilemmas to podcast@ballarddesigns.net so we can help you with your space! Don't forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

September 8, 202654 min

Ep. 482: Entertaining with a Side of Chaos with India Hicks

We are thrilled to welcome back writer, designer, entrepreneur, and former model India Hicks to the podcast! As the daughter of legendary British interior designer David Hicks, India grew up surrounded by formal theatrical design, but her 30 years living in the Bahamas have distinctly softened her approach. She joins us to discuss her fourth book, Entertaining with a Side of Chaos, which serves as part memoir and part tablescaping guide. Embrace the Unexpected: Rather than stressing over a flawless evening, prioritize gathering, putting phones down, and fostering meaningful conversations. India once moved a fully set dining table for 30 people into a breezy lane at the last minute simply to escape the summer heat. Invest in Folding Furniture: To maintain flexibility in where you host, India highly recommends using inexpensive folding tables and folding bamboo chairs. This allows you to easily move your party to a new location on a whim. Forage and Improvise: When traditional floral centerpieces aren't an option, look to what you have in abundance. A basketful of tomatoes or a line of reclaimed glass jars acting as bud vases can create a dramatic and beautiful tablescape. Curate the Conversation: Using assigned seating isn't about stuffy hierarchy; it shows you have thoughtfully considered your guests. It saves everyone the awkwardness of finding a seat and allows the host to pair people who will spark fascinating discussions. Build the Table Foundation: Start your tablescape with the tablecloth to set the tone. If using an ugly folding table, cut a bolt of plain fabric to the floor to hide the legs, then layer your decorative tablecloth or runner on top. Mix and Match: Your crockery and glassware do not need to perfectly match. A collection of chipped blue-and-white plates sourced individually from antique stores brings wonderful character to a meal. Read her new book: Entertaining with a Side of Chaos. Follow her on Instagram: @indiahicksstyle. Subscribe to her weekly Substack newsletter. Shop her table linens collection with Pomegranate. What is the most chaotic moment you have ever experienced while hosting a dinner party? Please send in your decorating dilemmas to podcast@ballarddesigns.net so we can help you with your space! Don't forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

September 1, 202657 min

Ep. 481: Meg Braff, Gracious Interiors

Welcome back interior designer Meg Braff to the podcast! Meg first joined the show in 2017 to discuss her first book, The Decorated Home, and now she returns to celebrate her second book, Gracious Interiors, published by Rizzoli. Growing up in Mississippi, Meg watched her mother and grandmother host beautiful, thoughtful parties, and she has carried that effortless Southern hospitality into her design firm. She sits down with Caroline, Taryn, and Liz to discuss how she optimizes floor plans for hosting, why every guest room needs wallpaper, and her favorite tricks for making formal antiques feel approachable. Design for Entertaining: Meg begins every project by analyzing the floor plan to maximize how a family lives and hosts. She looks for ways to provide multiple dining options, like a small setup for six indoors or a long table for thirty outdoors, and uses elements like pergolas and outdoor fireplaces to extend the entertaining season. The "Dress Rehearsal" Trick: A great host makes entertaining look effortless so guests never feel like an inconvenience. Meg recommends setting your table the day before to ensure you have the right counts for flatware and vases, and turning on your playlist an hour early. This allows you to be fully dressed and enjoying a cocktail right before the doorbell rings. Thoughtful Guest Rooms: Wallpapering a guest room is an easy way to make visitors feel expected and special. Elevate the stay by clearing out the medicine cabinet, stocking it with nice toiletries, and leaving out a water carafe, a small plate of fruit, and a note with the Wi-Fi password. Demystifying Wallpaper: Meg—who launched her own expansive fabric and wallpaper line 18 years ago—loves bold patterns, but notes that even a simple grasscloth adds necessary warmth, depth, and texture to a room lacking architectural details. She also encourages hanging artwork directly over wallpaper, provided the pieces relate to each other in scale. Mixing Antiques & Textures: To keep formal antiques from feeling stodgy or unapproachable, Meg mixes in mid-century pieces, like brass and glass coffee tables. She also uses woven materials, like French rattan chairs, bamboo altar tables, or jute rugs, to visually lighten a room and make it feel younger. Go-To Accessories: Meg frequently layers her rooms with vintage brass, nautilus shells, colored or clear glass hurricanes for romantic lighting, and robust collections of books to make spaces feel truly lived-in. Also Mentioned: Follow Meg on Instagram: @megbraffdesigns Visit her shop in West Palm Beach on Georgia Avenue Books by Meg Braff: Gracious Interiors and The Decorated Home Please send in your decorating dilemmas to podcast@ballarddesigns.net so we can help you with your space! Don't forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices