Homing

Mary Portas: the queen of the high street’s inspiring journey from homeless orphan to a London townhouse that’s all hers

Most of us know Mary Portas as a swashbuckling TV presenter with a flame-red bob, but her career away from the screen has been no less remarkable. She did the window displays for Topshop during its heyday and was the creative director of Harvey Nichols when it was immortalised on Absolutely Fabulous. Nowadays, however, she runs her consultancy, Portas, which helps brands create purpose and beauty in everything they do. As this episode reveals, her life story is incredibly rich and filled with both trauma and triumph. This episode was recorded in person at the Portas offices, London.For more: Head over to our website for more images of the places discussedVisit Portas Sign up to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspiration Check out Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To Live Follow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTubeThis episode is sponsored by Vitsoe.Executive Producer: Kate Taylor of Feast CollectiveProducer: Hannah PhillipsMusic: FatherGraphic Design: Tom Young Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cath Kidston: the floral-obsessed entrepreneur on why life isn’t always a bed of roses

There’s barely an oilcloth, mug or ironing board cover that hasn’t been embellished with a nostalgic floral print from Cath Kidston. Because of the brand’s ubiquity, it’s easy to forget quite how influential it was when it appeared in the 1990s.What I love about Cath is that she’s living proof you can be a wildly successful entrepreneur whilst also being a kind, gentle soul. Although her name’s still above the door, she hasn’t been involved with the Cath Kidston business for many years, so I was intrigued to find out what that feels like. She’s now set up a bodycare brand called C. Atherley, which makes all of its products using scented geraniums. Despite her love of flowers, life hasn’t always been a bed of David Austin roses for Cath and she talks very honestly about the personal grief she’s suffered through her life. She has a great eye for interiors and we had this conversation at her kitchen table in London, with a surprisingly modern backdrop of Danish wood flooring and an Ellsworth Kelly artwork. Cath was very generous with her time and emotions and I’m really happy with how this episode has turned out. I hope you enjoy it.This episode was recorded in person at Cath Kidston’s West London home.For more: Visit The Modern House website to see images of the spaces discussed in this episodeCheck out Cath Kidston’s latest venture, C.AtherleyFollow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTubeProducer: Hannah PhillipsEditing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom YoungMusic: FatherThis episode was sponsored by Vitsoe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonny Gent: music, martinis and mayhem from the founder of Sessions Arts Club

Today I’m chatting to the swashbuckling artist and restaurateur Jonny Gent. We recorded this episode during a busy lunch service at Sessions Arts Club, Jonny’s inspirational restaurant in Clerkenwell. It’s fair to say that he’d emboldened himself with a few martinis beforehand and what ensued was a conversation that very much represents the man himself: unstructured, poetic and generous. Jonny’s a brilliant painter, and his artworks range from the sexualised and salacious to tenderly painted still-lifes that are a tribute to his late mother. After getting himself through art school, he met a casting director who wrote him a cheque for every painting he’d made. What followed was a journey that took him to more than 20 countries around the world, establishing art studios in everything from a cabin in Scotland to a tobacco factory in France. Now approaching his late 40s, he’s finally starting to put down some roots. As well as having a permanent home in London, Jonny spends a lot of time in the Scottish Highlands, where he’s opened a retreat for creatives called Boath House. Like Sessions Arts Club, it explores the confluence of art, food and music.  Jonny says of his childhood, “I felt totally alone in what I found beautiful.” He begins by telling me about the Slow & Easy, the pub he grew up in, and the lasting impact of 500 strangers coming into your home every day. I hope you enjoy it!This episode was recorded in person at Sessions Arts Club, London.For more: Visit The Modern House website to see images of the spaces discussed in this episodeCheck out Sessions Arts Club and Boath HouseTake a look at Jonny Gent’s latest workFollow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTubeProducer and Editor: Hannah PhillipsMixing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom YoungMusic: Father Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Ross: the Australian comedian on the life-changing effect of modest, modernist buildings – and tinted moisturiser

A while back, Tim came to London to perform at the Isokon building in Belsize Park, and I managed to catch up with him to record this podcast.  As a small boy in the Seventies, Tim quietly absorbed the lessons of modernist architecture. He remembers accompanying his parents to a dinner party at a modern house, where the sound of laughter reverberated around the circular lounge; his career seems to have been about trying to recapture that heady moment. In 2003, he bought his own modernist house in Sydney, a move which, he says, ‘changed my life for the better’. His fascination with architecture and design had previously been a solitary pursuit, but the house provided a way to meet like-minded people and a launchpad for his TV career. Tim is really great company, and we talk about all sorts of things. He explains how he’s an outlier in his family, and what it felt like to perform on stage for the first time.  He tells me about the day the Beastie Boys came to visit and wouldn’t leave, why he’d rather learn to be a builder than go through the stress of another renovation project, and why he swears by the uplifting effects of tinted moisturiser.This episode was recorded in person in Brick Lane, London.For more: Visit The Modern House website to see images of the spaces discussed in this episodeDiscover more about Tim Ross and his live showsSee more of his Sydney homeFollow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTubeProducer: Hannah PhillipsEditing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom Young and Ben TuckerMusic: Father Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luke Edward hall: the artist and designer pulls back the curtain to reveal his colourful life story

Luke has kindly invited us to his house in the Cotswolds, which he shares with his husband, Duncan Campbell, and a pair of enthusiastic whippets.  I was intrigued to learn that this modern-day dandy comes from a bog-standard commuter town, and like many of the people I talk to on this podcast, his creative impulses offered a route out of mediocrity. He tells me his very personal backstory of being estranged from his father at a young age, and what it was like to come out as gay to his family. We talk about his witty, whimsical interpretation of the English Country House Style, why he believes you should invest yourself financially and emotionally in a rental, and why he chose to paint his London flat in ‘Pepto-Bismol pink’ before getting rid of it a few days later.This episode was recorded in person at Luke’s cottage in the Cotswolds.For more: Check out the work of Luke Edward HallSee images of the home he shares with Duncan Campbell over on our sister website, InigoVisit The Modern House websiteFollow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTubeProducer: Hannah PhillipsEditing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom Young and Ben Tucker Music: Father  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Lohan: the co-founder of Mr & Mrs Smith on how his first experience of home shaped an obsession with boutique hotels

This is the first time we’ve recorded an episode in a hotel suite, and that’s because today’s guest knows more about opening doors to glamorous guesthouses than anyone else. James Lohan co-founded the travel company Mr & Mrs Smith with his wife Tamara back in 2003, and since then he’s visited nearly 4,000 hotels in the name of research. James is a gregarious character with some brilliant tales to tell.We discuss his earliest experiences as an entrepreneur, from selling cheese toasties at school, to setting up a mobile disco called Your Mother Wouldn’t Like It. He tells me about his refurbishment of a Dutch barge on the Thames – complete with flock wallpaper and a freestanding bath – and what he’s learned from hotels that we might apply to our homes.This episode was recorded in person at The Nomad Hotel, London.For more:Check out Mr & Mrs Smith Visit The Modern House websiteFollow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTubeProducer: Hannah PhillipsEditing and mixing: Oscar CrawfordMusic: FatherGraphic Design: Tom Young and Ben TuckerThis episode was sponsored by Vitsoe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Claudia Donaldson: the pioneering editor and creative director on creating a sanctuary at home – and the luxury of pink loo roll

During her tenure at Nowness, Claudia commissioned the well-known ‘In Residence’ series, which took us inside the homes of the biggest names in design and architecture. Today, I’m meeting Claudia in her beautiful London home to give her a taste of her own journalistic medicine …She tells me about what it was like to grow up in an English prototype of the American dream, and talks fondly about her ‘impossibly glamorous’ grandparents’ house, which had shagpile carpet, pink loo roll and a telephone next to the sunken bath.We discuss why she prefers to define space with furniture rather than architecture, what happened when she broke her hip and couldn’t get down the stairs, why a home is never truly finished, and the power of procrastination.This episode was recorded at Claudia's home in north west London.For more:Visit The Modern House website for images of some the spaces discussed in this episodeCheck out CloakroomFollow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTubeProducer: Hannah PhillipsEditing and mixing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom YoungMusic: FatherThis episode was sponsored by Vitsoe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philippe Malouin: the experimental designer on creating with integrity – and the art of upcycling

Philippe designs everything from furniture to lighting, combining modern geometry with a sense of humour and materials that are built to last. I first met him many years ago, when he was doing some work with my wife, Faye Toogood. We’d turned our bedroom into a makeshift design studio, and Philippe and a few others would come round to make maquettes and geek out about ergonomics. Nowadays, he’s a burly, bearded bear of a man with an extra 20kg of muscle, but his wit and warmth are the same as I remember. He tells me about what it was like to grow up beside a lake in Canada. From the age of seven, he would take himself off in his boat for the whole day, catching fish and swimming off the islands. This independent, practical spirit has continued into adult life. He largely works on his own, because that’s how he likes it. His studio in Hackney, where we met to record this conversation, is the epicentre of his creative output – a place where he can build something, obsess over which type of screw he’s going to use, or just sit and daydream.He tells me what it’s like to create a home from stuff that others have thrown away, how he saved up to buy his favourite sofa and kept it wrapped in plastic for two years, and why space is the ultimate luxury.This episode was recorded in person, at Philippe Malouin’s studio in East London.For more: Visit The Modern House website to see images of the spaces discussed in this episodeCheck out Philippe Malouin’s latest workFollow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTubeProducer: Hannah PhillipsEditing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom YoungMusic: FatherThis episode is sponsored by Vitsoe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sumayya Vally: the South African architect on how growing up in a township defined her sense of place

Today I’m talking to the wonderful Sumayya Vally, founder of the architecture and research practice Counterspace. When in 2020 Sumayya designed the Serpentine pavilion, she joined the ranks of luminaries including Zaha Hadid, Peter Zumthor and Frank Gehry. In 2021, Time Magazine named her one of the ‘100 Leaders of the Future’ and, more recently, she was artistic director of the inaugural Islamic Arts Biennale in Saudi Arabia.What really shines through in this conversation is Sumayya’s interest in the notion of home as it relates to place. She was born in an Indian township in Pretoria, just after Nelson Mandela was released from prison, and she cites the city of Johannesburg as her biggest inspiration. When she arrived in London, she became interested in the gathering spaces where settlers from other countries and communities have established themselves: churches, synagogues, marketplaces, female community centres, black-music venues and so on. ‘Home is not a physical place,’ she says. ‘It’s a sensibility and a feeling.’The name ‘Sumayya’ means ‘to rise to the occasion’, and she tells me how she’s an outlier in her family and how her parents made sacrifices to provide her with an education. Very occasionally in life, you meet someone who has an inner light that seems to shine more brightly than other people’s. For me, Sumayya has that. She’s incredibly composed, articulate and wise beyond her years and I’m full of admiration for the work she’s doing to bring disparate cultures together.This episode was recorded in person in London.For more:Visit The Modern House website to see images of the spaces discussed in this episode.Check out Counterspace.Follow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTubeProducer: Hannah PhillipsEditing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom YoungMusic: Father Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Little: the owner of Grenson footwear on his journey from Adidas ad man to sole trader

At the time of recording, Tim was knee-deep in building works at home, so I polished up my Chelsea boots for a visit to his London studio. As always, I asked him to describe his life story through the lens of the homes he’s lived in over the years. It was particularly interesting to find out more about his current home, which he bought after seeing it on our website and falling instantly in love. It’s a mid-century masterpiece set in splendid isolation near Rye, in East Sussex. A celebration of craftsmanship comes through in everything that Tim is about. His father was a textile manufacturer, and he’s inherited a fascination with how things are made and the excitement of seeing something take shape on the factory floor. He tells me about his background in advertising, when he was given the most thrilling brief of all time: ‘Make Adidas cool again’. Having been given the keys to one of the world’s most established brands, he was inspired to start his eponymous footwear company and ultimately take over Grenson.Tim is a lovely guy – very humble and grounded – and I really enjoyed getting to know him through the course of this conversation.This episode was recorded in person at the Grenson Studio in Chelsea.For more:Visit The Modern House website to see images of the spaces discussed in this episode.Check out Grenson.Follow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTubeProduction: Hannah PhillipsEditing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom YoungMusic: FatherThis episode was sponsored by Vitsoe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeremy Lee: the much-loved chef who grew up in a wedge of cheddar

I first became aware of Jeremy’s food when he was head chef of Terence Conran’s Blueprint Café, which was above the old Design Museum in Shad Thames. Nowadays, of course, he’s in charge of the kitchen at the revered Quo Vadis in Soho.No one seems to have a bad word to say about Jeremy, and Jay Rayner describes him as ‘one of those rare phenomena in the London food world: a chap everyone agrees is a good thing.His cookbook is simply called Cooking, which sums up his warm-hearted and simple approach to food. I was fascinated to find out more about Jeremy’s life via the homes he’s lived in, from the modern house his parents built, which was shaped like a wedge of cheese, to the flat in a converted factory where we recorded this episode.It turns out that his approach to interiors is as artful as his presentation of food – as if each element has been dolloped off a spoon and landed in exactly the right place.This episode was recorded at Jeremy Lee’s east London home.For more: Visit The Modern House website to see images of the spaces discussed in this episodeWatch Homing In, the film series. Check out Jeremy’s cookbook, CookingFollow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramProducer: Hannah PhillipsEditing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom YoungMusic: Father Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Akram Khan: the poignant story of a man who found his voice through dance

Akram’s rich career includes performing at the opening ceremony of the London Olympics, collaborating with artists Anish Kapoor and Antony Gormley, and choreographing tours and videos for the likes of Kylie Minogue and Florence + the Machine. He was awarded an MBE for services to dance in 2005. He kindly invited us to his home last summer and we recorded this conversation in a shady spot in the garden. Akram is of Bangladeshi descent and he grew up above his parents’ restaurant in south-west London. He was bullied at school and harassed by the National Front outside of it, so he’s always had a conflicted view of his community. As a child, he was introverted to the point of being mute, and movement quickly became his primary form of expression. He tells me how he danced so enthusiastically at home that the lights in the restaurant below would start shaking, putting the customers off their food. The word ‘home’ has come to mean many things for Akram: it’s the small studio in the garden where he practises dance for four hours every morning, it’s the stage on which he performs, and it’s also his own body. As is the case for so many true artists, there’s a lot of conflicting emotion inside him. He talks particularly poignantly about his relationship with his late father, who always struggled to demonstrate his love. Akram’s story has really stayed with me. Being able to talk to people on this podcast is a great privilege, and conversations like this one really remind me of that.For more: Visit The Modern House website to see images of the spaces discussed in this episodeCheck out the latest from the Akram Khan CompanyFollow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTubeProducer: Hannah PhillipsEditing and mixing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom YoungMusic: FatherThis episode was sponsored by Vitsoe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roksanda Ilinčić: the fashion designer’s colourful journey through Belgrade, Britain and Brazil

I first met Roksanda in 2006. We were selling her flat in King’s Cross, which was unlike anything I’d seen before: a brooding space with cast-concrete worktops, a black resin floor and mirrored lightwells. It had a subterranean lap-pool that was completely black, like a cave, where one could imagine Bruce Wayne practising his backstroke. Roksanda had recently shown her first collection at London Fashion Week and garments dangled enticingly from rails in her workspace. Some 18 years later, I’ve come to meet her in her studio in the East End to record this podcast. As before, her latest collection is on display, only this time the hanging rails have multiplied by a factor of a hundred. The colours are even more vibrant. Roksanda is no longer simply a name; it’s a brand with a global following.I loved finding out more about Roksanda’s life story. She talks passionately about the importance of nature in her life, from the old quince trees in her grandparents’ garden to the inside-out living of her favourite Modernist houses in Brazil. She describes how the birth of her daughter was like a portal opening up, which gave her new confidence and a sense of perspective. She tells me about how she’s managed to bring architecture into fashion, and why she believes that clothes are there to provide shelter and protection in the same way that a home does.Thank you so much for listening, as always, and I really hope you enjoy it!This episode was recorded in person at Roksanda’s East London studio. For more: Visit our website to see images of the spaces discussed Check out Roksanda’s latest collection Check out The Lost House sales listing, over on The Modern House Follow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTubeProducer: Hannah PhillipsEditing and mixing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom YoungMusic: Father Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rosh Mahtani: the Alighieri founder’s inspiring journey from school outcast to acclaimed entrepreneur

Rosh is founder of the brilliant jewellery company Alighieri. We discuss her life story through the prism of the homes she’s lived in, from humble beginnings in Zambia to the beautifully designed flat she now owns in Clerkenwell. When Rosh moved to London at the age of eight, she was the only person of colour in her school. She tells me how she’s managed to channel this feeling of alienation towards a personal mission of bringing people together, celebrating commonality rather than difference. We talk about the importance of ritual at home and why she likes living on her own. We also discuss her suspicion of the colour green, the joy of negative space and why she imagines herself living in the desert as an old lady. Hope you enjoy it!This episode was recorded in person at Rosh's London studio.For more: Visit AlighieriSee images of Rosh's own home and Frey House over on The Modern HouseSubscribe to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspirationFind out more about Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To LiveFollow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTubeProduction: Hannah PhillipsEditing and mixing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom YoungMusic: FatherThis episode is sponsored by Vitsoe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Duncan McLeod: the emotional story of an architect whose home is a source of magic and motivation

I’ve known Duncan for many years now and he’s definitely one of the good guys. We first met when I was commissioned to write a piece for The World of Interiors about the amazing home in west London he shares with his wife, Lyndsay Milne McLeod, and their son, Oban. Duncan’s kindly invited me back to the house to record this episode. He tells me about how growing up on building sites brought him close to his father, the importance of magic in architecture and why he believes you should always design a house as if you’re playing hide-and-seek in it. Duncan certainly isn’t the first guest to shed a tear or two on this podcast and I think this is a really lovely, heartfelt conversation.This episode was recorded at Duncan's home in West London.For more:Check out Studio McLeod's latest workVisit our website for images of places discussed, and to read our interview with Duncan McLeodSign up to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspirationProduction: Hannah PhillipsEditing and mixing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom YoungMusic: Father Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jacqueline Rabun: the jewellery designer on why music, meditation and modernism are the cornerstones of life in Los Angeles

Jacqueline is a jewellery designer whose work I’ve admired for many years, probably because it’s so architectural. As you probably know by now, we try to record these podcasts in the guest’s home whenever possible, and this one is particularly exciting on that front, because Jacqueline lives in a 1960s house perched on a hillside in Los Angeles. As is the custom on this podcast, I asked Jacqueline to talk about a home from her past, her current place, and a home of the future. She told me what it was like to grow up in a big family, and how the soul music that boomed around the house was somehow a form of defiance against the racial tension that African-Americans were feeling at that time. And we also talked about how the pandemic inspired her homing instinct, why she’s enjoying living with less and her love of mid-century modern houses.This episode was recorded in person at Jacqueline's Los Angeles home studio.For more:Head to the Carpenters Workshop Gallery‘s London space, to visit ‘Jacqueline Rabun: A Retrospective’Check out Jacqueline Rabun’s latest workFind out more about her dream home, the Loring HouseVisit our website for images and details of the places discussedSign up to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspirationFollow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTubeProduction: Hannah PhillipsEditing and mixing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom YoungMusic: FatherThis episode is sponsored by Vitsoe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Glenn Adamson: the curator on why a New York ‘love shack’ stole his heart

Glenn's a brilliant curator and writer with a particular interest in craft. If that conjures up an image of lace doilies and crocheted waistcoats, then don't panic!Back in 2011, he put together the amazing 'Postmodernism' exhibition at the V&A in London, which was a riot of Memphis pattern and colour; and more recently, he's co-curated a show called 'Mirror Mirror' at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire. Glenn writes beautifully – and his book Fewer, Better Things was a really big influence on my own book, A Modern Way to Live. A phrase he uses a lot is 'material intelligence', which is the idea that we should try to understand the things we choose to live with – where they've come from and how they've been made. I don’t know if it's material intelligence or old-fashioned fate that led Glenn to find his home in Upstate New York, but it really is the physical manifestation of everything he believes in. We also chatted about his place in east London, what it's like to be an identical twin, his thoughts on the metaverse and all sorts of other things. Glenn is one of the most erudite people I know and his thoughtfulness is something we could all learn from.This episode was recorded in person at Glenn's east London home.For more: Head over to The Modern House website for images of the places discussed Watch the B-52's 'Love Shack' music video Check out the house built by a librarian's collection of bricksRead more by Glenn AdamsonSign up to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspiration Follow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTube Executive Producer: Kate Taylor of Feast CollectiveProduction: Hannah Phillips Music: FatherGraphic Design: Tom Young This episode is sponsored by Vitsoe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hans Ulrich Obrist: the celebrated curator on why home has always been a place of artistic discovery

Hans Ulrich Obrist is the artistic director of the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington, west London, and is universally acknowledged as one of the most important and prolific art curators of our time. When I spoke to him at his office, I discovered a force of nature with an energy unlike that of anyone I’ve met before. His notion of home is also pretty extreme. When he was a student, he turned his flat into a gallery and he’s lived in some of the world’s most famous house-museums. This episode doesn’t follow the usual format, but I think it’s a really interesting portrait of a brilliant man. This conversation was recorded in person in Hans Ulrich Obrist’s office at the Serpentine gallery. For more: Head over to our website for more images of the places discussedVisit The Serpentine Gallery Sign up to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspiration Check out Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To Live Follow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTubeExecutive Producer: Kate Taylor of Feast CollectiveProduction: Hannah PhillipsMusic: FatherGraphic Design: Tom Young Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tony Chambers: the magazine editor’s transformative journey from a Liverpool terrace to the Barbican penthouse of his dreams

Tony’s life story is incredibly inspiring. He began his career at The Sunday Times Magazine, then became the art director of GQ and was later appointed editor-in-chief of Wallpaper*, which arguably defined the design aesthetic of the noughties and taught us all how to live like urbane Scandinavians. We discussed his childhood home in the 1970s – which was a riot of swirly brown carpet, chintz cushions and fake-brick wallpaper – and his experience living on the Barbican estate in London for 27 years, which is longer than anyone else I know.This conversation was recorded in person at Tony’s Barbican home.For more:Head over to our website for more images of the places discussedVisit Tony Chambers' design agency, TC & FriendsSign up to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interior inspirationCheck out Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To LiveFollow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTubeExecutive Producer: Kate Taylor of Feast CollectiveProduction: Hannah PhillipsMusic: FatherGraphic Design: Tom Young Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Frances Morris: the Tate Modern director on why she returns to her childhood home

Where does our spirit go when we die? Frances Morris has this question figured out: she will return to the home in which she was born, a Georgian house abreast the Meridian Line in Greenwich. In this deeply personal conversation, Frances explains why her childhood home has such an emotional hold over her.  Southeast London has been the backdrop to her whole life, and it's fitting that she has worked at the forefront of its most important cultural institution: Tate Modern. Not only was she the gallery's first female director, but Frances has also redefined the perception of female artists, spearheading retrospectives of Louise Bourgeois, Yayoi Kusama, Agnes Martin and others. Shortly before we recorded this podcast, it was announced that she will be leaving for pastures new. I've come to meet her in her office within the bowels of the gallery, and, understandably, she is in reflective mood.  This is one of the most memorable conversations I've ever had. Frances feels like someone I've known for ever, and her background and story have significant parallels with my own. I really hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  This conversation was recorded in person at the Tate Modern. For more on Frances Morris:Head over to our website for more images of the places discussedVisit the Tate Modern For more from the The Modern House: Sign up to our newsletter for weekly interior inspiration Check out Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To Live Follow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTubeExecutive Producer: Kate Taylor of Feast CollectiveProduction: Hannah PhillipsMusic: FatherGraphic Design: Tom Young Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

India Mahdavi: the interior designer on how a rented apartment provides the stable home a nomadic childhood never could

Known as the Queen of Colour, India has designed upbeat bars and radical restaurants from Miami to Mexico City. Her Gallery restaurant at Sketch in London became one of the most inspirational spaces of our time, and single-handedly changed the public perception of the colour pink. Last autumn, I hopped on the Eurostar to go and meet her at home in Paris. I arrived completely drenched from a rainstorm, but my frost-bitten cockles were soon warmed by a cup of tea and a fireside chat with India in her beautiful apartment. She told me about how her early years in Massachusetts influenced her love of bright colours, from the strawberry milkshakes she drank to the Technicolor cartoons she watched on TV. One day, she and her family relocated very suddenly to Germany, arriving to a neo-Gothic house straight out of the Addams Family. Her world turned black-and-white, and she felt like an unwelcome foreigner. Soon they moved on again, this time to France, where she started to find a way to express herself through making things and tapping into her creativity. What I found so interesting about our conversation was discovering how India has reacted against her itinerant childhood and established a very defined sense of place as an adult. Her studio, her showroom and her home are all located in a single block in Paris, where she's lived for more than 25 years. She doesn't even have to cross the road to carry out all the functions of everyday life. As India gets older, she feels increasingly drawn to her native countries of Iran and Egypt. She's bought a house in Arles that's hidden among cypress trees and reminds her of Tehran in the 1970s. All in all, India's past, present and future are acutely defined by the notion of home and belonging – everything that this podcast is about.This conversation was recorded in person at India’s home in Paris. For more on India Mahdavi:Head over to our website for more images of the places discussedCheck out India's websiteRead more about The Gallery at SketchFor more from the The Modern House: Sign up to our newsletter for weekly interior inspiration Check out Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To Live Follow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTube Executive Producer: Kate Taylor of Feast CollectiveProduction: Hannah PhillipsMusic: FatherGraphic Design: Tom YoungTo get in touch, email us at podcast@themodernhouse.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick Knight: the iconic photographer on how well-designed spaces make life better

Nick is a legendary photographer and founder of the influential website SHOWstudio, which has pioneered the use of moving image in fashion. I've come to his London studio to find out more about his incredibly colourful life through the lens of the homes he's lived in. He tells me about growing up in a grandiose apartment in Paris, the impact of his dyslexia, and how falling in love with photography unlocked a relentless work ethic. His unlikely entrypoint into image-making was joining a group of skinheads as a teenager, mainly because he liked the look of the girls. He talks about the life-changing experience of building a house in his twenties, with a certain young architect named David Chipperfield. We discuss the future of AI, how being a photographer gives him unique access to anyone in the world, and the day he turned Lady Gaga into a man. As Nick says, 'there’s nothing more important than the spaces you live in, for shaping you, how you feel about things, making you feel positive about life and love.' He's full of wisdom and wit, and this is certainly a conversation I will always remember. This conversation was recorded in person at SHOWstudio, London. For more on Nick Knight: Head over to our website for more images of Nick’s home Check out SHOWstudio  Read more about the David Chipperfield project For more from the The Modern House: Sign up to our newsletter for weekly interior inspiration Check out Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To Live Follow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTube Executive Producer: Kate Taylor of Feast CollectiveProduction: Hannah PhillipsMusic: FatherGraphic Design: Tom YoungTo get in touch, email us at podcast@themodernhouse.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Homing In Preview

What does home reveal about who we are? Almost everything, it turns out, as we have discovered recording conversations with cultural contributors, business innovators and creative luminaires for our new podcast, Homing In, which we are excited to share with you later this week. The show takes over from the previous iteration of our podcast with an updated format. Our co-founder Matt Gibberd asks guests to discuss the place they grew up in, their current home, and their thoughts on future living – revealing the emotional experiences that underpin some of our most inspiring public figures. Be prepared for tears, laughter, and everything in between.The Modern House is an estate agency that helps people live in more thoughtful and beautiful ways. If you have a modern home to sell, get in touch to find out how we can maximise its value.To hear more from The Modern House:Sign up to our newsletter for weekly interior inspirationFollow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christopher Kane: Fashion Designer

Christopher Kane is the fashion designer known for his subversive yet refined clothes. He’s also a charming and chatty Scotsman, with plenty of humour and good stories to go round, including an incident with wild monkeys at an Indonesian resort and his first encounter with Donatella Versace. His top architectural choices in the world, meanwhile, are full of superstition and spirituality. Plus, he talks the joys of growing up in a Scottish household and explains why he’ll always be a devotee of the TV.Find out more on The Modern House.Subscribe to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspirationFind out more about Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To LiveFollow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTube  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kevin Carmody: Architect

Architect Kevin Carmody, co-founder of Carmody Groarke, is joined by Matt Gibberd (and some rather sweet special guests) on location at one of his current projects in the verdant countryside of East Sussex. Just like his archive of work, Kevin’s three favourite spaces are diverse and meticulously designed, from a house that appears to be dissolving to one that healed a marriage. Plus, he explains how to design a house so that it doesn’t, in fact, look like one at all.Find out more on The Modern House.Subscribe to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspirationFind out more about Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To Live Follow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Penny Martin: Editor

Penny Martin is the Glaswegian wordsmith perhaps best known for leading The Gentlewoman’s masthead as editor in chief. Dialling in from her home in Fife, Scotland, where she overlooks the sea, Penny discusses her career climb, including a stint as a tour guide at the Glasgow School of Art, and reveals some of her earliest conversations with her former boss, the fashion photographer Nick Knight. Plus, she shares her favourite three living spaces in the world.Find out more on The Modern House.Subscribe to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspirationFind out more about Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To Live Follow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eudon Choi: Fashion Designer

Eudon Choi is a fashion designer celebrated for his masterful craftsmanship, clean architectural lines and bold colour palette – and his top three living spaces around the world share the same sensibilities as his clothes. Eudon also speaks on the joys of his own home in Shoreditch, and why he finds it more of a challenge to pick colours for his walls than for his collections.Check out the nowness.com In Residence Series to see the film about Luis Barragan's Casa Gilardi that Matt mentions in the interview.Find out more on The Modern House.Subscribe to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspirationFind out more about Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To Live Follow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Featherstone: Architect

Sarah Featherstone is a RIBA award-winning architect, co-founder of practice Featherstone Young, and lecturer at Central Saint Martins. We’re particularly drawn to Sarah’s way of thinking, for when it comes to architecture, she is less interested in bricks and mortar and more in the way in which people inhabit spaces. Listen to the episode now to discover her top three living spaces and hear about her unlikely encounter with Right Said Fred.Find out more on The Modern House.Subscribe to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspirationFind out more about Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To LiveFollow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTube  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laura Jackson: Broadcaster and Entrepreneur

Laura Jackson is a supper-club host, broadcaster and, most recently, founder of homeware marketplace Glassette. She is also known for her love of – and astute eye for – interiors, which makes her well placed to discuss her top three living spaces in the world with our host, Matt Gibberd. Listen to the episode now to discover her choices, tips for creating a home wherever she may be and to find out why she wants to live like Forrest Gump.Find out more on The Modern House.Subscribe to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspirationFind out more about Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To LiveFollow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Margaret Howell: Designer

On The Modern House Podcast, our host Matt Gibberd invites design enthusiasts to select their top three living spaces in the world. The guest of this episode is indeed a design enthusiast, but she’s also quite the expert: it’s Margaret Howell. The designer is synonymous with three things in particular: a quintessential Britishness, quality craftsmanship and materials. So it makes perfect sense that this trio unites her top three living spaces. Listen to discover the stories behind her selection. Plus, she discusses her early memories of design and endless love of making things. Find out more on The Modern House. Subscribe to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspirationFind out more about Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To Live Follow Matt Gibberd on InstagramFollow The Modern House InstagramWatch our Homing In films on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.