Business of Home Podcast

In the early days, John Derian drew attention as a decoupage artist—his pieces cleverly repurposed illustrations from the 19th century into something fresh and modern. Over the years he’s become known for being so much more: Shopkeeper, author, and purveyor of the world’s most unique Christmas ornaments. On this episode, Derian speaks with host Dennis Scully about his collaborations with everyone from Target to Stubbs & Wootton; how he’s managed to keep a sprawling operation going without an inventory and point of sale system; and why he’s never had a master plan, instead taking the growth of his business day by day, step by step. This episode is sponsored by Loloi and Klafs LINKS John Derian Dennis Scully Business of Home

BOH executive editor Fred Nicolaus and host Dennis Scully discuss the biggest news in the industry, including layoffs at Sotheby’s, RH’s latest earnings report, and the return of colorful bathrooms. Later, editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen and retail columnist Warren Shoulberg join the show to recap 2024. This episode is sponsored by Kohler LINKS Furniture Bank Network Business of Home

Though House & Garden is a British magazine, it has become a must-read for many American designers, who flock to the publication for its storytelling and production value, its classic English style, and its focus on great homes, not celebrities. In this episode of the podcast, House & Garden editor Hatta Byng speaks with host Dennis Scully about why she’s been embracing digital platforms like TikTok and WhatsApp, why she wants the homes in her magazine to be ‘believable,’ and how House & Garden provides comfort in a time of instability. This episode is sponsored by Loloi and Klafs LINKS House & Garden Dennis Scully Business of Home

BOH executive editor Fred Nicolaus and host Dennis Scully discuss the biggest news in the industry, including the new AD100, a potential TikTok ban, and the age-old debate about who gets to call themselves a designer. Later, publisher Elizabeth Ralls joins the show to explain why she bought Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles. This episode is sponsored by Kohler LINKS Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Business of Home

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BOH executive editor Fred Nicolaus and host Dennis Scully discuss the biggest news in the industry, including Design Manager’s new acquisitions, why Williams Sonoma is suing Dupe.com, and Amazon’s rumored $20 sofa. Later, BOH editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen joins the show to recap High Point Market. This episode is sponsored by Kohler and Klafs LINKS High Point Market Business of Home

After an artistic childhood in San Juan, Puerto Rico, interior designer Susana Simonpietri’s early studies took her to Europe and then New York, where she went on to work for some of the industry’s biggest names. Since going out on her own in the wake of the great recession, Simonpietri has built up a team of 30, published her work widely in top shelter magazines, and brought a warm, thoughtfully edited approach to projects across the country On this episode of the podcast, Simonpietri speaks with host Dennis Scully about how past experiences have taught her to screen clients carefully, how she learned to hire and work with the next generation of designers, and why she’s determined to break the industry cycle of toxic workplaces. This episode is sponsored by Four Hands and Surya LINKS Chango Dennis Scully Business of Home

BOH executive editor Fred Nicolaus and host Dennis Scully discuss the biggest news in the industry, including more fallout from Hurricane Helene, a renovation boom and what a controversial celebrity home tour says about the state of design media. Later, Christina Juarez and Ben Reynaert share the story of their shoppable event, The Ticking Tent. This episode is sponsored by Loloi and Isla Porter LINKS The Thursday Show live at High Point Market The Ticking Tent Business of Home

In recent years, Ruggable’s machine washable rugs have become a bona fide hit product, but the company is anything but an overnight success. Founder Jeneva Bell’s story is an agonizing tale of false starts, setbacks and roadblocks—it took almost a decade of effort to get Ruggable off the ground. Today the company employs hundreds across three factories, and drops regular collaborations with top designers like Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Jonathan Adler and Justina Blakeney. On this episode of the podcast Bell tells host Dennis Scully about how she found the resilience to get through hard times, why reading memoirs beats looking at social media, and why there’s more to success than just hard work. This episode is sponsored by Four Hands and Surya LINKS Ruggable Dennis Scully Business of Home

BOH executive editor Fred Nicolaus and host Dennis Scully discuss the biggest news in the industry, including Havenly’s newest acquisition, Banana Republic’s exit from furniture, and why Hearst’s AI deal is drawing backlash. Later, columnist Warren Shoulberg joins the show to break down the state of play in home retail. This episode is sponsored by Loloi and Isla Porter LINKS The Thursday Show live at High Point Market Warren Shoulberg Business of Home

Mark D. Sikes came to design as a second career after decades in retail, but he’s made up for lost time. In just over ten years, he’s released three best-selling books, earned a spot on the AD100, and worked for high-profile clients like Reese Witherspoon, Nancy Meyers and Dr. Jill Biden. More recently, Sikes brought his take on classic American style to Blair House, redesigning an iconic Washington residence used to host heads of state: its guest list includes everyone from Winston Churchill to Justin Trudeau. On this episode of the podcast, Sikes speaks to host Dennis Scully about why consistency has been the key to his success, the surprising strategy that helped his books take off, and why his muse is America. This episode is sponsored by Four Hands and Surya LINKS Mark D. Sikes Dennis Scully Business of Home