Homing
The Homing podcast explores the importance of home in shaping who we are. Host Matt Gibberd, author and co-founder of The Modern House, takes listeners inside the homes of inspiring guests to examine how our living spaces influence emotions, creativity, and sense of self. Featuring voices from art, film, and wellness, the show offers a thoughtful journey into remarkable homes and the minds that shape them.
Episodes
Why Home Lives in the Imagination | with Turkish Novelist Elif Shafak
For Turkish-British novelist Elif Shafak, home isn't a physical place; it lives in the stories we tell.Elif is an award-winning novelist, celebrated for writing about the lives of people on the margins. She has spent much of her life moving between countries, cultures and languages. Yet she feels most at home in the world of books, stories and imagination – a place she calls ‘Storyland’.I
Dan Martensen: The Fashion Photographer Who Learned to Fit In
Dan Martensen is a portrait and fashion photographer whose work appears in Vogue, i-D and WSJ Magazine. He’s also the founder of It’s Bagels, bringing the New York-style bagel he grew up with to London.In this conversation, Dan talks about being uprooted from his childhood home at eleven, struggling to fit in at school, and learning to hide his sensitivity to get by.We discuss how those e
Why Creativity Is a Human Need | With Amie McNee
Writer and creative coach Amie McNee believes that creativity isn’t a luxury; it’s a fundamental human need, and one that many of us are suppressing.Amie has a wonderfully broad definition of creativity. It might mean writing a novel or painting a picture, but it could just as easily be gardening, baking a cake, or singing in the shower. It’s not about creating something good, useful, or
Rose Wylie: Nonconformity, Ageing & the Beauty of an Unruly Home
At 91, Rose Wylie has one of the most remarkable stories in contemporary British art. She stopped painting in order to raise her three children and returned to it in middle age, finding widespread recognition in her seventies. Today her work is exhibited around the world, and earlier this year she had a major show at the Royal Academy.For the past 58 years, Rose has lived in the same hous
Is Your Home Keeping You Awake? Professor Russell Foster Rethinks the Rules of Sleep
We spend around a third of our lives asleep, yet for so many of us, getting a good night’s sleep can feel like a real struggle. Could our homes hold some of the answers to sleeping better?In this conversation, leading sleep expert and Oxford Professor of Circadian Neuroscience Russell Foster rethinks the rules of sleep and explores how we can create a home environment that supports our na
Charlene Prempeh: Why More Space Isn’t the Key to a Happier Home
Matt Gibberd visits writer and creative consultant Charlene Prempeh at her home in North London. Charlene is the founder of A Vibe Called Tech, a creative studio that champions Black culture. She’s a columnist for the Financial Times, and curator of an upcoming exhibition at the Design Museum called The Nue Black Aesthetic.Charlene grew up in a small council house in Canning Town that was
Lemn Sissay: What Happens When Home Rejects You?
Lemn Sissay is a poet, playwright and broadcaster. Few people have thought more deeply about the meaning of home than Lemn. As a baby, Lemn was separated from his Ethiopian mother and placed into foster care with a white family. He grew up believing he had been abandoned, not even knowing his real name. From the age of twelve, he was placed in a series of children's homes, where he remain
Anna Jones: Why Home Is an Act of Care
Anna Jones is a cook, food writer, and one of the leading voices in modern vegetarian cooking. For Anna, making food for someone is the ultimate act of care.She began her career working alongside Jamie Oliver, before becoming one of Britain's best-loved food writers in her own right with bestsellers like A Modern Way to Eat and One: Pot, Pan, Planet. Anna grew up in a close-knit family w
Martha Beck: What Happens When Home Isn’t Safe?
Martha Beck is a sociologist, bestselling author and one of the world’s leading life coaches. She grew up in the Mormon community in Utah, in a home that was a source of shame for her and her siblings.Her childhood was one of profound anxiety and depression, and she’s written openly about the abuse she experienced from her father. Those traumatic experiences led to a lifelong search for s
Jinny Blom: Why We All Need Somewhere to Hide
Jinny Blom is one of Britain's leading landscape designers. She has created over 700 gardens – and each one begins, in some way, with a search for security.Jinny trained as a psychologist and psychotherapist, working for many years in mental health, before a prophetic dream prompted her to devote herself to her lifelong interest in natural landscapes and gardens.Since then, Jinny has crea
Poet Jackie Kay on Adoption, Identity and the Long Search for Belonging
Jackie Kay is an acclaimed poet and novelist, who was previously the national poet of Scotland – a role known as the Makar. She’s the author of Red Dust Road, a memoir that chronicles a twenty-year search for her birth parents.Jackie was adopted as a baby by a white Scottish couple and grew up in suburban Glasgow. Throughout her life, she's had to explore questions of identity, belonging
Why Comfort Isn't Always Good for Us | With Architect Stefan Behling
Does modern design shelter us, or is it cutting us off from the world? Architect Stefan Behling believes that many of today's buildings have turned us into what he calls "humans in captivity”. They keep the temperature constant, shut out the sounds and smells of the outside world, and misunderstand what it really means to be comfortable. As a senior partner at Foster + Partners, Stefan h
Architect Sophie Hicks on being an 80s cover girl, and why every object should have a purpose
Sophie Hicks has helped fashion brands like Paul Smith, Yohji Yamamoto and Acne Studios translate their vision into built form. But before becoming one of Britain's most respected architects, she was immersed in the world of fashion.She worked alongside Grace Coddington and Azzedine Alaïa, styled shoots for Vogue and Tatler, and became an iconic face of the early Eighties after appearing
Johann Hari: How to Find Connection in a Lonely World
Loneliness, anxiety and a loss of belonging are among the defining crises of our time. Johann Hari believes they share a common cause.Johann is the author of Lost Connections and Stolen Focus – two of the most widely read books on mental health published in the last decade. He argues that depression and anxiety are often misunderstood: not simply as biological problems, but as signals tha
Chef Margot Henderson on Home, Food & Caring for Fergus
Margot Henderson is one of Britain's most influential chefs, and a pioneer of “nose-to-tail” cooking. She's spent her career finding value in what others might disregard – a philosophy that extends far beyond the kitchen.Alongside her husband, Fergus Henderson, she's helped redefine the way we eat, with an approach that's simple, honest and rooted in ingredients rather than technique.Whil
Can a Home Help You Heal? – With Psychotherapist Julia Samuel MBE
Today's guest is psychotherapist Julia Samuel MBE, one of Britain's leading experts on grief and trauma.Julia has worked with hundreds of families navigating bereavement, including members of the Royal Family. She was a close friend of Diana, Princess of Wales, and supported Prince William and Prince Harry following Diana's death.In this conversation, we explore belonging and why some peo
Patrick Williams on Grief, Restoration and the House That Shaped His Life
Patrick Williams is an interior decorator who specialises in period buildings and restoration projects. He views design not just as decoration, but as a form of storytelling and historical preservation.Patrick is the founder of Berdoulat, a design practice named after the remarkable house in France that his parents restored over a twenty-year period during his childhood – a project that b
Can Your Home Make You Healthier? – With Dr. Esther Sternberg
Should the home be considered one of the pillars of health? Dr. Esther Sternberg believes good design can heal us — and that architects should think of themselves not just as designers, but almost as health professionals. Esther is a physician and researcher whose work focuses on the relationship between mind, body and environment. She is the author of Healing Spaces and Well at Work, whi
David Shrigley on Anxiety, Absurdity & Ageing Disgracefully
David Shrigley has spent his life creating art that makes people laugh. He is one of Britain’s most recognisable contemporary artists, celebrated for his deadpan drawings that mix humour, bleakness and childlike simplicity.Growing up as a shy, introspective child, on a red-brick estate in the suburbs of Leicester, David was happiest alone with a blank sheet of paper and a pencil – fifty y
Can a Prison Ever Feel Like Home? – with Professor Yvonne Jewkes
The spaces we inhabit shape who we become. But what does that mean for the people who have no choice where they live? Yvonne Jewkes is a professor of criminology, author, and leading expert on prison architecture. She has spent her career studying what echoing corridors, metal doors and harsh fluorescent lighting do to the people living inside prisons — and designing spaces that restore r
Sue Stuart-Smith on Nature, Childhood & The Garden as Medicine
Sue Stuart-Smith is a psychiatrist, gardener and the author of The Well-Gardened Mind. She has spent her career making the case that going outside and getting your hands in the soil is one of the most powerful things we can do for our mental health.Sue runs the Serge Hill Project, along with her husband, Tom Stuart-Smith — a garden and events space where children and groups from disadvant
Why Doesn’t Where You Live Feel Like Home? — with Urban Designer David Engwicht
We tend to think of home as the space inside our four walls. But for David Engwicht, home doesn't stop at the front door – it extends out into the neighbourhood beyond.David is a master placemaker and urban designer – he explores how the design of our towns and cities can either bring us closer or push us apart. With his cowboy boots, heavy-framed glasses and 'Pat Cash' hair, he's more li
Sue Webster on Punk, The Mole House & The Art of Non-Conformity
Artist Sue Webster built a career and a home by refusing to fit in — it’s why she identifies with the Mole Man so much. She found fame alongside her husband Tim Noble, as part of the post-YBA generation — their anarchic self-portraits, made from found objects and discarded rubbish, made them the “rock stars” of British art. Together they built the Dirty House in Shoreditch, which helped d
Do We Really Need More Stuff? — with Japanese Architect Takero Shimazaki
Most of us think we need more — more space, more things, more possessions. Japanese architect Takero Shimazaki believes we may already have enough.Takero has designed some of the most elegant private houses in Britain, including one that was nominated for the Stirling Prize. His buildings are never grand or showy. Instead, they are thoughtful and restrained.He grew up in Japan, where ther
Henry Holland on Reinvention, Resilience & Home in Two Halves
For fashion designer turned ceramicist Henry Holland, reinvention isn't about starting over – it's about evolving on your own terms.Henry first made his name with the cult fashion label House of Holland, famous for cheeky slogans like 'Do Me Daily Christopher Bailey' and 'Let's Breed Bella Hadid'. But in recent years, he has pivoted to making homewares and contemporary ceramics, using the
How to Detoxify Your Home with Dr. Jenny Goodman
We think of home as our ultimate refuge – a sanctuary from the noise and pollution of the outside world. But what if the space meant to protect us is actually the one we should be questioning most?Dr. Jenny Goodman, a practitioner of ecological medicine, has spent years examining how modern life exposes us to toxins and sharing practical steps we can take to reduce exposure.Jenny breaks d
Maria Balshaw on Creative Rebellion, Life After the Tate & The House as a Container
Beyond the whirlwind of galleries and exhibitions, Tate Director Maria Balshaw's home holds the quieter, deeply personal moments of her life.Growing up in Northampton, she longed to escape her characterless new-build house and nurtured a desire to be different. Her current home in Kent is a reflection of that creative rebellion, with medieval beams at its centre, classical sash windows on
Alain de Botton: Is Your Home Making You Happy?
Why are some people drawn to minimalist architecture while others prefer nostalgic rooms filled with antiques and personal artefacts?Writer and philosopher Alain de Botton believes the answer might lie deeper than taste. For many years, Alain has explored the emotional forces that shape our inner lives – from love and loss to status anxiety. Through his educational organisation, The Schoo
Tom Stuart-Smith on Landscapes, Legacy & The Uplifting Power of Nature
Landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith has spent most of his life on the same plot of land, tending its gardens and letting the land shape him in return. Tom has designed gardens at places like Chatsworth, Tate Britain and The Hepworth Wakefield. He’s won nine gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show, and was awarded an OBE in 2023. But long before any of that, he was a child roaming Serge H
Anxiety in the Body: Creating a Sanctuary at Home with Dr Alexandra Shaker
Anxiety is something many of us carry quietly. It can shape everything, from how we move through the world to how we feel at home.In this episode of Homing, Dr Alexandra Shaker explores how the home can become a sanctuary and how physical environments can either soothe or unsettle us.Alexandra is a specialist in anxiety disorders with a PhD in Clinical Psychology. Her book The Narrowing c
Elizabeth Day on Perfectionism, Positive Affirmations & Rebuilding Home After Loss
Author and podcaster Elizabeth Day spent years chasing a vision of the ‘perfect’ home life, only to discover that reality can look very different.She grew up in the Northern Irish countryside, in a home that was physically safe but shadowed by unrest in the wider community. Childhood fears of monsters under the bed were replaced by the reality of masked terrorists, which has made the conc
Wintering at Home: The Power of Rest & Ritual, with Katherine May
In the first episode of a new strand of Homing, Katherine May frames the home as a place to slow down and take refuge from the overstimulating world beyond.Katherine is known for her bestselling book Wintering, which explores the importance of rest and retreat during the fallow periods of life that we all experience. The conversation delves into what happens when we allow ourselves to not
Natasha Landers on Curating Black Art, East London & The Home as a Living Exhibition
For interior designer and art curator Natasha Landers, home is where the public and private worlds meet. Her Walthamstow house is a curated gallery, where Black art is not just displayed, but lives among her daily life.Natasha grew up in a Hackney council house, sharing a bedroom with her brother in a home where space was tight, but imagination wasn’t. From an early age, she found ways to
Dan Pearson on Landscape Design, Mindfulness & the Alchemy of Gardening
For Dan Pearson, working with the landscape isn’t simply his profession — it’s how he makes sense of the world.In this emotional conversation, he opens up about self-image, mindfulness and the alchemy of gardening – something that can feel like magic, but is really about careful attention and a deep respect for the natural rhythms of life.Dan fondly recalls his childhood home: a dilapidat
Matilda Goad on Balance, Joy and Playful Homeware Design
For homewares designer Matilda Goad, balance isn’t just a design principle – it’s a way of living. Her home is a reflection of that: comfortable and familiar, but full of playful touches.Growing up in a country cottage, boredom became a lesson in invention. With her grandfather an artist and her mother a fashion designer, Matilda was surrounded by creativity from an early age and develope
Skye McAlpine on Hosting, Christmas & the Myth of Perfection at Home
For a special Christmas episode of Homing, I was invited into the home of cookery writer and ultimate host, Skye McAlpine.Skye is like a modern-day “Mother Christmas”. She was raised between London and Venice by parents who were great bon viveurs, and her childhood home was an open house, filled with guests, conversation and celebration. It’s there that she absorbed the idea that a home i
Max Rollitt on Interior Decorating, Sentimentality & the Home as Autobiography
Max Rollitt is a highly respected interior decorator and antiques dealer. Extraordinary pieces pass through his hands every day, yet most of the objects he chooses to live with at home have little monetary value. Instead, they are tokens of respect and love.The conversation begins with Max’s childhood in Winchester, where he struggled at school because he processed information in images –
Polly Morgan on Taxidermy, Family & Letting Things Go
Much like her taxidermy-based sculptures, Polly Morgan is an artist who delights in looking beneath the surface. Her home in Camberwell is deliberately minimalist - a space viewers may recognise from Netflix’s Baby Reindeer. As she prepares to move out after 13 years, with most of her possessions already shipped off to the countryside, she reflects on the highs and lows of her time there.
Chris Packham on Neurodiversity, Safe Spaces & Finding Solace in Nature
Chris Packham has always fascinated me. As a broadcaster, naturalist, and conservationist, he’s helped millions connect with wildlife and the natural world through shows like BBC’s Springwatch – but sitting down with him in his home, I realised how much of his story is about creating refuge, both at home and within himself.In this deeply personal conversation, Chris speaks candidly about
Homing With Matt Gibberd
The Homing podcast explores the importance of home in shaping who we are. Join Matt Gibberd, author and co-founder of The Modern House, as he takes listeners inside the homes of inspiring guests to examine what really happens inside our walls – how they influence our emotions, creativity and sense of self. Featuring leading voices from art, film, wellbeing and beyond, Homing is a thoughtf
Bethan Laura Wood: the multidisciplinary designer on the need to make and create
Bethan designs everything from furniture to lighting and textiles, and some of her work is currently on display at the Design Museum in London. She presents herself to the world like a human peacock. She dyes her hair different colours, wears layers of vivid clothing, and puts dots on her cheeks. Her flat in east London isn’t exactly demure either. We recorded this podcast in the comp
Lakwena Maciver: the renowned artist on colour, creativity, criticism and connection
Today's guest is the wonderful Lakwena Maciver.Lakwena is an artist whose work has exploded out of the Instagram generation. She uses bright colours and patterns inspired by her African heritage and bold written slogans.Given that her work is so positive and uplifting, I was really interested to find out that she's a natural pessimist with a very tough inner critic. So the words that appe
Sir Christopher Le Brun: The leading painter on the homes that have shaped him
Christopher was President of the Royal Academy for eight years and given a knighthood in 2021. I first met him a few years ago, when The Modern House was selling his beautiful home in Camberwell. Shortly after that, he had a joint exhibition in Los Angeles with my wife, Faye Toogood, so I got to know him better during the week we were out there together. This podcast gave me the chance
Dame Zandra Rhodes: the fashion legend on living a life in Technicolor
Zandra's home is one of the most colourful, cluttered and downright bonkers living spaces I've ever been in. We recorded this podcast just before Christmas, so there was an extra layer of sparkle on top of the kaleidoscope. Zandra walked me through her incredible life story... from being born during an air raid in 1940, to being discovered by American Vogue's fashion editor Diana Vreela
Nigel Slater: the food writer opens the door to his fascinating home life
Nigel is the first podcast guest ever to make me cry. I'm a big fan of his writing, and suspected he'd be a kindred spirit, but spending the day with him in his house was an overwhelming experience I wasn't prepared for.He lives around the corner from where I grew up, in a pared-back way that feels very familiar. In this remarkably honest conversation, he outlines the essential role his h
Kevin McCloud: the Grand Designs presenter takes us behind the scenes of his own life
Kevin has been a fixture on our tellies for so many years that we feel like we know him. But, actually, I didn’t have a clue about his life story, so this conversation was really interesting for me. He tells me about growing up in what he refers to as an ‘architectural zoo’ of housing from different eras. We talk about his involvement with Footlights, the famous comedy troupe at Cambridge
Skye Gyngell: a searingly honest portrait of a chef battling for her identity
Skye Gyngell was born and raised in Sydney, but has never felt Australian. In this honest and heartfelt interview, she paints a picture of a deeply introverted child who wanted to “turn down the volume” on everybody. Her father, Bruce Gyngell, was the first person to appear on TV in Australia, and uttered the immortal line, “Good evening, and welcome to television.” She describes him as v
Ruth Rogers: London’s favourite chef on creating an iconic house
For Ruth Rogers, home is at the very heart of everything. Her legendary London restaurant, the River Cafe, is founded on community, friendship and home cooking. Her iconic house in Chelsea, which she co-created with her architect husband, Richard Rogers, has been the backdrop to family life for forty years and has influenced a generation of homeowners to live with light and space. Ruthie
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 an
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
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.
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
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
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 brilli
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 a
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
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
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
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 a
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
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
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 alienat
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 broug
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 J
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
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 turn
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, ch
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
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
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 p
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 Gibbe
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.
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
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 K
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 th
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 h
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
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
Reggie Yates: Director
If you’re a millennial who grew up watching TV in Britain, chances are you’ll remember Reggie Yates from his days as a TV presenter. As the latest guest on our podcast, the writer and director shares his top three favourite living spaces with out host and co-founder Matt Gibberd. Two common threads run throughout Reggie’s choices: the first is London, the backdrop to his life, home and no
Albert Hill: The Modern House Co-Founder
This episode our guest is one that’s rather close to home. It’s Albert Hill: who co-founded The Modern House 16 years ago with his childhood friend and our podcast host, Matt Gibberd. Here, the duo sit down at Albert’s workspace in their hometown of Hampshire and reflect on the The Modern House’s journey. Plus, Albert discusses being a collector, his favourite homes and just how they have
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