Home Podcasts House Guest by Country & Town House | Interior Designer Interviews
House Guest by Country & Town House | Interior Designer Interviews

House Guest by Country & Town House | Interior Designer Interviews

Country and Town House 290 episodes Nov 6, 2026

House Guest is a podcast from Country & Town House in which interiors editor Carole Annett interviews interior designers and decorators behind notable houses and hotels. Guests range from familiar names to less-known experts whose work appears in glossy magazines. The conversations offer insights into design and decoration, with practical tips for listeners planning their own building projects or restyles.

Episodes

How American Entrepreneur Julie Montagu, The Countess Of Sandwich, Is Reshaping History At Mapperton House In Dorset
How American Entrepreneur Julie Montagu, The Countess Of Sandwich, Is Reshaping History At Mapperton House In Dorset Nov 6, 2026 26:00 This week, Carole's House Guest is Julie Montagu, Countess of Sandwich – the American-born author, entrepreneur and yoga teacher who runs Mapperton, her husband Luke's family seat in west Dorset. 'Lunching in London is not even in my vocabulary,' says Julie. 'I am a doer.' Speaking from the Tudor manor house, she talks about rewilding 1,000 acres of the estate, the silk scarf that is funding the r
De Rosée Sá’s Max de Rosée and Claire Sá on their ever-evolving architectural style
De Rosée Sá’s Max de Rosée and Claire Sá on their ever-evolving architectural style Oct 30, 2026 33:05 This week, Carole’s House Guests are husband-and-wife architects Max de Rosée and Claire Sá, founders of architecture and interior design studio De Rosée Sá. ‘There is a value in trying to create a little bit of mystery and not revealing everything at once,’ says Max. ‘As you go through and move from space to space, things reveal themselves.’ Speaking from their newest project – a four bedroom apa
Sean Symington on bringing fresh whimsy to traditional English interiors from his new Tetbury studio
Sean Symington on bringing fresh whimsy to traditional English interiors from his new Tetbury studio Oct 23, 2026 42:38 This week, Carole's House Guest is Toronto-born, Bath-based designer Sean Symington. 'I’m definitely a traditionalist with interior design,’ he says. ‘I love antiques, I love traditional interiors, but I’m definitely – maybe it’s my North American roots – a little bit fresher with fabrics, a little bit punchier with the colour.’ Tune in to hear more about his career, his new studio and whi
How Christian Bense Made His Mark In The Design World
How Christian Bense Made His Mark In The Design World Oct 16, 2026 35:49 This week, Carole’s House Guest is South African-born designer Christian Bense. ‘There is an objectivity to the way we design’, he says. ‘Establishing first what’s best for the home, weaving in what’s best for the client, and then finishing off with a style that’s best for both’. Tune in to hear more about his career, his various projects and what special element of his homeland he would transpose
Franky Rousell On Her Sensory-Led Design Studio Jolie
Franky Rousell On Her Sensory-Led Design Studio Jolie Oct 9, 2026 34:37 'You take each area of your home, or your restaurant or your hotel, and you really simply ask yourself: how do I want to feel in this space?,' says Franky Rousell. 'And it's such a powerful thing to do, to really sort of sit with it. You only need two or three words that really embody: what is it that I'm trying to achieve here?'This weeks, Carole sits down with Franky to d
Finding Your Perfect Art Match With NALA's Penelope Sonder
Finding Your Perfect Art Match With NALA's Penelope Sonder Oct 7, 2026 32:30 This week, we meet Penelope Sonder of art discovery platform NALA. This digital matchmaking service – something that our interiors editor Carole Annett says she's never seen before – helps to introduce contemporary artists to new audiences, and is aimed at interior designers, collectors and casual buyers. Carole sits down with Penelope to find out more.
Uncanny Studio's Églantine Sicat & Pauline Dellemotte On Layering Spaces With Stories
Uncanny Studio's Églantine Sicat & Pauline Dellemotte On Layering Spaces With Stories Sep 25, 2026 30:09 We meet Églantine Sicat and Pauline Dellemotte of creative and design practice Uncanny Studio, which challenges conventional thinking and takes clients on a journey of emotions, sensations, and memories. A Franco-British interior design studio, it's built on a shared belief that spaces should tell stories. The studio's hospitality and residential projects skilfully blend mid-century elegan
How Rug Designer Laylah Holmes Moved From Handbags To Homes
How Rug Designer Laylah Holmes Moved From Handbags To Homes Sep 18, 2026 35:42 After a career in the fashion industry working with, amongst others, Ralph Lauren, Laylah Holmes realised her future wasn’t in handbags but somewhere her imagination and creativity could fly.Her rug business, Holmes Bespoke launched eight years ago and this summer Laylah opened her Chiswick showhouse – a beautiful studio with rugs on the walls, on headboards, seating, in the bathroom and even on a
Boura & White On Sofa-Buying And British Craft
Boura & White On Sofa-Buying And British Craft Sep 11, 2026 30:21 Welcome to a new series of House Guest! This week, Carole sits down with Boura & White co-founders Abi Boura and Katie White in their Hampshire showroom to discuss sofa-buying and British craft. As a female-led, British business Boura & White pride themselves in considerate craftsmanship, a sustainable approach, and in embracing the ethos of slow interiors and quiet luxury.
Farrow & Ball's Colour Queen Joa Studholme Reveals How She Dreams Up The Brand's Best-Loved Paint Names
Farrow & Ball's Colour Queen Joa Studholme Reveals How She Dreams Up The Brand's Best-Loved Paint Names Jul 24, 2026 28:39 This week Carole heads to the Chelsea showroom of Farrow & Ball paint to chat to Joa Studholme – the genius behind paint colours such as Elephant’s Breath and Skimming Stone. She joined Farrow & Ball more than 30 years ago, and as well as developing new colours, she consults on design projects all over the world. Joa shares her wealth of knowledge on choosing paint and hints at the colour
How AGA Has Warmed Homes & Hearts For 100 Years
How AGA Has Warmed Homes & Hearts For 100 Years Jul 17, 2026 33:03 With names such as Jilly Cooper, Daisy Lowe and Mary Berry amongst its fanbase, few brands encompass as much love, friendship, and loyalty as AGA. This week Carole sits down with Dominic Worsley and Laura James of AGA Rangemaster to talk about the brand’s renaissance under new leadership, as well as its new colours, new controls and much-loved heritage. Tune in for anecdotes, snippets of AGA histo
Hattie Hansard On How Interior Designers Transform The Temporary Spaces At Henley, Ascot & Wimbledon
Hattie Hansard On How Interior Designers Transform The Temporary Spaces At Henley, Ascot & Wimbledon Jul 10, 2026 35:06 As we are well into the summer season – with Royal Ascot behind us and Wimbledon still ongoing – Carole Annett chats to Hattie Hansard of Joanna Wood about how interior designers are often employed by hospitality companies to transform these temporary spaces into something magical. Using a clever eye and often complicated logistics, here's how they create a memorable space for guests enjoying a da

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