Show Notes
In this first episode of The Insider, Alexandra Langdon looks at the essential first steps of any successful design project. From setting a clear Project Objective to creating a Living Plan, this episode explores how to begin the design journey with clarity and confidence. Alexandra explains why spatial planning matters from the beginning, outlines the four stages of the design process, and looks at the role of the key professionals involved in bringing a project to life.
IN THIS EPISODE: • Why setting a clear Project Objective is important • What a Living Plan is and why it is beneficial to create one before working with an architect • The four phases of the Design Journey: Spatial Planning, Design, Build and Installation • The different roles of the interior designer, architect and builder • How to approach your project in a way that supports how you want to live Whether you are building, renovating, or updating your home, this episode offers a thoughtful starting point for approaching your project in a more structured and considered way.
CONNECT WITH ALEXANDRA: Instagram: @alexandralangdonltd Website: alexandralangdon.co.uk Email: [email protected] Photo: @brentdarbyphotography Stylist: @kinship_creativedc Podcast Producer: @mtalbotcreative Marie has over twenty years’ experience as a broadcast audio producer, working for the BBC, commercial radio, creative agencies, and private clients; her absolute obsession is podcasting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from The Insider
In this episode of The Insider, Alexandra Langdon is joined by Kay Prestney, founder of Kinship Creative, interior stylist, designer, author and creative collaborator. Kay’s career has taken many different directions, from styling and interior design to editorial work, writing and building a community that brings creatives together. Together, Alexandra and Kay explore how creativity can shape a career, and why collaboration and connection have become such an important part of Kay’s work. The conversation explores the art of telling stories through interiors, creating spaces that feel both beautiful and meaningful, and the importance of championing and supporting other creatives. Kay also shares the experience of writing her book, A Home for All Seasons, and how each chapter of her career has grown naturally from the one before it. Together, they reflect on how nurturing creativity in childhood can build confidence that lasts into adult life, the experiences that shape the way we approach design, and why a creative career does not always have to follow a straight line. IN THIS EPISODE: • Taking the leap into a creative career • Building Kinship Creative and a creative community • Telling stories through interiors • Creating spaces that feel beautiful and meaningful • Styling homes, editorial shoots and brand projects • Collaboration within the creative industries • Championing and supporting other creatives • Writing A Home for All Seasons • Allowing a creative career to evolve • Reflections on creativity, design and the meaning of home Whether you are building a creative business, exploring a new direction in your career, or simply interested in interiors and the creative process, this episode offers a thoughtful conversation about creativity, collaboration and having the confidence to let your career evolve. CONNECT WITH KAY: Instagram: @kinship_creativedc Kinship Creative Gatherings & Events: Eventbrite – Kinship Creative & Design Consultancy Book: A Home for All Seasons by Kay Prestney and Becca Cherry BUSINESSES & CREATIVES DISCUSSED: Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus — https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/wiser-than-me-with-julia-louis-dreyfus/id1678559416 An Enchanted Forest Feast — https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-enchanted-forest-feast-tickets-2000296966072 Kay Prestney – A Home for All Seasons — https://www.amazon.co.uk/Home-All-Seasons-Kay-Prestney/dp/1788796128 Atlanta Bartlett — https://www.atlantabartlett.com/holidays The Styled Writing Company — https://www.thestyledwritingcompany.com/ Engage Social Media & Marketing — https://www.engagesocialmediaandmarketing.com/ The Hook Project — https://thehook.uk/ Southwood Social Hub — https://www.southwoodsocialhub.co.uk/ The Laptop Club / Oh My Squad UK — https://linktr.ee/ohmysquaduk The Umbrella Hub — https://www.theumbrellahub.org/ Seed Women’s Collective – Instagram — @seed_womens_collective
In this episode of The Insider, Alexandra Langdon is joined by illustrator and designer Isla Simpson, whose work has evolved from beautifully illustrated stationery into fabric and wallpaper collections inspired by English interiors, gardens and decoration. After training in printed textiles at Central Saint Martins and spending fifteen years designing handbags for fashion brands, Isla gradually built a business centred around the part of design she had always loved most – drawing. What began through Instagram and bespoke illustration has naturally evolved into timeless collections for interiors, alongside collaborations with brands from around the world. Together, Alexandra and Isla explore how the visual world we grow up in quietly shapes the way we see beauty. From childhood homes filled with Laura Ashley and William Morris, to Merchant Ivory films, Georgian architecture, the Costume Museum in Bath, and treasured books that have stayed with her throughout her life, Isla shares how these early influences continue to inform every design she creates today. The conversation also explores designing for longevity rather than trends, preserving the human hand within a digital process, creating fabrics people will want to live with for decades, and why confidence often comes from embracing the things we have always loved rather than chasing what is fashionable. IN THIS EPISODE: • How our earliest visual memories shape creativity • Training at Central Saint Martins and a career in fashion design • Finding your own creative voice through illustration • The enduring influence of Laura Ashley, William Morris and English decoration • Designing timeless fabrics and wallpapers for modern interiors • The importance of craftsmanship, patience and refinement • Why designing for longevity matters more than following trends • Balancing digital technology with the human hand • Collaborating with brands while remaining true to your own aesthetic • Building a creative business that has evolved naturally over time Whether you are designing a home, building a creative business, or discovering your own personal style, this episode offers a thoughtful conversation about trusting your instincts, embracing the influences that have shaped you, and creating work with warmth, character and lasting appeal. CONNECT WITH ISLA: Instagram: @islasimpsonstudio Website: islasimpson.com BOOKS, PEOPLE & PLACES DISCUSSED: The Fashion Museum, Bath (The Costume Museum) Elizabeth Goudge – The Little White Horse Nancy Mitford – The Pursuit of Love Rachel Johnson – A Diary of The Lady Amy Patterson OTHER EPISODES FROM 'THE INSIDER' DISCUSSED IN THIS PODCAST: EP 10 - Kate Teyssier - Craftsmanship, Creativity, and Design History https://open.spotify.com/episode/0dceRkvStkaj9ADaeRtSkO EP 9 - Henrietta Martindale - Creativity, Confidence and Finding your Style https://open.spotify.com/episode/4BhoP6TKvlb9ImvlSo98tG Ep 8 - Camilla Fraser - Designing Spaces, People Experience and Remember https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ed8DqlJNPchmoL4bwQJmJ CONNECT WITH ALEXANDRA: Instagram: @alexandralangdonltd Website: alexandralangdon.co.uk Email: [email protected] Podcast Producer: @mtalbotcreative Marie has over twenty years' experience as a broadcast audio producer, working for the BBC, commercial radio, creative agencies, and private clients; her absolute obsession is podcasting Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of The Insider, Alexandra Langdon is joined by Kate Teyssier, founder of Teyssier, the British fabric and wallpaper studio known for its beautifully considered collections and deep understanding of colour, pattern and textiles. Following on from the design journey explored throughout the series, this conversation looks at the relationship between craftsmanship, creativity and design history. From growing up in a family of makers to building an extraordinary archive of historical textiles, Kate shares how studying the past continues to inform the way she designs today. Together, Alexandra and Kate discuss creativity, curiosity and the importance of understanding how things are made. The conversation explores the role of research within the creative process, the value of craftsmanship, and how knowledge and experience build confidence over time. The episode also explores working with mills and manufacturers, developing original collections, championing British makers and heritage skills, and the creation of Line Up, a new Chelsea showroom bringing together a carefully considered collection of British fabric, wallpaper and interiors brands. IN THIS EPISODE: • Growing up in a family of makers • Collecting and studying historical textiles • Creativity, curiosity and developing a design eye • How design history shapes contemporary design • Building confidence through knowledge and experience • Creating original collections informed by the past • Working with mills, weavers and manufacturers • Craftsmanship and understanding how things are made • Championing British makers and heritage skills • The story behind Line Up and its new Chelsea showroom • Collaboration within the design industry • Reflections on creativity and the design journey Whether you are interested in design, craftsmanship, creativity or the stories behind the objects we live with, this episode offers an honest and thoughtful insight into how knowledge, research and making shape the creative process. CONNECT WITH KATE: Instagram: @helloteyssier Website: teyssier.co.uk And view more of the brands discussed at @line_up_uk CONNECT WITH ALEXANDRA: Instagram: @alexandralangdonltd Website: alexandralangdon.co.uk Email: [email protected] Podcast Producer: @mtalbotcreative Marie has over twenty years' experience as a broadcast audio producer, working for the BBC, commercial radio, creative agencies and private clients; her absolute obsession is podcasting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of The Insider, Alexandra Langdon is joined by Henrietta Martindale, founder of The Styled Writing Company, a Suffolk-based calligraphy and design studio creating beautiful work for weddings, events and luxury brands including Fortnum & Mason, Cartier and Dunhill.
In this episode of The Insider, Alexandra Langdon is joined by Camilla Fraser, an interior designer based in Cape Town whose work includes some of South Africa’s most beautiful hospitality projects, including Coot Club — named House & Garden Hotel of the Year 2024. La Cotte, and properties within the Perfect Hideaways collection, which she designs alongside Dominic Touwen. Following on from the design journey explored in previous episodes, this conversation brings the process to life through the work of a designer who creates spaces people experience and remember. Together, Alexandra and Camilla discuss designing in response to landscape and architecture, balancing beauty with practicality, and creating interiors that feel both timeless and full of personality. The episode also explores hospitality versus residential design, the role of colour and atmosphere within interiors, and how collaboration shapes the creative process. Camilla also shares how she works alongside Dominic Touwen, balancing family life with a creative career, and how experience has shaped the way she approaches design today. IN THIS EPISODE: • Designing spaces people experience and remember • Creating interiors that feel connected to their surroundings • Hospitality design versus residential design • Designing Coot Club and working with landscape • Using colour, pattern, and texture with confidence • Creating hotel spaces that feel timeless and individual • Working collaboratively with Dominic Touwen • Balancing work, creativity, and family life • Reflections on creativity and the design journey Whether you are renovating your home, designing a hospitality space, or interested in how interiors shape the way people feel, this episode offers an honest and thoughtful insight into creating spaces with warmth, character, and longevity. CONNECT WITH CAMILLA: Instagram: @camillafraser Dominic Touwen: @dominictouwen And view some of the projects discussed @coot.club @la_cotte_farm @perfecthideaways_locations CONNECT WITH ALEXANDRA: Instagram: @alexandralangdonltd Website: alexandralangdon.co.uk Email: [email protected] Podcast Producer: @mtalbotcreative