The Multi Story Thinking Podcast on Interior Design – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Guy Oliver is an interior designer and managing director of Oliver Laws, a design practice specialising in historic or listed buildings and interiors. 

Guy began his career after leaving the Navy working with Colefax and Fowler and alongside Micheal Inchbald.  Guy joined David Laws as Co-Director of his firm and ultimately assumed ownership of the company in 2012 when the name changed to Oliver Laws Ltd.

Guy has gained a reputation for a unique creative style backed by a solid understanding of architectural history and artisanal techniques. He was principal designer on the £70m restoration and refurbishment of The Connaught Hotel

Passionate about the education and training of artisans, Guy was a volunteer Creative Director of The Turquoise Mountain Foundation, which works in post conflict and post-disaster areas.

Guy and his team have raised funds for the following organisations: SAVE Britain's Heritage, the Sir John Soane's Museum, The Aid to Zimbabwe Trust, The Victoria and Albert Museum, Kew Palace, and a number of The Prince of Wales's, now the King's Charities

I spoke to Guy via Zoom in October 2025.

In this episode, we discover the challenges and rewards of collaborating with artisans.  How skills from the Navy transfer to business.  The complexities of managing diverse teams to create cohesive and harmonious spaces.  Manifestation and the importance of focussing on what you love

And why, when you are trying to make things happen, don't grab it!, you need to want it,

Links
Guy Oliver on LinkedIn

Oliver Laws
https://www.oliverlaws.com/

Turquoise Mountain Foundation
https://www.turquoisemountain.org/

Thanks to

Ruth Cairns for helping to set up the interview.

Dave Clarke from @iamthehow (http://www.iamthehow.com) for production support and invaluable advice in the setting up of this Podcast.

Kay Hanson (https://www.instagram.com/kay_v_hanson/) for her planning support and co-hosting for these and our educational podcasts for the University of Plymouth

Mark Frith (https://www.markfrith.uk/) for composing the music and all your support and advice along the way.

I'd love like to hear feedback on the podcast.  Leave a comment or get in touch via the website or Instagram.

Website
http://www.multistorythinking.com/contact

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/forster_jonathan/

Thanks for listening.  Bye for now.

Maggie Swift is the founding partner of Unframed Digital, a bespoke marketing agency based in Denver and Los Angeles, specialising in the built environment and working with architecture and interior design practices, construction, and manufacturing industries.  Unframed Digital acts as a partner to marketing teams, specialising in SEO strategies with a data driven approach.  Maggie is passionate about optimised foundations, website strategy, customer-first methods, and helping marketers thrive.

I spoke to Maggie via Zoom in July 2025.  In this episode, we discover how Maggie began her career in publishing and her passion for the built environment.

The role of data tracking and data decision making in raising profitability.

Why you should budget for SEO and website optimisation.

The positives and negative of AI.

And why,  if you want to start a marketing campaign, you better start by sharpening your axe.

Links

Maggie on LinkedIN
linkedin.com/in/magsswift

Unframed Digital on LinkedIN
https://www.linkedin.com/company/unframed-digital/

Unframed Digital
https://www.unframeddigital.com/

Unframed Digital on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/unframeddigital/

Thanks to

Nikki Jain from The Sprout PR for helping to set up this interview
https://www.linkedin.com/in/digitalprpronikkij/

Dave Clarke from @iamthehow (http://www.iamthehow.com) for production support and invaluable advice in the setting up of this Podcast.

Kay Hanson (https://www.instagram.com/kay_v_hanson/) for her planning support and co-hosting for these and our educational podcasts for the University of Plymouth

Mark Frith (https://www.markfrith.uk/) for composing the music and all your support and advice along the way.

I'd love like to hear feedback on the podcast.  Leave a comment or get in touch via the website or Instagram.

Website
http://www.multistorythinking.com/contact

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/forster_jonathan/

Thanks for listening.  Bye for now.

Asheni Alwis is an interior designer based in Columbo, Sri Lanka and founder and head of design of The Woodbury House.  Described as an Experience Centre, The Woodberry House showcases design ideas and settings to help clients visualise how they can create their dream space.  The spaces combines interior, furniture, and accessories which combine traditional Sri Lankan craft and production techniques alongside contemporary and innovative design approaches.

I met Asheni during a visit to Sri Lanka with my partner Monica in October 2024 as part of a Flying Faculty visit to teach interior design at the NSBM Green University.

In this episode we discover how this unique experience centre in Sri Lanka showcases bespoke furniture and cutting-edge design concepts.   We learn about the blend of traditional techniques with modern aesthetics, and how this approach creates stunning interiors for their clients.  We hear valuable advice for aspiring interior designers and the importance of gaining work experience when studying interior design.  And why, when working with contractors, you need to know the detail and be able to speak the language.

Links
Asheni on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/asheni-alwis-9b1b41142/?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2F&originalSubdomain=lk

The Woodberry House on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/Thewoodberryhouse/about

The Woodberry House on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thewoodberryhouse?fbclid=IwY2xjawHQzzZleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQCf0B_QO9eN93C58jx4vse48HJSK_gdin8NVp-pYZrTnaww6A6qu-OsZA_aem_GYynvRmzxP-S7-oYadqENg

Concept Interiors
http://conceptinteriors.lk/

How to be a kick-ass Interior Designer. 

Come and join us on the Interior Design BA(Hons) course at the University of Plymouth.

https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-interior-design

or in Sri Lanka at the NSBM Green University
https://www.nsbm.ac.lk/course/ba-hons-in-interior-design/

Thanks to

Dave Clarke from @iamthehow (http://www.iamthehow.com) for production support and invaluable advice in the setting up this Podcast.

Kay Hanson (https://www.instagram.com/kay_v_hanson/) for her planning support and co-hosting for these and our educational podcasts for the University of Plymouth

Mark Frith (https://www.markfrith.uk/) for composing the music and your support and advice along the way.

I'd really like to hear feedback on the podcast.  Leave a comment or get in touch via the website or Instagram.

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/forster_jonathan/

Website
http://www.multistorythinking.com/contact

Thanks for listening.  Bye for now.

Thushar Jayamanne and Lakshinie Rathnapala run Talk Design Studios which is a Sri Lankan architectural and interior design consultancy based in Colombo,

Together they lead a dynamic team of associate architects, interior designers, furniture designers, technicians, and experienced consultants, working across the residential and commercial design sectors.

I interviewed them during a visit to Sri Lanka in 2022 when I was teaching at the NSBM Green University as part of the academic partnerships program with the University of Plymouth.

In this episode, we discover the importance of integrating interior design into a project from the project inception.

How the interior design industry is establishing itself within Sri Lanka and the importance of focusing on the core interior elements of a building.

How owning a furniture factory helps to deliver the details of their design proposals.

The impact of Covid-19 and the Sri Lankan economic crisis on the design process and how it inspired a more creative and sustainable approach.

And why, if you are asked to name your favorite Sri Lankan Interior designer, please don't say Geoffrey Bawa.

Links

https://talkdesignstudios.com/

Thanks to

Dave Clarke from @iamthehow (http://www.iamthehow.com), for production support and invaluable advice on setting up this podcast.

Kay Hanson (https://www.instagram.com/kay_v_hanson/) for her planning support and co-hosting for these and our educational podcasts for the University of Plymouth

Mark Frith (https://www.markfrith.uk/) for composing the music and for your support and advice along the way.

I'd like to hear feedback on the podcast.  Leave a comment or get in touch via the website or Instagram.

Website
http://www.multistorythinking.com/contact

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/forster_jonathan/

Thanks for listening.  Bye for now.

Migette Kaup, Ph.D., is a Professor and Director of Interior Design in the College of Health and Human Sciences at Kansas State University. She also serves as the Coordinator of Aging Research and Graduate Studies for the K-State Center on Aging. 

As a designer and gerontologist, her research is focused on aging and environmental relationships.  She uses organisational culture and long-term care policy structures as a lens to understand place-type practices and to investigate progressive changes occurring in nursing homes.

I spoke to Migette in January 2023 via Zoom.

In this episode, we discover how Migette developed her career and research within the long-term care industry. 

How a return to education helped develop a set of design toolkits

The importance of interiors in helping to establish patterns of behavior

How designing for an aging population can be integrated across multiple academic disciplines. 

And why, the environment around us needs to be like medicine

More info about Migette
Migette earned her PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) School of Architecture and Urban Planning. Her dissertation, titled "Patterns of Culture Change Households: A Graphic Ethnography of Organizational and Environmental Fit," combines her major area of study in aging and environment relationships with her minor area, long-term care policy structures, to investigate progressive changes occurring in nursing homes. Her educational background also includes a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design and a Master of Architecture in Environment & Behavior and Place Studies with an emphasis in Gerontology from Kansas State University.

Migette is NCIDQ and EDAC certified and her professional design practice includes over nine years in architectural firms as well as seven years in private consulting to long-term care providers and design professionals. Her combined areas of applied research and practice over the past 35 years have focused on various aspects of senior housing and care including specialized dementia care and person-centered design strategies. Dr. Kaup is a member and Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America, the Society for the Advancement of Gerontological Environments (SAGE) as well as the Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC). She is a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA).

She currently teaches for the College of Health and Human Sciences and serves as the Director of the Interior Design Program. She is also a member of the gerontology faculty through the K-State Center on Aging where she is the Coordinator for Aging Research and Graduate Studies. Her current work at Kansas State University is focused on research in the areas of environments and aging, specifically skilled care settings. Migette is co-PI on the PEAK (Promoting Excellent Alternatives in Kansas nursing homes) 2.0 Program with the Kansas State University Center on Aging. PEAK 2.0 is a pay-for-performance program administered by the Kansas Department of Age and Disability to incent person-centered care (PCC) implementation in nursing homes across Kansas. Her work on long-term care settings and design has been published in both books and journals and she is a regular presenter at national conferences.

Links
Migette on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/migette-kaup-047140b/

The Centre for Health Design
https://www.healthdesign.org/experts/migette-l-kaup-phd-fidec-fgsa-iida-asid-edac

Interior Design at Kansas State University
https://www.k-state.edu/academics/majors-programs/interior-design-degree/

How to be a kick-ass Interior Designer.
Come and join us on the Interior Design BA(Hons) course at the University of Plymouth in the UK.
https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-interior-design

Thanks to

Dave Clarke from @iamthehow (http://www.iamthehow.com) for production support and invaluable advice in the setting up of this Podcast.

Kay Hanson (https://www.instagram.com/kay_v_hanson/) for her planning support and co-hosting for these and our educational podcasts for the University of Plymouth

Mark Frith (https://www.markfrith.uk/) for composing the music and all your support and advice along the way.

I'd really like to hear feedback on the podcast.  Leave a comment or get in touch via the website or Instagram.

Website

https://www.instagram.com/forster_jonathan/

Instagram

http://www.multistorythinking.com/contact

Thanks for listening.  Bye for now.

Sharon Simpson is an interior and home decor designer, public speaker, and photographer

She founded her design company, Dark Romantix Design Studio, after studying at The Interior Design School, in London. The business has evolved with a recent name change to Sharon Simpson Studio, which reflects her growing confidence and the wider appeal of her design services offer.

She is a member of the British Institute of Interior Design and a key member of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee and has taken part in design talks as part of Clerkenwell Design Week in London.

In this episode, we discover the importance of making emotional connections through interior spaces.  

How Sharon's background in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and Hypnosis Therapy has helped her approach to interior design.  

How rebranding her business has led to more creative freedom. 

And why, to help you make decisions, you should choose your five words.

Links
Sharon Simpson Studio
https://sharonsimpsonstudio.com/

Sharon on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/sharonsimpsonstudio/

Sharon on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonsimpsonstudio/

British Institute of Interior Design
https://biid.org.uk/

Diversity and Inclusion resources
https://biid.org.uk/about/diversity-inclusion-resources

How to be a kick-ass Interior Designer.
Come and join us on the Interior Design BA(Hons) course at the University of Plymouth.

https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-interior-design

Thanks to

Dave Clarke from @iamthehow (http://www.iamthehow.com) for production support and invaluable advice in the setting up of this Podcast.

Kay Hanson (https://www.instagram.com/kay_v_hanson/) for her planning support and co-hosting for these and our educational podcasts for the University of Plymouth

Mark Frith (https://www.markfrith.uk/) for composing the music and all your support and advice along the way.

I'd really like to hear feedback on the podcast.  Leave a comment or get in touch via the website or Instagram.

Website
https://www.instagram.com/forster_jonathan/

Instagram
http://www.multistorythinking.com/contact

Thanks for listening.  Bye for now.

Gus Zogolovitch is a property developer and founder of Unboxed Homes, whose aim is to help people build their own homes and to find ways to make it easier.  Gus is on a mission to change new builds in the UK. His aim is to build homes to be great quality, brilliantly designed, tailored to a customer's needs and most importantly, they should represent good value for money.

Their Blenheim Grove development in Peckham, South London,  has won the BuildIt Award for Best Custom Build Project, the Silver Award for London Design Awards 2021, as well as made the shortlist for the Telegraph's Home of the Year 2021.

In this episode, we discover the approaches to creating better-quality housing.

Why we should change the way we calculate the value of property.

 How buying a shell encourages customisation and individuality and gives clients the opportunity to be creative 

And why, if you want a lavender and sea salt home, you have to build it yourself.

Links
Unboxed homes website
https://unboxedhomes.com/

Gus on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gus-zogolovitch/

Unboxed homes on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/unboxedhomes/

How to be a kick-ass Interior Designer.
Come and join us on the Interior Design BA(Hons) course at the University of Plymouth.
https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-interior-design

Thanks to

Dave Clarke from @iamthehow (http://www.iamthehow.com) for production support and invaluable advice in the setting up of this Podcast.

Kay Hanson (https://www.instagram.com/kay_v_hanson/) for her planning support and co-hosting for these and our educational podcasts for the University of Plymouth

Mark Frith (https://www.markfrith.uk/) for composing the music and for all your support and advice along the way.

I'd really like to hear feedback on the podcast.  Leave a comment or get in touch via the website or Instagram.

Website

https://www.instagram.com/forster_jonathan/

Instagram

http://www.multistorythinking.com/contact

Thanks for listening.  Bye for now.

Pam Durkin, ASID, LEED AP ID+C, is an interior designer, a business coach for interior designers, and a podcast host.

Originally from New Jersey and now based in Florida, Pam has been in the high-end interior design industry for 30 years. After 7 years of exclusively working in Commercial Design, she founded Pamela Durkin Designs, which specialises in Residential and Commercial Design in Florida.

Pam is a past president of ASID Florida South Chapter, served on the Board of Architecture and Design in NJ, and is the author of the book, Elevate!

She has progressively branched out into business coaching for Interior designers where she combines her experience and expertise to help interior designers find great clients.

I interviewed Pam in May 2022 prior to her launching her podcast Six-Figure Designer, which can be found on all the major podcast platforms, and talks about how to run a better design business featuring practical advice, techniques for success, and inspirational guests.

In this episode, we discover the importance of understanding yourself and really knowing who you want to work for. 

How lifestyle choices can help stimulate shifts in your business.

Why designers should learn from each other and the importance of leapfrogging.

 And why you need to be more like Sherlock Holmes. 

Links
Pam's Website
https://pamela-durkin.com/

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/pameladurkin/?hl=en-gb

Six Figure Designer Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/six-figure-designer/id1687347465

How to be a kick-ass Interior Designer.
Come and join us on the Interior Design BA(Hons) course at the University of Plymouth.
https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-interior-design

Thanks to

Dave Clarke from @iamthehow (http://www.iamthehow.com) for production support and invaluable advice in the setting up of this Podcast.

Kay Hanson (https://www.instagram.com/kay_v_hanson/) for her planning support and co-hosting for these and our educational podcasts for the University of Plymouth

Mark Frith (https://www.markfrith.uk/) for composing the music and for all your support and advice along the way.

I'd really like to hear feedback on the podcast.  Leave a comment or get in touch via the website or Instagram.

Website

https://www.instagram.com/forster_jonathan/

Instagram

http://www.multistorythinking.com/contact

Thanks for listening.  Bye for now.

Asheni Alwis and Tharuka Fonseka head the interior design team of Concept Interiors, a full-service interior design firm based in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

They met whilst studying Interior Design at the NSBM Green University and have built their company to include design, manufacturing, and construction, with a passion for creating beautiful and detailed interiors across the residential, commercial, and hospitality sectors. 

I met them in February 2023 in their Colombo studio during a thunderstorm, which provided a dramatic backdrop to our conversation.

In this episode, we discover the design process, how they work, and the business strategies for getting work.  The challenges of working during an economic crisis.  How social media can make or break reputations and the importance of curating online content carefully.  The role of research and why every project should have a story.

And why, if you want to become a designer, you need to make a brand and be a brand.   

Links
Concept Interiors
http://conceptinteriors.lk/

Concept Interiors on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/concept_interiors/

How to be a kick-ass Interior Designer.
Come and join us on the Interior Design BA(Hons) course at the University of Plymouth.
https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-interior-design

Or study at the NSBM
https://www.nsbm.ac.lk/course/bachelor-of-interior-design/#:~:text=UGC%20Approved%20%E2%80%93%20Offered%20by%20NSBM,building%20services%20and%20regulations%20etc

Thanks to

Lihini and Upeksha from NSBM University for helping to set up the interviews.

Dave Clarke from @iamthehow (http://www.iamthehow.com) for production support and invaluable advice in the setting up of this Podcast.

Kay Hanson (https://www.instagram.com/kay_v_hanson/) for her planning support and co-hosting for these and our educational podcasts for the University of Plymouth

Mark Frith (https://www.markfrith.uk/) for composing the music and all your support and advice along the way.

I'd really like to hear feedback on the podcast.  Leave a comment or get in touch via the website or Instagram.

Website

https://www.instagram.com/forster_jonathan/

Instagram

http://www.multistorythinking.com/contact

Thanks for listening.  Bye for now.