Design Curious | Interior Design Career and Business Podcast Podcast By Rebecca Ward CID | Interior Design Mentor and Coach cover art

Design Curious | Interior Design Career and Business Podcast

Design Curious | Interior Design Career and Business Podcast

By: Rebecca Ward CID | Interior Design Mentor and Coach
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A show for the curious creatives who want to learn what it takes to become an interior designer. Welcome to the Design Curious podcast! Each week, you'll learn practical skills every designer needs to develop regardless of whether you want to work for yourself or someone else. You'll learn secrets from professional interior designers to help you avoid costly mistakes & regrets. You'll be encouraged & empowered to overcome your fears of change, failure & money. With my 20 yrs of experience, I'll help you on the RIGHT WAY to get started. Discover if interior design is the career for you!Rebecca Ward, CID | Interior Design Mentor and Coach Art
Episodes
  • 207 | 5 Tips for Managing Construction & Remodel Projects Smoothly as an Interior Designer

    207 | 5 Tips for Managing Construction & Remodel Projects Smoothly as an Interior Designer
    Sep 7 2026
    Construction and remodel projects can feel intimidating, especially when you’re a new interior designer approaching your first project.You may be wondering how to work with contractors, who should handle permits and engineering, how to respond when a contractor pushes back on your design, or what happens when something unexpected appears after a wall is opened. These are all real concerns—and they’re exactly why understanding construction project management is such an important part of becoming a confident interior designer.In this episode, I’m walking you through how I approach construction and remodel projects, from bringing contractors into the process early to defining responsibilities, managing site visits, documenting decisions, communicating with clients, and building strong relationships with your construction team. My goal is to help you approach construction projects with more confidence instead of fear—and become the project leader your clients need you to be.What You’ll Learn in This Episode✔️ Understand your role during construction and remodel projects✔️ Bring contractors into the design process early✔️ Define responsibilities before construction begins✔️ Improve construction communication and document project decisions✔️ Build stronger relationships with your A-list contractorsRead the Blog >>> 5 Practical Tips for Managing Construction and Remodel Projects SmoothlyNEXT STEPS:📋 Get the Remodel Survival Guide: a step-by-step process on the construction side of a remodel project🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love.👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.co📺 WATCH FREE WEBINARS 📺 "From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/5moneymovesAre You Ready to Start Your Interior Design Business? How to Know for Sure (and What It Really Costs to Launch) 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/areyoureadyreplayCheck out our Designer's Playlist!*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey *️ From Newbie to Confident Designer *️ Switching Gears to Interior Design Grab your freebies:📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my CareerConnect With Me:📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign 🌎 Website at rwarddesign.comThanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...Timestamps0:00 Introduction to managing construction projects4:16 Understanding Your Role as the Designer5:47 Collaborating with Experts Early10:10 Defining Roles and Responsibilities15:01 Client Communication and Contractor Collaboration18:14 Using Site Binders and Documenting Decisions21:13 Managing Budgets and Timelines23:25 Building Professional Relationships
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    31 mins
  • 206 | 6 Proven Strategies for a Profitable, Sustainable Interior Design–Build Firm With Annie Obermann

    206 | 6 Proven Strategies for a Profitable, Sustainable Interior Design–Build Firm With Annie Obermann
    Aug 31 2026
    If you're an aspiring interior designer, career changer, or established designer trying to grow a sustainable business, you may feel pressure to know everything before you begin. You may also believe that growth means taking on more projects, hiring more people, or becoming the person who can handle every detail of every project.But Annie Obermann’s journey with Forge and Bow offers a different perspective. Annie and her husband and business partner, Jordan Obermann, didn't start with formal design training or a perfectly structured business plan. They learned through renovating their own homes, working with partners, making mistakes, and eventually building a boutique design-build firm known for thoughtful residential renovation, craftsmanship, and high-end design. This year, Forge and Bow is celebrating its 10th anniversary.In this episode, I talk with Annie about what happens when you are brave enough to start before you know everything—and humble enough to recognize when you need better systems, experienced team members, and outside support. We explore client experience, project management, team communication, hiring, professional development, branding, delegation, and how to build an interior design career that supports both your professional and personal life.Featured GuestAnnie Obermann co-leads Forge and Bow, a Colorado-based boutique design-build firm, with her husband and business partner, Jordan Obermann. Together, they have transformed the residential landscape of Northern Colorado through timeless, warm, nostalgic design paired with expert craftsmanship. Annie brings expertise in interior architecture, while Jordan contributes a strong spatial and visionary perspective. Their work includes historic renovations and custom new builds, with a focus on creating cohesive, functional, and elegant homes that reflect each client's unique story. Forge and Bow is celebrating its 10th anniversary and is known for thoughtful problem-solving, meticulous attention to detail, and a commitment to quality.What You’ll Learn in This Episode✳️ How courage can launch your interior design career✳️ Why sustainable growth requires strong business processes✳️ How team communication improves the client experience✳️ Why competency matters when hiring design professionals✳️ How delegation creates more freedom and business growthRead the Blog >>> 6 Proven Strategies on Building a Sustainable Interior Design BusinessNEXT STEPS:🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love.👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.coCheck out our Designer's Playlist!*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey *️ From Newbie to Confident Designer *️ Switching Gears to Interior Design Grab your freebies:📺 Watch this free webinar, "From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right 📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my CareerConnect With Me:📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign 🌎 Website at rwarddesign.comThanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...Timestamps0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio2:57 Annie’s Unconventional Path Into Interior Design5:09 How HGTV Helped Shape Forge and Bow7:20 The Story Behind the Forge and Bow Name8:41 Building a Team and Processes10:49 Connecting Systems With Client Experience12:44 Building Strong Team Communication14:55 Competency Versus Personality When Hiring19:09 Creating a Culture of Constant Learning20:30 Future Goals and Business Strategy24:18 Advice for Aspiring Designers
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    29 mins
  • 205 | The House Hushing Framework for Beautiful, Soulful Homes With Myquillyn Smith

    205 | The House Hushing Framework for Beautiful, Soulful Homes With Myquillyn Smith
    Aug 24 2026
    As interior designers, we often focus on creating beautiful spaces, but beauty alone isn't always enough. Sometimes a room can have gorgeous furnishings, meaningful décor, and impeccable styling, yet still feel visually loud. When every surface competes for attention, a home stops supporting everyday life and starts demanding energy from the people living in it.That's why I was so excited to sit down with bestselling author Myquillyn Smith, better known as The Nester, to talk about her newest book, House Hushing. Rather than encouraging us to simply own fewer things, Myquillyn introduces a refreshing perspective: great design is about managing visual volume, not just the volume of possessions. Her approach blends interior design, decluttering, quiet decorating, soulful styling, and seasonal simplicity into a practical framework that helps create homes that feel both peaceful and deeply personal.If you're designing for clients—or even creating a home for yourself—this episode will encourage you to think beyond minimalism. You'll discover how thoughtful design decisions can reduce visual noise while preserving warmth, personality, and the lived-in beauty that makes a house truly feel like home.Featured GuestMyquillyn Smith, also known as The Nester, is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, decorating expert, and founder of The Nester. For more than fifteen years, she has encouraged homeowners to embrace their homes—imperfections and all—by creating spaces that reflect their personalities instead of chasing perfection. Her thoughtful approach combines decorating, styling, decluttering, and intentional living, helping thousands of women create welcoming homes with less stress and more meaning. Living in a historic Victorian home in North Carolina has further shaped her philosophy, inspiring her latest book, House Hushing, which introduces a fresh framework for reducing visual noise while maintaining warmth, beauty, and soul.What You’ll Learn in This Episode✳️ Understand the four-part House Hushing framework.✳️ Reduce visual noise without sacrificing personality.✳️ Style meaningful homes with fewer decorative items.✳️ Create peaceful interiors through quiet decorating.✳️ Design homes supporting changing life seasons.Read the Blog >>> The Four Principles of House HushingNEXT STEPS:🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love.👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.coCheck out our Designer's Playlist!*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey *️ From Newbie to Confident Designer *️ Switching Gears to Interior Design Grab your freebies:📺 Watch this free webinar, "From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right 📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my CareerConnect With Me:📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign 🌎 Website at rwarddesign.comThanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...Timestamps0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio2:27 Myquillyn’s Journey Into Decorating4:39 Living in a Historic Victorian Home8:37 What House Hushing Really Means13:00 Knowing When a Home Needs Hushing14:34 How Backwards Decluttering Works17:51 Why Visual Volume Changes Everything19:56 Quiet Decorating in Action23:00 Book Launch and Bonus Resources
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    26 mins
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