The Awkward Corner - Discussing Design

Get to know to know more abut the hosts of The Awkward Corner with this bonus episode as they attempt to answer 10 questions each in 10 minutes. From their first ever design job to best ever project, Stephen, Amy & SJ share some of their favourite career moments. They round off with tips for future designers....

The Awkward Corner is filled with cobwebs, ravens and cackling crones as it returns for Season 2 with a Halloween special. Join Stephen, SJ and Amy as they look at the origins of Halloween, Ouija boards and share some spooky stories. Amy also attempts to tell the fortunes of her co-hosts using a very sharp knife....

Do interior design TV shows ruin the reputation of the profession? Are they a platform for failure and ridicule or a bit of harmless fun? In this week’s Awkward Corner, Stephen, Amy and SJ chat about the best and worst interior design TV shows and whether they blur the lines again between interior design and interior decoration.

SJ brings her passion for staircases to The Awkward Corner this week and they're are actually a lot more interesting than Stephen and Amy thought. Staircases are often overlooked in the study of interior design but these functional structures can be dramatic, metaphorical and transformational. The team look at the best architectural examples through history and popular culture and as usual, there's a spooky example from Amy.

“Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination.” A place for study. A place to be inspired. The library should be the starting point for any designer. Stephen, Amy & SJ look at the historic, the modern and the downright wacky libraries around the world.

Interior Design recruitment expert Lucy Painter joins The Awkward Corner this week to dole out some career advice for freelancers and job hunters. She also talks about some of the biggest mistakes people make on their CV and reveals the skills most in-demand with employers.

Is the highstreet dead? Is the job of the retail designer already obsolete or is there still a place for the customer experience? This week's Awkward Corner visits the troubled area of retail design and Stephen, Amy & SJ look at why certain stores will always survive the threat of online shopping.

The job of an Exhibition Designer is a tough one. Creating the perfect platform to showcase someone else's work takes insight and skill. In this week’s Awkward Corner, Stephen, Amy & SJ look at the challenges facing exhibition designers and highlight some of their favourite immersive experiences from around the world.

Get ready for some serious name-dropping as The Awkward Corner welcomes special guest, Dr Anthony Rayworth. From a Bob Marley gig with Sir Paul Smith to a cuddle from design icon Alessandro Mendini, Anthony’s experiences of the design world could have entertained our hosts for hours. Listen as Anthony discusses his passion for an unpretentious approach to design as well as tells some jaw-dropping stories from his amazing career.

What is influence? From Rihanna to Ai Weiwei, Stephen, SJ and Amy discuss the true influencers in the world of design. In this rare serious episode, the discussion centres on whether all design is merely a pastiche of what's already been created. Is influence about making design accessible or pushing the boundaries of what's possible? Debate and decide for yourself......

It's Jubilee week and we love an excuse for a Pimms in The Awkward Corner! This week Stephen, SJ and Amy look back at past monarchs in British history and celebrate the reign of Elizabeth II in their own very unique way!

This week Stephen, Amy & SJ delve into world of hotel design. From high end luxury to pods and sleeper trains, designing hotel interiors is the ultimate challenge for an interior designer. What does the future hold for hotel design? Are vegan hotels unsustainable? These are some of the questions raised in episode 7. Stephen also turns Quizmaster with 10 questions about furniture design. Can you beat SJ & Amy’s score?

What are your most hated things in interior design? What really grinds your gears? From magnolia to vertical blinds, Stephen, SJ, Amy and special guest Molly tear apart the worst interior choices. We can almost guarantee there will be something in your home which gets it! You can join in the conversation over on our social media feeds.

Art in interior design. Discuss.... Such a personal topic gets a very personal response from Stephen, SJ and Amy in this week's podcast. A good interior will always compliment good art but what comes first? Is it the art or is it the interior? Is art essential to the success of an interior scheme? Is it okay to buy mass-produced ' prints'? Are gallery walls a symbol of insecurity? Some contentious topics this week....

This week the team discuss common misconceptions about the role of the interior designer. There’s also talk about the damage done by reality TV and the lingering question – would LLB approve of black grout? Join Stephen, SJ and Amy as they discuss their experiences in industry, throwback to the golden age of Changing Rooms and look at interior designer diffusion ranges.

What's your favourite historical period in interior design? This week, Stephen, Amy & SJ talk about the history of interiors, their favourite iconic periods and which period dramas best and most authentically celebrate heritage interior design. There's also a brief cultural tour of New York, an intro to the potato parvo and the distinct mental image of Stephen in satin and a powdered wig...

What makes a good or bad design? In this week's episode, Stephen, Amy and SJ discuss Dieter Rams' Ten Principles of Good Design and how to balance good design practice with the client brief. They also share some of their most hated trends and hilarious creations from the world of design, including maximalism and Westminster Bridge. Head over the the NDA blog to read more about the Ten Principles and the epic fails discussed in Episode 2.

Can you can really get away with a Christmas tree all year round and why is a horse's leg Stephen's nemesis as a designer? Stephen, Amy & SJ debate these important topics in our very first podcast. This episode is a little bit of an Easter special so eggspect some bantering about bunnies, bonnets and oddly, what Joey from Friends has to do with model making. There's also some serious discussion around the relevance and importance of physical modelling versus CAD, laser printing and VR when demonstrating concepts to clients. Head over to the NDA blog to see exactly what a sock bunny gnome looks like and see our tutor's finished egg scenes. You can vote for your favourite over on Instagram.