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Carpet fitting issues are rare but they do occur in some places. Mainly because houses are all built differently - sometimes with different floor finishes.  Today we have Lee back to glue down some errant carpet that has risen up with vacuuming. Cleaners sometimes get over zealous and with all the new equipment available, it's sometimes difficult to keep any flooring where you want it!   Joinery is another issue I am looking at today. Notably door sizes, what shelf depth am I looking for and how I am going to lay out the next set of joinery. Finally there are issues with the locksmith company. It seems that workmen and office staff do not always speak the same language. Add a client who speaks to the locksmith personally and creates more confusion and you have a recipe for disaster. All in days work I'm afraid! Find me at www.homeconscious.com Find my videos at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrJbl8aBVD5Ngw3XQSXYq3w Music: Mike Chino – Calm and Harmony  

Hello! I am back trying out a new app to see if I can bring you these podcasts more frequently. Today over at the 'Sloane Square job', we are looking at the basement vaults and what work needs to be done in them. We talk coal holes, cement structure, render and uses for vaults. Inside the house I look at joinery for the bedrooms and what the plans are for the rooms and what furniture I am looking at to go in them. There's also talk on drainage and structural elements. Happy Designing! Music: Mark Tracy – Born Twice Garret Bevins – Infinite Ziv Moran – Wooden Smile Clouds Lady Lane – The Pink Everland Sky   Find me at www.homeconscious.com Find my videos at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrJbl8aBVD5Ngw3XQSXYq3w  

In this weeks episode I make a welcome return! Today, we talk how careers advice was lacking whilst I was at school and interior design was unheard of. Today I discuss this and the path to interior design and beyond. What's next for me? We take a trip to Chelsea Design Centre, which is the where all the shops and stores take trade orders from designers and then we visit both the upholsterers and the joiners to discuss quotes and work coming up. Plus air conditioning, guttering and email inbox management all make an appearance. Find me at www.homeconscious.com Find my videos at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrJbl8aBVD5Ngw3XQSXYq3w Music: Rexx Final Beat – July Lord Taylor – Until There’s More Sand – Takes Me To The Lake Lights of the Gold Shore – Game of Trees Lior Seker – First Adventure Name of the Child – Sunshine Eldar Kedem – Present Moment, You and Me

This is a fascinating look back at one of my first clients. A full description of the house and what faced me when I first entered the property all those years ago. On a wintry January, I met Mr Hunt. He lived in his old house that he was selling and needed my help to disperse his excess belongings, move him house and design his new home for him. Covering wallpaper, renovation, architectural styles, appliances and much more - take a journey back in time and listen whilst I remember a memorable and hilarious time in my career. Find me at www.homeconscious.com Find my videos at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrJbl8aBVD5Ngw3XQSXYq3w Music Toxic Touch - via Filmora ‘Ignite to Light’ Artist: P C III Source: www.pipechoir.com https://soundcloud.com/pipe-choir-2/p-c-iii-ignite-to-lightcreative-commons Jellyfish in Space by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1500030 Artist: http://incompetech.com/  

Dealing with frustrating situations and difficult clients is part of the job. Today we talk about that difficulty and how this often comes about. Plus I list six problems that I encounter when I am carrying out interior design work. From buying cheap curtains to clients copying their friends... There's questions on favourite childhood colours and finally a walk through central London after a slow bus ride! Find me at www.homeconscious.com Find my videos at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrJbl8aBVD5Ngw3XQSXYq3w MUSIC: Invisible – Vibe Tracks Lights of the Gold Shore – Game of Trees Lightning Ryan Jones – Blink Eldar Kedem – Present Moment, You and Me Up Beat Sand – Takes Me To The Lake Ryan Jones – Japanika

This week, a few calls come in about colour choices and I speak about attending events with a Design Professional. Choosing room colour is a joy for a designer but clients always go for the safe choice and choose a neutral. I discuss beige, grey and purple and muse about colour choices on furniture. Plus I work on some electrical plans and have several meetings at different projects. It's a busy week that encompasses travel and time at my desk. Find me at www.homeconscious.com Find my videos at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrJbl8aBVD5Ngw3XQSXYq3w Music: Disco Sting by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100363 Little Maps – Eddie Red Echoes – The Last Parade Ziv Moran – Wooden Smile, Clouds Benjamin Thomas – Lullaby

Today I look back at my career. Jason asked me how did I become an interior designer? what was my background like and how did I get here. How did I learn interior design from my career? How did I decide that an interior design business was right for me? Talking honestly about my childhood, schooling, industries that I have worked in and also my first business..I detail my decisions and how I 'fell into' interior design..anecdotes and thought processes all come flooding back! I hope you enjoy it!    Find me at www.homeconscious.com Find my videos at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrJbl8aBVD5Ngw3XQSXYq3w   Music: Ton Jravolta by RinIshi on Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/rin7ishi/ton-jravolta?in=belinda-corani/sets/for-youtube/s-hjsBl Electronica – SpookSwoo - https://soundcloud.com/spookswoo2/e0-electronica?in=belinda-corani/sets/for-youtube/s-hjsBl Pumping by Twisterium https://soundcloud.com/twisterium/pumping-free-instrumental-background-track-production-music?in=twisterium/sets/free-commercial-instrumental Sugar - Vibe Tracks Invisible – Vibe Tracks

In this episode, I get asked about whether college is more beneficial than going straight out to work, why and how I wrote my first book Room Colour (Room Colour) which has some great explanations and 'what would I do differently?' discussions when creating an ebook. Plus we take a trip to the new project that I'll be managing and whizz in to the tile shop to see what I can find.. Lastly we talk about effort when keeping a tidy home, what to eat and how to keep healthy and organisation and planning. A packed episode!

Today on my walk to and from my current projects, I muse about exterior repairs to properties. Why don't people do think of this as well as the interiors of their homes? Feng Shui - some clients love it and some hate it. Some are made to suffer it via their families. I talk about my experience and thoughts about it. Around London I talk about Soho and Victoria - two very different places. Urban planning and design is a topic that I am interested in. I discuss this with Jason and talk about the future and what's instore for us all. Lastly, along with my ramblings, Lulu the dog comes to stay!  

In this episode, we talk favourite rooms, waiting for call backs from suppliers, what inspires the User Experience when I design for clients and vlogging - what is the future.   Music: Mike Chino - Dream Chaser Silent Partner - Sunday Plans

I'm back from a long time away and going to consolidate my daily audio log from Anchor.fm and post this shortened content here. Today we talk YouTube, business, insomnia, Norway and we take a trip to Blenheim Palace to see an original British masterpiece.

Belinda Corani from the Home Conscious Podcast reveals how to manage your interior design project and how to renovate your property. Uniquely in this podcast, you are able to Ask Belinda a question that can get featured on a future podcast.  Using case studies; past, current and future projects, Belinda will show you the reasons to become an interior designer and how you can build your company along the way. With interviews with specialist contractors and product reviews that will help you with your own projects, Belinda shows you what it’s like on the front line of interior design, the pitfalls and the successes.  Let’s live and learn interior design!

This is a warm welcome back to the business of interior design and how to get round all the pitfalls with suppliers and clients alike. Today's episode is about how I've updated the business and effecting change within it. I talk about what ventures I have been looking at and what is still to come.  I also talk about new client projects that are coming up and how I can show you how I am working on them. On Ask Belinda, one of you asks me how I plan my day.  This is a good question! Listen in to found out what I do!   Happy designing!

Ahh suppliers! Where do you find them? How do you check and choose? These and more questions are answered in today’s podcast. There will be more on suppliers in later podcasts so this is just an outline to get you started. In the UK, one of the best and safest places to source a supplier is on the Trustmark site. They cover anyone from roofers, builders, drainage experts, carpenters and decorators. http://www.trustmark.org.uk/ For electricians there is the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting.  Bit of a mouthful I know! Often, when you have had a property rewired, the certificate of installation will have the NICEIC branding at the top.  To find an electrical installer – please click below. http://www.niceic.com/Page/SearchContractors For builders – there is the Federation of Master Builders. Again this is a useful site if you don't have any recommendations from friends: http://www.fmb.org.uk/fab/ For curtains and soft furnishings it’s best to go to someone that has been recommended to you but if you’re really stuck, go to the Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers website and search on there: http://www.upholsterers.co.uk/ We’ll talk more about upholstery, curtains and upholstery in future podcasts too. Also in today’s podcast is the Ask Belinda question of the week.  We hear from Laura in Windsor who is a budding interior designer and asks the question: "Should I work from home or get an office?" This is a common question and it depends on your set up at home. I am very happy to work at home on my own. Some people need that structure of going to an office and having colleagues around them and whilst I do understand that, if you are just starting out, being at home is a less costly option. Although you do have to be disciplined!  Anyway, I look forward to sharing the next podcast with you, so I’ll see you then.  Stay cool!

In today’s podcast, we learn what to look for in an interior designer.  What are the questions you should ask? Do they need a portfolio? (actually they don’t) and if YOU are the interior designer, what should you be asking your prospective client? Also covered are questions you should ask, note taking and having a clear strategy for the work. Also in today’s Ask Belinda section of the podcast, we hear from James and Susan in West Hampstead. They ask “How long should it take to renovate a six bedroom property?” This will depend on the scope of work, but I would estimate about 6-8  months if you are re-plumbing and re-wiring. More if you are adding on a loft or basement.

This is the first post and podcast in my new series.  Hopefully it will inspire you to improve your home or space around you. It may also spur you on to become an interior designer (Lord help you!). Most information will be on the podcast but I will put any links or info in the 'show notes' which will be this 'blog' part of the topic  I will try and give you as many resources as I can so that you can get things done as quickly and as painlessly as you can.   The first episode is entitled "10 Reasons To Be An Interior Designer".  If you are in any doubt about the benefits of this job or role - listen to the podcast.  I cover architecture, meeting people, suppliers, trade discounts and the sensory experience. Making this podcast really did remind me why I started in this industry all those years ago.  It's been an incredible journey so far. I will endeavour to get these podcasts to you weekly, although if I can, I will get them to you faster as there is so much to cover and things are always changing in the design world. In the meantime, here's the first episode. It's a little ummy and ahhry - please bear with me, my delivery can only get better! Happy designing!