TDF Talks is fortnightly podcast by The Design Files — Australia’s go-to destination for design inspiration since 2008. Join founder and host Lucy Feagins as she interviews inspiring local creatives to discuss renovating, sustainability, and more!
You can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listen along right here in your web browser.
Bringing Character Back Into An Old Home, With Sibella Court
Sibella Court is an expert at creating homes that feel like they have a storied past, and her Bundeena family home is no exception. The Sydney-based interior designer, product designer, and TV presenter shares how she tackled this five-year-long renovation, filling the abode with salvaged materials and vintage treasures.
Building A Sustainable Home On A Small Footprint, With Hannah Pannell + Joel Barker
Landscape architects Joel Barker and Hannah Pannell built their sustainable Perth family home on the smallest possible footprint — in order to save most of their block for the garden of their dreams. Hear how they created a highly energy-efficient home on a budget of $450,000.
Everything Courtney Adamo Learnt Building Her New Coastal Home
Courtney Adamo has renovated houses before, but nothing compared to the process of designing and building her family’s beach home. She shares the highs and lows of the design and build process — plus what she’d do differently if building a house again.
Restoring A Suburban 1970s Time Capsule With Georgia Frances King + Mete Erdogan
Despite having no renovating experience, Georgia Frances King and Mete Erdogan are reviving a 1970s brick veneer home in Melbourne’s north. Hear from the couple about their journey so far, what they’ve learned from YouTube tutorials alone, and how much it’s all cost.
Restoring One Of Melbourne's Oldest Mansions, With Julie + Vincent Fodera
In our last episode for the year, we speak with lawyers-turned-renovators Julie and Vincent Fodera who are restoring one of Melbourne’s oldest mansions, a historic homestead in Caulfield known as Heatherbrae. They share how they’ve been sympathetically updating the grand abode and the importance of preserving heritage builds.
A First Home Buyers' Never-Ending Renovation, With Pat + Ruby Shields
Melbourne couple Patrick and Ruby Shields bought their first home in Mount Evelyn in 2018. Since then the carpenter and interior designer have landed new jobs, gotten married, but they’re still working on their renovation — five years later! Hear how they bought the house in a half-renovated state, Ruby’s tips for styling on budget, and why it’s taken them so long to complete.
Building A Sustainable Home From Scratch, With Al + Imo Roberts
When furniture makers Al and Imogen Roberts found themselves priced out of Torquay’s real estate market, they decided to buy a block of land and build their sustainable dream home themselves. They join us to share how the challenges of this ambitious project, the hidden costs that come with new builds, and why they decided to start from scratch rather than renovate.
The Highs + Lows Of Renovating A Beach Shack, With Lucy And Gordy
We speak to our very own Lucy Feagins and her husband Gordy Johnson about the amazing transformation of their family’s Blairgowrie beach shack! They reveal the biggest costs, challenges, and how they navigated working together as a married couple to create their idyllic coastal retreat.