Today I’m chatting to the swashbuckling artist and restaurateur Jonny Gent. We recorded this episode during a busy lunch service at Sessions Arts Club, Jonny’s inspirational restaurant in Clerkenwell. It’s fair to say that he’d emboldened himself with a few martinis beforehand and what ensued was a conversation that very much represents the man himself: unstructured, poetic and generous. Jonny’s a brilliant painter, and his artworks range from the sexualised and salacious to tenderly painted still-lifes that are a tribute to his late mother. After getting himself through art school, he met a casting director who wrote him a cheque for every painting he’d made. What followed was a journey that took him to more than 20 countries around the world, establishing art studios in everything from a cabin in Scotland to a tobacco factory in France. Now approaching his late 40s, he’s finally starting to put down some roots. As well as having a permanent home in London, Jonny spends a lot of time in the Scottish Highlands, where he’s opened a retreat for creatives called Boath House. Like Sessions Arts Club, it explores the confluence of art, food and music.  Jonny says of his childhood, “I felt totally alone in what I found beautiful.” He begins by telling me about the Slow & Easy, the pub he grew up in, and the lasting impact of 500 strangers coming into your home every day. I hope you enjoy it!This episode was recorded in person at Sessions Arts Club, London.For more: Visit The Modern House website to see images of the spaces discussed in this episodeCheck out Sessions Arts Club and Boath HouseTake a look at Jonny Gent’s latest workProduction and editing: Hannah PhillipsEditing and mixing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom YoungMusic: Father Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Akram’s rich career includes performing at the opening ceremony of the London Olympics, collaborating with artists Anish Kapoor and Antony Gormley, and choreographing tours and videos for the likes of Kylie Minogue and Florence + the Machine. He was awarded an MBE for services to dance in 2005. He kindly invited us to his home last summer and we recorded this conversation in a shady spot in the garden. Akram is of Bangladeshi descent and he grew up above his parents’ restaurant in south-west London. He was bullied at school and harassed by the National Front outside of it, so he’s always had a conflicted view of his community. As a child, he was introverted to the point of being mute, and movement quickly became his primary form of expression. He tells me how he danced so enthusiastically at home that the lights in the restaurant below would start shaking, putting the customers off their food. The word ‘home’ has come to mean many things for Akram: it’s the small studio in the garden where he practises dance for four hours every morning, it’s the stage on which he performs, and it’s also his own body. As is the case for so many true artists, there’s a lot of conflicting emotion inside him. He talks particularly poignantly about his relationship with his late father, who always struggled to demonstrate his love. Akram’s story has really stayed with me. Being able to talk to people on this podcast is a great privilege, and conversations like this one really remind me of that.For more: Visit The Modern House website to see images of the spaces discussed in this episodeCheck out the latest from the Akram Khan CompanyProduction: Hannah PhillipsEditing and mixing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom YoungMusic: FatherThis episode was sponsored by Vitsoe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I first met Roksanda in 2006. We were selling her flat in King’s Cross, which was unlike anything I’d seen before: a brooding space with cast-concrete worktops, a black resin floor and mirrored lightwells. It had a subterranean lap-pool that was completely black, like a cave, where one could imagine Bruce Wayne practising his backstroke. Roksanda had recently shown her first collection at London Fashion Week and garments dangled enticingly from rails in her workspace. Some 18 years later, I’ve come to meet her in her studio in the East End to record this podcast. As before, her latest collection is on display, only this time the hanging rails have multiplied by a factor of a hundred. The colours are even more vibrant. Roksanda is no longer simply a name; it’s a brand with a global following.I loved finding out more about Roksanda’s life story. She talks passionately about the importance of nature in her life, from the old quince trees in her grandparents’ garden to the inside-out living of her favourite Modernist houses in Brazil. She describes how the birth of her daughter was like a portal opening up, which gave her new confidence and a sense of perspective. She tells me about how she’s managed to bring architecture into fashion, and why she believes that clothes are there to provide shelter and protection in the same way that a home does.Thank you so much for listening, as always, and I really hope you enjoy it!This episode was recorded in person at Roksanda’s East London studio. For more: Visit our website to see images of the spaces discussed Check out Roksanda’s latest collection Check out The Lost House sales listing, over on The Modern House Production: Hannah PhillipsEditing and mixing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom YoungMusic: Father Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kevin has been a fixture on our tellies for so many years that we feel like we know him. But, actually, I didn’t have a clue about his life story, so this conversation was really interesting for me. He tells me about growing up in what he refers to as an ‘architectural zoo’ of housing from different eras. We talk about his involvement with Footlights, the famous comedy troupe at Cambridge University, where he collaborated with Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie and Emma Thompson. And he explains why he’s spent years living in a camper van and why his future home will definitely have a view of the mountains. Kevin is one of the most engaging and fiercely intelligent guests I’ve spoken to on Homing In and he’s full of amusing anecdotes and top tips. I hope you enjoy the episode!For more: Watch Grand DesignsSubscribe to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspirationFind out more about Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To LiveProduction: Hannah PhillipsEditing and mixing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom YoungMusic: FatherThis episode is sponsored by Vitsoe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rosh is founder of the brilliant jewellery company Alighieri. We discuss her life story through the prism of the homes she’s lived in, from humble beginnings in Zambia to the beautifully designed flat she now owns in Clerkenwell. When Rosh moved to London at the age of eight, she was the only person of colour in her school. She tells me how she’s managed to channel this feeling of alienation towards a personal mission of bringing people together, celebrating commonality rather than difference. We talk about the importance of ritual at home and why she likes living on her own. We also discuss her suspicion of the colour green, the joy of negative space and why she imagines herself living in the desert as an old lady. Hope you enjoy it!For more: Visit AlighieriSee images of Rosh's own home and Frey House over on The Modern HouseSubscribe to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspirationFind out more about Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To LiveProduction: Hannah PhillipsEditing and mixing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom YoungMusic: Father Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’ve known Duncan for many years now and he’s definitely one of the good guys. We first met when I was commissioned to write a piece for The World of Interiors about the amazing home in west London he shares with his wife, Lyndsay Milne McLeod, and their son, Oban. Duncan’s kindly invited me back to the house to record this episode. He tells me about how growing up on building sites brought him close to his father, the importance of magic in architecture and why he believes you should always design a house as if you’re playing hide-and-seek in it. Duncan certainly isn’t the first guest to shed a tear or two on this podcast and I think this is a really lovely, heartfelt conversation.For more:Check out Studio McLeod's latest workVisit our website for images of places discussed, and to read our interview with Duncan McLeodSign up to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspirationProduction: Hannah PhillipsEditing and mixing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom YoungMusic: Father Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jacqueline is a jewellery designer whose work I’ve admired for many years, probably because it’s so architectural. As you probably know by now, we try to record these podcasts in the guest’s home whenever possible, and this one is particularly exciting on that front, because Jacqueline lives in a 1960s house perched on a hillside in Los Angeles. As is the custom on this podcast, I asked Jacqueline to talk about a home from her past, her current place, and a home of the future. She told me what it was like to grow up in a big family, and how the soul music that boomed around the house was somehow a form of defiance against the racial tension that African-Americans were feeling at that time. And we also talked about how the pandemic inspired her homing instinct, why she’s enjoying living with less and her love of mid-century modern houses.For more:Head to the Carpenters Workshop Gallery‘s London space, to visit ‘Jacqueline Rabun: A Retrospective’Check out Jacqueline Rabun’s latest workFind out more about her dream home, the Loring HouseVisit our website for images and details of the places discussed Sign up to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspirationProduction: Hannah PhillipsEditing and mixing: Oscar CrawfordGraphic Design: Tom YoungMusic: FatherThis episode is sponsored by Vitsoe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Glenn's a brilliant curator and writer with a particular interest in craft. If that conjures up an image of lace doilies and crocheted waistcoats, then don't panic!Back in 2011, he put together the amazing 'Postmodernism' exhibition at the V&A in London, which was a riot of Memphis pattern and colour; and more recently, he's co-curated a show called 'Mirror Mirror' at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire. Glenn writes beautifully – and his book Fewer, Better Things was a really big influence on my own book, A Modern Way to Live. A phrase he uses a lot is 'material intelligence', which is the idea that we should try to understand the things we choose to live with – where they've come from and how they've been made. I don’t know if it's material intelligence or old-fashioned fate that led Glenn to find his home in Upstate New York, but it really is the physical manifestation of everything he believes in. We also chatted about his place in east London, what it's like to be an identical twin, his thoughts on the metaverse and all sorts of other things. Glenn is one of the most erudite people I know and his thoughtfulness is something we could all learn from.This episode was recorded in person at Glenn's east London home.For more: Head over to The Modern House website for images of the places discussed Watch the B-52's 'Love Shack' music video Check out the house built by a librarian's collection of bricksRead more by Glenn AdamsonSign up to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspiration  Executive Producer: Kate Taylor of Feast CollectiveProduction: Hannah Phillips Music: FatherGraphic Design: Tom Young  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most of us know Mary Portas as a swashbuckling TV presenter with a flame-red bob, but her career away from the screen has been no less remarkable. She did the window displays for Topshop during its heyday and was the creative director of Harvey Nichols when it was immortalised on Absolutely Fabulous. Nowadays, however, she runs her consultancy, Portas, which helps brands create purpose and beauty in everything they do. As this episode reveals, her life story is incredibly rich and filled with both trauma and triumph. This episode was recorded in person at the Portas offices, London.For more: Head over to our website for more images of the places discussedVisit Portas Sign up to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspiration Check out Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To Live This episode is sponsored by Vitsoe.Executive Producer: Kate Taylor of Feast CollectiveProduction: Hannah PhillipsMusic: FatherGraphic Design: Tom Young Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Skye Gyngell is an Australian-born chef who has spent much of her career shaping the British food scene. I first became aware of her cooking when I visited Petersham Nurseries’ cafe in Richmond, which she opened in 2004 and later earned it a Michelin star. Nowadays she runs her own beautiful restaurant, Spring, at Somerset House in London, and is the culinary director of Hampshire hotel Heckfield Place. For this episode, Skye generously invited us into her home in west London and we talked about all sorts of things, including her favourite things to eat here and what it’s like being a mother to grown-up kids. This conversation was recorded in person at Skye's home in West London. For more: Head over to our website for more images of the places discussedVisit Spring and Heckfield PlaceSign up to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspiration Check out Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To Live Executive Producer: Kate Taylor of Feast Collective Production: Hannah Phillips Music is by FatherGraphic Design: Tom Young Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hans Ulrich Obrist is the artistic director of the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington, west London, and is universally acknowledged as one of the most important and prolific art curators of our time. When I spoke to him at his office, I discovered a force of nature with an energy unlike that of anyone I’ve met before. His notion of home is also pretty extreme. When he was a student, he turned his flat into a gallery and he’s lived in some of the world’s most famous house-museums. This episode doesn’t follow the usual format, but I think it’s a really interesting portrait of a brilliant man. This conversation was recorded in person in Hans Ulrich Obrist’s office at the Serpentine gallery. For more: Head over to our website for more images of the places discussedVisit The Serpentine Gallery Sign up to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspiration Check out Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To Live This episode was produced by Kate Taylor of Feast Collective and Hannah Phillips from The Modern House. Music is by Father. Graphic Design is by Tom Young. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tony’s life story is incredibly inspiring. He began his career at The Sunday Times Magazine, then became the art director of GQ and was later appointed editor-in-chief of Wallpaper*, which arguably defined the design aesthetic of the noughties and taught us all how to live like urbane Scandinavians. We discussed his childhood home in the 1970s – which was a riot of swirly brown carpet, chintz cushions and fake-brick wallpaper – and his experience living on the Barbican estate in London for 27 years, which is longer than anyone else I know.This conversation was recorded in person at Tony’s Barbican home.For more:Head over to our website for more images of the places discussedVisit Tony Chambers' design agency, TC & FriendsSign up to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interior inspirationCheck out Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To LiveThis episode was produced by Kate Taylor of Feast Collective and Hannah Phillips from The Modern House. Music is by Father. Graphic Design is by Tom Young. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Where does our spirit go when we die? Frances Morris has this question figured out: she will return to the home in which she was born, a Georgian house abreast the Meridian Line in Greenwich. In this deeply personal conversation, Frances explains why her childhood home has such an emotional hold over her.  Southeast London has been the backdrop to her whole life, and it's fitting that she has worked at the forefront of its most important cultural institution: Tate Modern. Not only was she the gallery's first female director, but Frances has also redefined the perception of female artists, spearheading retrospectives of Louise Bourgeois, Yayoi Kusama, Agnes Martin and others. Frances joined the Tate back in 1987, and has devoted almost her entire career to it, being appointed director of Tate Modern in 2016. Shortly before we recorded this podcast, it was announced that she will be leaving for pastures new. I've come to meet her in her office within the bowels of the gallery, and, understandably, she is in reflective mood.  This is one of the most memorable conversations I've ever had. Frances feels like someone I've known for ever, and her background and story have significant parallels with my own. I really hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  This conversation was recorded in person at the Tate Modern. For more on Frances Morris:Head over to our website for more images of the places discussedVisit the Tate Modern For more from the The Modern House: Sign up to our newsletter for weekly interior inspiration Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us on Instagram Check out Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To Live This episode was produced by Kate Taylor of Feast Collective and Hannah Phillips from The Modern House. Music is by Father. Graphic Design is by Tom Young. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Known as the Queen of Colour, India has designed upbeat bars and radical restaurants from Miami to Mexico City. Her Gallery restaurant at Sketch in London became one of the most inspirational spaces of our time, and single-handedly changed the public perception of the colour pink. Last autumn, I hopped on the Eurostar to go and meet her at home in Paris. I arrived completely drenched from a rainstorm, but my frost-bitten cockles were soon warmed by a cup of tea and a fireside chat with India in her beautiful apartment. She told me about how her early years in Massachusetts influenced her love of bright colours, from the strawberry milkshakes she drank to the Technicolor cartoons she watched on TV. One day, she and her family relocated very suddenly to Germany, arriving to a neo-Gothic house straight out of the Addams Family. Her world turned black-and-white, and she felt like an unwelcome foreigner. Soon they moved on again, this time to France, where she started to find a way to express herself through making things and tapping into her creativity. What I found so interesting about our conversation was discovering how India has reacted against her itinerant childhood and established a very defined sense of place as an adult. Her studio, her showroom and her home are all located in a single block in Paris, where she's lived for more than 25 years. She doesn't even have to cross the road to carry out all the functions of everyday life. As India gets older, she feels increasingly drawn to her native countries of Iran and Egypt. She's bought a house in Arles that's hidden among cypress trees and reminds her of Tehran in the 1970s. All in all, India's past, present and future are acutely defined by the notion of home and belonging – everything that this podcast is about.This conversation was recorded in person at India’s home in Paris. For more on India Mahdavi:Head over to our website for more images of the places discussedCheck out India's websiteRead more about The Gallery at SketchFor more from the The Modern House: Sign up to our newsletter for weekly interior inspiration Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us on Instagram Check out Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To Live  This episode was produced by Kate Taylor of Feast Collective and Hannah Phillips from The Modern House. Music is by Father. Graphic Design is by Tom Young.To get in touch, email us at podcast@themodernhouse.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick is a legendary photographer and founder of the influential website SHOWstudio, which has pioneered the use of moving image in fashion. I've come to his London studio to find out more about his incredibly colourful life through the lens of the homes he's lived in. He tells me about growing up in a grandiose apartment in Paris, the impact of his dyslexia, and how falling in love with photography unlocked a relentless work ethic. His unlikely entrypoint into image-making was joining a group of skinheads as a teenager, mainly because he liked the look of the girls. He talks about the life-changing experience of building a house in his twenties, with a certain young architect named David Chipperfield. We discuss the future of AI, how being a photographer gives him unique access to anyone in the world, and the day he turned Lady Gaga into a man. As Nick says, 'there’s nothing more important than the spaces you live in, for shaping you, how you feel about things, making you feel positive about life and love.' He's full of wisdom and wit, and this is certainly a conversation I will always remember. This conversation was recorded in person at SHOWstudio, London. For more on Nick Knight: Head over to our website for more images of Nick’s home Check out SHOWstudio  Read more about the David Chipperfield project For more from the The Modern House: Sign up to our newsletter for weekly interior inspiration Subscribe to our YouTube channel Follow us on Instagram Check out Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To Live  This episode was produced by Kate Taylor of Feast Collective and Hannah Phillips from The Modern House. Music is by Father. Graphic Design is by Tom Young.To get in touch, email us at podcast@themodernhouse.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For Ruth Rogers, home is at the very heart of everything. Her legendary London restaurant, the River Cafe, is founded on community, friendship and home cooking. Her iconic house in Chelsea, which she co-created with her architect husband, Richard Rogers, has been the backdrop to family life for forty years and has influenced a generation of homeowners to live with light and space. Ruthie invited me in to discuss her extraordinary life through the lens of the homes she has lived in. She describes with great poignancy how her house provides her with comfort following Richard’s death. She talks about growing up in the Borscht Belt near New York, and a chance encounter with Bob Dylan in Woodstock. Having personally co-founded a business in an industry I knew nothing about, I can relate to Ruthie’s inspiring story of starting the River Cafe with no restaurant experience and making things up as she went along. She tells me about how the restaurant has become a home from home, and why it’s been a breeding ground for some of the world’s most celebrated chefs, including Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, April Bloomfield and Allegra McEvedy. She talks about the influences behind her Chelsea home, from the Maison de Verre in Paris to the Italian piazzas of Pienza and Montepulciano, and why a rather special set of coloured pencils is one of the first things she would save in a house fire. This conversation was recorded in person at Ruth Rogers’ home in Chelsea, London. For more on Ruth Rogers:Watch our film at the home of Ruth and Richard Rogers Visit the River Café  Listen to Ruth’s podcast, Ruthie’s Table Four For more from Matt Gibberd and The Modern House:Sign up to our newsletter for weekly interior inspirationSubscribe to our YouTube channelFollow us on InstagramCheck out Matt's latest book, A Modern Way To LiveThis episode was produced by Leo Schick and Kate Taylor of Feast Collective and Hannah Phillips from The Modern House. Music is by Father. Graphic Design is by Tom Young. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does home reveal about who we are? Almost everything, it turns out, as we have discovered recording conversations with cultural contributors, business innovators and creative luminaires for our new podcast, Homing In, which we are excited to share with you later this week. The show takes over from the previous iteration of our podcast with an updated format. Our co-founder Matt Gibberd asks guests to discuss the place they grew up in, their current home, and their thoughts on future living – revealing the emotional experiences that underpin some of our most inspiring public figures. Be prepared for tears, laughter, and everything in between.The Modern House is an estate agency that helps people live in more thoughtful and beautiful ways. If you have a modern home to sell, get in touch to find out how we can maximise its value.To hear more from The Modern House:Sign up to our newsletter for weekly interior inspirationSubscribe to our YouTube channelFollow us on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On The Modern House Podcast, our host Matt Gibberd invites design enthusiasts to select their top three living spaces in the world. The guest of this episode is indeed a design enthusiast, but she’s also quite the expert: it’s Margaret Howell. The designer is synonymous with three things in particular: a quintessential Britishness, quality craftsmanship and materials. So it makes perfect sense that this trio unites her top three living spaces. Listen to discover the stories behind her selection. Plus, she discusses her early memories of design and endless love of making things.   Find out more on The Modern House.   You can purchase Matt Gibberd’s new book A Modern Way to Live via our website. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.