Behind The Design

What actually keeps an architecture business alive past the first project?

Most people judge an architecture firm by the finished home. The clean lines, the light-filled kitchen, the project that lands on Instagram. Behind that image sits a business built on budget conversations, team trust, and a reputation that took years to earn.

In this episode of Behind the Design, I sit down with Chris Trotta, founder of Trotter Architecture, to talk about the parts of running a design business that rarely make it into a portfolio. We cover his path from working inside large firms to launching his own practice during Covid, why he built a board of advisors with zero designers on it, and why he walked away from wanting to be seen as difficult in the industry.

We also get into his 85% rule for avoiding perfectionism, why he still sketches every project by hand before touching a computer, and what success looks like for him now that the business runs itself day to day.

In This Episode, We Discuss:
➡️ Why relationships, service, and trust matter more than design skill long term
➡️ How he handles honest budget conversations with clients
➡️ Why he built a personal board of advisors with no designers or architects on it
➡️ How giving up creative control helped him build a stronger team
➡️ Why protecting his reputation matters more than winning every argument on site
➡️ How his confidence in front of the camera grew over the past year
➡️ Why every project at Trotter Architecture starts with a hand sketch, not a screen
➡️ His 85% rule for finishing work without over-laboring the last details
➡️ What success looks like for him personally and professionally right now

One takeaway from this conversation is Chris's view that architects are hired for temperament and patience, not just a beautiful portfolio. Clients spend years working alongside their architect. That relationship carries more weight than any single render.

If you run a creative business or work with clients on long-term projects, this episode gives you a direct look at what holds a design practice together once the pretty pictures are done.

Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a friend, colleague, or fellow design enthusiast, and follow the podcast for more conversations on the people, processes, and passion behind great design.

Follow Chris Trotta:
https://www.trottaarchitecture.com/studio
https://www.instagram.com/trotta_architecture/
https://www.instagram.com/christrotta/

Follow Unfolded:
https://www.unfolded.com.au/
https://www.instagram.com/unfolded_

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Chapters
00:00 - Why Relationships Matter More Than Design
01:25 - Meet Architect Chris Trotter
02:34 - From Big Firms to Starting His Own Practice
05:24 - Why Launching an Architecture Business During COVID Worked
08:06 - Designing Homes as Investments, Not Just Beautiful Spaces
11:23 - Budget Conversations Every Architect Should Have
14:26 - The Truth About Running a Design Business
16:35 - Building a Team Without Micromanaging
22:17 - Why Client Experience Is More Important Than Great Design26:15 - The Business Advice Every Creative Needs
28:02 - The Power of Reputation, Trust & Collaboration
39:17 - Why Architects Need to Show Up on Social Media
48:04 - The 85% Rule That Makes Better Business Decisions

Keywords
Trotter Architecture
Chris Trotta
architecture business podcast
running a design firm
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client budget conversation
architecture team management
design industry reputation
Behind the Design podcast
Camilla Ingall
starting an architecture practice
architect branding
hand sketching in architecture
design intent
sustainable creative business
architecture and personal branding

What does an interior stylist actually do?

It's a role that most people only notice in the final image. The beautifully photographed home, the perfectly layered living room, or the project that lands in a magazine. But behind those images is a creative process that most people never see.

In this episode of “Behind The Design”, I sit down with interior stylist Bea Lambos to talk about the world of styling, photography, and visual storytelling. We discuss what happens before a project is photographed, how stylists work alongside photographers and designers, and why styling is about much more than placing beautiful objects in a room.

We also explore the challenge many homeowners face when trying to define their style, and Bea shares a simple piece of advice that can make the process feel far less overwhelming.

In This Episode, We Discuss:
➡️ Why Bea transitioned from interior design into styling
➡️ What really happens on a photoshoot day
➡️ The relationship between stylists, photographers, and designers
➡️ How styling helps tell the story of a project
➡️ The difference between styling for everyday living and styling for photography
➡️ Why some of the best creative outcomes come from flexible briefs
➡️ The role emotion plays in creating memorable spaces
➡️ How to discover your personal style by identifying what you don't like
➡️ Common misconceptions about interior photography and publication shoots
➡️ Why great styling often goes unnoticed when it's done well

One of my favourite insights from this conversation is Bea's belief that finding your style doesn't always start with what you love. Sometimes it starts with understanding what you don't.

If you've ever looked at a finished project and wondered how it all comes together, this episode offers a great behind-the-scenes look at one of the most important and least understood parts of the design process.

Enjoyed this episode? Feel free to share it with a friend, colleague, or fellow design enthusiast, and don't forget to follow the podcast for more conversations exploring the people, processes, and passion behind great design.

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Follow Bea Lambos:IG - https://www.instagram.com/beaandcostyle/Website - https://beaandcostyle.comPinterest - https://au.pinterest.com/Beaandcostyle/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bea-lambos-622aa7143/Substack - https://substack.com/@bealambos1

Follow Unfolded:
https://www.unfolded.com.au/
https://www.instagram.com/unfolded_

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Chapters
00:00 - Why Finding Your Style Starts With What You Don't Like
03:09 - Why Bea Chose Interior Styling Over Interior Design
05:20 - The Reality of Styling for Professional Photoshoots
08:49 - What Happens Before an Interior Photography Shoot?
09:35 - How Long Does It Take to Style a Home for Photography?
10:32 - The Hidden Tricks Behind Magazine-Worthy Interiors
14:51 - What Most People Get Wrong About Interior Styling
15:17 - Styling to the Frame: How Great Interior Photos Are Created
17:28 - Professional Styling vs Everyday Living
18:38 - How Styling Shapes the Story of a Space
19:44 - Inside the Stylist and Photographer Partnership
28:35 - Building Confidence in Your Personal Design Style
51:35 - Will AI Change the Future of Interior Styling?

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Bea Lambos
Camilla Ingall
Behind the Design podcast

A beautiful home rarely tells the full story.

Behind every completed project is a team navigating site constraints, heritage restrictions, unforeseen challenges, client expectations, and hundreds of decisions that never make it into the final photographs.

In this episode of Behind the Design, I sit down with Jack Williams, founder of JW Projects, to unpack the realities of residential construction in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

From heritage terraces in Paddington and Surry Hills to architecturally designed homes overlooking Sydney Harbour, Jack shares what it takes to bring ambitious design visions to life while managing the practical challenges that come with construction.

Together, we explore the relationship between builders and designers, the importance of communication throughout a project, and why some of the biggest decisions happen long before the finishes are installed.

In this episode:
• The unique challenges of building in Sydney's eastern suburbs
• Why heritage renovations require a different approach to new builds
• What builders uncover once demolition begins
• Managing expectations when site conditions change
• The role communication plays in successful projects
• Building strong relationships between designers, architects and builders
• Growing a construction business while maintaining quality
• Lessons learned from challenging projects and unexpected setbacks
• The realities of leading a team across multiple active sites
• What clients rarely see behind a finished home

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast and share it with a fellow designer, builder, architect or industry professional.

Follow Jack Williams and JW Projects
https://www.instagram.com/jackwill/
https://www.instagram.com/jackwill/
https://www.jwprojects.com.au/

Follow Unfolded:
https://www.unfolded.com.au/
https://www.instagram.com/unfolded_

CHAPTERS
02:21 - How Jack Williams Became a High-End Residential Builder
05:03 - Building in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs: Challenges & Opportunities
05:53 - Heritage Home Renovations: What Homeowners Need to Know
06:52 - Hidden Problems Found During Home Renovations
08:08 - Managing Renovation Budgets, Variations & Client Expectations
09:02 - Builder vs Interior Designer: Creating Successful Projects Together
11:33 - What Instagram Doesn’t Show About Luxury Home Construction
13:01 - Growing a Construction Business and Building the Right Team
15:23 - A Day in the Life of a Luxury Home Builder
17:03 - Costly Construction Mistakes and Lessons From the Job Site
20:51 - Dealing With Neighbours, Council Approvals & Tight Building Sites
27:06 - Future Trends in Luxury Home Building, Design & Development

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Finished homes, polished brands, and resolved details are what we usually see. What’s less visible is the pressure underneath: the hard decisions, constant judgment calls, and the reality of sustaining growth.

James McCarthy knows that reality well.

In this episode of Behind the Design, I sit down with James McCarthy, co-founder of GatherCo, a trade-only supplier in the architecture and interiors industry known for its relationship-led approach, adaptability, and willingness to do things differently.

What began as a small business trying to stay afloat has grown into a trusted supplier working with architects, designers, and builders across Australia. But this conversation is less about polished success and more about what sits behind long-term growth.

We talk about the early pressure to say yes to everything, why boundaries become essential as a business matures, and the mindset shift that comes with realising not all growth is good growth.

We also explore sustainable scaling, how partnerships evolve, and why understanding your lane is one of the most important lessons for founders.

In this episode, we also covered this:
— Why saying yes to every opportunity early in business eventually becomes unsustainable
— The lesson that completely changed James’ perspective on business challenges and competition
— How Gather Co built trust with architects and designers through honesty and long-term thinking
— Why the business chose not to follow the traditional showroom model and what happened instead
— The importance of boundaries, systems, and internal accountability as a team grows
— What founders often misunderstand about scaling a product-based business
— How small businesses can use adaptability and speed as competitive advantages
— The reality of managing client expectations, timelines, and decision fatigue within the design industry
— Why relationships remain at the centre of everything Gather Co does
— The emotional side of entrepreneurship and the importance of remembering why you started

If you enjoyed this episode, follow Behind the Design for more conversations unpacking the people, processes, and realities behind the design industry.

Follow James McCarthy and GatherCo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-mccarthy-90a215140/
https://www.gatherco.com.au/
Follow Unfolded:
https://www.unfolded.com.au/
https://www.instagram.com/unfolded_

Chapters
03:02 — Why Gather Co Built a Trade-Only Supply Business
06:00 — The Importance of Honesty & Long-Term Relationships
07:12 — Fighting to Survive: The Early “Say Yes to Everything” Mentality
10:30 — Why Strong Teams Matter More Than Founders Doing Everything
12:27 — Learning to Love the Journey of Building a Business
15:50 — The Story That Changed How Gather Co Worked With Clients
20:12 — Why Boundaries & Policies Are Essential for Growth
23:47 — Balancing Creativity, Timelines & Commercial Reality
25:07 — Why Gather Co Chose Digital Over a Physical Showroom
29:48 — Creating a Better Sample Process for Designers & Architects
34:18 — The Mindset Shift That Turned Problems Into Competitive Advantages
45:45 — Competition, Ego & the Fear That Still Drives Business Growth

Keywords
Gather Co
James McCarthy Gather Co
trade supply business
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entrepreneurship podcast
design industry podcast
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Colour gets the attention, but it is rarely where the real work happens.

Mariah Burton built Folk Studio on something quieter than a signature aesthetic, a belief that the person living in the space is always the starting point and that the brief is never really the Pinterest board, the budget, or the timeline. It is the human being sitting across from you at that first meeting, and everything that flows from understanding them well enough to design something that genuinely feels like theirs.

In this episode of Behind the Design, I sit down with Mariah Burton, Creative Director and Co-Founder of Folk Studio, a Sydney-based interior design practice recognised for its layered, expressive interiors and a client experience that feels as considered as the design itself.

Eight years in, Folk is turning away more work than it takes on, the projects are more varied, the team is bigger, and yet the studio still feels unmistakably like Mariah. This conversation is about how that happens, how you build something that continues to grow without losing the thing that made it worth building in the first place.

In this episode, we also covered this:
• What it looks like to back yourself when nothing is guaranteed and you are building something from scratch with no real roadmap
• How a casual conversation with a stranger became the project that changed everything for Folk Studio
• Why the best design decisions are not always the most obvious ones, and how knowing when to stop is its own kind of skill
• What staying true to yourself looks like when clients, budgets and timelines are all pulling in different directions
• How to protect the thing that makes your work yours, even as your team grows and more people are involved
• The quiet work that happens before a client ever gets on a call with you and why that part matters just as much as the design
• What nobody tells you about the emotional side of running a creative business and how to find your footing when it gets heavy.

If you enjoyed this episode, follow Behind the Design for more conversations unpacking the people, processes, and ideas shaping the design industry.

Follow Mariah Burton and Folk Studio
https://www.instagram.com/mariah.burton_/
https://au.linkedin.com/in/mariah-burton-281165ab
https://www.folkstudiodesign.com/

Follow Unfolded:
https://www.unfolded.com.au/
https://www.instagram.com/unfolded_

Chapters
02:20 - How Childhood & Creativity Shaped Mariah Burton’s Design Style
04:42 - The Early Career Lessons That Built Folk Studio’s Culture
06:28 - Landing Major Interior Design Projects in the Early Days
07:36 - Working 3 Jobs While Launching a Design Business
09:22 - The Confidence to Pivot a Client’s Vision Completely
10:24 - Building a Successful Interior Design Studio Without Pressure
11:37 - Creative Restraint, Color & Designing Functional Spaces
15:30 - Why Folk Studio Prioritizes People Over Trends
20:41 - How Folk Studio Chooses the Right Design Clients
27:31 - The Reality Behind Interior Design Photoshoots & Styling
31:56 - Balancing Business, Creativity & Mental Wellbeing as a Designer
39:10 - The Biggest Lessons From 8 Years Running Folk Studio

Keywords
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