Showhouse Secrets Part II - The Showhouse Must Go On

Part Two strips the lacquer off designer showhouses: behind those glossy rooms are six-figure budgets, vendor favors, impossible timelines, and enough last-minute crises to qualify as cardio. Caroline and Paloma trade war stories involving rejection from the stone sponsor, rugs stuck in customs, draperies four feet too short, and 145 yards of fabric mysteriously disappearing into a valance. But there is a reason designers keep coming back: one memorable room can lead to clients, press, product collaborations, stronger teams—and some highly effective “trauma bonding.” They close with a rapid-fire guide to what to install, what to avoid, and why doing two traditional showhouses in one year might be just a little bit unhinged.

Music licensed through Soundstripe.

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The Install
YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast
Instagram: @theinstallpodcast
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Paloma
Website: www.palomacontreras.com
Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign
TikTok: @palomacontrerasdesign
ShopMy: @palomacontreras

Caroline
Website: www.carolinegidiere.com
Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign
TikTok: @carolinegidieredesignbts
ShopMy: @carolinegidiere

Chapters

00:16 — Part Two
01:23 — Budget Reality
03:07 — Sponsor Strategy
09:37 — Vendor Drama
12:04 — Loans & Sales
15:05 — Tight Timelines
17:34 — Plan Z
18:25 — Disaster Stories
26:40 — Drama City
27:47 — Stay Organized
30:23 — The Payoff
34:01 — Hidden Returns
36:52 — PR Strategy
38:58 — Bankroll It
40:09 — Saying No
43:20 — Rapid Fire
48:46 — Dream Showhouses