How to Decorate
How to Decorate
Ballard Designs
Ep. 434: How to Work with an Interior Designer with Gordon Dunning
1 hour 29 minutes Posted Oct 7, 2025 at 11:31 am.
Welcome and Introductions
Meet Lathem Gordon & Cate Dunning (Gordon Dunning)
How to prepare before hiring a designer
Why relationship and communication style matter
Interviewing designers — what to ask
Budget conversations: ranges, transparency, and expectations
Working alongside architects and builders
The Love‑Hate meeting — ideation and identifying priorities
Magic wand + Anne piles — how choices get refined
Meeting length, decision fatigue, and pacing
Construction deliverables and walkthroughs (framing, electrical, millwork)
Designer as advocate — handling on-site surprises
Install day: how Gordon Dunning handles reveals
Post-install follow-up, fixes, and photo shoots
Using existing furniture and moving between homes
Sourcing and commissioning art — client-led vs. designer-led
Accessories, final styling, and invoicing
Communication preferences (email vs. text) and process etiquette
Common misconceptions and final advice
Where to find Gordon Dunning
0:00
1:29:07
Download MP3
Show notes
This week, Caroline and Liz welcome back duo designers Lathem Gordon and Cate Dunning to the show of the design duo Gordon Dunning in our NEW Atlanta podcast studio!
Lathem and Cate demystify the client-designer relationship, walk through their step-by-step process (including their famous Love‑Hate meeting), and share practical guidance on budgets, timelines, communication, construction walkthroughs, sourcing art, and finishing touches. Whether you’re hiring a designer for a single room, a phased project, or a whole-home build, they explain what to expect, what questions to ask, and how to get the most from the partnership.
What You'll Hear in This Episode:
Also Mentioned:
@gordondunning | Designer Instagram
gordondunning.com | Gordon Dunning Website
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop Ballard Designs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Website
Please send in your questions so we can answer them on our next episode! And of course, subscribe to the podcast in Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. You can always check back here to see new episodes, but if you subscribe, it’ll automatically download to your phone.
Happy Decorating!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices