Homing30 Sep 2025

Bethan Laura Wood: the multidisciplinary designer on the need to make and create

Bethan designs everything from furniture to lighting and textiles, and some of her work is currently on display at the Design Museum in London.

She presents herself to the world like a human peacock. She dyes her hair different colours, wears layers of vivid clothing, and puts dots on her cheeks.

Her flat in east London isn’t exactly demure either. We recorded this podcast in the company of various hats and handbags, a jar of balloons in liquid, and a lamp shaped like a jellyfish.

In this conversation, we dig into the differences between collecting and hoarding. The objects Bethan lives with are like a cast of characters in a film. The way she arranges them isn’t just about what looks good together; she’s also thinking about the stories they tell.

Going back to her childhood, she tells me about dressing like “a 1950s cool dinner lady”, and how watching TV inspired her to apply for the Royal College of Art.

We talk about the impact of bullying, and how she’s been shaped by her dyslexia.

She’s a fascinating character, and I really enjoyed getting to know her better.

For more:

PLATFORM: Bethan Laura Wood

Subscribe to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspiration

Pick up a copy of Matt Gibberd’s latest book, A Modern Way To Live

Follow Matt Gibberd on Instagram

Follow The Modern House Instagram

Watch our Homing In films on YouTube

Producer: Laconic Collective

Graphic Design: Ben Tucker

Music: Simeon Walker

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(99)

Will Fisher: The Boy Who Dreamed of Country Houses

Antiques dealer Will Fisher was obsessed with English country houses from age seven – a fascination that sparked a lifelong pursuit of beauty.Will grew up in southeast London, the son of two working-c...

15 Okt 1h 16min

Why Home Lives in the Imagination | with Turkish Novelist Elif Shafak

For Turkish-British novelist Elif Shafak, home isn't a physical place; it lives in the stories we tell.Elif is an award-winning novelist, celebrated for writing about the lives of people on the margin...

8 Okt 54min

Dan Martensen: The Fashion Photographer Who Learned to Fit In

Dan Martensen is a portrait and fashion photographer whose work appears in Vogue, i-D and WSJ Magazine. He’s also the founder of It’s Bagels, bringing the New York-style bagel he grew up with to Londo...

1 Okt 1h 16min

Why Creativity Is a Human Need | With Amie McNee

Writer and creative coach Amie McNee believes that creativity isn’t a luxury; it’s a fundamental human need, and one that many of us are suppressing.Amie has a wonderfully broad definition of creativi...

24 Sep 1h

Rose Wylie: Nonconformity, Ageing & the Beauty of an Unruly Home

At 91, Rose Wylie has one of the most remarkable stories in contemporary British art. She stopped painting in order to raise her three children and returned to it in middle age, finding widespread rec...

17 Sep 1h 14min

Is Your Home Keeping You Awake? Professor Russell Foster Rethinks the Rules of Sleep

We spend around a third of our lives asleep, yet for so many of us, getting a good night’s sleep can feel like a real struggle. Could our homes hold some of the answers to sleeping better?In this conv...

10 Sep 58min

Charlene Prempeh: Why More Space Isn’t the Key to a Happier Home

Matt Gibberd visits writer and creative consultant Charlene Prempeh at her home in North London. Charlene is the founder of A Vibe Called Tech, a creative studio that champions Black culture. She’s a ...

3 Sep 1h 25min

Lemn Sissay: What Happens When Home Rejects You?

Lemn Sissay is a poet, playwright and broadcaster. Few people have thought more deeply about the meaning of home than Lemn. As a baby, Lemn was separated from his Ethiopian mother and placed into fost...

20 Aug 48min