Nigel is the first podcast guest ever to make me cry. I'm a big fan of his writing, and suspected he'd be a kindred spirit, but spending the day with him in his house was an overwhelming experience I wasn't prepared for.

He lives around the corner from where I grew up, in a pared-back way that feels very familiar. In this remarkably honest conversation, he outlines the essential role his home plays in keeping him on an even keel.

We discuss what it's like to suffer from panic attacks, and how they're triggered by the built environment. He tells me that whenever he arrives in a building he hasn't been to before, the first thing he does is check where the exit is so that he can plan his escape.

We touch on the childhood trauma that he wrote about in his brilliant memoir, Toast, from his mother's death to his father's bullying. We discuss the roots of his lifelong interest in gardening, why he keeps a daily diary, and the importance of smell within the home.

This is a conversation I'll remember forever. Thank you, Nigel.

This episode was recorded in person at Nigel's home in London.

For more:

Pick up a copy of Nigel Slater's latest book, A Thousand Feasts: Small Moments of Joy … a Memoir of Sorts

Find out more about Nigel's collaboration with Perfumer H

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

This episode is sponsored by Vitsoe.

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!

This episode was recorded in person at St Anne's Court, a home currently for sale on The Modern House.

For more:

Watch Grand Designs

Subscribe to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspiration

Find out more about 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: Hannah Phillips

Editing and mixing: Oscar Crawford

Graphic Design: Tom Young

Music: Father

This episode is sponsored by Vitsoe.

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

Skye Gyngell was born and raised in Sydney, but has never felt Australian. In this honest and heartfelt interview, she paints a picture of a deeply introverted child who wanted to “turn down the volume” on everybody. Her father, Bruce Gyngell, was the first person to appear on TV in Australia, and uttered the immortal line, “Good evening, and welcome to television.” She describes him as very flamboyant (“probably a real show-off, actually”), and he would send a chauffeur-driven car to pick her up from school. Sydney in the Seventies was a tight-knit community where everyone knew each other’s business, and, as a sensitive personality, she found the attention impossible to deal with. As soon as she turned 18, she fled to Europe, and has never looked back.

We explore her life story through the lens of the homes she’s lived in… from the house on stilts that was built by her parents, to her beautiful home in west London where we recorded this episode.

For more:

Head over to our website for more images of the places discussed

Visit Spring and Heckfield Place

Sign up to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspiration

Check out 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

Executive Producer: Kate Taylor of Feast Collective

Production: Hannah Phillips

Music: Father

Graphic Design: Tom Young

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