Affordable Interior Design by Uploft
751 episodes - English - Latest episode: 26 days ago - ★★★★★ - 290 ratingsGet fresh tips from the budget decorating guru, Betsy Helmuth.
Each episode is packed with secrets the other pros don't want you to know and with answers to your burning design questions.
Betsy is a NY-based designer, owner of Affordable Interior Design, and has been featured on DIY Network, NBC's "Today Show", HGTV, Lifetime, and more. She is the author of the best-selling book, Affordable Interior Design.
Helmuth has shared her affordable design advice and step-by-step approaches with millions through live teaching workshops, her design book, guest columns, television appearances, and interviews.
She brings her knowledge to the world of podcasting. The episodes include topics like color palettes, pattern mixing, budget creation, layout maximization, and much more.
It’s time to start living in the home of your dreams without maxing out your credit cards. Learn how with Affordable Interior Design!
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Episodes
BEST OF: Betsy, Why Did You Become An Interior Designer?
February 23, 2023 10:00 - 27 minutes - 31.5 MBChange is in the air! We are putting our house on the market, so we have to pretend that nobody lives there - but I do get to style my house every day before I leave. The business is getting a total rebrand, so things are starting to look different there as well. As I’m going through all these changes, I’m getting asked some big questions. It’s been a long time since I’ve gone back to basics here on the podcast. People often ask me how I got started and why I decided to become an interior de...
Designing a Living Room and Warming Up the Farmhouse Style
February 16, 2023 11:00 - 21 minutes - 24.6 MBLast month, the Uploft Interior Design team and I all got together and it was amazing! We met in New York City and we had not all gotten together in person since before COVID. We had a photo shoot all day for five hours where we each got head shots, team shots, etc. It was very emotionally and energetically taxing because I do not love having my picture taken. My team members are amazing and very self-managing, but you still feel a lot of responsibility to get the shots and that every...
The Trouble with Home Gyms and Eco-Friendly Designs
February 09, 2023 11:00 - 23 minutes - 27 MBI am so excited to share something with you. This will come as no surprise to some of you who've been listening for a while and know that every quarter I go to Chicago for a business workshop. I love interior design, but equally, I love entrepreneurship. I love becoming a better business owner. I love determining how I spend my days. I love that the more I work on myself, the more I become a better human, more efficient, more compassionate, more plugged in, a better listener, that I'm ...
Swapping Knobs and Renovating Kitchens
February 02, 2023 14:33 - 22 minutes - 25.5 MBHappy balmy winter! It is so lovely here in Connecticut. We've only had the lightest dusting of snow. Everything has been so tranquil and lukewarm to mild to just barely cold. I understand that that might all lead back to climate change, which is not a good thing but it has been a helpful thing for my mental health as I'm acclimating to our new state. A lot of you have been asking for updates on my space, but I honestly don’t have any desire to finish my house right now. I’ve been so ...
Interior Design trends for 2023: Part 2
January 26, 2023 11:00 - 28 minutes - 32.7 MBIn today’s episode, we’re back with part two of the 2023 interior design trends. In addition to the trends, I’m also sharing some of my current obsessions so press play to learn more about what’s trending this year. This episode, we discuss… [02:02] Design Trend #4: Dark reds [03:52] Design Trend #5: Velvet [08:33] Design Trend #6: Decorated laundry rooms [12:32] Design Trend #7: Designing for entertainment [15:03] Betsy’s Favorite Trends #1: Light fixtures with crystals [1...
Interior Design Trends for 2023: Part 1
January 19, 2023 11:00 - 28 minutes - 32.4 MBIn today’s episode we’re diving into our interior design trends for 2023. If you’ve been a podcast listener for a while, you would know that one of my favorite things to do to kick off the new year is to share some interior design trends with you. Not all trends are good and everybody loves to release a hot hot trend list for the new year but some of it's just noise so stay tuned for my unfiltered thoughts on these trends. Before we get into the episode, I am announcing our giveaway winne...
Stumped By Design Styles and Mixing Metals
January 12, 2023 11:00 - 20 minutes - 23.9 MBI just love January besides the cold but I'm spending lots of time thinking about the future and planning, getting motivated to actually make things happen. One of my favorite things to every quarter is go meet up with my business friends and take a workshop together at Strategic Coach and I get even more aligned and more excited about all the things I'm going to do. It's also a really nice break to stop and connect with other business owners who are running completely different businesses. ...
Turn Your Passion Into Profit
January 09, 2023 10:00 - 1 minute - 4.05 MBBetsy has a very special announcement!
Hanging Curtains and Creating a Cozier Cottage
January 05, 2023 11:00 - 23 minutes - 27.2 MBHappy New Year! Last year I hosted a live webinar about the three secrets to becoming an interior designer who gets paid and you guys loved it but not everyone was able to attend so I’m hosting it again on January 12th at 11 am EST. Sign up here. I hope everyone had a wonderful New Years celebration. I'm excited for things to slow down a little bit. The first three months of the year tend to get me down since it’s so cold and there’s not much to look forward to besides spring. Hopefully t...
2022 In-Review, Online Auctions, and Finding the Perfect Pillows
December 29, 2022 11:00 - 20 minutes - 23.6 MBCan you believe that the holidays are behind us? It's too bad because having something to look forward to like Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, etc. Having those things to look forward to makes the cold weather a little more bearable. Now the cold, snow, coats and scarves they just feel like it's going to trudge along for so long. The week between Christmas and New Year for me is a very special week because it's a time when I can spend time planning and visioning. Not only d...
Styling Your Bookcase & Embracing Mid-Century Modern
December 22, 2022 11:00 - 25 minutes - 29.1 MBI am excited to share with you that my home is actually coming along. I was so in the zone for the first month that we lived here and then things got real as I was choosing over 200 items from my new house and getting stuck and stumped and trying to figure out how much I really want to invest. And do I splurge on this and save on this? All the while prices have seriously gone up this year. What is worth the splurge? Do I really splurge a lot on the formal dining table and chairs. And ...
Creating a Color Scheme and Choosing Window Treatments
December 15, 2022 11:00 - 27 minutes - 32 MBIt is officially the holiday season. If you're watching on YouTube, you can see behind me this light dusting of snow over my Connecticut landscape. The previous homeowner warned me he said Betsy, you are going to love this home in every season but I know the other seasons won't be as magical as the winter time. And he was not wrong. Last night, these huge flakes came down and just lightly drifted over every little thing. It just turned into a winter wonderland. In 2023, I will be dropping...
Tricky Floor Plans & Design Styles
December 08, 2022 11:00 - 25 minutes - 29 MBHappy holidays. Great to be back with you. If you're watching on YouTube, you notice I have a little extra festivity, a little more bling. I'm wearing big ole earrings as I lean hard into the season's spirit! I am dazzling myself and my home for this fantastic moment in time, which basically takes place between Thanksgiving and the holiday season in December, when I just really lean hard to nesting, decorating, and making the home feel cozy and getting ready for, in my case, Christmas. ...
Kitchen Reno Fixes
December 01, 2022 11:00 - 22 minutes - 25.4 MBHappy holiday season. I hope you guys are enjoying this time of year staying warm, having cocoa maybe spiked with Bailey's, and joining the fire and joining friends' family. For me, it's like a whirlwind from mid November to the end of December. It all goes so quickly, like I'm just going down a slide at a playground, it just seems to speed up as the days go by. I hope that you're enjoying it.I hope you're finding time to go to a tree lighting or a menorah lighting or just take a mome...
Giving Thanks and Selecting Bedskirts
November 24, 2022 11:00 - 19 minutes - 22.2 MBThis month is all about gratitude and I must say I've been feeling very grateful even though my house is in total chaos. Even though business is really busy. Even though I have a lot going on. I've definitely been finding a lot of peace living in the woods and a lot of space mentally, not just physically, but mentally, to have new feelings of appreciation move in on me, especially in this month of Thanksgiving and lots of reminders to be thankful. I must say living in the country has ...
Purple Problems and Space Shame
November 17, 2022 11:00 - 33 minutes - 37.8 MBI have a confession to make. I've done well, I've done a bad thing. I've done something I told you guys never to do. Not only did I do it once, I did it twice. Let me share the confession with you right here. I have this beautiful stained glass in my dining room. I really love stained glass. It's so beautiful. When I saw it in the listing when I saw it in person, it was just perfect. It's very colorful. And you can see the stained glass all the way from when you walk in the house. So I based...
Birthdays and Beach Studios
November 10, 2022 11:00 - 22 minutes - 25.6 MBHappy birthday to me. Happy birthday dear Betsy. Happy birthday to me. Guys, you know that I don't always take a moment to stop to celebrate. Not podcasting, anniversaries, not business inception in anniversaries, not lots of different things, including this year, my anniversary just flew by with all the other stuff going on. We did go to dinner, but we need something more epic after 12 years, do you agree? And usually, I let my birthday whimper and simper right by. I'm not opposed to birthd...
Don't Fall in Love or Spend a Lot on Trends
November 04, 2022 13:06 - 27 minutes - 31 MBHello, it is great to be back with you. I am in a remarkably chipper mood. And for one, it's because it's like 70 degrees outside, and it's November. And that thrills me beyond belief. It's like I get this extended summer spring. I don't know what, but I'm here for it because I'm still not even wearing a coat. So that's been delightfully energizing and has done wonders for my mood and everything. But I am also riding high because so many of you joined me for today's webinar. So I had a we...
Nursery Safety, Chaise Sofas, and the Cons of Window Seats
October 27, 2022 10:00 - 21 minutes - 24.4 MBThings are a little different because I just got back from a whirlwind trip to Toronto. Very exciting. What a beautiful town. What a fun time. Lots going on, I go to either Toronto or Chicago for my business class. And so most of the time I spent in the hotel right outside the airport learning and on long drives listening to audiobooks was very exciting. But I'm so glad to be back with you. My WiFi is still spotty in the cottage. So you'll see I'm phoning in, if you're watching on YouTube,...
Lamp Shade Selection and Kitchen Choices
October 24, 2022 20:12 - 22 minutes - 25.3 MBHello, everybody. Happy fall. I hope you're doing well. I hope you're staying warm. I'm not this cottage cold, Connecticut is cold, it is fall and I have not stopped shivering since the temperature dropped below 50. This is my new life. This cottage takes forever to warm up. So it does have an electric heater. It is like a system, not just a heater, which is nice, but it takes forever. And I do have a wood burning stove that is supposed to heat up this space, which is one log. All the logs a...
Adding Art to a Room and Choosing the Right Window Treatment
October 13, 2022 10:00 - 22 minutes - 25.7 MBI have very exciting news to report. In fact, I am more optimistic than I have been since we moved into this place because the squirrels have been humanely eradicated. Yes, that's right. I am pretty confident all squirrels are gone. Now it is mating season and squirrels can have 27 to 30 babies. So we can't be totally sure that the last ones are out. But we're fairly confident and we have a video camera on surveillance watching for squirrels. I feel very excited and very optimistic. I...
Window Treatments and Keeping An Open Space Cohesive
October 06, 2022 12:12 - 23 minutes - 27.1 MBThere's so much going on guys one of these days. But I know everything's gonna be fine. Everything's getting back to normal. I can see things improving week by week, slowly but surely. But honestly I'm hanging on by a thread and I have such compassion. I mean, I've always had empathy for my clients, moving into a new space living with zillions of boxes feeling uncomfortable, waiting for a couch for two months, dealing with supply chain delays, but I have empathy on a whole new level. ...
Picture Lights and Not-So-Picture-Perfect Inspo Images
September 29, 2022 12:55 - 24 minutes - 27.9 MBHappy fall! It’s officially fall in Connecticut and I feel like I’m living in a long episode of Gilmore Girls. We have been doing all of the fun fall activities the past few weekends and it’s been a lot of fun and very charming which is making dealing with all the renovation issues a little easier. I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, even if it’s currently a very dim light. In the meantime, you have been sending me all kinds of amazing questions and I am excited t...
Kitchen Questions and So Much Shiplap
September 26, 2022 09:00 - 23 minutes - 26.5 MBBetsy talks about kitchen designs, and gives another update about her recent move!
Decorative Curtain Hardware and Styling a TV Stand
September 23, 2022 21:11 - 24 minutes - 27.9 MBIt’s so good to be back with you again this week. A lot has been going on since the move to Connecticut on August 17th. We’ve been trying to manage our sanity while helping our kids make a smooth and healthy transition. There are currently so many moving parts with the house, and the cottage outback, where I will be working. We have discovered critters in the house and the cottage, there is only wifi in the cottage, and the list goes on. So even though I’m not feeling my best, sleepin...
Evolution of a Design(er) with Thom Filicia, Part II
August 25, 2022 10:00 - 20 minutes - 23.4 MBI am joined again by a very special and meaningful guest, Thom Filicia. Not only is he the top designer and founder of Thom Filicia Incorporated, but he is the entire reason I am a designer today. So let’s dive into part two of my conversation with him on the evolution of design. If you have missed last week’s episode on Thom’s background, how his love of interior design began, and the most difficult part about being a new designer for him, then you will want to go back to part one of this...
Evolution of a Design(er) with Thom Filicia, Part I
August 18, 2022 10:00 - 31 minutes - 35.5 MBI’m excited to be with you this week as I am joined by a very special and meaningful guest, Thom Filicia. He is known for his role as an expert designer on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy TV show and is the top designer and founder of Thom Filicia Incorporated. He is the entire reason I am a designer today. Let’s take a look at his take on internships in the design space, what led him to become an interior designer, and one of the most discouraging parts of being a new designer. This episod...
Embracing Glam: Hygge and Pocket Doors
August 11, 2022 10:00 - 18 minutes - 21.6 MBThis is one of the last recordings in my current house because we are moving to the new Connecticut house very soon. To keep with my relationship analogy - I am breaking up with what I thought was my forever love and am about to get married to somebody amazing in Connecticut. I’m starting to really appreciate all the things I took for granted about this current home, like the panoramic view of the Hudson Valley right in front of me as I record podcasts. I am very excited to get to our new...
Coaching Session with Courtney Clark
August 04, 2022 10:00 - 43 minutes - 49.3 MBI am joined today by special guest Courtney Clark, an Uploft Interior Design Academy student. She has been on the podcast before to share her personal story, from being interested in interior design to enrolling in the academy and now working for herself and taking on clients. Since I get asked so much by prospective students about what an actual coaching session entails, Courtney has graciously agreed to help me give you a snapshot of what these look like inside the Uploft Interior Design A...
Decorating Tips and Tricks with Kelly and Anita
July 29, 2022 12:25 - 45 minutes - 51.7 MBTwo special guests that you may already know are joining me today, Kelly Wilkniss and Anita Joyce, from Decorating Tips and Tricks Podcast. I love their podcast, and the information they share is so harmonious with what I share with you. With this being such a natural connection, it was a no-brainer for me to have them on the show to share about themselves and give some of their favorite tips and tricks for decorating. This episode, we discuss… [2:07] Kelly and Anita share their lives be...
Inside the Business of Interior Design with Paulina DuPain, Part 3
July 26, 2022 00:41 - 27 minutes - 31.1 MBI’m joined again for the third week by special guest Paulina DuPain, a fellow designer at Affordable Interior Design by Uploft. She has an extensive background in the interior design industry before coming to the firm seven years ago. She is the perfect person to help answer all of your business questions. If you are wondering who Paulina is, check out Part 1 of this series to learn more about her background. Last week, we talked about creating an apartment space that not only felt co...
Inside the Business of Interior Design with Paulina DuPain, Part 2
July 21, 2022 14:41 - 28 minutes - 32.8 MBI’m joined again this week by special guest Paulina DuPain, who is a designer at Affordable Interior Design by Uploft. She has been on previous podcast episodes before, and I knew her insight on the business side of interior design would help answer some more of your questions this week for part 2 of this series on the Business of Interior Design. Last week, we talked about the rewards and challenges of the interior design industry, setting boundaries with clients, and so much more. Be...
Inside the Business of Interior Design with Paulina DuPain, Part 1
July 19, 2022 15:47 - 25 minutes - 29.1 MBThis week I’m joined by special guest Paulina DuPain, who has been on previous episodes of the podcast. She has been in several different aspects of interior design in her career of over 10 years, so I thought she would be the perfect person to answer some of your questions with me about the business side of interior design. This episode, we discuss… [2:03] Paulina’s background in interior design [3:50] The most challenging and rewarding parts of the interior design industry (Millicen...
Selecting a Style For Your Space
July 05, 2022 20:24 - 26 minutes - 29.8 MBIt’s officially official now - I’m engaged, and the contract has been signed on the beautiful Connecticut house with 15 acres! My husband has now finally seen it and thinks that it is spectacular. The place definitely ticks all the boxes, but now I’m in this phase where I have cold feet. Did we make the right decision, or am I suffering from a typical case of ‘house fomo’? I’m trying to squash those thoughts, especially by getting rid of all communication with real estate agents in both area...
Learning About Your Land with Andy Ciccone
June 23, 2022 10:00 - 39 minutes - 44.7 MBThis week I’m joined by special guest, Andy Ciccone, host of The Poor Prole’s Almanac podcast. He has lots of interesting ideas, and I’m so excited to have him share his knowledge and philosophy about land. This episode, we discuss… [1:48] Andy’s background and his podcast [4:07] Culture and identity [10:05] Land stewardship [16:34] Native species vs. invasive species [20:35] Reading the landscape [23:08] Historical homes [25:06] Representing your house or your land [27:56...
Living Room Layouts and Flooring Decisions
June 20, 2022 18:56 - 23 minutes - 26.5 MBI’m officially engaged to the lovely house from Connecticut with 15 acres! The caveat is that we don’t have a date yet, so I don’t know when to break up with my current partner - or house, that is; even though we've sold the house, things are still up in the air for now. The beautiful dream house is everything I could have asked for. I can't believe we got it after looking for a year and a half and losing no less than six places with astronomical bids. Again, I can't believe we've...
Finding Your Style and Bathroom Storage
June 09, 2022 10:00 - 27 minutes - 31.1 MBThank you, everyone, for bearing with me as I am still getting over Covid after having it three weeks ago. This stuffy and congested feeling has me struggling as I’m not back to normal yet. The brain fog is so real. Others have had it worse, so I’m grateful for being able to taste and smell. That would be a problem for me because I am a food lover! Bear with me as I muddle through the remaining side effects. Let’s dig right into the mailbag because I have had so many delicious questions come...
Designing Basements and Open Concept Spaces
June 07, 2022 10:00 - 21 minutes - 24.6 MBIf you have been following along on my house hunting journey, then you know what I mean when I say that I have a new online boyfriend and just had my first date. That’s a house, of course. It’s this beautiful yellow house with teal shutters and a cottage in the backyard in the Connecticut area. I’m obsessed! I wasn’t allowed to go see this house for two weeks, but I have finally been able to take a look inside. We just got over covid, and with it being Memorial Day weekend, I decided to pack...
Betsy's Personal and Professional Diary
May 26, 2022 10:00 - 22 minutes - 25.7 MBAs you know, the mailbag is running a bit low so as I wait for it to be refilled, I still wanted to make sure to get out an episode for you. This episode is going to be a bit of a design TMI. I am currently working on a handful of projects so I’m going to share with you what I’m working on wit clients and challenges I’m having along the way. If you’re watching this on YouTube, you may notice that I’m looking down a little bit and that’s because I’m referencing my client questionnaires to ...
Picking Doors for Kitchen Cabinets, and Finding Your Design Style
May 20, 2022 19:52 - 32 minutes - 37 MBYou might be wondering why my episodes have been a little all over the place this month. That’s because of two reasons. One, after this episode, I am officially out of questions as the mailbag is now empty so make sure to go submit your burning questions over at affordableinteriordesign.com/podcast. The second reason that my episodes haven’t been consistent is because well, life has been pretty chaotic lately. We have been house hunting like crazy and coming up empty. Both my daughter an...
Turning Rooms That Are Blah Into Rooms That Awe
May 12, 2022 10:00 - 27 minutes - 32 MBI’m still going through real estate options online, and it’s starting to remind me of online dating. As I scroll through pictures, I’m trying to imagine myself in this house. Is this my forever house? Maybe I get a big crush on the house, or I find deal breakers. I’m trying to enjoy the ride, even though it’s an emotional roller coaster. Thankfully, you have sent me some questions to distract me from my home search! This episode, I answer questions about... [8:59] Adding color and creati...
Episode 328: Turning Rooms That Are Blah Into Rooms That Awe
May 12, 2022 10:00 - 30 minutes - 35.3 MBI’m still going through real estate options online, and it’s starting to remind me of online dating. As I scroll through pictures, I’m trying to imagine myself in this house. Is this my forever house? Maybe I get a big crush on the house, or I find deal breakers. I’m trying to enjoy the ride, even though it’s an emotional roller coaster. Thankfully, you have sent me some questions to distract me from my home search! This episode, I answer questions about... [8:59] Adding color and creating...
Softening Sterile Spaces
May 09, 2022 12:44 - 22 minutes - 25.2 MBSpring is here, and my mood is lightened - even though things are getting intense! We have a move-out date and no new house. Although we have focused in the New York area, we may be considering some other options. If you’re from Richmond or Charlottesville, VA, I’d love to hear your experiences! This episode, I answer questions about... [4:44] Guidelines for curtains (Gonie) [13:46] Adding character to a blank canvas home (Donna) To see the accompanying pictures, make sure you head ...
Episode 327: Softening Sterile Spaces
May 09, 2022 12:44 - 25 minutes - 28.7 MBSpring is here, and my mood is lightened - even though things are getting intense! We have a move-out date and no new house. Although we have focused in the New York area, we may be considering some other options. If you’re from Richmond or Charlottesville, VA, I’d love to hear your experiences! This episode, I answer questions about... [4:44] Guidelines for curtains (Gonie) [13:46] Adding character to a blank canvas home (Donna) To see the accompanying pictures, make sure you head ...
Episode 326: Home Offices and Artwork Curating
April 28, 2022 10:00 - 28 minutes - 32.5 MBApril is flying by, and I’m getting ready to go to a conference! I’m grateful to have this opportunity to reconnect with my business friends, and I hope you all are able to get out there as well. I hope you’re traveling, meeting up with old friends, and getting re-energized with new ideas. I have some new ideas for you today, thanks to the mailbag! This episode, I answer questions about... [5:48] Incorporating a home office into a living space (Andy) [14:40] Art placement and sizing in...
Home Offices and Artwork Curating
April 28, 2022 10:00 - 25 minutes - 29.2 MBApril is flying by, and I’m getting ready to go to a conference! I’m grateful to have this opportunity to reconnect with my business friends, and I hope you all are able to get out there as well. I hope you’re traveling, meeting up with old friends, and getting re-energized with new ideas. I have some new ideas for you today, thanks to the mailbag! This episode, I answer questions about... [5:48] Incorporating a home office into a living space (Andy) [14:40] Art placement and sizing in...
Announcement: We're Hiring!
April 22, 2022 19:45 - 2 minutes - 2.41 MBAffordable Interior Design is hiring a Design Business Manager. Are you or someone you know the right fit? Apply today at https://www.affordableinteriordesign.com/careers
Episode 325: Celebrating 7 Years with Champagne and Chandeliers
April 21, 2022 10:00 - 24 minutes - 28.4 MBToday we’re celebrating 7 years of podcasting! I have done well over 300 episodes including bonus episodes, I have an amazing tribe of premium members, and I have all of you devoted listeners. I’m so grateful for you all providing me with so much inspiration via your questions, pictures, and scenarios. It never gets boring for me, and I hope it never gets boring for you either! If you want to get me a gift for this anniversary, I would love it if you would leave a review wherever you listen ...
Celebrating 7 Years with Champagne and Chandeliers
April 21, 2022 10:00 - 21 minutes - 25 MBToday we’re celebrating 7 years of podcasting! I have done well over 300 episodes including bonus episodes, I have an amazing tribe of premium members, and I have all of you devoted listeners. I’m so grateful for you all providing me with so much inspiration via your questions, pictures, and scenarios. It never gets boring for me, and I hope it never gets boring for you either! If you want to get me a gift for this anniversary, I would love it if you would leave a review wherever you liste...
Staging to Sell and Rethinking Modern Farmhouse
April 14, 2022 10:00 - 21 minutes - 24.9 MBI shared last week that we sold our house, and we sold for well over the asking price! As a designer, not only have I had amazing home stagers on the podcast but I also study staging a little bit. I dabble, but it is definitely a different skill set than designing. In The Academy, we have an amazing and very successful stager: Ashley Tapley of House Candy Home. She is based in California, but after a one hour Zoom session with her I am convinced that working with her is the reason we got to...