EP 301 | Inclusive Interior Design & Cultural Storytelling with Jeanine Hays & Bryan Mason
How can interior designers create spaces that truly reflect culture, identity, and lived experience?
In this episode, Kimberley Seldon is joined by Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason, founders of AphroChic, to discuss the importance of representation, cultural storytelling, and inclusivity in interior design.
Their work highlights stories that have long been overlooked—bringing attention to the meaning of home, the barriers many families have faced, and the role designers can play in shaping more inclusive environments.
This conversation challenges designers to think more deeply about the spaces they create and the impact those spaces have on the people who live in them.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
• Why “home” holds deep cultural and emotional meaning
• How interior design can reflect identity and lived experience
• The historical barriers to homeownership for Black families
• Why representation matters in design and storytelling
• How shared human needs connect us despite perceived differences
• The role designers can play in creating more inclusive spaces
DESIGN INTERVENTION
Design is by nature diverse. Design does include all of us. When the design industry is exclusive, and only focused on a Eurocentric-perspective, that is bad design business.
TAKE AWAYS
AphroChic: Celebrating the Legacy of the Black Family Home
About Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason
Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason are the authors of REMIX: Decorating with Culture, Objects, and Soul. Their media and design brand AphroChic celebrates African Diaspora cultures through their lifestyle magazine, podcast, and product lines available through Perigold and 1st Dibs. The couple resides in upstate New York in their lovingly named “AphroFarmhouse.”
Instagram | aphrochic
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Legal Disclosure | This podcast is for educational purposes only and provides general business advice for interior designers and design professionals. It is not intended as individual legal, accounting, or professional guidance. Kimberley Seldon and Business of Design® make no guarantees regarding accuracy and are not liable for how information is used. Strategies shared may not apply to every situation—listeners should seek qualified legal, financial, or professional advice before making business decisions. References and resources mentioned may change over time.
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