Cath Kidston needs little introduction. Her eponymous brand was something of a zeitgeist, becoming entirely synonymous with a certain strand of the shabby-chic look that so gripped the late 1990s and early 2000s. But there was life before the company – Cath worked first for interior designer Nicky Haslam before setting up on her own in the early 1990s – and after too: having sold it, Cath founded her design studio, Joy of Print, in 2017; C. Atherley, her line of geranium-scented domestic and body fragrances, followed in 2023. The business of home, then, has always been Cath’s bag. So what of her own? That’s exactly what Matt Gibberd was wondering when he interviewed Cath for the latest episode of Homing In.

“There’s barely an oilcloth, mug or ironing board cover that hasn’t been embellished with a nostalgic floral print from Cath Kidston. 

“Because of the brand’s ubiquity, it’s easy to forget quite how influential it was when it appeared in the 1990s.

“What I love about Cath is that she’s living proof you can be a wildly successful entrepreneur whilst also being a kind, gentle soul. 

 “Although her name’s still above the door, she hasn’t been involved with the Cath Kidston business for many years, so I was intrigued to find out what that feels like. 

“She’s now set up a bodycare brand called C. Atherley, which makes all of its products using scented geraniums. 

 “Despite her love of flowers, life hasn’t always been a bed of David Austin roses for Cath and she talks very honestly about the personal grief she’s suffered through her life. 

 “She has a great eye for interiors and we had this conversation at her kitchen table in London, with a surprisingly modern backdrop of Danish wood flooring and an Ellsworth Kelly artwork. 

 “Cath was very generous with her time and emotions and I’m really happy with how this episode has turned out. I hope you enjoy it.”

We hope you do too. And we hope you’ll subscribe and leave us a review as well. Happy listening!