How to Build an Interiors Team From Scratch with Christina Franklin

What does it take to build an interiors team from scratch and make it a true strategic partner to architecture, not a “finishes at the end” function?

In this episode of I Hear Design, we sit down with Christina Franklin, Partner and Director of Interior Design at Generator Studio in Kansas City. Christina shares what it was like joining as a team of one and how she established the foundations that allowed an interiors practice to scale, which included defining a clear point of view, clarifying the scope of ownership, and embedding interiors into the design process from day one.

We also talk about what “hospitality-forward design” really means beyond buzzwords (translating it into tangible decisions like arrival sequence, lighting, and emotional resonance instead), plus the tools and standards that help maintain quality as a team grows. Christina also offers a candid take on AI as an early-stage ideation tool, how to gauge whether a team is truly healthy, and the leadership shift she calls out most: learning to release control and build trust.

Meet Our Guest

Key Moments in This Episode

• 00:00:11 — Welcome + why this topic matters: Building an interiors team is “behind-the-scenes work” that shapes design outcomes.
• 00:00:36 — Meet the guest: Christina Franklin’s “team of one” origin story and Generator Studio’s hospitality-forward lens.
• 00:01:06 — What you’ll learn: Purpose before hiring, integration over handoffs, and leadership lessons.
• 00:02:30 — From residential roots to commercial emotion: How interiors makes larger spaces feel personal—and why that led her into hospitality and sports work.
• 00:03:28 — “Clarity of purpose” comes first: Define the problem your interiors group is solving and the point of view you want to bring.
• 00:04:29 — Interiors as foundational, not secondary: Moving beyond “finishing the spaces” to shaping experience in a tangible way.
• 00:05:13 — Step one: listen: Meeting architects/leadership, studying active projects, and identifying pain points.
• 00:05:43 — Quick wins that shift perception: Tightening material palettes, clarifying finish documentation, and presenting interiors as narrative and experience.
• 00:06:41 — Scope clarity + overlap: What interiors “owns,” where it overlaps with architecture, and why that definition matters before scaling.
• 00:07:17 — “Interiors from day one”: Shared knowledge base across architecture/interiors/client and defining “standards of excellence.”
• 00:08:44 — Turning a buzzword into a toolkit: Arrival sequence, lighting, and designing for emotion not just “higher-end finishes.”
• 00:10:54 — The telltale moment: When you’re choosing between doing the work and improving the work, it’s time to hire.
• 00:11:24 — The first hires: Technical fluency to match architecture and emotional intelligence to navigate clients and teams.
• 00:13:18 — Interiors isn’t decoration: Why interiors needs to be in client conversations and strategic decisions so it’s not reactive.
• 00:14:16 — Equal mindset with architecture: Embedding interiors early in visioning and spatial planning to shape experience from the start.
• 00:15:01 — “We eliminated the word handoff”: Shared models, shared presentations, and shared ownership lead to a more integrated end result.
• 00:16:22 — Design arc before documentation: Establish how you get to design (not just drawings), plus unified presentation standards.
• 00:17:17 — Critiques + tools: Cross-discipline design critiques, Revit workflows, and visualization (Enscape) with clear client checkpoints.
• 00:18:53 — AI as early ideation: Helpful for rapid iteration, but hesitation to show AI-generated work to clients because they’re paying for expertise.
• 00:19:52 — Confidence for younger staff: AI lowers the fear barrier and accelerates feedback loops if used responsibly.
• 00:21:16 — “The hardest part is starting”: How quick iteration can spark better conversations and faster momentum.
• 00:22:16 — Measuring a healthy team: Energy, engagement, and the ability to have hard conversations—plus a leader’s willingness to receive feedback.
• 00:24:28 — Communication as the multiplier: Open dialogue across the department and leadership team keeps projects (and people) healthy.
• 00:25:01 — CPKC Stadium as a stress test: First women’s purpose-built soccer stadium—creating standards in real time and gaining national visibility.
• 00:26:20 — A “holistic” studio approach: Why working across sectors sharpens detail and decision-making, even under tight constraints.
• 00:27:44 — “I had to unlearn control”: Trusting different paths to a strong outcome, delegating responsibility, and shifting from designer to manager/BD leader.
• 00:29:19 — The full-circle advice: Define your POV, integrate early, build systems before scaling, hire for skill and character, and keep interiors rooted in humanity.
• 00:31:18 — Learn more: GeneratorStudio.com and social channels; more sports work announcements coming soon.
• 00:32:04 — Closing: Subscribe/follow, visit iands.design, and stay connected across social.