Az

The
House & Garden
directory
of the 100
leading
interior
designers
On the following pages we present our guide
to the top decorators working in the UK today
It is increasingly recognised that our enjoyment of a building and its and decorators, and every three years we publish our directory of leading
functional success are as dependent on the interior design as on the practitioners based in Britain. Inclusion in the directory is by a rigorous
material it is made from and the efficiency of its infrastructures. It follows selection process with many factors taken into consideration, but it is ulti-
that the professionals who are responsible for how our domestic interiors mately evaluated through the lens of House & Garden and must inevitably,
look and work as spaces are as crucial to the outcome as architects and therefore, be subjective. The list includes well-known firms and low-key
engineers. Good interior design is life enhancing, contributing positively individuals; there are traditionalists and modernists and 17 new entrants.
to our well-being as well as to the value of our homes. At House & Garden What they all have in common is talent and a profound commitment to
we follow the careers of both established and emerging interior designers good design.

Susan Crewe, EDITOR

2009 house & garden

A
Sandra Ankarcrona Tom Bartlett at Waldo Works
Background Sandra Ankarcrona trained at Parsons The Background After studying architecture at Manchester
New School for Design, in New York, followed by an MBA in University and the Bartlett School of Architecture, Tom Bartlett
business administration; after working as a director at Clinique, she set set up his own company, Waldo Works, in 2001. His intention was always
up her own interior-design company – Coxe Design – in 1984. She has an to ‘work hard at architecture and interiors of all sorts’, and he now heads
international practice, with a team of five, and undertakes a healthy mix up a team of eight, comprising architects, architectural designers and
of residential and commercial work. interior designers.
Projects As well as the total refurbishment of a listed, Robert Adam Projects Tom is currently working on the substantial extension and
building in St James’s, and of a Georgian town house in Kensington, redesign of a seventeenth-century house in Wiltshire; apartments in Hyde
Sandra is currently working on a town house in Holland Park, and the Park; the building and interior design of houses in Marrakesh; a private house
decoration of a Paris apartment. She is also designing private residences in north London; and the architectural conversion, interior design and deco-
in the US and Spain. ration of rental apartments in Covent Garden.
She says Luxurious interiors are a seamless harmony of pleasure, He says We are a post-postmodernist, architecturally based interior-design
performance, and a touch of the unexpected. practice; we like a bit of colour (sometimes), a straight line or two, and a few

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We say A well-established, discreet designer, for whom creating the historical references, but most of all we like working to a client’s brief.
ultimate ‘private space for public people’ is paramount. Her interiors are We say Tom is a consistently creative and challenging designer with his
opulent, beautifully thought out, and confidently executed, often with an finger on the pulse, unafraid to be experimental, and with a bold and witty
unexpected flourish. take on architecture and design.
Contact Coxe Design, 29 Argyll Road, W8; 020-7938 1144; e-mail: Contact Waldo Works, Top Floor, 17 All Saints Road, W11: 020-7313 9029;
enquiries@coxedesign.co.uk e-mail: fran@waldoworks.com; www.waldoworks.com

Alidad Charles Bateson

Background Persian-born Alidad came to London over 30 Background Charles originally studied fashion and textiles
years ago, and – after working for many years as director of at Winchester School of Art. After working for three years as
Islamic art, carpet and textiles at Sotheby’s – he started his own interior- product designer at David Hicks, he switched to interior design, working for
design business in 1985. He and his close-knit, Chelsea-based team work John Stefanidis. Charles left in 1994 to launch his own practice, and describes
worldwide, but say they are just as happy to take on modest domestic his team of four designers as ‘small but perfectly formed’.
projects as they are large, architecturally led ones. Projects Currently executing a phased four-year project, including refurbish-
Projects The team is currently working on the design and decoration of ment of an old Cotswold-style house and the landscaping of its grounds,
large estates in Cornwall, Madrid, Sardinia, Kuwait and Beirut, and has just Charles is also working on a new-build junk in Hong Kong, from the layout and
completed a large, private residential project in central London. Last year, joinery to fabrics and furniture, as well as the full refurbishment of a house and
Alidad launched his own hand-embroidered Bosphorus Collection of fabrics, garden in Holland Park, and a new-build house on the Isle of Wight.
based on sixteenth- to eighteenth-century Ottoman-inspired textiles. He says We are a compact design team working with a small number of
He says For me, every detail matters: the eye may not perceive that the clients in a very detailed and personal way. Our scope of work is very wide, from
job is perfect, but it will see harmony. My designs are always bespoke, and country estates to bespoke boats, from wrecking-ball demolition to joinery,
the client comes first, but I am also true to myself. My style is timeless. and from one-off furniture to artworks.
We say An award-winning, world-class designer with a distinctive style. We say A versatile and approachable designer with a crisp, elegant style,
Alidad’s elaborate, highly textured and richly coloured interiors are indi- unsurpassable efficiency, and a love of intricate finishes.
vidual and recognisable, with a new strand of modern style creeping in. Contact Charles Bateson Design Consultants, Unit 44, The Market Building,
Contact Alidad, The Lighthouse, Gasworks, 2 Michael Road, SW6: 191–195 High Street, Brentford, Middlesex: 020-8560 5260; e-mail: charles.
020-7384 0121; email: info@alidad.com; www.alidad.com bateson@btinternet.com; www.charlesbateson.com

Monika and Geraldine Apponyi Bill Bennette

Background Monika Apponyi (right) trained at the Inchbald Background South African-born Bill Bennette has worked
School of Design, and has been working as an interior designer in London since 1967. He gained experience with Charles
for 30 years. She launched her company, MM Design, in the Eighties. In 2006, Hammond and John Siddeley Design before opening his own practice in
her daughter, Geraldine Apponyi (left), a fine-arts graduate, became a partner 1972, and now employs a team of five. He has studied specialist aspects of
in the business; their new team of four continues to work internationally. interior design throughout Europe and the States, particularly seeking
Projects Their current projects include the complete reconstruction of a knowledge in construction, joinery, marble and stonework.
collapsed nineteenth-century farmhouse near Salzburg, where they are Projects Bill’s team is currently working on a large, new-build family house
rebuilding the exterior to traditional standards, but with an interior suitable for in north London; two ‘very special’ houses also in north London; a large
twenty-first-century living. They are also working on a new-build house, set on house in Wilton Crescent; and a house on South Audley Street, Mayfair. All
a Greek island amid olive groves, for returning clients. his projects involve complete refurbishment, including new bathrooms,
They say The wonderful thing about our partnership is the combination of joinery and stonework.
Geraldine’s art-school creativity and Monika’s technical experience and He says I favour simple shapes and natural tones, but will occasionally break
strength in classical design, plus our excellence in execution. We are highly my own rules. My style is timeless and eclectic; I like order and discipline in
motivated when we work together and believe that we represent the best of interiors. Everything must be functional, and beautiful furniture and art
the past, present and future. must be allowed to breathe, without too many objets d’art.
We say With the freshly formed mother-and-daughter team, this is an exciting We say Attention to detail and an eye for luxury mark out this sophisticated,
new phase for a well-respected and award-winning designer, well known for international designer, whose work typically features fine joinery, marble
turning out elegant, sophisticated and minutely detailed interiors. and stonework, custom-made furniture and unusual textiles.
Contact MM Design, The Studio, Redloh House, 2 Michael Road, SW6: Contact Bill Bennette Design, Studio 10, 39 Tadema Road, SW10: 020-7351
020-7751 0171; e-mail: info@mm-design.co.uk 2550; e-mail: bb@bbdesign.co.uk; www.bbdesign.co.uk

house & garden 2009 2009 house & garden

 Bentheim
Background David Bentheim studied at the Bezalel Academy
of Arts & Design in Jerusalem, and Edinburgh College of Art,
followed by environmental design at the Royal College of Art. He set up
his interior-design practice, Bentheim, in 1988, and has a team of five
designers and architects.
Projects These include an Eighties house in Belgravia, which has been
refurbished with a mix of Italian furniture and ‘fabulous’ wallpapers; the
remodelling of an artisan dwelling in Brick Lane; the makeover of a Sixties
apartment in Knightsbridge; and designs for restaurants in Liverpool and
Bristol. Bentheim has also redesigned the Crown restaurant, Suffolk.
He says Our approach is primarily modern but never arid. Our schemes are
tailored to the client’s ideas so that the final designs match their needs
and aspirations. We are challenging and fun. Currently I am re-embracing
pattern and ethnicity, and warming things up to mitigate recessional blues.
We say A brave and versatile design team working across a wide range, from
retail and offices, to restaurants and residential. Expect the unexpected,
mainly modern but with an unusual kick.
Contact Bentheim, 3 Rossetti Studios, 72 Flood Street, SW3: 020-7376 3427;
e-mail: david@bentheim.co.uk; www.bentheim.co.uk

Benson Studios
Background Carolyn Benson (left) and Rachel Niddrie (right)
established Benson Studios in 2004, after they met while both
were working with the late Victoria Waymouth. Carolyn has 28 years of
experience in the design industry, with a background in the restoration
of historic buildings; Rachel began her design career by studying interior
design at Chelsea College of Art and Design.
Projects They are currently working on the refurbishment of a Georgian
town house in Belgravia; the specialist decoration of a house in Kuwait; and
the total refurbishment of a sixteenth-century property in Sussex. They also
have various other decorative projects in Chelsea, Belgravia and Kuwait.
They say We start with the interior architecture, then move on to the
aesthetic angle. We both have a passion for lighting, natural textures and
unusual weaves, and we love using pure colour.
We say This confident and efficient team delivers a tailor-made style to
clients, always going the extra mile to introduce hand-painted textiles,
a polished-plaster finish, or customised furniture. Mixing antiques and
modern pieces is a speciality, as is custom-made furniture.
Contact Benson Studios, The Workshop, 121 Walm Lane, NW2: 020-7352
1099; e-mail: info@bensonstudios.com; www.bensonstudios.com

Tara Bernerd
Background Tara Bernerd gained design experience by working
with a property company, before becoming a partner at Philippe
Starck’s Yoo. She founded Target Living with architect Thomas Griem in 2002,
and their groovy, Chelsea-based design studio now employs a team of 20.
Projects Target Living has a mix of clients from the leisure and commercial-
property industries, but also works on one-off private residential projects. The
studio is currently working on the redesign of a private chalet in Gstaad;
a 34-metre yacht in Monaco; the redesign of Aspinalls Casino; a new-build
private villa in Majorca; and the interior architecture and design for a
1,100-square-metre private country house in Oxfordshire.
She says Only one word comes to mind when I’m asked about my approach to
design – honest. I always listen. The attention to layouts and space-planning is
key, and only when I am comfortable with that do I explore interior finishes.
I have a true love of colours and fabrics, interesting furniture and art.
We say A confident, dramatic designer with an upbeat approach, unafraid to
break some rules in the pursuit of a fresh, new look. An expert when it comes
to integrating architecture and interiors.
Contact Target Living, 2nd Floor Studio, 6 Burnsall Street, SW3: 020-7351
7588; e-mail: lucien@targetliving.com; www.targetliving.com

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Diana Blanchard Edward Bulmer (new entry)
Background Diana Blanchard learnt the ropes on refurbish- Background Edward Bulmer studied art history at the Univer-
ment projects with a property-development company. She sity of East Anglia. He worked on the restoration of Spencer
established her Primrose Hill design practice in 1991, where she leads a team House with David Mlinaric, before setting up his interior-design practice in
of nine, and opened a studio in Dubai in 2007. She also launched a furniture 1992. He specialises in the redecoration of historic buildings and the design
and lighting company, More Blanchard, last year. of sympathetic additions; he has worked on Althorp, Home House and Good-
Projects Current projects include the refurbishment and redecoration of a wood. Alongside his Herefordshire-based practice of seven, he runs Pots of
Nash house in Regent’s Park; a large family home in Hampstead; a new-build Paint, a company selling paint colours made from natural ingredients.
property on a private estate in Jersey; a boutique hotel in Belgravia; a period Projects He is currently working on a scheme for a new classical house
using natural paints and undyed wool carpeting, and the remodelling of a

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property in Richmond; and an art-deco private residence in Sunningdale.
She says I believe in life-enhancing design. I also believe firmly in design that Sixties extension to a Tudor/Georgian/Victorian castle. He is also recreating
is built to last. At Blanchard, we are deeply committed to creating homes the lost 1750s interior in a Georgian country house, and re-designing and
that our clients will love now and for many years to come. upgrading interiors for a flat in London’s first mansion block.
We say Blanchard is the place to come for chic, tailored interiors with He says My work has a grounding in the past but is designed to meet the
bespoke lighting and furniture, and a personal approach. Diana’s warm, future needs of owners, houses and the planet in a creative, practical way.
friendly manner belies a deeply professional and efficient service. We say One of the UK’s leading architectural historians, yet a designer with
Contact Blanchard, 55 Regent’s Park Road, NW1: 020-7722 1242; e-mail: a flair for colour, and a commitment to sustainability in everyday living.
studio@blanchard.uk.com; www.blanchard.uk.com | Dubai office: Design Contact Edward Bulmer, Court of Noke, Pembridge, Herefordshire: 01544-
House, Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Sufouh, PO Box 213573, Dubai: 00-971-4369 388535; e-mail: Edward@edwardbulmer.co.uk; www.edwardbulmer.co.uk |
4532; e-mail: studio@blanchard.ae; www.blanchard.ae Pots of Paint: www.potsofpaint.com

Martin Brudnizki (new entry)

Ann Boyd Background Martin Brudnizki moved to England from Sweden
Background Ann Boyd studied at St Martin’s School of Art, in 1990 to study interior architecture and design at the American
and worked in fashion journalism before becoming creative InterContinental University. He founded his Chelsea-based studio in 2000, and
director for Europe at Ralph Lauren. After teaming up with Jonathan Reed has built up a team of 27 architects, designers and furniture designers.
to create Reed Boyd, she went on to set up her own company, Ann Boyd Projects Last year saw the culmination of a clutch of Martin’s restaurant
Design, in 1997; she now has a team of four at her Lots Road design studios. designs, including Scott’s restaurant, The Club at The Ivy, the Brasserie at
Projects Ann and her team are currently working on the complete renova- St Pancras Grand, and Corrigan’s Mayfair. Martin’s team is now hard at work
tion and restoration of a large, eighteenth-century house in Oxfordshire; the on, among others, Le Caprice at The Pierre, New York. His residential projects
furnishing of barns in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire; the decoration and currently include houses in Chelsea, Fulham and Covent Garden; he recently
furnishing of a shooting lodge on the North York Moors; and the renovation finished a 1,000-square-metre house in Putney.
and decoration of bedrooms and bathrooms for a large, late-eighteenth- He says I believe that the clarity of interior architecture and how different
century house in Somerset. She has also recently completed houses in spaces relate is as important as making those spaces comfortable to all five
St-Tropez and the Caribbean. senses. My style is ‘minimalism deluxe’. Minimalism stands for precision in
She says I try to be a trend-free zone, and give the client a house that will detail, space and the design concept, and deluxe for the quality of materials.
stand up to the test of time, and that won’t date – also, somewhere that We say An award-winning perfectionist, with a love of high-spec materials,
I would like to live in myself. bespoke furniture and lighting, and the desire to mastermind every last
We say Here’s a designer with a calm, tailored and understated style, but architectural detail.
always with comfort in mind, and usually a decorative surprise in store. Contact Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, Unit 1g Chelsea Reach, 79–89 Lots
Contact Ann Boyd Design, 8 Fairbank Studios, Lots Road, SW10: 020-7351 Road, SW10: 020-7376 7555; email: studio@mbds.net; www.mbds.net
4098; e-mail: ann@annboyd-design.co.uk

Louise Bradley Juliette Byrne

Background Louise Bradley started working as an interior Background Juliette Byrne trained at Chelsea School of Art,
designer after successfully renovating her own houses. As a then at Conran, and set up her company in the Eighties. She has
natural succession to her design commissions, she opened a showroom in a team of three at her new, Chelsea-based design studio, and has lectured at
Walton Street in 1991, followed by another, in the King’s Road, in 1999. In spring the Inchbald School of Design, and at the KLC School of Design.
2009, she moved to new studios and a showroom in the Fulham Road. Projects Right now, Juliet is working on the refurbishment of a Chelsea town
Projects Louise focuses on prestigious residential and commercial projects house involving extensive structural alterations, a Grade II-listed town house
in both London and Dubai. Her current projects include the total refurbish- in Greenwich, and a basement extension for a Grade II-listed house in Regent’s
ment and extension of an apartment in a Grade II-listed Belgravia town Park. She has also just completed the decoration of rental apartments in
house; a family estate in the Scottish highlands; the interior design of a new, a Chelsea riverside development, and apartments in Belgravia and Dublin.
5,400-square-metre residence in the Middle East; and the interior design of She says My philosophy is to interpret my clients’ requirements and carry
a prestigious Queen Anne-style home in Surrey. them out to the highest possible standard, using a team of skilled craftsmen
She says I love combining elements from different cultures and periods. and in-house designers. I like to work within budget and complete the project
I am fortunate to be able to work on so many diverse and interesting projects within a predetermined time frame, providing a turnkey service that blends
that allow me to be inspired every day. modern and traditional styles according to the client’s brief.
We say A design team offering opulent, glamorous interiors, with a special We say A designer who remains true to her motto of ‘nothing is too much
talent for mixing modern pieces with decorative antiques, and a highly trouble’. Expect serene interiors, often executed with a muted palette,
personal design service. specially designed bespoke furniture, and a deft blend of old and new.
Contact Louise Bradley, Kimbolton Court, 117b Fulham Road, SW3: 020-7589 Contact Juliette Byrne, 28 Old Church Street, SW3: 020-7352 1553; e-mail:
1442; e-mail: showrooms@louisebradley.co.uk; www.louisebradley.co.uk office@juliettebyrne.com; www.juliettebyrne.com

house & garden 2009 2009 house & garden

 Carden Cunietti
Background Eleanora Cunietti and Audrey Carden launched
their interior design practice in 1996, and have since made their
name designing eclectic interiors. Eleanora (right) is a design graduate of the
Ontario College of Art & Design in Toronto, and studied at Parsons The New
School for Design in New York, while Audrey (left) has an art-history degree
from Glasgow University. Their central London practice has a team of nine.
Projects Current and recent projects include the complete interior
design of a new-build luxury holiday home in Cap d’Antibes; the design of the
Wild at Heart shop in Pimlico; the conversion of a Tudor barn in Berkshire,
including restoration; and a modernist refurbishment of a London home.
They say Our aim is to create as comfortable a home as possible for our
clients – we always say it is their home, not ours, and our primary job is to help
them realise their vision. We love using luxurious fabrics and furniture to
create serene interiors, but spice it up with a dash of glamour.
We say A consistently inventive design team with a flair for dramatic
detailing, whether that’s decorative lighting, off-beat colour combinations or
an unusual antique find.
Contact Carden Cunietti, 1a Adpar Street, W2: 020-7724 9679; e-mail:
cc@carden-cunietti.com; www.carden-cunietti.com

house & garden 2009

Nina Campbell
Background Now one of the world’s most influential interior
designers, Nina Campbell started off as assistant to John
Fowler at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler. She set up her own decorating
business in 1967, then – in partnership with Mark Birley – opened a homeware
shop in Pimlico. Today, she has a Walton Street showroom and a design studio
in Fulham, and launches two fabric and wallpaper collections a year.
Projects Nina is working on a new-build house near Shanghai; the
restoration of an 1870s hotel in Colorado; a refurbishment project in an
eighteenth-century house in Chelsea; the reconstruction of an attic eyrie
near Sloane Square; and private homes in Jordan and Kuwait.
She says I believe in listening to my clients and delivering to them a house
they really want to live in. What I love about my work and travel is that I am
always learning new things and seeing new products.
We say A top-ranking designer, for whom comfort, high quality and
client satisfaction are paramount. Her classic yet relaxed interiors are
unmistakable, and her enthusiasm for design as infectious as ever.
Contact Nina Campbell, Bridge Studios, 318–326 Wandsworth Bridge
Road, SW6: 020-7471 4270; e-mail: info@ninacampbell.com; www.
ninacampbell.com

Robert Carslaw
Background Robert Carslaw studied interior design at the Lon-
don College of Furniture, then spent three years at Christopher
Rowley Interiors. It is now 25 years since he launched his own practice
and, since he opened a second office in Cornwall in 2003, he has enjoyed a
significant rise in West Country commissions.
Projects Robert is currently doing phase two of the design and build of a
London penthouse apartment, collecting works of art and commissioning
furniture, as well as the redesign of a family house in St Mawes, Cornwall, which
includes a new wing. He is also working on the decoration of a new-build private
mansion in Ireland, with Regency proportions but modern living in mind.
He says My design style is discreet, subtle and comfortable, rooted in classical
discipline, but with the occasional surprise for fun. My approach is based on
my belief that good design must be functional and aesthetically satisfying, and
always reference the clients as individuals.
We say An exacting, disciplined designer with a love of subtle sophistication
and a highly personal approach, happy to undertake modern or period styles.
Contact Robert Carslaw Design, 3rd floor, Chelsea Reach, 79–89 Lots Road,
SW10: 020-7376 4440 | Estray Park, Budock, Falmouth: 01326-251194;
e-mail: info@robertcarslaw.com; www.robertcarslaw.com
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Carter Tyberghein
Background Laura Carter and Patrick Tyberghein formed
their practice, Carter Tyberghein, just over 10 years ago: the
pair had previously worked together at David Hicks in the late Eighties.
French-born Patrick studied interior architecture in Paris, while Laura has a
strong background in decoration, having worked for Sibyl Colefax & John
Fowler. Their team of seven is based in Putney.
Projects The practice works internationally, and its usually big-budget
projects combine interior architecture and design with decoration. Current
projects range from private residences in New Delhi, London, southern Ireland,
and Cap d’Antibes, to apartments in Moscow, a boutique ski hotel in
Montgenèvre, and the refurbishment of a listed property in central London.
They say We model space to achieve the perfect environment for our
clients, down to the final decorative touch. Each commission is viewed with
a fresh eye to avoid a set practice style.
We say A strong, architecturally led design team with an appreciation of
space-planning, which turns out immaculately detailed, pared-down interiors,
and leaves no stone unturned to find a focal piece of furniture or lighting.
Contact Carter Tyberghein, Hyde Park House, 5 Manfred Road, SW15: 020-
8871 4800; e-mail: info@cartertyberghein.com; www.cartertyberghein.com
Jane Churchill
Background Jane Churchill started her career at Sibyl
Colefax & John Fowler, and by the age of 21 had started up
her own interior-design business. In 1982, she reopened her shop as Jane
Churchill Design, selling a range of fabrics and wallpapers, then in 1985
relaunched the business as Jane Churchill Interiors. She has a team of six.
Projects Ongoing projects include a chateau in Bordeaux, which is also a
working winery, designed for the owners and their guests. In addition,
she is converting a Parisian office into a private apartment, updating a
farmhouse for a young family, reconfiguring an Edwardian house in
Ireland, and working on the total refurbishment of a listed house in Belgravia.
Last year she launched a range of patterned Brussels carpets for Wilton.
She says My style is traditional with a modern twist, and comfort is
all-important. I believe that houses are built to live in, not to look at.
We say Although the classical, restrained style of a Jane Churchill interior
is unmistakable, Jane’s interiors are also comfortable and colourful, with
an appreciation of twenty-first-century technology.
Contact Jane Churchill Interiors, 81 Pimlico Road, SW1: 020-7730
8564; e-mail: info@janechurchillinteriors.co.uk; www.janechurchill
interiors.com

Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler

Background The internationally recognised decorating firm Sibyl
Colefax & John Fowler was founded in the Thirties. Today, its
five directors lead a team of 50 at its Mayfair premises. Wendy Nicholls,
the managing director, first joined in 1976, followed by Emma Burns, Roger
Jones and Philip Hooper. William Hodgson, design director, joined in 1985.
Projects Current commissions include a ski chalet in the French Alps; a large,
new private house on the Connecticut coast; a neoclassical house in Athens; a
Grade I-listed house in Hampstead; a Grade II-listed, eighteenth-century house
in Oxfordshire; and the senior common room of an Oxford college.
They say However complex or straightforward the brief, by inviting our clients
to be completely engaged with their projects throughout, we make certain we
offer the highly personal service on which the reputation of the company rests
securely. Equally relevant is the contribution of our architectural and interior-
design studio, providing the essential architectural and technical context.
We say A world-class interior-design company well known for its classical
English style, with the emphasis on the craft of decoration and excellent work-
manship, not to mention the watchwords of comfort, quality and practicality.
Contact Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, 39 Brook Street, W1: 020-7493 2231;
e-mail: ed.foster@sibylcolefax.com

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Collett-Zarzycki
Background Collett-Zarzycki is a multidisciplinary practice
working on architecture, interior design, furniture design and
landscaping. It launched 25 years ago, and has two Zambian-born part-
ners, Anthony Collett (right) and Andrzej Zarzycki, who lead a staff of 20.
Projects The practice specialises in high-end projects, offering architec-
ture and interior design. It is currently working on a new house on a Greek
island, new houses in the South of France, and the refurbishment of two
Grade II-listed town houses in Kensington, together with the interior design
of houses in Corsica, Marbella and Lucerne, and a penthouse in Barcelona.
They say We regard our design style as having classical origins, but are
versatile in our ability to adapt that sensibility to different situations. We
work on a wide range of projects and the common thread through them is
our preoccupation with detail, a sense of luxury, and our desire to be true
Charlotte Crosland

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Background Charlotte Crosland studied interior design at
Chelsea College of Art and Design, then – after working for an
architectural practice – joined the design team at Charles Hammond. She set
up her close-knit interior-design company in 1999.
Projects Charlotte is currently working on a grand house in Wimbledon for a
developer, which has been completely redesigned to feature glamorous
lighting and an emerald mosaic swimming pool; the redesign of a flat in The
Boltons; the total refurbishment of, and structural works to, a country house
in Buckinghamshire; and the redecoration of a large, Grade II-listed house in
Norfolk and a house in Connaught Square.
She says It is very important not to stick to one style because, as with fashion,
we change our minds or get bored with a look. A good mix gives variety, which
brings more interest to the eye and mind. All my projects work in a comfortable,

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to the inherent essence of the property. attractive way, as proper homes, not show homes.
We say A well-established and highly regarded design practice for which We say A confident, award-winning designer who focuses on light and space,
no project is too complex, turning out sophisticated interiors, with an eye without sacrificing cosiness, and approaches each job with an enquiring mind.
for symmetry, and the occasional splash of colour. Contact Charlotte Crosland Interiors, Unit 19, Pall Mall Deposit, 124–128 Barlby
Contact Collett-Zarzycki, Fernhead Studios, 2b Fernhead Road, W9: Road, W10: 020-8960 9442; e-mail: mail@charlottecrosland.com; www.
020-8969 6967; e-mail: mail@czltd.co.uk; www.collett-zarzycki.com charlottecrosland.com

David Collins Lavinia Dargie

Background David Collins studied architecture at the Bolton Background Prior to launching Dargie Lewis Designs in 1978,
Street School of Architecture in Dublin. He launched his prac- Lavinia Dargie spent two years boning up on practicalities,
tice in 1985, and from the outset organised it with a holistic approach in mind, from curtain-making to specialist painting and furniture restoration. She is
incorporating a mix of architects, interior designers, furniture and graphic the sole designer, drawing on a team she has worked with for many years.
designers. His vision was to create a one-stop-shop design service. He has a Projects Recent jobs have included working with developers on a conver-
team of 30 at his London base, plus offices in New York and Buenos Aires. sion flat in a period building in Kensington; the decoration and furnishing of
Projects As well as recently completing two ski chalets for private clients, a family house in Wimbledon Village; and a Mayfair town house. She is also
David Collins Studio has designed The Charles codominium of 45 apart- decorating and furnishing a Grade I-listed Georgian building in the country,
ments on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, and is also working on an 80-metre and updating the offices at Cartier with a modern look.
bespoke yacht for a private client, a penthouse apartment at The Connaught, She says I am a discreet designer with a passion for elegance, scale, quality
and residential projects in London and abroad. and comfort. Colour plays an important part in my design ethic: I treat it with
He says I am always curious about materials, styles and the various stages respect and never allow it to get the better of a room. Expressing feelings
of the creative process. I have managed to create a business that builds and memories is the essence of decorating, as is interpreting clients’ needs.
ideas and sets precedents, but creativity is always my driving force. We say Lavinia designs elegant and unfussy interiors with a deft apprecia-
We say An über-cool designer, well known for his opulent designs for iconic tion of classical proportion and scale, yet with a personal approach. A safe
restaurants such as The Wolseley and The Blue Bar at The Berkeley, not to pair of hands with a sense of fun.
mention private homes for influential figures in entertainment and fashion. Contact Dargie Lewis Designs, Parsons Green House, 27 Parsons
Contact David Collins Studio, The Studio, 74 Farm Lane, SW6: 020-7835 Green Lane, SW6: 020-7736 6840; e-mail: info@dargielewis.com;
5000; e-mail: studio@davidcollins.com; www.davidcollins.com www.dargielewis.com

Cathy Connolly of Northwick Design Sarah Delaney (new entry)

Background Dublin-born Cathy Connolly started her career Background Sarah Delaney studied English and American
as a model in the Seventies, then trained in special decorative literature before turning her hand to design. She has been
finishes with Carolyn Benson. She set up Northwick Design in the early designing interiors for over 10 years, and deliberately keeps her Notting
Eighties, and employs one designer at her St John’s Wood base. Hill-based business small, so that she can offer a bespoke service.
Projects Cathy is currently working on the furnishing and decoration of a Projects Sarah is currently working on three refurbishments of Notting Hill
house in Dublin designed by Tom de Paor, a new-build family home in County houses with local architects, and a farmhouse in Oxfordshire with Ptolemy
Meath, Ireland, and the conversion of a Fifties shooting lodge in Sussex into Dean Architects. Recent projects have included two London town houses; a
a weekend retreat. She is also working alongside architects Michaelis Boyd large live/work flat in a converted industrial space in Portobello; a converted
on the renovation of a family house in Notting Hill. barn in France; and the revamp of the Harwood Arms pub in Fulham.
She says I like a simple palette and clean, fresh lines, with the emphasis on She says We believe that houses should be homes, and clients are often
a few beautiful pieces of furniture or paintings. My approach is client-led as surprised by how keen we are that they incorporate their ‘old stuff’ into
I don’t like to bully people, but I gently steer them towards my taste. I love it their new interior. Although we love to do residential work, our portfolio is
when a house flows naturally from room to room, and there are no nasty expanding. Last year we worked on a restaurant, offices and a hairdressers,
surprises. Homes are meant to be lived in, not act as showpieces. bringing a lived-in feel to commercial environments.
We say Cathy is an approachable designer who consistently turns out We say Sarah’s designs have a distinctive, spare elegance, underpinned by
subtle and timelessly elegant interiors, with a confident and thoughtful her love of luxury textiles, quality basics and twentieth-century furniture.
understanding of colour. Contact Sarah Delaney Design, 38 Leamington Road Villas, W11: 020-
Contact Northwick Design, 8 Belgrave Gardens, NW8: 020-7372 3305; 7221 2010; e-mail: sarah@sarahdelaneydesign.co.uk; www.sarahdelaney
e-mail: cathy@northwickdesign.com design.co.uk

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Christopher Dezille @ Honky Eicker & Houghton (new entry)
Background Christopher Dezille trained at an interior-design Background Eicker & Houghton twins a pair of designers with
practice for 10 years, working primarily with developers on contrasting backgrounds. Stephan Eicker trained in Paris
new-build and refurbishment projects. He set up his design consultancy, with architect Pierre-Hervé Walbaum, then worked with Diana Sieff at Sieff
Honky, in 2001, and has recently moved to larger premises to accommodate Interiors, while Gavin Houghton worked as a stylist on The World of Interiors,
his growing design team, which currently numbers seven. then as creative director for Vogue promotions. They joined forces in 2006.
Projects Honky works on private and commercial projects in the UK and Projects Commissions range from a new-build in the Hamptons, US, to a
abroad. Current commissions include the modernisation of an apartment in 13-bedroom hunting lodge in Scotland, untouched since the Thirties. They have
the French Alps; the design and fit-out of a 370-square-metre, new-build just completed the refurbishment of a house in Chelsea, are embarking on an
apartment in north London, including a roof terrace designed by Stephen über-modern flat in Holland Park, and have launched a furniture collection.
Woodhams; and the refurbishment of a substantial family home in Hendon. They say A room should feel like someone you’d like to get to know – warm,
He says We’ve developed a strong reputation for delivering modern luxury: charming, beautiful, intelligent and witty. We like rooms to have depth; to feel
clean lines, considered detailing, and good-quality materials. Textures are multilayered and as if they have evolved over time. Our philosophy is to be
layered to produce interiors with substance, and, if we’ve fulfilled our role guided by classicism but to add a modern energy with charm and a little wit.
correctly, something unexpected, unspoken. Our interiors strike a reso- We say An innovative design duo with a repertoire of bold interiors, tempered

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nance in our clients, who find our work inspiring yet attainable. by crisp, clean lines. Expect eclectic furniture or textiles from junk markets, plus

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We say An award-winning designer with a perfectionist’s eye, delivering clever sourcing from Gavin’s vast contacts book.
grown-up, sophisticated interiors with a cool, modern edge. Contact Eicker & Houghton, Yew Tree Lodge, Coln St Aldwyns, Cirencester,
Contact Honky, Unit 1, Pavement Studios, 40–48 Bromells Road, SW4: Gloucestershire: 01285-750804; e-mail: mail@eickerhoughton.com;
020-7622 7144; e-mail: info@honky.co.uk; www.honky.co.uk www.eickerhoughton.com

Devas Designs
Background Philippa Devas learnt the decorating ropes at Fox Linton Associates
Percy Bass, then spent 12 years working with leading designer Background Mary Fox Linton launched her company over 40
Chester Jones. She started her Chelsea-based company in 1998 and is the sole years ago, and was joined by interior designer Martin Hulbert
designer, with one assistant, but often works with an architect or builder. (bottom) and architect Chris Holmes (middle) over 10 years ago.
Projects Current and recent commissions include a house in Belgravia for an Together they have built an award-winning, world-class design
art collector, with the decoration intended as a backdrop for the works of art; company, with a team of more than 40 designers and architects.
the decoration of a large private motor yacht in Barcelona, completed to a tight Projects Their top-end projects are a mix of commercial and
deadline; a modern interior for an apartment in Chelsea; and a simple, light residential commissions, and they work internationally. As well
interior for a country house in County Mayo, Ireland. as ongoing work at hotels such as The Athenaeum and The
She says Attention to proportion and a respect for the inherent character of Grove, new projects include the Waldorf Astoria in Edinburgh.
a building is the foundation for each project. Colour schemes usually emerge Residential projects include a Georgian-style house and a flat in Moscow.
from a particular carpet or painting. My aim is to create restful interiors: the They say Our greatest strengths lie in the individuality of the three
use of decorative, often painted furniture, old and new, together with a limited directors and the great people we have working with us. We thrive on
use of pattern, combine to bring serenity to the room. innovation, creativity and a desire to produce design of the highest quality

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We say An approachable designer, with a love of soft colour and natural – and, of course, the most important thing is that we enjoy it.
materials, and a particular interest in working with clients who share her We say A cutting-edge design firm with the resources to work on very
enthusiasm for elements of Green design. high-budget, large-scale projects, and which constantly delivers unfussy,
Contact Devas Designs, 22 Halsey Street, SW3: 020-7584 9966; e-mail: breathtakingly beautiful interiors to an exemplary standard.
mail@devasdesigns.co.uk; www.devasdesigns.co.uk Contact Fox Linton Associates, 4 Hewlett House, Havelock Terrace, SW8:
020-7622 0920; e-mail: email@foxlinton.co.uk; www.foxlinton.co.uk

Nicky Dobree Mark Gillette

Background After studying languages at Bristol University, Background Mark Gillette trained at the Inchbald School of
Nicky Dobree did a U-turn and retrained in interior architecture Design and subsequently spent seven years at Jamandic,
and design, going on to work for seven years with Taylor Howes Designs. before launching Mark Gillette Interior Design in 1994. He has a team of
She launched her own company in 2003 and is the sole designer, but has a seven at his Chester-based practice, including two architects.
‘fabulous’ back-up team of draughtsmen, carpenters and upholsterers. Projects Current and recent projects have included the architectural and
Projects Nicky specialises in luxury chalets and modern residential interiors. interior refurbishment of a Georgian house and estate buildings in Cheshire,
Her current projects include a villa in Italy, which has been rebuilt from a the complete refurbishment of a substantial shooting lodge in Scotland, an
ruin; several projects in the Alps, from luxury chalets to new-builds; and the important historic house in Lincolnshire, including architectural restoration
renovation of a large, Victorian family house in Dulwich and an elegant South and design, and the modern redesign of a Manchester apartment.
Kensington apartment. He says I capitalise on the architecture of a property, in terms of either res-
She says I offer a bespoke service that is a reflection of the client and their toration or addition. I work to reflect the lifestyle of my clients, but deliver an
needs rather than anything formulaic. Authenticity of place is paramount to interior that stands the test of time and gives a good return on investment.
every project, as is creating interiors that are full of warmth and life. We say A natural perfectionist, and a designer who has built up a reputation
We say Nicky is a super-efficient designer who loves to layer natural for the sensitive renovation of historic country properties. Yet he’s not
materials with luxurious finishes such as linen or cashmere, often with a averse to twenty-first-century touches: ‘modern’ materials, such as wool,
flash of the unexpected, like glass or lacquer. Look out for subtle accents leather, stone and fumed oak, are favourite choices.
of colour, tailor-made to suit each client. Contact Mark Gillette Interior Design, Mollington Grange, Parkgate Road,
Contact Nicky Dobree Interior Design, 25 Lansdowne Gardens, SW8: Mollington, Chester: 01244-851897; e-mail: enquiries@markgillette.com;
020-7627 0469; e-mail: info@nickydobree.com; www.nickydobree.com www.markgillette.com

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Goodchild Interiors Vivien Greenock
Background Paul Goodchild and his wife and co-director, Gill Background One of interior design’s best-known names,
Richardson, together bring a wealth of experience. While Paul Vivien Greenock worked at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler for
has a background in joinery and art and is a chartered designer, Gill trained 27 years, initially as assistant to the then senior partner, Tom Parr, then
originally in theatre. They launched Goodchild Interiors in 2001; their close- went on to become a senior director herself. She has been running her
knit team of three recently relocated to a Georgian coach house in Bristol. own Pimlico Road business for eight years and is the sole designer.
Projects Ongoing architectural and interior-design refurbishments include a Projects Vivien has always worked internationally and is currently fulfilling
country estate in Devon with farmhouse, cottages and outbuildings; an his- commissions on both sides of the Atlantic. Recent projects include the total
toric Victorian estate in Somerset; a nineteenth-century Gothic, 10-bedroom redecoration of two Grade II-listed houses in Gloucestershire, a stately home
detached house in Hampstead; a Twenties house in Highgate, working with in Northamptonshire, and a listed house in Mayfair. Work abroad spans a
an appointed architect; and an art-nouveau-style interior for a bar in Soho. large, luxurious apartment in Athens, a sizeable horse farm in Virginia, and
They say We’ve been told we have an Englishness about our design several houses on Nantucket.
work, and we think this boils down to three things: we understand how to She says My style is relaxed and cosy, and has an ‘undecorated’ look. My
use colour, we applaud English tradition with English innovation, and we’re years of experience and wealth of contacts give me the ability to adapt my
terribly polite in company. talents to an international clientele in both traditional and modern styles.
We say It is no surprise that this approachable design team has won several We say An extremely well-established designer with a talent not just for
awards. Paul and Gill turn out painstakingly designed, richly coloured, mod- executing quintessential English country style, but for comfortable, modern
ern or period interiors, with a sensitive understanding of the architecture. looks too. High quality and superb craftsmanship are a given.
Contact Goodchild Interiors, 3 Granby Hill, Clifton, Bristol: 0117-927 9475; Contact Vivien Greenock, 52 Pimlico Road, SW1: 020-7823 6665; e-mail:
e-mail: gill@goodchildinteriors.net; www.goodchildinteriors.net vivien@viviengreenock.co.uk

Christophe Gollut Helen Green

Background Although Christophe Gollut originally read law at Background Last year, Helen Green moved her expanding
university, it wasn’t long before he retrained at the Inchbald team to design studios in Milner Street, where she also has
School of Design in the late Sixties. At his showroom in the Fulham Road, her flagship furniture showroom. Helen trained at the Inchbald School of
clients will find an intriguing mix of antique furniture, lighting and textiles, Design, then ran the interior-design arm of Northacre for eight years. She
alongside the interior-design service. He remains the sole designer, with launched her own company in 2002 and has a 16-strong team.
commissions worldwide. Projects Current residential projects include a new-build chalet in the
Projects Christophe is currently working on an enormous Lutyens country French Alps; several modern flats in Mayfair; the interior architecture,
house in the Canary Islands, a seaside house and an apartment in Lebanon, specification and dressing of a crescent of Lutyens-style houses in
and projects in Venice and Sardinia. Back home, commissions include a Belgravia; and an inspiring, zero-emissions new-build in the country. The
Regency house in Belgravia and a Victorian house in Little Venice full of company has just completed the spa at the Coral Reef Club in Barbados.
‘texture, colours and exoticism’. She says My philosophy is simple: to make environments a pleasure to live
He says My style is a mix of colours, comfort, ethnic and grand materials, rich in, to enthuse others, and to take inspiration from everything around me.
textures – a feeling of a room that has been designed many years ago but My designs are known for being refined, luxurious and elegant, but also for
without a sense of being old-fashioned; rather, a room that feels timeless. the minute details about which I obsess – and in which I delight.
We say A sophisticated designer with a classical training at his fingertips and We say This large and talented design team runs on well-oiled wheels,
an encyclopedic knowledge of antiques. Well known not just for his timeless, turning out opulent interiors with a modern slant and a predominantly
decorative interiors, but also for an engaging sense of humour. neutral palette. Laid-back glamour at its best.
Contact Christophe Gollut, 116 Fulham Road, SW3: 020-7370 4101; e-mail: Contact Helen Green Design, 29 Milner Street, SW3: 020-7352 3344;
gollut@christophegollut.com; www.christophegollut.com e-mail: mail@helengreendesign.com; www.helengreendesign.com

Guy Goodfellow Veere Grenney

Background Guy trained as an architect, then spent eight Background Veere Grenney has been a leading figure in the
years at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, where he became the design industry for over 20 years. He was a director at Sibyl
company’s youngest ever director. He set up his Oxfordshire company in Colefax & John Fowler, and spent time at Mary Fox Linton before launching
2002. All projects are drawn, schemed and detailed by Guy, though he works his own company in 1996. He employs a team of eight at his Chelsea studio.
closely with a team of designers, draughtsmen and project managers. Projects Clients are international, and current projects include the design/
Projects Guy is working on listed country houses in five counties, including build and decoration of a house on the Lower East Side, New York; the complete
the renovation of a medieval manor house on Dartmoor, with the addition of redesign, rebuild and decoration of a house in Holland Park; and the redesign
a modern wing, and a ‘gentle restoration’ at Hopetoun House, Scotland. In and decoration of a further three houses in Belgravia and Chelsea. Veere is also
London, he is working on three town houses, one of which is a total rebuild. working on the refurbishment of two houses in Mustique.
He says My interest is in bringing together classic and current elements, He says My approach to design is based on the way architectural space can be
chosen for their unique style, to create an environment which will transcend used to accommodate my clients’ needs. Therefore, successful projects have
fashion and time. We print and weave our own fabrics, design and make fur- architectural spaces that include a purity of design, a quality of finish and
niture, and use antique textiles to craft an interior as individual as the client. harmonious decoration.
We say A skilled designer with a well-deserved reputation for sensitively We say A talented designer, highly regarded by his global, art-collector clients
renovating grand English country houses for twenty-first-century living. His for his skill at decorating to complement important art collections. He has a
elegant, finely detailed schemes are jam-packed with bespoke work. playful but assured skill for mixing furniture styles, from eighteenth-century
Contact Guy Goodfellow, The Granary Barn, 31 High Street, Watlington, pieces to mid-twentieth-century finds.
Oxfordshire: 01491-613911; e-mail: mail@guygoodfellow.com; www.guy Contact Veere Grenney Associates, 1b Hollywood Road, SW10: 020-7351 7170;
goodfellow.com e-mail: info@veeregrenney.com; www.veeregrenney.com

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Rabih Hage Hindlip & Prentice
Background Lebanese-born Rabih Hage grew up in Paris, Background Fiona Hindlip (left) and American-born Nancy
where he studied architecture. After coming to London, he Prentice (right) were friends long before they launched their
began working as an interior designer, and launched his gallery and design interior-design business in 1996. Nancy originally worked for an interior dec-
studio in 2002. Alongside his regular commissions, he dedicates himself to orator in New York, sourcing art and antiques; Fiona honed her skills while
uncovering pioneering design, discoveries which in turn inform his work. doing up a series of her own London homes.
Projects Rabih has designed the Rough Luxe hotel in King’s Cross, and will Projects The pair has just finished a two-year commission – involving
work on future projects for the group. Current commissions include a listed extensive building work and decoration – on the basement and top two floors

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country house in Oxford, where the period features are being mixed with of a house in Holland Park. They are currently working on the redecoration
modern design to create a rural retreat; and an apartment in Paris, featuring of a flat in Belgravia, for a past client, and of a house in South Kensington.
a classical interior with a fresh twist. They say It’s all about the clients – it is their house, and they are the ones
He says I design instinctively, using my trained subconscious. I like to put my who will live in it; we are not bossy, preferring to guide. People are very
stamp on my designs, yet adapt to the personality of the place and client. sophisticated these days – we’ll ask them to point out things they love in
The result is a unique mix of my client’s soul and our mutually shared emo- interiors magazines, and then it’s up to us to source everything and interpret
tions for the building: a timeless design and a perpetual discovery. it for them.
We say Rabih is a charming, innovative designer with a taste for modern We say Their deliberately low-key profile belies a fine-tuned partnership that
interiors teamed with classical detailing. The perfect choice for those who delivers faultlessly detailed, classic but not stuffy interiors with a traditional
like intellectual stimulus alongside their interior design. bias, and a keen interest in architecture and architectural detailing.
Contact Rabih Hage Gallery, 69–71 Sloane Avenue, SW3: 020-7823 8288; Contact Hindlip & Prentice, 8 Ennismore Street, SW7: 020-7581 9251; e-mail:
e-mail: info@rabih-hage.com; www.rabih-hage.com nancyprentice@hotmail.com

Stefa Hart (new entry) Suzy Hoodless

Background Stefa Hart, aided by a team of assistants, runs Background Suzy first pursued a career in journalism and art
her design business from a converted barn at her Rutland direction, spending five years as interiors editor for Wallpaper*
home. She gained a diploma in fine and decorative arts at the V&A, before magazine. She set up her own interior-design company in 2000, gaining a
cutting her design teeth decorating Hambleton Hall, a hotel that she reputation early on for cutting-edge commercial interiors, including designs
co-owns with her husband. She launched her company in 1989. for The Hospital Club, a private members’ club in Covent Garden. She opened
Projects Stefa is currently working on the interior design of a country house her showroom in 2005, and has designed two wallpaper collections.
in Austria, as well as the interior decoration of two Grade II-listed properties Projects Suzy is currently working on a 750-square-metre house in Holland
in Lincolnshire, and a Grade II-listed house in London. Her most exciting Park; another large house in Notting Hill, which has been completely redec-
contract at present is the interior design of an 85-metre motor yacht, orated with a mix of modern and antique furniture; and the interior design
working alongside naval architects. of a town house in Luxembourg. She launched a new range of fabrics this
She says I am interested in helping clients to express their own personality spring, and is designing a collection of rugs for The Rug Company.
in a way that is practical, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing, but which She says I think that interiors should be visually magical but underpinned
takes account of the spirit of the building. My strength lies in my knowledge with precise ergonomics. Design should be individual, informed and classic,
of, and interest in, period houses; through my painting, I also have a good mixing colour as well as materials and furniture styles.
appreciation of colour. We say A cool young designer with a surprising take on each interior she
We say A designer with a passion for architecture and the decorative arts, handles. Expect groovy colours, an unusual mix of decorative and twentieth-
who designs rooms that are pretty, classic and beautifully conceived. century ‘antiques’, and a thoughtful approach.
Contact Stefa Hart, Hambleton Decorating, The Old Hall, Market Overton, Contact Suzy Hoodless, 10 Clarendon Cross, W11: 020-7221 8844; e-mail:
Oakham, Rutland: 01572-767145; e-mail: stefa@hambleton.co.uk naomi@suzyhoodless.com; www.suzyhoodless.com

Nicholas Haslam Kelly Hoppen

Background Nicky Haslam pursued a career in art direction in Background Kelly Hoppen has worked in interior design since
the States, then ran a ranch in Arizona, before returning to the age of 16, and is well established as an international de-
London in 1972. Finding himself in demand as a decorator for a burgeoning signer. She has moved her design studio, school and shop to new premises
collection of grand clients, he set up his own architectural and design in Chepstow Road, and employs 35 members of staff here and at her offices
practice, NH Design, now employing 14 staff. in Paris. This year, she was awarded an MBE for services to interior design.
Projects NH Design works worldwide, and current projects include a coun- Projects Kelly’s team is presently working on the total refurbishment of a
try estate in Ireland; an ultra-modern condominium in the Time Warner jewellery shop in London; the complete redesign, including structural work,
Center in Manhattan; a belle-époque villa in the South of France; two of a 539-square-metre house in Germany; a house in north-west London,
glamorous penthouses in Park Lane; and a beachside villa in Barbados. which is being rebuilt to the design of the original façade, but with new lower-
He says Never opting for pure minimalism nor overblown fussiness, an NH ground and second floors; and the decoration of a new, 929-square-metre
Design interior has exhilarating chic, and a touch of opulence that entirely house in Naples, Florida, with a blend of modern and traditional elements.
seduces the moment you catch a glimpse. I have an instinct and originality She says My style is constantly evolving. I have just moved homes and I en-
which enables me to make rooms look stunning and sexy, yet liveable; joy going to markets and antiques shops; I have always loved the art-deco era,
practical, and above all flattering to their owner and their surroundings. and mixing modern and period pieces gives an eclectic look, which I love.
We say A flamboyant yet thoughtful designer, happy to experiment with We say Kelly Hoppen’s name has become synonymous with her trademark
unusual or decorative finishes, but always in search of the perfectly planned neutral, quietly sophisticated, but always modern, interiors.
space. These are couture interiors of the highest quality. Contact Kelly Hoppen Interiors, 102a Chepstow Road, St Stephen’s Yard,
Contact NH Design, 243–247 Pavilion Road, SW1: 020-7730 0808; e-mail: W2: 020-7471 3350; e-mail: vsparey@kellyhoppen.co.uk; www.kelly
flora@nh-design.co.uk; www.nh-design.co.uk hoppenretail.com

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JR Design Isherwood Interior Design (new entry)
Background Jane Ormsby Gore has an eclectic design back- Background Pip Isherwood (top) set up Isherwood Interior Design in
ground, having worked with the antiques dealer Christopher 1995, then teamed up with Karen Batchelor (below) in 1997. Pip
Gibbs, and then at Vogue magazine. In the late Eighties she joined David studied at the Inchbald School of Design, though originally trained as
Mlinaric, where she spent a decade perfecting her decorating skills. In an artist; Karen gained a degree in interior design at North London
1998, she launched JR Design, where she employs a team of four. University. They employ a team of six at their Cheltenham offices.
Projects JR Design is currently working on the refurbishment of a Grade Projects Pip and Karen are working alongside a French architec-
II-listed property in Kent, using antique textiles discovered in the house. tural practice on a new-build home in Cap d’Antibes, as well as completing the
The team is also busy with an innovative project on the Ivory Coast; work- finishes and furniture for a villa in the Algarve. They are also remodelling and
ing alongside the builders and architect, it is creating the client’s dream extending the living spaces of two substantial family homes in the Cotswolds.
home, an amalgamation of English tradition and African culture. They say Our approach to design is summed up in all areas of our lives, from our
She says If I am struck by sleeplessness, I muse on the rooms on which I’m homes to our clothes. It is sophisticated but comfortable, understated and sim-
working. I go into them, and ‘listen’ to the ingredients. One of my current ple, and we are both obsessed with detail and accuracy of colour. Although we
favourite houses is, on first impression, somewhat gloomy, but once filled with need organised spaces and a home for everything – we hate clutter – we are both
colour, it becomes a warm, friendly home. Nature is my greatest teacher. party people, so we keep a healthy balance.
We say An inspiring designer, with the confidence to handle wide-ranging We say A well-honed partnership – friends as well as co-designers – who create

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commissions, from a 100-bedroom Elizabethan house to a new-build flat. tailored, exquisitely muted interiors, planned with streamlined living in mind.
This is the place to come for a brilliantly focused understanding of colour. Contact Isherwood Interior Design, 12 Imperial Square, Cheltenham, Glouces-
Contact JR Design, Ground Floor, 5–7 Vernon Yard, Portobello Road, W11: tershire: 01242-226966; e-mail: contact@isherwoodinteriordesign.com;
020-7221 9048; e-mail: jane@jrdesign.org; www.jrdesign.org www.isherwoodinteriordesign.com

Louise Jones (new entry) Jamandic

Background Louise originally trained as an accountant, but in Background Jamandic is a family business, originally founded
1995 answered the siren call of design and took a diploma at the by Sally McParland in 1975, and currently run by her son,
Inchbald School of Design. She worked for seven years at Todhunter Earle Dominic, and Rebecca Clarke. Rebecca has a degree in theatre design, while
Interiors, before leaving in 2001 to set up her own company. At her Lots Road Dominic has worked in the design industry for 12 years. This year, the
offices, she runs a ‘small but extremely productive’ team of seven. company celebrates its thirtieth year in its Chester showroom.
Projects Louise has just completed the interior design of a 1,600-square- Projects Current projects include the redecoration of a large family house
metre new-build house in The Boltons – a four-year project. Her team is in Chester; the complete renovation of a fire-damaged country house in
currently working on houses in South Kensington, Chelsea, and Regent’s Knutsford; the interior design of a large country house in the Wirral; and a
Park, as well as a country house and attached properties just outside modern barn conversion in north Wales.
Henley, and has just begun work on a new-build chalet in Verbier. They say We enjoy working closely with our clients, using our knowledge
She says My approach is to bring a high degree of individuality to each and expertise within the industry to interpret their aspirations. The schemes
project. I like to work closely with my clients, using any inspirational we produce combine traditional and current approaches to create timeless
material they may have to develop a unique look and feel, without compro- interiors that are comfortable and practical. A faith in high-quality materials
mising on the way the house functions. and exacting attention to detail is important to us in all our projects.
We say An extremely busy designer, keen to experiment with new finishes We say Jamandic is a well-established design company, deservedly popular
to create an entirely tailor-made interior for each client. Her schemes are in the north of England but with clients countrywide, and as willing to under-
elegant with a modern twist, and with a subtle, soothing palette. take the design of just one room as an entire house.
Contact Louise Jones Interiors, Office 15, Fairbanks Studios 2, 65–69 Lots Contact Jamandic, The Dutch House, 22 Bridge St Row, Chester: 01244-
Road, SW10: 020-7351 6858; e-mail: louise@louisejonesinteriors.com 312822; e-mail: enquiries@jamandic.co.uk; www.jamandic.co.uk

Chester Jones
Background Chester attended art school before qualifying as
an architect. He joined Colefax and Fowler in the late Sixties,
where he ran its interior-design and decorating arm; in 1987, he became a
director of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler. He set up his own design studio in
1990, and now employs a team of five. His varied portfolio spans everything
from grand houses to cottages, and he works internationally.
Projects Chester has just completed the refurbishment of a Grade I-listed
house in north London, and is currently working on the conversion and
refurbishment of a house in Provence, a modern flat conversion in Belgravia,
and the redesign of a large motor yacht. He is also working on the complete
renovation of a town house in South Kensington.
He says My design and decoration is architecture based. I use a considerable
amount of twentieth-century art, and buy a mixture of original twentieth-
century classics, eccentric antiques, and tribal art.
We say One of the most highly respected interior designers of our time, with
a genuine dedication to sourcing unusual pieces of art for his schemes, and
a passion for designing his trademark bespoke furniture for each interior.
Contact Chester Jones, 240 Battersea Park Road, SW11: 020-7498 2717;
e-mail: enquiries@chesterjones.ltd.uk

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k
Keech Green Charlotte Lane Fox
Background Michael Keech (right) and Graham Green (left) Background Charlotte Lane Fox has been an interior designer
set up their architectural design company in 2002. They met for 25 years. Having trained for three years with Colefax and
while working at Ralph Lauren. They specialise in high-end remodelling and Fowler, she joined her mother’s interior-design company, Prue Lane Fox,
refurbishment of domestic interiors, and have a team of eight at their forming a successful design partnership that has lasted for two decades.
Chelsea Harbour offices. A high percentage of work is repeat business.
Projects Michael and Graham are currently working on executive offices Projects Charlotte’s ongoing commissions include the total redecoration
in Berkeley Square, penthouses in New York and Hampstead, a Kensington and refurbishment of a mews house in Knightsbridge, and the complete
mews house, an apartment in Mayfair, the refurbishment of a mansion in renovation of a large flat in Regent’s Park. She is also working on a family
Geneva, and the interior design of two new-build apartments in Dubai. This house in Southwold, which is being built ‘from scratch’. Last year, she
year will also see the completion of their first super-yacht project. completed the interior decoration of two period houses in Kensington with
They say Our style is masculine and glamorous and can be best described modern schemes. Prue Lane Fox prefers to focus on just one big job a year.

L
as a conjunction of the clean lines of modernist architecture and the She says Our priority is that people feel it is their house. We aim to work
opulence of art deco. within their style and requirements rather than imposing our own style, so
We say A committed team with its design roots firmly fixed in art deco, but the interiors reflect the client, incorporating their favourite possessions.
delivering a sleek, modern version that is both elegant and comfortable. We say A design team that offers a pleasing convergence of Prue’s
Michael and Graham are not afraid to gut a building and start from scratch traditional English style and Charlotte’s talent for creating modern interiors,
in the pursuit of excellence. They also specialise in bespoke furniture. but always with a healthy respect for period architecture.
Contact Keech Green, 414 The Chambers, Chelsea Harbour SW10: 020-7351 Contact Prue Lane Fox, 19 Soudan Road, SW11: 020-7627 3311; e-mail:
5701; e-mail: info@keechgreen.com; www.keechgreen.com charlotte@pruelanefox.com

Tessa Kennedy Sylvia Lawson Johnston

Background Tessa Kennedy launched her interior-design Background Sylvia Lawson Johnston trained at the Inchbald
career after spending three years working with David School of Design, before establishing her Aberdeenshire
Mlinaric. In 1968, she won a competition to design the Grosvenor House interior-design company in 1982. She employs one other designer, and
Hotel, launching her own company with Michael Sumner that same year. has recently refurbished her design studio.
In 1988, she reformed as Tessa Kennedy Design, and now has a staff of Projects As well as the architectural restoration and interior decoration of
18 designers with projects around the globe. a Napoleonic battery in the South of France, Sylvia is doing the renovation
Projects Right now, Tessa is working on the interior architecture, façade and decoration of a seven-bedroom family house in Aberdeenshire, the
and decoration of a new-build house in Moscow. She is also doing the refurbishment of two Chelsea apartments, the upgrading of a London
interior architecture and design of a new-build house in Hampstead; home in a modern style, and the restoration of a colonial home in Antigua.
the conversion, in a modern style, of two apartments in Kensington; and She says I like glamorous projects, working in traditionally proportioned
the redesign of the main rooms of a house in Mayfair, complete with buildings. I like to produce a modern look, using tonal colours and different
eighteenth-century-style ceilings and cornices. textures. The overall aim is to achieve a peaceful, elegant place to live in.
She says I would describe my style as opulent, rich, unafraid of colour; I We say For those in search of soigné modern interiors neatly dovetailed
relish giving my clients the houses they thought they could only dream of. into period buildings, Sylvia is the designer to call. Her understanding of
We say A prestigious designer with a wealth of experience and a starry list historical projects is second to none. Scottish residents may be smug to
of clients, from royal families to actors and pop stars. Tactile, sometimes have her in their midst, but she works all over the UK and abroad, too.
theatrical, and always richly detailed interiors are trademarks. Contact Sylvia Lawson Johnston Interior Design, The Stables, Inverernan,
Contact Tessa Kennedy Design, Studio 5, 2 Olaf Street, W11: 020-7221 4546; Strathdon, Aberdeenshire: 01975-651402; e-mail: info@sljinteriors.co.uk;
e-mail: info@tessakennedydesign.com; www.tessakennedydesign.com www.sljinteriors.com

Robert Kime Hugh Leslie

Background Robert Kime started as an antiques dealer, and Background Hugh Leslie studied design in his native New
has been decorating houses since the Seventies. He has a staff Zealand, before coming to London, where he worked for
of 20, based at his Wiltshire design studios and at his Kensington furniture Colefax and Fowler, John Stefanidis, and Mlinaric, Henry & Zervudachi,
and fabric showroom. He is best known for his interior-decoration projects followed by a stint with Chester Jones. He launched his own business in
for the Prince of Wales at Highgrove and Clarence House. 2003, and has a team of five at his new South Kensington office.
Projects Robert and his team are engaged on a large manor house in Projects The team is currently working on the complete refurbishment
Gloucestershire, and a Grade II-listed country house in the Thames Valley. and decoration of two houses in Notting Hill, a country house in Hertford-
He has recently completed the renovation and refurbishment of a house shire, and a house in Wimbledon, as well as the refurbishment and
on a large estate in Tuscany. decoration of an apartment in the Montevetro building in Battersea, and
He says In harmonising new elements with the existing architecture and the interior design of new-build houses in Sheen and Buckinghamshire.
objects, I create rooms with no excess. A recent project necessitated an He says We love creating memorable homes that are inviting and intrigu-
enormous amount of architectural work on a simple eighteenth-century ing. From architecture to decoration and sourcing artwork, we like to
house, and I felt the old house was losing out to the modern services. I like combine styles to surprise and challenge people’s expectations. Artwork,
to preserve the existing fabric, which means one has to decorate less. textiles and objects are all essential to reflect our clients’ individuality.
We say Robert Kime is perfectly at home designing the grandest of houses, We say A designer with cast-iron credentials, having worked with key
yet with a lightness of touch, so that his interiors look gently evolved. One names in the business, who has an infectious love of colour, textiles and
of the UK’s most highly respected interior designers. artwork. He enjoys the challenge of complete refurbishment projects.
Contact Robert Kime, 121 Kensington Church Street, W8: 020-7229 0886; Contact Hugh Leslie, 29 Thurloe Street, SW7: 020-7584 7185; e-mail:
www.robertkime.com mail@hughleslie.com; www.hughleslie.com

house & garden 2009 2009 house & garden

m m
Marion Lichtig (new entry) Douglas Mackie

L
Background Marion Lichtig studied fashion at St Martin’s Background Douglas Mackie studied architecture at Cam-
School of Art; her love of interiors led her to set up her bridge University, then – after working in an architectural
Hampstead-based company in 1985. She works on her own to provide a practice in New York – relocated to London to pursue his interest in interior
personal service but over the years her contacts have grown into a ‘great design, spending three years with Tessa Kennedy. He launched his own
team’. She works on selected projects with her daughter, Olivia Lichtig. company in 1995, and has a team of two designers.
Projects Marion is currently working on the complete refurbishment of a Projects Douglas is now working on a large Arts and Crafts house in
nineteenth-century cottage in Cornwall and a family house in Hampstead, Chelsea, aiming to restore it as closely as possible to its 1901 form. The dec-
as well as a new-build chalet in Verbier. She has recently completed the oration will include bespoke fabrics that have been commissioned
gutting and refurbishment of an Edwardian house, also in Hampstead. from traditional silk weavers. He is also working on two apartments in
She says A house should feel as though it has evolved over time. I favour Knightsbridge, and a Grade I-listed country house in Gloucestershire.
a clean look, using neutral backdrops to bring out the beauty of furniture He says We aim to design interiors that reflect our clients, their artwork
and objects, while introducing a splash of colour. The key to interior design and their lifestyles. The architecture of the house is always the starting
is harmony with the architecture and the light and space it produces. point; once we have resolved the spatial aspects, then the design of the
We say Marion’s talent lies in creating beautifully simple interiors that are interiors flows naturally. I aim to create balance, using form and colour.
also fabulously comfortable, true to her clients’ tastes, yet characterised We say Douglas Mackie’s tailored, symmetrical interiors are unmistakable,
by her unmistakable love of fresh, pretty interiors. The sort of insider imbued with dramatic scale, and muted schemes spiced up with colour.
designer that everyone loves to discover. He has a genius for showing off clients’ artworks to their best advantage.
Contact Marion Lichtig, 8 Turners Wood, NW11: 020-8458 6658; e-mail: Contact D Mackie Design, 8 Holland Street, W8: 020-7937 1051; e-mail:
marionlichtig@hotmail.co.uk; www.marionlichtig.com douglas@dmackiedesign.com; www.dmackiedesign.com

John Minshaw
John McCall Background John Minshaw studied fine art at Camberwell
Background John McCall has been in business since 1985 and College of Arts, and has been designing for over 30 years. He
works predominantly on private residential projects in the UK is an architectural designer and currently has a team of six.
and Europe. He studied interior design at the Inchbald School of Design, Projects Current projects include a town house in Chelsea, retaining the
and worked as a designer at CVP Designs for 10 years. He employs a team front façade while rebuilding the rest to suit the client’s needs; a large
of four at his Berkshire studio, and is the sole designer. home with subterranean pool in Hampstead; and the conversion of a
Projects John’s current projects include the design and decoration of group of buildings in Oxfordshire into a family home. The team has just
houses in Chelsea, Kensington and Knightsbridge. His country-house finished work on Sullingstead House, a Lutyens design, complete with
projects include an early-eighteenth-century manor in Dorset, working in a linked pool complex and garage for a collection of vintage sports cars.
collaboration with English Heritage, and a large Victorian house in Berk- He says We are well known for our turn-key service, focusing on getting
shire, including conservation work. He is also working on the planning and the architectural bones and spatial planning right first, integrating the
decoration of a newly constructed neoclassical-style house in Hampshire. behind-the-scenes kit for the modern house, and then adding the layers
He says Too much decoration is a dangerous thing; ‘simplify rather than of finishes, bespoke details and antiques in a pared-down manner.
embellish’ is the key. The home today is a sanctuary, so we need a cocktail We say A first-class architectural designer, highly respected in the
of supreme comfort and discreet technology, mixed with character. industry, with a talent not just for beautifully designed architectural
We say A busy designer working across a range of historic houses, yet com- spaces, but also for the minutiae. He leaves nothing to chance.
mitted to combining a strong architectural bias with the latest technology. Contact John Minshaw Designs, 17 Upper Wimpole Street, W1: 020-
Contact John McCall, New Farm House, Coombe Road, Compton, 7486 5777; e-mail: enquiries@johnminshawdesigns.com; www.john
Newbury, Berkshire: 01635-578007; e-mail: john@mccalldesign.co.uk; minshawdesigns.com
www.mccalldesign.co.uk

McWhirter Morris (new entry) Mlinaric, Henry & Zervudachi

Background James McWhirter and Sarah Morris started Background David Mlinaric launched his interior-design
McWhirter Morris in 2005, having already worked closely company in 1964, to be joined by Hugh Henry (below) in 1969, then
together. Sarah trained for 12 years under Wendy Nicholls at Sibyl Colefax Tino Zervudachi (above) in 1983. In 1989, the partnership Mlinaric,
& John Fowler, before running her own design team there. James opened Henry & Zervudachi was formed. Today, teams in London, Paris
an antiques shop in 1988, and is known for his diverse and decorative stock. and New York work both independently and collaboratively.
Projects Sarah and James are engaged on a rolling programme of Projects Current projects include interiors for a Grade I-listed
redecoration at a farmhouse in Connecticut, a new design for a yacht, building in Suffolk, and at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. The team is also
an apartment in Chelsea for a racing driver, and the renovation and architectural and design adviser on a development scheme in Montenegro.
redecoration of a house in Scotland. Recent projects include a house in Recent projects include a new-build house in Tokyo, and a hotel in Austria.
Kensington, an art-deco house in Poole, and a Boston town house. They say The mixing of cultural references and periods is something that
They say Our style is quietly British and resolutely anti-fashion. We like we encourage to help create ‘living interiors’ that are exciting and comfort-
to make each project relevant to the architecture and location while ing. Excellence in the workmanship of the interiors – in all categories of the
interpreting our clients’ individual taste and personality. Important to our trade – is of the utmost importance to our work, and essential to its success.
decoration is comfort and enduring style, with a dash of quirkiness. We say A world-class design team working on very large-scale projects and
We say Super-efficient, friendly design team, as happy to turn their with the highest standards in quality, design and design philosophy.
creative attention to the sympathetic redecoration of a bothy in Scotland Contact Mlinaric, Henry & Zervudachi, 38 Bourne Street, SW1: 020-7730
as to the sensitive restoration of an historic building. 9072; e-mail: info@mhzlondon.com; www.mhzlondon.com | Mlinaric, Henry
Contact McWhirter Morris, 22 Park Walk, SW10: 020-7349 2575; e-mail: & Zervudachi SAS, 44 rue Saint Anne, 75002 Paris; 00-33-1 42 61 03 80;
sarah@mcwhirtermorris.com e-mail: info@mhzparis.com

house & garden 2009

 n
Mrs Monro Carole Roberts at No.Twelve Queen St
Background John Lusk had a fleeting career as a stock- Background Carole Roberts spent four years studying textile
broker before becoming one of the founding graduates of design and then worked in her family’s antiques business. After
the Inchbald School of Design. He joined Mrs Monro in 1970, and has a a spell at Coexistence in London, she set up her company with Keith Stables
studio in Chelsea and a showroom in Kent. John is the principal designer in 1984. They have a design team of three at their offices in Bath.
and works closely with Geraldine I’Anson, the in-house garden designer. Projects Carole is currently decorating a house in Suffolk; designing interiors
Projects John is engaged on the restoration of houses in Scotland and for the Old Custom House in Fowey, Cornwall; and working on a mews house
Northumbria, on Squerryes Court – a seventeenth-century manor in Kent in London, and two Grade II-listed houses in Devon. She is designing all the
– and on Pashley Manor, a Grade I-listed house in Sussex. He is also working rooms for a new five-star hotel in Hampshire, and has ongoing work for the
on three town houses in Guernsey; modern designs for several London Bath Priory hotel and Durrants Hotel, in London. She has also been working
properties; a private bank in the States; and a holiday house in Majorca. on a private house in Rancho Santa Fe for three years.
He says I seek to achieve an integrated whole that combines comfort and She says I developed my interest in interiors through a great love of textiles,
elegance to meet the needs of modern family life. No amount of coordination historic houses, art and people. I spend a lot of time researching each project
of colour, style, texture and design will compensate for practicality. and getting to know a client. Colour, versatility, imagination and individuality
We say John Lusk stays true to Mrs Monro’s trademark English country- are so important. To see a happy client is why I love decorating.
house style, delivering quiet sophistication, but with an understanding of We say For those in search of a personal design service, with a specialist
the needs of historic houses. knowledge of textiles, Carole Roberts has the ability to imbue even hotel
Contact Mrs Monro, The Plaza, 535 King’s Road, SW10: 0844-984 1524 | rooms with the comfortable, relaxed air of a private home.
The Edenbridge Galleries, 1 The Square, Church Street, Edenbridge, Kent: Contact No. Twelve Queen Street, 12 Queen Street, Bath; 01225-462363;
01732-864163; e-mail: design@mrsmonro.co.uk; www.mrsmonro.co.uk e-mail: interiors@twelvedesign.co.uk; www.bida.org
Penny Morrison (new entry)
Background Penny Morrison’s design career began as a result Gabhan O’Keeffe
of developing houses in London. Now, from her studio in Wales, Background Gabhan O’Keeffe works from a studio in Belgravia
she has amassed a back-up team – ‘loved by our clients’ – from builders and with a team of highly specialised architects and artists,
architects to upholsterers and curtain makers. and has worked as a designer for over 20 years. He originally trained in
Projects Penny is currently completing a Grade II-listed house – untouched eighteenth-century decorative arts at Christie’s, then worked at the
since the Fifties – in a Chelsea square, as well as two country houses, and antiques dealer O F Wilson, before launching his own company.
another town house in Chelsea. She is also working on a beach house in Projects Gabhan is currently working on the refurbishment of the interior
South Africa, and the creation of new suites at the Ile de France hotel in of a beautiful Grade II-listed house in Belgravia, restoring it to its former
St Barths. Penny has also developed her own range of hand-printed linens. glory; a yacht for a Greek shipping family; and a residential project outside
She says I use a mix of antique and modern furniture and textiles to create Moscow, a combination of refurbishment and new-build.
an interesting atmosphere, while focusing on comfort. Understanding each He says Style is personal to each client and it is important to keep a balance
client’s requirements and lifestyle, and the style of their property, is the within this relationship between client and designer. I have an insatiable
starting point; I always like to incorporate the client’s existing possessions. curiosity about the structure and mystery of things. This translates into an
We say Penny has a classic style, using lots of linens and with a focus on deep obsessive attention to detail on one hand, and care for the overall environ-
comfort, though she handles modern interiors with aplomb. An insider ment on the other. If you don’t experiment, you never make discoveries.
designer with exquisite taste – her interiors are always beautiful. We say For interiors that glitter with fantasy and originality, Gabhan O’Keeffe
Contact Morrison Interiors, Evancoyd Court, Presteigne, should be top of the list. He is the master of luxury, creativity and the
Powys: 01547-560460; e-mail: penny@pennymorrison.com; www. decorative, taking clients on a design journey with a capital ‘J’.
pennymorrison.com Contact Gabhan O’Keeffe, 3 Kinnerton Place South, SW1: 020-7259 5658;
e-mail: gabhan@gabhanokeeffe.com

Paolo Moschino Guy Oliver

Background Unusually for a designer, Italian-born Paolo Background Guy Oliver studied architectural and design his-
Moschino studied political science in Florence, before moving tory at the University of Edinburgh, then, after serving in the
to London. Paolo worked with Nicholas Haslam in his Holbein Place navy, began his design career as a trainee director at Sybil Colefax & John
shop, which he then retained after the business was split. He divides his Fowler. He joined David Laws Designs in 1994, assuming ownership of the
time between interior design, two retail showrooms, and a trade office company in 2000. He works internationally from London and New York.
marketing his collection of furniture and decorative accessories. Projects Right now, Guy is working on a Schloss in Germany, a new-build
Projects Paolo is currently working on a country house in New Jersey, the farmhouse in Brazil, the refurbishment of The Princeton Club of New York,
redevelopment of a sixteenth-century cliff-top house in Cornwall, four of a penthouse on Madison Avenue, and of a London town house; and
town houses in London, and two country houses in West Sussex. He is also the restoration of interiors at the Connaught Hotel, and of an eighteenth-
completing the interiors of an apartment in Paris, and two private boats. century palace in Moscow.
He says I design houses and rooms to live in, not stage sets. My look He says Working as a designer is like directing a film; you form a vision and
whispers but never shouts. My objective is to mix styles, periods and introduce a client to bespoke elements. The opportunity to promote the work
provenance to achieve rooms that people feel and look good in. of skilled artisans, tradesmen and artists gives me particular pleasure.
We say A charming designer with a love of muted colour and a talent for We say Polished, elegant interiors are a trademark; repeat business is
mixing textures and pattern, always with a polished and luxurious finish. common. Guy’s wide-ranging interests, from modern furniture to historic
Contact Paolo Moschino, Nicholas Haslam, 12–14 Holbein Place, SW1: buildings, allow him to work on an equally wide range of commissions.
020-7730 8623; e-mail: sales@nicholashaslam.com | 202 Ebury Contact Oliver Laws, 9–10 Savile Row, W1: 020-7437 8487 | 27 West 16th
Street, SW1; 020-7730 0445; e-mail: ebury@nicholashaslam.com; Street Suite 4g, New York 10011: 00-1-64 6678 2303; e-mail: enquiries@
www.nicholashaslam.com oliverlaws.com; www.oliverlaws.com

house & garden 2009 2009 house & garden

p Caroline Paterson
Background Caroline Paterson spent six years in the furniture
department at Christie’s and a fine-art gallery in St James’s,
before training with Chester Jones at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler. In 1988,
she set up her own business, and recently relocated to new premises in
Walton Street, where she has a team of five.
Projects The team is working on the renovation of an Edwardian house in
Oxford; a listed house in Upper Cheyne Row; a modern, Kensington apartment;
and the addition of a new wing to a house near Henley-on-Thames. There
are also ongoing commissions in Somerset and Dorset, including a newly
constructed country house and an eighteenth-century property.
She says We are often asked what style of design we favour; much depends
upon clients’ architecture, preferences as collectors, how they wish to live and
entertain, their family, and balancing the aesthetics with the practicalities.
The fact that each project is so diverse keeps the creative flow and interest.
We say Caroline’s dedicated ethos is to adhere to the brief and deliver on time,
within budget. Her crisp, sometimes colourful, interiors are minutely de-
signed to the very last detail.
Contact Caroline Paterson Interiors, 77 Walton Street, SW3: 020-7584 6890;
e-mail: cpinteriors@btopenworld.com; www.carolinepatersoninteriors.co.uk

house & garden 2009

Colin Orchard

O
Background Edinburgh-born Colin Orchard worked closely
with the decorator Jimmy Thompson at A F Drysdale for five
years, then joined Colefax and Fowler to work with Imogen Taylor. In 1989
he set up his own company, and he has run a small, tightly knit team from
his Chelsea studio ever since.
Projects Colin is currently decorating a ‘wonderful’ Queen Anne house in
Berkshire, in traditional style but with new bathrooms and kitchen, as well
as a large London town house, in which he is creating a subtle backdrop for
his clients’ collection of important furniture and paintings. He is also
restoring a Grade I-listed Regency house in Ireland, and working with a
New Zealand architect on a new-build stone house on South Island.
He says Being asked to design a house is a huge compliment. It is really
important to get to know the client and find out how they live. I like to be
able to work with clients, and carefully lead them in the right direction,
without giving them anything alien to the way they want to live.
We say A subtle designer, who can genuinely claim that he designs tradi-
tional interiors ‘with a twist’, and has a wonderful understanding of colour.
Contact Colin Orchard, 219 King’s Road, SW3: 020-7351 5501; e-mail:
info@colinorchard.com

Steven Payne at maison ad

Background Steven Payne began his design career by
working with the hotel designer Frank Solano, followed by
a stint with John Stefanidis. He set up his own company in 1989, and,
despite maintaining a small team, works on projects internationally. The
company has recently relocated to new studios in Fulham.
Projects As well as the complete build and interior design of a beachfront
home on the St James coast, Barbados, Steven is also engaged on the re-
development of a 465-square-metre riad in Marrakesh, two residential
projects in Kensington, the furnishing of three flats and a penthouse in
Mayfair, the furnishing of a duplex penthouse overlooking Hyde Park, and
the refurbishment of a flat in Holland Park.
He says My approach to design starts with my insistence that every room
features a vista, so that upon entry one has the ‘wow’ factor. I listen to what
each space says to me, combined with the wishes of the client.
We say The thinking client’s designer, who turns out chic, intelligently
designed spaces, often teamed with meticulously crafted bespoke
furniture. Innovative, with a love of luxurious finishes.
Contact maison ad, Unit 1 Melbray Mews, 158 Hurlingham Road, SW6:
020-7384 1335; e-mail: info@maisonad.com; www.maisonad.com
p
Private Lives
Background Annabel Hall started off in 1972 with her own
shop, selling interior furnishings and decorative objects,
before opening her Surrey design studio in 1981. She now operates from a
converted barn and outbuildings at her home, with a team of designers.
Projects Currently, Annabel is finishing an Edwardian house near Godalming,
which has involved major space-planning as well as total redecoration, and
the complex refurbishment of a medieval-to-eighteenth-century house in
West Sussex – a project that will run into next year. She is also working on
a country house in Hampshire, and a villa in Cyprus.
She says My style is as varied as the personalities of my clients. One of the
nicest compliments, which my clients often give me, is, ‘I would never have
thought of that, but now that you have done it, I love it.’ Talent, versatility
and meticulous attention to detail are my hallmarks.
We say Annabel’s list of prestigious clients, which includes royalty and
celebrities, is testament to her ability to turn out diverse interior schemes,
which are consistently inviting, and frequently dramatic.
Contact Private Lives Interiors, The Old Parsonage, Church Street,
Crondall, nr Farnham, Surrey: 01252-850527; e-mail: annabel@private
lives.co.uk; www.privatelives.co.uk
Michael Priest
Background Michael Priest always wanted to be an interior
decorator, and for the past 35 years has lived out his ambition.
He is the sole designer, working primarily from his Buckinghamshire office;
he also has a base in Design Centre Chelsea Harbour.
Projects Michael is just starting the restoration of a 740-square-metre,
nineteenth-century town house in Antwerp, including the complete
decoration. He is also restoring a large country house in Oxfordshire,
including the addition of an orangery and indoor swimming pool, and
working on the refurbishment and redecoration of an early-eighteenth-
century, Grade II*-listed six-storey house in St Leonards Terrace.
He says My aim is to create stylish, sophisticated homes, without forgetting
the practicalities of life for busy people. With a worldwide client base, I have
been privileged in creating many important, beautiful homes.
We say For addicts of English country-house style, complete with ‘acres’
of chintz, Michael Priest is the man. He happily asserts that he is ‘not
fashionable’, and is discretion itself for his publicity-shy clients.
Contact Michael Priest, The Old Rectory, Church Lane, Radnage,
Buckinghamshire: 01494-485468; e-mail: mpriest@globalnet.co.uk;
www.michaelpriestdesigns.com

Propositionfive
Background Linda Blair and Andrew Protheroe both attended
art college prior to joining the world of interior design.
Andrew first worked as an artist, and Linda’s interest in design grew as a
result of her own property development. They set up Propositionfive in
1999, and work closely on two or three projects at any one time.
Projects Linda and Andrew are currently deep into the redecoration of
a six-bedroom Regency villa in Primrose Hill, as well as the remodelling
and redecoration of a large apartment in Holland Park. They recently
completed a Georgian mansion in Kent, and a town house in Chelsea.
They say Our approach to design can be summed up in the fifth proposition,
set out in The Grammar of Ornament, written by Owen Jones in 1856. In it,
he says: ‘Construction should be decorated. Decoration should never be
purposely constructed. That which is beautiful is true, that which is true
must be beautiful.’ We have followed this principle unfailingly.
We say A cool design company – unsurprisingly a favourite of artists and pop
stars – which turns out truly original interiors, whether using bold scaling,
unusual colours, or opulent textures. A must for the little black book.
Contact Propositionfive, 20a Sinclair Road, W14: 07932-713838; 020-7602
9458; e-mail: email@propositionfive.com; www.propositionfive.com

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Michael Reeves Charles Rutherfoord
Background Michael Reeves came to interior design via the Background Charles Rutherfoord is an architectural designer,
fashion industry, in which he worked as a designer for 20 years. who trained in architecture at Cambridge and in interiors at
In 1994, he opened a retail showroom in Chelsea; in 1999, he designed his own Kingston University. He worked first at Conran Associates, then launched
range of glamorous furniture. He has a new showroom in Chelsea, where he his practice in 1984. The houses and gardens he designs often include new
showcases his furniture with a mix of antiques and art. architectural work and restructuring, and he also designs furniture.
Projects Michael is busy working on a new-build house in Mustique, and Projects Charles is currently working on an 1840s villa in Notting Hill, which
another in Cap Ferrat, where the interiors are being planned around the includes substantial restructuring, combined with modern elements, and
owner’s collection of art and sculpture. He is also refurbishing the public ‘quite a lot of colour’. He has just finished a house in Sussex, which was a ‘grand
areas in a huge apartment building in Knightsbridge, as well as a town house and proper decorating project’ using sumptuous, modern and traditional
in Mayfair, and a seven-floor house in South Kensington. materials. He has also just finished the restructuring of a terrace house in
He says The design process always begins with the space planning and Notting Hill, which was converted into a house from two flats.
‘flow’ of the property, and any furniture, art or accessories the client wishes He says I am passionate about space and tranquillity. I analyse interiors into
to incorporate into the scheme. Colour, fabrics and floor plans follow. I want static spaces – sitting, eating, sleeping – or dynamic spaces, such as staircases
my work to have longevity beyond fashion. and corridors, and work with light and views to give distance to dream.
We say Michael’s style is as chic today as when he first burst on to the interior- We say Charles is a visionary designer, with a finely tuned colour sense –
design scene in 1998, after winning the Andrew Martin International Interior often taking inspiration for this from nature – and a talent for cleverly
mixing modern furniture with fine antiques.

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Designer of the Year award. Think cool, neutral interiors and clean lines.
Contact Michael Reeves, 30 Old Church Street, SW3: 020-7351 6515; e-mail: Contact Charles Rutherfoord, 51 The Chase, SW4: 020-7627 0182; e-mail:
info@michaelreevesassociates.co.uk; www.michaelreevesassociates.co.uk mail@charlesrutherfoord.net; www.charlesrutherfoord.net

Stephen Ryan
Caroline Riddell (new entry) Background Stephen Ryan graduated from the Inchbald School
Background Caroline Riddell studied fine art, then worked of Design in 1980, then gained valuable design experience
at Colefax and Fowler in the late Eighties. After running an working with Bill Bennette, Robin Guild and David Hicks. He established his
interior-design company with Rebecca Nicolle for seven years, she launched company in 1993. The team is small ‘by design’ – with a maximum of five – to
her own in 2006. She is the sole designer, with two assistants. provide a personalised service at all times.
Projects Caroline is just completing the partial rebuild and interior reno- Projects Recent and current projects include a boutique-style upgrade of The
vation of a six-bedroom house in Chelsea, in conjunction with architects Mandeville Hotel in the West End, a castle in Croatia with classic interiors, and
Powell Tuck Associates. She is also updating the furnishings at a ‘stunning’ the remodelling of a large Victorian house in Kensington for an art collector,
vicarage in Chelsea. She has just completed the remodelling and decoration with an up-to-date interior. Stephen’s team is also working with an architect on
of a Regency villa in Barnes, and a Victorian house in West Kensington. an ecologically designed new-build house in Maidenhead.
She says I have a strong sense of home, based on my childhood memories He says My design style is completely intuitive. All spaces ‘talk’ to a responsive
– beautiful textiles, books and amazing ‘things’ that gave me a sense of designer. Then, within the given parameters of the brief, an ambience can be
place. I like to use my clients’ existing possessions and reflect them in the devised. My personal preferences are for tailored backgrounds with a layered
design. A modern approach to a traditional background defines my style. mix of modern elements, juxtaposed with decorative antiques.
We say Here is a London-based designer for whom a comfortable, relaxed We say Stephen designs polished, deeply sophisticated interiors, often with
home is paramount. Clients will be treated to pretty interiors, cleverly a bold or flamboyant flourish. Unusual colours and textures are a trademark.
woven around their own favourite things. Contact Stephen Ryan Design & Decoration, 7 Clarendon Cross, W11: 020-
Contact Caroline Riddell Interiors, 8 Boscombe Road, W12: 020-8743 7243 0864 | 25 Rue de la Cerisaie, 75004 Paris; e-mail: info@stephenryan
4817; e-mail: caroline@carolineriddellinteriors.co.uk; www.caroline design.com; www.stephenryandesign.com
riddellinteriors.co.uk

Max Rollitt (new entry) Diana Sieff

Background Max Rollitt trained as a furniture designer and Background Diana Sieff has been running her own interior-
maker, and ran an antiques restoration workshop until he took design company for 14 years. She had no formal training, but
over his mother’s interior-design company in 1993. He also ran his own began her design career by being ‘thrown in at the deep end’ after she was
antiques shop. In 2006 he opened a large showroom in Alresford, now asked to refurbish a client’s six-bedroom house. Her company incorporates
the base for his interior-design studio, where he also showcases his own all aspects of interior design, both commercial and residential.
handmade furniture, and antiques. There is a team of three. Projects Diana’s recent commissions include the complete refurbishment of
Projects Max has recently finished the renovation of a house in Holland a 930-square-metre Notting Hill house, for which she is using a lot of special-
Park, which was gutted and rebuilt, with the entire scheme influenced by the ist finishes, including a ‘sensational’ paint-effect bronze bar. She has also been
style of Sir John Soane. He is also working on two vicarages in Hampshire, two working on a private business club in central London, a Grade I-listed country
country estates, and the redecoration of a country house in Tunbridge Wells. house, a Scottish castle, and several smaller London homes.
He says I aim to create joyful homes, which are comfortable, elegant, and She says One thing I have noticed about the economic downturn is that
interesting, and look as if they have evolved over time. Combining period people are wanting more colour and pattern, and a cosy, antique look. I hope
furniture with quirky, off-beat items helps me transform an interior space. that this will mean the end of plasma televisions hung over fireplaces, and
We say Max has a detailed historical knowledge of furniture and creates a return to art and sophistication.
decorative, English interiors with a fresh, simple touch, often suffused with We say A dynamic, very chic designer, as talented at creating deeply
subtle colour. An insider designer with a growing reputation. glamorous city interiors as she is at creating a soothing, relaxed country
Contact Max Rollitt, The Old Telephone Exchange, Station Road, house. A faultlessly accurate eye for finding just the right antique piece, too.
Alresford, Hampshire: 01962-738800; e-mail: penny@maxrollitt.com; Contact Sieff Interiors, 7 Bridge House, Ebury Bridge Road, SW1: 020-7730
www.maxrollitt.com 7706; e-mail: design@sieff.co.uk; www.sieff.co.uk

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Mark Smith (new entry)
Background Mark Smith worked for 12 years in the fashion
industry, then – via a stint running Oggetti on Jermyn Street –
studied at Chelsea School of Design, and worked part time for Terence
Conran. He spent eight years at William Yeoward, where he became creative
director, and left to set up Smithcreative in 2000.
Projects Mark is designing an apartment in South Beach, Miami, a lateral
conversion from two flats in Sloane Square, a Grade I-listed Nash house in
Regent’s Park, a barn conversion in the Cotswolds, and ongoing refurbish-
ment work for a rock-star client. Up next are another apartment in Miami
Beach, an apartment in New York, and a New England holiday home.
He says I choose the best style to suit the architecture and the client’s needs.
I don’t ever want to push one ‘look’ – that’s so boring. I have so many ideas in
my head, I find it impossible to stick to one style. Instead, I create a classic,
neutral background to show off furniture, art and decorative objects.
We say Mark has a rich mix of projects, all imbued with his tailored style. A
charming designer, keen to work with clients with whom he has a rapport,
and now working internationally.
Contact Smithcreative, 15 St George’s Road, W4: 020-8747 3909; e-mail:
office@smithcreative.net; www.smithcreative.net
Ian Smith
Background Ian Smith has a background in art and structural
engineering. After training with Jimmy Thompson at A F
Drysdale, and becoming a director there, he launched his own six-strong
Edinburgh-based company in 2003. This year the company will launch a prod-
uct range, including upholstery, cabinetry, lighting and some bronze pieces.
Projects 2009 is set to be a busy year; commissions include the refurbishment
of the only large Italianate villa in the centre of Edinburgh, the interiors for a
new apartment designed by Norman Foster, and phase one of the refurbish-
ment of a nineteenth-century country house. The team is also refurbishing
Hamilton & Inches jewellers in Edinburgh with bespoke furniture and carpets,
and completing the design for Martin Wishart’s restaurant in Loch Lomond.
He says We alter and remodel architecture to create a classic, elegant interior,
always avoiding excess. We like to marry bespoke furnishings and art to create
our own timeless look.
We say This is a thriving, Edinburgh-based design practice, working on both
sensitive restorations and modern redesigns. The look is smart and a clean,
modern edge predominates.
Contact Ian Smith Design, 3–5 Learmonth Avenue, Edinburgh: 0131-332 2500;
e-mail: ian@iansmithdesign.com; www.iansmithdesign.com

Soane Britain (new entry)

Background Antiques dealer Christopher Hodsoll and designer
Lulu Lytle founded Soane Britain in 1997 to create architectur-
ally inspired bespoke furniture, lighting and artefacts. Previously, Lulu studied
Egyptology, while Christopher ran his own antiques shop in Pimlico Road.
Projects Lulu and Christopher work closely on selected interior-design projects.
Current commissions include the refurbishment of a family pied-à-terre in
Kensington, combining mainly new furniture with antique textiles and paintings.
They are also working on the renovation and redesign of an eighteenth-century
manor house in Oxfordshire, using a mix of antiques and new designs. A
European hotel and a modern London office are future projects.
They say Soane Britain’s decorating services grew out of a collection of light-
ing and architectural furniture. The mix of historical one-offs alongside
Soane designs is applied to our interior schemes. Scale is very bold: we
prefer monumental paintings and sculpture to numerous small objects.
We say The same rigorously pared-down, yet decorative aesthetic seen in
Soane’s furniture is repeated in Soane interiors. One of the coolest insider
design teams around; expert antiques advice guaranteed.
Contact Soane Britain, 50–52 Pimlico Road, SW1: 020-7730 6400; e-mail:
shop@soane.co.uk; www.soane.co.uk
Henrietta Spencer Churchill
Background Henrietta Spencer Churchill studied art history
and languages in Florence and Paris, then interior design at the
Inchbald School of Design. She formed Woodstock Designs in 1981, and has
a shop and office in Woodstock, and a studio in London. She lectures world-
wide, has written 10 books, and has her own fabric and wallpaper ranges.
Projects Work is in progress on a two-year renovation of a large house in
Mayfair, the renovation and furnishings of a home in Yorkshire, and the
architectural planning for a new-build apartment block in Panama. Henrietta
is also working on a new-build house in Dallas, Texas.
She says I don’t have a definitive style; I like to work with the style and period
of the house, while incorporating twenty-first-century technology, and work-
ing to my clients’ individual needs. As I often work abroad, I take inspiration
from local cultures and trends and, where possible, use local craftsmen.
We say Henrietta is in the classical mould, but with a refreshingly down-to-
earth approach to the demands of modern life, and a genuine desire to
create comfortable homes for her high-profile clients.
Contact Woodstock Designs, Unit 5, 50 Sulivan Road, SW6: 020-7731 8399;
and 7 High Street, Woodstock, Oxfordshire: 01993-811887; e-mail: london@
woodstockdesigns.com; www.spencerchurchilldesigns.com

John Stefanidis
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Maria Speake (new entry)
Background Maria Speake started Retrouvius with her hus-
band, Adam Hills, in 1993, while studying architecture at the
Glasgow School of Art. The business moved to London in 1997, where they
focus on salvaging architectural antiques. For her interior-design projects,
Maria is ‘passionate about layering salvage pieces in a modern, tactile way’.
Projects She is currently working on a Victorian family house in Notting Hill,
using reclaimed materials; a stable courtyard conversion in Hertfordshire,
restoring and converting a stable block on Green principles; a single-storey,
small barn conversion, also following Green ideas; the revamp of an art-deco
flat in W1; and the reconfiguring of a family house in Primrose Hill.
She says I love age, imperfection and asymmetry, and aspire to bring them
together to create balance and calm. None of my jobs looks the same as an-
other; I take clues from what already exists and try to create an environment
that is unique to them. I enjoy the ghosts of archaeology within buildings.
We say A creative designer, with a chameleon-like ability to generate an
intriguing new look for each client, and an infectious love of customising
reclaimed treasures. Deservedly popular.
Contact Retrouvius, 2a Ravensworth Road, Kensal Green, NW10: 020-8960
6060; e-mail: design@retrouvius.com; www.retrouvius.com

Background Alexandria-born John Stefanidis is a world-class

designer with an international clientele. He studied at Oxford
University, and established his interior-design and architecture practice in
Chelsea in 1967. Today, he runs a design team of 15, and specialises in the
architectural and interior design of residential properties and hotels.
Projects His recent projects include Le Richemond in Geneva, a Rocco Forte
hotel; two historic houses on the Bosphorus in Istanbul; apartments in
Athens and island villas in Greece; a ranch house and cabins in Colorado, US;
a mansion in Kuwait; town apartments and country houses in the UK; and
a grand private house in St Petersburg.
He says However many wands are waved, webs spun and money spent,
atmosphere depends on the people who live in a place. I have waged a life-
long campaign against ‘safe’ good taste, using vibrant colour wherever
possible. I love every shade of blue, as well as pink, grey, green and red.
We say One of the design greats, John creates impeccably detailed and styl-
ish interiors that are often richly coloured, and always elegant. His practice
will design a house from top to bottom, including bedlinen and tableware.
Contact John Stefanidis Design, Radstock House, 5 Eccleston Street, SW1: 020-
7808 4700; e-mail: enquiries@johnstefanidis.com; www.johnstefanidis.com
 T s
Studio OHM (new entry) Todhunter Earle
Background Studio OHM is a design practice set up by Emma Old- Background Emily Todhunter (top) studied at Bristol Univer-
ham, Louise Holt and Nia Morris in 2005. Nia (left), formerly a law- sity, before pursuing a career as a specialist painter and work-
yer, studied at the KLC School of Design; Emma (middle) trained in fashion design, ing in antique restoration. Kate Earle (below) went straight into
and was an art director and merchandiser; and Louise (right) worked in finance. a career in interior design. They forged a partnership in 1998,
Projects Current and recent projects include the refurbishment of a nine- and have a team of nine designers. They have launched super-
bedroom Victorian mansion and a family home in Hampstead, the redesign of successful fabric, lighting and furniture collections.
a five-storey Georgian family house in Maida Vale, the refurbishment of a Projects The team is currently working on a Grade I-listed Georgian house
sixteenth-century Gloucestershire country house, a pied-à-terre in Maryle- in the Scottish Borders, a three-year project in Egerton Crescent, and the
bone, and the interior design of a large new-build house in Hertfordshire. interior design for a ‘sensational’ 57.5-metre sailing yacht. Also on the go are
They say Our projects are diverse, but there is a common thread throughout: three new-build houses, in Courchevel, London and the Lake District.
energetic, confident, non-formulaic modern design. We have always paid close They say We favour a relaxed approach. We have the happiest atmosphere
attention to longevity, steering away from trends. Practicality and ergonomics in our studio, and the most wonderful team – we all enjoy the whole process.
are key ingredients. Every project is different and the look is about our clients, not about us.
We say A slick, creative design team, which thrives on sharing ideas and likes We say Kate and Emily imbue the design process with a sense of fun, but
to introduce the unexpected, from a bolt of bright colour to a twentieth-century at the same time design interiors laced with luxury, featuring a quietly
antique. These designers are resolutely keen to push the boundaries in order restrained, neutral palette. Elegance personified.
to challenge themselves and their clients. Contact Todhunter Earle, Chelsea Reach, 1st Floor, 79–89 Lots Road,
Contact Studio OHM, 1 Bentinck Street, W1: 020-7486 3050; e-mail: mail@ SW10: 020-7349 9999; e-mail: interiors@todhunterearle.com; www.
studioohm.com; www.studioohm.com todhunterearle.com

Thorp Design
Studio Reed Background Philippa Thorp set up her design company almost
Background Unusually for an interior designer, Jonathan 25 years ago, after studying textiles. The practice provides a
Reed studied physiology at King’s College, London, then comprehensive design service, including architecture, interior architecture,
pursued a career in fashion, working for Hackett and Ralph Lauren. In 1996 interior design, landscaping and project management. There is a team of

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he set up Studio Reed, an architectural and interior-design consultancy. He seven architects, two interior architects and six interior designers.
has a 30-strong team, which includes architects, interior designers, and Projects Current jobs include the knocking together of two apartments in
custom furnishing specialists. His high-profile clients have included David luxury development The Knightsbridge; the refurbishment of a large Geor-
and Iman Bowie, and Elle Macpherson. gian town house in Blackheath; the redesign and refurbishment of guest
Projects Studio Reed has recently completed the construction of the cottages at a Lutyens-style house; and the redesign and decoration of a
new royal palace for King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan. Among seventeenth-century rectory, to include a spa, cinema and games facilities.
his current projects are the construction of a new country house in Surrey She says We create bespoke environments tailored to clients’ wishes. We
and a beach house in Kuwait, as well as the refurbishment of an ancient design not only the house, but also the majority of the furniture and fittings.
farmhouse on the North Yorkshire moors, and a house in Notting Hill. We are driven by a relentless pursuit of perfection to produce new solutions
He says I aim to create very individual homes for people who appreciate my to design challenges, both aesthetically pleasing and practical.
signature melding of eclectic style with great quality and craftsmanship. We say Philippa is a tour de force, for whom efficiency and attention to detail
We say Jonathan has an unmistakable style: his interiors exude a quiet rank as highly as the design process itself. Her multidisciplinary company
sophistication, tailored and masculine, but with a bold use of decorative an- turns out cutting-edge modern and traditional styles with equal skill.
tiques. A favourite on both sides of the Atlantic, with a star-studded client list. Contact Thorp Design, 10 Peterborough Mews, SW6: 020-7731 6887; e-mail:
Contact Studio Reed, 151a Sydney Street, SW3: 020-7565 0066; e-mail: office@thorp.co.uk; www.thorp.co.uk
studio@studioreed.com

Taylor Howes Staffan Tollgard (new entry)

Background Gail Taylor and Karen Howes were already friends Background Swedish-born Staffan Tollgard worked briefly in the
when they co-founded their company in 1991. Karen (left) worked film industry, then graduated from the Inchbald School of Design
in property and art; Gail (right) was a kitchen designer. They work worldwide in 2004 with a postgraduate diploma in architectural interior design. He went
for private clients, property developers and hoteliers, with a design team of 20. on to work for Rabih Hage, and launched his own design company in 2005. He
Projects Their current projects range from a 1,000-square-metre house employs six Inchbald-trained designers to meet the growing needs of his
in the country, combining a Georgian, Grade II-listed building with a clients, and specialises in residential projects, at home and abroad.
modern extension, to working for a London client on an interior scheme to Projects Following a busy year in 2008, Staffan is now working on a
complement an important art collection. They have just completed the 1,100-square-metre new-build house south of London, a 1,400-square-metre
refurbishment of a stylish hotel in Ireland and a development in central new-build family home in the Algarve, a private members’ club outside London,
London, involving state-of-the-art computer design prior to construction. and several London-based, domestic renovation projects. He has recently
They say We have different approaches to design: Gail has an organic style, completed family homes in Notting Hill and Hampstead, as well as the refur-
Karen’s is more glamorous. We are passionate about detail, and use the best bishment of a Grade II-listed Arts and Crafts country house.
craftsmen to create high-quality furniture and fittings. Our schemes are He says My favourite interiors work as ‘living landscapes’ of functional art. I like
perfectly proportioned, beautifully tailored and harness the latest techno- to be concise, but bold: keeping things safe is rubbish.
logy, but you’ll always be able to kick off your shoes and enjoy them. We say A thoughtful designer, whose work is characterised by acres of bespoke
We say A dynamic design team with a complementary range of skills, whose storage space, a love of texture – and sometimes colour – and a boldness of
flawless, polished interiors are always tuned to the current design zeitgeist. scale. He has a passion for Seventies, retro-futuristic furniture.
Contact Taylor Howes Designs, 29 Fernshaw Road, SW10: 020-7349 9017; Contact Staffan Tollgard Design Group, Studio 22, Westbourne Studios, 242 Ack-
e-mail: admin@thdesigns.co.uk; www.thdesigns.co.uk lam Road, W10: 020-7575 3185; e-mail: info@tollgard.co.uk; www.tollgard.co.uk

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Rose Uniacke Grant White
Background Rose Uniacke studied philosophy at London Uni- Background South Africa-born Grant White describes himself as
versity, then trained in furniture restoration and gilding. She set ‘self-taught’. After studying business science at the University of
up her own restoration business and, after living in France for several years, Cape Town, he relocated to London and ran an antiques business in Chelsea for
returned to London and established her design practice. She opened her 10 years, then set up Grant White Design in 1999. He has a team of eight.
new Pimlico Road shop earlier this year, which houses her interior-design Projects Right now, Grant is working on a modernist glasshouse in Argentina,
studio, antiques, a collection of new furniture and her accessories range. an all-wood beach house in Uruguay, and a traditional shooting and polo estate
Projects Rose is currently in the middle of several London projects. One in Hampshire. He is designing a new-build hotel in Dubai – an integration of
house is to be very modern in style, while the other is much more classical, traditional Arabic design elements with modern design – as well as working on
incorporating antiques to create a richer mood. Her upcoming projects, one a house in Belgrave Square and a house in Mustique.
abroad and one in England, are currently under wraps. He says I am a maximalist. I love decoration and I am a chameleon – I like to
She says I am interested in creating calm, comfortable and stylish interiors work in different styles, depending on the client and the project. I enjoy the
– mixing classical and modern styles both in the context of the building and schizophrenic aesthetic of working on different projects at the same time, each
by means of furniture. one taking me in a fresh direction.
We say Rose has a cool, restrained style that is effortlessly chic and feminine, We say An enviably stylish globe-trotting designer who tackles international
while her favoured muted palette, with flashes of white, creates a subtle projects with poise, as happy to design a thoroughly English country house as
backdrop. A designer who believes in allowing houses to ‘breathe’ by not to conceive an uber-modern city apartment.
over-filling the spaces. Contact Grant White Design, One Parsons Green Depot, Parsons Green
Contact Rose Uniacke, 76–78 Pimlico Road, SW1: 020-7730 7050; e-mail: Lane, SW6: 020-7736 5858; grant@grantwhitedesign.com; www.grant
mail@roseuniacke.com; www.roseuniacke.com whitedesign.com

Christopher Vane Percy Serena Williams-Ellis (new entry)

Background Christopher Vane Percy served a six-year ap- Background Serena Williams-Ellis worked at Christie’s before
prenticeship in the decorating department at Asprey and went moving on to set up her own antiques business, supplying
on to launch his own company, CVP Designs, in 1971. He has a reputation for interior designers in New York. She opened an antiques shop in London, but

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exquisite work on important, historic buildings. As well as his close-knit team as more clients asked her advice on furnishing, she developed this service
of four, he draws on a much larger team with many types of expertise. into a full-time career. She has a team of three in Cumbria.
Projects Christopher has been commissioned to refurbish a Seventies, Projects Current projects include the interiors for a new-build riad outside
Denys Lasdun country house, which he decorated 20 years ago, and is re- Marrakesh, as well as overseeing furniture-making by local artisans, and the
designing a maisonette in Queen’s Gate. This year also sees the culmination renovation of a Grade II*-listed house, with state-of-the-art technology and
of a 12-year project, masterminding the total refurbishment of the Garrick design. Serena is also working on two new-build London mews houses, the
Club. He has just completed the redecoration and rebuilding of the Dock- refurbishment of a holiday home in Cornwall and the complete refurbish-
master’s House at St Katharine Docks. ment of a London family home.

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He says I continue to strive for perfection, but am my own worst critic: I have She says When it comes to design, less is more. I recommend keeping the
very exacting standards. My goal is to get the bones right; I always say that bones of a project timeless – rather like the classic little black dress – simple
a room should look fantastic even if it is painted white, with no furnishings. and well cut. Then I’ll accessorise with quirky and eclectic art and furniture.
If you get that right then the decoration is easy – the icing on the cake. We say Serena has a fresh, elegant touch, and stays true to her desire to
We say An A-list designer who is a master of grand English style, but with a create a simple backdrop for decorative furniture and accessories, with
refreshingly modern approach to design. specialist antiques knowledge.
Contact CVP Designs, The Old Dairy, 7 Hewer Street, W10: 020-8960 9026; Contact Serena Williams-Ellis, Lazonby Manor, Lazonby, Penrith, Cumbria:
e-mail: cvp@cvpdesigns.com; www.cvpdesigns.com 01768-898073; e-mail: serena@serenawe.co.uk; www.serenawe.co.uk

Piers Westenholz (new entry) Joanna Wood

Background Piers Westenholz has been described as ‘an Background Joanna Wood is internationally recognised as one
improver of English taste in the twentieth century’, and, of Britain’s leading interior designers. She established her
although best known for his antiques business, he also undertakes three to company over two decades ago, and offers a total design service, including
four decorating projects a year. He began decorating in the late Sixties with architecture and interior design. She has a design team of 15.
David Mlinaric, and has had several antiques shops, including one with David Projects Joanna’s current commissions include a house in Kensington,
Mlinaric and two with Robert Kime. His current shop, specialising in antique which has been gutted and fitted with new, modern interiors, including a dou-
decorative furniture and lighting, is on the Pimlico Road. ble basement and swimming pool. She is also working on a cutting-edge
Projects Piers is working on a manor house in the country, an apartment in bachelor pad, a shooting lodge in Scotland, the interior of an aeroplane, and
Paris, and an important, large, eighteenth-century house in Scotland, among the restoration of a 5,500-square-metre, Grade I-listed house in London.
others. He has worked on a great many houses and apartments, including She says I always insist on working closely with my clients, spending time
Wilton House, Madresfield Court, The Pavilion at Eythrope, Tyringham, and with them, understanding what they love and hate. My design style is very
Whittington, as well as houses in Russia, South Africa and France. much led by my clients’ personalities, so it is constantly evolving. We respect
He says While I am working with a client it is very much in the forefront of my both the style of the architecture of the property and its environment,
mind that it is their house, which they are going to live in. I therefore aim to creating elegant rooms that combine modern and traditional styling.
provide simplicity and comfort. We say Joanna’s well-trained team can deliver modern Asian, sleek city-style
We say A discreet decorator with a wealth of experience and an encyclopedic or pretty country-house decoration with equal talent, and the company man-
knowledge of antiques, who respects his client’s privacy and comfort. tra is never to compromise on comfort. One of the big players in the industry.
Contact Westenholz Antiques, 80–82 Pimlico Road, SW1: 020-7824 8090; Contact Joanna Wood, Joanna Trading, 7 Bunhouse Place, SW1: 020-7730
e-mail: shop@westenholz.co.uk; www.westenholz.co.uk 0693; www.joannatrading.co.uk

house & garden 2009 2009 house & garden

wZ Melissa Wyndham
Background Melissa Wyndham has run her design practice for
over 25 years. She has discreetly worked her way through a
vast array of interiors, from the refurbishment of one of the UK’s grandest
private houses to a Sixties London office. She has designed a range of fabrics
for G P and J Baker, with strong colours, and geometric prints and weaves.
Projects Melissa and her team are working on the decoration of a newly built
chalet in Verbier; the refurbishment of a separate tower at Leeds Castle to
complement a twentieth-century French interior by Stéphane Boudin,
which will be used for private parties; and the restoration of a large house in
St John’s Wood.
She says Timelessness and comfort are two qualities that I always strive for
in any interior, as well as absolute attention to detail. I like to let the architec-
ture of a house speak for itself and mix furniture from different periods to
create a sophisticated and interesting, yet calm space.
We say An established designer, with an innate understanding of twentieth-
century art and furniture. Even her most classical interiors are spiced with an
unusual twist; she has gained a reputation for being quietly unconventional.
Contact Melissa Wyndham, 6 Sydney Street, SW3: 020-7352 2874; e-mail:
info@melissawyndham.com; www.melissawyndham.com

Hubert Zandberg
Background Hubert Zandberg studied law and business man-
agement in his native South Africa, but was soon attracted to
design. He moved to London and worked at Heal’s, then joined Champion
Zandberg, where he later became creative director. He set up his company in
2003, and now runs a team of 10 designers and design administrators.
Projects Hubert is currently working on the restoration of an eighteenth-
century chateau, updating the historic layout, and mixing modern furniture
with original features. Other projects include a new-build villa in Beirut,
mixing restrained opulence with historic oriental references; the design and
furnishing of a villa in Moscow; and several hotel apartments in Paris.
He says HZI’s design language is driven by a clear interpretation of our cli-
ents’ lifestyle, practical and stylistic needs, underpinned by an architectural
and classical framework. We create richly layered interiors that mix styles
and cultures, high and low art, elegance and edginess, seriousness and wit.
We say Hubert has a confident, broad vision, which draws on a variety of
influences and unexpected visual cues. He fosters a close relationship with
his clients, believing the design process is a journey for both.
Contact Hubert Zandberg Interiors, Studio 106, Network Hub, 300 Kensal
Road, W10; 020-8962 2776; e-mail: info@hzinteriors.com

Photographs Lucas Allen | Ben Anders |James Balston | Robert Barber | Nic Barlow | Adam Beaumont-Brown | Tim Beddow | Neil Blake | Richard Booth
James Brittain | Simon Brown | Hugo Burnand | Alun Callender | Carlos Dominguez | Dan Duchars | Marina Faust | Chris Gascoigne | Gary Hammil
John Hammond | David Harrison | Nicholas Harvey | Ken Hayden | Winfried Heinze | Edward Hill | Hayley Lehmann | Mark Luscombe-Whyte
James MacDonald | Ray Main | Paul Massey | James McDonald | Jane Mcleish Kelsey | James Mortimer | Oliver Pilcher | Jonathan Pilkington | Ed Reeve
Damian Russell | Seamus Ryan | Rachael Smith | Studio Time Photography | Andrew Twort | Simon Upton | Edina Van Der Wyck | Andreas Von Einsiedel
Philip Vile | Richard Waite | Henry Wilson | Mel Yates m

house & garden 2009