Interview
Sophie Ashby has turned inward for her WOW!house scheme this year – we spoke with her about designing for feeling and fostering connection in a space
FEATURE ELLEN FINCH
In its first few years, WOW!house at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour has made quite a splash. Names including Maddux Creative, Natalia Miyar, Clare Gaskin and Tala Fustok have turned their hand to creating schemes –and this year, it’s over to anew cohort, including Sophie Ashby, who has designed her Sitting Room in collaboration with United in Design.
What do you think we’re going to see from the designs at this year’s WOW!house? Ihave absolutely no idea –and I think that is what’s exciting about it. You don’t have aclient, so there are very few constraints. In the first few years, I’ve been amazed at how each room feels utterly different to the next, so I hope we are able to produce something that feels distinct and original, too.
How do you decide what to create with such an open brief? Our sitting room is inspired by a Sunday afternoon with my family and what we might get up to. I hope it feels relaxing, friendly, soulful and artful. We’re using lots of natural materials – wool, silk, mohair and oak – and a few we’ve been wanting to try but haven’t had the right project, including cork for the flooring.
Feeling and connection seem to be at the centre of your concept – is that how you approach all of your projects? I think that’s where it should start. When we’re getting to know a client, we take a deep dive into how they live and what’s important to them. Are they formal or rela xed? W hat is the room’s purpose and who’s going to be hanging out in there? How do they feel about materials that age versus those that remain pristine? We have ways of understanding who we’re working for, and that is all abo
