The way designers create and sell their work is changing. Just look at these three industry titans for proof: Fred Rigby envisages his premises as a gathering place for him and his talented friends, while Yinka Ilori has designed his showroom to reflect his values, filling it with colour and a sense of empowerment and joy. Sophie Ashby, meanwhile, has displayed her label's furniture and homeware in her new digs. Read on to delve into the spaces behind these top designers and their creations...
Climb the stairs to the sun-filled first floor of Fred Rigby's new studio space and you'd be forgiven for thinking you'd walked into a well-appointed loft apartment. 'Having done lots of research and seen plenty of showrooms, I really wanted to create a home-from-home feeling,' says Rigby. 'People can touch and sit on the furniture, which is something we've not had before, so we wanted to curate the perfect environment for it to live in.'
After graduating from Kingston University 15 years ago, Rigby immediately moved to Hackney, and it's in London Fields where the two-storey Victorian property that now houses his furniture and interior-design practice is located. Once a cabinetmakers' workshop, more recently it was home to contemporary pottery studio Kana London and independent home-fragrance brand Earl of East. 'I knew them and when their lease was coming to an end, they very kindly gave me a call,' explains Rigby.
'Property like this just doesn't come up in Hackney anymore, and to find a standalone building is almost unheard of. When I took it on, there was lots of metalwork and plywood, but I wanted to create something more in keeping with the building's heritage. So we used a lot of tongue-and-groove panelling and I bought some beautiful old Victorian doors on eBay that have now been put in place. We also worked with Nordic Knots for the rugs, then Cassandra [Ellis], the founder of Atelier Ellis, really understood where I was trying to take it, so we've used some of her incredible paints which fit the brief.'
The result is a sophisticated, relaxing space that Rigby has filled with books and pieces from his own collection as well as from a host of considered brands, all of which are available to buy. 'We've partnered with lots of galleries over the years, including Francis Gallery in Bath, Cadogan Gallery, Flow Gallery and MAH [Modern Art Hire], and fortunately we often become friends, so it's been great to pull some of their pieces together here.'
'Downstairs is our design studio and workshop where we sketch, develop, prototype and make a lot of our own products, but upstairs is also somewhere we can get away from the computer screens, invite clients in, pull books from the library, be creative and just throw ideas around.'
In the future, the plan is to host events, from talks with talented designers to DIY workshops and, to coincide with the opening, the studio is also launching its very first homeware collection, which includes vases, lights and mirrors. 'Whether its galleries, restaurants, winemakers or whoever, I really want to get people through the doors and build a sense of community,' says Rigby. 'It will be an ever-evolving space that will enable us to welcome more people into our world.' fredrigbystudio.com
'What I love about the studio is that sometimes, when people come in, they forget to say hello,' says Yinka Ilori. 'They're so surprised they even stop breathing for a moment, because they're just looking around going, "Wow"'. It's a statement as bold as the colours that flood the British-Nigerian designer's new premises, but one that makes sense when you learn that visitors step into this rainbow-drenched space directly from an industrial estate in Acton. 'I've been in Acton for two or three years, but my studio grew, so I've moved up the road. Originally, it was just a white box with exposed brickwork and steel beams, but now it's really vibrant and high-energy. We're surrounded by mechanics and metal and glass workshops, but I love the brutal architecture and the rawness of the area.'
Designed during lockdown, almost entirely over Zoom, the project is a collaboration with the architect Sam Jacob of his eponymous studio, whose work spans disciplines from urban design through architecture, art and curatorial projects. 'I put out a brief to a number of architects I admired,' explains Ilori. 'Sam's proposal was incredibly exciting, and the one closest to what I felt would work with our studio aesthetic. I wanted to create a dreamlike, Alice in Wonderland environment that takes you away from the chaos of the outside world and into mine. We use a lot of pink, but there's also orange, red, blue, green and a mustard floor, so every pocket has been filled with colour.'
Dynamic, layered and multifunctional, the zoned volume includes workstations and Ilori's office, as well as an all-important communal area that, following two years of working from home, is central to the ethos of the design. 'There's a huge table where we discuss project ideas,' he says. 'I'm also a big believer in eating together, so we come down at breakfast or lunchtime, chat, laugh and have food. It's quite a small team, but we're really open and that's the vibe we want to create. A place where everyone is equal and there's no hierarchy.'
Also key is exhibition space, and on display are pieces from many of Ilori's previous projects, including a wall of upcycled chairs from his 2015 'If Chairs Could Talk' exhibition, as well as washing machines from last year's 'Launderette of Dreams' installation in collaboration with Lego. 'One of the main aims was to create a showcase of archive work,' he says. 'Everyone wanted to visit, but the previous space was small. Now, people can come for a tour and be inspired. My work is very much about empowerment, community and joy, so if I'm promoting these values, I want to live them as well. For me, it's important that it's actually my reality.' yinkailori.com
With its soaring, six-metre-high ceilings and an abundance of original details including panelling, plasterwork and Corinthian-style columns, the property that Studio Ashby now calls home is something of an architectural gem. 'There are windows on all four sides so light comes in from every angle, and there's a fireplace and a very old clock above the front door,' enthuses the founder and creative director Sophie Ashby. 'It's the most elegant space you could dream of. In the same way a gallery allows everything to have its moment, with the light and the height here, everything looks good. It all feels more exciting because it's such a beautiful place.'
Originally built in 1709, the Grade I-listed building, just a stone's throw from London's St James's Park, was once home to a school for the underprivileged, known as The Blewcoat School. Years later, it was bought by the National Trust, who transformed it into a gift shop, and although still owned by the charity, it then became a bridal boutique before being adopted by Studio Ashby, whose 16-strong team recently moved here from a shared workspace in west London.
'I wanted that own-front-door feeling, somewhere we could really make ours, and for it to be a little bit experimental and bold,' says Ashby. 'I worked on it at the same time as my house, so they have quite a lot in common, and hopefully it feels really personal, like someone is coming into our home. I'd also like for it to grow and not be static. My wish is to keep it fresh and inspiring, but we have to figure out how to do that without being wasteful or doing things just for the sake of it.'
On display at the by-appointment premises, which is also a shoppable destination for clients and customers alike, is a combination of made-to-order furniture as well the studio's 'Sister' range of homewares and antiques, plus additional pieces by selected designers and brands. These include Dirk van der Kooij, the designer of the colourful 'Meltingpot' table, and Danish brand Menu.
'We've launched with an exhibition of work by Erin and Mia Chaplin, who are both incredible painters from Cape Town,' explains Sophie. 'The art will be ever-changing and we're planning on inviting curators and doing biannual residencies. It's also such a great space to hosts events and we have a little bit of outdoor space too, which is such a treat in central London, so it feels like the opportunities are endless. I'm really attracted to the idea of growing a community, and location-wise we are in a part of London where there's lots of design going on. It's a real step change for me from running an interior-design studio to having this very different style of business. This is a blank canvas for so many creative things, and it's really, really exciting.' studioashby.com