Rising Stars in Interior Design: How They Grew Their Studios in 2024

The world of interior design can be a fickle one. For smaller studios, success can feel rare, and is increasingly ephemeral as the market continues to globalise and saturate. With the rise of Instagram-designers, a palpable ‘DIY’ attitude amongst Millenials and Gen Z-ers, and the issue of affordability in the interior design sector, building a successful studio means cutting through lots of (very loud) noise.

So, this week, we wanted to share a picture of what success has looked like for three rising stars, each of whom experienced drastic growth in 2024. Collectively, they have overcome challenges, refined their creative processes, and scaled their businesses by drawing down on innovation, adaptability and downright tenacity. We spoke to Alex Labridis, Founder and Managing Director of OWN LONDON, Carina Harford, founder of Harford House, and Rebecca Winter, Managing Director of Rebecca Winter Design, to hear their stories, insights, and lessons learned.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

“I was inspired by the realisation that, while many homes and designs looked pleasant, they often lacked individuality and failed to stand out,” says Alex Labridis, a Chartered Civil Engineer and Surveyor. With this observation in mind, Labridis founded OWN LONDON, the London-based architecture and luxury interior design firm “to create designs that truly excite and capture attention.” But how to do this? How to make a genuine impact on what he saw as a rather stagnant and tired picture of interior deisgn in the UK? Labridis decided to prioritise hiring a team from diverse backgrounds and experiences, enabling the studio to, “collaboratively craft bold, innovative designs.”

The result is a multifaceted, multicultural team of over 60 RIBA architects, BIID interior and spatial designers, chartered engineers, craftspeople, traders and property managers responsible for a 30-strong portfolio of prime central London and international projects.

However, one of the critical challenges Labridis faced in assembling a diverse team was aligning their creative energies. “Designers often have unique perspectives, and getting them to work collectively toward a unified vision requires careful coordination,” he says. “At the same time, it’s essential to allow each designer the freedom to express their creativity, as this is key to realizing the full potential of their ideas.”

Another key to OWN LONDON’s growth has been painstaking attention to detail. “Thorough research into materials, suppliers, and finishes ensures not only the aesthetic appeal of a design but also its practicality for everyday living,” Alex says, adding, “it’s a complex process, but it’s also what drives the success of our studio.”

Reaching Beyond the Followers

For Carina Harford, founder of Harford House, growth has been driven by refining internal systems, embracing sustainability, and getting stuck in on social media. “Formalising my internal processes has been essential,” she says. “I’ve tried hard to define the stages of design both for myself and for my clients. I now have a structure based on the RIBA stages that helps maintain clarity throughout the project.”

Harford’s commitment to sustainability has also set her apart from the crowd of rising star interior designers. “My first major start-to-finish gut renovation project was highly sustainable. Almost all the furniture, rugs, and paintings were vintage or antique, and many fabrics were deadstock or print seconds. The majority of the paint I specify is mineral and plant-based,” she says. “It is wonderful to have clients who want to work like this.”

Social media has also been a game-changer for Harford, who has built her career on Instagram with engaging content showing behind-the-scenes process, inspiration pictures, and useful interior design hacks. “Instagram has been a brilliant, free platform for attracting clients and building my reputation,” she says.

Harford’s online presence is approachable and familiar, which she believes cultivates trust and candour with clients. “When clients come to me, they often will have followed my social media for a while, developed an understanding of my style and approach and then chosen to work with me specifically,” she says. “I’m also planning to get into TikTok this year, which previously I’ve been reticent to do, but I’m going to gird my loins and get on with it!”

Hire Power

Rebecca Winter Design has grown from one to seven employees in just a few months, and is a success story in the making for its founder, Winter herself. She attributes her ability to sustainably grow the company to the implementation of a strategic hiring process. “Meeting inspirational clients who turned into mentors was pivotal. One of them helped me overcome the fear of recruiting, and is now one of our investors.”

However, Winter believes it’s a challenging time for recruitment, and is keenly aware of the challenges of managing demand and scaling a small, fast-growing business. “Preempting demand is tough,” she says. “Recruitment has been a challenge, but I’m lucky that as a collective, we gel really well.”

A flagship project, Parsonage, marked a turning point for Winter’s studio and this collective skillset. “It’s a showcase of our capabilities, designed from the ground up with just a little guidance from the client,” she explains. “It was an incredible opportunity to demonstrate our strengths and grow as a business.”

The studio’s marketing strategy has also evolved significantly. “Before September, I was doing all the marketing myself. Now, with a dedicated marketing hire, Rachael, we’ve tackled everything from Google ads to PR and public speaking. It’s made a huge difference.”

Rising Stars in Interior Design: How They Grew Their Studios in 2024

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Reaching Beyond the Followers

Hire Power

Anya Cooklin-Lofting

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