DE S IGN CENTRE
ATELIER COMO
After both working together at Studioilse, Sheila Cortale and Inés Moyes Li-Wearing joined forces to launch their London-based studio in 2021. Along with a small team, they create characterful, intuitive spaces that are deeply respectful of the architecture that plays host to them.
What projects are you working on at the moment? A chalet in Verbier, a mews house in Holland Park and a Grade II-listed Georgian villa in Blackheath. We’ve also just completed an exhibition design with Nottingham Contemporary, for its current show Your Ears Later Will Know To Listen.
What’s the thread that runs through every scheme, regardless of the aesthetic? We both have backgrounds in architecture – Sheila studied at the Royal College of Art and Inés at Cambridge. Our response to each project is deeply rooted in the architectural expression of a place, the flow and use, and ultimately how it makes people feel – not just the look.
What one thing do your projects always include? Moments of joy. We love it when a group of materials come together to great effect – it’s a sort of alchemy.
Is there any business advice you wish you’d known when you started out? Clients come to you for your expertise, knowledge and experience. It’s important to speak up and trust yourself!
What’s your latest discovery at the Design Centre? The Specified, a carefully curated selection of everything from rugs to hardware, is a huge source of inspiration and a great introduction to contemporary Australian design.
ATELIER AKUKO
Founded by Judith Achumba-Wöllenstein, this Brighton- based multidisciplinary design studio began life in 2020 as a blog that explored the psychology of interiors. Working solo, Judith now has a number of design projects under her belt, including houses in London and on the south coast.
Describe your style in three words. Playful, sculptural and artistic. (And if I can sneak in a fourth: personal.)
Do you have a specific starting point for a project? Here comes the unglamorous truth: I always start with function. If your space doesn’t work for your life, it’s just expensive frustration dressed in nice fabrics. I’m obsessed with creating layouts that empower my client’s day-to-day life.
What one thing do your projects always include? A piece of sculptural furniture – often a cheeky chair or a characterful storage unit. Something that winks at you from across the room.
Is there any business advice you wish you’d known when you started out? Invest in yourself before you think you’re ‘ready’. I thought I had to hit a certain level of success before I was allowed to hire help or work with a coach. The truth is: the most successful people don’t do it alone. They know support is not a luxury – it’s the strategy.
What’s your latest discovery at the Design Centre? ‘Modern Muse’ wallcovering by Phillip Jeffries – a sculptural design made from slices of oak and paulownia wood. I spotted it in the Study at WOW!house 2025, designed by Staffan Tollgård, and was instantly smitten.
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