THE JOURNAL
AMANDA POWELL DESIGN
In her youth, New York-based Amanda Powell attended the Washington School of Ballet, before working in finance; she then retrained as a designer and set up her practice in 2020. A regular visitor to the Design Centre’s events, including WOW!house, she is currently working on a Greenwich Village townhouse and an 18th-century house in Connecticut.
What’s the thread that runs through every scheme, regardless of the aesthetic? I think, because I grew up as a dancer, there's a bit of stagecraft. I sometimes think of my work like different styles of ballet: I love the classical as much as the stripped-down modern.
Do you have a specific starting point for a project? The first few meetings are like a first date, getting to know the property and understanding a client’s practical needs. But it’s also what inspires them personally – their favourite hotel, or where they love to travel.
Is there any business advice you wish you’d known when you’d started out? People can fall at the first hurdle because they might be very creative but don’t know to balance a book or do a spreadsheet.
Describe your style in three words Colourful, thoughtful and distinctive.
What’s your latest discovery at the Design Centre? Watts 1874 is usually the first showroom I pop into, I always enjoying seeing Fiona and Sagal there. They have a new printed cork wallcovering that looks like aged leather panels.
ATELIER JANAYE
Bee Janaye runs this interiors and architectural design studio based in Wimbledon, leading a team of four. She aims to challenge the definition of luxury with joy, playfulness and personality.
What inspires you? I’m inspired and driven by people and their joy. I’m fascinated by neuroaesthetics, which explore how we think, interact with our spaces and contemplate art. I love weaving my clients’ culture, experiences and personalities into the spaces we create.
What projects are you working on at the moment? A townhouse filled with colour and vibrancy and an eclectic apartment, both in south London, plus two family homes north of the river.
Is there any business advice you wish you’d known when you started out? A client-designer relationship has to be the perfect match for a space to reach its potential.
What are the details that matter the most to you in your work? Each room needs to have its “moment”. It can be a tiny intentional handcrafted detail, a pendant placement that captures your attention or a statement artwork that draws on memories for the client. Something that you remember when you leave.
Describe your style in three words Eclectic, authentic, playful.
What’s your latest discovery at the Design Centre? The recent Eva Sonaike x Robert Langford collaboration collection. I adore Eva’s beautiful textiles and I love the play between African design and British craftsmanship.
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