Spear’s Review

One of the shining stars in London’s interior design scene, Sophie Ashby combines contemporary taste with a clever understanding of tradition, helping her occupy a unique space within the industry.

From a studio in a Grade I-listed former school in St James’s Park, Studio Ashby takes on a range of commissions, from Belgravia apartments and a Mayfair pied-à-terre to a colourful Brighton beach house and a home in Paris’s Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighbourhood. A Cape Town office was opened in early 2026; Ashby spent part of her childhood in South Africa and has seen a steady flow of work in the country.

While clients typically come to Ashby for her keen understanding of art and colour, the designer emphasises that she is always happy to adapt to a client’s tastes, including making a house practical for families.

‘I have kids, and I think people really want their designer to know what that means and what is needed for children,’ she tells Spear’s.