In conversation with Ashton Holmes, Mix 30 under 30 Designer.
You were recognised in Mix Interiors’ 30 under 30 Class of 2023, that celebrates trailblazers in commercial interior design – Congratulations! What’s happened since July?
Thanks! I initially celebrated my inclusion in Mix Interiors' 30 under 30 Class of 2023 with friends and family. This achievement marked a significant milestone for me, ticking off an item from my professional bucket list.
Mix Interiors organised an event to celebrate the new cohort, where I was joined by colleagues in Peldon Rose’s SME team. It was great to meet some of the team from Mix Interiors, who then invited me to participate in a roundtable discussion a few weeks later, held at Amtico Flooring’s Waterloo showroom. We discussed how the designers of the future can leave a positive impact on the discipline, as well as a lasting impression. It provided a platform for engaging conversations with other designers from diverse backgrounds, both in traditional construction and design and build, and was an insightful experience to observe and discuss how individual design journeys influence perspectives on various themes and topics.
Where did your design journey start? Have you always pursued interior design?
My passion for design came from my mum. She is crazy creative and can put her mind to anything; she taught me how to sew and how to sketch. My mum’s artistic nature steered me down the path of creativity and design.
When I left secondary school, I studied graphic design at A-level. An interior project came up during this time to design a nightclub, and whilst working on it, I fell in love with interior design. I then furthered my education by studying for BTEC in Design, which covered architecture, furniture, interior and product design. That turning point in my studies is what gave me the final push into interior design.
Where do you take design inspiration from?
Honestly, anything and everything. Art, in all its forms, serves as a powerful muse, like Daniel Arsham and his Relics of the Landscape exhibition or textile designers like Lucienne Day. I find insight and ideas in other industries too, like fashion. There are parallels that we can draw between the design of fashion and architecture. One can often orchestrate the other, as demonstrated in Somerset House’s Skin + Bones exhibition, which draws on the dynamic relationship between the two industries, offering a unique perspective on how design principles can seamlessly transcend disciplinary boundaries. I aim to infuse my work with a depth and vibrancy that translate as designs that resonate on multiple levels and engage the senses in unexpected ways.
How do you keep your designs relevant and modern, but ones that will also stand the test of time?
I think an ageless design blends elements of past, present and future to create a rich, familiar, but contemporary scheme. While trends are considered beautiful in their moment, they are also fleeting. I like to steer clear of the temporary and focus on creating my own design language that I hope I can revisit in 10 years’ time and think, “This could have been designed today.”
