A highlight for our Next in Design 2025 winner, Amy Stoddart, since founding her studio five years ago was securing her largest commission to date – an 18,000-square-foot home in the Hertfordshire countryside, a place where she could really flex her creative muscles. ‘I like to balance heritage influences with a modern way of living, and I’m drawn to rich textures and modern materials,’ she says. ‘The aim is always to create spaces that feel grounded and lived-in – designs that are quietly elevated but never overly polished.’
That sensibility is on display in a recent project called Bow House. ‘We used a limewash across several rooms, applied by a brilliant artisan whose work brought so much texture and depth to the walls,’ Amy says. ‘It created a soft, atmospheric quality – it’s those subtle, imperfect finishes that really bring a room to life.’
With a background in furniture design, Amy’s understanding of how to pull rooms together, combined with her knowledge of bespoke millwork and spatial planning, forms a highly covetable skill set, and clients get to work closely with her. ‘It’s currently just me at the helm,’ Amy says. ‘I deliberately keep the practice small so I can stay close to the details and ensure a thoughtful, hands-on design process from start to finish. There’s something incredibly fulfilling about creating spaces that feel lasting and meaningful.’
3 Key Design Rules with Amy Stoddart Studio
1. Always Start with a Strong Concept
For me, it’s crucial to start with a strong concept so you have a clear brief and outline from the outset. This is something I constantly refer back to throughout the design process – it becomes a clear anchor. From there, I always start with the hard finishes. Essentially, if you were to tip a house upside down, everything that stays in place – tiles, bathrooms, kitchens, joinery – comes first. Once those foundations are in place, you can start layering in richer elements like window treatments, soft furnishings, cushions, and rugs. For me, working in these stages is so important, and I think it really helps create a cohesive, richly layered interior.
2. Embrace Natural Materials
Natural materials bring warmth, depth, and authenticity to a space. If you know me well, you’ll know I absolutely love marble. My partner recently joked that if we were to renovate again, the entire house would be filled with marble – which is absolutely true. Whether it’s stone, timber, lime plaster, or wool, these materials add texture and character while also being a more sustainable choice. They ground a space and give it that lived-in, homey feeling we all crave.
3. Don’t Design for Trends
Be mindful not to simply follow what’s ‘in’ right now – trends move quickly, and interiors are a long-term investment. Instead, focus on what you’re genuinely drawn to – colors, materials, and spaces that resonate with you. When you layer pieces you truly love, the result feels more timeless, personal, and considered. There’s a quote by William Morris that I absolutely love – ‘Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.’ It sums it up perfectly. The feeling I want my clients to have when they walk into a space is one of pure joy and happiness – that sense of truly coming home. I also want them to feel the space reflects who they are and feels authentic to them. That’s when I feel we’ve really done our job.
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