REFLECTING ON THE PAST YEAR |
As the year draws to a close I like to reflect on the journey my Design Studio and I have been through together. 2024 has been incredibly exciting, with projects completed around the world that have stretched us to achieve more than we ever knew we could. Thank you to my wonderful clients, suppliers and team for always believing in my vision and supporting us, together we have achieved so much across the world. Personal highlights from 2024 include partnering with McKinnon and Harris at WOW!House, being a key note speaker at both the Global Hospitality Talk in Riyadh and FOCUS, Country & Town House including me as one of their Top 50 Finest Designers and seeing our Chateau project so beautifully captured in AD France. I hope you enjoy reading a little more about my favourite moments from the past year, as you can see it really has been a busy one! 2025 is already shaping up to be an exciting twelve months with new projects on the horizon, fresh collaborations in discussion, and designs for residences underway in Paris, Mallorca, Dubai, Doha, Bermuda, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Aspen, Palm Beach and Texas as well as numerous projects across the British Isles including a Penthouse at the newly developed Chelsea Barracks. I hope you all have a peaceful Christmas with loved ones, and I look forward to sharing more of our journey in the New Year. |
EXTENDING OUR REACH
US Beaux-Arts Family Home |
We continue with the design of a beautiful Beau-Arts private residence in the United States. The 150,000 sq ft project involves significant building and landscaping works with complete furnishing of the new interior including detailed timber paneling, marble and parquet floors and bronzed metal fittings. The interiors will blend the architectural signature of the building with the clients desire for a fresh and contemporary family home. Details include an Art Deco bar for entertaining guests and roof cuplola affording breath-taking 360 degree views over the private grounds. |
Private Residence Paris |
In 2025 Katharine Pooley will complete a 3,200 sq ft private residence in Paris for a returning client and their young family. This full renovation includes specialist joinery, wall panelling, parquet flooring and all furniture, fittings and artwork. The classically detailed backdrop will be elegantly juxtaposed with contemporary linear furnishings, including a bespoke chandelier in the form of a ribbon, crafted with aerated crystal droplets in the living room, and blue silk hand-embroidered wallpaper across the formal dining room. |
Mallorca Modern Getaway |
Katharine Pooley will unveil a stunning home on the idyllic island of Mallorca, Spain in early next year. This modern retreat, with subtle nods to the timeless charm of Finca-style architecture, is nestled amidst lush pine forests and overlooks the island’s crystal clear turquoise waters. Guided by the client brief, ‘the house, the walls, the light, the nature all need to speak,’ every detail has been carefully considered to create harmony between functionality and the natural environment, allowing the home to flow seamlessly with its surroundings. |
Aspen Mountain Retreat |
This coming summer we look forward to completing a 3,307 sq ft private residence in Aspen, Colorado for a lovely client and their family. This renovation includes a full refurbishment where the Katharine Pooley Studio is undertaking the interior design, with all furniture, fittings and lighting carefully curated by the team. Nestled within the Aspen Mountain ranges, the design is inspired by the natural hues, accentuated by every window vista. |
Holland Park Townhouse |
Due for completion in the coming Spring, the team is working on the full renovation of a stunning 5,500 sq ft townhouse in the heart of Holland Park. The property is split across four storeys, featuring an entrance hall with beautiful Georgian proportions. In the basement, the spa area will feature a fully equipped gym, sauna, and a 37ft pool. The design throughout has been carefully curated to suit a young couple’s eclectic taste and includes a range of bespoke furniture pieces layered with warm timber tones and striking marble sourced from Italy. |
Hong Kong Private Residence |
In early 2025 Katharine Pooley is very excited to complete a 10,000 sq ft home in the bustling city of Hong Kong. In a highly-sought after neighbourhood with prime views, it is one of the biggest private residences in the city. We were honoured when this return client trusted us to design the primary residence for their young family. The project includes incredible specialist joinery, entirely bespoke furniture including gallery pieces, lighting, home accessories and artwork. A beautifully detailed interior exudes warmth and comfort through the array of textures and natural materials used throughout. |
Kuwait Family Home |
After a four year timeline we are thrilled to complete the final stages of a magnificent 30,000 sq ft family home. Designing this dreamy abode from the ground up has been an incredibly rewarding process thus far and we are excited to see it realised. Contemporary in nature, the design details in this project are exquisite. We commissioned some of our best and most trusted suppliers, craftspeople and artisanal specialists to create spectacular, unique pieces and finishes, with bespoke adornments found throughout each room. |
Bermuda Waterfront Residence |
Positioned within a luxurious waterfront resort, this Hamptons-inspired residence boasts wrap around porches and uninterrupted sea views. The Katharine Pooley team is crafting a sympathetic design to compliment the colonial-italianate blend of the original structure. The design aims to create a seamless flow from indoor to out, with generous proportions for alfresco entertaining. A mix of coastal tones in varying blues and natural textures reflect the natural beauty of its location and provide harmony across the interiors. |
Doha Estate |
Our architects, interior architects and interior designers are crafting a grand palatial residence for a private client in Doha. Though based in the Middle East, the design will be an incredible homage to European craftsmanship with impressive and ornate architectural details complimented with layering colourful, contemporary fabrics. This generously sized property is designed around a central water feature which gives it the air of a tranquil oasis. This is embraced in the design with grasscloth wallpapers and palm tree plaster mouldings in shared spaces. A truly special property, the architectural detail of this home has influenced its beautiful interiors to craft a harmonious balance. |
Sardinia Coastal Retreat |
This summer we will complete a 50,000 sq ft architecturally groundbreaking villa in Sardinia. Set within two acres of lush coastal gardens, the interior design is inspired by the surrounding landscape, including elements of sand, sea and the raw beauty of nature. With its secluded beaches, breathtaking cliffs and nestled along the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean Sea, this project offers an idyllic escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Embracing raw textures and natural tones, complemented by vibrant pops of colour and ethereal fabrics, the team is crafting a unique, intimate space that beautifully weaves tranquillity and heritage. |
CELEBRATING OUR COMMUNITY
Katharine took part in a very exciting expert panel for London Design Week 2024. The talk included renowned Landscape Architects Janice Parker and Randle Siddeley and was hosted by Noni Ware. We explored ‘Extraordinary Homes and Gardens Around the World,’ to a full-house at the Chelsea Harbour Design Centre on the afternoon of March 11. As we discussed ‘Coastal Homes,’ ‘Countryside Estates,’ and ‘Urban City Living’ amongst a sea of spring tulips, my contemporaries and I shared insights into the most breathtaking projects we have worked on, through a visual presentation – some of which had never been shown to the public before! |
Berry Bros. & Rudd Podcast + more |
This year was extremely busy on the press and media front as Katharine was interviewed across multiple mediums including podcasts and video interviews. A highlight was to sit down in the iconic Berry Bros. & Rudd cellar with Master of Wine, Barbara Drew. It was lovely to discuss the creative inspiration of travelling, my love of cooking and collection of recipes, and the artistry of wine, wine bottles and labels. With four podcasts in total covering property, entrepreneurship and academic industries, and five video interviews it certainly has been a year for growing and nurturing connections. |
WOW!House This past year the Katharine Pooley design studio was proud to be invited to collaborate with McKinnon and Harris for Design Centre Chelsea Harbour‘s WOW!House. The annual showcase features spaces with the latest trends and innovations in the interior and garden industry. Each year, designers are invited to transform rooms or outdoor areas into unique, immersive environments that reflect their creative vision and expertise. We created a fresh and eclectic Tennis Pavilion Courtyard, creating a quintessentially British summer experience centred around an elegant pavilion, complete with climbing roses through traditional trellis work and silk wallpaper, hand-painted with botanical scenes from my own gardens. This inspired backdrop perfectly showcases McKinnon and Harris’ outdoor furniture collection, including the Dr. Johnson Tennis Umpire Chair. |
PRESS HIGHLIGHTS
Architectural Digest
Our design for Château de la Croix de Gardes was featured across twelve pages of Architectural Digest France. It was a dream for myself and the team to open the pages of AD and see such a spectacular spread of images of the final design of this beautiful home that we have helped to create and read more about this illustrious home with its cinematic history. Thank you to our fabulous client for entrusting us with the redesign of this rare jewel of a property.
English Home UK & US |
It was wonderful to be interviewed for both the UK and US editions of ‘The English Home’ this year following our immensely successful garden party launch of our silk wallpaper collection with Fromental and Butterfly Conservation at my Oxfordshire home. It was lovely to share thoughts around styling a table to perfection. Spending time in the garden is important to me, it is literally my ‘happy space’ and, when I am not travelling around the world for our wonderful clients and projects, it’s where you will find me. |
Country & Town House |
We were delighted to be featured in Country & Town House’s annual list, celebrating the top designers in the UK and Ireland across 2024/2025. It was wonderful to see ‘The Gainsborough’, our Grade-II listed residence at 9 Millbank taking pride of place. The domed primary bedroom was an incredible space with its a four-poster bed, ornate plaster mouldings and beautiful collection of rare antiques. |
The Times Luxx |
My interview with The Times Luxx was a wonderful opportunity to delve into the shifting priorities of our clients after Covid. Whether it be pool houses, tennis courts, games rooms, home cinemas or wellness spaces, life is all about family time and fitness now. Our recent design in the South of France incorporated a Ralph Lauren-style pool house with a blue and white eastpoint ticking on the walls and ceiling, creating a tented interior. |
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The Childhood Trust |
Our ‘Decorate a Childs Life’ programme for The Childhood Trust goes from strength to strength. It was an incredible honour to be trusted with the redesign of 12 bedrooms for 18 underprivileged children across London in 2024. Witnessing the joy and sense of belonging that we played a small part in creating is priceless. Each room is not just a place to sleep but a sanctuary, source of inspiration and reminder of the love surrounding each child. We look forward to continuing our partnership in 2025 with this wonderful charity who give so much back to the community. |
British Forces Foundation Ball |
On 14th November, a spectacular evening was held at Raffles, within The Old War Office in Whitehall, London. The night was planned to mark a very important milestone, the 25th anniversary of the British Forces Foundation, of which His Majesty the King is a Patron. As a trustee of this charity I felt honoured to organise this fundraising event, two years in the making! The night raised funds for the charity’s morale-boosting shows for servicemen and women posted abroad. The evening was hosted by comedian Rob Brydon MBE with fabulous entertainment from Katherine Jenkins OBE and Heather Small MBE, as well as a thrilling live auction by Christie’s auctioneer Veronica Scarpati. |
Butterfly Conservation |
We are delighted with the news that our ‘An English Butterfly Garden’ wallpaper collaboration with Fromental has been widely appreciated by a global audience. It can now be found in rooms across the world, including the Middle East, China, United States and in Europe. We are pleased that the charitable contributions from the sale of the four colourways has seen a very handsome donation to Butterfly Conservation’s fundraising efforts. |
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A FINAL THOUGHT
At the end of the year it’s important to remind myself that it is often the smallest things in life that define us, and make us truly happy. Good luck with finding what makes you happy and remember always follow your heart. Merry Christmas Everyone! |