In Profile:
Kebbson and Co. Ltd

How would you describe your personal design style?:
This is a difficult question for me to answer. We draw on so many different influences that I could never point to just one; if anything, our style is simply “Kebbson and Co.”.

If I trace it back, it starts with good bones: classical architecture, proportion and principle, the things that have always made a home feel right. From that foundation we allow ourselves confident, deliberate departures, contemporary and playful moments that keep a home feeling personal and alive. I believe a home should have a clear and consistent thread running through it, while each room is allowed its own character, every one a distinct chapter of the same story.

Above all, a home should make you long to return to it. For me, that feeling comes from a heavy reliance on natural tones and natural stone, on texture and material, and on a soft, welcoming palette. It is finished with considered, characterful details peppered throughout, and wherever possible, an abundance of natural light, which I treat as a priority in every scheme. If I had to place it at all, I would say a slightly contemporary twist on New England style, paired with pieces that feel like part of a curated and much-loved collection gathered over time. Never showy, always inviting, and effortlessly assured.

Where does your design inspiration come from?:
The inspiration never stops arriving. It comes from travel, from other cultures, and above all from nature, which shapes so much of how we think about colour, proportion and materials.

Natural materials are central to how we work. We love designing with natural stone, and with finishes like natural wall coverings, because they bring a richness and depth that nothing manufactured can replicate. These are materials that only improve with time, earning a patina and character that make a home feel genuinely lived in.

Inspiration itself can be sparked by almost anything. A scarf found in an Indonesian market. The shape of a shrub in an English garden. On a recent project, the metalwork for the windows was inspired by the ironwork at Geneva airport, of all places. I find it is often heritage that moves me most, old buildings, art, and the natural world, things with a sense of provenance and history behind them. And we always look outward, to the world’s craftsmanship and artistry, letting it evolve our own style.

In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense?:
I sense a real and welcome shift towards homes that mean something. Clients increasingly want a home that tells their own story, rather than a look borrowed from anywhere else, and that suits us entirely, because it is how we have always worked.

Alongside that, provenance matters more than ever. Where a material comes from, and who made it, has become part of the value of a piece, not an afterthought. It is important to us that the provenance behind everything we specify aligns with the ethics and beliefs of the studio, and I think clients are coming to expect that too.

The other change I love is how the world is opening up. As we become a more connected globe, we take on more international influence, and design principles from other cultures gradually weave into our own. Done thoughtfully, it makes our work richer and more personal, without ever losing what makes it ours.

What was your favourite project to work on and why?:
I could never single one out, and I mean that sincerely. Every project is a joy in its own way, because every one carries the same privilege: a client trusting us to help realise something as personal as their home. To choose a favourite would be to overlook what makes each of them special.

I could never single one out, and I mean that sincerely. Every project is a joy in its own way, because every one carries the same privilege: a client trusting us to help realise something as personal as their home. To choose a favourite would be to overlook what makes each of them special.

What I love most is the moment it all comes together, when a client walks in and the home makes them smile, the kind of feeling that stays with you. That response never gets old.

There is also always something new on the horizon to look forward to; we have just begun discussions on a ski chalet in the Alps, which is a wonderful prospect.

Having said that, we do cherish a family home. There is something wonderful about designing for every age under one roof, and about the sheer scope these projects offer, a little girl’s bedroom, the downstairs cloakroom, the gym in the basement, the pool room. Each is a chance to have fun and to be genuinely creative. And family clients often come to us eager for spaces that are a real guilty pleasure, a true expression of their personality. Those spaces are where the most enjoyable, characterful work is born.

What was your most challenging project to work on and why? :
Every project has its challenges, and I think that is the nature of what we do. Our work is deeply people-focused, so each commission brings its own set of things to solve, no two are ever the same.

If I am honest, the real challenge is rarely technical. It is that we care so much. We take on our clients’ ambitions as if they were our own, and we hold ourselves to a standard that means we are never satisfied until a home is exactly as it should be. That pressure is entirely self-imposed, and I would not have it any other way, because it is precisely what ensures we always deliver a home worth the trust placed in us.
Which products/services could you not live without when designing? E.g. Lighting companies, furniture companies : Lighting, without question. It is the unsung hero of any interior. A considered lighting design is one of the most transformative things you can invest in, and it pays infinite dividends in how a home feels to be in, yet it is so often overlooked.

Beyond that, I could not do what I do without our curated network of makers and suppliers, the joiners, upholsterers, metalworkers and craftspeople we have built relationships with over many years. So much of what makes our work special is really their skill, their hands, and their artistry. We simply bring it all together.

What are your aims and goals for the next twelve months? :
It is an exciting time for the studio. We are growing the team, which is a real milestone for us and a chance to bring more talent into the way we work, while keeping the close, considered approach that defines us. We are also going through a rebrand, an opportunity to refine how we present ourselves and to make sure the studio’s identity reflects the quality of the work we do. Both feel like natural, deliberate steps rather than growth for its own sake.

Your most treasured possession? :
I cannot quite believe I am saying this, but it might be my sofa. We had it made in a wonderful Fox Linton weave. Proportionally it is oversized for the room, but that is exactly what I love about it, it makes the whole space feel inviting and comfortable, and with the artwork above it, it really is a statement. I love it.

Your favourite holiday destination? :
Nothing beats a long, hot British summer, so I have to say that first. But further afield, it would be South Africa. The variety is amazing, the food, the wine, the landscape, and a culture so different from ours. It has such a rich heritage too, shaped by all the nations that have crossed its path. I think it is phenomenal.

Your favourite hotel, restaurant & bar? :
Hotel, the Cala di Volpe in Sardinia.
Restaurant, I could not choose between two, Din Tai Fung for dim sum, which I have such fond memories of from when I lived in Singapore, and PS Cafe, also in Singapore
Bar, Cocorico in Val d’Isère

Your favourite book, film & song? :
Book, A Streetcar Named Desire, or The Importance of Being Earnest.
Film, I probably should not admit this, but Wicked.
And my song, inevitably, is “For Good” from Wicked.

Your favourite food and drink? :
Food, almost anything fish or Asian. I know that is broad, but it never fails me.
Drink, either a good coffee or a Negroni, depending on the hour.

Your favourite way to spend an afternoon? :
It starts before the afternoon really, with a proper Saturday morning workout, the kind that makes you feel like your heart is about to stop. Then a game of paddle or a walk along the river with my husband and our little dog, Pudding, and a long lunch in the sun. That is a perfect day for me.

If you weren’t in this sector, what would your alternative profession be? :
Something creative, without a doubt. Design runs through me completely, so it would have to be making something, art, sculpture, or maybe my own fashion brand. Whatever it was, it would come back to the same thing, creating something.