Inspired by her background in theatre set design, this London-based creative turned her hand to commercial and residential interiors
I grew up in Ladbroke Grove, North Kensington. I remember Golborne Road was always my go-to place when I was little, especially Lisboa Patisserie. It’s still my favourite spot in London.
When I was six or seven years old, I moved to Dublin. There?s

a lot of beautiful Georgian architecture in Ireland. I love the proportions, symmetry and the generous spaces.
I went to university in Edinburgh. Then I did a theatre design post-grad course at Motley in London.
I worked mainly in set and opera ? the Wexford Festival in Ireland for five to six years, which I loved, and for a mixture of theatres in London. I loved theatre but realised it would be hard to balance having a family with it, so I did a short course at KCL then worked at JR Design on Portobello Road. When I properly moved back to London, I lived in Shepherd?s Bush. I loved the market ? you don?t feel like you?re in London. The mix of different smells and colours… it?s such a contrast from Shepherd?s Bush Green.
I subsequently set up Kate Guinness Design. Both theatre and interiors are both about a space. For plays, you think about how actors will move around the stage space. In the home, you think about how people move through rooms. I?m fascinated by how lighting can transform the mood and perception of a room.
I still use my theatre sourcing skills, finding props and calcula...