Life & Style

Sophie Ashby's Spring Finds

Sophie founded her interior design and creative direction company, Studio Ashby Ltd in 2014. Known for her great eye for colour and playing with proportion, discover Sophie's latest homeware finds and get inspired for Spring.
Image: Alexander James

A Note From Sophie...

This Spring, I am looking for happy, joyful, sustainable homeware accessories that are built to last, timeless, fully-circular, made with the long view in mind and full of colour and vibrancy. These pieces are anti-trend, chosen because they are to be treasured and last a lifetime, not fall victim to the passing dictates of fashion. I believe that good design has meaning: the things we surround ourselves with everyday should move us, and make us feel alive. As a collector of beautiful things and an interior designer, I am always on the hunt for interesting and unique interior finds, this is my round up of what's caught my eye lately.

JP Demeyer & Co

Everything JP Demeyer & Co does it full of joy and super original. I love this Tapestry Deconstruction cushion, the colours are really fresh and unique and I love that the cushion is using the typical, old craft techniques of quilting to use up old scraps. It's a work of art.

Formentello

I love the tutti-frutti style of Murano glassware and these are brilliantly lively and maximalist.

Cutterbrooks

This case is so happy, I like that the form forces you to notice each flower and sprig and it feels like a quirky British take on the Japanese Ikebana style of flower arranging, each flower feeling spare and deliberate, making you notice their individual beauty more carefully.

Hadeda

If I had a little dog, I think they'd be very happy in this chic Ghanian made basket.

Matilda Goad

The perfect pinch pots for salt and pepper or dishes to dump jewels in by your bedside. Silver plated oyster shells, weighty and elegantly timeless.

The Shop Floor Project

The Shop Floor Project is a wonderful company and they really support British craftspeople, I have this cushion at home and it makes me smile, I love the painterly, naive style of the painting, it's artwork for the bed.

Ikea

IKEA have made big plans to become completely sustainable in the next 10 years, some of their products are already hitting the right notes and I love this tote - you can never have enough heavy duty, big totes.

Petra Palumbo

I love these stylish carafes with matching tumbler, I would keep next to my bed to keep the dust out.

Alighieri

Everything Rosh of Alighieri does it to poetic and exquisitve, I love these hand blown glass vessels designed to store your necklaces and jewellery.

Weez & Merl

A gorgeous platter made from recycled plastic bags, what's not to love.

Choosing Keeping

I love these archival boxes and their retro style. The green is vibrant and they'd look great stacked on shelves in a home office and the way the inner tray slides open is genius. I'm all for tools that help keep life organised!

TAT London

Charlie Porter of TAT London has a great eye and find one of a kind, vintage and antique homeware at reasonable pricing. I really like this embroidered tablecloth and it would cheer up any table... picturing it in the garden with tulips flopping in a vase on top.

Woven Rosa

I love the colours of this Christina Throw, handmade by communities in Peru using the ancient Andean techniques and sheep's wool, it would look great draped over the end of the bed or chucked over the back of a sofa.

Ferm Living

Ferm Living is a brilliant resource and their latest collection plays in a really interesting way with organic shapes, interesting textures and sculptural forms. This is the perfect mirror for a bathroom or above a small fireplace.