House Style: STUDIO QD

Studio QD, based in London, specialises in residential and aviation interiors. Jena Quinn and Lucy Derbyshire met as senior creatives at NH Design, working with Nicky Haslam, and, since 2015, have directed their own high-end projects in the UK, Switzerland and France. They fuse American scale with a joyful English wit and colour palette to create a style that’s playful, individual and intelligent.

Where do you both live?
Lucy Derbyshire: I live in Chiswick, in west London. We moved from Notting Hill during the pandemic as we needed more space – a two-bedroom flat with two children was a recipe for disaster. The area has a real sense of community, a beautifully eclectic mix of architecture, and neighbours who actually help each other out – who knew?

Jena Quinn: We moved to Fulham from Kensington in search of greater space for our growing family. At the time, our daughters were in school in South Kensington and my work often brought me to Lots Road, the creative hub of the interior-design industry. I have the great fortune of having a five-minute walk to my office.

What’s the style of your home?
LD: I would describe my house as a charming detached cottage – granted, it is slightly more charming now than when we bought it. It was built in the early 1900s and was originally a shop, which explains a few quirky design features. It’s bursting with character and wobbly lines, which I adore. There’s not a single right angle. I’ve managed to disguise that by losing corners in fitted joinery and layering in design features that shift attention away.

JQ: Our home is a fairly typical terraced house. At the time of purchase, the garden was overgrown, water was running down the walls and the 1980s interiors looked like they were from The Bonfire of the Vanities. We gutted it all, expanded at the back on two floors, and reinstated elements such as the fireplace. It was an interior designer’s dream. It’s a treat to live in a home that you have personalised for your family.

Do you have a signature design style?
We tailor our design to the client, setting and property, so it’s very rare we replicate the same aesthetic across projects. We pride ourselves on producing timeless spaces and juxtaposing different genres – so it never feels overdesigned. Each family has their own story and design preferences. Equally, homes create their own obstacles. In our years with Nicky Haslam, he would always say that the house tells you what it wants. Our aim is to weave these two approaches together, joining up the wishes of the client and those of the house.

What’s your design philosophy and how do you implement it?
Our philosophy is to enhance a client’s way of living within their home and, in the simplest terms, interpret that idea with creative magic. We are fascinated by the history of interior design and by those who have imagined the world we inhabit.

Are there pieces you’d like to own, but don’t yet?
LD: Jena and I adore the furniture and lighting from Invisible Collection. We could buy anything and everything. It is more suited to our clients’ budgets than our own, but we live in hope!

JQ: Well, while we’re dreaming, I would say anything by Giacometti, Jacques Adnet or lighting from Philippe Anthonioz. A wonderful place to expand your knowledge of styles and see what’s available is the 1stDibs website.

Any suppliers you can recommend?
The majority of our furniture is designed through the studio and custom-made. We commission wonderful craftsmen such as Rupert Bevan, the Finished Effect and Armaria to produce our designs. When we’re sourcing for authentic pieces, we use Invisible Collection and 1stDibs, Brownrigg in Tetbury for antiques, Porta Romana for lighting, Fameed Khalique for finishes and de Gournay for spectacular wallpapers.

Which furniture and textile designers do you love?
There are so many wonderful people: Justin Van Breda, who has just developed a collection with Nicky Haslam; Alexander Lamont + Miles; and Claremont, Tissus d’Hélène, Pierre Frey, Schumacher and Turnell & Gigon for fabrics.

What about art in your own homes?
LD: I’ve just discovered Julia Maleeva’s work through Carina Haslam’s gallery – one of her canvases is my new addition at home. And we’ve recently installed three pieces by Patrick O’Donnell – through Nicholas Bowlby – for a client. They look sensational.

Which object would you save from a fire?
LD: I am a secret hoarder of memorabilia, so I literally have no idea!

JQ: Wow, that is a difficult question, because a home is filled with objects that hold our memories. I would take a very special painting, which used to hang in our family home in California. My father gave it to me when the house was sold.

Can you name a key figure who has influenced you?
LD: One of the most influential people for both of us would have to be Nicky Haslam. I interned at his studio while I was still doing my masters. He has been a constant inspiration and I wouldn’t be the designer I am today without his brilliant teaching.

And the strangest request a client has made?
“Everything has to be black.” We once did a walk-round for a potential client in west London who wanted every surface – walls, floors, ceiling, woodwork, furniture – in shades of black. That was a bit of a stretch, even for us!

Studio QD

Pictures from top: Jena Quinn, left, and Lucy Derbyshire, right; projects by Studio QD include this dining room in Kensington; a sitting room in Hampstead; a drawing room in Mayfair; and a salon in South Kensington