Hospitality is about authenticity and empathy. How do you think your perspective as a woman shapes the way you approach the design of a guest experience?

I have always cherished the phrase ‘to be seen is to be loved,’ and I carry that mindset into the spaces I curate. For me, hospitality isn’t about a grand aesthetic statement; it’s the ‘invisible flow’ that guides a person through a room without them having to think about it. I’m a minimalist and a homebody at heart, so I’m naturally drawn to the finer touches, the quiet details that ensure a guest feels ‘held’ by an environment. Whether it’s the way light falls on a surface or the intuitive placement of a ledge, I design with empathy that prioritizes ease. I want people to feel as comfortable and ‘real’ in my designs as I do when I’m catching up with my closest friends. It’s about creating an authentic environment where the human experience is the priority.

We all hit creative blocks. When you’re stuck on a concept, how do you “reset” to get the inspiration flowing again?

When I hit a wall, I step away from the screen, grab a cuppa tea and put pen to paper. There is a specific kind of freedom that you just can’t replicate digitally. It helps me stop overthinking the logistics and start feeling the atmosphere again. I try to strip the project back to the core feeling I want to evoke, whether it’s the tranquillity of a gallery or the infectious buzz of a great bar and let the lines follow that mood.

In the male-dominated world of construction and site management, how do you ‘give’ your support to other women in the room (architects, contractors, or clients) to ensure their voices are heard and respected?

Supporting other women in workspaces starts with amplification, something I am intentional about practicing. If I see a strong idea go unnoticed, I make a point of bringing it back into the conversation and crediting the person who said it. Confidence has the power to reset the tone of a room. When we visibly back one another, whether that’s reinforcing a technical point on site or validating a design strategy in a meeting, it strengthens everyone’s position.
Progress doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens when we intentionally create room for one another, which is something we actively strive for at CHIL.

What is the one thing about your role that would surprise people the most?

For anyone outside of the industry, you may not realize that being a designer is as much about technical coordination and risk management as it is about aesthetics. We wear a dozen different hats that have nothing to do with ‘decorating’ and everything to do with being the steady, prepared voice in a room full of moving parts.
A great design is entirely reliant on the people who price, implement and build it. My role is to be the bridge between those disciplines, solving complex construction hurdles in real-time to ensure the integrity of the vision remains uncompromising. While the execution can require heavy lifting behind the scenes from time to time, seeing those final finishes come together exactly as imagined makes the entire process worth it