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Owl co-founders Sophie van Winden and Simone Gordon are advocating for homes that mix practicality with playful, personal details. The East London studio, founded in 2014, says small touches can bring character without making a room feel overdesigned.
East London interior design studio Owl is making the case for more playful homes, with co-founders Sophie van Winden and Simone Gordon arguing that personal details can make rooms feel more joyful without sacrificing everyday function. In an interview with Livingetc, the designers said they want interiors to be beautiful, practical and full of character, rather than spaces designed only to look polished.
Van Winden and Gordon established Owl in East London in 2014. The studio works on bespoke residential and commercial projects, offering interior design, styling and consultancy. The interview describes its approach as rooted in a shared interest in joyful, daring design, carried from early project discussions through to execution.
The designers said playful interiors do not require bold color or unusual objects in every corner. Instead, they favor selective, unexpected details that give a room an individual character. Examples they cited include a painted checkerboard border around a doorway, a one-off mirror in a hallway, or an unusual object displayed on a kitchen shelf.
Owl’s work includes a Harpenden cinema room designed for a client in Hertfordshire, which also serves as a playroom. The report also refers to a blue-toned kitchen counter in a Victorian villa and a living room featuring a Misha Kahn mirror artwork. The latter home was completed in 2025, according to the article.
Why Small Details Can Change a Room
The designers’ argument is that a home should serve the people living in it, not just present well in photographs. Practicality and personality can coexist: a room can support daily activities while still including elements that invite conversation or make its occupants smile.
This approach also offers a relatively modest way to personalize a home. A doorway, bathroom feature or headboard can become a focal point without requiring a full redesign. For readers planning changes, Owl’s advice is less about adopting a particular look than choosing details that reflect their own tastes and sit comfortably within the rest of the room.
That is the designers’ perspective, rather than evidence that playful design produces a particular measurable effect. Their central claim is about the intended experience: spaces should feel personal and welcoming as well as visually considered.
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Owl’s Approach Since 2014
Van Winden and Gordon told Livingetc that when they began working in the industry, interior design could feel serious and intimidating. They said that style did not match their own outlook, and that they wanted to connect design more closely to ordinary life. Their studio’s stated aim is to make spaces that combine beauty with usability and character.
The interview places that view against a media environment the designers describe as increasingly polished and curated, with images shaped by platforms such as Instagram and by AI. They argue that this can make homes feel like displays rather than places to live. Their response is not to reject considered design, but to favor choices that feel personal instead of pursuing a picture-perfect result.
“The best interiors don’t take themselves too seriously.”
— Sophie van Winden and Simone Gordon, Owl co-founders, speaking to Livingetc
What the Interview Does Not Establish
The Livingetc report presents the founders’ design philosophy and examples from Owl projects; it does not provide independent research showing how playful interiors affect wellbeing or how widely clients adopt the approach. It also does not announce a new collection, business expansion or specific upcoming project.
The examples are drawn from selected work, and the interview does not give project budgets, detailed design specifications or client responses. Its suggestions should be read as the studio’s guidance, not as a universal formula for every home or household.
How to Apply the Design Advice
Owl’s immediate recommendation is to identify a spot that could use more character, then add one personal, unexpected feature rather than making the entire room bold. The designers point to doorways, bathrooms and headboards as places where a small detail can have its own presence.
The article does not name a forthcoming Owl project or give a date for further announcements. For now, the development is the designers’ public explanation of the approach behind their residential and commercial work; any new projects or studio plans remain unreported.
Key Questions
Who are the designers behind Owl?
Sophie van Winden and Simone Gordon co-founded the East London design studio in 2014. Owl works on bespoke residential and commercial interiors, along with styling and consultancy.
What does Owl mean by playful interiors?
The founders describe playful design as adding personal, unexpected details that give a space character or make people smile. They say it does not mean filling every room with bold color or decoration.
How can someone try the approach at home?
The designers suggest choosing one detail, such as a painted doorway border, an unusual mirror or an object on a kitchen shelf. Their advice is to keep the rest of the scheme considered so the feature stands out without overwhelming the room.
Does Owl say playful design should come before practicality?
No. Van Winden and Gordon say their interiors should be practical as well as personal, supporting the activities and needs of the people who live in them.
Source: livingetc.com
