The interior designer Suzy Hoodless talks about the inspirations behind her luxurious, modern style

This tastemaker’s eponymous studio is a firm favourite with lovers of luxurious, contemporary British design

Suzy Hoodless takes practicality seriously. Having opened her studio in 2000 and gone on to design homes, private members’ clubs, restaurants, offices and hotels around the world, her style may be subtly luxurious and contemporary, but through a perfect blend of classic and vintage furniture, colour and pattern, it’s comfort that remains key.

‘My clients always have an aesthetic vision, but equally important is how they want to feel,’ says Hoodless, who works out of her Notting Hill studio. ‘If it looks great, but it’s not comfortable or it doesn’t work properly, it’s a fail – form and function go hand in hand.’

The designer’s inspiration often comes from the architecture of buildings. She recently worked on the new development at the former BBC Television Centre in White City, designing many of the communal areas as well as its private apartments ( below). For the prestigious project, she commissioned carpet specialists Vanderhurd to design textiles based on the photography of Lee Mawdsley, who documented the 1950s site before renovations began – the iconic Atomic Dots that adorned the building are recreated on a rug, while a satellite dish motif is woven into a wallhanging.

It looks as though the next year will be a busy one for Hoodless. She’s currently working on her first ceramics – due to launch in January 2019 – as well as designing the second London branch of the women’s members’ club The Allbright, which opens in 2019. Plus, she’s joining forces with Vanderhurd once again to display the wallhangings and rugs created for the Television Centre project in her studio during the London Design Festival – the pieces are made to order and available to buy from either brand (from £1,135 for a wallhanging; from £805 for a rug). suzyhoodless.com; vanderhurd.com

‘MY CLIENTS ALWAYS HAVE AN AESTHETIC VISION, BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT IS HOW THEY WANT TO FEEL’