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Owl co-founders Sophie van Winden and Simone Gordon say homes should be practical and personal, without taking themselves too seriously. The East London studio, established in 2014, uses details such as unusual mirrors, color combinations and painted borders to bring character into residential and commercial projects. The source report presents their design perspective, not a new product launch or study.
East London interior studio Owl’s co-founders, Sophie van Winden and Simone Gordon, are making the case for homes that are practical and personal rather than overly formal, in a Livingetc interview about their playful design approach. The designers say small, unexpected details can bring character and enjoyment to a room without requiring a wholesale makeover or a brightly colored scheme.
Van Winden and Gordon established Owl in 2014. The studio offers bespoke interior design, styling and consultancy for residential and commercial projects. According to the Livingetc report, the pair’s approach has remained centered on joyful, daring design, from initial briefs through to the completed spaces.
The designers describe playfulness as a way to make interiors feel more individual to the people who use them. Examples they give include unexpected color combinations, unusual furniture and small decorative details. They point to a painted checkerboard border around a doorway, a distinctive mirror in a hallway, or an unusual object on a kitchen shelf as ways to add personality without filling a room with bold choices.
The feature also highlights Owl’s Harpenden cinema room, designed for a client in Hertfordshire as a hybrid space used as both a playroom and a cinema. It shows how a room can be designed around more than one everyday activity. Another example is a Victorian villa kitchen with a blue-toned counter. The report describes a living room completed in 2025 featuring a mirror artwork by Misha Kahn; it does not provide a wider project schedule or cost information.
Making Everyday Rooms Feel Personal
The designers’ argument addresses a practical question for homeowners: how to give a space personality while keeping it comfortable and useful. Their examples favor small, deliberate interventions over a full-room overhaul, which may make the approach relevant to people who want a change without committing to a highly themed interior.
Van Winden and Gordon also frame the home as a place for comfort and connection. They say polished, curated imagery and a heavy news environment make it more important for homes to feel enjoyable to live in, not just attractive in photographs. That is their design rationale, rather than a finding established by research in the report.
The distinction they draw is between playful design and decoration for its own sake. Their stated aim is to reflect clients’ personalities while making daily life easier. Whether a particular detail works will depend on the room, its occupants and their preferences; the interview does not claim a single style suits every home.
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Owl’s Design Approach Since 2014
Owl was founded by van Winden and Gordon in East London in 2014, and the source describes nearly two decades of industry experience for the designers. The studio works across homes and commercial spaces, with bespoke services rather than a single product line or fixed decorating package.
The interview places their approach against what they describe as a design culture that can feel serious or intimidating. They say they wanted to connect interiors with real life by balancing beauty with fun, practicality and character. Their examples range from a kitchen counter or doorway detail to a room designed to support multiple activities.
Livingetc’s feature is an interview and project profile. It documents the designers’ views and selected work, but does not provide independent testing, client surveys or comparative evidence about how playful interiors affect wellbeing.
“The best interiors don’t take themselves too seriously.”
— Sophie van Winden and Simone Gordon, Owl co-founders, speaking to Livingetc
What the Feature Does Not Establish
The report is a profile of Owl’s design philosophy, not an announcement of a new collection, business expansion or formal design standard. It does not quantify the impact of playful interiors on wellbeing, property value or daily routines, and the designers’ claims about comfort and enjoyment are presented as their professional perspective.
The source also gives limited detail about individual projects, including budgets, materials, construction timelines and client feedback. It is not clear whether Owl has plans for new projects or services beyond the work described in the feature.
How Readers Can Apply the Ideas
No new launch or next project milestone is announced in the source. For readers interested in the approach, the designers suggest first identifying a place that could use a small creative detail, then adding something personal against a more restrained background. Possibilities they cite include a painted doorway border, a distinctive mirror or a considered bathroom detail.
The practical test, according to Owl’s stated approach, is whether the choice suits the people who live in the home and works with the room’s everyday purpose. The feature offers inspiration rather than a prescribed formula, and any specific future work from the studio remains unreported.
Key Questions
Who are the designers behind Owl?
Sophie van Winden and Simone Gordon co-founded the East London interior studio in 2014. It works on bespoke residential and commercial projects.
What does Owl mean by playful interiors?
The designers describe playful interiors as spaces with personal, unexpected details that add character while remaining practical. Examples include an unusual mirror, a distinctive color combination or a painted doorway border.
Does a playful room need to be brightly colored?
No. Van Winden and Gordon say playfulness does not require bold color everywhere. They recommend using an unexpected element within a more restrained scheme so it can stand out without dominating the room.
Did Owl announce a new design project or product?
No new launch is reported. The Livingetc feature profiles the studio’s approach and selected projects, including a Harpenden room designed to serve as both a playroom and cinema.
Source: livingetc.com
