Tat Meets Hollie Bowden
Photography By Jasper Fry
11th May 2023
When reading about Hollie Bowden, the phrase often used is 'minimal maximalist'. How can one be a minimal maximalist? I wondered the same. Having looked through much of her work, I think that this phrase refers most aptly to her ability to curate a room. She has created immaculate spaces that mix time and fashion, and she seemingly masters juxtaposition effortlessly. In an interview in AD in 2022, she reflected that: "I think of myself as more of a curator than a designer, and my home is a clear reflection of my eclectic tastes. I like old and new, I like outsider art and tribal art. I like the mix of everything: The influence of different countries and eras on a timeless style". But her ability to stop is as great as her ability to add. In this overly decorated world that has appeared in front of our eyes, with room echoing room, her calm and sophisticated design is a welcome delivery to an overstimulated eye. An eye that can rest on the colours, materials and objects used.
Hollie’s interest in interiors started at a young age. In a 2019 article with the Independent, she explained that her parents "were constantly redecorating the house – this beautiful place in Gloucestershire – and antiques surrounded me, so I think it was always in me”. As she grew up she worked at a florist, charity shop and set builder; an almost perfect mix of skills for an interior designer. That being said, formal training is handy, and in 2005 she graduated from KLC. Her first big break was a seven-bedroom villa in Ibiza. In 2013 she set up her studio and hasn't looked back. She has worked all around the world, from Blackheath to the Bahamas, with a chalet in Gstaad thrown in for good measure.
As her team grows, so does the HB empire. Not only does she now write for the Evening Standard, but last year she turned her talent for collecting into another branch of the business. She has curated an extraordinary selection of rare, odd, fascinating pieces ready to be moved into your home. Most recently, she completed a project for the jewellery company ‘Completedworks’. She turned an old pub into a gallery fit for the finest of jewels. It was widely featured and only cemented her reputation for creating captivating commercial projects as well as residential ones.
Website - www.holliebowden.com
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