How These Interior Designers Are Transforming Their Industry
A group of U.K. designers has set up programs to increase diversity in the field
When Alexandria Dauley of Dauley Design and Sophie Ashby of Studio Ashby founded their U.K. charity, United in Design, their goal was simple: to make the industry they both work in feel more accessible, both to aspiring designers and potential clients.
The London-based organization, which the two designers set up during lockdown in 2020 against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter protests, aims to open up their industry to more designers from black, Asian, ethnic minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds — and the results of this work will benefit us all.
The London-based organization, which the two designers set up during lockdown in 2020 against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter protests, aims to open up their industry to more designers from black, Asian, ethnic minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds — and the results of this work will benefit us all.
“It’s really difficult to get the numbers” on diversity in the British interior design industry, Dauley says, “because there isn’t one centralized body to which interior designers are affiliated. There are the Society of British & International Interior Design and the British Institute of Interior Design, but not all designers are registered with the organizations.
Dauley cites a diversity survey the latter body ran in 2021 completed by only 300 designers, just 4% of whom identified as black or Asian. “But as we know, there are thousands of interior designers in the country,” she says.
Dauley was also noticing, from her work as a tutor, that there was a lack of diversity coming through the doors of the design schools. She initiated conversations with peers of color to understand their challenges and experiences and hear what they felt needed to happen to address the issues of inequality she was observing.
After she and Ashby joined forces, they did more of their own research, gathering anecdotal evidence from trade shows, professional top 100 lists, companies they worked with and their peers. “We found what we already knew: They’re [largely] devoid of ethnic minority groups,” Dauley says.
Dauley cites a diversity survey the latter body ran in 2021 completed by only 300 designers, just 4% of whom identified as black or Asian. “But as we know, there are thousands of interior designers in the country,” she says.
Dauley was also noticing, from her work as a tutor, that there was a lack of diversity coming through the doors of the design schools. She initiated conversations with peers of color to understand their challenges and experiences and hear what they felt needed to happen to address the issues of inequality she was observing.
After she and Ashby joined forces, they did more of their own research, gathering anecdotal evidence from trade shows, professional top 100 lists, companies they worked with and their peers. “We found what we already knew: They’re [largely] devoid of ethnic minority groups,” Dauley says.
When Ashby said she could take on a trainee for three months, it sparked a much bigger idea. Dauley says, “We thought, ‘What if we added another three companies to that? Then it could be a year-long program.’” The idea of a paid apprenticeship program was born.
Dauley, who retrained, at age 31, at the KLC School of Design in London, had an industry mentor by her side when she graduated and set up her own company, so she knew the value of this kind of professional relationship. Consequently, she suggested they also put out a call for mentors.
Dauley had also been impressed by Chance 2 Dance, a school outreach program that had resulted in her daughter getting into the Royal Ballet School, and she wanted somehow to replicate that.
Now, just a few years later, in addition to the apprentice program, United in Design matches young designers with mentors, runs career guidance events and has its own education outreach program.
The charity also works closely with an increasing number of U.K. interior design firms. “It’s been so well received and supported,” Dauley says. “We have companies joining us all the time, supporting in various ways — from mentoring to donating money, providing prizes, offering apprenticeships. There are lots of ways people can get involved.”
Dauley, who retrained, at age 31, at the KLC School of Design in London, had an industry mentor by her side when she graduated and set up her own company, so she knew the value of this kind of professional relationship. Consequently, she suggested they also put out a call for mentors.
Dauley had also been impressed by Chance 2 Dance, a school outreach program that had resulted in her daughter getting into the Royal Ballet School, and she wanted somehow to replicate that.
Now, just a few years later, in addition to the apprentice program, United in Design matches young designers with mentors, runs career guidance events and has its own education outreach program.
The charity also works closely with an increasing number of U.K. interior design firms. “It’s been so well received and supported,” Dauley says. “We have companies joining us all the time, supporting in various ways — from mentoring to donating money, providing prizes, offering apprenticeships. There are lots of ways people can get involved.”
“[Homeowners] may feel interior design is only for certain types of people,” Dauley says. More diversity “helps those from varied backgrounds to see they could hire a designer who looks like them or has similar experiences or a similar background.”
She adds that it’s not that a good designer can’t be flexible but more about homeowners feeling interior design is accessible to them and being able “to hire someone who they feel may just ‘get it,’ for what is ultimately a deeply personal job.”
Businesses, meanwhile, could be opening up a whole new revenue stream, particularly as more and more people want to work with companies that are diverse and inclusive.
“We also believe strongly that businesses will benefit from people bringing different experiences and heritage — it can only make for better design within the team,” Dauley says. “Maybe in 15 years’ time we won’t need to exist, because everything will be so much more colorful and inclusive. I hope so.”
She adds that it’s not that a good designer can’t be flexible but more about homeowners feeling interior design is accessible to them and being able “to hire someone who they feel may just ‘get it,’ for what is ultimately a deeply personal job.”
Businesses, meanwhile, could be opening up a whole new revenue stream, particularly as more and more people want to work with companies that are diverse and inclusive.
“We also believe strongly that businesses will benefit from people bringing different experiences and heritage — it can only make for better design within the team,” Dauley says. “Maybe in 15 years’ time we won’t need to exist, because everything will be so much more colorful and inclusive. I hope so.”
The United in Design apprenticeship program facilitates a year’s worth of paid training across four interior design companies, each of which interviews and chooses candidates from the UiD pool.
“Working across the four different companies gives the trainees a really rounded experience,” says Bunny Turner of interior design firm Turner Pocock, which was one of the first to sign up with UiD and offer apprenticeship placements.
“We’ve always been supportive of young people coming into the industry,” she says, adding that she and business partner Emma Pocock are conscious of the lack of diversity within their industry and determined to create a working environment that welcomes people from all backgrounds and ethnicities.
The program has come full circle for a number of the trainees, who now have full-time employment as designers after having gone through the 12-month program.
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“Working across the four different companies gives the trainees a really rounded experience,” says Bunny Turner of interior design firm Turner Pocock, which was one of the first to sign up with UiD and offer apprenticeship placements.
“We’ve always been supportive of young people coming into the industry,” she says, adding that she and business partner Emma Pocock are conscious of the lack of diversity within their industry and determined to create a working environment that welcomes people from all backgrounds and ethnicities.
The program has come full circle for a number of the trainees, who now have full-time employment as designers after having gone through the 12-month program.
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Turner Pocock had a junior designer vacancy to fill when they took on their first apprentice, a doctor from Kenya who’d retrained in interior design. Turner says they would have loved to employ her, but, as she came to Turner Pocock first, then went on to three more companies, she’d already been snapped up by one of them by the time she’d completed her 12-month stint. It illustrates how effective the program is for both trainees and employers.
Everyone Turner Pocock had originally interviewed for the apprenticeship had also impressed them. One of these other candidates, Mahaylia Irish, particularly stood out. “She was super-impressive and likable and we just knew she’d fit in well with the team,” Turner says. They got her back in for a short period of paid work experience, then hired her as a junior designer.
Everyone Turner Pocock had originally interviewed for the apprenticeship had also impressed them. One of these other candidates, Mahaylia Irish, particularly stood out. “She was super-impressive and likable and we just knew she’d fit in well with the team,” Turner says. They got her back in for a short period of paid work experience, then hired her as a junior designer.
Before Irish was employed by Turner Pocock, she had graduated from university with a first in architecture and had a semester studying in Milan under her belt.
“I was drawn to the apprenticeship program for two reasons: Firstly, it was targeted at graduates and, secondly, it gave me confidence knowing the charity was established to address diversity within the industry,” Irish says. “As a graduate with no professional work experience, you often feel as though you don’t have the skills required to apply to many of the jobs that are being posted, as junior roles often state “one to two years of professional experience required.”
“A huge positive effect of the UiD scheme is that it creates a sense of accessibility for people like myself, whether recent graduates or people from ethnic minorities,” Irish says. “The scheme has allowed for numerous connections with people in positions who have the means to influence. This in turn allows for opportunities, opens doors.
“United in Design has made the industry feel more accessible and created an open conversation around diversity within it,” Irish says. “This awareness has encouraged a healthy dialogue and merits inclusion based on skill and capability.”
“I was drawn to the apprenticeship program for two reasons: Firstly, it was targeted at graduates and, secondly, it gave me confidence knowing the charity was established to address diversity within the industry,” Irish says. “As a graduate with no professional work experience, you often feel as though you don’t have the skills required to apply to many of the jobs that are being posted, as junior roles often state “one to two years of professional experience required.”
“A huge positive effect of the UiD scheme is that it creates a sense of accessibility for people like myself, whether recent graduates or people from ethnic minorities,” Irish says. “The scheme has allowed for numerous connections with people in positions who have the means to influence. This in turn allows for opportunities, opens doors.
“United in Design has made the industry feel more accessible and created an open conversation around diversity within it,” Irish says. “This awareness has encouraged a healthy dialogue and merits inclusion based on skill and capability.”
Isaac Nwaku is also a former UiD apprentice and an interior architecture graduate. He’s now employed as a designer at kitchen company Eggersmann Design.
“After I graduated from my university degree, I struggled to get my foot in the door in any design practices in London and — after a year of looking — had to take work outside of London, doing a job not really suited to my degree,” Nwaku says.
“When the BLM protests happened, Sophie Ashby had posted that she wanted to do more within the design industry, and offered to have a conversation with anyone struggling,” Nwaku says. “We managed to have a few Zoom meetings during lockdown — conversation and career advice — and Sophie mentioned the charity and the opportunity to apply for the apprenticeship.”
Nwaku was accepted into the program and says he built a good relationship with his current employers — who’d originally taken him on as a UiD apprentice. “Gary, the director, was very invested in my development and still is to this day,” he says.
Was the industry’s lack of diversity ever offputting to him? “No, I never really let that stop me. I acknowledge the lack of diversity, and I hope I can help toward creating a better culture where we can offer new people and designers from different backgrounds an easier route into the design world,” Nwaku says.
“I’m proud of how many companies have got involved, and the new designers who are getting their chance to shine,” he says. “I hope the industry continues to develop this scheme, and that we’re fully invested long-term in making the [necessary] changes to achieve a more diverse culture within the design industry. Because, as I know, one opportunity can change someone’s life.”
“After I graduated from my university degree, I struggled to get my foot in the door in any design practices in London and — after a year of looking — had to take work outside of London, doing a job not really suited to my degree,” Nwaku says.
“When the BLM protests happened, Sophie Ashby had posted that she wanted to do more within the design industry, and offered to have a conversation with anyone struggling,” Nwaku says. “We managed to have a few Zoom meetings during lockdown — conversation and career advice — and Sophie mentioned the charity and the opportunity to apply for the apprenticeship.”
Nwaku was accepted into the program and says he built a good relationship with his current employers — who’d originally taken him on as a UiD apprentice. “Gary, the director, was very invested in my development and still is to this day,” he says.
Was the industry’s lack of diversity ever offputting to him? “No, I never really let that stop me. I acknowledge the lack of diversity, and I hope I can help toward creating a better culture where we can offer new people and designers from different backgrounds an easier route into the design world,” Nwaku says.
“I’m proud of how many companies have got involved, and the new designers who are getting their chance to shine,” he says. “I hope the industry continues to develop this scheme, and that we’re fully invested long-term in making the [necessary] changes to achieve a more diverse culture within the design industry. Because, as I know, one opportunity can change someone’s life.”
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“Black Lives Matter sparked a lot of conversations, and people began looking inwardly,” Dauley says. “We realized our industry isn’t particularly inclusive and I was quite vocal about it on social media from a standpoint of, ‘Well, what are we going to do about it?’”
Simultaneously, Ashby was speaking up on social media and acknowledging the exclusivity of her industry and how that all-important first “foot in the door” is so often kickstarted by established connections. A magazine editor who knew both Ashby and Dauley, and saw how their views were aligned, introduced the pair.
It was 2020, and so, naturally, they had a Zoom meeting, hit it off and decided to take action together, which quickly snowballed into them setting up United in Design (UiD) as a charity. “I had no idea how to go about any of it, but Sophie and I are both doers,” Dauley says with a laugh.
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