Meet the judges

Will Taylor
Will is a self-confessed gentleman hooked-on-hue and he works as a freelance author, creative consultant and lifestyle blogger. In 2009 he founded his blog, Bright.Bazaar, which has grown to be one of the world’s best known blogs for both colour ideas, and make-you-smile style inspiration across the home, travel and style categories. His accessible approach to colour and interior design has drawn hundreds of thousands of international readers every month, more than 120,500 Instagram followers and over 2.4 million Pinterest followers – making him one of the most followed and influential on the site, and a leading digital influencer across the globe.

Last year he released his first design book, Bright Bazaar: Embracing Colour For Make-You-Smile Style. Following a North American book tour, the book became a best-seller on Amazon, and received rave reviews from consumer and trade publications, including Publisher’s Weekly and Library Journal. The book has so far been published in six different language editions and following its success, Will has just completed work on his second design book, which is due to be released worldwide in Spring 2016. His blog has received critical acclaim from a multitude of respected publications, from Elle Decor and Refinery 29 through to The Sunday Times, BuzzFeed, Martha Stewart Living and many more. www.brightbazaarblog.com


Abigail Edwards
Renowned stylist and award winning designer Abigail Edwards began her career studying fine art at Wimbledon School of Art in London and the École des Beaux-Arts in
Paris, but it was whilst completing internships at art galleries in New York that a passion for interiors took over and she returned to London in 1999 to style shoots and
consult for a diverse range of editorial and commercial clients.

She launched her first wallpaper collection in 2011. The hand drawn designs inspired by nature and fairy tales have been featured in numerous magazines and grace the
walls of homes and commercial spaces around the world. The collection has recently expanded to include fabrics, tiles and accessories. www.abigailedwards.com


Barbara Chandler
Barbara Chandler has been a specialist writer on design and decoration for over 35 years, contributing to top magazines and newspapers, both on the staff and as a freelance. She has won several awards, written several books, talked on radio, and been a consultant for major TV programmes.

Currently, she is the design writer for Homes & Property at the London Evening Standard, with nearly two million readers, and a thriving website. Barbara is chair of the judges for the Homes & Gardens Designer Awards, and writes a monthly column for the magazine. She is a judge for the prestigious UK furniture award, the numbered Design Guild Marks.
 
She is also an exhibiting photographer, and has her own lines of photographic merchandise. www.barbarachandler.co.uk


Laura Spring
Laura Spring is a textile designer/maker living and working in Glasgow creating bold graphic print designs that are transformed through screen and digital print into fashion accessories, homeware and stationery. She is a graduate of Glasgow School of Art where she was awarded a BA in graphic design in 2002.

With an enormous love for colour, print, pattern and process, Laura aims to create products and designs based around these ideals. Bold patterns mixed with bright colours transformed into beautifully crafted products underpin Laura’s work that she ensures is manufactured locally using ethical methods of production.

Laura has also created exclusive collections for a variety of companies/artists such as Lush Cosmetics, The National Trust for Scotland and Belle & Sebastian. www.lauraspring.co.uk


Patricia van den Akker
Patricia van den Akker is the Director of The Design Trust, an online business school for designers and makers with over 50K visits each month. She is passionate that creatives create businesses they are proud of: exploring their unique talents; creating products and experiences with real impact; and making money too!

She is a regular speaker at events and workshops across the UK, and has written 100s of blog posts on creative business development. She regularly writes for Crafts Magazine as The Design Doctor. www.thedesigntrust.co.uk

Kirstin Ollech
The world of textiles is her profession and passion: Kirstin Ollech is the editor responsible for all textile products at “Schöner Wohnen”, the leading interior design magazine in Germany.

The art historian started her journalistic career at the furniture trade magazine “Arcade” in 1996 before becoming a member of the editorial team for the women’s magazine “Brigitte” at Gruner & Jahr publishing house in 2001. Kirstin Ollech has since shared her extensive knowledge on fabrics, wallpapers and rugs with “Schöner Wohnen’s” readers for over ten years, providing tips and advice on how to create a truly individual and stylish room. www.schoener-wohnen.de


Bastian der Wohnprinz
Bastian der Wohnprinz is Germany’s most successful living and design vlogger. His YouTube channel, “Wohnprinz” – founded in 2010 – has more than 72,000 subscribers who draw inspiration from Bastian’s various creative videos.

Bastian shares his affection for the world of living, lifestyle and decor through a lively exchange with his fans via social media. With his open-minded personality, he presents easy DIY ideas along with interior concepts and high-class design pieces – all with the same enthusiasm and charm. www.youtube.com/wohnprinz


Matthias Germershausen
Matthias Germershausenis an established interior designer, who has worked with prestigious brands, high quality textiles and extraordinary patterns for over 30 years. His comprehensive knowledge has been proved through a wide range of projects, transforming private spaces into rooms with a unique atmosphere.

Together with his wife he runs his own interior design studio “Pompadour”, founded in 1995. The company offers one-stop design concepts and manufacturing with a team of six experts – including upholstery and sewing in a 180 square metre atelier in the heart of Hamburg. www.pompadour-inneneinrichtung.de


Katharina Tiringer

Katharina Tiringer is an online journalist working for Germany’s largest home and design platform SoLebIch.de – a vivid community of people admiring the interior world.
“Live as you like”: According to SoLebIch.de’s motto, the most diverse interior styles meet here. Community members upload pictures of their homes, and share ideas and lifestyle tips. As supervisor, Katharina Tiringer is in close contact with them every single day, driving social media activities and creating home stories for the platform’s online magazine. She sits at the hub of inspiration and trends delivered by thousands of interior fans on a daily basis. www.solebich.de

Sandra Landy Sauzedde 
Sandra, aka Jesus Sauvage (Wild Jesus), is a multidisciplinary artist and “creator of images”.

A curious and compulsive crafter with a passion for design and decor, Sandra expresses her creativity in various forms: compositions, set designs, styled photos, weaving and DIY decor – all shared on her blog, in her e-shop and via Instagram, resulting in an impressive fanbase. Sandra follows trends with originality and shares her experienced eye and a taste for happy mixtures (colours, materials, time...) with passion and authenticity.

Sandra lives in Auvergne, in a converted cabinet makers workshop surrounded by her eclectic style. www.jesus-sauvage.com


Jean-Gabriel Causse
Jean-Gabriel Causse is a Colour Designer, specialising in the impact colours have on perception and behaviour. He works with clients on colour ranges, concepts, visual identity, design, scenography, packaging, interior decorating and retail facility layouts in order to make colour a strong asset for corporate growth.

The right colour scheme has a significant impact on purchase decisions and feelings of wellbeing. Research shows that colour is the main criterion for evaluating a product for two out of three consumers and that corporate productivity is 10% higher in coloured offices. When Jean-Gabriel and his design team select colours, they rely not only on current fashion trends, market standards and brand positioning but focus first and foremost, on the influential power of colour.

Jean-Gabriel Causse is also the author of a research-based book, “The Astonishing Power of Colours” (available 10 languages), that looks at the influence of colour in a variety of sectors: marketing, psychology, learning, productivity, sex… www.jg-causse.com


Katia Rocchia
Interior designer, Katia Rocchia, founded Home Designer KR in 2010, specialising in conversions and interior decorating projects for individuals and professionals. Coming from a family of antique dealers, she retained a taste for refined interiors and good quality furniture but loves eclectic, unexpected and perfectly balanced combinations. Katia admires the achievements of Sarah Lavoine but is also inspired by Le Corbusier, Eileen Gray and Andrée Putman, which for her, are a perfect union of eras and influences.

In 2012, she became co-founder and President of UFDI, the Francophone Union of Interior Decorators, an association of more than 150 decorating professionals, brought together by the same standard of quality and proximity. The association promotes the profession and its tight network makes it an obvious choice for individuals and professionals looking for a tradesperson from that industry. www.ufdi.fr


Nathalie Cohen

Marseillaise by birth and Parisian by adoption, Nathalie Cohen obtained her degree in textile design from ESMOD. Nathalie is passionate about colour and the incisive and precise nature of print.

With a family history in the textile industry, Nathalie designs and draws for textile manufacturers and works closely with organisations within the fashion and interiors sectors.

Nathalie joined the team at Au Fil des Couleurs in 2004, and became Head of Wallpapers under Mr. Halard's new direction and leadership in 2010. She oversees the daily management of the collections and sales and is also involved in identifying new talent. www.aufildescouleurs.com


Laetitia Nallet

Laetitia Nallet is an interiors journalist and DIY enthusiast. Since 1999, she has presented France 3’s "Côté Maison", the first weekly DIY TV show for amateurs, which has aired for 13 consecutive years. Laetitia also contributes decorating advice and tips for transforming interiors using simple and clever ideas, alongside Sophie Davant on "C'est au program" TV-show on France 2.

Previously on radio, Laetitia has worked at RFI, RMC Info France and RTL. In 2006, she created the very successful radio show “Maison, jardin, cuisine, brocante” (House, garden, kitchen, garage sale) which continues to air today. Passionate about decor, Laetitia has also contributed to many magazines: Cdéco, Viva Déco, Prima Maison, Modes et Travaux, Femme Actuelle, to name a few.

Her mantra: listening to each other. Each of us has our own perception and interpretation of materials, colours and textures. Laetitia’s approach is to help people find the universe that suits them best. www.rtl.fr/emission/maison-jardin-cuisine

Jacob Hertzell
Jacob Hertzell is a well-recognised stylist, interior designer and design writer with a degree from Beckmans School of Design and Stockholm University. He works as a freelancer for editorial magazines like Residence and The Wall Street Journal, and companies like IKEA and one of Sweden’s most prestigious design shops, Svenskt Tenn. He has put together design and architectural exhibitions, created radio shows about design and interiors for Sveriges Radio (Sweden’s national radio broadcasting system) and continuously works on interior design projects with different Swedish designers and companies. [email protected]


Maria Soxbo
Maria Soxbo is a freelance writer and blogger. In 2007 she started Husligheter, a blog about interior design. Previously, Maria worked as editor in chief for two lifestyle/fashion magazines and as the acting editorial director for Swedish ELLE.

Her most recent work includes editorial pieces for Styleby, Svenska Dagbladet, ELLE, Mama, Family living and Scandinavian Traveler. http://blogg.skonahem.com/husligheter


Saša Antić
Saša Antić is a interior stylist. He divides his time between Stockholm and New York, but works all over the world.

As long as I can remember I had a significant love for all kinds of photography and art. My identity has always been to guide, inspire and to tell a visual story in my work. My inspiration comes from all different corners. Art, travel, movies, music, nature and people I admire and love. www.sasaantic.com