Ilse Crawford: Meet The British Designer Taking The World By Storm

A wonderful British designer who stuns us with her interior design projects: Ilse Crawford!

Ilse Crawford is a British designer, academic and creative director with a simple mission to put human needs and desires at the centre of all that she does. Danish-born but essentially British, this interior designer has taken the design world by storm, even being assigned Designer Of The Year On Maison et Objet back in 2016. She is part of the AD Top 200 Influencers list and we’re taking a look at her work and life, giving her the homage she deserves.

british designer Ilse Crawford: Meet The British Designer Taking The World By Storm

After setting up her own design studio in 2001, Ilse Crawford‘s career just took off, together with a multi-disciplinary team that helped her bring her philosophy to life. What philosophy is that? Putting human needs and desires at the centre of all that she does. Because of this philosophy, she has managed to leave a mark on the design world, becoming more than just a designer, but also an icon.

Creating environments where humans feel comfortable; public spaces that make people feel at home and homes that are habitable and make sense for the people who live in them, that’s what Ilse Crawford has in mind when designing a new project. It’s not just about designing a space but creating furniture and products that support and enhance human behaviour and actions in everyday life.

“As founder of the department of Man and Wellbeing at the Design Academy Eindhoven, her mission extends to nurturing a new generation of students to always question why and how their work improves the reality of life.“

In 2003, she established the interiors firm Studio Ilse, which designed the Soho House club in New York, Babington House, the Electric Cinema, and the Hong Kong restaurant Duddell’s, as well as pieces for Georg Jensen and IKEA. Iconic projects such as these have earned her a place under the design world spotlight, bringing not only her work to light but also her vision.

She was appointed MBE in the 2014 New Year Honours and, in 2016, she was named Designer Of The Year by Maison et Objet, featuring her work for design lovers all over the world. Now, she is part of the list of AD Top 200 Influencers, and we couldn’t be less surprised considering the amazing work she has shown us over the years.

For more irreverent design ideas with a vintage twist, don’t forget to follow Essential Home on Pinterest and Instagram. Subscribe to our newsletters here!