Next in Design Winner 2026: Abbie Downey of Feather and Fossil

two shots next to each other - Abbie Downey looks to camera, a blue fireplace in front of a striped wall — Wall in Ballet Shoe and Freckle, both by Earthborn Paints. Mirror, Badger & Scott. Woodwork in Dorothy and Cornicing in Gosh Golly, both by Earthborn Paints.

(Image credit: Christopher Horwood/Paul Secker, Secker Studio)

‘I just wanted a name that sounded evocative of the walks I take on the beach, searching for treasures,’ says Next in Design winner Abbie Downey, founder of the pattern-loving Plymouth-based studio Feather and Fossil. ‘A name that spoke of contrasts and stories – the feather being something a little exotic and the fossil having a rich history. Because that mix is what I make sure all my projects have.’

Taking on homes around Devon – and online consultations to help those farther afield who need design advice – Abbie describes her style as ‘curated chaos.’ But don’t mistake her love of collected objects and large-scale repeats for classic maximalism. ‘Although I love to mix new and older pieces and put lots of treasures on display, I always make sure no space ever looks cluttered,’ she says, citing an instinctive knack for the art of display. ‘Instead, I want to make sure that every time you walk into a room, you’re delighted by something different – you spot a story you perhaps haven’t seen before.’

Jo Bailey, on the board responsible for selecting Abbie, comments: ‘It’s not easy to embrace eclecticism and still create spaces that feel as calm as they are uplifting, but Abbie manages to do this. She has a skill for placement and choosing patterns that can only be instinctive.’

Abbie cites House of Hackney as a key influence, particularly its love of scenic patterns. ‘I just love the multitude of colors and the challenge of making different prints work together,’ she says. ‘Finding the right pattern for the right room is what gives it a little fizz of excitement.’ And it’s what makes her projects sing.

patterned living room with graphic art above a fireplace

Homes & Gardens: How did you first get into interiors?

Abbie Downey: I studied art photography and psychology at school and was encouraged to pursue a serious career. I was told I'd never make money as an artist. So I moved into the sciences, earned a BSc, and went on to study project management at university. Then I moved back to my hometown of Plymouth in 2019 and was working for the NHS, overseeing the build of a healthcare facility and liaising with an architect.

I found myself asking them far more questions about the design than the wellness functions! At the same time, I was renovating my own home and loving it, realizing this was where I needed to be. So I completed a diploma in interior design, took the plunge, opened Feather and Fossil in 2022, and so far, it has all worked out.

Homes & Gardens: Where did the name come from?

Abbie Downey: I deliberated for a while over that. I wanted something that had a connotation of hard and soft, of nature. I'm constantly on the beach trying to find treasures – things like washed-up pieces of pottery – and that sense of scavenging really excites me. While a feather is a little fancy and exotic, a fossil has a sense of rustic history – and both are qualities I make sure my projects always have.

Homes & Gardens: What sort of projects have you been working on?

Abbie Downey: Mostly residential projects, primarily in Devon and Cornwall. I also offer online consultations for people who have an idea but can't seem to pull it all together.

Homes & Gardens: Why do you love using pattern?

Abbie Downey: It's the eclecticism of the patterns themselves. Every time you look at them, you find something new. I love the multitude of colors, and I love the challenge of making different patterns work together. I see it as a puzzle, one that's very satisfying to get right. I love the way pattern draws the eye. It gives me a feeling of fizz and excitement.

blue kitchen with patterned wallpaper above blue tiles

Homes & Gardens: What does maximalism mean to you?

Abbie Downey: It’s such a broad term, but maximalism isn't about lots of color. It's about pattern and curated chaos. I love piecing together a mix of new and found items so that every time you walk into a space, you might notice something you haven't seen before. When I'm putting together a display, I'll lay everything out on the floor and start rearranging it until it clicks. The process is instinctive to me.

Homes & Gardens: What’s your approach to a project when you get one?

Abbie Downey: There is always a lightbulb moment for me – one thing that every other decision flows from. It could be that the client mentions they like a particular color, or that they have a piece of art that the rest of the scheme evolves around. Every space is personal, and that's what a room should feel like – as though you're walking into the personality of its owner.

Homes & Gardens: Has your scientific research background influenced your design approach?

Abbie Downey: I think so. My love of research drives me to having 25 tabs open to find the perfect outlet that no one will even see because it's hidden in the corner behind a chair, or to overanalyze in search of the perfect lampshade. All that research makes me very thorough.

Homes & Gardens: What words would you use to describe your interior style?

Abbie Downey: Maximalist, patterned, eclectic – not vintage, but with a sense of age without being fusty. History, character, and culture. I prefer things that have a story, and I don't want a room to feel too perfect.

Homes & Gardens: What are you currently obsessed with?

Abbie Downey: I'm in a wallpaper era. I love using it to inject pattern into spaces, covering ceilings and walls and using it far and wide, then choosing the matching fabric. House of Hackney is a classic source I turn to for patterns, as is Susi Bellamy. I also love Aarven in Margate, which works with small artists in Jaipur and creates wonderful things like tiles and door knockers.

Homes & Gardens: What patterns are you into at the moment?

Abbie Downey: I'm not a small-pattern person – I don't like ditsy or geometric prints. I prefer large-scale patterns or stripes, so not murals but repeating scenic designs. I'm naturally drawn to Moroccan and South American designs, both of which feature lots of repeats.

For Abbie, decorating is never about following trends or filling a room for the sake of it. Instead, it's about creating spaces that reward a closer look, where every object has earned its place and every pattern contributes to a larger story. Whether she's layering wallpaper, sourcing vintage finds, or obsessing over the perfect finishing detail, her goal is always the same: to create homes with soul. Her interiors feel collected rather than decorated, inviting people to linger, look again, and discover something they hadn't noticed the first time around.

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Next in Design is Homes & Gardens’ platform spotlighting emerging studios shaping the future of decoration. Winning designers are championed across editorial, events and industry networks, celebrating fresh perspectives and distinctive voices. The initiative is guided by an industry board.

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Pip Rich is an interiors journalist and editor with 20 years' experience, having written for all of the UK's biggest titles. Most recently, he was the Global Editor in Chief of our sister brand, Livingetc, where he now continues in a consulting role as Executive Editor. Before that, he was acting editor of Homes & Gardens, and has held staff positions at Sunday Times Style, ELLE Decoration, Red and Grazia. He has written three books – his most recent, A New Leaf, looked at the homes of architects who had decorated with house plants. Over his career, he has interviewed pretty much every interior designer working today, soaking up their knowledge and wisdom so as to become an expert himself.