Meet Our Next in Design Winners: Tola Ojuolape Studio

Our Next in Design 2025 winner, Tola Ojuolape Studio, talks through the top design rules she uses in every project

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A side-by-side composition featuring designer Tola Ojuolape in a light blue blazer on the left, and a curated living room scene on the right. The interior displays her signature use of rich textures, including a curved sofa, colorful velvet pillows, and organic-shaped decor.
(Image credit: Clara Watt/Felix Speller)
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Next in Design 2025 winner. Architectural interior designer Tola Ojuolape is entering a defining moment in her career, with a trio of headline projects that capture the quiet confidence, cultural fluency, and refined materiality she has become known for. Soon to open is Uncommon, a coffee shop in Knightsbridge conceived as a study in cool precision: brushed stainless steel, onyx surfaces, and an edited palette that reflects Tola’s belief in clarity, focus, and the power of restraint.

A curved cream sofa, styled with plush velvet cushions in forest green, burnt orange, and deep red. A geometric patterned lumbar pillow adds a focal point, while a fluted side table and a large arched floor lamp complete the warm, atmospheric setting.

(Image credit: Felix Speller)

It follows the success of the Collect VIP Lounge at Somerset House, a makers’ library designed to encourage conversation and togetherness. Here, Tola crafted a cocoon of recycled wood, wool, felt, voile, and simple painted planes – an intentionally humble set of materials elevated through careful composition.

A contemporary bedroom designed by Tola Ojuolape Studio featuring a bold, custom upholstered headboard with a black-and-white striped semicircular motif. A sculptural red table lamp sits on a stone side table next to neutral linen bedding and a textured geometric throw.

(Image credit: Felix Speller)

Her largest upcoming undertaking, the remodel of the Eko Hotel in Lagos, sees Tola weaving threads of cultural tradition into a contemporary hospitality environment. Decorating with pattern plays a vital role, drawing subtly from heritage African references while remaining entirely modern.

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But that’s not to say she’s leaving residential projects behind – her work in the Nine Elms development, pictured, shows how her love of color and curation translates warmly into a home. As always, she creates spaces that carry both luxury and soul – and that feel, above all, deeply considered.

3 Design Rules from Tola Ojuolape Studio

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1. Be Inspired by Your Everyday Surroundings
Always be inspired by the earth. I think there’s a tactility and an earthiness that comes with it that I always look to for many of my projects. I’m constantly finding inspiration in nature, in places I’ve visited, or even just around London. You can do the same in your home by collecting images and staying curious as you move through your day-to-day life. Whether that means looking up, looking around, visiting specific places, or going to galleries, it’s about being aware. London is a great place to gather inspiration from because it’s so beautiful, diverse, and cultured.

2. Work With Local Artisans
Where possible, work with local artisans and makers within the environment where your project is based. For example, if you’re designing a bedroom, you might source a local fabric upholsterer or a woodworker – something unique from the surrounding community to add an extra layer to your space. I think it makes for a much more interesting end result. We worked on a project in Battersea, London, where a colleague had a book called My Colorful Home. One of the featured artists lived in a beautiful home nearby and ended up contributing an art piece to the project. It’s a great example of how you can involve the local community.

3. Always Bring in Artwork
Try to infuse art into your space. You can work with a range of budgets and, again, support local makers and artists. Decorating with art is subjective, but ultimately it’s about the narrative of the space and honoring that. I also think art can evoke strong emotion. In a home, you might start with something subtle and gradually build intensity as you move into more private spaces like bedrooms. Art has a beautiful way of adding depth and character to an environment.

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Pip Rich
Pip Rich

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.