About · Olive and Wilde Studios
About · Olive and Wilde Studios
The story behind the studio
Olive & Wilde Studios started with a building, a lot of woodchip… and a bit of curiosity about what might be hiding underneath.
When I first got the keys, I walked straight in and started pulling at the walls. Within minutes the fireplaces appeared, like they’d been waiting patiently for someone to let them breathe again.
The building is over 270 years old, so it’s safe to say there were a few layers of ‘design decisions’ to undo.
But underneath it all was a space with real warmth and character. The kind of place people actually want to spend time in.
I’d been thinking a lot about the way many of us work now, especially if you run your own business. I know the kitchen-table version of working life very well. Client calls between laundry cycles, creative ideas squeezed between everyday noise, and that lonely feeling of doing everything on your own.
I realised what I needed wasn’t another productivity system. I needed a better environment.
So I created the studio I wished existed. Part coworking, part interior design, part event venue, and all in on building a creative community hub.
Olive & Wilde Studios is a design-led creative hub in Dorchester created for independent designers, founders and freelancers who want somewhere calm, credible and genuinely inspiring to spend their day.
It’s a place to focus, meet clients, think properly and move work forward — alongside other people who are building their own businesses too.
Not a corporate office.
Not rows of hot desks.
Just a thoughtful environment designed to support good work.
The studio is also home to my own interior design practice. This is where I meet clients, develop projects and help individuals and businesses create beautiful spaces.
The design always starts with a conversation: understanding how you want your space to feel before we start talking about paint colours or furniture. From one-hour consultations to full room designs or large commercial projects, the studio is where those ideas take shape.
One of the things I missed most when working from home was access to materials. The studio now houses a growing library of fabrics, finishes, wallpapers, lighting and furniture from carefully selected brands, many of which designers usually only see in trade showrooms.
It’s a tactile space where designers can specify with confidence, and where anyone interested in interiors can explore materials properly in real life.
Because interiors are always more honest when you can see, touch and experience them — not just scroll past them.
At its heart, Olive & Wilde Studios is about people. The freelancers, designers, founders and creative thinkers who choose to spend time here are what make the space what it is.
Ideas get shared over coffee, collaborations spark unexpectedly and work moves forward because you’re not carrying everything on your own.
Alongside the coworking side of the studio, I host a small programme of workshops, talks and gatherings designed to bring the local creative community together.
Nothing forced.
Nothing overly formal.
Just a place where people who care about design, creativity and building meaningful work can spend time together.
