IT’S INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY EVERY DAY AT STUDIO DEAN
A tale of female empowerment for IWD
At Studio Dean, we practise Girl Power every day in our all-woman team. We are a united front who all genuinely love bringing out the best in each other. CEO and Founder Cathy Dean is mindful to grow and develop skills and talents across the Newcastle based interior design team.
This year we have a success story to share for International Women’s Day about Emma O’Grady, Studio Dean’s Design Facilitator who has a strong background in textile design, and has sold designs internationally for brands such as NEXT and Macy’s.
Last year, Emma shared some ideas for a few wallpaper designs, inspired by Northumberland’s natural patterns, with Founder and CEO, Cathy Dean, who immediately saw the potential. They worked together to develop Emma’s idea, designing, creating and producing Studio Dean’s first original wallpaper collection, called EVOLVED which will launch next month.
In true Studio Dean style, they didn’t stop there - why have a wallpaper range when you could offer a whole curated homeware brand, including the unique wallpapers? Cathy and Emma are proud to be launching The Studio Dean Edit this Spring, a collection of homeware that all works beautifully together, making Studio Dean style accessible to any home in the UK. Follow on instagram for preview!
We had a chat and a cuppa with Cathy and Emma to find out more about this matriarchal utopia…
WHAT MAKES THE ALL-WOMAN STUDIO DEAN TEAM UNIQUE AND SPECIAL TO WORK WITH?
Cathy: We are a collaborative bunch at Studio Dean. We all love what we do and each of us has what we’ve titled our 'superpowers'. We work to our strengths and all support each other in bringing what we are good at to the forefront of what we do.
As the founder and director of the company my main goal is to remove any obstacles my team has and let their talent out. I believe freedom in the workplace is important to a flourishing career, life and company.
Emma's superpower is in pattern and texture, she has such a skill for it and sees things others just can't. When she came to me with the idea of a collection, I just could not resist the opportunity to bring her superpower into the Studio Dean offering.
EMMA - WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO WORK AT STUDIO DEAN?
Emma - My background is in textile design for the home industry. After many enjoyable years of producing print designs for wallpaper, bedding, and much more more, I was really keen to develop this and be part of the design, production and development of home products.
The idea of designing patterns and creating this into 3D form for real homes was really exciting. I have always worked within the interiors industry and joining the team at Studio Dean was an exciting progression into the interiors and product side of home design.
CATHY- WHAT MADE YOU REALISE EMMA’S IDEA HAD LEGS
Cathy - Emma was originally in a project coordination role for the build phase, but due to her experience with international design houses I realised her strengths lay elsewhere. One chat, and an afternoon out of the office, Emma returned with her usual unstoppable enthusiasm, a new fire in her belly, and an idea…..
She pitched her idea for a ‘Studio Dean exclusive collection’ to me. A couple of slides and some hand drawn sketches and I was immediately sold. This lady has just what Studio Dean needs, she is a problem solving, fiercely motivated and supremely talented lady. All she needed was some backing, some freedom and a few months of free rein. So here we are, weeks from launching The Edit and with the collection EVOLVED by The Studio Dean Edit ready to hit the market.
WHAT IS YOUR WORKING RELATIONSHIP LIKE ON THE EDIT?
Cathy - Emma is 100% the driving force and I am her biggest cheerleader. She took hold, organised the design, manufacture, visited workshops, researched the market, set pricing and even turned her hand to managing the website through the build.
She learned, consumed podcasts and all of this, I think, because she had a team behind her, all believing in her vision and her talent. I honestly have loved seeing Emma in this role and seeing the team now as we near the launch, all pull together ready for our next big adventure.
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO GIVE / RECEIVE AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE THIS?
Cathy - Being able to empower anyone who comes to work for me to be their very best selves is honestly the greatest gift. For Studio Dean to have grown much bigger than I ever considered and to offer opportunity not just to me, but to others too is an utter privilege. Now we just have to cross our fingers and believe that everyone else will love it as much as we do!
Emma - Exciting! With my experience in print design and the backing of Cathy we knew we were onto something, we felt this idea had huge potential.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO EMPOWER OTHERS?
Cathy - Freedom! Allowing people to experience all parts of the business, and giving the opportunity to flex and get ‘out of their box’. Doing that allows you to see and identify where they fly. When someone is working in their passion, they are unstoppable. As the company owner, once I see this in someone, my immediate thought is how can I flex to let them do that every single day.
Emma - Understanding someone's skill set and experience and allowing them to run with an idea.
WHAT DOES THE EDIT MEAN TO YOU, PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY?
Cathy - Oh my word, I am getting emotional now! I simply can’t put into words how much it means professionally to have been a part of this journey. It would have seemed like a pipe dream even just a few years ago but seeing how the company has grown, being in a position to financially back it and to embark on an adventure have been some of the highlights.
Personally it has been scary, it has led to a lot of imposter syndrome - who do I think I am doing this? Why would anyone care? But then I go into the Studio, see the team working so hard toward the goal and I realise it is so much bigger than me.
I see a team of six awesome women all pulling together to bring out the best in each other, supporting each other and showing kindness above all else - we need to do this more as women. The media is dead set on tearing down women, or pitching us against one another, but when we join together, we can create something so special.
WHAT IS IT LIKE WORKING AT STUDIO DEAN?
Cathy - Emma can probably better answer this as I’m hugely biassed that it is the best place to work ever! I hope it feels safe, supportive, freeing, exciting and like home. Oh, and beautiful, it feels beautiful!
Emma - We are a close knit team. Everyone in the team brings something different to the table and are truly talented. And of course, there is lots of banter and laughs.
STUDIO DEAN IS AN ALL-WOMAN COMPANY - WHAT DOES THAT BRING TO THE TEAM?
Cathy - We are indeed an all woman company, and proud to be so, especially in the construction, building and architecture realms where it can be male dominated. There are attributes I think we have as women that we bring to the table; we are calm under pressure, solution focussed, wonderful communicators, peacemakers and my oh my can we multitask! This skill set is essential in our industry where there are 1,000 moving parts to every single project and we need to keep everything moving behind the scenes. In one day we can, with aplomb wear oh so many hats!
I am a believer in equality, nothing should be gender based.I hope my children will grow up to a more equal world where we stop having ‘girls’ and ‘boys’ things. Instead those roles will blur where whether you are male or female you can follow what you want to be. I’m a proud working mum, forging the way for my daughter and son to look forward to a fulfilling life in whatever path they choose.Them seeing me leading and working with the Studio Dean team, understanding how we have grouped together to be a success story brings me so much joy.
Emma - We are passionate about what we do and work so well as a team, collaborating and bouncing ideas off each other.
IF YOU HAD IWD OFF WORK UNEXPECTEDLY (WITH NO KIDS TO LOOK AFTER), WHAT WOULD YOU DO AS A TREAT FOR YOURSELF?
Cathy - Really, a whole day, to me? Well, I’d head to Edinburgh (First Class train if we are in imaginary land!), go to my absolute favourite coffee shop The Pantry and then I’d spend my day on an art gallery crawl. I’d go to every gallery, art dealer, art shop and even some of the old antique stores on Dundas street. I’d stroll, I’d stop only to eat and then I’d wander around the streets, quietly admiring the architecture in what I believe to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
As dusk begins to fall I’d head for Stockbridge where I am lucky enough to have an apartment, I’d call at the Scran & Scalley for some unreal food then the Pastry Section for a cheeky sweet treat and then home to my place for an early night with my kindle - I’m a non stop reader!
HOW HAS YOUR CAREER DEVELOPED IN YOUR ROLE IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS?
Cathy - The past 18 months have seen a real shift in Studio Dean, not only with the launch of The Edit, but within the design studio itself and I have found myself ‘growing up’ in my role. I’ve moved from a 100% design focus into other areas of the business as my team develops and flexes their design muscles. It is a challenge every day (and sometimes I do feel I am in the deep end with not enough swimming lessons) but overall I have become a better leader, I hope an empowering empathic leader and I am loving the company growing up with me.
Emma - I first joined the company as Project Manager and now I am co-launching a brand new homeware company. I have definitely added more strings to my bow, from graphic design to web design to name a few.
WHAT ARE YOUR CAREER GOALS FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS?
Cathy - Life for now is very much focussed on launching The Edit and nurturing it through launch to eventual success. But anyone who knows me will tell you I’m one of life’s 'butterflies’, I am forever fluttering around and spotting the next idea so who knows where I will be! We have grand plans for a Studio Dean online offering, a coaching service and a holiday let business all bubbling.
Emma - Launching and growing the Edit! I can’t wait to enable more and more people to have the Studio Dean look in their home. Not only will we build a wider product range but also build on the exclusive design aspect of the Edit. Watch this space for more wallpaper designs, printed fabric, upholstered products and more.
WHAT IS NEXT FOR THE STUDIO DEAN EDIT?
Cathy - The Edit is still very much in its infancy. The idea is that everything from the range works beautifully together to instantly create the pulled-together Studio Dean look. We show how to style each item so that people from beyond Studio Dean’s immediate customer base of Northumberland and Scotland can enjoy instant interior designer expertise. We’ve concentrated on a small but perfectly formed collection, all handpicked, curated and pulled together into a collection but as we grow we want to add to this. We will develop it into more than a retail store, a place where people come for a slice of Studio Dean, every day!
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PRODUCT ON THE EDIT?
Cathy - So so many things, I am the biggest fan of the Asteria paper in Bracken, it is destined for our new studio space in Newcastle I think!
Emma - LOVE the Xylo wallpaper! If I had to choose one smaller homeware product I would say the Japandi style handmade wood and linen hanging pendant. Lighting can really change the sense of mood in a space and I love the detail and glow you get from this light.
WHAT WOMEN DO YOU ASPIRE TO BE AND WHY?
Cathy - For me strong women are role models, those who are happy to speak out but do not feel they need to fight to be heard. Most women I aspire to be tend to be self assured. For me and for my children too I think building a positive inner voice is something that is imperative, you become your own cheerleader. Women who do not feel they need to pretend to be men, use their sexuality or play on the need for help from a man are heroic to me.
My all time hero is Jacinda Ardern, for me she handles her position with such grace, calmness and humanity. We all need to be a bit more Jacinda.
Oh and a friend of mine bought me a notepad recently that says ‘I just Freaking Love Barbara Corcoran’, and she is right, I do, she is fearless, passionate, driven and she is kicking a** in a male dominated world. Go Barbara!
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO ANYONE HOPING TO BECOME AND INTERIOR DESIGNER?
Cathy - I’d say it is so much more than they may currently believe it is, the perception is that Interior Design is colour and cushions, but that's Interior Decoration.
Interior Design is so much more, it’s architecture, renovation, understanding buildings, structure, spatial planning, creating homes that work, beautifully! We spend more time in CAD, on building sites and specifying plumbing routes than you may think! It is a hugely fulfilling career, you really can change how people live in spaces, bring life back into broken buildings and create spaces that truly evoke emotions which is a privilege in itself.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COLOUR SCHEME RIGHT NOW?
Cathy - Oh I’m definitely ‘The Dark Side’ of the Studio Dean look, and am just in love with dark spaces, tonal and decadent is all me!
Emma - I love a tone on tone look. I love the depth you can create with layering of similar colours. Through use of texture and pattern whether it is the grain of a natural wood finish, the fleck detail within a tile, a pattern on a wallpaper or the tactile weave in a cushion, building these together with a common theme of a colour can make a space look truly unique and special.
WHAT HOMEWARE PRODUCT SHOULD EVERYONE OWN?
Cathy - Hallway storage! It is essential to making the initial entrance to your home feel calming and relaxed, without it the room is cluttered and your arrival home stressful.
Emma - A gorgeous throw. There’s something so nice about lying on your sofa after a long day and pulling a soft cosy throw over yourself.
TOP DESIGN TIP
Cathy - Think things through before you start! Gather paint chips, fabric samples, cabinet finishes and look at the scheme as a whole not in isolation, it’ll be much more pulled together!
BEST THING ABOUT BEING A WOMAN IN 2023?
Cathy - That it is not the 1990s anymore! I grew up in the 1990s, in a time of heroin chic, rib cages on show, Kate Moss and starving yourself were the role models. Women were objects to be hounded by the paparazzi and they were sexualised and ridiculed in equal measure. I feel there have been learnings, an equalising and that women no longer feel they have to fit to a stereotype or mold that has been laid out for them, I’m all in for more Greta Thurnbergs, Kamala Harrises, Malala Yousafzais and Michelle Obamas. I may not be where they are in terms of their notoriety but in their sentiments, I live them every day.