Rugbeian Rachel Chudley named Interior Designer of the Year

We are delighted to celebrate Rugbeian Rachel Chudley (D 99-04), who has been named Interior Designer of the Year at this year’s House & Garden Top 100 Awards, in partnership with Farrow & Ball.

The House & Garden Design Awards recognise leading figures in the industry – those whose creativity, ambition, and distinctive style are reshaping how we live. For Rachel, this moment represents both a milestone and a full-circle achievement. “Many moons ago I was chosen as their first ‘Rising Star’,” she shared. “That award transformed our company. To now be named Designer of the Year feels like a coming of age and a tremendous honour.”

Rachel’s interiors are anything but ordinary. Whether it’s a squiggle-shaped fireplace carved into a chimney breast or a candy-pink velvet chaise longue, her projects embrace boldness, joy, and the unexpected. Combining the heart of an artist with the vision of a seasoned creative director, she challenges clients to think differently and invites them into imaginative, character-rich spaces.

Since founding her studio in 2015, Rachel has remained as hands-on as she is visionary – leading an internationally recognised business while balancing life as a devoted mother. Her early career included running an art gallery in Camden and designing stage sets while touring with Mumford & Sons. She studied History of Art at The Courtauld and interior design in Los Angeles – experiences that have helped shape her distinctive aesthetic.

Gracious in her win, Rachel paid tribute to her team, her clients, and her collaborators. “This award is a testimony to their brilliant work and the beauty of working in a team,” she said. “It is also a testament to our incredible clients, whose taste, belief and ambition have helped us create fantastical, worldly and liveable homes.”

Rachel’s studio continues to thrive on daring ideas, meticulous artistry, and a refusal to play it safe. This latest award is a richly deserved recognition of her talent, passion, and the transformative power of design.

Explore Rachel’s work at rachelchudley.com.

Image credit: Sophia Spring