32 THE WORLD OF HOSPITALITY
INTERIORS & INTERIOR DESIGN
Uniting The Old With The New
To Create Timeless Interiors
Ana Engelhorn Interior Design
Founder of the London-based design studio,
Ana Engelhorn Interior Design, Ana and her
team take a perfectly imperfect approach,
uniting the old with the new, antiques with
modern pieces, to create fresh, timeless
interiors. Based on the Japanese wabi-sabi
philosophy – the notion that an object or
material is alive and evolves with time – their
designs celebrate the imperfections found
in natural materials and furniture in its raw
state.
Born in Switzerland to Spanish and German
parents, who inspired her from an early age
with their love for beautiful spaces and talent
for design – converting historic buildings
across Switzerland and Spain into hotels and
restaurants – Ana is well versed in both the
hospitality and interiors world. After gaining
a BoA in Business Administration, she co-ran
a restaurant for six years and later a hotel
and vineyard in Spain, before going on to
acquire a certificate from the International
Design Institute – combining her interests
professionally in hospitality as well as design.
Ana’s multicultural background and eclectic
taste comes through in her work. Never one
to shy away from something new or different,
she loves striking fabrics, rich colours,
stand-out chandeliers, and art that makes a
statement. She especially loves working with
spaces and materials that have a story to tell,
which show their beauty with age. In older
buildings, the focus is on restoring the space
to its original state, highlighting any historical
WEBSITE: www.anaengelhorn.com
features, while adding a modern twist. In new
buildings, she is guided by her client’s needs
to inform the design and shape of the space,
bringing in older pieces to complement the
new.
Ana and her team are committed to creating
stunning, characterful interiors yet believe,
above all, that whether house or hotel,
the interior should feel like a home, not a
showroom. They thus take time to get to
know and understand their clients as well as
the space, working collaboratively to push
the limit on what’s possible with the design
brief. They aim to create hotels that not only
look great, but are comfortable and inviting
– in other words, that feel like a home away
from home.