Empowering Voices for International Women’s Day: Showcasing Inspirational Women in Commercial Interiors for #InspireInclusion

This International Women’s Day, we at Design Insider are absolutely thrilled to embrace the 2024 campaign theme: #InspireInclusion. We’re bringing you an exclusive series of interviews with ten phenomenal women from the commercial interiors community. These women are at the forefront of our sector, shaping its future with their vision, passion, and unwavering dedication.

Inclusion is more than just a buzzword for us; it’s the heartbeat of innovation, creativity, and empowerment. When we weave inclusion through every aspect of our industry we’re able to celebrate and elevate diversity, tapping into an incredible array of perspectives and ideas that drive us all forward, ultimately pushing our industry leaders to #investinwomen 

This year, we’re zeroing in on the voices of women who are actively transforming our sector to be more inclusive, vibrant, and dynamic than ever before.

We had the privilege of speaking with some truly inspirational figures! We had the privilege of speaking with some truly inspirational figures: Tina Norden, Principal at Conran and Partners; Mel Wetheridge, Hospitality Business Development Manager at Boss Design and Lyndon; Rina Keane, Design Director at Lumsden; Bronte Turner, Managing Director London at HLW International; Nicole Meier, Director of Branding at Ultrafabrics; Cherrill Scheer (1940 – 2024), Founder of Cherrill Scheer & Associates; Zoë Allen, Founder of Artistic Statements; Toni Black, Interior Design Director and Partner at Blacksheep; Anna King, CEO and Founder at Informare, and Katheryn Quinn, Senior Designer, Goddard Littlefair.

These enlightening conversations shed light on their unique paths, underscore their efforts in championing inclusion, and honour the role models who’ve paved their way. Dive into these narratives with us and be part of our collective journey to champion #InspireInclusion every single day. Let’s get inspired together!

Discover the full interviews HERE and immerse yourself in the experiences and wisdom of these trailblazing women!

Introducing Themselves

Starting with self-introductions, we learned about the diverse roles and paths each woman has taken in their professional journey within the commercial interiors sector.

Tina Norden, a Principal at Conran and Partners, shares:

“Within a team of five principals at Conran and Partners, I am one of two of us responsible for interior design. The principals lead the practice on creative direction, practice management, and business development. I also oversee our team in Hong Kong alongside our head of studio there. Whilst I work (mostly) on the interiors side, I am a qualified architect – but interiors have turned out to be my passion.”

Mel Wetheridge, Hospitality Business Development Manager at Boss Design and Lyndon, reveals:

“My name is Mel Wetheridge, Hospitality Business Development Manager at Boss Design and Lyndon. I joined the company in December 2022 to develop further our business within the hospitality sector. It’s certainly been an exciting and eventful year so far. With the re-launch of Lyndon to the industry and new products launches.”

Inspiring and Being Inspired

In the realm of inspiration, our interviewees shared how they both draw inspiration from others and serve as sources of inspiration themselves.

Rina Keane, Design Director at Lumsden

Rina Keane of Lumsden remarked:

“Hiring a team with different skills, educations, and cultural backgrounds is key to designing more human-centric, user-friendly, and relatable spaces.”

Bronte Turner, Managing Director London at HLW International

Bronte Turner from HLW International stated:

“As a mother and a business leader, I am focused on continuing to forge equality and inclusivity into all aspects of our day-to-day life – equal opportunities and inclusivity should be a given at work, at school, on site etc., and we should all be able to follow our passion!“

Celebrating Inspirational Figures

Our Inspirational Women shared the figures who ignite their drive and ambition.

Nicole Meier of Ultrafabrics said:

“I celebrate resilient, unconventional women. I celebrate curious women that evolve. I celebrate women that are self-assured and confident in who they are.”

Cherrill Scheer (1940 – 2024), Founder of Cherrill Scheer & Associates

Cherrill Scheer (1940 – 2024), Founder of Cherrill Scheer & Associates, reflected:

“Many women have inspired me as they have won through despite all the odds against them. Zandra Rhodes persevered with her brilliant textile fashion design and even managed to get built the Museum of Fashion and Textiles at great expense to herself.”

Advice to the Next Generation

Our interviewees offered invaluable advice to those following in their footsteps.

Zoë Allen, Founder of Artistic Statements

Zoë Allen from Artistic Statements advised:

“I interpret ‘Inspire Inclusion’ by ensuring I take an active role in ‘being the change you want to see in the world.’ I’m still quite often the only woman at the table of a lot of property events, so by attending, actively participating, and ensuring my voice is heard will not only inspire other women to attend male-dominated events, but hosts and guests will hopefully feel inspired and more mindful to ensure they invite more women in the future.”

Toni Black of Blacksheep expressed:

“My idea of inclusion is not only about colour or race, but also about including different walks of life, cultures, and backgrounds within our design community.”

Envisioning Gender Equality

Discussing gender equality, our Inspirational Women highlighted its significance in the industry’s future.

Anna King, CEO and Founder at Informare

Anna King from Informare noted:

“Absolutely it would however, this must start with us as women ignoring unspoken rules. Often, we hold ourselves back by our own limiting beliefs about others’ view of our place in the world.”

Mel Wetheridge, Hospitality Business Development Manager at Boss Design and Lyndon

Mel Wetheridge commented on inclusion:

“I interpret inspire inclusion powerfully – to me it means everyone must be working together to ensure we are respecting, welcoming, including each other, and that there is absolute equality for all women, particularly in the workplace regardless of race, age, gender, disability, or religion.”

And Kathryn Quinn relates her answer to her onsite experience:

“I’ve always been used to construction sites from a young age, but it shocks me how still nowadays so few women are represented across the trades. Things are changing, but we still have a way to go to remove the gender imbalance and encourage young people to find and follow their passions.”

Your Invitation to Explore More

These quotes provide a snapshot of the wealth of knowledge and experience shared in our interview series. We invite you to delve into each interview to discover more about these inspirational women’s journeys, insights, and the impact they are making in the commercial interiors industry. Their stories are a testament to the power of inclusion and the vital role of women in shaping a more innovative and inclusive sector.

Anna King, CEO and Founder at Informare

Bronte Turner, Managing Director London at HLW International

Cherrill Scheer (1940 – 2024), Founder of Cherrill Scheer & Associates

Katheryn Quinn, Senior Designer, Goddard Littlefair

Mel Wetheridge, Hospitality Business Development Manager at Boss Design and Lyndon

Nicole Meier, Director of Branding at Ultrafabrics

Rina Keane, Design Director at Lumsden

Tina Norden, Principal at Conran and Partners

Toni Black, Interior Design Director and Partner at Blacksheep

Zoë Allen, Founder of Artistic Statements