About
Maven Design Studio is a interior architecture and design studio shifting hospitality, leisure and wellness towards responsible, restorative design. Simply, this means we design amazing experiences that also consider the holistic wellness of people and planet at every stage.
Based in the nature-filled, creative hub of Somerset since 2017, we enjoy working collaboratively, strategically and creatively with clients that dare to dream, restore and disrupt. We're often asked what Maven means; "to know, or to connect with", as to connect with our clients needs, their guests and location in detail is where we find a concept really comes to life. Our process starts with our clients values, motivations and the emotive levels of the experience, enabling us to deliver projects that are authentic, unique and have longevity.
Our clients are aspirational and believe in design to strengthen their brand and achieve their goals. As a studio we are ambitious in our vision to help shape our world for the better with clients, creating good energy, good for the soul spaces that positively contribute.
Being a small studio means we remain agile and provide a efficient service with a single point of contact for each project that clients value for continuity. We have a wealth of experience working with operators both corporate and independent, local and international; from a shipping container kitchen to a 130 bed hotel with restaurants, bars, casinos, historic properties and contemporary work spaces between.
We hope to join you on the journey to create something truly special.
RESPONSIBLE
We could call this sustainability, but its more than that, it's the balance of people, planet and finance in every decision for the wellbeing of all. It's the things you do when you think nobody is watching. It's an awareness of the systems we function within and how the choices we make contribute to that.
CURIOUS
Our role is to listen, question, then lead the conception and construction of special and unusual places. Our best projects are those ones that teach us the most, not where we already have the answers.
New clients, new materials, new regulations, new technologies... new systems? We hope to always be learning!
COLLABORATE
Every project is truly a collaborative journey with clients; delving into vision, passion and values to develop high quality concepts with soul, creative originality and technical expertise. The role of clients, and contractors are vital in challenging our thinking and looking for opportunities. It's never simply a brief to be answered but an opportunity to work within a team to deliver joy and connection to local communities.
THE UNMEASURABLES
We can hit deadlines, budgets and quality targets, all the traditional KPI's and yet still have failed to create something of meaningful value. Success for us is in the emotional responses of a multi-sensory experience; creating connection and community, safety, honesty, creativity, gratitude. The things you can't run a tape measure over, or tally on a spreadsheet are after all what makes a life well lived. The unmeasurables are the human experience; the relationships, the enjoyment and legacy of a project.
Chloe Wynn
FOUNDER & DIRECTOR
With early career years in West London and Hampshire design studios, Chloe worked alongside acclaimed corporate and entrepreneurial clients on diverse projects globally, including hotels, restaurants, bars, casinos and retail stores for clients including Genting, Revolution Bars Group, Royal China Group and Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, before establishing Maven in 2017.
Why did you start Maven?
In 2016 I noticed the hospitality industry was morphing into one look, which is never a good thing! We really need diversity, its what excites me about the world and its populations- all the nuance and that was being diluted into the same experience everywhere. I'd also recently worked on a couple of projects where stunning listed buildings had been concealed behind plasterboard galore as was fashionable in the 2000's, that we stripped out and probably sent to landfill. It got me thinking "how do I make sure I'm not responsible for that vast waste in the future? How can we stop the damaging trend cycle and create cherished, quality design once more?".
What motivates you as a designer?
Health and waste. Whether it's waste on construction sites, planned obsolescence and cheap, poor quality goods; or the plastic on our shores and in our oceans, I find it so frustrating because we have the ability to design this out, but a lot of it is systemic.
This coupled with observing the mental health impact rippling throughout societies has made me focus increasingly on design for the collective health of people and planet. Its all linked. It's no longer "a nice to have", we have to steer the perfectly imperfect shift to regenerative and circular economy approaches that work for everyone.
Favourite space or project?
It would depend on what mood I'm in, despite often working with a lot of bold colours to create an uplifting energy in our F&B work to date, most of the time I'd prefer something very minimal like The Miami Beach Edition Hotel lobby, or a Greek island house because its so natural and authentic. It reminds us of how little we actually need.
What do you do when not designing?
I'm a bit of a yogi, fair-weather cycler, traveller, anything by or in the water, which pairs nicely sometimes with wine sampling! I also volunteer with the local wildlife trust, and a curiosity for psychology, sociology, what makes people tick fascinates me as a designer.