From her studio space in an old converted Jute Mill, Interior Designer Sooz Gordon has a vantage point over the city that inspires her work. The old narrow closes, disused Jute Mills and the local history of Dundee are all reflected and embraced in her designs.

A graduate of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Sooz has been working as an Interior Designer for the last eight years in and around Dundee. She has developed an eclectic interior style that blends various references and design eras. “Ultimately I want to create a living space that tells a story and creates a lasting experience,” says Sooz.

As a creative outlet, Sooz started her ‘home ware’ ranges including cushions, lampshades and prints. Her designs celebrate the rich history and accomplishments of her home city. “I want to produce designs that are timeless and embrace the fabric of a city, but have a modern vernacular. It is important to me to design a product that is functional but doesn’t take itself too seriously. I was conscious that my designs were not just adding to the fodder but creating a range that has an interesting and new narrative.”

“This collection began with my interest in Dundee’s local history and being intrigued with its image problem, despite its rich history and accomplishments. I was particularly interested in the undocumented, or forgotten places that we rarely stop to contemplate; what has happened there and whether it has a special story to tell. I deliberately looked beyond the obvious landmarks and expected locations that are always highlighted as the main attractions and focused my attention on parts of the city that have been neglected and abandoned, but have retained their link to Dundee’s heritage,” says Sooz.

Sooz is determined to dispel the myth that an Interior Designer is both expensive and intimidating. As part of this drive, she has started running a series of Style Surgeries that will take place in different venues in and around Dundee. Interior dilemmas will be shared and solved with practical advice and creative design ideas guaranteed to give you the confidence to create a home that’s stylish, individual and within your budget.

Sooz is already experiencing an increase in the creative activities in the city. “There are numerous highly regarded art colleges in Dundee and more and more people are staying in the city and not moving South in search of opportunities.

"The ‘new Dundee’ as Sooz describes it, boasts various creative networks turning to the old and forgotten buildings as hubs and places with a new lease of life.

I want to produce designs that are timeless and embrace the fabric of a city, but have a modern vernacular