Designer Joanna Wood is as well known for her discretion as for her classic English interiors; over 25 years Joanna has decorated the homes of some of the most distinguished people in London, at some of the most exclusive addresses. The Joanna Wood London offices are now in the courtyard of a former Metropolitan Police station in Belgravia. Here Joanna directs operations with her team of fifteen people. Although Joannaa is a member of The Royal Institute of British Architects, this office was her first attempt at architecture, four compact stories in a glass shell connected to a shop on Elizabeth Street selling her decorative home furnishings accessories, with a family apartment above the shop.
From here Joanna masterminds her businesses, the retail, the furnishing of rental properties and her interior projects. Joanna has a hawk’s eye for detail, an enormous appreciation of craftsmanship and a spontaneous sense of humour, she is both practical and thoughtful. Her knowledge of historical interiors combined with her ability to interpret the zeitgeist of contemporary ideas into a classic contemporary home makes her the go to decorator of the international elite. Many clients bring their art, libraries or antique collections to be incorporated into the final vision. Looking through a portfolio of her past and present work it is impressive to see the individuality, variety, quality and elegance she brings to each project. Joanna has just completed working on a project at the impressive new Edwardian style Sloane Building in Chelsea.
All this is a long way from the United Nations in Geneva where Joanna made her debut as the assistant to the Chief of Personnel, what she remembers as a “fab job”. After her marriage Joanna wanted to foray into the world of interior design and was unhelpfully advised “to work behind the counter at Laura Ashley”. Instead her talents were recognised by Asprey, where she assisted the senior designer and learned about architecture, plumbing and joinery; as an ambitious young designer working a 67-hour week Joanna quickly accumulated experience and professionalism.
Today her skills are in demand for the creation of classic English interiors; for the Hinduja family residence which spans three large houses in The Mall, Joanna produced the only new state rooms created in UK since the WWII. Her brief was the family never wanted to entertain in an hotel thus the state dinning room can seat 120 guests, and the Chandelier in the entrance hall is the tallest ever made by Murano in Venice, it took three days to assemble.For US Ambassador Woody Johnson’s London residence at Winfield House, in Regent’s Park, Joanna had to work to beat the clock, turning a tired residence into a super-stylish Anglo-American home for a super stylish-diplomat and his family. Joanna created a look that marries English country house style with “Ralph Lauren” style, a perfect example of the special relationship. President Trump will stay at Winfield next month. Joanna said“it was a real compliment and honour to have been chosen out of all the great designer choices Ambassador Johnson had in the UK”. Her clients span academics, financiers, industrialists and rock stars, and many become personal friends.