Ones to Watch | Hollie Milne

Since graduating from our Interior Design BA(Hons) degree, Hollie Milne has co-founded Studio Far West – an interior architecture and design company based in St Agnes, Cornwall. We caught up with Hollie and her business partner Jennie Trethewy to hear all about their work and Hollie's time at Falmouth University.

What does Studio Far West do? 

Hollie: We are an interior architecture and design company based in St Agnes, delivering bespoke design packages across many sectors, such as commercial and residential developments. 

How did Studio Far West begin? 

Hollie: I knew starting up a business in Cornwall was something I wanted in the future, and after collaborating with Jennie on several projects, we realised we had a shared energy about the way we approach design. 

Jennie: As a new graduate, I was really impressed with Hollie’s confidence and professionalism. I particularly liked her love of colour and materiality. 

Through my previous business, I found that the link to London was less and less important. The lifestyle here very much supports local. And with our growing contacts and connections with artists and makers, we saw an opportunity to launch a new company with a real focus on location. 

Throughout my time at Falmouth, course leaders set up multiple live projects with industry specialists. This was great for building confidence and making connections within the industry. 

How did the Interior Design course prepare you for setting up your own business? 

Hollie: Throughout my time at Falmouth, course leaders set up multiple live projects with industry specialists. This was not only a great way to build confidence in presenting and pitching ideas, but also great for networking and making connections within the industry. 

One of our modules was based all around employability, and this really consisted of creating a website with an online portfolio and reaching out to studios that we felt were a good fit for our skills. 

Jennie: The knowledge and experience in marketing was a real plus when we came to developing our brand. It's an aspect that I had less experience in and Hollie naturally carried on taking care of the social media side of our business. 

We love the fact that we can continue to work with Falmouth University and get the best of the best for our growing team. 

What does a typical day look like for you at Studio Far West? 

Hollie: Each day is different here. We usually have meetings we need to go to with suppliers or contractors. Then we have our design work, which can be technical drawings, concept design and FF&E sourcing.

I love the work we get to do here and I'm excited to see what the future holds for Studio Far West.

How does Falmouth University fit into you future plans for your business? 

Jennie: We've already done a portfolio workshop with this year's graduates and we're keen to come in and do critical studies with the students as they work through their final project. We love the fact that we can continue to work with Falmouth University and get the best of the best for our growing team.

You can find out more about Studio Far West on thier website and Instagram. 

Inspired by Hollie's story? Find out more about Interior Design BA(Hons) at Falmouth University