WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
WHERE IT
ALL BEGAN
San Stae is an interior design practice founded and led by artist, curator and designer Aly Grimes since 2020.
Over the last five years San Stae has worked with private clients, architects and developers across residential, hospitality and cultural sectors.
We have developed particular expertise in
re-imagining heritage buildings and designing multi-residential properties from Georgian townhouses in Bristol to Victorian button factories in Birmingham and new-build waterfront apartments in Bath.
Our central Midlands location enables us to deliver projects across the UK with a strong presence in Central and South West England.
In 2024 we opened our studio at Minima - home to our materials library, in Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter and in 2025, we moved into Smallpeice House a Grade II listed Regency villa in the heart of Leamington Spa. Together, these two homes form the foundation of our practice.
Named after the quiet neighbourhood where she lived during her creative training in Venice, the studio grew from a desire to blend art with architecture and interiors.
It was here Aly discovered the natural connection between curating and interior design - both rooted in space, story and atmosphere. She learned to shape feeling through light, materials and placement.
Returning to the UK, Aly developed more than a decade of experience curating exhibitions across Europe, alongside years working in the build and renovation industry.
It’s this mix of artistic sensitivity and practical know-how that guides everything the studio does today and sets it apart.
