Living room with two green sofas, a wooden coffee table, a marble fireplace, framed artwork, and decorative pillows, in a well-lit space with a patterned rug.
Nestled within Oxford University’s historic estate, Lady Margaret Hall is defined by its vast footprint - a beautiful, layered tapestry of contrasting architectural styles. San Stae was privileged to be appointed by the university to develop a compre
A bright living space with a marble fireplace, wooden shelving units with decorative objects, a round mirror with a beaded frame, and children's toys including a wooden ladder and a toy boat, all on a light-colored wood floor and neutral walls.
Close-up of an ornate architectural archway with white decorative details, red brick accents, and a green door underneath.
A modern kitchen with a large window overlooking trees, dark blue lower cabinets, white countertops, and decorative items like plants, books, and a bowl of fruit.
A red brick building with large windows and decorative brickwork, a street with a no-entry sign, and a tall streetlamp in the foreground.
Bright living room with large window showing green trees outside. Inside, a blue sofa with pillows, a round black coffee table, a potted plant, a wooden chair, and an orange rug with blue stars.
A colorful abstract artwork with several vertical panels, each featuring different shapes and colors, mounted on a wall with light floral wallpaper. A small model house with a chimney and a black roof is positioned in front of the artwork.
A modern living room with a white sofa decorated with orange and patterned pillows, a black marble coffee table with stacked books and decorative items, a potted plant, framed black and white architectural photos, an exposed brick wall, and a large w
Modern living room with large windows, minimal decor, black and wooden chairs, a black table, and small decorative items including a white vase with green plant, a black decorative bird, and wooden stools.
A clean, modern bathroom with a vintage clawfoot bathtub in front of a large window, decorated with green plants and a white towel hanging on the side.
A modern living room seen through a black-framed glass partition, featuring white upholstered chairs, numerous green potted plants, and a dark blue kitchen cabinet in the background.
The upper part of a historic stone building with tall rectangular windows and ornate stonework, against an overcast sky.
A living room with two colorful abstract paintings hanging on a white wall. There is a small round wooden table with a decorative object on it, and floor cushions in front of it. A large green houseplant is on the right side, near a white wall with m

welcome

San Stae is a Leamington Spa-based interior design and art studio led by designer, curator and artist Aly Grimes.

We design thoughtful, beautifully resolved interiors for commercial and residential clients, managing everything from initial renovation to final styling in period and contemporary properties.

Our work spans private homes and residential developments, and cultural, workplace, leisure and hospitality projects across the UK.

Art forms a key part of our practice. In tandem with our design work, we curate public and private collections and exhibitions, commission, source and make artworks, and host creative workshops as San Stae Art Class.

If you like what you see feel free to get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.

explore projects
Young woman sitting on a white bench in front of large windows with greenery outside, wearing black outfit and white sneakers, smiling and winking.
Vintage white bathtub with gold faucet and fixtures, decorated with a soap bar and sponge, surrounded by green plants, in front of a window with a large leaf hanging in front, and a gray towel draped over the edge.

residential

Living room with blue sofa, colorful cushions, black round ottoman, orange rug, potted plant, and abstract wall art, next to large window showing greenery outside.

commercial

Shadows of plants cast on a wooden surface with sunlight.

art

  • “Working with San Stae has been an absolute pleasure. Aly played a pivotal role in bringing our dream family home to life, infusing it with personality, warmth, and a sense of fun.

    Aly and her team have been incredibly approachable, always understanding and attentive to our vision and needs. Their dedication to making our home reflect who we are has made all the difference.     “

    - R Mlynski, Clifton Family Home

  • “Working with Aly on my loft was an absolute game-changer. She turned a pretty tough space - think exposed brick and concrete floors - into the cosiest spot ever.
    Aly is super creative, nails every detail, and somehow keeps everything on budget without breaking a sweat. Communication was a breeze, and honestly, she made the whole process fun. If you’re looking to transform your place and have a great time doing it, Aly’s your go-to!”

    - J Smith, Jewellery Quarter Loft Apartment

  • “We needed Aly to design an office refit for our financial planning firm. It used to look like a jaded hospital ward with all the colour and personality that you would expect from a financial adviser. But in truth, that isn’t us and Aly latched on to this!

    We needed the space to be more practical and to be used better, as well as just looking great. This involved extending internal offices, making the whole look and feel of the office more relaxed, comfortable and friendly too. It’s been a delight to see the results and we are already noticing increased productivity from being able to use our space better, have more client meetings and deal with people that are infinitely more relaxed due to the surroundings.    “

    - S Rowe, The Exchange

  • “San Stae brought experience and enthusiasm to the interior design element of the conversion of a Grade II* Listed building in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham. Aly advised on the appropriate finish across the whole of the interior ensuring this was not only sympathetic to the heritage of the building but also delivered a quality and design to satisfy the demands of the discerning residential market to which the building was targeted. All this was done in line with the budget, with Aly advising on where best to spend the available finance to achieve the optimum finished product.“

    - Hanehouse Developments, Great Hampton Street Works

  • “The process to get the design was so smooth and the final design was amazing, meeting entirely all my ideas.
    The way the final design was presented, in a great video, along with the measurements needed, makes the life of the carpenters and metal workers so easy.
    Highly recommended.“

    - J Costa

  • “We worked with San Stae to help design and furnish our office in Worcestershire following a major structural refurbishment. We took things right back to the brickwork and moved a few walls around, so Aly had a totally clean slate from which to provide us with a number of design ideas and then help narrow in to our chosen final plan. San Stae were then with us through the entire journey, visiting site a number of times throughout the project to ensure things were on track and provide additional pointers or ideas where needed. We really valued the input from start to finish and are extremely pleased with the end result. We get many complimentary comments from our clients too.“

    - Cutter & Co

how we work

We’re a collaborative and nimble studio - curious, practical and just as comfortable on site as we are with a sketchbook.

We don’t define ourselves by a signature style, but by a considered approach. People, place, history and atmosphere are always our starting point, with each project shaped by client and context resulting in spaces that feel refined, timeless and unique.

We believe the design process should be enjoyable, inspiring and stress-free. Always mindful of budgets, we work within established parameters while aiming to create lasting impact and value.

We work closely with a trusted network of architects, builders and makers, and our grounding in both design and art gives us a distinctive creative edge.

We stand for authenticity, integrity and originality. Always.

contact us
Display of fabric samples and paint swatches for interior decor, including branded fabric swatches from ARTE and Fischbacher, arranged on tables and hanging samples.

keep in touch

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Home cookin' 🍳 SHORT: It’s rare for me to do a before-and-after. I’m not entirely sure why! But the recent transformation of the kitchen in my own home felt like too good an opportunity to pass up. LONG: When I picked this lovely wee h
Artist Spotlight: Gaea Nayo ✨ This June, I'm over the moon to throw open the doors of my home for this year's @warwickshireopenstudios to host a creative weekend with the wonderful British-Filipina ceramicist @gaeanayo Our front room will transform
SHORT: Between hard hats and party shoes... 🥂 LONG: A wonderfully chaotic sprint, here’s a little peek at what’s been keeping us out of trouble this month: 🏗️ The Paper Yard is rising - The steel framework of our largest project is fl
A little secret about San Stae… SHORT: Yes, we often design for large projects, but some of the work that brings us the most joy is the smaller kind. The ones that begin with “my kitchen drives me mad", “why is this room so