BA (Hons) Interior Design & Styling

Cathryn Bishop, the founder and Director of Cornish Interiors, has designed boutique hotels, restaurants and private residences all over the world, as well as working with the National Trust and designing interiors for Plymouth landmarks such as The Glassblowing House and St Elizabeth’s House. With over 15 years experience working in the industry, Cathryn established Cornish Interiors in 2003, specialising in interior design and project management of any size and style of interior. She is currently working on projects in New York, Barbados, the Channel Islands and across the UK, with budgets ranging from £75,000 to multimillion pound levels.

Ally studied BA (Hons) Interior & Spatial Design at Falmouth University from 2003-2006. At the end of her degree, she exhibited at New Designers, and from that got a job at an interior design company called Agile Space, based in Clerkenwell, London. Working on commercial interior design projects for household name brands including the BBC, Pret A Manger and Itsu, Ally also designed for London Council and lots of independent cafes and restaurants all over the UK. In 2011, Ally moved to the South West and continued to design interiors for both commercial and residential clients, from Pizza Express to high end homes for private clients. Setting up her own practice, Ally went on to work with a range of clients, from designing visitor centres, restaurants and retail spaces for the National Trust, to creating student accommodation interiors for UAL (University of the Arts London). In 2011, Ally also began lecturing in Interior Design at the University of Plymouth, joining the Interior Design and Styling academic team at Plymouth College of Art in 2017. Alongside teaching on our BA (Hons) Interior Design and Styling degree, Ally is conducting research into how live briefs and student projects impact learning and teaching in a positive way. As part of her action-based local research projects, Ally has worked with Devon & Cornwall Refugee Support on a socially valuable project which has raised £6,000 in fundraising money, which will be used to help refurbish the charity’s space.

Louise is a creative interior designer with over twenty years of experience within the architectural and interiors profession; as well as, over twelve years’ experience of lecturing within the further and higher education fields. She has been responsible for successfully managing a team of designers from concept through to completion; producing NBS, sanitary, ironmongery and FF&E specifications, as well as client liaison. Her experience ranges across projects as diverse as commercial offices, retail and Extra Care facilities, through to award-winning health clubs and spas. Recent projects include Haydon Court Extra Care in Newton Abbot; complex refurbishments such as at Marjon's in Plymouth; the new Hi-Tech Centre at South Devon College and schemes for several student accommodation providers across the country. Louise is also an Associate of PATOSS and works with SpLD students at the university.

Sue Henson is an interior designer and educator with over 22 years of international commercial design experience across hospitality and workplace interiors. Her professional background includes senior roles delivering projects for global brands such as Marriott, Accor, IHG, Kempinski, Jumeirah and AXA, with work spanning the Middle East, Africa and Asia. This breadth of experience brings a strong industry perspective to her teaching. Sue was co-founder and Design Director of Summit Interior Design (SID) in Bahrain, where she led a multidisciplinary team delivering hospitality and workplace projects. Her portfolio includes work for brands such as Sofitel, Hilton, Courtyard by Marriott and Dusit D2, alongside commercial workplace clients. One of her key projects, The Merchant House Hotel in Bahrain, received the AHEAD MEA 2019 Award for Best Lobby and Public Spaces. Earlier in her career, Sue worked with the international design practice Design Worldwide Partnership (DWP), contributing to large-scale hospitality projects including InterContinental, Kempinski and Jumeirah Emirates Towers in Dubai. Her experience across concept development through to delivery continues to inform her teaching approach. Alongside her professional practice, Sue teaches at the National Design Academy, supporting international students through online delivery, assessment and unit leadership. She has also taught on the UAL Foundation Diploma in Art and Design at Bridgwater & Taunton College. Sue holds a BA (Hons) in Interior Architecture and Design from Nottingham Trent University and recently completed a Level 7 Postgraduate Certificate in Education at the University of Plymouth. Her teaching connects professional design practice with inclusive, reflective learning, supporting students in developing both creative confidence and industry-ready skills.