Since the moment we discovered artist SJ Axelby, we have been true admirers of her work. Her effortless watercolours transform real rooms into vibrant stamps of colour and joy, capturing atmosphere with just a few decisive strokes. Particularly drawn to interiors, SJ paints spaces that feel deeply lived in, places that hold stories and memories tucked into cushions and corners.
Her paintings balance intimacy and precision, weaving together design detail and thoughtful colour composition. The brilliance of SJ Axelby lies in her instinct: knowing which details to portray with accuracy and which to leave to the imagination.
Over the years, we have loved seeing SJ Axelby interpret our interiors, each piece like a postcard of time and place. It is why she holds such a special place in our Artist’s Corner. Her illustrations have become part of our visual language and, more recently, they have inspired our collection of jigsaw puzzles, inviting you to rediscover our rooms in a slower and more tactile way.
Her two books, Interior Portraits and Painted Travels, are treasures for anyone who loves the creative world of interiors. Featuring the favourite rooms of 89 leading creatives, from interior designers to ceramicists and antiques dealers, each painting is accompanied by an interview that reveals the stories behind the spaces.
On Saturday 8th November, SJ Axelby brings her masterclass to Warren Street Hotel in New York. Designed for everyone from beginners to steady hands, the class offers a step-by-step introduction to watercolour painting, covering mixing, blending and clever techniques for creating your own interior portraits.
Although the session is currently sold out, it is worth joining the waiting list here, as last-minute places sometimes become available. For those who love interiors, colour and the quiet pleasure of close observation, this is a rare opportunity to learn from an artist who makes rooms feel immediate, personal and entirely her own.