Uncanny Studio: Designing Atmospheres Where Memory Meets Discovery

Uncanny Studio doesn’t simply design interiors; it composes atmospheres – spaces tuned to emotion, memory and the gentle thrill of discovery. Founded in 2024 by Églantine Sicat and Pauline Dellemotte, the Paris-and-London practice is already carving out its own creative territory: a place where design lives in the tension between memory and discovery, stillness and spark, familiarity and an unexpected flicker of something new.

Their origin story is suitably cinematic. Over a shared dinner in London, a spontaneous conversation unfolded into a rare creative alignment, one guided by a mutual sensitivity to detail and a shared visual fluency. What began as a chance encounter evolved into an intuitive partnership. Together, they sketch, collage, layer and assemble, building narratives that are architectural as much as they are emotional.

At Ember Locke in Kensington, their vision unfurls in rich, saturated colour. Ochre, raspberry, fern green and teal wrap the rooms in a palette that feels both painterly and plush. Velvet curves, warm timber and cocooning forms soften the urban edge, drawing guests into a world that balances elegance with intimacy. Across the guest rooms, communal spaces, and the restaurant Eve, the mood is unmistakable: warm, inviting, and gently evocative, like stepping inside a story told in texture and tone.

On the opposite end of London, a private residence in Maida Vale showcases Uncanny’s softer side. Chalk white, ecru, and pale woods create a hushed canvas – an intentionally quiet stage for the owner’s collection of African art and travel artefacts. The herringbone floors, airy palette and restrained furnishings allow each piece to resonate. It feels like a contemporary cabinet of curiosities, shaped by the founders’ enduring connection to global craftsmanship, photography, vintage treasures and contemporary art.

Across projects, their architectural language is fluid: open volumes, gentle curves, and soulful contrasts. Materials such as charred wood, chamotte clay, mosaic, volcanic stone, natural fibres and patinated metal bring tactility and tension into play. Nothing is accidental; everything is felt.

The name Uncanny captures their ethos perfectly – a whisper of something familiar, made intriguing by the unexpected. It’s the emotion underneath the aesthetic, the resonance you can’t quite articulate, the atmosphere that moves you without announcing itself.

With private residences and a new European hotel currently underway, the studio continues to push its quietly expressive vision. Each project is shaped by the same guiding pursuit: originality, meaning, and the elusive magic that turns a space into an experience.