A still life arrangement on a dark wooden ledge against a deep teal background. A classical bust rests atop a decorative box, flanked by a skull, dice, and purple roses. To the right, a pair of bright blue boots are filled with large clusters of blue and purple hydrangeas.

Set designer Carrie Louise has an enviable talent and a client list to match

Words: Rob Alderson
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Date: 8 February 2013; Work

Carrie Louise is a set designer who not only rocks the first-name-as-a-surname thing, but also creates some stupendously cool set designs. Working with big name photographers like Dean Chalkley and Patrice De Villiers as well as pursuing some great personal work, the Brighton University graduate has a fantastic eye for composition and colour. Don’t believe me? Check out her opulent still-lifes for Harrods, where the the tables groan under their greedy loads in a superb homage to the Flemish masters of yesteryear. She can also do silly and surreal without being “wacky” (a treacherous line to tiptoe for contemporary creatives) and she turns her talents to film and events for the likes of Secret Cinema too. Splendid on every level.

A 3D render of a black, abstract sculpture on a white background. The piece consists of a flat, striped base with a cluster of organic, looping forms rising from the centre. — Above
Carrie Louise: Loop (photographer David Ellis)

A still life arrangement of luxury items and fruit on a dark wooden plinth. A black handbag with ornate gold embroidery sits beside gold high-heeled shoes, a skull wearing sunglasses, and a variety of grapes, pomegranates and watermelon. — Above
Carrie Louise: Still-life (photographer Graeme Montgomery)

A light blue square is tilted against a grey background. A circular cutout in the centre reveals a purple flower, with pleated mauve fabric draping down from the opening. — Above
Carrie Louise: Still-life (photographer Michael Bodiam)

A collage of geometric paper shapes in pale blue, cream and terracotta. A sharp terracotta triangle stands upright, casting a soft shadow across the cream background. — Above
Carrie Louise: Still-life (photographer Michael Bodiam)

A pale pink oval shape is positioned over a fluted yellow column. A triangular cutout in the oval reveals a glimpse of a purple plant, which hangs down the front of the column. — Above
Carrie Louise: Still-life (photographer Michael Bodiam)

A paper collage of geometric shapes on a pale blue background. A large green circle sits in the centre, layered with a smaller pale pink circle and a horizontal white strip. — Above
Carrie Louise: Still-life (photographer Michael Bodiam)

A sculpture of pink cotton candy pierced by thin wooden skewers. The fluffy mass sits on a rectangular slab of chipboard against a pale blue background. — Above
Carrie Louise: Still-life (photographer David Sykes)

A still life of fruit, wine and a candle arranged on a purple cloth. A silver platter holds sliced oranges, pomegranates and grapes, while a glass bowl nearby is filled with peaches. — Above
Carrie Louise: Harrods (photographer Patrice de Villiers)

A still life painting of various cheeses arranged on a draped brown cloth. A silver pitcher and a glass of red wine sit beside a large wheel of yellow cheese and a bunch of dark grapes. — Above
Carrie Louise: Harrods (photographer Patrice de Villiers)

Further Info

www.carrielouise.co.uk

About the Author

Rob Alderson

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Rob Alderson is a freelance writer, editor and strategist. He was previously editor-in-chief of It’s Nice That and WePresent, and editor of Design Week. He publishes the newsletter Undo, which tries to make sense of how AI is changing design work, the design process and the design industry.

Set designer Carrie Louise has an enviable talent and a client list to match

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