Ben
Johnson
Ben Johnson might once have had his sights set on becoming a famous footballer, but it’s his colourful design career that has led him to where he is today. Speaking about his journey so far, it’s clear that while there have been moments of serendipity, it has mostly been passion and hard graft that have driven his success.
As Co-Founder of Albion Nord, a high-end design studio now around 30 strong, Ben is able to stay true to his love of blurring the lines between architecture and interior design, creating spaces that ooze integrity and craftsmanship. Despite his achievements to date, he still keeps his feet firmly on the ground (and usually his hands on a cheese and pickle sandwich), with his family and two boys being his raison d’être. A proper family man, and proud of it too.
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED ON YOUR JOURNEY INTO THE INTERIOR DESIGN INDUSTRY?
If you’d said to my 16-year-old self, “you’re going to be an Interior Designer,” I would never have believed you. I had no idea interior design was even an industry. I always had a love and talent for art, but my other passion growing up was football. I wanted to be a professional footballer, that was the dream. I played for Millwall until the age of 16, but when the moment came to find out whether I’d make it or not, I was released from the club.
I stayed on at school and took A-level Art, which I absolutely loved, most of my spare time went into drawing and painting. A career in the arts felt like the natural next step, so I went on to do an Art Foundation course at Oxford Brookes. There, you quickly and brutally learn what you’re good at and what you’re not, but it opened my eyes to other possibilities in art and design. That’s when I realised interior design could be an interesting route because it felt so broad a subject.
WHERE DID YOU GO TO STUDY INTERIOR DESIGN?
I went to what was then called UCA Birmingham Institute of Art & Design. I loved the course, creative, concept-led, and taught by great tutors: Jean, Andy and Kevin. I threw myself into the work; like all art courses it was all-consuming. The hard work paid off, and I graduated with a first-class honours degree in Interior Design.
CONGRATULATIONS, A 1ST IS NOT AN EASY ACHIEVEMENT.
I think I’ve always had an inner determination to do well. I can’t settle for something that isn’t my best. That might sound a bit trite, but I have a competitiveness and a drive to be good, or to beat the competition. I was also very lucky to have a supportive family who encouraged me to follow my passions, and tutors who helped me navigate the course.
WELL, YOU CERTAINLY BEAT THE COMPETITION WHEN IT CAME TO LANDING YOUR FIRST ROLE IN INTERIOR DESIGN…STARTING OUT AT CANDY & CANDY MUST HAVE BEEN A DREAM COME TRUE. HOW WAS THE TRANSITION FROM UNIVERSITY TO WORKING FOR A LEADING DESIGN BUSINESS?
It was a huge eye-opener moving from university, where everything is conceptual and creative, into the real world, and into the Candy & Candy world. The first weeks and months were all about learning on the job while convincing people I knew what I was doing. I just had to soak it all up as quickly as possible.
I was lucky that there were some really good people who took me under their wing and helped me get a foothold. At the time, C&C had an incredible cast of characters, many of whom have gone on to set up some of the industry’s best-known studios. I look back on that time with a big smile, so many stories and good times.
SO, TELL ME ABOUT THE NEXT CHAPTER.
After two and a bit years at C&C, I joined Heatherwick Studio. It was quite a contrast, incredibly creative, very challenging, but an unbelievable design experience. Thomas Heatherwick is a creative genius, the Willy Wonka of the design world, striving for originality and always pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
The studio was full of architects, product designers, theatre designers and model makers, and I was their first ‘Interior Designer’. Thomas is a great guy, an expert communicator, and determined never to settle for the ordinary. I learned a huge amount there, not just about design, but also about how to communicate ideas. It also instilled in me the belief that good design is never about style or era, but about responding to a specific problem. The solution should be playful, unexpected and original.
I also spent five months in Hong Kong implementing the interior design of a shopping mall, which really tested my negotiation and communication skills. It was an incredibly work-heavy period of my life, rewarding, but all-consuming.
HOW DID YOU BALANCE SUCH AN INTENSE WORK LIFE WITH YOUR PERSONAL LIFE?
I was lucky to have the opportunity to take on a couple of private projects on my own, working alongside my then partner outside of work hours. When that became too much to juggle, I decided to leave Heatherwick. I pulled in a friend to help with a project, and it quickly became a two-man studio. We completed some small commissions and grew to four people, but it always felt like a stopgap, not the right time in my career to go fully solo.
WHERE DID YOU GO AFTER THAT?
Going solo at that time turned out to be an important stepping stone. It led to a conversation with my good friend Fuad Quabliwi, then Director of a start-up called 1508, who I knew from my C&C days. Our industry thrives on contacts and connections.
I had always wanted to be part of something bigger, and joining 1508 from the start was too good to pass up. It had strong backing and a clear roadmap, and was also an opportunity to work alongside Creative Director Chris Godfrey. When I joined, there were about seven or eight of us; a few years later, the studio was nearly 50 strong.
ROLLERCOASTER IN A GOOD, FUN WAY OR IN A SCARY, FEEL SICK WAY?
A bit of all three. After four years, I became Joint Creative Director with the brilliant Louise Wickstead. We had the collective responsibility to win new business to keep the studio fed, to design and deliver a huge number of projects, and to keep a large team engaged and on track.
My six years there taught me a lot about the business of design, but also the importance of balance, and the need to have control over your own path. Being Creative Director of a studio that size, without ‘skin in the game’, meant there was a ceiling to my ambitions
DID YOU ASPIRE TO HAVING YOUR OWN BUSINESS AGAIN?
I did, but I wanted the time to regroup and think about what I really wanted. Through old contacts, I had a good relationship with Stephen Palazzolo at CPC Group, who had been a mentor early in my career. I joined CPC to work on some exceptional one-off developments, a calmer, more focused period, and, most importantly, it’s where I met Anthony, Milly and Ottalie.
When CPC began winding down, it created the perfect storm for the four of us to launch our own studio.
AND SO ALBION NORD WAS BORN. HOW DID THE 4 OF YOU GO ABOUT BRINGING IT TO LIFE?
I knew the kind of studio I wanted to be part of, an antidote to the large studios I’d worked in before. The four of us had complementary skills: Anthony as a meticulous Project Manager; Milly and Ottalie as Creative Directors with deep FF&E expertise; and me with an architectural and interior background. We trusted each other from day one.
Our first big win was the Chelsea Barracks townhouses, a high-profile pitch against five or six established studios. We put together a presentation it would be hard for the client to say no to, drawing on all our experience to communicate the design in a compelling way.
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR FIRST MAJOR SUCCESS AS ALBION NORD…
YOU MUST BE PROUD OF WHAT YOU HAVE ACHIEVED
Yes, extremely proud of the studio we’ve created. We’re now around 30 strong, with a strong studio values. I’m proud of that. I love our team, such a talented bunch. It’s been important to me and the other Directors that the studio culture was right. We spoke about culture from day one: the kind of place we’d want to work, where others would feel good about coming in every day. We’re not all hanging out on beanbags or playing foosball, but there’s a genuinely good atmosphere and we’re a tightknit team. We work hard for each other, and there’s a strong level of trust and respect… hopefully that continues.
WHAT SETS YOU APART?
Creatively, I love working with Milly and Ottalie, not only are they great people, they have a phenomenal eye. As Albion Nord’s Creative Directors, they’ve driven our design output. When we launched, we felt the luxury residential market was quite formulaic, especially in development. It lacked soul, authenticity and character. Cold and shiny is not our thing. Whether a project is contemporary or classical, we bring the same refined approach to materiality and palette. Even when a brief calls for a contemporary response, you still need materials with texture and warmth, and details that are crafted and refined. Milly and Ottalie’s love and specialist knowledge of antiques and vintage furniture push our vision, and help create originality within our schemes.
Beyond the aesthetic, I’d say we’re good to work with. Clients can see the synergy and strong bond the four of us have, as well as our relationships with the senior AN team. It might sound odd, but what I mean is we’re not difficult prima donnas. We work with our clients and always try to go the extra mile to make sure things run smoothly. We’re creative, but we’re also very structured. We work hard on process and delivery.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR ALBION NORD?
Phase one was about starting up. Phase two was establishing ourselves, growing the team, and building a strong portfolio. Now, we’re firmly in phase three, a period of expansion, ambition, and refinement.
We’re looking to grow the Albion Nord brand both domestically and internationally, while also moving into retail with our own bespoke range of furniture and objects. A major step in that journey is our imminent move into our new home, Albion Nord House, a space that will be a real game changer for how we operate the business, collaborate as a team, and harness the culture we’ve worked hard to create.
We’re currently working with some of the world’s leading hotel brands, including; Belmond, Mandarin Oriental, Rosewood and Waldorf Astoria, as we continue to expand our hospitality portfolio. Alongside this, we’re delivering exciting private residential projects both in the UK and abroad, each one an opportunity to push our design vision further.
Our retail arm, led by Ottalie, is developing a distinctive collection that will extend the Albion Nord aesthetic into beautifully crafted pieces for a wider audience.
The next few years promise to be transformative, with a richer, more diverse portfolio and a brand presence that’s stronger than ever.
IF YOU WANTED TO HAVE FUN, WHO WOULD YOU CALL?
I’m lucky — I love spending time with both my family and my friends. My best mates are from my school days, and we’ve stayed close ever since. Much to my wife’s dismay, I’m in contact with my three closest friends pretty much every single day. We find ourselves far funnier than we probably are. My wife is also great fun, but like most parents, it’s finding the time to be fun that’s the challenge. Give me a year or two and we’ll be back in our stride.
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT YOU?
I once trained as a figure skater. This was in the late ’80s, when I was about seven or eight. I even took lessons and earned the grade badges.
IF YOU WERE INVISIBLE FOR THE DAY WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
I’d sit next to Arne Slot in the dugout at Anfield and watch a game from the best seat in the house.
IS THERE A SHOP OR SHOPS THAT YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT?
Pret — purely for what I believe to be the world’s best tomato soup. And Uniqlo, for the perfect white T-shirts.
ARE YOU A CAT OR A DOG PERSON?
We’ve just brought home a tiny Cavapoo called Poppy. I’ll admit, it took a lot of persuading to get me on board — I wasn’t sure I wanted a dog — but now I/we love her. As for cats… I’m allergic, I don’t trust them, and I’ve never been a fan.
WHAT DOES HOME MEAN?
My family. I’m a homebody at heart. Home is my sanctuary — it’s everything.
IS THERE A ‘SHOES OFF’ RULE IN YOUR HOUSE?
Absolutely. I can’t get my head around walking into someone’s home with your shoes on.
BLACK CAB OR UBER?
Black cab. The Knowledge is an incredible thing — London would be a poorer place if we relied solely on sat navs and ratings.
WHAT WAS THE LAST FILM YOU WATCHED?
The honest answer is Mustafa — I thought it was brilliant. Right now, I’m working my way through every ’80s and ’90s classic with my eight-year-old son. It’s been great to revisit them — we just finished the Back to the Future trilogy.
IF YOU WEREN’T DOING THIS, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?
Something football-related, without a doubt. I would have loved to be a football journalist – or maybe a coach. I currently coach and manage 30 eight-year-olds every weekend, and I love it.
WHAT IS YOUR INSPIRATION?
When it comes to design, inspiration is everywhere. We’re surrounded by it daily — every place, every object. I wouldn’t claim to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the design world; in fact, when I’m not working, I prefer to step away from it. For me, inspiration starts with the project itself — understanding its context and language, then developing ideas that give it a unique narrative. That’s the most exciting part: working alongside a great team, exploring concepts together. And beyond design, my biggest inspiration is my family. When you have kids, you realise quickly that everything you do is ultimately for them.
HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND YOUR WEEKENDS?
They start early, coaching kids’ football on Saturday mornings. I’m a proud dad, so weekends are mostly about spending time with my wife, playing with my boys, and managing their jam-packed schedules. Everything revolves around them at the moment — sorry boring answer!
WHERE WOULD YOU GO?
Anywhere. At the moment, my wife Rachael and I are enjoying regular Friday escapes to Soho Farmhouse. I love going out for a meal with her, though we don’t do it as often as we’d like, kids and moving out of London have made it trickier. My perfect evening is a great country pub with outstanding food and we’re lucky to have a few of those on our doorstep.