Emmely Elgersma Biography – Emmely Elgersma Wiki

Emmely Elgersma, a versatile Dutch creative based in London, seamlessly merges her talents as a designer, sculptor, ceramicist, artist, and football coach. Though she hails from the Netherlands, her upbringing in the countryside of Nottinghamshire paved the way for her artistic journey, which blossomed further with her move to London, where she pursued studies in Textile Design and Fine Art. She is currently a competitor on the 2026 edition of BBC’s Interior Design Masters.

Her intrigue with repurposing discarded items was sparked by an early job in a Bloomsbury shop run by the daughter of the creator of Bagpuss and Clangers. There, she honed her skills in transforming ‘junk’ into captivating window displays, an experience that fueled her innovative approach to sculpture using basic materials and creativity.

Emmely previously held a residency at the Sarabande Foundation, initiated by the iconic Lee Alexander McQueen, where she was granted a studio near the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Her work has been showcased at prestigious venues such as Christie’s, Saatchi Gallery, Selfridges, and the London Design Festival. Her collaborative projects span notable names like IKEA, TikTok, End of the Road Festival, Paynter Jacket, Johnnie Walker, and Sandqvist.

Looking ahead to Spring 2025, Emmely is set to join an artist residency in South Korea, part of the International Craft Festival, to further explore sustainability and design innovation. Additionally, she awaits confirmation on whether her massive papier-mâché sculpture will secure a spot in the Guinness World Records.

She achieved her FA Level 1 coaching certification in 2020, which opened doors for coaching roles with Spurs and Juventus, as well as managing The Tate Workers football team. Her academic credentials include an MFA from Chelsea College of Arts, completed in 2017, and a BA (Hons) in Textile Design from Central Saint Martins, earned in 2012.

Interior Design Masters 2026

Emmely is competing in Series 7 of Interior Design Masters on BBC One, hosted by comedian Alan Carr, with Michelle Ogundehin, an authority on interiors, presiding as head judge. The program challenges 10 designers to transform a variety of spaces, from beach huts to castle hotels. Emmely characterizes her design aesthetic as imaginative, uplifting, and playful.

Emmely applied to be on Interior Design Masters to “push myself creatively and learn more about interior design.” She told the BBC: “I’m a sculptor and designer, so I’ve always been interested in spatial design. When you make sculpture you naturally think in a very three-dimensional way prioritising mood, emotion and how people experience a space.

“I also create a lot of furniture pieces and love finding beauty in everyday objects. Interior Design Masters felt like the perfect way to push myself creatively and learn more about interior design, without having to go back to university and spend a ridiculous amount of money.”

Speaking about what viewers can expect, Emmely said: “I think this year is a real mix of designers from very different and unique backgrounds. Our styles are completely varied, which makes it really exciting to watch, I would walk around the spaces and be like wow so many varied approaches to the same space we all had been given, so I think viewers will definitely have their favourites.”

Instagram

Emmely Elgersma’s Instagram handle is @emmely.