⬩ MEET THE TEAM ⬩
WHO WE ARE
CREATIVE DIRECTOR & FOUNDER
EMILY SMOOR
Fantoush was founded back in 2011 by Emily Smoor as an upholstery studio, a sister company to a property development company which over time merged and evolved to become the interior design studio it is today. Since she was a little girl, she has loved nothing more than trawling flea markets, car boot sales and antique shops on the never-ending quest of finding treasure. After 3 decades of practise she is rather good at it
Emily lives in Edinburgh, where the studio is based, with her husband, two children & Margot the Staffy. When she is not treasure hunting she spends most of her time clearing up after them.
WORK WITH US
CO-DIRECTOR
SIMON SUMNER
Emily’s other half and co-director of Fantoush, Simon keeps on top of the numbers and patiently hunts down the receipts for all the treasure Emily keeps buying. He is regularly deployed on furniture buying blind dates, which involve meeting sellers in supermarket carparks up and down the country in order to secure ‘the perfect piece.’ When he isn’t juggling VAT, antique bagging and child care he can be found blissfully happy on the golf course.
Simon is pictured here with the Head of Staff Wellbeing, Margot the Staffy.
THE STUDIO
PROJECT MANAGER
BRIONY KENT
Briony, our Project Manager is the organisational brain behind the operation. In a previous life she was an Associate Partner in a brand consultancy, with the likes of the BBC and Universal Music as clients. She later went to work for acclaimed British fashion house, Kate Sheridan until a move to Edinburgh and her love of design, happily brought her to Fantoush in 2022.
Briony keeps us wayward creatives in check with an amazing array of timelines and apps. As well as looking after Team Fantoush, Briony is the busy Mum of 3 boys yet is some how finding the time to study for an interior design degree. Like we said, she is organised.
IN THE PRESS
SENIOR DESIGNER
JILL WORDSWORTH
Jill is the technical whizz of the team, heavily experienced in technical drawings, while equally at home developing concepts & installing on site. She has worked on projects around the globe, including safari lodges in Kenya and South Africa, a Belmond Hotel in Amalfi, and the One Aldwych Hotel in London. Her designs have spanned across high end residences, hospitality, leisure, and branded spaces.
GET IN TOUCH
INTERIOR DESIGNER
TONI-OLIVIA MARTIN
Toni studied Interior Environmental Design at Duncan of Johnstone and has worked as a freelance interior designer and Colour consultant for Craig and Rose. Toni has an incredible capacity to memorise technical information so is our walking encyclopedia on any project while bringing an endless supply of positive energy and calm to the studio. Toni is currently on Maternity Leave.
FOLLOW FANTOUSH
SENIOR INTERIOR DESIGNER
MONTSERRAT ESCOBAR
Originally from Mexico and now calling Edinburgh home, Montse is an Interior Designer with experience across residential, hospitality and commercial projects in both Mexico and the UK.
With a Master's degree in Sustainability and a passion for thoughtful design, she loves creating spaces that balance beauty, functionality and environmental responsibility.
Inspired by her Mexican roots, she brings a love of colour, texture and craftsmanship to her work, creating spaces with warmth, character and a strong sense of place.
She enjoys travelling the world in search of new inspiration. Outside the studio, you'll usually find her exploring Scotland, camping, swimming, planning her next adventure, or teaching Rebus the cat a few words in Spanish.
INTERIOR DESIGNER
DARIA SINCLAIR STOTT
Daria started her design career studying textile design. After graduating she went on to work in couture embroidery, where her innate love for meticulous detail and painstaking craftsmanship came into its own.
Despite a love for her craft, Daria’s focus moved into interior design which she felt offered more a more sustainable culture. Before joining Fantoush, Daria ran interior design projects for StudiO in Guernsey.
Daria's calm and considered nature is reflected in her approach to interior design. A firm believer in the profound impact our surroundings have on our wellbeing, she creates interiors that nurture both comfort and connection. With an excellent eye for distinctive statement pieces, Daria expertly balances characterful furnishings with tactile fabrics and soft layers, resulting in spaces that feel richly considered, elegant and calm.