Bell Hutley  is an artist and designer of decorative objects and interiors. Based in London, she creates hand-drawn and hand-painted pieces ranging from tableware and linens to lampshades, furniture and murals, all rooted in a romantic, story-led visual language.

Bell’s work is inspired by nature, folklore and children’s literature. Her Forest Floor collection draws on the woods she loved as a child, while her summer linens are influenced by the characters and color of  The Wizard of Oz . Each design combines whimsical detail with a darker, more atmospheric edge, giving her work a distinctive sense of narrative.

Bell’s signature style is a bold and expressive use of color combined with intricate, illustrative patterns. Her hand-drawn beetles, flowers and fantastical motifs bring a sense of enchantment to everyday objects, transforming them into pieces that feel both playful and poetic.

Bell works with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ to create hand-painted furniture, murals and decorative schemes, valuing its painterly quality and rich pigments which allow her to build depth, texture and mood in her work.

Bell’s work is collected internationally and admired by Alexandra Tolstoy, Lulu Guinness and Daisy Lowe. She sells her collections through her own studio and selected retailers including Fortnum & Mason, Collagerie and Chairish, alongside her bespoke commissions for private clients and interiors. She also runs creative workshops and is currently working on a children’s book.

Melissa is a designer and painter of decorative interiors. She lives in Hastings, a coastal town in the south of England, and designs and hand-paints surface patterns for a wide variety of spaces – from private homes and commercial spaces to listed properties.

Her career began with the reproduction of Elizabethan murals and painted fabrics—a technique that was very popular in English homes during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At that time, homeowners would hire local craftsmen to decorate their walls with intricate designs. Some of these works have been rediscovered during renovations or hidden behind wood paneling. Melissa reconstructs these rare designs for museums and historic sites, translating them into a modern, contemporary aesthetic.

Her distinctive style combines historical references, craftsmanship, and painterly refinement. She often gives her works a deliberately aged, patinated appearance – as if they had emerged from the passage of time.

For several years, Melissa has led a popular creative workshop at Charleston Farmhouse – the former home of the Bloomsbury Group, a famous group of artists from the early 20th century. There, she works with Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint™ , a paint she particularly appreciates.

Melissa has collaborated with renowned brands such as Zoffany , Kit Kemp , John Smedley and Lewis & Wood .

Tristan , from Bristol, discovered Chalk Paint™ in 2019 while working as a primary school principal. His wife signed him up for an Annie Sloan workshop – and despite never having painted furniture before, he was immediately captivated. This experience proved to be a turning point: he quit his secure job and took the plunge into self-employment as a furniture designer – a bold decision that has paid off to this day.

Tristan is now a brand ambassador for Annie Sloan and an official retailer with his shop , Doghead Designs, in Clevedon, North Somerset. He loves experimenting with colors, textures, and patterns, creating distinctive, one-of-a-kind pieces in a wide variety of styles – inspired by everything around him. Annie once gave him the advice: “Paint every day.” This phrase has stayed with him ever since and shapes his continuous artistic development.

Tristan dedicates his residency to his late father – himself an artist who unfortunately did not live to see Tristan embark on his creative career.

We are delighted to welcome Heidi von Dingley Dell Creative as our new Painter in Residence ! She lives in Lancaster, Lancashire – right on the edge of the rolling hills and mysterious forests of the Lake District , one of the most beautiful natural regions in Great Britain.

Her passion for furniture painting began many years ago when she was raising a young family and wanted to create a unique home on a limited budget. In the evenings, at the kitchen table, with a paintbrush in hand, she transformed old pieces of furniture into enchanting one-of-a-kind items – a creative oasis in her everyday life.

Today, ten years later, Heidi is still brimming with inspiration – primarily from nature. Her style is strongly influenced by traditional folk style , with a great love for detail and a deep connection to the landscape. She is often out in nature with a sketchbook in hand, capturing the atmosphere of the seasons and transforming these impressions into artistic interior design ideas.

If you haven’t heard of With Love Furniture , we would like to introduce you to this passionate, talented and adventurous artist as Annie Sloan’s newest Painter In Residence.

Aida is originally from Mexico and currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona. She comes from an artistic family and grew up surrounded by diverse artistic expressions, from music and visual arts to a Bolshoi dancer!

She discovered her passion for painting when she moved from Barcelona, ​​Spain, to the United States. Upcycling unwanted furniture was an outlet for her creativity, giving her the flexibility to care for her young daughter.

As an artist, she has always been drawn to bold colors and enjoys experimenting with different styles. Heavily inspired by her Mexican heritage, Aida loves incorporating vibrant patterns into her work. She is particularly drawn to the minimalist design of mid-century modern furniture and how her extravagant style transforms and elevates these geometrically shaped pieces. She approaches each project with a clear plan and vision to ensure the final product aligns with her creative vision.

Her work will inspire and delight those who love painted mid-century modern furniture, joyful artistic expression, and the magic of bold designs.

Introducing Nick Spencer, the creative force behind Rocky Crystal and Annie Sloan’s upcoming Painter in Residence. With a style best described as a captivating blend of boho and grunge, Nick’s charismatic works are undoubtedly 100% unique.

His career as a full-time furniture painter began in 2008 at the family business in Croydon, South London. Since then, he has embarked on an artistic adventure, bringing his passion for painted vintage-style furniture with a French country flair to life. He has worked closely with Annie and spoken at events with our Jonathon Marc Mendes.

Nick’s talents have expanded into modern industrial aesthetics, and we especially love watching him paint his rock ‘n’ roll pieces with his son, unleashing and sharing his boundless creativity through the transformative power of color. He’s ready to bring fresh perspectives and exceptional designs to the world of furniture restoration and decoration, and we want him to show us all how he does it. Stay tuned for his exciting residency at Annie Sloan!

Martine Lestage, Gründerin von Atelier 1966, lebt in Quebec, Kanada. Ende der 90er Jahre entdeckte Martine die Bücher und Schablonen von Annie Sloan. Sie begann, sie überall zu verwenden: in verschiedenen Bereichen ihres Hauses, auf der Veranda des Ferienhauses ihrer Eltern, auf allen möglichen Gegenständen, einfach überall! Es gibt einen Grund, warum Martine „Miss Pochoir” (Frau Schablone auf Französisch!) genannt wird.

Nachdem sie ihre Töchter großgezogen und für die Immobilienfirma gearbeitet hatte, die sie zusammen mit ihrem Mann gegründet hatte, wollte Martine etwas für sich selbst tun, etwas, das ihr persönliche Erfüllung brachte. Martine begann als Hobby mit der Umgestaltung und dem Upcycling von Möbeln, aber bald wurde daraus ein Vollzeitjob. Sie ahnte nicht, dass ihre Arbeit viele Jahre später weltweit Anerkennung finden würde, insbesondere von Annie Sloan! Martine ist auf alle Formen von Textur und Farbe spezialisiert.

Annie Sloan’s latest Painter in Residence is the incredibly talented Carina Reimers of The House Warmings. During her stay, she will show you how to paint rustic, bohemian-style furniture with a strong texture that exudes character and charm.

We are delighted to introduce Polish-born, UK-based glam-rock-gothic furniture painter 84 Square as our Painter in Residence. 84 Square has created six maximalist, glamorous, and absolutely stunning furniture makeovers, complete with step-by-step instructions that will inspire you to pick up a brush and start upcycling at home!

We are delighted to introduce American furniture artist Olivia Lacy of Pigeon & Pip in Connecticut as the new Annie Sloan Artist in Residence. Instantly recognizable for her dreamily theatrical style, Olivia brings a wealth of imagination and surrealism to furniture art. Here you can follow Olivia’s Chalk Paint™ journey and see how Annie Sloan decorative paints can bring magic into a home.

Polly Coulson’s time as artist-in-residence has yielded a wealth of remarkable, colorfully designed objects created in her home in Sydney, Australia. Chosen as Annie for her contemporary, playfully cool approach to color, this UK-born upcycling expert has countless ingenious ideas to inspire you to take your furniture painting to new heights.

UK-based Chloe Kempster is the brains and paintbrush behind Maisie’s House. A minimalist style allows the artistic details of this one-woman creative force’s painted furniture to truly shine. Nothing makes a better case for upcycling the old in favor of acquiring the new than Chloe’s stunning, artistic, and originally painted creations. This is furniture art at its purest; driven by a passion for sustainability, a desire to make the world a better place with every commission, and an unadulterated creative impulse! See Chloe on the BBC show Money For Nothing, on her highly inspiring Instagram account, or right here as part of the Painters in Residence program.

Charlie Anne Massey, besser bekannt als „Girl in Blue Designs”, griff zum ersten Mal zu einem Chalk Paint™-Pinsel in ihrer Schwangerschaft mit ihrer Tochter, als sie etwas mehr Freizeit hatte. Was als Hobby begann, hat sich inzwischen zu einem vollwertigen Geschäft für Charlie entwickelt. Ansässig in ihrem Heimatstaat Georgia, USA, upcycled sie gebrauchte Möbel mit Chalk Paint™ verkauft diese in ihrem Etsy-Shop. In ihrer Zeit als Residenzkünstlerin (Painter in Residence) können wir verschiedene Techniken, wie z.B. Ombre-Effekt, Abstufungen (layering), und Antik-Effekte (distressing) erwarten.

Das australische Schwägerinnen-Duo Fanny und Jemma von „shed eleven” leben im grünen North Shore-Viertel in Sydney, Australien. Fanny wurde an der Elfenbeinküste in Afrika geboren, Jemma in Papua-Neuguinea. Sie beschreiben beide ihre nomadische Kindheit, die sich im Erwachsenenalter zu einer gemeinsamen Reiseliebe entwickelte. Sie streichen Möbel, größtenteils per Auftrag, für ihr Geschäft das sich in einem Schuppen in Jemmas Garten im Haus Nummer 11 befindet – hier wurde „shed eleven” geboren!

Jeanie discovered her love for upcycling furniture and decor while living on a sheep farm in the mountains of New Zealand with her two children. She has always had a keen interest in art and design, and this continues to be her inspiration for her work, which she researches with great care. She loves breathing new life into old and neglected pieces of furniture, as these are often of higher quality, better crafted, and tell a story that you won’t find in brand-new furniture.

Hester is originally from the Netherlands. The UK-based DIY expert has lived on the island for 14 years, currently in the coastal town of Ramsgate with her partner, daughter Kiki, and dog Kermit. In her own words, Hester says, “For as long as I can remember, I’ve been building and making things myself. My mum taught me how to work with fabrics, and my dad gave me my knowledge of woodworking and tools.” During her time as artist-in-residence, we can look forward to upcycling hacks and plenty of Nordic style.

Ildiko Horvath from Ontario, Canada, has created wonderful works with my paint and products over the past few years. She is a master of the ombré technique, which involves applying color gradients and transitions to create an opulent and magnificent patina.