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Emmely Elgersma Biography – Emmely Elgersma Wiki
Emmely Elgersma, a versatile talent from the Netherlands, now thrives in London as a designer, sculptor, ceramicist, artist, and football coach. Although she hails from the Netherlands, her formative years unfolded in the serene landscapes of rural Nottinghamshire. She later relocated to London to pursue her passion for Textile Design and Fine Art. Emmely is making her mark as a contestant on BBC’s Interior Design Masters 2026.
Her intrigue with repurposing materials was sparked during an early job in a Bloomsbury shop owned by the daughter of the creator of Bagpuss and Clangers. There, she honed her skills in transforming so-called ‘rubbish’ into captivating window displays. This hands-on experience, filled with improvisation and creativity, became the foundation of her sculptural philosophy.
Emmely’s artistic journey included a residency at the Sarabande Foundation, established by the iconic Lee Alexander McQueen. This opportunity granted her 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 collaborations extend to renowned brands like IKEA, TikTok, End of the Road Festival, Paynter Jacket, Johnnie Walker, and Sandqvist.
In the spring of 2025, she will join an artist residency in South Korea as part of Korea’s International Craft Festival, allowing her to further explore sustainability and innovation in design. Meanwhile, Emmely is eagerly awaiting word from the Guinness World Records regarding her attempt to create the largest papier-mâché sculpture ever.
In 2020, Emmely achieved her FA Level 1 coaching qualification, paving the way for her roles as a coach for Spurs and Juventus and as a manager for The Tate Workers football team. She holds an MFA from Chelsea College of Arts, obtained in 2017, and completed her BA (Hons) in Textile Design at Central Saint Martins in 2012.
Interior Design Masters 2026
Emmely Elgersma is a contestant on Series 7 of Interior Design Masters on BBC One, presented by comedian Alan Carr, with interiors expert Michelle Ogundehin as head judge. The show follows 10 designers as they reimagine eight incredible spaces from beach huts to castle hotels. Emmely describes her design style as creative, 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.”
Emmely Elgersma’s Instagram handle is @emmely.