Born on the Isle of Man, Gemma grew up immersed in creativity and hospitality. Raised in the restaurant world, she developed a natural instinct for atmosphere and design.
She studied for a BA (Hons) Architecture at Kingston University and later earned a BA (Hons) in History of Art & Museum Studies from Liverpool John Moores, bringing together design discipline and cultural context from the very start.
Her career began in the corporate world, working with global organisations including Virgin, Microsoft, and Pfizer. Drawing on her hospitality background, Gemma went on to run some of London and Ibiza’s biggest nightclubs for Virgin before spending five years in Sydney with a leading health organisation.
In 2010, after two decades away, Gemma returned to the Isle of Man and founded Interior Rehab, a studio dedicated to bespoke furniture and interiors. The business later evolved into Rehab Squared, a multi-faceted design practice delivering high-end commercial interiors, designer furniture, hand-picked antiques, and design-led lifestyle pieces. Its projects have earned international recognition, with The Courthouse Club shortlisted for a prestigious Mondo DR Award in Las Vegas on the studio’s tenth anniversary. Gemma has also studied Interior Design at the University of London and is a member of the British Institute of Interior Designers (BIID).”
Beyond interiors, Gemma is an award-winning film production designer. Her latest project, No Man is an Island, debuted as a Guardian documentary feature and is available to view online here.
To explore more of her writing, design philosophy, and cultural commentary, Gemma now shares her stories on her Substack newsletter, From Rave to Renovation:
Born on the Isle of Man shortly after her parents moved from the UK, Zoe grew up surrounded by her family’s successful business in hotels, transport, and tourism. From an early age, she developed an instinct for connection and experience.
She studied for a BSc (Hons) in Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London, before moving into the corporate world. Zoe went on to become a management consultant with Booz & Company (formerly Booz Allen Hamilton), working in London, New York, and the Middle East, specialising in pro bono projects for clients such as the Global Coalition for HIV/AIDS.
In 2010, also Zoe returned to the Isle of Man, where she reconnected with her roots and officially joined the family business in tourism and hospitality. She managed leased properties and oversaw popular establishments including Bar George and Coffee Republic. During this time, she also co-directed the Isle of Man Film Festival, produced short films, and worked on The Watchmaker’s Apprentice, a feature documentary about the Island’s globally renowned watchmakers, Sir George Daniels and Roger W. Smith OBE. Watch the documentary here.
She later joined the Isle of Man Government’s Department for Enterprise as a Business Development Manager, heading up digital media and film/TV projects, before transitioning fully into the design industry. In 2020, Zoe and Gemma created and developed their first accommodation venture, Loft 11, a unique project whose design and invisible-service ethos was inspired by an inspirational trip to Nashville, USA in 2018.
