MEET SOFIYA

Meet the Designer Behind the Academy

Sofiya Burnusuz is an international interior designer and the founder of Sofiya Designs. Her work has grown from a background in Interior Architecture and experience within London’s design and architecture studios into an established design practice working across residential and commercial interiors.

About SOFIYA DESIGNS ACADEMY

MEET SOFIYA BURNUSUZ - LONDON-BASED INTERNATIONAL INTERIOR DESIGNER AND EDUCATOR

Sofiya’s approach to teaching is shaped by her experience of working on real interior projects. Through live teaching, studio critiques and practical project work, she shares the thinking behind professional design decisions and helps students develop their own judgement.

The aim is not to create designers who simply follow a formula. It is to help students understand the process, ask better questions, communicate their ideas clearly and become more confident in making design decisions. Rather than just teaching theory, Sofiya offers personalised, one-to-one mentorship and step-by-step guidance based on years of real-world practice.

Our Mission

To give aspiring and developing interior designers practical experience of how professional projects work, from the first client conversation through design development, specification, budgeting and delivery.

Our Vision

To create a practical learning environment where students develop creative ability alongside the confidence, judgement and professional understanding needed to enter the interior design industry or develop their own practice.

REAL PROJECT LEARNING

Work through project scenarios drawn from Sofiya Designs residential and commercial work, giving you the chance to learn through practical briefs rather than fictional classroom projects.

LIVE STUDIO TEACHING

Take part in live studio learning with expert teaching, mentoring and professional critique from Sofiya Burnusuz, giving you the chance to ask questions, present your ideas and learn through feedback.

RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL

Follow the six-phase journey from residential design to commercial projects, building your skills as you progress. Learn how to develop, present and deliver design projects with greater confidence.

SOFIYA’S WORLD-CLASS SUPPLIERS & PARTNERS

Gain insight into the suppliers and industry partners used across real design projects, helping you make informed choices when sourcing materials, furniture and finishes.

How the Academy Works

Learn Through Practice

SOFIYA DESIGNS ACADEMY is an approximately six-month, practice-led online programme covering the connected stages of residential and commercial interior design.

Learning takes place through live teaching, realistic project scenarios, studio critique, professional resources and practical assignments. Students are encouraged to apply what they learn, present their thinking and develop their work through feedback.

Your Learning Rhythm

Learn

Understand professional methods, design principles and approaches drawn from Sofiya’s working experience.

Apply

Put your learning into practice through residential and commercial design projects based on realistic professional scenarios.

Present

Explain your ideas, communicate your design thinking and present your work with greater clarity and confidence.

Receive Feedback

Take part in live studio critiques where your work is reviewed, and you receive constructive feedback to help you move forward.

Refine

Use feedback to question your decisions, solve design problems and strengthen your work as the project develops.

Sofiya’s Design Philosophy

Good interior design starts with understanding the people, property and purpose behind a space. Sofiya’s approach combines creative thinking with practical decisions, considering how materials, colour, furniture, lighting and layout work together.

Her teaching encourages students to look beyond aesthetics and think about why a design works, how it serves the client and how an idea can be developed into a considered, workable interior.

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The Six-Phase Journey

Across six months, you’ll work through the key stages of professional interior design, building your skills and taking on greater responsibility as the programme progresses.

1. Designer Foundations

Learn how to understand clients, create professional briefs, define the scope of works and analyse a property. Develop your skills in zoning, circulation, budgets and project planning.

2. Residential Design

Develop a complete residential design through concept development, space planning, colour, materials, finishes, lighting, FF&E, joinery and client presentation. Foundation and Advanced students work on projects suited to their level.

3. Professional Client Delivery

Learn how to respond to client feedback and move a project forward through revisions, specifications, costings, value engineering, procurement and communication with suppliers and contractors.

4. Commercial Design Project

Work on a real office project and explore commercial briefing, branding, customer and user journeys, space planning, materials, durability, lighting, FF&E and budgets.

5. Independent Designer Project

Choose a residential or commercial project and take it through the design process independently, making and explaining your own decisions with Sofiya supporting you as mentor and Design Director.

6. Portfolio & Career Launch

Bring your strongest work together into a professional portfolio, refine your presentation and explore CV development, career positioning, employment and freelance pathways, mock interviews and individual professional-development feedback before graduation.

EXCELLENT

Based on 14 reviews

Otis Wibaut

Working with Sofiya has been a great experience. The quality in her work is outstanding, I would highly recommend.

Arabe Y

Sofiya is an exceptionally creative and genuinely wholesome individual who consistently goes above and beyond for her customers. She takes the time to truly listen, ensuring that every detail and preference is thoughtfully considered throughout the design process. Her ability to translate ideas into visually compelling and well-executed designs is impressive, and her technical skills are truly unmatched. What sets Sofiya apart is her intentional and client-focused approach to design. She is detail-oriented, patient, and highly communicative, making the entire collaboration seamless and enjoyable. Her professionalism, creativity, and passion for her craft are evident in every step of the process. I can confidently say it was a pleasure working with her, and I would highly recommend Sofiya Designs to anyone seeking high-quality, thoughtful, and beautifully executed design work.

Paul Flynn

We’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Sofiya and her interior design company and we can honestly say she’s exceptional at what she does. Sofiya has a fantastic eye for detail and design, and she always brings fresh, creative ideas that elevate every project. Her professionalism, passion, and ability to truly understand what clients want make her stand out in the industry. It’s always a smooth and enjoyable process working alongside her, and the end results speak for themselves. Highly recommend Sofiya to anyone looking for outstanding interior design!

Irina Fixel

Very talented designer with attention to detail and careful and attentive customer service. Would highly recommend

Sangeeta viswanath

I had the pleasure of working with Sofiya as my interior designer, and I couldn’t be happier with the results! She provided excellent ideas and thoughtful suggestions that truly transformed my space into something both beautiful and functional. Sofiya was always quick to respond to any queries and made alterations promptly, ensuring the entire process was smooth and stress-free. What impressed me most was her ability to give a cohesive theme to the entire house, making sure every room complemented each other perfectly. Her attention to detail and passion for design were evident throughout the project. I highly recommend Sofiya to anyone looking for a talented, professional, and reliable interior designer!

Hitakkshi Makkwana

Sofiya had been very professional and the whole process was very smooth. It has been a pleasure working with her. Highly recommended. Thank you

benny parker

We had a whole office refit including a brand new design, furniture and lighting. It was really great working with Sofiya, some amazing ideas and great designs, all delivered and completed on time. We are quite please with the whole project and its great when things go as planned and within budget.

Olly

It was an absolute pleasure working with Sofiya and I am very happy with the exceptional service provided and received. Sofiya constantly demonstrated interest and enthusiasm with high level of proficiency, knowledge and professionalism making the journey enjoyable, transparent and easy. Her advice and comments were spot on and heartfelt. She took on board my comments and input and was happy to discuss at length my ideas for the project. I thoroughly recommend using Sofiya and will definitely be going back to her again. I can’t thank you enough!

Sofiya has desgined a number of projects for me in the past and present. Her intricate design and extensive experience and knowledge of the commercial and residential industry allows Sofiya to excel the clients expectation. We especially love Sofiyas use of multiple materials to collectively produce some fantastic designs.