Jean Whitehead

I have been involved in studying, creating, writing about and teaching interior design for over thirty years. I am a graduate of Glasgow School of Art and postgraduate of Manchester Metropolitan University.

My research interests encompass both interior architecture through a love of forgotten spaces and the re-use of abandoned buildings, through to the purely decorative and the creation of interior atmosphere. Previous publications are diverse and have covered topics that range from pedagogy (the theory of teaching and learning) through to the many different manifestations of the interior. I have been lucky enough to travel the world to share these ideas at various conferences.

A fascination with film and all things cinematic has led to a more recent preoccupation which seeks to re-evaluate the decorated interior and atmosphere within the context of ‘staged space’, narrative and ‘mise-en-scène.’ This led to the publication of my first book 'Creating Interior Atmosphere: Mise-en-scène and Interior Design.' My second book examines interior architecture and adaptive reuse via a palimpsestic appraisal that explores place based narratives as a strategic device to sustainably unwrite, rewrite, interrupt and disrupt existing buildings.

I have recently been awarded the Visionary Tutor Award for Interior Design by the Society of British and International Design (SBID).