Designing with Soul: A Dialogue Between Craft and Emotion

Solitaire Magazine takes an intimate look inside Atelier V&A, exploring how our pieces are shaped not just by technique, but by emotion, collaboration and a deep respect for craftsmanship. The feature traces the origin of our partnership, Venetia’s inherited craft lineage and Aisha’s storytelling instinct and how these complementary perspectives form the backbone of our creative practice.

The article highlights our belief that design should be lived with and felt. From sculptural furniture to florals, vessels and curated objects, each piece is conceived as a quiet dialogue: between maker and material, past and present, function and emotion. Solitaire also acknowledges our commitment to reintroducing craftsmanship into Singapore’s design landscape, celebrating the tactile, the handmade, and the beautifully imperfect.

Through this feature, readers are invited into our atelier — a space where ideas are shaped by hand, where stories guide form, and where design becomes a way of connecting people to meaning.

A Spotlight on Craft, Emotion and the Creative Spirit of Atelier V&A

Harper’s Bazaar recently profiled Atelier V&A, recognising our studio as a new voice in Singapore’s design landscape, one where craftsmanship, storytelling and emotion come together in sculptural form. The feature highlights our philosophy of creating pieces that are not only functional, but deeply felt; furniture, florals, and objects designed with intention, materiality and a sense of quiet drama.

The story also celebrates the partnership behind Atelier V&A. Venetia’s multi-generational carpentry heritage and Aisha’s narrative-driven creative direction form the foundation of a space that blurs the lines between gallery, workshop and playground for ideas. Together, we shape collections that honour Asian craftsmanship, elevate overlooked materials and encourage people to connect with design in more meaningful ways.

Harper’s Bazaar captures the essence of what we stand for, celebrating the art of making, the beauty of collaboration, and the belief that every piece can hold an emotional resonance.

Atelier V&A, The New Singapore Design Studio Blending Heritage With Modern Craft

a+ Singapore’s feature offers an insightful look into Atelier V&A as a studio that bridges heritage craft with contemporary design. The article explores how our partnership, Venetia’s generational carpentry background and Aisha’s narrative-led creative direction, informs a practice built on material curiosity, cultural references, and emotional storytelling.

a+ highlights the way we work: blending sculptural forms with functional purpose, honouring Asian craftsmanship, and designing pieces that speak through texture, silhouette, and a sense of quiet drama. From our Atelier One furniture to sculptural florals, vessels and collaborative projects, the story captures the essence of a studio that moves fluidly between disciplines, yet remains anchored in craft.

The feature also recognises Atelier V&A as part of a growing creative movement in Singapore, one that values hand-making, thoughtful production, and design that resonates on a deeply human level.

Through the lens of a+, readers are invited into our atelier as a space of experimentation, cultural dialogue and soulful design.

Celebrating SG60: 20 designers on craftsmanship in Singapore.

Atelier V&A embodies Singapore’s spirit of blending heritage with modernity. Co-founder Venetia Gu, a second-generation designer, draws on her family’s carpentry legacy to balance tradition and innovation — a reflection of Singapore’s pragmatic creativity. Her partner Aisha Hillary-Morgan finds inspiration in wood’s texture and story, and the nation’s heritage of craftsmanship. Through their debut Atelier One collection, they pay homage to local history with Peranakan-inspired details — quiet anchors that honour the hands and stories shaping design across generations.

Opening Acts

Hidden within an industrial complex in Kaki Bukit, Atelier V&A defies expectations with a soaring, gallery-like studio that blends craft, creativity and collaboration. Founded by Venetia Gu and Aisha Hillary-Morgan, the atelier is both a showroom and working studio — a rarity in Singapore.

Within its double-height space, artisans craft bespoke furniture under the Atelier One line and sculptural florals under Vanda, each infused with playfulness, texture and emotion. The duo breathe new life into existing pieces, transforming even broken items into design treasures.

Tatler highlights Atelier V&A as part of a new generation of design showrooms — spaces that merge artistry and storytelling, where craftsmanship becomes theatre and design is felt as much as it is seen.

Practical Magic: Heritage Roots

In Practical Magic: Heritage Roots, Atelier V&A co-founders Venetia Gu and Aisha Hillary-Morgan share how Singapore’s design identity lies in reimagining, not replicating, tradition. Venetia, a second-generation designer from a family of carpenters, reflects on the nation’s spirit of pragmatism and creativity — balancing heritage with innovation at the heart of their practice.

Aisha finds her inspiration in wood, drawn to its warmth and its connection to Singapore’s long history of craftsmanship. Through Atelier V&A’s debut Atelier One collection, the duo pay homage to this legacy by weaving Peranakan-inspired motifs into contemporary forms — quiet anchors that honour the artisans and hands that have shaped design across generations.