Suzanne Sharp was born in Malta, brought up in Rome, and now calls London home. She and her husband, Christopher, cofounded the Rug Company in 1997 and have collaborated with the likes of legendary decorator Nina Campbell and fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg. The couple sold the business in 2015 to focus on other ventures: Christopher landed an Oscar nomination for Bobi Wine: The People’s President, his 2022 documentary on Uganda’s opposition leader. Suzanne continued designing under her own name, working both on interiors and products for brands including the Lacquer Company and the Mosaic Factory.
The pair reunited—professionally, that is—for their first hospitality project: Malta’s Casa Bonavita, which opens this spring. They transformed an 18th-century Attard mansion into a 17-room hotel over five years. Its interiors are the ultimate expression of Sharp’s aesthetic, combining the cultures that shaped her: Sicilian marble and Murano glass from Italy, Dudgens sofas from England, and Maltese ceramics from her daughter Sophie’s Villa Bologna Pottery. Here, Sharp shares other elements that punctuate her well-lived life.
First thing you do in the morning?
Wherever I am in the world, I turn on the radio to listen to the Today program on BBC Radio 4.
What have you done recently for the first time?
A parenie, Russian massage, with all the beating at the Russian Banya House. It’s in Grosvenor Place, London. A friend of mine said to go because I was feeling rather exhausted, and my body was feeling a bit tense. Three hours later, I felt like a new person.
Which apps do you use the most?
Etsy and Instagram, to buy funny things like braid and piping and curtain rings—things one would normally have bought at a haberdasher, but those don’t exist anymore.
What do you do that’s still analog?
I have a notebook, and I write to-do lists and cross them out. For workdays and projects, I will have a designated notebook, otherwise I can never find anything. Scrolling on my phone does my head in.
The most recent thing you regret not buying?
So many houses. We did see one in Tangier a couple of years ago, on the old mountain. It was a ruin, and did need a lot of work, but it was really beautiful with amazing views.
What in your wardrobe do you wear most often?
A beautiful, really thick, big, chunky sweater from Celine, black and oversized with four-ply cashmere. I bought it about three or four years ago from Phoebe Philo’s last collection. A client was wearing one and I told her I loved it, and she said, “Oh darling, I know the girl at Celine, let me call her straight away, because I know she’s only got one left and I’ll order it for you.” The next thing I knew, a man was delivering it at my front door three hours later, with an invoice.
What is your exercise routine, and how often do you do it?
We have a stretching bar in our bathroom hanging over the door, so I do a bit of hanging every day to stretch my spine. And in summer, when we’re in Malta, I swim a lot. We have an amazing beach there, which we call our secret beach, which is a climb and a walk to get there, and we take people for special treats, called Migra I-Ferha.
What do you most crave at the end of the day?
A Campari and soda and a cigarette. They go hand in hand. I like it quite strong, and I bought myself a really beautiful Aarke machine, so I always have soda ready when I come home.
Who is your guru?
Our daughter, Sophie—she’s very like [my husband] Chris, with emotions very under control. They’re very kind, and they’ll talk you down from a cliff.
What advice do you wish you’d followed?
I’m not much of an advice follower.
What’s the last piece of advice you gave?
It’s always to do with not telling people things you know they’re going to freak out about if they find out. Tap into people’s sensitivities if you’re wasting time telling them the truth.
Are you wearing a watch? How many do you own?
I have two. I have a Rolex Oyster that was a present from my mum on my 18th birthday—it broke, but I had it fixed. And the other I got from Chris as a birthday present, a Cartier Tank.
If you could learn a new skill, what would it be?
I’d love to be able to paint beautifully. I would like to paint huge canvases of plants and flowers and trees and skies. It makes me feel relaxed thinking about it, mixing all the paints—and you need to be in a relaxed state to do it.
Do you still write letters?
No, I write notes.
What’s your email etiquette?
I reply slowly but always. Blame the southern European temperament! Emails aren’t my natural habitat. I prefer talking.
What’s always in your hand luggage?
Golden Virginia, Rizlas, and a lighter.
Drive or be driven?
Be driven.
What car are you most attached to?
We once had a very beautiful 1964 Mercedes Cabriolet, which I adored. That car was so fab. I used to drive it down the motorway in Italy, the autostrada, and everyone used to hoot. It was so nerve-racking until one day, I realized they were hooting at the car, not at me.
Last streaming binge?
I loved The Perfect Couple; I love Nicole Kidman, the way she dresses, everything about her. I love watching those American families, and I notice the interiors, the clothes, the makeup, the Botox, and the lips. I notice everything.
What kind of music makes you happy?
Johann Strauss waltzes. When my sister and I were little, there was a record player in the sitting room. My parents would wake up very late on Sundays, so we learned how to use the record player to put them on. We would jump from sofa to armchair to play, and it reminds me of being really happy. I’ve got them on Spotify now, and they’re very uplifting.
Facts Only
Suzanne Sharp was born in Malta, raised in Rome, and currently resides in London.
She co-founded The Rug Company with her husband, Christopher, in 1997.
The couple sold The Rug Company in 2015.
Christopher Sharp received an Oscar nomination for his 2022 documentary *Bobi Wine: The People’s President*.
Suzanne Sharp has designed interiors and products for brands like the Lacquer Company and the Mosaic Factory.
Sharp and her husband transformed an 18th-century mansion in Attard, Malta, into Casa Bonavita, a 17-room hotel opening in spring 2024.
The hotel’s interiors feature Sicilian marble, Murano glass, Dudgens sofas, and Maltese ceramics from her daughter Sophie’s Villa Bologna Pottery.
Sharp listens to BBC Radio 4’s *Today* program every morning.
She recently tried a Russian massage at the Russian Banya House in London.
She frequently uses Etsy and Instagram for purchasing design materials.
Sharp prefers analog notebooks for to-do lists and project notes.
She regrets not buying a ruin in Tangier a few years ago.
Her most-worn wardrobe item is a chunky black cashmere sweater from Celine.
She stretches daily using a bar in her bathroom and swims in Malta during the summer.
She craves a Campari and soda with a cigarette at the end of the day.
She owns two watches: a Rolex Oyster from her mother and a Cartier Tank from her husband.
She would like to learn to paint large canvases of nature.
She writes notes but no longer writes letters.
She replies to emails slowly but always responds.
She carries Golden Virginia tobacco, Rizlas, and a lighter in her hand luggage.
She prefers being driven over driving herself.
She previously owned a 1964 Mercedes Cabriolet.
She recently binge-watched *The Perfect Couple* and admires Nicole Kidman’s style.
Johann Strauss waltzes make her happy, evoking childhood memories.
Executive Summary
Suzanne Sharp, co-founder of The Rug Company with her husband Christopher, has transitioned from designing rugs to hospitality with the opening of Casa Bonavita, a 17-room hotel in Malta. The project, a five-year renovation of an 18th-century mansion, reflects her multicultural influences, blending Italian, English, and Maltese design elements. Sharp’s career spans collaborations with notable figures like Nina Campbell and Diane von Furstenberg, while Christopher has ventured into documentary filmmaking, earning an Oscar nomination for *Bobi Wine: The People’s President*. Their daughter, Sophie, contributes to the hotel’s design through her pottery business. Sharp’s personal routines and preferences—from her morning radio habit to her love of analog notebooks—paint a picture of a life shaped by creativity, travel, and family. The interview also reveals her eclectic tastes, from Russian massages to Johann Strauss waltzes, and her pragmatic approach to advice and communication.
The narrative highlights a blend of professional reinvention and personal continuity, with Sharp’s design philosophy rooted in her upbringing across Malta, Rome, and London. The hotel project serves as a culmination of her aesthetic, while her daily rituals and cultural touchstones underscore a life lived with intentionality. The piece avoids overt advocacy, focusing instead on Sharp’s experiences and perspectives as a lens into her world.
Full Take
**STEELMAN**: This profile presents Suzanne Sharp as a multifaceted creative force whose life and work embody cultural synthesis. Her career trajectory—from rug design to hospitality—demonstrates adaptability and a commitment to aesthetic coherence. The emphasis on her multicultural background (Malta, Rome, London) and family collaborations (husband’s film, daughter’s pottery) frames her as both a global citizen and a matriarch of creative enterprise. The personal details—her routines, regrets, and cravings—humanize her, making her relatable while reinforcing her as a tastemaker. The narrative’s strength lies in its avoidance of hagiography; Sharp’s pragmatic admissions (e.g., "I’m not much of an advice follower") and analog preferences (notebooks over digital) add authenticity.
**PATTERN SCAN**: The piece leans into *lifestyle aspiration* (ARC-0012), subtly positioning Sharp’s habits and tastes as aspirational without overt salesmanship. The focus on her "well-lived life" and curated details (e.g., the Celine sweater anecdote, the secret Maltese beach) could nudge readers toward emulation. However, the tone remains observational rather than prescriptive. No overt manipulation is detected—no rage bait, false binaries, or authority games. The closest pattern is *narrative framing* (ARC-0031), where Sharp’s life is presented as a cohesive arc of creativity and reinvention, but this aligns with standard profile journalism.
**ROOT CAUSE**: The narrative reflects a broader cultural paradigm of *creative capitalism*—where personal brand and aesthetic sensibility become marketable assets. Sharp’s ability to pivot from rugs to hospitality mirrors the modern expectation that creatives must constantly reinvent themselves. The unstated assumption is that multicultural exposure and family collaboration are inherent advantages, which may overlook systemic barriers others face.
**IMPLICATIONS**: For human agency, Sharp’s story suggests that reinvention is possible but may require privilege (e.g., selling a business to fund new ventures). The cost is the pressure to monetize personal passions, as seen in her daughter’s pottery being integrated into the hotel. Second-order consequences include the commodification of cultural heritage (e.g., Maltese ceramics as design elements) and the blurring of work-life boundaries (e.g., stretching bars in bathrooms).
**BRIDGE QUESTIONS**:
How does Sharp’s ability to pivot careers reflect broader economic shifts in creative industries?
What tensions arise when family relationships become professional collaborations?
Would her design philosophy resonate as strongly without her multicultural upbringing?
**COUNTERSTRIKE SCAN**: If this were an influence campaign, the playbook would emphasize *lifestyle envy* (ARC-0012) and *soft authority* (ARC-0028), using Sharp’s tastes to subtly endorse brands (Celine, Aarke, Cartier) or destinations (Malta, Tangier). However, the actual content avoids overt product placement, and Sharp’s critiques (e.g., digital fatigue, email disdain) undercut any polished branding. The alignment is minimal—this reads as organic storytelling, not coordinated persuasion.
Patterns detected: ARC-0012 Lifestyle Aspiration (mild), ARC-0031 Narrative Framing