Emma Ridley and Gaby Gatacre, the founders of Rag Arts, are graduates of the Institut Supérieur de Peinture Van Der Kelen, a world-renowned decorative painting academy in Brussels.

Before establishing Rag Arts, Emma studied Art History and Anthropology at Oxford Brookes and later ran a successful decorating business.

After graduating from Kingston University with a degree in Fine Art, Gaby worked as a prop maker and set painter.

Emma and Gaby’s contrasting backgrounds makes them the perfect team.

Growing up in the Middle East, Emma learnt to appreciate the luxurious, polished interiors of these rapidly-expanding regions.  That experience has contributed to her knack for a flawless finish.

Gaby’s family home in the Netherlands, jostled with well-used antiques and William Morris florals against muted hessian walls; a quintessentially bohemian 1970s look. Those formative years shaped her eye and aptitude for  finishes with a gentle patina of time.

Pooling their shared expertise, Emma and Gaby established Rag Arts in 2016. They now work on commercial and residential buildings across the world. These projects range from large chains of restaurants and bars, to listed townhouses or country estates for private owners, architects or interior designers.  Every surface they create is unique.