Keeping it real with Hannah Ashe from Chez Hanny

"I truly feel that I am in my technicolour, fully creative era."

Hey, Cool Aunts!

How are you? Today, I’m sharing a short interview with

Hannah Ashe

, the multi-passionate creative who’s documenting her career change, turning 40, and her love for France via her Substack, Chez Hanny.

Read on to find out what she wishes more women were honest about, advice she’d give her younger self, what exciting and terrifying things she’s working on right now, and more!

Also, today is Hannah’s 40th birthday, so let’s spread some love in the comments, people!

Enjoy!


ALEXIS: Who are you, and what should we know about you right off the bat?

HANNAH: I’m Hannah, I’m on the literal verge of turning 40 (30th May…), I live in London, and I make my living from being creative.

ALEXIS: What’s something you’re working on right now——professionally or personally——that feels exciting, terrifying, or both?

HANNAH: Two years ago, I left behind a well-paid, full-time, and very stressful teaching job because I was burned out and my creativity was in tatters. I took a short course in interior design (a long-standing passion of mine), took a part-time teaching job to provide a little bit of stability, and started a Substack to document my career change and help me navigate my way through all this self-imposed chaos.

Since then, I’ve been building Hannah Ashe Interior Design alongside writing and podcasting on Substack, all whilst teaching 3 days per week.

I would absolutely love to be able to give up teaching completely, and I’m working hard right now to bring in more and more interior design work so that I can make that dream a reality. I’m not quite there yet, but I am gradually getting closer. I know that fairly soon, there will come a point where I have to take a risk and make the leap away from teaching. It’s both terrifying and exciting.

ALEXIS: What part of your life feels the most real, raw, or ridiculous right now?

HANNAH: I truly feel that I am in my technicolour, fully creative era. I’ve discovered that I need to allow that part of my brain the time and space it needs to breathe and be fruitful, and when I don’t have that, I’m unhappy. Since discovering this, I feel so much more free and untethered and know what I need.

ALEXIS: What’s your current version of self-care, no matter how chaotic or unconventional?

I’m a prolific bather(!) I take baths pretty much daily, and it’s my favourite way to unwind and calm my mind. A few drops of lavender oil, my Kindle, and I’m very happy.

ALEXIS: What’s one thing you wish more women were honest about?

HANNAH: Our faces. There’s so much talk about accepting our differences, but the reality for a lot of women of my age is that they are secretly having all these little procedures done. I’m not one of them. I don’t love every aspect of my aging face, chin hairs and all, but this is me, and I suspect this is many others, too. Wouldn’t it be much better if we embraced nature and stopped trying to cover it up?

ALEXIS: If we opened your Notes app right now, what would we find?

HANNAH: The top note is a ‘to-do’ list which includes ‘Alexis D piece’, reminding me to complete your questions! Beneath the to-do list is a comprehensive list of local Facebook groups and the days of the week I’m allowed to post a business advert. I find it a surprisingly effective way to market my interior design business. Oh, the glamour.

ALEXIS: What’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self (or your current self, honestly)?

HANNAH: Pause. Stop doing everything at 100mph and take a little more notice of what’s around you and how you truly feel in any moment. I spent most of my 20s rushing around trying to please others and very little time listening to myself.

ALEXIS: What’s your definition of “success” these days?

HANNAH: My definition of success is being at a point in my life where I don't people please. I'm in control of my choices and actions, and I am doing them because they are right for me and those closest to me. Not because I think it's what I should do or someone else wants me to do. I'm not there yet, but I am steadily chipping away at convention and getting there!

ALEXIS: What are you reading, watching, or listening to right now that’s bringing you joy, peace, or a necessary distraction?

I’ve just started listening to

Lucy Brazier

’s audiobook The Honesty Box and I’m loving it. It’s reflective and raw and honest. I like to listen to an audiobook when I’m out walking, pottering in the garden, or even on the rare occasions I decide to do some cleaning.

ALEXIS: Where can we follow, support, or hire you, so we can all say “we knew her when”?

Visit my website to hire me as your interior designer. I offer a deeply personal approach, build strong relationships with my lovely clients, and then delve into the creative motivations to make their homes really sing. I post interior design-focused musings on Instagram at @chez_hanny. Do come and say hi!

Read my Substack, Chez Hanny, for weekly writing on creativity, career change, turning 40, and my obsession with France. Paid subscribers are invited to a monthly online creating session called ‘Create Ensemble’. It’s a brilliant community! You will also find my podcast ‘Creative Career Change’ nestled in there.

Have questions for Hannah? Drop them in the comments below!

See you soon,

Alexis

P.S. If you’re interested in getting featured in this interview series, get in touch with me via DM!

In case you’re new here, hey! I’m Alexis—a Dutch-American writer from New York living my best life in Amsterdam. The Cool Aunt is where I share a mix of raw, honest, and funny words from the perspective of a 40-ish woman still figuring it out (because who isn’t?).

Here are a few ways you can support my independent writing