Mary McNeill Knowles

Mary McNeill Knowles Mary McNeill Knowles is a Victoria-based interior design and architecture photographer with a background in interior design.

She works with designers and architects, capturing an array of projects with a lifestyle-inspired aesthetic.

This beautiful Spanish Revival home was not what I expected to find when I headed out to Nelson, BC, last fall to shoot ...
05/29/2026

This beautiful Spanish Revival home was not what I expected to find when I headed out to Nelson, BC, last fall to shoot work with .interiors. The thoughtful details and craftsmanship of this kitchen renovation truly instill the home's charm.

Congratulations on the feature in !!

.I’m always drawn to spaces that take a few risks, and lean into colour. So projects like this one are especially fun to...
05/26/2026

.

I’m always drawn to spaces that take a few risks, and lean into colour. So projects like this one are especially fun to photograph!

This project is still evolving, but the designer recognized that the story already felt strong enough to capture now instead of waiting years for every last detail to be finished.

And honestly, I think that was such a good call. Sometimes a space already has something to say, and there’s real value in capturing it while that energy is there.

Interior Design:
Builder:
Photography:

A few photos from Barcelona last year, after spending a few days in Copenhagen for 3 Days of Design.Travel always feels ...
05/20/2026

A few photos from Barcelona last year, after spending a few days in Copenhagen for 3 Days of Design.

Travel always feels important for me creatively. I think just getting out of your usual routine and experiencing different cities, spaces, materials, and ways of living has a way of shifting how you see things again.

Already starting to think about next year a bit. or are definitely on my radar!

In print today in Looking back at this project with Bidgood, it’s a good reminder that strong editorial stories can com...
05/15/2026

In print today in

Looking back at this project with Bidgood, it’s a good reminder that strong editorial stories can come together in stages. We photographed the interiors ahead of winter, then came back later once the narrative felt clearer and we knew what was still needed to round out the story.

Adding a second shoot with more lifestyle-driven imagery (and extremely supportive homeowners) ended up being an important part of how their project was ultimately presented.

Congratulations !

A little look at how lighting can change the reading of an image. Depending on the approach, the same interior can feel ...
05/13/2026

A little look at how lighting can change the reading of an image.

Depending on the approach, the same interior can feel completely different. Sometimes I’m working with natural light as it falls, other times shaping it with diffusion or bringing in strobes to refine consistency and control.

It’s never about choosing one method over another. It’s about understanding what the space needs in order to be read clearly and intentionally.

The final image is always a result of that decision-making process and in most times a balance between natural and artificial lighting.

Interior Design:
Architecture: .form
Build:
Millwork:
Photography:
Featured in

It’s not just about photographing a project.For me, the strongest shoots start with clarity. How the images will be used...
05/05/2026

It’s not just about photographing a project.

For me, the strongest shoots start with clarity. How the images will be used and what they need to communicate.

That clarity shapes everything. The shot list becomes more focused, styling more intentional, and the final images feel more connected.

And without it, images often don’t get used to their full potential.

The goal is always to create something that works beyond the shoot itself, a curated body of images where each decision is considered, and the final result feels like a true extension of the theory driving the design.

Interior Design: .studio
Photography:

Celebrating this beautiful feature in Domino magazine Working with on this project was such a reminder of what happens ...
04/23/2026

Celebrating this beautiful feature in Domino magazine

Working with on this project was such a reminder of what happens when passion meets intention—her love for design is unmistakable and present in every detail of this home.

As she steps into this next chapter of her career in Canada, it feels especially meaningful to see her work recognized here. Grateful to have been trusted to capture it!

Interior Design:
Photography:

A look at the lighting behind the finished images. I don’t approach lighting as something incidental — it’s always a del...
04/22/2026

A look at the lighting behind the finished images.

I don’t approach lighting as something incidental — it’s always a deliberate part of how I shape the way a space is read. Sometimes that means staying true to the natural conditions of the interior, and other times it’s about aligning the images with the design studio’s aesthetic.

“Moody” doesn’t mean less light — it means more intention.

Interior Design:
Photography:

Last spring while in Barcelona, learning about this project felt like a bit of a reset.Seeing Ricardo Bofill’s Walden 7 ...
04/15/2026

Last spring while in Barcelona, learning about this project felt like a bit of a reset.

Seeing Ricardo Bofill’s Walden 7 in person has been on my list for a long time, even before really understanding the philosophy behind it. It was always the shape, colour, and texture. His buildings don’t even really look like buildings, they’re so peculiar it’s hard to wrap your head around the layout just from photos.

The level of thought, collaboration, and creativity behind this concept is something we don’t always see today, especially within the realities and restrictions we’re working within.

And to be clear, I don’t think Walden 7 is about whether it fully succeeded or not, it’s about the fact that it tried. It pushed how architecture can shape the way people live, interact, and feel, and didn’t shy away from the responsibility that comes with that.

Because if we stop leaving room for that kind of thinking, or stop even having those conversations, it’s pretty easy to end up with safe, repetitive, grey-box buildings that don’t offer much beyond function.

📸 Mary McNeill Knowles

A recent feature in Rue! 
These kinds of projects don’t happen by chance —they’re considered from day one.This was a par...
04/10/2026

A recent feature in Rue!

These kinds of projects don’t happen by chance —they’re considered from day one.

This was a particularly unique space to begin with, but what really shaped the final images was a carefully curated shot list, layered with detail shots and a few quieter, lived-in moments to help tell the full story.

It was also a highly collaborative process. So much of this comes down to working with designers who are deeply invested in their work and willing to put in that extra level of care.

And of course, always a pleasure working with a publication like RUE , who approach features with such thought and consideration.

Interior Design: i v o r y d e s i g n c o
Photography: Mary McNeill Knowles

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