From fleeing Ukraine to founding a business, Tetiana tells her story of how she came to the UK with her son and rebuilt her life in Ashby.

When the war broke out between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022, Tetiana Alekseeva left Ukraine with her six-year-old son, unsure of what the future held.

She had been living in an apartment in Kharkiv with her family, enjoying a vibrant social life and work as an interior designer.

However, when Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022, she was forced to flee the country to protect her son.

'I was forced to leave my country to find a safe space,' said Tetiana. She had a very basic understanding of English, so she applied for part of the UK's Homes for Ukraine scheme.

'I ended up in the local area [near Ashby] with a very supportive sponsor family but I knew no one and had to start from the beginning, from zero.'

When she arrived in the UK, she spent months trying to find work in her profession, having previously worked at an interior design studio in Kharkiv.

'I sent lots of CVs to people but got no offers for a job. My interior design qualification did not apply in the UK.'

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Even before she moved to England, Tetiana has 'always dreamt of doing her international interior design qualification' and made the difficult decision to juggle work with starting an internationally-recognised course at the British Academy of Interior Design.

Looking back, Tetiana remembers this being a scary decision to make.

'At the time,' she said, 'it was very difficult and finding a balance between work, my studies, raising my son and building a new life.

Throughout her studies and professional career, Tetiana has built a portfolio of beautifully designed, functional spaces (Photo: Alekseeva Design)

'But looking back now, I can see I have built a lot of confidence with my design, and developed a lot of knowledge.

'I am proud of myself for taking the decision to do it and not give up.'

Tetiana explains that, at the time, 'I was still learning English, introducing my six year old to a new life and starting completely from zero.'

For this reason, it took her double the time it usually takes students to do her course, while keeping on top of studies, work and family life, all in her second language.

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'I am proud of myself for taking the decision to do the course and not give up - even though I wanted to at times.'

She successfully completed her qualification at the end of 2025 and has now started building a client base for her own business, Alekseeva Design.

Specialised in space planning and creating functional layouts, she is proud to now be designing 'interiors that work for the life and needs of the home owner.'

She is now building a portfolio of successful design projects locally, attracting the interest of clients across the UK who like her clean style and beautifully functional styles.

Despite missing her previous life before the war, she has settled in to life in a village just outside Ashby, saying: 'I am so happy to be here. I am surrounded by nice people and countryside where I am able to live safely with my child.'

Tetiana's business has been gaining attention on social media, sharing her designs, renders and creating layouts inspired by votes from her followers. She also has a website to showcase her portfolio and demonstrate her style and specialism to potential clients.

To check out her work and find out more about her business, visit her website, Facebook page and Instagram.

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