Michelle Ogundehin was born in Manchester, England, to a Nigerian father and British mother, and grew up in London.

She studied architecture at the Bartlett School of Architecture (University College London), earning both a degree and diploma. Her early career focused on design and architecture before transitioning into journalism and publishing.

In 1997, she joined ELLE Decoration UK and became editor-in-chief in 2004, a role she held for 13 years. During this time, she gained major influence in the design world and received industry recognition for her editorial work.

She later expanded into television, appearing on shows such as Grand Designs: House of the Year and becoming head judge on Interior Design Masters when it launched in 2019 on BBC Two (later BBC One).

Ogundehin lives in Brighton and continues to work as a presenter, author, and consultant. She also writes about wellbeing and design, and has a son.