INTERIORS:Now that the boom is over, our homes are no longer investments but places to live and be happy in for a long time, says stylist, interior designer and author Abigail Ahern, writes ALANNA GALLAGHER
'IN 2010, HOME is where the heart is," says London stylist, retailer and interior designer Abigail Ahern, author of The Girl's Guide to Decorating. "People are no longer moving every three or four years, so they're investing more in their homes," she explains. "They want investment pieces, really cool, beautiful items that are classic with a twist and will keep for a long time. The cheap, chic disposable culture of the noughties is gone."
The downturn has made everyone re-evaluate how they live and this includes what their homes mean to them, says the interiors expert, whose grandparents are from Dublin. “The bursting of the property bubble means housing can no longer be viewed as a cold investment so we’re reinterpreting it as a place where we want to live for long periods of time, maybe even life. We want our homes to become happy places, full of the things we love. As a result, the objet is back on show. This can be art, books, accessories and/or lighting.”
Lighting adds intrigue, she explains. As she talks, she counts nine lights – floor lights, ceiling lights, occasion lamps and candles in her winter sitting room. The lights are all 25-watt.
Ahern has just launched her first lighting range. It features ceramic and concrete bases of animals, such as an uptight-looking poodle with a tiny shade on his head that almost looks like a hat. There is already a waiting list for the poodle, which costs approximately €194.
Celebrity fans include Robbie Williams, who has bought some of Ahern’s pop art collection by Bernard Py, fashion designer Alexander McQueen, and actresses Denise Van Outen and Saffron Burrows.
Colour is a smart way to update your space. “It has a psychological effect and really does cheer you up, so create a hue haven with teal blues, hot pinks and saffron yellows, which all offer an antidote to the ongoing everyday doom and gloom,” she advises.
Paint the floors, woodwork and walls all the one shade, she adds: “It makes the space feel grander and larger.” She favours Farrow Ball’s Downpipe: “It looks inky blue in the evenings and violet during the day.” To this she adds Deep Water by Zoffany to create a striking block of colour in the kitchen. “With a dark base you need pops of bright pigment otherwise the overall effect will feel sad and boring.
“I tend to throw the decorating rules out the window,” she admits. “If you have a small room, enhance its snugness by painting it dark colours. Play with scale. Use big pieces in bijou spaces and small furnishings in large environments.”
Ahern practices what she preaches in her Victorian terraced home, which has a traditional front and a double-height extension to the rear.
Her work on the Eau Spa at the Ritz Carlton in Palm Beach, Florida, also reflects this thinking. There are giant rubber ducks that look quite crazy and tiny tub chairs in a vast expanse of space. It feels like a set from Alice in Wonderland.
Ahern worked as an interior designer in the US, having previously worked as picture sourcer for Conran Octopus. She doesn’t have children, but is the proud owner of a Welsh terrier puppy called Maud, who chews everything she can reach. Ahern is unfazed by the canine chaos in her home. “I’m too much of an obsessive to change the way I decorate for either children or dogs.”
Exposed yellow brick walls, the aforementioned strong colour palette and original plasterwork are the design cornerstones in her home. Texture is huge this year, she says. “Textures excite the senses and turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. I love ‘flubby’ mohair throws to contrast the rough with the smooth. I have a George Smith velvet mohair mix on my sofa and I love merino wool cushions by Italian supplier Arcade.”
For windows she uses beautiful vintage lace to filter and dapple light. It also helps hide unsightly views. She also likes to use sheets of Perspex as shutters and colour gels to play with light and colour.
Upcycling remains a favourite trend. “Old pieces have a narrative that is absent from mass-produced furnishings. They have a patina that should be celebrated, and when they haven’t, I usually rework them by spray painting them a bright colour.”
Ahern trawls the flea markets in search of the right buys. In Paris she loves Porte de Vanves, in the UK she visits Kempton Park and Sussex Flea Market in Aldingly.
Her final word of advice? “Don’t stop decorating your home too soon. That’s what most people do. Instead, layer the look with objet-filled shelving and add lighting to create atmosphere.”
Abigail Ahern’s shop is at 137 Upper St, Islington, London (0044-207-3548181). She also has a concession at Terence Conran’s Chelsea-based Bluebird (0044-207-3513873). You can also order online at atelierabigailahern.com
THE LOOK OF 2010
REINVIGORATE
Abigail Ahern loves to rework classic Victorian brown furniture by spray painting it glossy bright colours. “At home, I’ve sprayed a console table a hot tomato red that gives the piece a modern twist that is very rock ’n’ roll. Check for woodworm before you buy a piece and treat with woodworm remover when you get it home. After the treatment is complete, rub the wood down with fine grade sandpaper to remove dust and paint. Then wipe clean with a cloth soaked in white spirit. Undercoat the piece and then spray using a spray painter, available from DIY stores. Water down the paint with white spirit before spraying to stop it clogging up the spray nozzle. You need at least three coats to get a highly lacquered look.”
KEEP IT COSY
Cosy up, says “grande dame” decorator Nina Campbell. “The mood now is less showhouse and more in-the-round living. We want to surround ourselves with soft textures, from chenille upholstery to cashmere throws. Your bedroom should feel like a room rather than a clothes box, so I like wardrobes out of the bedroom. I brought the wall forward in my room so my clothing is now behind my bed head. The walk-in closet is accessed via a hidden door. Upgrade your bed linen by introducing vintage or new pillow covers to contrast with plain white sheeting. This makes the bed look professionally groomed. A feather topper is a luxurious touch, so much so that you will hate getting out of bed.”
RATIONALISE
Storage is key to decluttering your home, says Room To Improve presenter Dermot Bannon. “It will also make the house feel bigger. Build in all your storage and fill every unused space. Bring wardrobes up to the ceiling and invest in a step ladder to access the hard-to-reach areas. Fill in all the alcoves in living spaces. You can use mirrors or wallpaper to hide the storage doors. Rather than a coffee table, use a chest that can double up as a toy storage box. In the kitchen, benches with built-in storage rather than chairs will also help sequester away clutter. And under the stairs use the thin end of that wedge to create roll-out drawers for shoes.”
NOSTALGIA
Nostalgia will be an important element in decor in 2010, says architect Hugh Wallace, director at DW Squared, formerly Douglas Wallace. “We want our homes to form a security blanket for our lives. Wallpaper that elicits happy childhood memories will flourish on every wall. The feature wall is consigned to the bin. Appliances that ape the bakelite designs of the 1930s and 1940s will appear on kitchen counters. Furniture shape and forms will hark back to the designs of the 1920s and 1930s.
“Our homes will become an evolving space that is built over time. Paintings and lithographs will decorate the home. Whytes, Adam’s, Kennys in Galway, and house auctions are all great hunting grounds.”
