Interview with Designer Abigail Ahern

1/05/2017

Abigail Ahern in an armchair
Abigail Ahern

Abigail Ahern is one of the most talked about names in the modern interior landscape. A designer, author and self-confessed style maven, she is known for her quirky and enchanting take on interiors, breaking the boundaries of traditional design. To celebrate the launch of The Perfect Home survey we caught up with Abigail to find out what her perfect home would be like…

What attracted you to the world of design?

I've been obsessed since the earliest of ages, I was around 7 I think when I started wanting to decorate my bedroom my own way.

Your signature style is very affluent and bold, is this reflected in your own home?

It is indeed. Oddly enough to me it doesn't feel bold it feels intriguing, glamorous and tantalizing.

What is your favourite room of your house?

My studio, its where I am my most creative, plus I have a nook by the fire that overlooks the garden when I just want to chill.

Abigail Ahern office design
Abigail Ahern

As well as a designer you are also a writer, what are the three the most important items in your home study?

Lighting is the most important as it creates such atmosphere, scent is the next I always have something burning, essential oil a candle something oh and also flowers. I love how they elevate my studio and make it look super beautiful!

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

NYC I used to live in the States and have this dream of one day returning. Or Italy gardening and keeping bees - ideally I would flit between both boltholes!

Lots of your designs involve animals, are animals important to you when creating the perfect home? 

Animals are so important they lighten the mood and elevate interiors from looking a little too uptight to looking way more relaxed.

Abigail Ahern bathroom design
Abigail Ahern

Imagine you had all the money in the world, name three crazy things would you put in your home?

I almost can't answer that as crazy as that sounds as I spend half my life looking and travelling for products for the home so I have exactly what I love.  There isn't anything on the list I hate to say that I don't already have in the store or here.

You love deep eccentric colours, what colours would you pick for your dream bedroom and why?

Pinky browns, soft, restful and calming. I'm just about to launch a paint range and my bedroom is painted in the most perfect one!

To you, what makes a home perfect? 

Surrounding yourself with stuff that you love.

Find one photo from the internet that your dream home would look like.

The only room in the house I am not totally in love with is the bathroom - I would like it to look more like this!