Design Date with Abigail Ahern

British interior designer and author, Abigail Ahern, is known for her highly individual approach to design. Her ‘Creating Chemistry’ design lecture is part of the all-day masterclass on Wednesday 28 September.

What is your earliest ‘design’ moment, the one that perhaps set you on your path?
The earliest, earliest moment was at seven when I got my sister to save up her pocket money to rip up our pink carpet and paint our floorboards. Things really came together when I started working on the picture desk at Sir Terence Conran’s publishing company, researching and finding interiors images.

What interior design projects are you currently working on? I’m fully into designing a comprehensive homeware range as well as working on a number of big residential projects.

What things most inspire your work? Travel is a huge inspiration. Nearer to home, walking through this amazing city of ours is another; from the colours of the fallen leaves in Hyde Park to some graffiti in East London, which is inspiring a bedding range.

What three items would you save from a fire? A concrete chair (I’m guessing it would take the longest time to burn so maybe I should save other stuff first?!), but it’s the first thing I ever bought for the house and I adore it. Other than that, my art. It’s taken a long time to build the collection, so I would hate to lose it.

What is the trick to successfully juxtaposing quite disparate elements within a space?
The thing about having a kaleidoscopic selection of stuff is there has to be some sort of commonality between items. Be that shape, texture, or a blending of harmonious hues. Otherwise, it tends to all look a little crazy and jarring so the trick is to link, but link subtly.

Design Lecture Ticket Information
BOOKING HOTLINE 020 7352 1900  www.dcch.co.uk Design All Day Masterclass: £20             Location: SPACE, Third Floor, South Dome