Decorating with Style

Decorating with Style by Abigail Ahern, published by Quadrille. Photos copyright Graham Atkins-Hughes.

Interior designer Abigail Ahern's Decorating with Style guides readers in determining a particular style and look for their interiors, how to mix styles and eras, maximizing space, styling on a budget, and how to coordinate color, pattern and texture to define rooms and zones. There's also DIY projects and a little black book of her favorite shops and addresses. 

Abigail's style is eclectic, fusing many looks and eras--Hollywood glamour, boho, tribal, baroque, and classic--layered with textiles, antiques, ceramics, flea market finds, art, vintage, imports, and salvage. Many of the photographs in the book feature her 1860 Victorian terrace in east London. She favors a dark palette. "Dark inky tones add mystery to a space, a sense of intimacy, edge, and glamour," writes Abigail. "They wrap me up in a thick velvety cloak and give me a deep sense of comfort. Ceilings, floors, walls, and trim all get painted out in charcoals, chocolates, deep olives, and midnight blues."

The book's Style Guide identifies five different styles: classic, glamorous, eclectic, boho, and rock 'n' roll. Each style section describes how to create the look. Classic style is formal, symmetrical, balanced, and ordered. It's a style that mixes luxe materials (metallics) with glam fabrics like cashmere and leather. Woods are dark and furniture crisp and defined. "This look can be super traditional or beautifully relaxed. Use classic checks, houndstooth, floral prints, pretty birds, geometric pattern, or tone on tone color to add interest. Experiment with earthy tones (terracotta, taupe and moss). You can go darker (with olive, peat and charcoal) and or very light (think linen, lilac and stone). By all means go for striking accents, but opt for darker hues rather than neo brights." 

From bold palettes to luxurious textiles to bespoke lighting, glamorous interiors are layered and theatrical. This is the look of Art Deco and Hollywood Regency recreated for the modern day. "Flea markets have the coolest selection of vintage fabrics--velvet, fur, silk, leather, and animal prints. And high street buys can be embellished with a little braiding, fringing or feathers. When it comes to furnishings, opt for pieces with a more formal structure. You can up the glam ratings by embracing gloss and all things lacquered and shiny."

A blend of pieces make up eclectic interiors--from midcentury modern to pop art to baroque. This look is created from a medley of styles and diverse sources, nothing matches but spaces are consistent and harmonious. For her basement living area (an inside/outside room), Abigail created a gentlemen's club interior. "Interiors that are the most memorable to my mind draw from a plethora of references, from granny to cowboy. Mix the rustic, unfinished natural look with accessories that are slicker, grander and a little more glam. Go big on multiple fabrics: textured, patterned or a combination of the two. Team geometrics with muted colors, plaids with stripes."

Boho style is cozy, cocooning and idiosyncratic. Comfort is key, emphasizing deep squishy armchairs, homespun fabrics and warm-hued walls. Mix and match styles and shapes, textures and layers to create a space that has a global influence but a casual feel. "Earthy hues work wondrously with vintage accessories; a mix of jeweled and metallic colors add something new again. Or mix a zillion different patterns together. Next, pile on the accessories. Collect flea market art, mismatched vases, interesting lampshades; save quirky postcards and souvenirs. With my bedroom I already had the slubby woolen throw, which set the boho tone, so I just worked from there, adding a textural paneled wall and a chandelier. Just because boho tends to be rustic and offbeat doesn't mean it can't be glamorous. Drippy chandeliers and ornate gold mirrors fit into this style just fine."

Rock 'n' roll interiors are flamboyant, a blend of high voltage color, salon-style art, furniture with unusual finishes, and playful proportions. Go as non-traditional as possible and opt for maximum shine with glossy, reflective surfaces. "Gravitate to strong rather than delicate, masculine rather than frou-frou pieces. Every rock 'n' roll interior needs some cool art. Once you've got the basics covered, go as funky as you want with the accessories. By making sure the key pieces relate in some way--through color, style or period--you end up with polished cool. Here the big statement rug unites the rest of the scheme through color. Even the less obvious hues are cleverly mirrored elsewhere in the space. It's bold, it's blingy and it's fabulous!"

Pick up a copy of Decorating with Style, published by Quadrille, at Abigail's website.