Colour, dogs and sculpture might not seem the most obvious cues for a celebrated interior designer. Yet, according to UK powerhouse Abigail Ahern, each of these elements is critical to creating a loveable home. For example, Ahern likes it when people paint the inside of their kitchen cupboards pillar-box red. She get’s excited when art is placed high above eye-level and she even encourages her clients to pluck up the courage to collect student art!

For Ahern, the home should be a shrine to all the things we love. After a life spent scouring the planet for exotic treasures, Ahern has settled on a bunch of eccentric items from her online shop which she rotates on a whim for customers. Her store has an eclectic country-city mix, that features products like chunky resin sculptures, fake cactus plants and distressed metal storage cupboards. She includes the work of fine artists and sculptors, plus products she has developed herself or sourced from the makers she meets.

Working with a raison d’etre of only buying what she loves, Ahern believes everyone at home should take the same approach to interiors. Fascinated by her colour obsessed world, we caught up with Abigail to ask her how London inspires her, to elicit tips on styling Sydney’s sub-tropical homes and to better understand how to banish beige forever.

How did your career begin?
Working in a cool publishing house in my early 20’s really opened me up to another world that I didn’t even know existed. Searching out cool locations for photography, meeting leading authors and working on some amazing interior books influenced me a great deal.

What is the key to making fabulous interiors?

Decorating is all about confidence. I’ve always been obsessed with interiors and design, but it really took off as I figured out my own individual style – at the time everyone was doing Scandi minimalism, but the moment I stopped trying to be trendy and just went with what I loved, was when I really discovered my flair.

Where do you live?

My neighbourhood is in East London – Dalston to be specific. It’s really cool, slightly grungy and certainly not the poshest or most well-heeled area of town. But I love the atmosphere, the people spotting, the fantastic foodie scene and most of all the creative talents in the area. Just in my ‘hood we have the cooks Claire Ptak (of Violet’s fame) and Rachel Khoo, photographer extraordinaire Graham Atkins-Hughes, artist Rob Ryan and fashion designer Ally Capellino. It attracts a certain rebellious, creative vibe, and I love that.

Why are you so colour obsessed?
I’m completely evangelical about colour, because it’s the most important way to personalise your home. It’s the cheapest, quickest and most transformative thing you can do to any space, period. I really want to inspire people to be bolder with colour in their own homes, which was the purpose behind my recent book COLOUR.

Why do you have to ‘teach’ people about colour?
People are scared of colour and tend to play it too safe. But experimenting with colour is totally invigorating and liberating. With so many options out there, there’s no excuse to always stick with beige or cream. If anyone lacks confidence, the really great thing about colour and paint is that it’s the easiest thing to put right if it doesn’t work. Just paint over it again

What about sculpture?
I think people also think sculptures are scary or off-putting in some way. I’m on a bit of a mission to try to make them more accessible – I love to use them in my interiors. For my own-label range I’ve created a collection of chunky, textural sculptures. They look like museum-worthy bronzes, but are actually resin.

What do you think of Sydney?
I love the beauty of Sydney, it’s such an outdoor city. The coffee and food culture is fabulous, and it’s full of design talents such as Sibella Court.

What’s unique about decorating homes Down Under?
I adore the indoor-outdoor living vibe. I’ve featured tons of cool houses from Melbourne and Sydney, to Byron Bay on my blog. I think the trick with decorating outside is to apply the same principles as you would inside – decorate them as you would your living room or kitchen, with cool chairs, occasional tables, outdoor kitchens and beautiful lighting. That’s what makes it a space you’ll really love and use.

What London summer trends are heading our way?
Botanicials are huge this year. Gold, which is a permanent glam favourite of mine has been reinvented this season and is way more textural and rough around the edges. Think hammered metal, beaten-up gilded gold finishes, luxe tables and gold benches, they’re amazing! Colours are deeper, darker and more sophisticated than ever before too. Dark hues are not going away anytime soon. Oh and not forgetting faux walls. These are my top tip for the next big thing in interiors – not just exposed brick or rustic wood cladding, but more wild finishes such as faux pony skin, mock-croc wallpaper, slates and suede even. I’m obsessed!