Visionary Voices: Anouska Tamony on moments as an Interior Designer
The London-based interior designer is an industry luminary, having been crafting design spaces for nine years. Here, Anouska shares the inspiration behind her latest project, The Hidden Pearl, and reflects on her most unusual vintage find.
Anouska, tell us about your design philosophy and how it influences your projects?
It’s very much centred around understanding. Just as each person, each couple, and each family is different, each vision of what the perfect home should look and feel like is different and for me as a designer. What I really enjoy is finding out what that means and then bringing those visions to life. The result is a portfolio that is hopefully as diverse as it is cohesive.
Can you shed some light on how you source precious artwork for your clients?
It’s a real mix. It’s common for me to source beautiful prints and vintage pieces from smaller dealers both online and in person as well as suggest contemporary artists on my radar for original works. Occasionally we choose to go down the route of commissioning a custom piece or pieces if a homeowner wishes to create something really personal which can be a super interesting process in itself. Other times, I work with an art consultant, Rachel Maggart, who brings a wealth of education and expertise to the table as well as art market knowledge making her insight an invaluable resource for clients wishing to make a smart investment as well an aesthetic statement.
...and what has been your most treasured, unusual find?
It would most likely be the 19th century Korean cabinet in my bedroom. I have a weakness for burr wood and it has gorgeous book matched burr panels offset with striking decorative metalwork on the front. It was originally intended to be portable and comes in two parts which can be carried using the handles fixed to the sides. Originally, it would have stored clothes and documents which is pretty much exactly what it stores today!
What are the biggest challenges you face when designing a space, and how do you overcome them?
It really does depend on the project. It could be the lack of availability of a particular item in a particular size or finish, in which case a custom or bespoke solution might be sought. Very often it’s the limitations or restrictions of the space itself that require the most thought and consideration, for example the necessary location of the plumbing or ceiling height. Occasionally these aspects that relate to the fixed utilities and envelope can be changed, especially on full-scale architectural renovations but quite often design is, to put it crudely, about working with what you’ve got! The art of good design is to some extent as much about accepting certain limitations as it is about seeking to master and shape an environment. The irony being that often it’s the limitations or challenges that inspire some of the most creative and aesthetically beautiful spaces.
Can you share any exciting projects the studio’s got on at the moment?
We’re working on a handful of projects at the moment. The next to wrap up will be phase one of a colourful and expressive family home in Muswell Hill which has been a delight as the wife is a fashion stylist and is just as fond of colour and quirky details as I am! We’re also due to complete a contemporary family home in Stoke Newington later this summer which has been an absolute dream project as it’s involved lots of collaboration with two super talented British cabinet makers, Jacob Alexander and Stuart Indge. One of my key aims for the year was to support more British makers as it’s not only good for the environment but encourages future generations of artisans to continue to evolve their various crafts so working closely with these two South London based workshops has been a brilliant experience.
Your very own sea-inspired flat is the subject of your latest complete project, The Hidden Pearl. Which room was the most enjoyable to work on?
It would have to be my bedroom. It has beautiful light and feels super serene now but when I first got my hands on it I had my work cut out as it was a cacophony of 70s décor misdemeanours. So I rolled up my sleeves and got stuck in! As it was the first room to be renovated it became my sanctuary during the refurb and contains some of my favourite pieces. One of those is the fire surround which I bought years ago. I’d been waiting for the right place to put it so installing it was a highlight and it’s become a real focal point.
Amuse us Anouska; if you could only use three colours in your designs for the rest of your career, which ones would you choose and why?
If I were to be cheeky and allow the use of black and white as they aren’t strictly colours according to science. Green, blue and red would be the three I’d pick; land, sky and body. They feel the most instinctive and emotive. Although yellow is another colour I love. Thankfully in real life there are no limitations and the colour spectrum is ripe for exploration.
What’s the most unusual design request you’ve ever received from a client or potential client?
A potential client who got in touch at the very start of my career in design who wanted a number of nightclub inspired additions in his Belgravia bachelor pad, including a mirrored coffered ceiling in his bedroom illuminated in the sultry glow of purple LEDs … each to their own but I couldn’t bring myself to do that to a handsome Georgian townhouse. I have occasionally wondered what the designer who took on the project ended up creating.
Your most treasured item?
Family photos and hand-me-down furniture and jewellery.
If you could design a room for any fictional character, who would it be and what would the room look like?
Ooh, this is such a fun question! In my own flat, especially the dressing room, I took inspiration from dusky film noir sets. The Big Sleep being a favourite as there’s a heady cocktail of art deco and chinoiserie in some of the more overtly feminine rooms. As a counterpoint I’d design the bedroom of the male protagonist, private eye Philip Marlowe. I’m thinking strong lines and deco shapes but in a heavier more angular American deco style. A simple backdrop with restrained use of bold colour on one or two key furnishings, perhaps the bed and curtains, with a leather club chair, cocktail cabinet and bookcase to set the scene for sleuthing!
