The living area is set off by a pair of velvet George Smith sofas and a chandelier found at Clignancourt, the famed Paris flea market. Alison skipped a rug in favor of showing off the beautiful wood floors.
Perhaps most notable upon entering Alison’s home is the pared-down palette. But rather than being overly studied, it’s the result of pure instinct. “I actually love color,” she says. “I have these dreams of red, blue, pink rooms, yet somehow I never go down the color road.” The one exception is gold-mustard, which was inspired by an image Alison clipped from a magazine years ago. “Oddly I realized it’s a color that I grew up with in the 1970s, and here I am, with these yellowy mustardy sofas. It’s totally subconscious.”
Alison takes a decidedly egalitarian approach to design. “There’s this idea that only these specially trained people can design and decorate a home in this proper way. But actually I think decorating is a lot like cooking — you just have to learn what you really like and how to get that effect.” She’s been able to hone her own unique tastes thanks to fresh visuals from World of Interiors and, of course, Pinterest. “I realized this doesn’t have to be anyone else’s favorite place. It just has to be my favorite place.”
