Brendan sat down with interior designer Abigail Ahern to discuss design, wellbeing, and living well.
How do you usually start your mornings? Are there any rituals or habits that help you feel grounded or inspired for the day ahead?
I usually start my mornings quite intentionally to set a grounded tone for the day. I work out early, around 5:30, which helps me feel energised and focused. After that, I like to take a stroll around my garden, often with a black coffee or a calming tisane. I particularly enjoy blends with bay, fennel seeds, and lemon. I also light a candle during this time. It is a simple ritual, but it helps me slow down, feel present, and start the day with a clear, positive mindset before diving into work.
What does a typical day look like for you, from the first hour to the last?
A typical day for me usually starts around 7 at my desk. I begin by working through emails from our factories in Asia and our teams in the US, which usually takes a few hours. After that, I focus on developing new collections, approving and tweaking samples, and conceptualising the next range of products. Throughout the day, I also have team meetings with our ecommerce, marketing, and buying teams to stay aligned on strategy and progress. It is a mix of operational oversight and creative work. I like to break up the day with a dog walk at lunchtime and a quick, healthy meal, usually berries, seeds, and kefir, or toasted seeded bread with poached eggs and mushrooms. By 6:30 or 7pm, I wrap up, go for another quick walk with my dog, and then cook supper.
You have built such a distinctive visual world over the years. What is one early influence or moment that changed how you see interiors, and why?
One early influence that really shaped how I see interiors was the time I spent in America working for an architectural firm. Seeing how they combined creativity with entrepreneurship really planted a seed in my mind, the idea that I could run my own design business one day. That experience showed me how design can be both personally expressive and professionally ambitious, and it gave me the confidence to carve out my own distinctive visual world.
“I start my mornings intentionally — it sets a grounded tone for everything that follows.”
Your style is instantly recognisable. When you are creating a haven that supports wellbeing through design, what is your approach? Are there spaces in your home where you feel especially safe, protected, and at ease?
When I am creating a space that supports wellbeing, my approach is really about balance, combining tactile textures, natural light, and thoughtful layouts that feel both functional and calming. I pay attention to how a space makes you feel the moment you enter it. It should feel grounded, safe, and inspiring at the same time.
At home, I have a few corners that I feel especially connected to, for example, a quiet spot in my garden where I can sit with a cup of tea, the den overlooking the garden, and my kitchen, which I love cooking in. These spaces feel protective and restorative because they connect me to simple pleasures and give me a sense of control and calm. I try to bring that same feeling into the interiors I create, with spaces that nurture wellbeing without feeling forced or clinical.
Is there a recent project, object, or collection you have created that feels especially meaningful to you, and why?
It is our faux botanical collections that feel especially meaningful. We are passionate about reframing the category, taking something often seen as artificial and making it feel alive, tactile, and emotionally engaging. For me, it is about creating pieces that bring the calming, restorative qualities of nature into interiors, while also pushing the boundaries of design. Seeing how these pieces transform a space and the way people respond to them makes it really rewarding. It is both a creative and personal expression of the principles that guide all my work.
You are known for spaces that feel layered, atmospheric, and lived in. When you start a room, what is your first move, and what do you always prioritise?
When I start a room, my first move is always to think about how it should feel, the atmosphere I want to create, rather than just the objects I want to fill it with. I prioritise layers, textures, lighting, and natural elements that make a space feel warm, inviting, and lived in from the moment you enter. I often start with a base of neutral tones or key architectural pieces, and then bring in accents, furniture, and personal touches that tell a story and make the space feel authentic. For me, it is about creating a balance between comfort, beauty, and emotional resonance, spaces that people feel instantly at ease in, but that also reward close observation.
“The spaces I love most are the ones that feel calm, protective, and quietly restorative.”
Where are you looking for inspiration at the moment? Any books, historic or contemporary spaces, hotels, films, or even a city that is currently fuelling your ideas?
At the moment, I am really drawn to spaces that feel calm and textural, but also unexpected, so I am looking at a mix of sources. I am inspired by historic houses with layered interiors that tell a story over time, as well as contemporary hotels that use light, material, and scale in clever ways. Cities like New York and Los Angeles always fuel ideas for me because of their energy and mix of architecture and culture. I also find films, gardens, and photography inspiring, anything that creates a strong mood or atmosphere. I like to take elements from all these sources and reinterpret them in ways that feel personal, layered, and tactile in the spaces I create.
We are inspired by the apothecaries of old, from Santa Maria Novella to the pharmacies of Paris and Lisbon, and we approach scent with purpose. What you need on a Friday evening is rarely what you need on a Monday morning. Do you have a similar approach to interiors, designing for different moods and moments? What inspires you when you are creating that shift?
Yes, I absolutely approach interiors in a similar way. Just as scents can shift depending on the moment or the mood, I think about how a space needs to respond to different rhythms of life. A living room should feel relaxed and restorative in the evening, but also functional and energising during the day. I am inspired by light, texture, and scale, how natural light moves through a room, how materials feel under your hand, and how layers of colour, furniture, and objects create atmosphere. I often think of each space like a story, where the elements shift subtly depending on the moment, so that every time someone enters it, it feels both familiar and refreshing.
“Wellbeing is about creating a life where work, creativity, and rest exist in balance.”
Recovery and sleep are essential pillars at anatomē. After a demanding day, how do you prepare your mind and body for rest at home?
After a demanding day, I prioritise rituals that help me transition from work to rest. I usually finish with a quick walk with my dog, which gives me time to clear my mind, and then I cook supper, something I enjoy and find restorative. In the evening, I create a calm environment. I take a bath, light a candle, take a couple of magnesium tablets, and sip herbal tea. These small routines help me slow down, reflect, and prepare both my mind and body for a restful night’s sleep.
Has your relationship with sleep and unwinding evolved over the course of your career, as the demands of your work have shifted? Talk us through your night time routine, from bathroom to bed and all the way to lights out.
When it comes to sleep, I have always been an early riser. I am usually up around 4:30, and I have been that way for years. My night time routine has evolved with the demands of running the business. Nowadays, I make time for rituals that help me unwind, taking a bath, lighting a candle, and putting on some slow music. Earlier in my career, I did not give that much thought to the end of the day, but now I see how important these small moments are for resting my mind and body and preparing for the day ahead.
Finally, what does wellbeing mean to you at this stage of your life, and how has your understanding of balance and care evolved over time?
At this stage of my life, wellbeing means being intentional about how I care for both my mind and body, and creating routines and spaces that support that. I have learned that balance is essential, not just for energy and productivity, but for creativity and clarity. I focus on small daily rituals, from movement and mindful breaks to evening routines that help me unwind, and I have become much more conscious about setting boundaries and giving myself space to recharge. Wellbeing for me now is about sustaining a life where work, creativity, and rest all coexist harmoniously.
