The London Look: Emma Ainscough

Charming nouveau British. That's how we'd describe the style of in-demand interior designer Emma Ainscough. There's something very calm and welcoming about the rooms she creates - spaces that seem to just beg you to relax and enjoy a cup of tea (which is very ironic considering she's actually not a tea drinker). 

Curious where you'll find this Londoner out and about, which Briticism she can't stop saying or where she'd head on a weekend out of town?

Where are you from originally?
Lancashire, North West.

What brought you to London?
Work and life - lots of friends were settling there for work after uni.

How long have you been here?
15 years?! Yikes!

What neighborhood do you call home?
Parson’s Green / South West.

What's your job?
Interior Designer.

What do you actually do all day?
Super varied - a lot of it is screen based in my studio, but I’m constantly also out and about finding new materials, inspiration and opportunities, meeting clients as well as the inevitable time spent on dust filled building sites in hard hats. The glamour! I work all over the UK and beyond so I spend a fair amount of time travelling too.

Social smoker?
Never.

Go-to pint?
It's not the done thing to have a pint of it, so a ‘glass' of wine.

Crisp of choice?
Salted, but only with a really good dip.

Preferred pub?
The Hillgate, Notting Hill.

What's worth the wait?
A long project that all comes together, eventually. The install of an interiors project is wildly satisfying.

Tube or Boris bike?
Depends where! Boris (Lime) bike but not if life is at risk!

Tesco or Sainsbury's?
Sainsbury’s!

Weekend getaway trip?
Cotswolds or Cornwall.

Favorite restaurant?
The restaurant in Covent Garden Hotel.

Marmite or marmalade?
Marmite every time.

British stereotype that rings true?
Buses always all come at once.

How do you take your tea?
I don’t drink it!

Most British thing about you?
My love for fish and chips. By the sea, every time.

Least British thing about you?
The tea thing.

Remedy for a rainy day?
Cosying up on my very big sofa in my very small flat.

First thing you miss when you leave London?
The spontaneity - being walking distance (/uber) to just about anything.

Private Members Clubs - yay or nay?
There’s a time and a place for them, but mostly nay.

Where in town are you almost always?
West - a lot of my work is this way as well as my social life.

Where in town would you never be caught dead?
Nando’s.

Best place for a fun night out?
Ronnie Scotts then falling into Soho Arts Club.

How would you describe your style?
I thrive off colour, I love playing around with different combinations, be that in my interiors world or my wardrobe.

Top shopping spots?
Marylebone High Street is a lovely vibe.

What's your greatest extravagance?
My overpriced Soho House membership.

Cheap thrill?
A Diet Coke and a packet of crisps.

Who's your favorite person in town?
Too controversial to pick one! Girl friends :)

What's your most overused Briticism?
I’m a great procrastinator - better known as ‘faffing.’

Reading anything good at the moment?
I rarely read a book unless I’m on holiday, I wish I did more!

What are you most excited for next?
Where the business takes me next.

[Photos by Kirk Truman]