INTERIORS: A DESIGNER’S FASHIONABLY LIGHT HOME

White walls, floor-to-ceiling windows and floral flourishes make this one-up, two-down Victorian terrace a sunshine-filled haven for fashion brand Mother of Pearl’s creative director AMY POWNEY

‘I’ve been asked many times if I have a strange obsession with pearls,’ laughs Amy. Having worked her way up from assistant to creative director of fashion label Mother of Pearl, one could say that she has. ‘I don’t like to be stared at in the street because of what I am wearing,’ she says. ‘I like to create pieces that allow me to feel comfortable, but that also possess a certain unique luxury detail – such as a ruffle, a frill or a well-placed pearl – that makes me feel good.’

Over the past 12 years, Amy has honed this playfully feminine, understated luxury aesthetic for the brand. The collections range from silky pyjama-inspired pieces through to tailored shirts with elongated sleeves, and all strike the perfect balance between casual and luxury. ‘I’m a Northern girl at heart – lots of denim but with a glittery sock and statement shoe,’ says Amy. ‘The brand reflects who I am.’

Born in Stockport, as a child Amy moved with her family to a caravan in rural Kent. They had no electricity or gas, and ‘my dad was the first in our area to build a wind turbine.’ Weekends were spent helping to dig wells or to build walls. ‘It changed my perception and made me realise the value of commodities.’ It also triggered Amy’s passion for promoting sustainability within the fashion industry.

This ethos is central to Amy’s work. The Mother of Pearl offices are plastic-free, food is delivered in paper boxes and an osmosis water filtration system has been installed. Amy’s first sustainable fashion collection, launching next month, is ethically sourced and made solely from organic fabric. ‘I want to rebrand sustainability, to fix a problem in a fun and contemporary way,’ she says.

In her home, unfussy, clean white walls wrap around stained oak flooring and create a light-filled blank canvas that can be easily updated with a change of accessories whenever Amy and Nick feel inclined. Flashes of blowsy fabrics are fused with blocks of bold colour, and ornate flourishes are dotted throughout in the form of fringing, bows and artwork. ‘Our house is not a show home – it reflects the life we lead,’ she says.

LEFT A glass-box extension fills the house with light, while the refurbished stained floorboards nod to its history. The cushion and pouffe, designed by Amy, are from Mother of Pearl’s new homeware collection

fabrics provide a striking contrast to the white walls. For a similar sofa try grahamandgreen.co.uk OPPOSITE Nick’s bike is kept in the living room overnight. The unit is from Ikea; the surface was made to measure by Pluck (as before). The photo on the sh BELOW In the living room, stained oak flooring and giant cushions upholstered in Mother of Pearl floral

These cushions are also part of Mother of Pearl’s new homeware collection, which Amy was inspired to launch after redesigning the house