LIGHT & SHADE Accessories designer Ally Capellino has used black and white to put her stamp on a basement maisonette
Renovating a basement maisonette was a labour of love for accessories designer Ally Capellino, who used the contrast of black and white to create a unique home
‘I like how dramatic the floors look, plus black tends to stay black for longer than white stays white’
Designer Alison Lloyd, better known as the founder of handbag brand Ally Capellino, has lived in Hackney in east London since 2004, in a threebedroom maisonette that occupies the basement and first floor of a three-storey house. She explains: ‘The proportions were the main draw – light floods in through the big windows. There’s also a decentsized garden, connected via a balcony from the first-floor kitchen. It needs work, but it’s lovely to have.’
Ally had ‘spent to the limit’ when she bought the house, so didn’t have any money for renovations. ‘It’s been a gradual redevelopment,’ she says. ‘I’m not great with money or numbers, and I’m scared of being overdrawn, so I tend to do things to the house when I can.’ The biggest project so far was the kitchen, which Ally redesigned over time, making it more spacious, with the units fitted along the walls to create a central dining area. It’s now where she spends most weekends when her grown-up children come to visit. ‘I like the mix of textures in the kitchen – the metal of the old sink next to the wood of the table. It’s about contrast,’ she explains. The dark floors are striking as well as practical. ‘They reflect the light that comes in from the windows, and I like how dramatic it can look,’ she says. ‘Plus black tends to stay black for longer than white stays white!’
As the maisonette is in the basement, it does get damp, which is something Ally hadn’t taken into account. ‘I had to move out six years ago to redo the floors. It’s boring carrying out renovations like that, and they always cost more than you think,’ she says.
Now the work is complete, does Ally have a favourite part of the house? ‘I spend a lot of time in the living room as I find it most relaxing, but I don’t watch TV. Who has the time?
I barely have a minute to read – I just like being around the books on the shelves,’ she smiles. Pops of colour in the room lift the deep black of the floors and bookcases. ‘If you have dark shades, it’s important to throw in a little contrast here and there.’ Ally is always on the lookout for treasures that have been cast aside – the coffee table is an old cable wheel found in the local park. She also personalises picture frames with acrylic paint, covering bare woods in greys or blacks. ‘You can change them as often as you change the art inside them.’
After her years of success in the creative world, what’s her number one tip when it comes to designing and styling a home? ‘Don’t follow trends,’ she advises. ‘I hate them and I don’t think about them when I’m designing bags or picking lighting or furniture for my home. Fashion-led pieces just end up looking dated. Instead, think about materials and colours and how things look in the light. If you get that right, they’ll age well.’
Find out more at allycapellino.co.uk