From bland to fine and dandy
Nicola Ash studied fashion design and illustration at university before becoming a visual merchandiser for well-known department stores. She later switched careers and is now a psychological wellbeing practitioner and CBT therapist working for the NHS but her creative background continues to serve her well.
“I love interior design and it helps me destress. The work I do with the NHS is more in demand than ever since Covid, which has left a lot of people struggling with their mental health,” says Nicola, a gifted interior stylist who sometimes advises patients to try design as part of their therapy.
“It really helps me. I enjoy working on my own home but I also love doing moodboards for friends. That’s great escapism that I can get lost in rather than dwelling on things that I can’t control,” she says.
The house she shares with her husband Jonathan and daughter Livvy is testament to her talent. The family bought the four
This Georgian house had lost its original character but new owner Nicola Ash has reinstated it to create a gorgeous home. Sharon Dale reports.
bedroom, Grade II-listed Georgian terrace property in January.
“A developer had renovated it but it was all white walls and grey carpets and very few original features except for the coving in the living room. I wanted to give it some character,” says Nicola, who has succeeded and some.
She has taken what was a bland, blank canvas and worked magic with clever use of colour, pattern, furniture and accessories.
The decor is a contemporary take on
Georgian style and it’s fair to assume that the 18th century dandies and preeminent architects of the day would have loved every inch of it.
Pictures of the property have certainly been a hit on Instagram where Nicola posts as @loveallthingsquirky and has 17,000-plus followers and counting.
One of the first jobs was to remove the dysfunctional gas fire in the sitting room and replace it with a cosy Carron wood-burning stove. The developer’s new carpets were also taken up and donated to charity. In their place are wood floors topped with rugs.
Bespoke built-in shelving designed by Nicola and made by Thorn Joinery is in the alcove and a bubble chandelier from Leeds-based Dowsing & Reynolds is the star on the ceiling.
The sofas are from Sofas & Stuff, which has a store in Bishop Thornton, near Harrogate, and the walls are a mix of Wimborne White and the soft black Railings by Farrow & Ball with a rear wall brightened by a hyacinth mural