There's something we find particularly interesting about interior designers' own homes. When you spend your days creating spaces for other people, what happens when you finally get to design entirely for yourself?
For Anny, founder and creative director of Studio AB, the answer involves a healthy appreciation for 1970s architecture, a love of bold colour and a rather fabulous collection of objects that have earned their place simply because she loves them.
Together with her husband Chris, Anny has transformed a double-brick home built in 1973, carefully preserving the character that drew them to it in the first place. Rather than renovating away its history, she's embraced it, bringing her own personality into the spaces while allowing the original architecture to do its thing.
What we particularly love about Anny's approach is her belief that longevity doesn't have to mean playing it safe. That a bold piece can be every bit as enduring as something neutral, and that some of the most meaningful design decisions have very little to do with aesthetics at all.
From a kitchen inspired by her grandfather's home to her philosophy on collecting pieces you love, we sat down with Anny to talk about creativity, nostalgia and the art of making a home your own.
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Meet Anny
Tell us a little about yourself...
Hi everyone, I'm Anny. I'm the founder and creative director of Studio AB, and I live here with my husband, Chris.
Our home was built in 1973, and we were really drawn to its solid bones. It's a double-brick home with beautiful corner windows, so there's lots of natural light flooding through.
We could see so much potential in it, and we wanted something we could fix up and put our own little mark on. And that's exactly what we did.
Was interior design always something you knew you wanted to pursue?
I've always been a really creative person growing up. I'm Egyptian, so you're kind of either a doctor, a lawyer or an engineer. There was no such thing as being an interior designer, so I'd never discovered the world of interior design as a child.
I think it was as an adult that I came across interior design as a career.
Shop our apparelWhat do you love most about working in interior design?
One of the things I really love about interior design is that no two days are the same. It's a really reactive kind of job in some senses, but overall, I really, really love what I do.
There are lots of fun aspects to it, but my absolute favourite thing is sourcing objects for a home, whether that's furniture, decor or styling pieces. I really love shopping for clients.
I also love the concept development phase, when a project is new and exciting, you get to be really creative and all the ideas are flowing.
Where are you finding inspiration at the moment?
What's really inspiring me at the moment is travelling, food and culture.
I also find a lot of inspiration in my clients. Getting to know them on a deeper level, really understanding what they love, what makes them tick, what materials they're drawn to and what brings them joy.
Your home has such a strong connection to its original architecture. How did you approach renovating a house from the 1970s without losing what made it special?
It was really important to us that the home didn't feel like it was renovated in 2025.
We wanted it to feel as original as possible while still meeting our needs.
You have a wonderful way of introducing bold pieces without making a space feel overwhelming. What's your approach to finding that balance?
One of the ways I layer in statement or bolder pieces is by selecting one piece at a time, making sure that piece of the puzzle works, and then slowly introducing other pieces.
I think longevity doesn't necessarily mean that something has to be neutral.
I believe you can bring in really bold pieces that can sit within a home long term as well. And I think that's where that sense of balance comes in, making sure things come together cohesively.
That, I think, is what results in longevity. Not necessarily something being neutral.
We love your confidence with colour. What draws you to colour drenching, and what were you hoping to create with that space?
I love the idea of colour drenching. I think it's a really effective way to make a space feel immersive and really loud, and have such a huge impact.
I wanted it to be a space where I felt like I could come and be really creative, and have almost a whimsical escape from the rest of the world.
The colour selection came from wanting something that felt retro and authentic to the home as well.
Your kitchen has a particularly personal story behind it. Can you tell us about the inspiration?
Our kitchen was really heavily inspired by my grandfather's kitchen.
I wanted what, to me, felt like a really warm sense of home and brought me so much joy from that sense of nostalgia.
His kitchen was such a huge space growing up. It was the place where we would all come together and sing happy birthday, so it was really special to us.
When it comes to collecting pieces for your own home, do you always have a particular place in mind, or do you follow your instincts?
When I fall in love with a piece, I don't necessarily need to know where it's going.
I know that it's coming home with me, and I know that I'll find a spot for it.
If you had to choose one object in your home that says the most about your personality, what would it be?
If I had to pick one piece within my home that was a good representation of me, or showed a little bit about who I am as a person, I would probably go with my swan.
I just feel like it's really whimsical. It has almost a romantic feel to it, but also this juxtaposing feeling of being quite sophisticated and regal at the same time, which I really love.
I think they're such magical creatures and can be brought into our home in such a fun way.
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With a whole lotta love xx