Words Billie Brand
Photography Ellen Christina Hancock
Production Harry Cave

Ferren Gipson has had a busy few years. The author and art historian moved into a new home amid the pandemic in 2020, renovated the place with her husband, tech marketing specialist Tom Lloyd, all while writing two books, The Ultimate Art Museum and the newly released Women’s Work. The latter – an exploration of practices typically considered feminine, such as textiles – inspired Ferren to pursue quilting, a craft that connects her to the artists within its pages. Her home, then, might be a place where she and Tom primarily live with their son, Winter, and golden doodle, Bobby, but it’s also a creative space of many means, where she drafts and sews, and the couple spin records as part of impromptu DJ sets in the living room.

Along with her writing, Ferren hosts the podcast Art Matters and was previously on the board of Art History Link-Up, which Inigo, our companion brand, is currently supporting. Her home is telling of her enthusiasm for art and craft too, with her vibrant handcrafted quilts thrown over furnishings and walls slowly but surely filling with paintings. Over a delicious breakfast spread of fruit, croissants and coffee, Ferren and Tom tell us of their decorating process and how they intend to fill the home with the work of underrepresented artists.

Ferren: “This house wasn’t even listed when we bought it. We were living two doors down in a very small flat and, at the time, with it being the start of the pandemic and everyone being at home, we wanted more space. We listed our last flat and it didn’t sell at first, and this one, which was previously for sale and under offer, didn’t sell either. Then I reached back out to the estate agent after everything had fallen through and we got it. It just worked out.

“Firstly, I really liked the staircase. It just felt airy and bright. It’s bare right now, but we have plans to make it an art wall. And I liked how spacious it made the flat. But the place didn’t look like it does now.”

Tom: “I think three students were renting it before we moved in, so it was less loved. There was no flow, the kitchen was closed up and the fridge was practically in the living space.”

Ferren: “The kitchen felt very 1990s – it was a reddish colour with dark wood. It didn’t have the right appliances; you could see the boiler but you couldn’t see the numbers on the oven dial. Weirdly, it is bigger than our previous kitchen – and our last one was tiny! – but there was less storage space. The kitchen was our top priority.

“When we were decorating, we said, ‘Not everything can be a star.’ There need to be places where the eyes can rest. The terrazzo floor is a low-key star, for instance. When the tiles arrived, we thought, ‘Is this going to be hectic? Is this crazy?’ But, when pieced together, the floor feels quite calm.”

Tom: “The rug in our living room is a star. It draws the most attention and then everything else plays off it in some way.”

Ferren: “I have a growing list of things I like design-wise, such as the curved tiles in the kitchen. I had seen a picture of them somewhere and had never seen anything like them before. They are quite unusual. I went on a mad hunt to find them. Once they went up, I noticed how much they emphasise the verticality of the space. They feel a bit like bamboo”

Tom: “Ferren is the creative one. I mostly trust her vision.”

Ferren: “I start by pulling a mood board together and then show Tom for feedback. He usually says the right thing. My design influences include Japanese and Scandinavian design, alongside minimalism, but also colour and maximalism too. I’m also inspired by old commercial buildings and schoolhouses, which is why I like the brick around the fireplace.

“I wanted the office to feel like it belongs within a design agency. I wrote both my books there. Having the office is nice because it gets you in work mode. I usually set a daily schedule and targets that I need to achieve. With my first book the deadline was tight, so I wrote for eight hours a day – all while the renovation was happening too.

“I break at lunchtime. I come out of the office and eat lunch at the dining table. Space is so important when writing – not just physically, but mentally too. I’ll write something, for instance, and then come back to it at a later point with a fresh perspective.

“The office is also where I do my sewing and textiles. I came to my quilting practice through my latest book. I sewed a little in high school, but I wasn’t super into it. Then I picked it up again when my son was born as a way to make clothes for him. I had always liked the idea of quilting because my father’s mother and grandmother quilted, but I didn’t understand how to make the pieces fit and was intimidated by the practice.

“Then, when I was writing Women’s Work, I realised that so many of the women mentioned came to their textile practice because of the women in their lives. I felt like I tangibly needed to connect to their experiences – I needed to engage with textiles to get an understanding of their mindset and work. But quilting has also made me connect to the women in my own family.

“Now it’s developed into a practice, where I’m pushing my own work and seeing where I can go with it. My work is quite organic – I have a bunch of squares that I just shift around. I don’t start with a plan; I just spread everything over the floor and go from there. The first quilt I made was for my son and lies on his bed. Quilting is also a way for me to unwind in the house.

“When I finish working for the day, I like to sit on the sofa with a glass of wine and decompress. All three of us – Tom, Winter and I – can stretch out on it, but still have our own space too. The other area I am really drawn to, particularly at this time of year, is the corner of the dining table near the window. The sun comes through in the morning and I just like to sit there and bask in the warmth like a cat.”

Tom: “Our bedroom is nice because it’s just for us. We have a kid and a dog, so we wanted to create a space that feels really calm and adult. The greys and texture of the lime wash walls are very relaxing. Also, we’d visit hotels and think the bedrooms were great and we wanted to recreate that, with the high bed and TV.

“Next up, in terms of changes to the house, I’d like to see more art. I really appreciate design and typography, but Ferren is the art expert.”

Ferren: “I studied art history by chance. I liked world history and thought art history would be similar. I love the stories and symbolism within art. We’re at the beginning stages of our collection. The piece above the sofa, by the artist Joy Yamusangie, was our first big purchase. Their work is so interesting. We are excited to have that in our home.

“We select art for our home based on what we like, but we have a soft spot for women artists and artists of colour. That’s something we want to prioritise. The temptation is to buy as many things as quickly as possible, but really, you want to sit with art, love it and take time to build a collection.”

Like what you see? For more on Ferren’s home, be sure to check out her House Style, where she talks DJ sets, DIY projects and her dream roof terrace.