Abigail Kahan
What are three words to describe your style?
elegant
formal
edited
Tell us about your childhood bedroom? My childhood bedroom paired soft beige with dusty blue, layered through irregular shaped dotted wallpaper, flower embroidered linen dusty blue drapes, and crisp white furniture. The overall effect was quiet, timeless, and gently refined.
What’s the first investment piece you ever bought for your house? My first true investment piece was an abstract watercolor of a bustling marketplace - rich in movement and quietly captivating. It felt like a significant leap at the time, not only for its price but for the confidence it took to negotiate for it myself - and walking away with it made the piece all the more meaningful.
In the history of design, if you could hire any designer other than yourself, who would it be? Irakli Zaria
No room is complete without drapes and art.
People think of me as a creative, but I am really more business minded.
Things you omit from:
A flower arrangement: extra leaves
An hors d’oeuvre platter: toothpicks
A bar cabinet: paper napkins
Biggest Vice? My greatest vice is a tendency toward control - particularly in my work, where I can be exacting to a fault. It’s a trait that often serves the outcome, though not always the process.
If you were on an Ambien high and internet shopping, what would you buy? A beautifully crafted, timeless evening bag - equally striking displayed in a closet as it is carried in hand. Alternatively, the Métier travel case, thoughtfully appointed with Goop essentials, feels both indulgent and impeccably considered.
Do your clothes reflect your design sensibility, if so, how? I believe they do - my wardrobe mirrors my design sensibility in its restraint and intention. I tend toward minimalism, favoring classic over trend, and focus on one or two thoughtful elements to bring interest and individuality to what I wear.
Who is your star crush? Martha Stewart and Emma Grede
What is the thing you would never do on a project, but don’t detest when you see others do it? Faux florals
What design book do you find yourself going back to again and again? Jean Louis Deniot and Portaluppi
For posterity, what would you like your work to be known for? Its timelessness and creativity
A Few Favorites
Book: Unreasonable Hospitality
Scent: Maison Francis Kurkdjian gentle fluidity
The fabric you always come back to: Mohair
Dream project: White House
Meal: a fresh salad
Drink: Seltzer
Hotel: Park Hyatt Milan
Travel Destination: Italy
Thing to collect obsessively: memories with your family
Era in the history of design: Neoclassicism in the 18th century
Museum: The Met
Favorite person to follow on Instagram: Emma Grede
Dogs, Cats, or No Pets? No pets
