Think outside the box by mixing old with new, says the interior designer who’s never happier than when rummaging for homeware treasures in Kent’s Hospice in the Weald charity shops. Oh, and she’s got a great alternative use for mayonnaise too...
Briony Ace is a woman on a mission: to get us all incorporating pre-loved, items into our homes with, ideally, those pieces having come from our local charity shops.
‘They’ve been my favourite shopping haunts since I was a child,’ the interior designer enthuses. ‘Growing up in Surrey, I used to love heading for them and seeing how many toys I could buy with my £10 birthday money.’
Today, Briony’s still winkling through charity-shop treasures on a near-daily basis, but for ‘toys’ of a rather different variety.
‘It’s the texture of pre-loved items that make them so special in a home,’ she says, ‘The patina on antique wood grain, the faded charm of old pine – and don’t get me started on the joys of a vintage brass candlestick! It’s the stories these objects could tell that make them so special: who once sat on this chair? What meals have been enjoyed at this dining table? You don’t get that with new things, and of course buying from charity shops means you’re not only doing your bit for the circular economy, you’re supporting good causes too.’
Some of Briony’s favourite charity hunting grounds are the shops of Kent’s very own Hospice in the Weald.
‘They have a branch in Oxted, Surrey, near my own home – but it’s the Tunbridge Wells branch on the industrial estate that’s a real favourite. I’m such a regular that the lovely staff there know me by name, there’s easy parking – and so much stuff, from furniture to art, to amazing sets of vintage crockery. There are some wonderful bargains to be had, believe me!’
Briony has only been a professional interior designer since the Covid era, with her original career path a rather different one.
‘I trained primarily in singing and musical theatre at the Brit School but ultimately realised that performing professionally wasn’t the path I wanted to pursue.’
Instead, still using her creativity but in a different way, she teamed up with her life partner and father of their two young sons, and started designing and selling homeware. Although that business continues to run successfully, Briony knew she wanted more. ‘The scales fell from my eyes! I was on a distanced walk with a friend during Lockdown and I told her that I wanted to be an interior designer. I so loved putting pieces together in my own home and was confident that, with all my designing and buying knowledge, I’d have skills to offer other people. My friend replied: “You can start by doing up my house”.’
From there, things took off, with Briony making it to the quarter finals last year of cult BBC TV show, Interior Design Masters, hosted by Alan Carr.
‘I’ve always been such a fan of the programme, so to be part of it was fantastic – like being in Disneyland! And what a journey it was. I’ve always believed that in design, as in life, “the braver, the better”, and from the beginning I knew the only thing I could do was to stay brave, stay authentic, to design what felt right to me according to the brief we were given.’
It’s an approach that’s stood Briony in good stead in the commissions she’s received as a result of the programme: ‘I think my authenticity must have resonated because people who hire me do so because they want my style – I’ve never pretended to be anything I’m not. Designing from gut instinct is essential.’
That said, the design process will always start with Briony quizzing clients extensively on what home means for them and what they want out of their spaces: ‘I’ll always try to get them to be specific: “You like green? All shades or just some? Let’s work out what shades those are”.
‘And often I’ll say: “Close your eyes and imagine you’re in your dream kitchen – who are you with? What are you eating? How are you feeling? I think for many of us, nostalgia-led design is a key: we’re often trying to recreate a sense of happiness and security we’ve felt in places we’ve previously known. Again, charity-shop pieces can play a great role in helping to achieve that sense of nostalgia – albeit it with a fresh spin.’
That ‘fresh spin’ sometimes sees her inexpensive charity-shop pieces receive a glamorous glow-up. ‘I worked on a gorgeous Victorian house in London, where the aim was to ensure its period features really shone,’ recalls Briony. ‘I bought an old chest of drawers from Hospice in the Weald and could envisage just how it needed to look to work in the space. I painted it black, added brass cup handles and now it looks stunning. I love asking people how much they think it cost and surprising them with the reality.’
Much of the time, though, Briony leaves pieces as they are: ‘I’d say about 80 per cent of what I find remains untouched. I might do a little bit of restoration work – wiping down old wooden furniture with a bit of mayonnaise, for instance. It’s the best top tip ever: when someone told me it brings a satin finish to the grain I didn’t believe them until I tried it myself, but it works brilliantly. If you think about what it contains – oil and egg yolk – you can see why it would be so nourishing to the wood.’
Briony’s incorporation of pre-loved pieces into her designs works too, because she keeps her general colours simple; there’s not too much visual ‘noise’ and the result is spaces with a calmly energising feel. ‘My palette is definitely based on natural tones,’ she agrees. ‘I always say, if you can see a colour outside your window, you’ll probably find it in my work. I might use pattern or primary shades for accents, but essentially, it’s an earthy, organic look I’m known for.’
As far as Briony’s current projects are concerned, she’s especially excited about is a refurb of Feather Lane gift and toy shop on Sevenoaks’ London Road. ‘The lovely owner saw what I’d done in another local store and asked me to work on her place. It’s under wraps currently, but it should be a one-off, welcoming space with lots to admire – I’m especially excited to have spotted a large chest of drawers at Hospice in the Weald that’s going to make a fantastic till area.’
And it’s a given that Briony’s plans include continued support for Hospice in the Weald, ‘Of course theirs aren’t the only charity shops I visit,’ she says. ‘I love Emmaus stores too – but I can honestly say their shops are some of the best: brilliant things at brilliant prices for a brilliant cause.
‘I hope people will look out for my Insta reels, where I’ll be showing off my Hospice in the Weald finds and telling others how they can discover and use similar treasures in their own homes. It’s such a joy!’.
brionyaceinteriors.co.uk
hospiceintheweald.org.uk
Briony’s tips for charity-shop hunting
• Buy what you love: It might sound obvious but it’s so easy to be led by fashion or what you’ve seen on other people’s social media accounts. You do you!
• Visit regularly: You’ll get a feel for the sort of things you might find, you’ll get to know staff who are often ultra helpful and you’ve got the best chance of being the first to spot a bargain.
• Think practical: You don’t have to use every component of what you buy. Yes, you might find a great painting, but if you don’t, you’re almost bound to find a fantastic frame in which you can put art of your own. Similarly, you might not like that cushion, but if it’s got a fire-retardant feather pad you’ll save pounds buying it at a charity shop rather than new elsewhere. Then just add the cushion cover of your choice.
• Give as much as you take: That’s certainly what I tell my sons. They hand in their old toys and then get a whole load of new-to-them ones from the charity shop, just as I used to do when I was small! And when you donate, gift-aid your contributions; it might sound complicated but it’s very simple to do. Charities like Hospice in the Weald will then log your donations accordingly and will get extra money for everything of yours that they sell, no matter how small.
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