Living with colour, an interview with Gavin Houghton
Gavin Houghton has a clear and natural passion for his work. I was drawn to speak to Gavin about his unquestionable eye for design both in the fields of interior design - his use of colour and pattern is extraordinary - and his relatively recent discovery of unique handmade ceramics.
Image credit: Gavin’s London Living Room, Gavin Houghton. Photography: Boz Gagovski.
Gavin Houghton lives in South London where he has a home studio that he works from. Both his house in London and his home in Tangier are living, breathing examples of his clear love of pattern and colour.
“I have a studio in my garden where I work. It has become my favourite place in the world. When it rains you can hear the drops hitting on the roof, and there’s a feral cat who jumps on to it around 4pm every day. My two Jack Russell's go berserk!”
Image credit: Gavin’s London Living Room, Gavin Houghton. Photography: Boz Gagovski.
It’s from this scene where Gavin pens his interior schemes; rooms and homes designed for clients, which he wraps in delectable colour palettes and timelessly chic furniture and objects.
Q: Gavin your website is a wash with beautiful interiors projects - all depicting period rooms and a strong and confident use of gorgeous colour combinations and unique items. But before we jump onto talking about your work, can we step back further and can I ask when it was you first realised you have an eye for decoration and interiors?
A: I’ve always had an interest in interiors and colour. My parents were always fiddling with our family home. My father was great at wallpapering, especially around light switches. He's a perfectionist. Both of my parents went to art school and paint, so that must have something to do with it? When I was very young I'd cut out the little men on the Hamleys bags and stick them all over my bedroom ceiling. Surface design has always intrigued me.
Image credit: An Aqua Living Room, Gavin Houghton. Photography: James McDonal.
I did a specialist paint finishes course with lots of posh ladies in Knightsbridge after art school and it was there that I learnt to paint faux marble and wood finishes - which I totally love. One commission I had was to copy the Chinese pink and blue wallpaper from the Brighton Pavilion in a regency villa; banana trees, bird cages and Pagodas. I sometimes wonder what happened to it. Probably papered over with a metallic wallpaper.
Image credit: A Patterned Floral Bathroom Design, Gavin Houghton. Photography: Boz Gagovski.
“When I was very young I'd cut out the little men on the Hamleys bags and stick them all over my bedroom ceiling. Surface design and pattern has always intrigued me.”
Q: How did your career in interiors start?
A: My first proper job was working as a stylist with Min Hogg at The World of Interiors and Min was an amazing inspiration. She was very knowledgeable about the decorative arts and taught us a lot. She loved junk shops - something which I inherited from her. She particularly loved French 18th Century design, which I do too!
Image credit: Min Hogg, The World of Interiors Founding Editor. Photography: New York Times.
Q: How would you describe your aesthetic?
A: I get asked this question a lot and I find it very difficult to answer. I change from project to project. Someone once said my style was somewhat like John Fowler, but with some David Hicks woven in. I love a gloss wall - so did Hicks - and I think this might be why his name was mentioned. I also love the play of patterns on patterns - essentially striving for grand ‘country house’ style.
“Someone once said my style was somewhat like John Fowler, but with some David Hicks woven in.”
Q: You worked for a while with David Collins Studio, how do you feel this shaped your own work?
A: David was hugely inspired by the 1940’s design and had loads of great books on the big wigs of the time which I fell in love with too. He loved Hollywood glamour and lighting which he was very good at.
Image credit: Gloss Ceiling in a Design Project, Gavin Houghton. Photography: Boz Gagovski.
Q: You have started working in ceramics, can you tell us a little bit about this?
A: Just before the pandemic hit I was doing an evening class once a week in Lambeth, in the basement of a church. I knew what I wanted to make - a set of plates. I’m slowly branching out to make ceramic head vases, bowls, mugs etc, all of which you can find on my website. Ceramics has literally changed my life! It conjures up the saying ‘a duck to water’.
Image credit: Blue Bird Ceramic Platter, Gavin Houghton. Photography: Boz Gagovski.
The ceramic work I do is called slab work. It avoids using a wheel, which is notoriously challenging to master. For slab work you roll out the clay and mould it into a plaster of Paris mould. It’s a fiddle but I love it. I’m using the time over Christmas to try my hand again at the wheel method. It’s challenging but I am determined to master it.
Image credit: Living Room in Tangier, Gavin Houghton. Photography: Boz Gagovski.
Q: You have an innate eye for using colour. What places, spaces or paint sources inspire your work?
A: I can’t say where my love of colour comes from but it’s a big love. I spend quite a bit of time in Tangier in North Africa and there you see amazing colour combinations I’d never dream of. Turquoise with dark green is a hot favourite of mine at the moment. Regarding paint brands, in my day we didn’t have designer colour swatches, we chose our own from a trade paint colour fan, which I still do. Dulux Trade paint please!
Image credit: Exterior Living Room in Tangier, Gavin Houghton. Photography: Boz Gagovski.
“I spend quite a bit of time in Tangier in North Africa and there you see amazing colour combinations I’d never dream of. Turquoise with dark green is a hot favourite of mine at the moment.”
Q: Your ‘Top 5’ people or sources of inspiration that you recommend people to lookup or seek inspiration from?
A: Studio Printworks wallpapers - totally love them! I always go back to their range and I am using them in a new project as we speak.
Hylton Nel ceramics. He’s brilliant. I have two beautiful plates which I treasure - he’s an inspiration.
Brixton Village Market. It’s still as charming and real as ever. You can get everything you’d ever need there!
Jean Monroe prints. Turnell and Gigon are the company that carry these fantastic prints. They have balls but they are classic. Not wishy washy in any way. I would have nearly all of them please!
Life, in general, in the city of Tangier. I’ve been going back for 20 years and have made lots of fun friends. we are all a tiny bit odd (which suits me) and I love spending time in my funny house there.
Image credit: Bedroom in Tangier, Gavin Houghton. Photography: Boz Gagovski.
“ Regarding paint brands, in my day we didn’t have designer colour swatches, we chose our own from a trade paint colour fan, which I still do. Dulux Trade paint please!”
Find out more about Gavin Houghton’s work via his website.
Interview: Rory Robertson
Images: supplied by Gavin Houghton, as credited.