4 hours ago
3
The children’s nursery rhyme I Can Sing a Rainbow swirls at the back of my mind as I wander the bright and beautiful rooms of art collector Ruth Evans’s north London home. Red and yellow and pink and green, purple and orange and blue – they’re all here.
Evans (who is also the chair of Stop Scams UK) has lived in this Victorian terrace for 30 years and this is her third refurbishment. “Each renewal of the house marks a stage in my life. First it was a comfortable home in which to raise a child; then, in my 40s, it was about bringing my own sense of style to where I live; and now it’s the rest of my days: a culmination of everything I’ve learned over the years – the aesthetics, colour and art that make the house sing.”
For this latest upgrade, Evans turned to her friend, the interior designer Mika Burdett. “I grew up with the generation who had great regard for minimalism,” Burdett says. “It looks very nice, but in my opinion it’s nihilistic; there’s little evidence or sign of life, of showing things collected and things that have meaning. It’s very controlled, whereas this is the absolute opposite. It’s all about life – Ruth’s life.”
How to adapt the house was crucial to Evans’s future enjoyment of it. The downstairs space – an already knocked-through living room, and a dining area with existing kitchen extension – needed an experienced eye, so while an architect was employed to undertake some essential structural work, Burdett focused on the spatial planning, improving the storage facilities and introducing a better sense of flow. Now a new window brings daylight to the back of the kitchen and its walk-in pantry, and a wall and chimney breast have been removed to provide a more comfortable dining experience.
“In the kitchen alone my brief included a pet flap and pet feeding area, low level TV and sofa, display cases and shelves, a pantry, more storage … the list goes on, but Mika managed it all,” says Evans.
While Evans has always loved colour – the house’s existing scheme was far from neutral – Burdett encouraged her to embrace an even bolder look. “I don’t think using colour takes courage, but it does take time to learn about how colour can bring joy,” says Evans. “People say: how can you sleep in a marigold bedroom? Whereas I say: how can you sleep in a white bedroom?”
Using a paint colour-matching service made for a cheap way to achieve a new scheme. “Likewise, inexpensive but colourful venetian blinds, instead of curtains, are a smart interior fix, and I’m a fan of lights from Ikea and Habitat,” says Evans. “When you need multiples of them for highlighting artworks, or reading nooks, or illuminating display cabinets, it pays to hit the high street.”
Ultimately, though, she is driven less by seeking out bargains and more by making a conscious effort to find and nurture loveliness. “I like to spend my money in the pursuit of beauty, which can uplift, inspire and motivate. When your head is full of work stuff, day in day out, you need your home to be a place of harmony.”
To this end, art and objets d’art are displayed in every room. A vast piece by Julian Opie dominates the dining area. There are works by Howard Hodgkin, Joan Miró, Andy Warhol, a Matisse, and, I note, lots of Maggi Hambling. “Ah, therein lies a tale,” Evans says, with a hint of mischief. “You’ll have to wait until my book is published to find out more about that collaboration.” I pry, but her lips are sealed.
It is a collection that has been decades in the making, after an early sally into the art world brought her up rather short. “I bought a Warhol screenprint of Ingrid Bergman with the inheritance from my mother. I fell in love with it, but being totally green about the art market, I later learned I’d paid almost twice as much as I should have. I didn’t realise you could negotiate the price!”
Evans now knows her stuff. She owns some valuable paintings, but much of the collection consists of prints, which are a great way for art-curious beginners to start a collection. “Having got my fingers burned early on, I delved into ways of collecting affordably. I love travelling and have brought back so many beautiful things – jugs, vessels, bowls and plates. You buy a few, then build on them, and in a few years you’ve got a collection.”
Evans believes having a cosy home that is shared with loved ones is key to happiness when everyday living is so busy and fraught: “Nothing equals the joy of being surrounded by close friends around the kitchen table, enveloped in warmth and good will; colour just makes the experience all the richer.”
