ALLISON ABNEY
F
or Allison Abney it all started with textiles. “My mother made all of my dresses when I was growing up,” she says, “and even then I was selecting the fabrics I
wanted her to use.” As she got older, that nascent vision matured into a more holistic approach to design, which spanned from handbags to, eventually, interiors. Now, through her work in the Abney & Morton firm she co-founded with Boo Morton, she focuses on bringing out her clients’ inner eye through spaces that eschew novelty or excess in favor of authentic personality. That streamlined philosophy extends to her own home, as well, which is located on Allan Park, a tucked-away gem just south of the Olmsted-designed Hampton Park that is more redolent of Savannah’s lush squares than Charleston’s greenways lined with live oaks and cobblestones. “When we bought this house in 2006, it was just my husband, me and our dog,” Allison says. “Instead of looking for houses and starting our search that way, we looked for neighborhoods and then watched for houses to become available. Hampton Park Terrace spoke to us immediately for its architectural diversity, which is rare downtown. The homes are a collection of Freedman’s cottages, Craftsman and Prairie-style houses, American Foursquares, Colonial Revivals, bungalows.” Having kids pushed the timeline back for a planned renovation, which they completed in 2018. “I always knew what I wanted— because I always know what I like, which is why I can recognize what my clients are drawn to, even when they don’t see it for themselves right away. We brought that vision to life finally: we shifted the dining, bedroom and guest room layouts; replaced the galley kitchen; and really maximized the communal places where we can all come together to look out on the neighborhood we love and appreciate.” The expanded kitchen is by far her favorite space. “Honestly? It’s everything I ever wanted,” she says. “It’s a little bit crisp black and white, a little bit country and definitely the place we all converge throughout the day.”
ALLISON ABNEY A B N E Y & M O R TO N
DESIGN