Every month we add new content to our blog to help keep our audience informed. This month we are focusing on women who make waves in the interior design industry. This entry is dedicated to the interior designer: Ames Ingham.
“My philosophy has always been to create clean, elegant lines that are classic and timeless while still pushing the boundaries. I believe in locally handmade products and unique interiors that will excite you for as long as they are with you.” – Ames Ingham.
Photo courtesy of Ames Ingham
Who is Ames Ingham?
Ames Ingham captures the spirit of a space, she channels it. And she shows us a space’s inner life through interior design. Her work allows a space’s essence to come out for all of us to enjoy. Ingham, who has a background in theater, seems to perfectly casts each space in a role, and she then dresses it appropriately. That is how vibrant her work is. Ingham brings spaces to life and allows you to enter a sort of dialogue with your surroundings. You will find that spaces designed by Ingham naturally and effortlessly enhance and inform your feelings, they inspire reflection and creativity.
Photo courtesy of Ames Ingham
But before Ingham’s career was even a vision in her mind, she began life as a child steeped in culture. Her mother worked for a prominent New York City auction house. This allowed Ingham to accompany her mother on business trips. The pair would explore French antique shops, searching for forgotten and unnoticed treasures. They would then bring what they found back to London and New York City to sell.
Ingham, who was born and raised in New York City, eventually moved to Los Angles after graduating from the Claremont Colleges where she studied theater. Her transition from the stage to interior design was smooth and natural. Her theater training led her to the art of set design. This is where she honed her masterful skill of taking the inner essence of a space, and using that essence as guidelines for her design choices.
Ingham’s love for art, culture, theater, and set design led her to co-found and run her own theater company for ten years. This experience fortified Ingham’s passion and natural talent with a deep understanding of space, structure, and lighting. Indeed, Ingham has more than technical prowess. Her theater training and history in set design affords her the empathy and unique perspective of an artist. Just like a novelist, poet, painter, sculptor, songwriter, and actor — Ingham can deeply feel the essence of her raw materials: the unadorned space and its potential finishes and furnishings. She draws that essence out, and she “paints” the blank space with it.
Photo courtesy of Ames Ingham
From Set Design to Interior Design
Ames Ingham’s transition from set design to into interior design was seamless. She assisted interior design legends Suzanne Rheinstein and Joe Nye before eventually opening her own business. Her experiences led to Ingham opening and operating her namesake boutique in West Hollywood from 2006-2009. Het boutique helped to establish her trademark look – a mix of antiques & modern finds, and bold graphic patterns.
Photo courtesy of Ames Ingham
Ingham’s work as an interior designer introduced her to a new problem, which quickly became an opportunity… Ingham realized it was very difficult to find good lighting. There was a dearth of lighting options that struck a balance between creative expression and tasteful restraint. Ingham’s spirit for exploration and innovation led her on a new journey: designing custom light fixtures to be hand-crafted by artisans in Los Angeles. Her first design was called the Ingham Hall Lantern. It is a steel and glass box with a single downward light on a French chain. It is a classic and universal design that beget an entire collection. Ingham’s custom light fixtures can be explored on her website.
Ames Ingham’s work has earned her a dedicated and loyal following, and it has earned her press in a variety of prestigious periodicals. Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Luxe Interior + Design, Veranda, InStyle, People, and California Home + Design are just a few of the media that have lauded her work.
Ingham continues to innovate and inspire those within her industry, and those outside of it. You can follow her journey via her website, Facebook and Instagram.