Talk Shop: Alison Hammatt // Alison HammAtt Home
ABOUT ALISON
Alison Hammatt is a Rhode Island–based interior designer celebrated for her richly layered, joy-filled spaces that tell her clients’ stories. With projects spanning the East Coast and beyond, Alison draws on her Locust Valley roots and time spent living in Europe to create homes that feel both sophisticated and deeply personal. At Alison Hammatt Home, every project balances color, texture, and pattern to achieve that elusive mix of warmth and timelessness—spaces that feel as though they’ve always been there.
Before launching her design career, Alison spent nearly a decade teaching high school English. The pandemic prompted a move to Providence and, with it, a return to her first love: design. These days, she lives in an 1854 home with her husband, their two young children, and a golden retriever—proof that a beautiful home can also be a well-loved one. Read on for more about Alison’s path to design and the inspirations behind her signature style.
Photo by Jane Beiles
Describe your style in three words or less:
Collected, layered, lived-in
What have been the three biggest influences on your aesthetic in your life:
Going to the Gasparilla Inn each spring as a kid influenced my aesthetic in significant ways – the shell case in the main hallway, the grand parlor, the charming cottages. All of it! I cherish bringing my children there now. Living in Europe in my twenties also certainly had an impact on my taste – from London to Dublin to Stockholm. It was so inspiring and fun to be a guest in someone’s home or at someone’s party while living abroad. And finally, I’d say that multi-family parties and holidays while growing up influenced my aesthetic in important ways. As a kid, I loved seeing how different women entertained and how all our families enjoyed spending time together in different contexts throughout the year.
How did you start your company, and/or what is your favorite thing about what you do:
My company started organically. Two friends, one in Rhode Island and one in New York, purchased homes and asked if I’d be interested in helping to decorate. The next thing I knew, I had a business. My favorite thing about interior design is witnessing my clients seeing their finished spaces for the first time. That moment is so exciting and so heartwarming.
Photo by Liz Daly
Do you have a mentor in your career, and if so, how have they helped to shape your trajectory:
My mentors have been Tom Samet and Nathan Wold of Hamptons House Design. They have offered me guidance on everything from tricks for designing outside mount Roman shades to how to think holistically about this business. They always answer when I call, and they always approach my questions with seriousness, care, and generosity.
What does your home say about you:
My home is perfectly imperfect! And I love it that way. It is an old home – an 1854 Italianate – on Providence’s Historic East Side. Our floors have creaky, wide planks, my furniture is a mix of inherited pieces and re-covered consignment finds, and our decor consists of treasured objects from our lives. A seashell from our trip to Cumberland Island sits on our library bookshelf – that sort of thing. Not sure what it says about me, but it is very, very us!
Where do you find inspiration:
I find inspiration from traveling, going to shops and cafes, and talking with other people who love design. We all have so much to learn from each other, and it’s always such a joy to talk shop with a fellow designer.
Who are your style icons:
In terms of clothing, I love Ann Mashburn’s fashion sense. I think her look is just so chic yet approachable – I really gravitate towards her style. I also love menswear! I love walking around amazing menswear shops. Drake’s in London is a feast for the eyes.
Photo by Liz Daly
What are your key ingredients for entertaining:
A mix of highbrow and lowbrow snacks, vinyl records, dim lighting, including candlelight, and a good group not partial to gossip. Good vibes only!
Do you collect anything:
Bamboo! I am a bamboo addict. I love Victorian burnt bamboo, in particular.
Favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration:
Maison Carlyle, Maggie Getz, Simplicitycity, Ham Interiors
What design “rule” do you always follow, and which is made to be broken:
Are there rules? No one told me!
What are you working on right now:
We are working on some fun summer houses at the moment – major historic remodels with additions and ground-up elements. We also have some joyful purely decorating projects that we are tackling. A great mix from Martha’s Vineyard and Little Compton to Greenwich and Wellesley!
Photo by Jane Beiles
Wardrobe staples:
Jeans, button-down shirts, and needlepoint or kilim loafers
Favorite fabric/wallpaper:
My favorite fabric right now is Sarah Vanrenen’s Ziggy Tobacco, and my favorite wallpaper right now is Cypress Paper, Cocoa by Howe at 36 Bourne Street.
Photo by Liz Daly
Best interior advice you ever received:
“It’s not a tattoo!” - Tom Samet
Best career advice you ever received:
Learn to say no. Get comfortable with it. Difficult for this eldest daughter!
Types of home purchases you invest in, and save on:
I invest in fabric and wallpaper – because I love fabric and wallpaper. I tend to find my furniture pieces at consignment shops, auctions, and church thrift shops, and I have it reupholstered.
Your greatest extravagance:
We love to dine out. We do it way too often, but it is really such an important part of our lives. We love restaurants, we love folks who work in restaurants, and we love great chefs. It is a labor of love to run a restaurant, so we have so much respect for the creativity, passion, and perseverance of those committed to that kind of hospitality. We are lucky to have amazing restaurants in Providence.
Photo by Liz Daly
Favorite places to shop for home:
You’ll find me at auctions, consignment shops, antique stores, and church shops, mostly. When buying new, I like to shop at local shops. It takes so much effort and care to curate a beautiful shop, and I really value the creativity and care of a great shopkeeper.
Most prized possession and why:
I don’t think I have a most prized possession. But something I love is our Super 8 camera. It isn’t the camera itself – which we used at our wedding a decade ago – that I value the most, but it is the films that we have made with it since. These beautiful little analog family films best reflect the slow and meaningful moments that are so important to me.
Your interiors motto:
If you aren’t having fun, you aren’t doing it right!
Your life motto:
I think maybe it is the same as the above?
Advice for someone looking to define their own interior style:
Don’t overthink it! And don’t judge yourself. Be curious! And don’t worry about what others will think.
Take Ten: My Favorite…
Food: Shrimp cocktail
Drink: Southside (I order mine with tequila!)
Film: The Royal Tenenbaums
Hotel: The Greyfield Inn
City: Stockholm
Bedding: Linen, no flat sheet
Tea or Coffee (and how do you take it): Cappuccino with whole milk and sugar
Playlist: I have Michael Kiwanuka on repeat at the moment
Weekend Activity: Playing golf with my husband and kids, family dinners with friends, and planning my next trip
Design Book: I am currently loving Emma Sims Hilditch’s Beautifully British Interiors