Good Reads: Ton is subverting the stuffy world of interiors
We speak to the freshly launched title’s co-founder and editor-in-chief, Jermaine Gallacher, about why a magazine that speaks to a new generation of interiors enthusiasts is long overdue
“I think for a long time ‘interiors’ has just been aimed at one demographic, which is basically rich middle-aged people,” says Jermain Gallacher, as he discusses the inspiration behind his latest project, a biannual interior design magazine called Ton.
“Young people now more than ever are so aware and super interested in interiors and design,” he continues. “We care about how and where things are made. Ton is dedicated to championing the young and overlooked voices in all aspects of design.”
A design dealer, furniture designer, interior designer, and columnist at Vogue, Gallacher has established a successful design career for himself over the last decade. His recent projects have spanned everything from the interiors for Bar Crispin in Soho to a London barrister’s office, which featured in the World of Interiors.
Creating his own take on an interiors magazine had been on the cards for a while, the designer says. “I wanted to create a publication to celebrate and to champion all the sensational makers, artists, designers and decorators that I know, and who I believe are so often overlooked. Something that wasn’t posh or elitist, about products or money, but was inclusive. Something with a sense of humour.”
Ton in its current form started to take shape when Gallacher met up for a drink with his friend and fellow interiors enthusiast Ted Stansfield, who also happens to be editorial director of Dazed Media.
“With the editorial we really wanted to focus on the human stories within the world of interiors – the stories of the makers and the people whose homes we shot,” says Gallacher. “These stories were often very personal, relating not just to their creativity but to their identities and their communities, as well as themes of safety, fantasy, love and loss.”
The magazine’s pages have been brought to life by Rory Gleeson, a graphic designer and art director whose work typically spans the worlds of fashion, art and music.
“With the art direction, Rory was inspired by old interiors magazine and books, and The Fred magazine. We wanted it to look classic but a bit DIY too, a bit high and low,” says Gallacher.
In a post-pandemic era, our homes are more important to us than ever; they are not just places we withdraw to but spaces through which we express our identities and creativity. Ton’s ambition is to evolve with and help shape the interiors trends of the future.
“We would love to work collaboratively with the makers we champion as much as possible,” says Gallacher. “For example, we are hoping to launch a series of workshops with our makers. Our long-term dream is to develop a world of Ton that works across the creative industry.”
