Riki Neill studied art, then fell into a different career. However, when she and husband Michael bought and renovated her grandparents’ cottage, she found she needed art for its many walls and rediscovered her talent. Now she has colour everywhere, and enough paintings for an upcoming sale
PR consultant, colour addict and painter Riki Neill in her exuberant living room with its black and white striped ceiling. Photo: Tony Gavin
When a house is full of colours, shapes and textures, it’s a sure sign that the homeowner is artistic and that’s true of Riki Neill, whose home near Lisburn in Northern Ireland has rooms decorated in every colour under the sun, with fun furnishings and striking lighting.
Indeed, Riki studied art at Ulster University but almost immediately the art fell by the wayside as she landed in a completely different career – public relations (PR) consultancy. She’s been extremely successful, building up her award-winning company RNN Communications, representing clients in retail, construction and renewables, and is so busy that she has a staff of six. “I’ve a curious mind, I’m interested in everything, so I like a wide variety of clients,” she says.