‘I've always loved colour and consider it a crucial element in my design process. It's particularly useful in the creation of layered interiors, really allowing a space to feel utterly personal. Green is my favourite colour - it acts as a brilliant backdrop for other shades to bounce off. For the opening of my new pop-up shop, in London's Westbourne Grove, I've collaborated with Farrow & Ball, a company whose colours have followed me through various homes.’
‘At the moment I'm really into khaki shades, and painted the majority of the shop in Farrow & Ball's Bancha green. It's a great hue against which to set punchy pops of bright colour, to create intrigue. I will often mix serious pieces with fun, whimsical knick-knacks that hold sentimental value; colour is part of that interplay, and makes for a more eclectic and visually impactful display that is always evolving. Here are my tips for bringing colour into your home, along with several I picked up from Farrow & Ball's international colour curator Joa Studholme.’
Seek out punchy accessories
One of the simplest ways to bring colour into your home is with accessories. Add intrigue and joy to a space with bold table lamps, rugs, cushions and blankets in a punchy palette of fun, colourful hues. Less committal than paint, the benefit of accessories is that they can be switched around easily, allowing you to be more confident and explore more daring colour choices. Here, I've set one of my hot red lamps against "De Nimes", an understated blue that adds edge to the most traditional of furniture choices.
Take your ceiling to new heights
Joa Studholme introduced me to this tip: "A really subtle way of creating some extra drama, especially in a dining room, is to paint your ceiling in full gloss. This is especially effective if you use the same colour on the ceiling as you have painted on the walls. The ceiling will have a fabulous reflective quality which bounces light around the space, especially from candles, creating a magical atmosphere."
Switch up your frames
I love to layer colour and will often hang artwork on a wall painted in a strong tone, such as dark blue, green or even mustard. I like to mix more serious pieces with whimsical knick-knacks that hold sentimental value; for example, bright holiday postcards and thank you notes that feature a sweet illustration. Framing can also add another dash of colour – I mount retro exhibition posters, for instance, in coloured Perspex frames, or add a dash of yellow to a more traditional botanical print, like these ones I lent to a CLJ Home/Salvesen Graham set-up. Think about grouping artwork by colour to create a statement display.
Customise your furniture
Think about how you can update existing furniture by considering the small details. Add a burst of colour and update upholstery with a contrast piping or trim and think about the lining of curtains and blinds. One of my favourite decoration tricks is to add a bright lining to a more traditional chintz for a fresh and contemporary take. Or take a paintbrush to some chair legs - often a slick of red can totally revitalise an antique find.
Add colour to the ordinary
Apply pops of contrasting colour to unexpected nooks and crannies around the home. For example, I like to line the insides of dark green cupboards or drawers with pale pink felt, since it is such an easy material to work with and so simple to do, yet makes a big design statement. Paint the backs of doors, window frames and skirting boards in bright unexpected hues to add an element of surprise and opt for gloss over matt for a lacquered look. When designing my products, I always consider these elements – our gold striped jugs are lined in lilac and our tole planters in dark green, as it’s these small often overlooked elements that make them special.
