Chelsea Design Harbour is always full of inspiration but during FOCUS/23 it really came alive in a burst of colour and creativity.
On the last day of the design show I shared the Main Stage with colour guru Sophie Robinson and industry doyen Frank Ponterio in an aptly named talk ‘Create in colour: self-expression through design’. Hosted by Carole Annett, Interiors Editor at Country & Town House,each of us reflected on how to identify and design with colours that speak to your individuality.
Not afraid to differ, whilst we agreed on many things, we disagreed on a few too! Sophie has a ban on black, whilst I love at least a touch of it in almost every room for depth and contrast. Frank is all for letting his client’s art collections take centre stage and embracing tonal colour palettes that show off the art works whereas I’m more inclined to pull colours from art works and weave them through the wider scheme. Sophie can’t stand pure white ceilings whereas I feel despite their reputation for being a bit dull they can be just right in certain spaces. It seems my main rule, is that there are no strict rules only guidelines which can be fun to subvert at times and prudent to follow at others!
3 Different Approaches to Colour…
From Left to Right… Anouska Tamony. Sophie Robinson. Frank Ponterio.
As well as broad agreement on the importance of evaluating the fundamentals of a space (e.g. size of room, height of ceiling, aspect and static features) before all else the one overarching theme that shone through is the importance of understanding. So much of the work we do as designers is about seeking to understand what our clients want, physically, aesthetically, emotionally, and even dare I say it psychologically! Sophie put it brilliantly when she described us as ‘detectives’ because in a way that’s what the design process is about, curiosity, probing and a few ‘ah hah’ moments of discovery when after evaluating the clues you hit upon just the right thing! It’s also about gently encouraging people to explore just outside their comfort zone and using the foundation of understanding to challenge people to push that little bit further to create a home that sparks joy as well as comfort. And of course, the subject of mediation came up by which of course I mean the delicate art of helping couples with commonly differing tastes and preferences find the sweet spot that satisfies them both!
For those undertaking a project solo I would recommend following the same process (maybe that’s my rule!) when trying to identify colours for their own home:
Seek Understanding
What are the fundamentals of the space?
What colours are you naturally drawn to?
What mood do you want in the room?
Aim- shortlist colours that you’re naturally drawn to that also evoke the feel you want to conjure in the room and assess which of these will work with the fundamentals of the space
Challenge Yourself
What do you admire in other’s homes but are a little nervous to incorporate into your own?
What features could you take inspiration from whilst being true to your own style?
How expensive and/ or difficult would it be to undo?
Aim- figure out what bolder, braver decisions you love in inspirational homes (e.g. statement curtains, a dark painted ceiling, patterned wallpaper) and decide on where and how you could include these elements in your own home. Weigh these decisions against the cost and difficulty of undoing things if you changed your mind to find design choices that match your appetite for risk.
Mediate (Compromise!)
Perhaps the hardest one if you’re part of a partnership and you both have strong and at times differing opinions!
Where a space is widely considered one partner’s realm it’s usually agreed to be fair for that partner to lead on design choices but in spaces that are equally enjoyed, I’d recommend asking these questions:
What elements in the room do I care most about?
What elements in the room do I care least about?
Where are the crossovers?
How can we find a middle ground?
Does this mean both compromising or conceding one element to ‘win’ another?
Aim- work together to figure out where you can compromise or concede for win-win outcomes. With generosity of spirit, a little diplomacy and a bit of head scratching there’s always a way to bring two people’s personal style together to create a mutually expressive home.
Some of my discoveries at Focus/23…
Sanderson
Sanderson’s new Disney inspired collection features lots of nostalgic wallpapers and fabrics that would be perfect for a nursery or young child’s bedroom.
The Bambi and Alice in Wonderland patterns are particularly sweet!
Trowbridge Art
Lots of eye catching prints and heaps of customisation available to tailor artworks to interior schemes. I particularly liked the Astrological Maps and Audubon prints for their large scale and versatility.
Floren
So many gorgeous hand sewn lampshades in a medley of different colours and patterns. Some made from vintage sari silk, others from decorating fabric, all distinctive.
