Today I'm giving a seminar (part of an all day masterclass hosted by Livingetc and KLC) on how to create interiors with chemistry. You need a big dose of confidence - creating mysterious, velvety and intimate rooms goes against most people's ideas of how a house should look, so you will have a lot of friends and colleagues out there who will warn you against. I am it should be said a little obsessed with creating magic and mystery - I think its so often missing in light, bright sun kissed rooms. I do think (possibly naively) that there is a trend all be it a slow one for spaces that push the envelope - maybe its to do with celebrating life in such uncertain times - wanting to come home to a space that makes you feel happy the moment you open the door. And what simpler way to add joy then through colour, pattern, ornamentation and decoration. Clash colours with confidence (after all nature does it all the time) decorate out of your comfort zone choose quirky items that make you look twice and stop you in your tracks, as well as considering the unusual acid bright rugs, supersized rococo vases for example, not all together in isolation. Yes we are all time poor and schlepping around shops can be a bore (apparently - don't quite understand that) but we have the internet so searching out finds from the comfort of our sofas is so easy. Castle Gibson, The French House, 1st Dibs, Ebay are regular stopping off points for me on my computer and my list goes on and on - all viewed in front of the fire, tipple in hand snuggled on the george smith.
I guess the most important thing to remember is that if you fancy creating emotive eclectic interiors the simplest thing you can start with is colour. Its the single most transformative thing you can do to your home. Overdose on it I say!
Beautiful just beautiful burnt orange coupled with red against a dark inky floor - my idea of heaven.
Again the colour totally transforms this space, lifts it to new heights, makes you stop, makes you stare (won't continue with this little quote but you get my gist)
