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Colour shy? Jo Hamilton, interior designer and ambassador for House 2017,
shares her advice on embracing a vibrant palette in your home.
What are your favourite colours?
I’m not very loyal to colours. I fall in love with one and then I’m caught by another, and fall in love with that one. Right now, it’s greens and blush pink tones. With the pink, you’ve got that very feminine side, but you also have the calmness of the green. It’s a really relaxing combination.
How would you describe your interior design style?
My personal style is to pull together a story with individual pieces. I might choose an antique chair with a sharp, contemporary rug that are completely different styles, but that both tell the same story. I really like contrast, and mixing and matching.
Are there any colours or trends that you can’t stand?
I really, really dislike terracotta, and that kind of mauve purple, which is my mum’s favourite. It’s an awful colour! We’re all drawn to different colours, I suppose.
What advice would you give to people looking to introduce colour into their home?
I think a really useful tip is to think about where you are placing your colours in the room. Be creative and bold. That’s when you’ll get that vibration between colours, and that’s when you get to play.
How would you bring a sense of playfulness into a room?
I really enjoy playing with colour, and I think metallics really come into that for me. It’s really fun when you mix a brushed brass with a polished brass, or mix bronze with coppers. Clients always say to me, ?We can’t mix metals?, and I say, ?Well, actually, we can.? It’s a great way to have fun with interiors.
What can we expect from the 2017 House event in the RDS?
I love the concept. I love the people involved. We live in an age now where we can all have beautiful homes. At House, I’m looking forward to sharing with people how to do that and what works for their lives, their tastes and their families. Nowadays, we are all so busy, so as a visitor, you want to invest in a show that’s going to be worthwhile, and House is definitely going to be very worthwhile.
What do you think of the Irish interior design scene?
I’m just talking from my gut feeling, but there’s a real awakening and an interest in design here. There’s a real hunger and a freshness – it’s an exciting time. I always love working on properties in Ireland so opening another office in Dublin is very much on the cards.
Calling all architects, interior designers, specialist joiners, fitters, painters and design industry professionals, House’s exclusive Trade Only Day on Friday May 26, from 12-7pm, and is open for registration now.
House 2017 will celebrate and showcase world-class interiors with what’s best and what’s next in design.
The event open to the public from May 27-28 at the RDS, Dublin. Tickets are available at house-event.ie.