Jewel in the Crown
«It is impossible to deny that projects at Studio Hopwood emerge confident, a little daring and certainly not shy of colour. Therefore, you would be surprised to hear that when briefing us many clients say they are afraid of colour, suspiciously I think it’s a ploy to both challenge us and stretch their horizons.»
Colours aren’t picked randomly, nor selected because we just fancy using them on a project, instead they are used to set the tone and mood and consequently their selection is crucial. The trick to using the more daring tone of a spectrum is to get the balance right with neutrals, contrast and blending.
The owners of this project knew that a bold approach was needed to add depth and character to their brand new home. By adding elements of colour we found fun ways of making the space work – we wanted a look that was not too eclectic but not too overly coordinated either. We used richer colours to calm large wall areas and used punchy, bright colours to make other features pop.
It is rare in this industry that clients want to have their homes photographed for magazines, and when Mary Weaver of Livingetc contacted us having seen some preliminary shots of the house, we were delighted. Equally fabulous, the clients were happy to be part of the shoot, especially as a house comes alive when readers see the personalities behind the house too. I’ve admired Livingetc since 1998 when it started out as a low-budget ‘how-to-start-your-home’ lifestyle magazine. As the loyal readership has grown and matured so has the magazine and it’s now a sourcebook full of clever, stylish ideas backed with practical solutions and sensible budgets.
Livingetc called the project ‘The Jewel in the Crown’. I do hope the article helps others dare push the boundaries by transforming modern boxes into homes with soul.