The bright colour ‘Queen of Neutrals’ Kelly Hoppen loves – and it’s totally not what you’d to expect
You heard it here first
Speaking on a podcast called Life and Soul by Emma Forbes, Kelly Hoppen once said the only thing she hasn't designed was a train. The interior designer famed for her neutral palette has taken on all manner of projects - many of which have been for celebrity clients, from Elton John to the Beckhams.
Related: Paint trends 2021 – key colours setting the tone in our homes
When we spoke to the 'Queen of Taupe' as part of her work with Samsung and their Bespoke Refridgerator range, we couldn't resist asking if there was one bright, bold colour she secretly loves to use - a guilty pleasure.
'Contrary to what many people might think, I am by no means against colour and I love the extra dimension that cleverly selected accents can bring to a space,' says Kelly Hoppen. 'Used in the right way, colour accents can inject instant energy and vitality.'
Kelly Hoppen's design philosophy centres around creating calm and balanced environments, and neutrals offer a soothing backdrop upon which you can layer other colours. Her recent book, Kelly Hoppen's Essential Style Solutions, available on Amazon offers practical advice for decorating your own home - neutral or otherwise.
'Any bright colour looks amazing,' Kelly tells us, 'but I have a very fond memory of a deep ox-blood red Chinese trunk I found in a shop on Portobello Road when I was 16.
'I immediately fell in love with it. From bright scarlet and crimson to deep burgundy, red accents work in all fabrics and materials and go wonderfully with neutral colours and especially taupe.'
Get the Ideal Home Newsletter
Sign up to our newsletter for style and decor inspiration, house makeovers, project advice and more.
Bright scarlet might feel intimidating for many of us, but an old armchair reupholstered in a cherry red fabric would look beautiful in a reading nook. Or you could try incorporating some deep burgundy in a study for a traditional, old library feel.
Equally, a red feature wall could work as a living room idea, contrasting against neutrals elsewhere and creating real impact. Painting the back of your front door red is another option - for more hallway colour schemes to make a bold impression, take a look at our guide.
Kelly Hoppen CBE has partnered with Samsung to launch its new modular and customisable Bespoke Refrigerator range. To learn more about the Bespoke Refrigerator range, visit the Samsung website.
Kelly believes it 'will certainly shake up the market with its innovative modular styling and cutting-edge design' and says that it 'allows people to express their personality and satisfy their evolving tastes in new ways.'
Related: Neutral living room ideas for a cool, calm and collected scheme
As part of the campaign, British fashion designer Charlie Casely-Hayford has created modular clothing inspired by the Bespoke Refridgerator. Each item creates multiple looks.
Millie Hurst was Senior Content Editor at Ideal Home from 2020-2022, and is now Section Editor at Homes & Gardens. Before stepping into the world of interiors, she worked as a Senior SEO Editor for News UK in both London and New York. You can usually find her looking up trending terms and finding real-life budget makeovers our readers love. Millie came up with the website's daily dupes article which gives readers ways to curate a stylish home for less.
-
How to get rid of dust — 7 easy tricks that'll leave your home spotless and prevent future build-up, according to cleaning experts
Say hello to a dust-free home
By Lauren Bradbury
-
What is recluttering? This unconventional decluttering trend is causing a stir amongst the pros
Don’t clear out clutter, ‘curate’ it instead…
By Tara King
-
I'm seeing Galentine's Day tableware everywhere on social media — top viral buys
February 13 is all about celebrating friendship this year
By Kezia Reynolds