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ON SHOW
“Nature offers a wealth of inspiration.” Jo Hamilton will be appearing at the OFIS sponsored Design Talks at this year’s INDEX Design Series – taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre, May 22-25, 2017. Here, darc gets an insight into her design philosophy.
Jo Hamilton is widely regarded as one of the UK’s leading interior designers, noted for her confident grasp of colour, intelligent use of space and luxury aesthetic. She is also a respected public speaker, writer, design commentator, property finder and broadcaster. Hamilton has been running her own interior design consultancy since 1995 and has been involved in many high-end developments in both the UK and overseas, including USA, UAE and Saudi Arabia. Projects have ranged from exclusive city apartments to stylish country retreats; from bars, clubs and restaurants to homes, offices and hotels. She has also designed interiors for yachts and private jets. She is ‘resident interior designer’ for popular UK exhibition Grand Designs Live, where she is also a key speaker / presenter and ‘show ambassador’ along with Channel Four stars Kevin McCloud, George Clarke and, more recently, Charlie Luxton. Further public speaking appointments have included Top Drawer and the International Property Awards. Jo is also on the judging panel of the prestigious What House? Awards.
How excited are you to be involved in an interiors show such as INDEX? I’m really excited. It’s a real honour to be involved in such a prestigious show. I’m really looking forward to meeting with and talking to a wide range of people from across the world and discussing different approaches to interior design. You’ve obviously made your name designing living spaces for others. How would you describe your own personal tastes when it comes to your home? It’s quite eclectic, elegant and tranquil. I don’t like an interior to be too contrived or matching. I like things to look as though they’ve grown organically and there’s a story behind the interior; so that it tells the story of the person that’s living there. Art is a big focus - I love art. I love lots of different sorts of art, including very contemporary, abstract and minimalist. Steven Lindsay’s work is beautiful - he’s one of my favourite artists at the moment. Greens and bold, lush designs are staple trends this year. What are some of your favourite 2017 design trends?
I love that the focus is around nature and simplicity. I am always big campaigner for texture. Layers of texture add so much to any scheme. The trends for 2017 see texture in abundance - brushed brass, hand-washed linens and worn leathers and textured wall coverings. Marble and bronze is another favourite. This trend was on the rise last year and it’s going to be really big in 2017 I love the contrast between the hard, cold texture of the marble with the warm tones of bronze. This year’s INDEX is about design that stimulates the senses. How can people bring design to life in such a way? Nature is a great starting place for any home design and offers a wealth of inspiration on colour, texture and light. A home should be a restful calming space that gives a sense of peace, it calms the very core of us if we get it right. Lighting is the absolute key in this. People understand they need to physically light a space but often mood lighting is forgotten. It’s really important to be creative. Nature uses layers of texture and the results are beautiful.