Jo Chapman – Heat, Bella and Closer: Talking Design
As part of our Talking Design series, we recently caught up with Jo Chapman, Assistant Lifestyle Editor at three major titles – Heat, Bella and Closer – to ask her about her favourite interior trends, her predictions, and her top decorating tips…
How did you get started in interior design?
I’m fairly new to it. My background is in fashion design, and I worked in fashion and beauty journalism for a long time until switching to lifestyle and covering homes last year. It’s been quite a natural progression and has fitted how my life has changed over the years – I’ve always loved interiors but it’s only now that I’m a ‘proper grown-up’ with a family and a mortgage that it’s become really relevant to me.
What’s your favourite design trend right now?
I’m a sucker for succulents and love the botanicals trend. With everything from fancy planters-on-stands to fern-print shower curtains, it’s a really easy trend to get on board with. I’m also loving how colours seem to be coming back with people making bold choices like pink bathroom tiles or navy kitchens.
Describe your personal style
I’d love to say minimal but I live with two small kids so our house is anything but. I grew up in a home with green carpets, yellow walls, floral curtains and a lot of stuff, so now I’m into discreet storage and quite plain, muted décor, with the bulk of the colour coming from gallery walls, rugs and the thousands of plastic toys that litter my lounge…
What’s your number one tip when it comes to starting a new decorating project?
Keep calm! We’re about to start renovations and I’m not sure what’s going to break first – my relationship or my mental health. We’ve got a budget that we need to stick to and it’s very easy to carried away with all the details, but our original vision was to keep the decorating timeless – and for us that’s a lot of plain white walls (that can be easily retouched when kids draw on them) and wood with some dark greys thrown in. Crazy passing trends can be embraced through soft furnishings, wall art and accessories that are cheap and easy to change once the fad’s over.
What are your trend predictions for next year?
Greys and dusky ‘millennial’ pinks seem to be here for the long-run but they’re being teamed with more opulent textures, dark woods and golds to move away from the Scandi look (only slightly) to a moodier and more luxe effect.
Do you have a favourite design show?
I went to Grand Designs Live this year and that was my first experience of a ‘show’. They had some great room sets done by different interior designers, which was pretty inspiring and probably my favourite part.
What’s your favourite range from Walls and Floors, and why?
I love the Chinese Elm Wood Effect Tiles laid out in a herringbone pattern. Parquet-effect flooring is having a moment and these tiles are hard-wearing and have a lovely cool grey tone to them. I’m also keen on the White Chapel Brick Gloss Tiles for a bathroom.
Grout is a nightmare to keep clean so dark grey grout teamed with shiny white tiles is a winner for me – add black taps and that on-trend botanical shower curtain and that’s a dream bathroom!
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We’re very grateful that Jo took the time to talk to us! If you’re raising little ones, or if you’ve got one on the way, go and take a look at her personal ‘mummy’ blog, SpiltMilk.co.
