THE POWER OF PAINT

D E S I G N P R O F I L E

Chasing RAINBOWS

Farrow & Ball is as famous for its unique paint shades as for the distinctive names it gives them. Meet Joa Studholme, who’s responsible for both

T H E P E O P L E B E H I N D T H E B R A N D

Opposite Joa, pictured here in her Somerset home, has been captivated by colour since childhood Clockwise from above A mural for F&B from 2018. Hague Blue and Sulking Room Pink swatches. Bedroom in Day Room Yellow. Store room in Rangwali. An array of colour samples. Heritage paint in a pot

farrow & Ball is a cherished brand in British design and decoration. Joa Studholme is the company’s wonderfully creative colour consultant, who lovingly crafts every shade from scratch before giving it a carefully chosen name. With a passionate belief in what she describes as ‘the magical power of paint’ , Joa has worked with Farrow & Ball for more than 20 years and is a major player in the interiors world.

LIFE IN THE KALEIDOSCOPE

Joa’s love of colour was sparked in childhood – she recalls being captivated by a vivid red sky she saw while on holiday when she was very young, and spending a huge amount of time rearranging her Caran d’Ache crayons. ‘I wanted to see how different combinations worked together, ’ she explains. ‘I still treasure those crayons to this day. ’ As she grew up, the visual way Joa’s mind worked led her to describe people and places with colour references – a habit she has passed on to her own children. Inspired as much by the subtle shades of nature as by the brasher tones of printed packaging, she has a heightened awareness of ‘the colourful world we live in’ – a tendency she channels into her work. ‘Whenever I look at things, I’m thinking of ways to use their colours in an interior, ’ she says. Farrow & Ball to the world, and has had a huge influence on my work, ’ she says. As colour consultant, she has written two books, lectured on the effective and creative use of paint, and advised individual clients on their decorating projects. Her advice is sought around the world, and she delivers her expertise both online and through home visits. ‘The consultancy service means I have no typical day, as every house and each owner are very different, ’ she says. ‘I’ve always been determined that the process should be collaborative. My role is to help people find colours they will love. ’

COLOUR CHART

The process of creating new shades involves an enormous amount of creativity. ‘I have a very good memory for colour and, if I have the time, I will mix a colour as soon as I see something that inspires me, whether that’s my daughter’s rosy cheeks, some potted shrimp or shades of the sky. I have many notebooks full of tiny colour samples. ’ When working on a new shade, Joa uses ramekins and teaspoons in a process she describes as ‘very low-tech’ . She then shares these with Charlotte Cosby, Farrow & Ball’s creative lead, and the pair decide which ones to go ahead with. They are then sent to the colour lab, after which Joa analyses them in every finish, from the very flat to high gloss. ‘It’s vital to look at them in large areas in every light condition, ’ she explains.

During this time she also works on the names of and stories behind the colours. Rangwali, the brand’s bold pink, for example, takes its name from the powder thrown during the ancient Indian

T H E P E O P L E B E H I N D T H E B R A N D

‘COLOURdoesn ’t just change how a room FEELS – but how we feel in a SPACE’

festival of Holi, while Stiffkey Blue (pronounced ‘stoo-key’) was inspired by mud spotted on a North Norfolk beach. ‘The whole process is very time-consuming, so there’s often a long, long wait before our new colours are unleashed on the world, ’ she says.

HOME LIFE

Joa has lived just off London’s Portobello Road, known for its colourful house fronts and antiques markets, for more than 30 years. ‘My home is now considerably smaller than it was, due to the countless layers of paint!’ she jokes. But, in addition to the urban surroundings that have inspired her for so long, these days she also enjoys a whole different type of space. ‘I now spend as much time as I can in a small but perfectly formed home in the fields of Somerset with my husband and our dog. It’s an old Victorian schoolhouse with two main rooms and three tiny bedrooms. ’

Perhaps surprisingly, much of this house is painted in a special white that was created especially for the space. spaces we’ve used a lot of colour, including Setting Plaster, Light Blue, French Gray, Rangwali and Oval Room Blue, ’ says Joa. ‘It changes constantly, though, and I’m often to be found wielding a paintbrush up a ladder at six in the morning!’ Artwork is dotted around the house and books take up a whole wall in the main room. ‘My husband and I are inveterate collectors of the things we love, from an array of olive-oil tins picked up from all over the world to the 60 nativity scenes that come out every Christmas!’ she explains.

POWER OF COLOUR

In a world where trends come and go, what does Joa have to say about current fashions in the world of paint? ‘At Farrow & Ball we don’t follow trends; we set them, ’ she points out. ‘However, we’ve noticed a seismic shift in the way people are using colour in their homes over the past two years, and I love to see how our paints work in our customers’ spaces. ’ Above all, she believes that colour doesn’t just change how a room feels, but also how we feel in a space.

L L A B & W O R R A F ( L L E R R E M S E M A J ; M O C Y . T R E H A L F O K R A M Y H P A R G O T O H P ) Y E L Z A E B L L E H C T I M , E M L O H D U T S A O J Y B G N I A T R O C E D R O F S E P I C E R

Opposite, clockwise

from far left Joa discusses colour with F&B creative lead Charlotte Cosby; doors in Yeabridge Green; paint tins are repurposed as plant pots; the original heritage F&B tin design; kitchen in Sulking Room Pink and Paean Black This page Joa’s living room with lower ledge in Sulking Room Pink; a bedroom in Joa’s home in Jitney. Cocktail room in Rangwali

JOA’S DECORATING TIPS

‘Paint can give the illusion of entirely changing a room’s shape or size, ’ says Joa.

‘It can also make ceilings feel higher or lower. ’ Here, she shares three top tips to take on board while making your all-important colour choices:

Colour isn’t just about the walls so, when planning a new scheme, make a list of every element that needs to be painted, from ceilings and architectural details to woodwork and furniture.

Let light be your friend. Work out which way your room faces and see how the changing light is likely to affect your chosen paint at different times of day. Rooms you use more in the evening, for example, can be stronger in colour to create snug spaces for retreat.

Look to nature for successful colour combinations. ‘I’ve always adored purples, pinks and greens together as they often dominate our gardens, ’ says Joa.

‘My favourite example is the humble aubergine. Its skin inspired our Brinjal colour, while the stalk is close to our Churlish Green. ’