Living Lovely.. 7 steps to joyful decor and making a home that’s truly yours
Known for their fun and heartful designs, 2 Lovely Gays are on a mission to empower us to embrace authentic decor dreams, says Gabrielle Fagan
Exuberant colour and joie de vivre are the decor signature of interior designers Russell Whitehead and Jordan Cluroe, aka 2 Lovely Gays.
The couple are on a mission to help us share their joy and style, and create homes that reflect our personalities and taste, and help us live more happy, authentic lives.
“If you’re going to fulfil your potential, you need a home that facilitates this – a space filled with the wonder of you,” declare the duo, who reveal their design secrets in their book, Making Living Lovely: Free Your Home With Creative Design.
“We’re not here to make you change everything you own and buy all-new to create a ‘look’. Far from it,” said Whitehead and Cluroe.
As for where to start, they suggested: “Just ask yourself three questions: How do I want to live? What do I need around me? What gives me decorative joy? These may seem obvious things to think about before you design your home, but they’re often ignored.
“We want you to invest time in yourself and take a moment to consider what works. Our hope is to make you feel confident in making choices and executing your creativity in your own time. No pressure, just happy homes.”
Here, they share seven steps to joyful decor and creating a home that’s truly yours... 1Interiors
have no gender “Think about colours in terms of the feelings they evoke and the way they interact in a space, rather than allowing yourself to be dictated by social stereotypes.
“Colour is neither masculine or feminine, nor are soft finishes ‘female’ and hard ‘male’. We’re so over the ‘pink is for girls and blue is for boys’ thing. Our home is predominantly pink and we love it.” LIVE LOVELY: Colour can be a wonderful starting point. Think of it as positive force and explore its impact on your interiors. If you love grey then feel happy and confident in that, if you’re passionate about pink, embrace that and run with it. 2Play
Interior designers use pattern to add decorative flair and layers of luxury, explain the partners, because it bridges the gap between function and decoration.
“The function of pattern is to add depth and beauty, bring connection and create joy,” said Cluroe. “If you have identified a pattern which brings back fond memories, creates new ones or simply lifts your spirits, then it’s worth adding into your design.” LIVE LOVELY: When used with confidence, a pattern draws you in to a space and gives your room depth and impact, so it’s important to think about where you want to put it. Don’t just throw it into the mix; it deserves more of your time. 3
Spaces which don’t work are a headache, but the pair say focusing on the function of a space will go a long way to solving and refining it.
They suggest measuring a space and then drawing out your ideas, so you can work out how you’d like to use the room. On your diagram, play around with the position of key pieces of furniture to avoid making any costly mistakes. LIVE LOVELY: Major design
with pattern Focus the function
features, such as a desk area, give focus to an open-plan area. Defining individual zones within a room, with furniture, lighting or a wall treatment, makes it easier for it to work multifunctionally at different times of day. 4Get
So many of the spaces we inhabit are angular – so every now and then, allow yourself to break it up. They suggest: “Curves are the ultimate rule-breakers, offering a touch of the unexpected and
your curve on
bringing in organic shapes.
“Curves keep coming back, so don’t be afraid they’re a passing fancy. If you’ve embraced the idea of thinking outside the box, they’re a great way to push boundaries.” LIVE LOVELY: They’re fans of being a “home rebel”, who’ll love choosing sculptural shapes because they’re fun and pleasing to the eye. “From chairs and lights, to beds and even kitchen units, bring on the curves,” they urge. 5Big
Revisiting the “fifth” wall is another of their top tips. “Ceilings are one of the biggest decorative expanses, but they’re often painted white and then ignored. They’re another opportunity to craft your space, so think carefully about how you might use your fifth wall.” LIVE LOVELY: Low ceilings benefit from pale colours and gloss finishes that bounce light. Higher ceilings can take patterns and bold colours. If you want to make a
up the ceiling
space feel homely – try spreading a colour from the top section of the walls on to the ceiling. 6Free
yourself from FOMO Social media can breed FOMO (fear of missing out) and they have a word of warning on all those beautifully curated images.
“They weigh you down, setting impossible challenges until you can’t remember what you like ,” said Whitehead. “Creating a home takes time and thought, so you need to stop chasing perfection.” LIVE LOVELY: Stop trying to get your home “just right”. Once you have the right tools, you will have the power to create a design that allows you to evolve and grow. 7Keep
“An open home will have unfinished bits – a chip in the paintwork, a stain you couldn’t get out,” Whitehead and Cluroe acknowledge. “Designing your home is about evolving with it, and the only destination is happiness. LIVE LOVELY: Be openn to learning from others andd open to inviting joy in, theyey urge. Create a space that is right for you and fill it withh the ideas and stories which make you feel good.
Making Living Lovely: Free Your Home With Creative Design is published by Thames & Hudson, £19.95.
an open mind