Singular spaces full of joy and the wonder of you
Gabrielle Fagan meets Russell Whitehead and Jordan Cluroe – otherwise known as 2 Lovely Gays – who are eager to persuade you to camp out in your home
Exuberant colour and joie de vivre are the decor signature of interior designers Russell Whitehead and Jordan Cluroe, aka 2 Lovely Gays.
And the married team are on mission to help us share their joy and style, and create homes that not only reflect our personalities and taste but also help us live more happy, authentic lives.
They say: “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 dazzling design secrets in their new 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’.”
INTERIORS WITHOUT 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,” they advise.
“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. It’s reductive nonsense. Throughout history, the gendering of colours has fluctuated endlessly. Our home is predominantly pink and we love it – so there!”
PLAY WITH PATTERN
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,” says Cluroe. “If you have identified a pattern that brings back fond memories, creates new ones or simply lifts your spirits, then it’s worth adding into your design.”
FOCUS THE FUNCTION
Areas of the home that just don’t work are a headache, but the pair say a little work spent on focusing on the function of a space will go a long way to solving and refining it.
One approach Whitehead and Cluroe suggest is measuring a space and then drawing out your ideas, so you can work out exactly how you would like to use the room. On your diagram, play around with the position of key pieces of furniture, to avoid making any costly mistakes. If it’s open-plan, the space may need zoning, so it’s openness has a purpose.
GET YOUR CURVE ON
The 2 Lovely Gays observe that many of the spaces we inhabit are angular, with strong lines and hard edges, so they suggest that every now and then, you allow yourself to break things up. They say: “Curves are the ultimate rule-breakers, offering a touch of the unexpected and bringing organic shapes into your home.”
Whitehead and Cluroe add that, with roots in the Art Deco era,
curved shapes are a classic that keeps coming back, so don’t be afraid that they are a passing fancy.
BIG UP THE CEILING
FREE YOURSELF FROM FOMO
Social media can breed fomo (fear of missing out) and the 2 Lovely Gays have a word of warning on over-indulging on “interiors porn” – all those beautifully curated images found on Instagram and Pinterest.
Whitehead and Cluroe say that while these apps have the potential to inspire, more often than not they can paralyse us with indecision, which can put the brakes on our creative freedom without us even realizing it.
They say: “If you aren’t careful, they weigh you down, setting impossible challenges until you can’t remember what you like – or even if you like anything at all. Trust us, we’ve been there,” says Whitehead with a smile.
“Creating a lovely home is a process that takes time and thought, so you need to stop chasing perfection if want to enjoy the ride.” Making Living Lovely by Russell Whitehead and
Jordan Cluroe,
Thames &
Hudson, £19.95.
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. It’s reductive nonsense