STYLISH & SIMPLE
A tonal palette in shades of grey gives Kelly Schofield’s home a layered monochrome look, softened with textiles and personal touches
A love of Scandi design and a monochrome palette is evident throughout this home in Kent
Kelly Schofield is forever changing the look of her home – downstairs rooms have been decorated white, light grey, dark green and dark grey in the four years she’s been living here with husband, Taha Meziane, and their son, Zaki, six.
‘I get bored very easily,’ says Kelly, styling manager for Anthropologie.
‘At the moment I like putty shades with darker tones. If I get the urge to redecorate a room, I’ll get it finished in a day. Taha is very patient with me!’
The constant in Kelly’s home is her love of monochrome, which right now has been dialled down to flip between contrasting shades of grey to create shadow and light.
‘I love the graphic look of black and white – I’m not a big fan of colour – but too much black can look dense and flat,’ she explains. ‘Instead I’ve played with grey tones throughout as the house needed to flow. It’s great because it’s easy to change things up as our furniture and art works in every room.’
Kelly and Taha, a sales director for a design show, bought the terrace knowing they’d be renovating and extending. Kelly didn’t waste time, ripping out the old carpets, laying a light vinyl floor and initially decorating everywhere white. When it came to designing the new kitchen extension, she envisaged an all-white scheme with no wall cupboards, open to an eating area and snug.
‘I didn’t want the kitchen to look too much like a kitchen,’ she explains. ‘I like rooms to be interesting and have a bit of personality, which is why we have the vintage dining table and chairs, an old school locker and all the artwork in here.’
The couple love Scandi design and have brought touches into their home with carefully chosen lighting and art. Pot plants, textured cushions and throws, and a fondness for quirky flea market finds soften the monochrome scheme
– as does their vintage furniture.
‘Before we invest in anything big, like our mid-century sofa, we have to be absolutely sure we love the piece as we’ll keep it for years,’ says Kelly. ‘It’s different with styling. Sometimes I find a piece that prompts me to change the decoration. Recently I bought a solar system poster in navy and green for Zaki’s room so my next project is to redecorate his walls in a sage green.’
When the time came to start the last big change, their loft room, Kelly was absolutely clear on her vision, picturing a luxurious open-plan main suite with a high ceiling and a big square window.
‘I love the exposed plywood ceiling and the bare plastered finish on the walls, we have a restful sanctuary all to ourselves now,’ she says. ‘Though nothing stays the same for long. I’ve already decorated the living room again and tomorrow I might just wake up, grab the drill and hang a picture in a different room…’