‘I’m a super-festive person – I love every element of Christmas’
There is no other time that is as drenched in enchantment as the lead-up to Christmas. With breath-catching anticipation, the decorations are displayed, the days are counted down, and even that raw nip in the air inspires a delirious eagerness to believe something extra special is about to happen. Joa Studholme, a self-confessed advocate of all things festive, adores Christmas. ‘Out come the kitsch Santas we’ve collected over the years, the nativity scenes from around the world and even the Ken and Barbie we’ve dressed up as Mary and Joseph,’ she laughs.
As colour curator for Farrow & Ball, Joa is an expert in creating ambience. Colour for her is all about how it makes a person feel. She describes the choices she makes as being innate: ‘I see everything in colour rather than form,’ she explains. ‘Even as a child I spent hours messing around with my Caran d’ache crayons. I am a total colour geek!’
And Christmas is certainly a time for introducing additional elements of colour to a home. This year, Joa will be spending the holiday with her family at their country retreat.
When Joa bought the 19th-century schoolhouse 18 months ago, she was looking for an escape from her busy urban existence in west London. Her tick box cited ‘secluded’ and ‘bucolic’ so, ultimately, it was the location that seduced her. ‘The house is simple and compact, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by gorgeous countryside,’ she reveals, ‘Even so, the town of Bruton is only a couple of miles away so we can still tap into everything that provides. It’s the best of both worlds.’
While the structure and refurbishment of the property was pretty much to the family’s liking, the fact that it was painted white throughout was something that just had to change. ‘Of course I couldn’t stick with an all-white backdrop,’ says Joa. ‘For me, colour is about creating an atmosphere. I want to take anyone who walks through the rooms on a sensory journey. In the time we’ve had this house, I’ve repainted it twice. I’ll be surprised if these current colours last more than a year.’
And so, each wall has recently been doused in a particular shade, selected to create a reaction that goes way deeper than the usual throwaway comment of, ‘Ooh, that’s a lovely colour’. Joa explains: ‘There is an embedded and relevant thought process behind my choices. With the nine new paints recently launched from Farrow & Ball, I wanted to create colours that fit with the time we live in. Currently there is a lot of turmoil in the world, so I believe homes should feel more nourishing. To me, the use of hard greys is over. Our new colours are rich and more tender than grey. Although they are perfect for the contemporary home, in some ways these shades are very traditional because when life is tough people often crave the comfort of nostalgia.’
It makes complete sense that Joa would want to experiment in her own home. ‘I sometimes wonder if my rooms are getting that bit smaller because of the continual new coats of paint,’ she laughs. So, like that small child who dabbled with her crayons, Joa still messes about with a palette of varying hues.
‘I chose Bancha for the entrance hall for a reason,’ she says. ‘When you arrive at the house, you are immersed in an idyllic location. As you walk through the garden to the front door, plants and greenery surround you. I wanted that feeling to carry on, and so as you step into the house you are faced with this deep olive shade. The outside comes indoors, so to speak.’
Other examples of her jiggery-pokery follow. Moving into the hallway there is a dark area, painted in Inchyra Blue, to create an atmosphere of cosiness and protection. Then, passing through into the living area, you are suddenly hit with a huge, dazzling room painted in School House White. And it’s no accident. The transition from dark to light hits you between the eyes and fools you into thinking the room is even bigger and even brighter. ‘That’s my job,’ says Joa. ‘It’s not just colours. It’s about illusions, emotions and reactions.’
It only seems logical to wonder what colour Christmas Day might be? ‘Corny I know,’ she smiles, ‘but green and red, of course.’ This year the family are going all out for tradition. That means being woken up by the morning bells from the church next door, opening stocking presents before breakfast, taking a long walk and then home for a late lunch of the usual turkey and trimmings. And while Joa may represent one of the most stylish interiors names in the business, there is always room for an element of quirkiness. ‘Last year was all about the garish green tinsel,’ Joa says. ‘This year I’m pulling in bits from the garden as decorations to enhance the new house colours – but not holly. Far too ordinary!’
See the new Farrow & Ball colour range at farrow-ball.com