The conversation

Designer Yinka Ilori is known for his use of bright colours and, as he tells our editor Pip Rich, their joy and positivity help bring people together

award-winning designer Yinka Ilori began making over chairs he found in skips 10 years ago, and has gone on to create some of the biggest installations and brightest products of his generation.

This month sees the launch of a major show of his work at the Design Museum, as part of London Design Festival.

Since we last spoke, it seems like you’ve gone stratospheric! Only last week you met Prince Charles. What is it about your use of colour that you feel people are connecting to right now?

Lockdown put us in a dark, stressful and confused place, and now I think people have got a new lease of life. They want to create new experiences, to feel hope and empowerment, and that’s what my work is all about. Using bright colours speaks of joy and love, and is so uplifting. It promotes people coming together.

I see a real desire for design to help us forge connections right now, but my take on it is very literal – placement of seating that aids conversation, for example. How do you think colour does this?

There’s an element of humour in the way I design. From the flamingos I used in the design of the public playground I created in Dagenham to the typography and sunshine brights I use in my products, getting people to smile helps them make memories, which live on in their hearts. Memories made with others is the best way to get bonds to form.

The designer Brigette Romanek told me her theory is that people don’t remember each piece in a room, but they do remember how it made them feel, so the mood of a decor is more important than the furniture you’ve used.

Yes – your starting point for room decor should be ‘what is the takeaway going to be?’ It could be a colour, a texture, or even a flamingo figurine, but knowing what the key moment will be allows you to create a real design story.

While your style is associated with a liberal use of bright shades, it’s actually the neutrals that stand out to

PIP RICH YINKA ILORI PR YI PR YI PR

me – the lavender stripe next to the orange and pink is the quiet hero that allows the stronger hues to shout.

YI Soft colours are key! You have to use them to separate the bolder ones to let them breathe. I love orange and pink together but they’d make a lot of noise if that was all you used.

PR I know your own home is quite calm. What palettes are you into for very relaxed, soothing, liveable spaces?

YI Yes, I suppose it is quite calm in places. I’m obsessed with green, yellow and lilac, and I’ve got a chair in the corner of the living room that is my current favourite spot. I’ve covered it in the Orun throw, which looks like the sun, but it’s next to white walls and a green monstera. I’ll sit here and read and relax. That’s the thing about bright colours – people think they’re energising but actually they can be very relaxing if they evoke memories of holidays in the sun on the beach when you felt at peace.

PR Are there any colours you wouldn’t use in a home?

YI I grew up in a housing estate in north London and there wasn’t much colour around. I tend to stay away from browns and greys and instead look to anything that can provide a moment of escapism. I wouldn’t use red in a bedroom

– it can be quite harsh to wake up to. I would go for some sort of soft yellow or orange – opening your eyes to them in the morning gives you the same feeling as opening the window and letting the sun pour in. Instant joy.

PR Is joy the theme of what you’re doing for London Design Festival this month?

YI I guess so – I’m doing a look back on my design process over the past 10 years. It’s not a retrospective but it’s been wild looking at how much I’ve grown. I started off just making chairs and now I’m getting to interact with people globally. What I hope for anyone who comes is that they leave with new ideas for using colour, with a smile on their face, and with new memories having been made.

XSoft colours are key – you have to use them to separate the bolder ones and to let them breathe

Yinka Ilori

Koi Carp elite emulsion, Zoffany