We caught up with Jess Hurrell – also known as Gold is a Neutral – an interiors writer, editor and content creator with a home full of personality, to ask her all about decorating her home.
Image courtesy of Jess Hurrell
Where is your favourite spot in your home to relax?
When the sun shines, it would have to be out on our recently completed new patio. We only have a small garden but we have tried to make the most of it and on sunny days we spend all day out there playing card games and listening to music. But this is England and on less sunny days my favourite place to chill is in our lounge, because we have a very deep, very comfortable sofa which makes it very hard to get back up, once you’ve sunk into it!
Image courtesy of Jess Hurrell
What is your favourite corner of your home?
Definitely the olive green banquette in our kitchen. I designed the layout of the actual kitchen cabinets around my idea to have a built in L-shaped banquette and I just love it. It’s the centre of our home and where we eat, work, watch movies and play games.
Image courtesy of Jess Hurrell
"To get a sense of cohesion, it’s a good idea to choose two or three stronger colours to use throughout your home either as the main colour or as accents"
Jess Hurrell
We love how you’ve carried pops of green throughout your home. Do you have any advice on creating a colour palette for your home?
I love colour and so am not always very good at restraining myself and sticking to a strict colour palette, however we do have pops of green throughout our home which helps tie things together. To get a sense of cohesion, it’s a good idea to choose two or three stronger colours to use throughout your home either as the main colour or as accents, and then pair those with a palette of more neutral colours which compliment. That will help create cohesion and a thread running throughout the house.
Image courtesy of Jess Hurrell
Your kitchen renovation is stunning. What were your favourite parts of your new kitchen and is there anything you wish you’d known before you began the work?
Thank you. The kitchen renovation has completely changed the way we live, we used to spend as little time as possible in there and now we spend almost all our time in there. Apart from the banquette, I love the wooden parquet floors because they bring so much warmth to such a light, bright space. The clever storage and pantry is also a game changer and means I have plenty of room to hide all the clutter! Our renovations were pretty smooth, but we did end up with no kitchen during a pandemic, while home schooling two children and working from home. Although I’m glad I didn’t know about that before we started or it might have put us off!
Image courtesy of Jess Hurrell
Your home is full of personality. What are your top tips for showcasing your personality through your interiors?
The thing I always say is not to get too caught up in trends. That’s not to say avoid them altogether but if you’re too swayed by trends you’ll end up with a home that doesn’t reflect you and your personality. Take your time building your home, that way you will buy things you will love and want to keep. Consider adding vintage pieces, whether it be an old oil painting you spotted in a charity shop, or a vintage sideboard – all of these things add personality. I recently hunted for months for a vintage sideboard, eventually found the perfect one, and I know it’s going to be loved for many years to come. I also think art is a really great way to show your personality and add character to your walls.
