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Design News Ideal Home Show 2018

29th March 2018

Did you know the Ideal Home Show dates back to the early 20th Century? The show, formerly called Exhibition, first opened its doors in 1908 and has been growing in popularity ever since. The turn of the Century was a time when most British families were living in rented accommodation, however, this was also a time of relative prosperity when people had disposable income for the first time. The reality of becoming a homeowner was no longer beyond grasp and this inspired a new interest in gadgets and home decoration.

Fast forward 110 years and the Ideal Home Show remains one the largest home events in the UK, offering homeowners the latest on-trend inspiration and DIY advice. Hosted at Kensington Olympia in London, the show opens its doors to around 238,000 visitors each year. If you can’t make it down this year, below we have highlighted the best bits for you.

The show’s exterior entrance has always been a talking point and this year didn’t disappoint. In collaboration with Crown Paints, the entrance was adorned with giant mirrored paint pots that lined the pathway to the show. This supports the overall theme of this year’s show: colour.

Back by popular demand, the Good Homes showcase is front and centre as you enter the show. Here the talented stylist Kate McPhee and Good Homes style editor, Jessica Tavener, designed six inspirational room-sets showing the latest interior trends. Each room provides a unique and exciting way to use colour, furniture and accessories to create a space with its own distinctive style. Below are some highlights.

The Dramatic Kitchen stood out as it defied convention by presenting an all-dark set, which opposes to the ‘clinical white’ scheme that is often adopted. Instead, the team has used a sophisticated grey suede paint on the walls with dark units and complementary metallic accessories. The overall effect is a dramatic contemporary space that breaks with convention.

By comparison, the Luxe Dining Room is light and bright with glamorous, contemporary furniture and accessories. The dining room is often neglected as a space that is reserved only for special occasions, however, the attention to detail in this space makes it inviting for friends and family all year around. The scheme combines accents of gold with soft pinks and neutral shades to create a calm and welcoming space. The dining room table is adorned with a luxurious orchid garland, creating a show-stopping centrepiece.

Finally, the Botanical Bedroom incorporates an important theme on the interiors agenda for 2018: wellness. The green two-tone ombre effect creates an ethereal atmosphere that is conducive to rest and relaxation. Bedrooms should be a safe haven from the bustle of daily life and this is reflected here.

Elsewhere throughout the show, another highlight was the Garden Pod, created by design duo 2LG Studio. Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead are the two designers in charge of the South East London-based design practice and have taken part in this year’s show with the exciting challenge to design a mindful working space.

When asked about the design process, they said: “We wanted to create a mindful creative studio space. An adaptable space that can be a retreat, a place to entertain clients, a place to get creative, hold meetings, make a healthy lunch and get stuck into some designing. We have stripped back our signature use of colour to a very spare palette to let the different materials sing.”

The Garden Pod is a calm yet energising space that cleverly combines modern sustainable materials with contemporary styling. Usually known for their use of bright interruptive colours, here we see a more pared-back approach. The overall effect is something light, bright and suitably playful.

Also, styling at the show was the interior designer and TV star Sophie Robinson, who was briefed to design the Innovation Home. Once inside you are guided through an ‘upside down’ Victorian house, which has been redesigned to suit today’s contemporary lifestyle. Below are some inspiration shots.

During an interview about the design elements incorporated into the show, Sophie said: “The big message is colour and how it can really create a show-stopping scheme. And I’m also looking at how new technology can be incorporated seamlessly and subtly within the home. It’s increasingly becoming a bigger part of our lives, but we also feel the need to escape from it too. So how this works within an interior design is integral.”

If you are inspired by the projects and are considering incorporating more or different colours into your home or kitchen designs, you can also receive expert advice at this year’s show. Crown Colour Consultant Chrissi Baldwin is offering one-on-one colour consultations for those seeking advice.  The Ideal Home Show is on from 17th March- 2nd April, so there is still time to head down to the event and experience it all first hand.

If you want more design inspiration, request a copy of our 80-page brochure here or browse our blog and Instagram page for recent case studies. Alternatively, visit your local Harvey Jones showroom to discuss your kitchen design with our expert designers.