Nikki Chee, Farrow & Ball's communications manager, has made the treck over from the UK a few times recently, and I've been lucky enough to catch up with her whenever she's in town. I think Nikki has one of those dream jobs, working for one of the world's best paint and wallpaper firms and getting to spread the news about all their new gear, so I thought it would be fun to put her on the spot and ask her 5 quick questions!
Below you'll find snaps of Nikki's latest design crushes from Farrow & Ball, as well as a peek at the Bamboo wallpaper, which debuted last month. Click here for more 5 quick questions!
Arren Williams: What's inspiring you right now?
Nikki Chee: Paint always inspires me – it’s so versatile and you can create a whole new look and feel in a room in a weekend! Creative use of finishes is great with paint too – such as using Full Gloss teamed with Estate Emulsion or Modern Emulsion to create stripes or patterns on a wall for added texture and contrast. Apart from that, it’s the use of dramatic wallpaper prints to create a feature in a room, or using contrasting wallpaper inside cupboards or behind shelving for a design twist.
AW: Is there anything that should be banned from interiors?
NC: It’s all a matter of personal taste and I don’t think anyone should feel restricted by doing what’s perceived as ‘right’ all the time. But I’ve never been a fan of painting dado or picture rails in a light colour which just creates white bands around a room. The same goes for radiators – painting them white makes them stand out more, but if they are painted in a complementary shade they can blend into a scheme.
AW: What's the next thing you have your eye on for your own place?
NC: My next focus will be the dining room – it’s a small, anonymous room that could do with livening up and I have a dilemma. I’m either going to use The Lotus Papers in Drawing Room Blue with Pitch Black or paint it in Pelt, a fabulous rich purple. Pelt is winning at the moment, as I’d use it in Estate Emulsion combined with Dead Flat on the trim to create a seamless flat finish to really enhance the depth of colour, and create a dramatic feel which would look stunning in candlelight.
AW: How would you describe Farrow & Ball's style, and has it changed over the years?
NC: I don’t think our style has changed significantly over the years – it has definitely evolved but our colours and the colour palette remain timeless classics. The ‘Farrow & Ball look’ is as relevant and popular as it always has been but to a much wider audience – it’s no longer confined to traditional interiors of large country estates; Farrow & Ball is as at home in a contemporary loft or warehouse as it is in a country cottage, but still with the signature look everyone loves. In the last year we’ve introduced a more contemporary use of colour in our wallpaper collections, and the launch of our new eco-friendly paint finishes in August was a big step forward. All our new eco finishes are zero VOC - as tested to the US Environmental Protection Agency standards - and have little or no odour, reduced drying times, and no change to sheen levels or performance. So now redecorating your home in an environmentally responsible way couldn’t be any easier!
AW: What's next for F&B?
NC: Continuing to create more colourful interiors and exteriors and helping our customers to get there! Our latest wallpaper collection, Bamboo, launched in September. Featuring an exotic pattern adapted from an iconic 19th century Japanese print, the collection gives a fresh new look to the enduringly popular and timeless bamboo design. We also have some exciting new wallpaper collections coming up for next year and we’re always on the lookout for new showroom locations too, we currently have 25 worldwide. That’s just a snapshot - there’s a lot more to come!
