Jake Arnold reveals the correct way to use color in your home

If anybody knows how to curate a celebrity-approved statement, it is Jake Arnold. The British-raised, LA-based designer has decorated homes for John Legend & Chrissy Teigen, Katy Perry, and Rashida Jones (to name but a few), who are sold on his ability to combine traditional London charm with California cool. And part of achieving this unique aesthetic is how he uses color in a room. 

Alongside his ever-emerging status in the SoCal design scene, Jake Arnold is known for co-founding The Expert, a platform that allows for one-to-one interior design tips with some of the most recognized names in the industry. 

However, it was in his discussion with our Editorial Director, Sarah Spiteri, that Jake Arnold revealed his own decorating ideas – including the correct way to combine colors in your space. 

In the live discussion for London Design Week, Jake revealed what you need to remember when experimenting with bold color in your space – to create a perfectly balanced statement.  

Jake Arnold’s secret for using color in your home  

The designer reveals that, in a room, you should view each feature as an ‘event’ or a ‘non-event.’ 

‘It’s finding what the event in the space is. For example, the sofa is the main event, but the rug for me is not,’ Jake says. ‘It’s where you find the balance of where you have the push and pull and where you’re going to have that bold statement.’ 

Therefore, to ensure your bold furnishings and paint ideas are able to make a statement, you need to incorporate subtler tones that allow the pieces to stand out in your space. ‘For me, the understatedness of it all is what makes the statement,’ he adds. 

When it comes to playing with color combinations in your home, Jake adds that you can curate the perfect tonality by pairing the right-toned textures fabrics and accent pieces. 

‘It might be in a sconce or the trim of something, but it’s not necessarily one big piece that’s a bright color,’ he explains. ‘My whole idea is that I want to have high-impact in a space, but livability. A lot of clients who come to me want something timeless – and not stuck in a space that was designed at a time when they made those decisions.’

We’re following these design notes from the interiors guru at the earliest opportunity.