Last night, John Cooper was crowned the winner of the BBC’s Interior Design Masters series 6. While we love watching IDM every year at Ideal Home, what had us on the edge of our seats this year was the extraordinary prize that was up for grabs – the opportunity to design a collection with John Lewis!
Now, off the back of John’s freshly announced win, his new John Lewis range dropped this morning and is available to shop online and in stores now.
Last week, I caught up with John to find out more about his Interior Design Masters journey and the inspiration behind his John Lewis range which includes everything from soft furnishing to some lovely living room lighting ideas and even a piece of furniture in the form of a statement accent chair – most of which you will recognise as existing (and bestselling) John Lewis designs reimagined in John’s signature style.
Straight off the bat, I found out what his favourite thing in the range was. He revealed that the black and white geometric quilt was his standout piece, and after seeing it, I completely understand why.
John Lewis x John Cooper
Thwaite Geo Quilted Bedspread
The striking black-and-white graphic print of this cotton quilt is softened by a toffee brown stitch running through the design.
‘There’s a quilt which has a fabulous geometric pattern on it,’ John says. ‘And then we’ve got the toffee colour running through it as a stitch. With that particular piece, I was blown away when the samples came. I was like, oh my goodness, they absolutely nailed it. And there’s also been a good response to it from people working in the John Lewis offices.’
What to expect from the collection
The range of over 20 products is defined by graphic patterns – including stripes, which are currently one of the biggest home decor trends – in a monochrome colour palette with the addition of the warm brown shade of toffee.
‘We started with black and white. And I loved working in monochrome. Then we spent a lot of time looking at different colours of what would work quite nicely with that.
‘I tend to go through phases with colours. At the moment, the toffee colour is really on my radar. We had a book of maybe 50 toffee-ish colours, and we eventually arrived at the actual colour we wanted. I think black and white on its own is quite harsh, and this just softens it and adds a bit of warmth to it as well,’ John says.
He continues, ‘It’s a really tight colour palette, it’s done in a way that is quite versatile. So you could layer it and have it all together within a space. Or you might just pick a piece and use it within whatever you’ve got going on at home. It was definitely trying to be versatile, but also to be a little bit edgy, to offer something that isn’t presently offered at John Lewis. It is very distinct and you could make a real statement with it.’
The inspiration behind the range
The geometric and graphic style of the range, along with the very tight colour palette and different textures being in play, are all John Cooper’s signatures – so it only made sense to go down that route for the designer.
‘In some of the Interior Design Masters challenges, I used quite a broad colour palette, but really, I usually tend to use quite a tight colour palette.
‘ I love texture – which is why I love panelling so much, you can create so many different effects with it – and I love lighting. I love the interplay between shapes and shadows that you can create in a room just through lighting,’ John says, which explains why the collection features not one but two different lamps which make for the perfect home office, living room or bedroom lighting ideas.
But the initial starting point was actually John’s take on the Interior Design Masters episode 2 challenge, remaking shipping containers into office spaces. ‘We looked at some of the things I’ve done for the various challenges on the show, the ones they liked and the ones I liked. And we came together on one that we both agreed on, which was actually episode Two, the office containers.
‘That was the starting point, just the idea of the shapes and the black and white colour palette. It then jumps off from there considerably.’ John explains.
More of my top picks
John Lewis x John Cooper
Blocky Striped Armchair
Previously only available in a velvet finish in solid colours, the John Lewis Blocky armchair got a trendy yet timeless striped update in black and white. But the nature of woven fabric softens the colours so it’s not a stark black.
John Lewis x John Cooper
Skye cushion
There are three different cushion designs in the collection, but the Skye cushion is my favourite. While it still features graphic lines like the other two, it comes across as lighter and softer in its look.
John Lewis x John Cooper
Glass mushroom lamp
Ever since launching a couple of seasons ago, the John Lewis dimmable wireless mushroom lamp has been a hit with the retailer’s customers. But while it’s available in many different colourways, there hasn’t been a two-toned one yet – until now. It’s also been reimagined in a different material, swapping metal for glass.
John Lewis x John Cooper
Carr Geometric Towels
If you’re looking to update your bathroom, an elevated yet very cool towel design like this one is the perfect way to go. The combination of the toffee brown and black in the graphic pattern looks like something out of a luxury hotel.
John Lewis x John Cooper
Elliot adjustable desk lamp
This sleek desk lamp is the perfect budget alternative to the popular Anglepoise lamps, also available at John Lewis. I love the colour-blocking take on the look which is sure to make any home office desk all the more interesting.
John Lewis x John Cooper
Carr striped reversible bathmat
The stripes also found their way into bath linen with this chic bathmat. Several of the products are named after places close to John’s heart – this bathmat though (and the coordinating towels) bear the name of Interior Design Masters host, Alan Carr.
I expect most of these pieces to fly off the shelves so if you’ve spotted something you liked, better be quick. But I would love to know – which pieces are you adding to your basket?
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