WHO LIVES HERE?
John Cooper, an interior designer and teacher, lives here with his wife Agatha and their two children.
When John Cooper and his family moved into their Victorian semi-detached home in Stockport six years ago, it was clear they had a big project ahead of them. ‘It was very much a doer-upper,’ says John.
‘I think back in the 1970s it had been carved up into apartments, so we’ve been undoing a lot of that work.’ Restoring the house’s period character was a delicate task. ‘It’s awful, because it would have had such gorgeous features,’ he explains.
Everything changed when John got the call to appear on BBC’s Interior Design Masters last year. ‘I was like, crikey, how am I actually going to make this work?’ he recalls. ‘It’s been such an amazing rollercoaster.’
The living room became his creative playground. ‘It’s been through about four iterations,’ he laughs. When they moved in, the room was theatrical with flocked gold wallpaper and deep-red velvet curtains.
‘My wife was like, “Can you just paint it all white, please?”’ So he did – for a while.
Then came a bold decision: ‘I painted the whole room in Hague Blue by Farrow & Ball. It was very textural, very maximalist. There was nothing subtle about it at all.’
It was that version that led to his first application to Interior Design Masters. When told to ‘try again next time’, he redesigned the space again, choosing neutral tones, black-and-white artwork, and a textured feature on the chimney breast.
Get John’s signature monochrome look
Hoem Brooke Embroidered Cotton Filled Cushion
Balboa 4 Seater Sofa in Saddle Tan leathe
Interiors by Premier Jada Large Striped Planter – Black & White
The experience opened new opportunities, including a collaboration with John Lewis. ‘I wanted the new living room to showcase all the pieces in a way that represents me and everything I learned from the show,’ he says.
Calm neutrals are layered with architectural details, including wall panelling and a striking chimney breast. John created a grid of picture frames from wood and mouldings, each cut at precise 45º angles.
The final palette balances warmth and light. ‘It had to be this amazing colour called Reduced Green by Farrow & Ball (£79 for 2.5ltrs) I found,’ he explains, chosen to complement the black, white and toffee tones of his product range.
‘We have green running throughout the house – the dining room next door is panelled in green, too. This means that even though the rooms feel different, there’s a visual language linking them,’ he says.
The result is a space that reflects John’s signature style: ‘The show called my style “graphic bohemian,” and it is quite graphic, but it’s also relaxed and natural.’
If he could change one thing? ‘I’d probably take up the carpet and put in a wooden floor, and perhaps add some more plants.’
Before & After – what it looked like vs how it is now
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