Amanda Holden: ‘There’s an argument for playing it safe – but that’s not my taste’
By Sam Wylie-Harris, PA
TV personality and actor Amanda Holden has revealed the secrets behind the style of her home, saying the city of Los Angeles was a big inspiration.
“My house is very bold, and it’s a statement… It was an absolute boring box when I walked in. And now it’s definitely a talking piece,” says the 55-year-old, who lives in Surrey.
Holden, best known as judge on ITV talent show Britain’s Got Talent, describes her home as contemporary, “With lots of big, wide, rooms, all sort of en-suite with nice high ceilings and extra-large windows, which is why we bought it, so the light floods in.”
“And we wanted it to feel very sort of Los Angeles. We love America and I’ve put loads of palm trees in the garden; just so I can pretend to be on holiday, even in the s***tiest of British weather,” she says with a smile.
Speaking about her love of interiors and decorative aesthetic, Holden, who has just designed a collection with DFS, says she can see there’s an argument for “playing it safe with whites, blacks, magnolias, and all those things.
“But that’s not my taste. I understand people think it’s neutral and lasts longer, it’s sort of safe; but I don’t think they realise green can be a neutral, grey can be a neutral, navy blue can be a neutral.
“You know, all these colour choices which people might think are bold… you can make them work in your home,” says Holden, who shares two children with husband Chris Hughes. “So I’ve always gone for a pop of colour, or bold print.”
In contrast, when describing her bedroom at home, she says it’s “very sort of greys and whites. It’s the centre of our house. It takes up much of the first floor, and it’s the heartbeat of the house.”
She continues: “In that room I’ve gone very neutral and soft. But everywhere else is a cacophony of colour and print.
“And my husband has now got used to it. I mean, he’s had absolutely no say in any of it,” she quips. “But, there are pieces I’ve worked around.”
Indeed, they have a pool house in the garden, and says the reason she’s made it “sort of yellow” is because he has a Pac-Man machine from the Eighties, which is yellow.
“And I’ve allowed him to keep that; but I’ve done the whole room in order for it to be in keeping… So it’s not just a bright yellow Pac-Man in a pool house. It is about compromise.”
But she’s less forgiving when it comes to styling beautiful blooms and scenting the home. “I absolutely hate carnations and chrysanthemums… They should be banned!
“We have lots of lilies and orchids around the house. I also adore peonies.”
Describing her personal style, Holden says she goes in and out of tastes. She says: “I love a stripe, so I’ve got a very stripy ceiling in my office with a huge pink chandelier; which sounds garish, but in reality, it looks like a sort of a boudoir.”
“I use it for getting ready for Britain’s Got Talent, and all the other stuff I do. And I get my legs waxed in there,” she says candidly.
But there’s also a desk in there “where [her daughers] Lexi or Hollie will do their homework. So it’s a sort of multi-room, but an interesting room.
“I don’t think Chris [Hughes, her husband] would set foot in there and have a business meeting, but he often uses the bar… I know it sounds very ‘Del Boy,'” she says laughing.
Designed to the last detail, she says their home bar is “pristine and showy”, a combination of block colours and good lighting. “We’ve got lots of chandeliers and panelling, I’m a big fan of panelling, and it’s deep greens and teals in there.”
Evidently a huge fan of interior design, Holden has now launched a collection of furnishings with DFS, saying: “It’s so beautifully crafted, and the time and effort that’s gone into the fabric and everything, I’m really proud of it.”
There are three themes to choose from – Luvvie, Olivier and Showstopper. Luvvie echoes Art Deco glamour ‘with a contemporary town house aesthetic, for a chic, sophisticated style’.
Olivier, named after stage and screen star Laurence Olivier, is all about ‘plush, generous seating that oozes pure luxury’. And Showstopper features ‘rich jewel tones, dramatic silhouettes and vibrant prints’, with scatter cushions and even a fluffy pink footstool to accessorise the look.
A fan of sophisticated luxury, Holden says: “I absolutely love a velvet sofa and bouclé anything with a bit of texture. Everybody wants a sexy sofa.”
The Showstopper range is particularly personal to Holden. “Very selfishly, I always design things around what would fit in my own home, to my own taste; because I’m very lucky to get a lot of lovely, positive feedback.
“And think lots of people want to create the look I have, or other people have… So the teal Showstopper sofa, I would put in my bar.” She says the Luvvie sofa “would look amazing in my bedroom”, and the Olivier sofa is “big for jumping on and watching the telly”.
She continues: “So each sofa, I think, suits different personalities, different needs for different people, and different setups in families.”
The new DFS x Amanda Holden Collection is available online now.
