Born into a British design dynasty, Sophie Conran's home was destined to be exceptional. We explore her world of intoxicating colour and effortless chic.

STORY JULIA MINCARELLI & LISA THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHY BIRGITTA WOLFGANG DREJER/HOUSE OF PICTURES

Food writer, cookbook author, pie chef and kitchenware designer are just some of Sophie Conran's careers, when she's not busy looking after her children Felix, 14, Coco, 12, and running a food and design empire that spans several continents. As the daughter of revered UK designer Sir Terence Conran and cookery writer Caroline Conran, Sophie's glittering career may have been pre-ordained, but it's a vocation she has made her own. "My job is everything I enjoy: cooking, decorating, being a homebody," she says. "I like the thought of taking what you've got and making it beautiful."

Not bad for a girl who left school at 16. After working for the Conran family business and later with her brother Jasper, a leading designer, Sophie's gourmet pie business was born out of necessity when she discovered her children's nanny couldn't cook. "I wrote down a list of 100 recipes and cooked them all," she says. "I tested them on my family and friends. Some worked and some did not." She's now stocked at major UK department stores Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges. A best-selling book, Sophie Conran's Pies, was released in 2006.

Design projects have also made Sophie a household name, such as her kitchenware range for UK label Portmeirion and her collaboration with designer Philippe Starck on the Yoo project, a network of boutique loft-style interiors throughout Asia, Europe and the USA.
Sophie's home, a recently renovated three-bedroom apartment taking up the top two floors of an old Victorian townhouse in trendy East London, embodies sophisticated style. Classic designer pieces set the scene amid wild lashings of breakaway colour, notably red and pink. "Colours are emotional and very important in my flat," says Sophie. "I really like to work in colours, like my red carpet in the stairwell – everybody tells me it really cheers them up."

Sophie has lived in the flat since she was 21, constantly updating its look. "I love to have a next project!" she laughs. Today, her home is light and airy, with an eclectic mix of modern and vintage furniture (including the occasional piece by Sophie's father Terence or one of her brothers), and tall windows opening up the space to natural light. "I'm very interested in light and space. It affects all my choices," says Sophie.

In the most recent renovation, she tore down a wall between the kitchen and living area to create an open-plan space, with a door closing off the kitchen when required. Although it's where she works, as a mother first and foremost, Sophie needed her kitchen to be fun – hence its gorgeous hue. Says Sophie: "I love my work but my favourite thing to do is potter around in my pink kitchen with my kids."

To find out more about Sophie and her product ranges, visit www.sophieconran.com. Sophie's range for Portmeirion is available from David Jones stores nationally.