Profile: Nicky Haslam

It is difficult to pigeonhole Nicky Haslam; both the man and the designer. And, having now met him, my guess is that he likes it that way.

Nicky's legacy, talent and influence as one of Britain’s ultimate interior designers is undeniable. Not to mention, in his spare time he is an actor, artist, cabaret singer, book reviewer, art editor, memoirist, literary editor and he features on both Vanity Fair and GQ’s best-dressed lists!

Possessing a conspicuous flair and an inherent aesthetic, Nicky has been casting a spell on the design cognoscenti since 1972, when he first started practicing as an interior designer. In the late 1980’s he founded his London-based architectural and design firm, NH Design.

Nicky, along with his Creative Director Colette van den Thillart, has designed projects all over the world including London, New York, Morocco, New Orleans, Denmark, Montreal, Barbados, St Jean Cap Ferrat, Monaco and Moscow, Klosters, Grasse, Mallorca, Los Angeles and Paris.

When last in New Orleans, thanks to our friends Michael and Quinn, I had the good fortune to see one of Nicky’s projects, owned by Soniat House proprietors Frances and Rodney Smith. In all honesty, the living room was one of the most magical rooms that I have ever witnessed.

Not only is Nicky a talented designer, he is a talented artist. While at school at Eton he excelled in art. Today, the Victoria and Albert Museum as well as The Royal Institute of British Architects hold some of his interior watercolour renderings based on client projects.

Nicky Haslam divides his time between his London apartment and the Hunting Lodge in Hampshire that once belonged to John Fowler, a partner of Colefax and Fowler.

How would you describe your personal style?
Scintillating, Unlaborious, Unlaboured

What is your most prized possession?
A fan letter from Nancy Lancaster

What is your idea of earthly happiness?
Keeping one's figure

What is the one thing in life you cannot live without?
White peaches

What is your favorite luxury in life?
Being able to sleep easily and listening to Lee Wiley

Past or present, who has most influenced your direction in life?
Simon Fleet, Diana Vreeland, Diana Cooper and Colette van den Thillart, my Creative Director at NH Design

What inspires your creativity and designs?
Travel and lying in bed thinking

Who are your style icons?
Madame du Barry, Emilio Terry and Jean-Charles Delafosse

Who would you most like to collaborate with on a project?
Cy Twombly and John Richardson, the art historian who wrote all the Picasso books.

What books are currently on your bedside table?
Wait for Me! by Deborah Devonshire
Honky Tonk Parade by John Lahr
What to Look for in Winter by Candia McWilliam
My own autobiography Redeeming Features

Profile by Ronda Carman