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A Rising Star’s Spirited London Home: ‘Every Room Should Sing!’

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A Rising Star’s Spirited London Home: ‘Every Room Should Sing!’

January 29, 2020

Interior designer Beata Heuman‘s London townhouse is a riot—in every sense of the word. It’s a riot of colors, a riot of textures, a riot of patterns. It scoffs at convention. And it’s just downright fun.

“Every room should sing!” the Swedish-born designer tells us. “In the course of a lifetime one gathers a multitude of views, experiences, and objects. The home should make it possible to take in all of these things.”

Such is the case with her own home, which she shares with her husband and two young daughters. “Growing up in Sweden, my childhood home was influenced by the simplicity of Scandinavian design, but also had quite theatrical touches and lots of character, which I think rings true in my work today,” says Heuman. “My parents had a real mix of items within the house—pieces from Ikea sat alongside precious antiques—and the combination of these items accumulated over time reflected the unique personality of our family.”

Indeed, from whole rooms to the tiniest nooks, her current home is nothing if not brimming with personality.

Photography courtesy of The Modern House. (Go to their site for more images.)

heuman rarely buys new furniture made by others; instead, if there&#8\2\17; 17
Above: Heuman rarely buys new furniture made by others; instead, if there’s a need for a specific piece, her studio designs it. The Wave Longue daybed, in a Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn fabric, is one such product, available via her website.
the view from the living room into the dining area. &#8\2\20;i have nothing 18
Above: The view from the living room into the dining area. “I have nothing against an organized, refined aesthetic, but I love color and pattern too much to ever live in a completely pared-back environment,” says Heuman. The scalloped rattan chair is by Soane Britain. The bookshelves and Lire Cabinet (at right) are both Heuman designs.
&#8\2\20;people often seem to see vibrant, eclectic interiors like the ones 19
Above: “People often seem to see vibrant, eclectic interiors like the ones I design in direct opposition with minimalism, but I don’t think that’s necessarily the case,” says Heuman. Case in point: the dining room, which feels at once visually rich and appealingly spare. Gemla chairs, upholstered in leather (note the zipper on the back), surround a vintage table. The Snowdrop Rise & Fall ceiling light is a Heuman creation.
because the dining room is attached to the kitchen, heuman disguised the refrig 20
Above: Because the dining room is attached to the kitchen, Heuman disguised the refrigerator (at left) as a blue armoire. The kitchen is tiny but efficient and organized (note the hanging step ladder). “Although my interiors use print and color, we also think a lot about how to design an environment that is practical to live in, where items can be stored away and a sense of calm can be created.” The Dodo Egg pendant light is by Heuman.
heuman with her baby in the whimsical bedroom of her older daughter, a toddler. 21
Above: Heuman with her baby in the whimsical bedroom of her older daughter, a toddler.
the mural in the room was inspired by ludwig bemelmans’s murals at new y 22
Above: The mural in the room was inspired by Ludwig Bemelmans’s murals at New York City’s Carlyle hotel.
heuman tidying up her bedroom. &#8\2\20;good storage is essential. i love o 23
Above: Heuman tidying up her bedroom. “Good storage is essential. I love organizing my home—I call it a ‘streamlining sesh’—and it’s so satisfying once everything has been put away. It lifts the whole environment,” she shares. (To learn more about how she keeps organized, read her tips in the NY Times.) A charming woven throw blanket by BFGF that she had framed in blue velvet makes up the headboard.
in the guest room, sea grass wallpaper covers both the walls and the ceiling. 24
Above: In the guest room, sea-grass wallpaper covers both the walls and the ceiling.
semicircle cutouts in the bathroom mirror accommodate sconces. 25
Above: Semicircle cutouts in the bathroom mirror accommodate sconces.
the over the top but just perfect garden pavilion. 26
Above: The over-the-top but just-perfect garden pavilion.

For more images of Heuman’s inspired home, be sure to check out her interview with the The Modern House.

For more colorful interiors, see:

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