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‘Imaginative, considered and fresh,’ says Beata Heuman of her interiors style, inspired by ‘independent thinking, with personal meaning that rings true.’ Now based in London, Heuman was born and raised in Sweden, and moved to London in her 20s. After nine years working with the interior design doyen, Nicky Haslam, she set up her own studio in 2013, quickly establishing a name for herself. We at Wicklewood have long been fans of Beata’s interiors, her signature elements - masterful use of colour, a playful take on pattern and a curated, personal approach - chime strongly with our own philosophy. Beata found time in her jam packed schedule (she has several projects on the go as well as a book coming out in March 2021) to sit down on our virtual sofa and tell us a little more about her work... WW: Where did it all start? BH: I grew up in the countryside in the south of Sweden. Aside from my three siblings I was quite isolated, so we entertained ourselves being creative. I loved playing with my dollhouse, doing up the interiors and would read and draw a lot. I wasn’t particularly popular in school for the first few years, so creativity was a form of escapism for me. Once I finished school, I spent a year in Florence, Italy, learning about the history of art, then moved to London and landed a job working for the British interior designer Nicky Haslam. I learnt everything on the job and after almost nine years working for him, I set up my own studio in 2013. |
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WW: Do you have signature design elements? BH: Each project will be a completely unique mix of things from different places, and many bespoke pieces that we design specifically for our client. That said, we do tend to include something from our own SHOPPA, such as the Dodo Egg, or a fabric or two. WW: How do you use colour and pattern in your projects? BH: I love using colour, but it always has to be considered in balance with the rest of the room and the entire house; you can ruin a scheme by adding too much colour. That said, I often use pattern to add a weird element that breaks the scheme up a bit, making sure things aren’t too matchy. WW: What are your top tips for great interior style? BH: First and foremost, make sure it works. No matter how good something looks it will only be difficult if it isn’t practical. Then, allow your own personality to come through, that will be the most interesting bit. Look at rooms from the past to find inspiration - what is it about them that still makes them relevant and good? Don’t end the idea with the obvious, keep pushing to see if you can express something in a different or new way. Finally, for anything that isn’t easy to change - floors, fixed joinery, bathrooms - buy the best you can afford, things that will last. |
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WW: What’s your own home like? BH: I love my home; it makes me feel very happy to spend time there. It has taken me a lot of time and effort to get it where it is - it is not a massive house, but it’s perfect for us. My favourite part during the summer is the little garden house; a lovely place to sit in the evenings and read or chat. WW: What’s coming up for you? BH: I’ve just finished my book ‘Every room should sing’, coming out in March, which I’m very excited about. As for our other projects, we are working on a brownstone in New York and a turn of the century townhouse in Rotterdam, as well as several London houses. We also have quite few new products coming out on our SHOPPA, which I can’t wait for everyone to see. WW: Finally, what is your dream Wicklewood cushion combination? The Caballo oversized oblong in red blue, Canfield stipe in gold and Circles in azure. |
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