Beata Heuman, a darling of British interior design, has her Swedish roots to thank for at least part of her aesthetic. She was born in the Swedish countryside, where she spent her childhood imaginatively rearranging the furniture and belongings in her bedroom.

As she grew older, she set her sights beyond her family farm. ‘I fell in love with the English,’ she told The Evening Standard. ‘Compared to the conservative nature of the Swedes they seemed wild, and I think I’d supressed that side of myself until then.’

When Heuman moved to London in her twenties, a friend introduced her to the interior design legend Nicky Haslam. She went on to work for him for almost a decade. It is Haslam she now credits for her flourishing career.

She set up her own studio in 2013 and has barely taken a breath since. In 2020, she launched an online shop, Shoppa, which sells homewares to her design. She says: ‘I make the things I want but can’t find.’ The following year brought us her alluring book, Every Room Should Sing.

Today, she lives with her husband and two children in an elegant house in Hammersmith. Nowhere is Heuman’s style – at once whimsical, bold, Scandi and eccentric – better showcased than in her own home. We sure covet an invitation to one of her parties!

Forbes magazine says: ‘Beata Heuman has earned her place as one of the most sought-after interior designers in Britain.’

Here, we show you her style and how you can get something very like it.

Look One: Cosy Kitchen




High ceilings, a chunky island and industrial appliances sing in harmony in this characterful corner.

Get the look



Striped skirting:


Striped Skirting

Ian Mankin’s Empire 01 Stripe fabric in Peony isn’t far off. £39.50 per metre.


Blue cabinetry:


Blue Cabinetry-

Try Little Greene’s Bone China Blue, from £35


Pendant light:


Pendant Light Copy

Snowdrop Rise and Fall Light from her own collection, £1,980.



Look Two: Cheery Children’s Room




Joy abounds in this sophisticated but colourful nursery.

Get the look



Wallpaper:


Bird And Basket Copy

Heuman used Bird and Basket by Whiteworks. Molly Mahon’s Birds and Bees would also work well. £150 per roll.


Pendant light:


Pendant Light

This one is from the children’s collection at Lutyens Furniture and Lighting. POA.


Checkerboard rug:


Checkerboard Rug

Try Etsy for a hand-knotted version from Morocco. From £29.03



Look Three: Heavenly Hallway




An entrance like this is a delight to arrive at and a pain to leave.

Get the look



Striking art:


Donald Hamilton Fraser Painting

Heuman’s painting is by the British landscape artist, Donald Hamilton Fraser. POA.


Giant mirror:


Giant Mirror Copy

Pooky’s Larger Cinders Mirror is a clear winner. £250.


Trinket tray:


Trinket Tray Copy

Look no further than Heuman’s own design, £72.



Look Four: Sitting Pretty




Everything good is going on in this rich and grown-up drawing room.

Get the look



Scalloped rattan chair:


Scalloped Rattan Chair

Soane does a dreamy one. POA.


Vibrant plant:


Vibrant Plant

Pick up an ‘Attar of Roses’ geranium and try not to kill it. £8.99


Lyre Cabinet:


Lyre Cabinet Copy

You, too, can commission this bespoke gem from Heuman’s collection. POA


Look Five: Glorious Guest Room




This whimsical, practical and totally improbable bedroom encapsulates all that is heroic about Heuman.

Get the look



Wallpaper:


Wallpaper

Heuman used the super-smart Selma by Astrid & Rudolf at Nicholas Herbert. POA


Bed cover:


Bed Cover Copy

This is made out of the fantastical Cirque D’Hiver fabric by Mark Hearld at St Jude’s. £138 per metre.


Pretty box file:


Pretty Box File

Flora Soames’s Dahlias Box File features on the shelf here. POA.

By Becky Ladenburg
July 2022