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:
Ian Mankin’s Empire 01 Stripe fabric in Peony isn’t far off. £39.50 per metre.
Blue cabinetry:
Try Little Greene’s Bone China Blue, from £35
Pendant light:
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:
Heuman used Bird and Basket by Whiteworks. Molly Mahon’s Birds and Bees would also work well. £150 per roll.
Pendant light:
This one is from the children’s collection at Lutyens Furniture and Lighting. POA.
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:
Heuman’s painting is by the British landscape artist, Donald Hamilton Fraser. POA.
Giant mirror:
Pooky’s Larger Cinders Mirror is a clear winner. £250.
Trinket tray:
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:
Soane does a dreamy one. POA.
Vibrant plant:
Pick up an ‘Attar of Roses’ geranium and try not to kill it. £8.99
Lyre Cabinet:
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:
Heuman used the super-smart Selma by Astrid & Rudolf at Nicholas Herbert. POA
Bed cover:
This is made out of the fantastical Cirque D’Hiver fabric by Mark Hearld at St Jude’s. £138 per metre.
Pretty box file:
Flora Soames’s Dahlias Box File features on the shelf here. POA.
By Becky Ladenburg
July 2022
