Nicky Haslam

About

Nicky Haslam

Nicky Haslam is one of the world’s most distinguished interior designers, recently celebrated by his peers with the presentation of the Andrew Martin International Interior Designer of the Year Award.

Nicky’s greatest legacy is, without doubt, his legendary talent as an eminent designer, having designed homes for many high profile names- including, among hundreds, Mick Jagger, Bryan Ferry, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, Charles Saatchi and many well known business people; but he’s a man of many talents – he is also a known socialite, artist, cabaret singer, book reviewer, blogger, art editor, memoirist and literary editor, with many a story to tell.

His career began in 1962 when he joined the art department of American Vogue. In 1964 he was made the youngest ever art director of a national magazine by Show Magazine owner Huntington Hartford. 1973 saw Nicky set up Nicholas Haslam Decoration, in which he created select offices, restaurants, retail environments and residences for high profile and celebrity clientele. Early clients included Mark Shand, Nicholas Soames and Rupert Everett.

As his profile grew, Nicky’s design work began to feature frequently in newspapers, magazines and on television shows. He later also started writing articles for Ritz Magazine, Vogue, Spectator, Tatler, Harpers Bazaar, and other publications.

1966 saw Nicky’s life take a fascinating turn as he bought a ranch in Arizona, where he began breeding Arabian horses. During this time, he visited California regularly, often staying with Jean Howard and Hope Lange. He eventually bought a small house in Los Angeles when he joined American Vogue under Diana Vreeland’s editorship; his already star-studded social circle expanding to feature many of Hollywood’s rich and famous including Zsa-Zsa Gabor, Carey Grant, Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty, Marlon Brando and more.

In the late 1980’s Haslam founded his London-based architectural and design firm, NH Design. The firm established itself as one of the most important luxury interior design offices in the United Kingdom, known for high-end design, bespoke furnishings and a style that is ever changing with the times, yet always distinguishable for its humour, charm and wit – much like Haslam himself.

Under his guidance, his creative team combines a unique sense of history with a modern contemporary outlook and the firm works on projects all over the globe including the English countryside and London, New York, Morocco, New Orleans, Denmark, Montreal, Barbados, St Jean Cap Ferrat, Monaco and Moscow, Klosters, Grasse, Mallorca, Los Angeles and Paris.

Haslam has also designed the décors for some of the ritziest parties of our age: the Opera Ball in Hong Kong and events for the Prince and Princess of Wales, Lord Rothschild, Simon and Jennifer Murray, Sir Evelyn and Lady de Rothschild, the Cartier Polo gala lunches at Windsor, a candle-lit dinner at the State Apartments in Kensington Palace as well as a National Gallery banquet.

Nicky is the author of many books, notably ‘Folly de Grandeur’, a beautifully illustrated literary composition about Haslam’s unique English country house, ‘Redeeming Features’, a memoir, and ‘A Designer’s Life’, an archive of inspired design and decor. He is currently working on several other publishing projects.