Top 100 Interior Designers To Know In 2020 #LUXDECO100

Multidisciplinary studio 1508 London is owning its status as the go-to for the ultra-wealthy and the world’s finest hotels. Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Park Hyatt, InterContinental Hotels and Jumeirah are just a few of the well-renowned brands for which the studio is designing. The studio’s 80-strong team—based in London and Dubai—uses its “outward thinking" to produce interiors which are recognisable for their emphasis on strong architectural theory. In addition to architecture, the studio describes its designs as being "not formulaic or style-driven but derived from measured principles, inspired by history, [and] geography."

Ten years into its existence, studio Alexander Waterworth has already established itself as an intriguing talent in both the residential and hospitality worlds and on both sides of the Atlantic. The Shoreditch studio—headed by founder Alexander Evangelou (the Alexander of Alexander Waterworth and a Martin Brudnizki alum)—has garnered elite clients and Michelin-starred chefs alike. 2020’s projects range from a restaurant in Mayfair, the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, a specialty high-end hotel restaurant in New Orleans and a high-end hotel in Vienna.

A minimalist with intent, English-Australian designer Alix Lawson’s work stands as a reaction to the overt luxury of London—a call for a return to simplicity. She refers to it as conscious minimalism. “Conscious Minimalism is not so much a case of lacking,” the designer says, “but lessening. I like to think of it as reducing the volume while increasing the sound quality.” This year brings the completion of a 4,000 square foot period property in the heart of Little Venice—a collaboration with architectural designer George Wolstenholme Designs.

A favourite of shelter magazines and a social influencer in her own right, New York designer Alyssa Kapito is a master of sophisticated neutral spaces which are as interesting as they are tranquil. The principal’s elegant stylings honour the beauty of New York’s residences with a refreshed point of view. Classic moves include pairing contemporary furniture designs with antiques, highlighting plaster and wood finishes with gusto and making a strong case for layered simplicity.

This multidisciplinary London studio is making its mark on many of the city’s exciting development projects including The Brentford Project and townhouses for London City Island. But the Big Smoke isn’t its only turf. This year, the studio completes on Dublin Landings—a 270 unit development for Ballymore and the proposed “new commercial heart of the Irish capital”—with its tough luxe schemes for the apartment interiors, gym, residents lounge, lobbies and common parts. Think concrete-clad walls accented with wicker and velvet furniture and a turquoise Victorian-era inspired gym complete with subway tile and leather punching bags.

If one had to sum up Ashe Leandro’s work in a word, it would be this: effortless. Well, maybe two words: effortlessly cool. The New York architecture and interior design studio’s work remains characteristically pared back, by way of white expanses, unpretentious pieces and the raw beauty of natural finishes, and, to that base, it adds texture, charming eclecticism and statement furniture for a compelling aesthetic.

The Belgian designer might be the designer du jour thanks to a certain Kardashian West clan, but his contribution to the world of design goes far beyond the current fascination. The designer’s philosophy—“a belief that a home should be a personal expression of your soul”—resonates and is represented in his pure, casual minimalism interiors. The beginning of the year marked the opening of a recent project, the PURS hotel in Andernach, Germany (above).

Swedish but with a thoroughly British approach to design, Beata Heuman enlivens the London interior design scene with her playful, happy environments which delight at every turn. Her designs have reinvigorated British eccentricism for a new era, encouraging designers to question rules and their necessity and to design with joy. The designer—who trained and worked under Nicky Haslam for nine years—founded her London-based company in 2013. Projects have been predominantly private residences (fabulous ones at that) with some commercial work including a multi-project relationship with quirky independent restaurant chain Farm Girl.

The maestro responsible for the interiors of TRH Prince William and Duchess Kate’s Amner Hall and Kensington Palace homes, Ben Pentreath has certainly proven himself as the decorator of historical homes. Known for his sympathetic but playful treatments, his design style has remained quintessentially British since his eponymous firm’s founding in 2004, focusing on the beauty of interiors past—an aspect of his work formed by his background in art history—with an eye firmly on the present.

A self-proclaimed transitionalist, New York interior designer Bennett Leifer is regularly tapped by well-known names (including Bloomingdales’ for its Mix Master campaign) for his understated elegance grounded with historical depth. This year, Bennett’s Madison Avenue studio is undertaking residential projects on both coasts in addition to developer projects in New York City and Southampton.

Sydney-hailing Blainey North has a winning recipe for creating her award-winning interiors. “Every project starts with a big concept,” the designer reveals, “That concept has to be a really strong idea that’s bigger than the project itself.” That out-of-the-project thinking has served her studio well as it has built a reputation for designing superprime projects in Australia and around the world. Five and six star hotels and other high-end projects are the studio’s expertise and, in 2019, it completed on the largest private home in Sydney.

Founded only seven years ago, BradyWilliams is now best-known as the designers behind 2019’s Bob Bob Cité—the retro diner-themed sister restaurant of everyone’s favourite Orient Express-inspired, champagne-buttoned hotspot. Which wasn’t a bad way to spend the year, of course. The studio’s 2020 is shaping up to be just as spectacular (if not more so) with private residences galore, another Corbin & King restaurant in Soho and, we’re told, a “highly confidential private members club” in Mayfair.

In its 7-year history, this London design studio has become a chameleon of design. Its impressive range—most likely the result of the stellar design background of the studio’s eponymous principal, having worked for fellow LuxDeco 100 firms David Collins, Martin Brudnizki and Luis Laplace—is represented by the Art Deco treatment of The Berkeley Bar and terrace, a 50-room hotel in Girona, Spain, a yacht that is described as a “summer house on the sea” (and it really is), a renovation of a four-storey Victorian home in Richmond and a castle in Ireland.

The wildly Instagrammable Heckfield Place, which opened last year, brought to the attention of many the relatively quiet London design studio BWT (not the least of which were a recently-relieved prince and princess). Founded by Ben Thompson—of Studioilse training—the studio’s casual country elegance garnered high praise for its honest interpretation of the hotel’s grand Georgian edifice.

Principal Jordan Carlyle is a man caught between two aesthetics: the traditional-leaning, antique-filled splendour which has most certainly been formed by his Alabama roots and the ultraluxe, urban vibe bestowed upon him by his transplanted home of New York City. What happens in between those two is his signature MO. His work runs the gamut of neo-Art Deco apartments in central Manhattan to refined, handsome homes in Washington DC and beyond.

It’s a rare designer who can be both a master of Brutalism and a sensitive handler of neoclassical palaces, but that dichotomy manifests in designer Chahan Minassian—interior designer, gallery owner, antique dealer, furniture creator and all round style arbiter. As proof, the designer was recruited by London-based gallery Colnaghi to curate a Grand Tour-like collection in the Abbazia di San Gregorio in Venice during 2019’s Venice Biennale. Also of note in 2019, the January opening of Chahan Design Gallery—a gallery space on the Rue de Lille dedicated to his furniture and lighting designs.

The work of Tunisian-born, Paris-based designer Charles Zana is gloriously varied; varied in style, varied in technique and varied in medium. Variety (and lots of it) is his calling card. Of his own home, the designer’s website states: “Coated in a sage green, every room is punctuated with objects and pieces of furniture from eras that have nothing in common.” And that’s his genius. The designer’s most recent hotel project Hotel Lou Pinet in St Tropez is a triumph of laidback island style inspired by Matisse, Calder and Picasso. This year he works on Paris’ first Kimpton hotel, soon to be opened on the Boulevard des Capucines.

Italian designer Cristina Celestino is a white-hot commodity. A designer in every sense of the word, she clads the walls of her interiors in glazed handmade Fornace Brioni tiles of her own design, illuminates them with Esperia pendant lights which bear her name, furnishes them using furniture of her own making, and grounds them with whimsical CC Tapis rugs which she conjured up. A long-standing commission designing fabulous Fendi and Sergio Rossi retail stores puts Celestino on the list of female designers who are changing the game.

Famed interior and furniture designer Christian Liaigre may have left the helm of his coveted design studio back in 2017, but the French studio continues under the auspicious eye of protégé Creative Director Frauke Meyer. The German designer (who has been with the studio for 22 of its 35 years) is “faithful to the pure spirit” of Christian Liaigre as she guides it on its journey back to simplicity and ease.

Mother-son team Kathleen and Tommy Clements certainly know their way around the design of celebrity homes. The pair have designed for known interior aficionados Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, Jessica Alba and Kris Jenner, and the look is comfortingly consistent. Firmly rooted in the same distinctive aesthetic—that of California ease—their spaces emphasise natural materials and carefully chosen, iconic furniture pieces in arrangements which are never overdesigned.

A quick scan of Langlois-Meurinne’s client list might give a taste of the French designer’s calibre; Alber Elbaz, Cartier, Pouenat, Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco and the LVMH group (his design for a luxury planter might just be the most chic we’ve ever seen) have all sought out the DL-M touch. His secret for successfully navigating all of these diverse design roads? “Not to impose a set style, which would be impersonal, but rather to propose an environment for daily life, work or entertaining, which corresponds to the needs and wishes of each client.”

There is simply no way of keeping up with the many projects interior design house David Collins Studio executes from year to year. A furniture collection for Baker, multiple department refits for Harrods, a Pride London t-shirt design, a Mandarin Oriental hotel in Doha, TAK Room—Tom Keller’s newest restaurant in 15 years in New York City’s Hudson Yard—and the penthouse at boutique development The Buckingham have all crossed the DCS team’s desks this past year. That’s not to mention perhaps the most exciting project—a cruiseliner for Cunard which offers the studio its first taste of maritime design.

The works of Australian designer David Hicks epitomise the school of luxe minimalism. Usually housed in some capacious Australian villa, bay-side aerie or sky-high penthouse, the designer’s spaces are nothing short of impressive and usually depict his penchant for contemporary design with an unexpected accent. An antique coromandel paired with a lucite table and Platner chair, a life-sized sumo wrestler and, this, the most luxurious shower ever known to mankind are this designer’s talent. This year, the studio celebrates its 20th anniversary.

If there’s a hip hotel in need of a colour-saturated-but-sympathetic treatment or a new scheme required for a ritzy retail store (Dior, Lanvin, Fendi, Hermès...), there isn’t a better duo than Emiliano Salci and Britt Moran of hot Milanese design studio Dimore Studio. Whilst there isn’t one particular element to be found in all of their spaces (aside from perhaps those signature colour pairings—aegean blue with pillar box red, emerald green with bubblegum pink), there’s a quality possessed by each of their spaces which betrays their identity. Confident, retro and richly decorated, their spaces are of quintessential Italian stock.

From her 2nd arrondissement studio, Dorothée Meilichzon takes an altogether different approach to luxury design. For the French designer who specialises in boutique hospitality and retail design, she enjoys freedom from the constraints of highly polished hotel chain design or the high-running emotions of residential design. Instead Meilichzon’s work enjoys creative freedom by taking things back to basics. Line, form and colour are her ingredients and experimental pursuits are her raison d’être.

As the design studio chosen to create the first ever show apartment at London’s iconic Chelsea Barracks, Elicyon has been kept rather busy. The team celebrated a “milestone year” in 2019 which included Elicyon’s fifth anniversary and an office move. They tell us that 2020 is set to be another busy year, as their work continues to venture into new design fields including spas, yachts and hospitality. Catering to the super-prime London and Asian markets, the studio specialises in award-winning ultra-polished interiors for which the world’s most moneyed cities are so well-known. Shop the Elicyon edit.

Toronto interior designer Elizabeth Metcalfe is of the opinion that, in matters of design, originality should reign supreme. The designer explains, “Great design isn't based on a trend or duplicating an online image; it must always be authentic, real, unique, innovative and custom.” In the Elizabeth Metcalfe world, that means timeless schemes inspired by classical design with an emphasis on strong silhouettes and captivating colour palettes. Current projects include a 15,000 square foot mansion which neighbours one of Toronto's most prestigious golf courses.

The man behind Drake’s home “The Embassy”—an utterly mind-blowing 50,000 square foot Toronto mansion complete with full-size NBA basketball court, recording studio, nightclub lounge, 5,000 square foot master bedroom and master closet and an outdoor pool that is 50% larger than an Olympic sized pool—Ferris Rafauli has a style dial with exactly three settings: luxe, super-luxe and ultra-luxe. Upcoming projects include a collaboration with luxury bed manufacturer Hästens on a staggering CA$360,000 bed and a similar collaboration—Ferris Rafauli x La Cornue—on a $100,000 USD high-end stove design.

A quick look at the portfolio of design studio Fiona Barratt Interiors and one thing is clear—the name of the game is texture. Whether furniture finishes, artwork (of which there is a lot) or custom wall surfaces, texture characterises the studio’s work, giving it its recognisable relaxed urban aesthetic which has been transplanted as far as Rome, Moscow and Hong Kong. The studio is also renowned for its FBC London furniture—a collection inspired by Roman artefacts and the patterns of nature which conveys a fascinating, almost primitive rawness. Shop FBC London.

A combination of Australian founder David Flack’s research-based approach and background (his family are in the construction business) offers Flack Studio its distinguished style. The studio’s spaces are notably clean—uncomplicated—but with a low-key offbeat drama (they self-describe it as idiosyncratic) wrought by high-contrast colour palettes, unexpected art choices and a laissez faire attitude. 2020 has already produced a remarkably reconfigured private family home in Melbourne’s Hawthorne neighbourhood with four more in the pipeline.

Fleur Delesalle is a designer who is fundamentally interested in the “intrinsic potential” of spaces—that spirit of an interior which is equal parts design and architecture, form and function. What does that amount to? Interiors which are never over-designed (in the very best way), rooms with style into their bones and schemes where colour and shape have palpable, dynamic exchanges (not surprising for a 6-year India Mahdavi alumna).

To Fran Hickman, the most apparent elements of an interior—furniture and accessories—are mere distractions unless used with the right intent. The designer advocates that spaces should be a whole lot more than the sum of their parts (“Form follows function, of course, but feeling is vital too”) and that, if done correctly, good design can be a positive force in the world. Hickman, who founded her studio in 2014 after training with Soho House Group and Waldo Works, most notably designs for the fashion set with past projects including an Emilia Wickstead store in Knightsbridge, a Moda Operandi store in Belgravia and a Farfetch store in Tokyo.

“I feel that we are now so much more free—more than we ever were,” says Francis Sultana of how interiors are changing and, with that, our perception of them. “Interiors and home decoration (just like fashion in the 1960s) have become liberated.” Liberated certainly describes the attitude with which Sultana designs his interiors. His furniture designs (he just released a 10th anniversary Marie Francois Collection) are unmatched in their creativity. They also sell for double their original value at auction these days making him one of the world's most sought-after furniture designers. By way of projects, his 16-strong team are currently working on a London flagship jewellery store in Berkeley Square, a museum in Hong Kong and an estate near Cannes.

Seminal French designer François Catroux has enjoyed a rich career spanning over five decades. His interiors (as diverse as they are legendary) elude a collective description except to say that they share one thing in common: they have undoubtedly been commissioned by the world’s elite. Recently, the designer redesigned the New York City family home of Crown Prince Pavlos and Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece which had previously been decorated by fellow icon Mongiardino—an attestation to the designer’s irrefutable standing as one of the world’s greatest living designers.

Unassuming, casual yet utterly chic, French designer François Champsaur’s work expertly walks a fine line—one difficult to master with poise. It’s not that the designer can’t be elaborate (take the Hotel Vernet’s remodel, above, as a proof to the contrary), but there is a sensed hesitance from this designer to be disingenuous with his decorating and that is the charm of Champsaur’s work. In 2019, the designer served as the jury president for the Design Parade Toulon competition.

Aside from being the unchallenged designers to luxury fashion ski brand Montcler, Gilles & Boissier are regular collaborators for the likes of the Four Seasons, Hakkasan and Mandarin Oriental. The duo recently designed the Mandarin Oriental Paris’ pied à terre suite, the largest hotel suite in the city. Of the space, Dorothee Boissier explains, “We really wanted to design a sort of Parisian apartment that says I’ve decorated this apartment over the years, and I’m lending it to international friends.” The duo also opened their first boutique, Les Choses de Gilles & Boissier, on Avenue Montaigne.

Audacious doesn’t begin to cover the style of Sydney designer Greg Natale whose self-proclaimed “new Australian interior” comprises an intoxicating trip around the colour wheel always accompanied by faultless architectural finishes and geometric motifs. Colour—check; pattern—check; scale—check; contrast—check; and it goes on. Using the elements of design in infinite measure, the designer surprises with every project. Natale is on his second book, sixth rug collection with Designer Rugs, has an ever-expanding decor collection, a flooring range, and has recently opened a flagship store in Potts Point, Sydney.

Guillaume Alan is the kind of designer whose interiors should be shot as still lifes. Architecturally exquisite, the Parisian designer’s work distils interior design and architecture down to their very basic fundamentals, meaning that a Guillaume Alan interior is one of the purest examples of design one might hope to enjoy. Colourless palettes, marble in abundance and mellow profiles—a veritable trifecta—play a major role in the designer’s oeuvre which spans Paris, London and Verbier. Last year, the French designer’s work graced, not one, but two book covers (Classic Residences and Generation Next by BetaPlus Publishing) where he was named “one of the most promising designers of his generation”.

Standing it in good stead for the next decade, interior design studio Helen Green Design continues to fuse the legacy of timeless and elegant design of its late founder into each of its projects. Not only that, the London studio has admirably future-proofed its supply chain, choosing to source furniture solely from British artisans and craftspeople. A firm with elite London connections, the studio will deliver a project for the One Grosvenor Square development this year and continue work through 2020 on a multi-year 17,000 square foot family house project in Surrey.

The beauty of Humbert & Poyet’s work is unquestionably attributable to the architectural backgrounds of both founders, Christophe Poyet and Emil Humbert. Making great use of historically architectural materials—marble and wood—the designers at times appear, not to create interiors, but to uncover interiors, carving monolithic forms out of their spaces. In doing so they create spatial flow which didn’t previously exist and give life to even the most composed of spaces. Their interiors feel at once classical and brand new.

Interiors behemoth International Marketing Group continues to rethink the real estate process for the ultra-rich with its multifaceted design and marketing offering. Recent additions include new staging styles, virtual staging, flexible project scopes and dedicated client-specific PR and marketing teams. And, despite its name, it’s now doing it on a national scale, having expanded its geographic reach in the US to include Miami and Palm Beach, Chicago, Connecticut, and Boston.

The iconic work of India Mahdavi may have single-handedly ushered in a return to playfulness in interior design. The Iranian-French designer decorated with oversized flowers, pink-on-pink colour palettes and kaleidoscope geometrics when others were focused on paring back. Her work is admired around the world, consciously or otherwise, by fellow designers, international brands and Instagrammers which have undoubtedly used one of her interiors as a backdrop. Speaking to her creative process, she explains, “To conceive a space, I listen to it, I analyse its constraints, its needs, and its context. This is how my studio functions.”

Last year, Isabelle Stanislas delivered what is likely to be one of her most prestigious commissions to date (and perhaps of her career): the reimagined interiors of the Elysee Palace’s ballroom where all of France’s most important state dinners, receptions and events are held. For the €500,000 project, the designer transformed the magnificent venue—the Salle des Fêtes, as it is known—from its former look, drenched in empire red, to a much more modern grey-on-grey scheme.

Jacques Garcia is the man to go to for elaborate, luxurious hotel interiors and, last year, the revered French designer’s relationship with legendary Monaco hotel, Hotel Metropole continued. Picking up where he left off when he first designed the hotel in 2004, the designer was approached by the hotel’s owners to handle its redesign. Its penthouse suite, Suite Carré d'Or, features Pierre Frey lined walls and sumptuous upholstery in imperial purple velvet.

Jacques Grange—style chameleon and all-round design mastermind—has inspired generations of designers courtesy of his diverse and ever-so-chic portfolio of exceptional spaces. As a pioneer of the Parisian look which shows no signs of ever becoming irrelevant, the designer is known for juxtaposing artists with wild abandon (he’s also an avid collector) amidst the elegance of the capital’s Haussmannian apartments. Over the years Grange has designed for Yves Saint Laurent, Aerin Lauder, Princess Caroline of Monaco, Karl Lagerfeld and, most recently, Christian Louboutin whose Paris penthouse he completed last year, making his little black book the most coveted one in the industry.

A private residential design firm in the truest sense, multi-disciplinary practice Janine Stone & Co. is notoriously discreet thanks to its association the world’s elite and their highly confidential projects. But that might be changing (at least where appropriate). This year, the studio is responding to design briefs set by the editors of House & Garden magazine to create swoon-worthy spaces—from Art-Deco boudoir to philanthropist’s library—offering many a peek into the studio’s well-appointed, bespoke interiors.

Architect and interior designer Jean-Louis Deniot may be one of this generation’s most influential luminaries, but he has very little ego to show for it. Conversely, his refreshingly unpretentious attitude to design appears to be the source of his creativity. “I really want each job to be very different and I want each result to be different and the result needs to actually bring interior design a little further as we participate [in] the interior design evolution,” the creative shares. The designer’s most recent prestigious commission is none other than the luxury residences of the iconic Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Shop the Jean-Louis Deniot edit.

A true LA designer, star interior designer Jeff Andrews doesn’t feel the need to limit himself to one design style; the world (or the interiors in it) is a stage and he is the player. And play he does, as witnessed in his most recent tome The New Glamour: Interiors With Star Quality, released last April. The designer’s mantra—“sophisticated, liveable interiors”—manifests in welcoming spaces elevated by sumptuous velvets and furs, eclectic ensembles which zing with vibrant candy tones and elegant interiors which come alive with monochrome chequerboard flooring.

Celebrated minimalist and architectural master, French designer Joseph Dirand continues his tradition of distinguished projects. Last summer's interior designs included the highly rejuvenating scenery of lauded restaurant Le Jardinier and the modern Art Deco vibes of its sister restaurant Shun. The former’s interiors (above) saw the designer cladding the walls with green marble, adorning them with tropical foliage, and amping up the greenhouse chic vibes with a trellis-inspired ceiling.

Joyce Wang is no stranger to globetrotting. She’s a self-proclaimed nomad—born in Hawaii, educated in the UK, Boston and the Netherlands, and has lived in LA and Hong Kong where she founded her studio. And it appears that that roving will continue. As the design force behind the bank-to-private members fitness club transformation of Equinox’s London flagship, the studio was tasked with the design of the fitness club and spa at Equinox Hotel Hudson Yard—the luxury group’s very first hotel. A commission to curate scenography for Louis Vuitton’s Objets Nomades at Art Basel Hong Kong and the redesign of Mandarin Oriental (the first in its 117 year history) rounded out the year.

London, Doha, Shaoxing, Cape Town, South of France, Dubai, New York—there isn’t an international hub that Katharine Pooley hasn’t put her hand to. The designer works extensively around the world in the super-prime residential market and it seems as though she won’t be giving that up any time soon. “We are in the middle of designing the interior for a beautiful Château on the French Riviera set within its own estate, including 25 acres of formal gardens for a wonderful client with an awe-inspiring art collection,” the designer explains before going on to reveal what might be 2020’s soon-to-be highlight—a London townhouse for Royalty. Shop Katharine Pooley.

Kelly Behun is synonymous with New York City interiors. Both minimalist and maximalist in her approach, the designer’s work swings between all-white New York City penthouses and Naples oceanfront-front homes brought to life with great elan by bespoke pastel soft play pieces in a 21st century homage to the country’s Memphis Movement). Perhaps homages have been on the designer’s mind recently considering her recently released Cityscapes rug collection for The Rug Company. The designs drawn on uniquely New York visuals such as Manhattan’s late afternoon skylines and the shadows of skyscrapers cast across Central Park.

Always cool, brilliantly fun and sometimes downright outrageous—there is no denying that Kelly Wearstler has created a world of interiors all of her own. The highly sought-after celebrity designer embraces the unexpected—nay, creates it—with her projects which, individually, feel like instant design case studies the moment they’re published; the kind that design students will study decades from now. Recent projects include a new hotel, the Santa Monica Proper (above), constant additions to her product ranges and a Masterclass series, a true mark of the respect she commands within the industry and without. Shop Kelly Wearstler.

The man to go to for wildly immersive hospitality interiors, the creative workings of San Francisco designer Ken Fulk’s mind cannot be adequately imagined. A self-taught designer, he dreams up enchanting menageries, time-transporting social hotspots and eye-candy residences for the Bay area’s high-profile residents and beyond. The studio has designed the Lutie’s garden restaurant at Austin, Texas’s new Commodore Perry Estate (slated for opening summer 2020).

A collection of inviting and ever-so-charming projects comprises the portfolio of London design studio Kitesgrove. Whilst the residential studio visits the contemporary end of the design continuum regularly, its most endearing work is found in its honouring of traditional British style which it does with a thoroughly contemporary mindset. What results is a successful reimagining of the look, retaining all of the quintessential charm and no stuffiness. Current projects include a terraced house in Notting Hill, a family home in Surrey and a penthouse in Hampstead, all launching in 2020.

London designer Laura Hammett boasts a portfolio of calming, layered interiors which prioritise exquisite finishes, well-thought-out interior architecture and an attitude of elegance. Last year brought a move to a new design studio in London’s Parson Green, complete with luxurious client room, for the ever-expanding studio which is currently working on projects spanning 10 countries. Laura reveals some of the studio’s most exciting undertakings for 2020: a private villa in Cannes overlooking the bay is her current passion project as well as a Brutalist Belgian architectural family home in Brussels and a modern lake house in Switzerland. Shop Laura Hammett.

Louise Bradley is the eponymous interior design and architectural firm which has long been a creator of London’s unique city-meets-country interior aesthetic. “We are also fast approaching the thirtieth anniversary of the company,” the designer points out, “Reaching such a milestone as a business offers time for reflection and celebration of what we have achieved to date. I’m a firm believer in honouring the journey one undertakes, not just the destination.” The reflection will take the form of building on the successes of the last three decades, completing on its high-profile projects around the British Isles and fostering a new generation young British design talent.

Internationally respected design superstar Luis Laplace is a practical man. His design mantra is much less one of shallow looks and much more form follows function. His studio is known for playing with tradition—neither denying it completely nor acquiescing to it—and what results are provocative schemes which challenge the room and the viewer. A favoured choice for museum curation and design, the studio has been selected to design the Hauser & Wirth Menorca museum—for which it has previously designed—in advance of its 2021 opening.

Founders Scott Maddux and Jo leGleud are taking the path of least resistance in the London design scene with their unexpected spaces. Their portfolio avoids the usual tropes of London style and instead employs a narrative of their own construction, mainly inspired by their candid understanding of design’s ability to amuse and their willingness to take risks because of that. As a sampling of their work, the pair have rethought a 1840s London townhouse with faux parchment wall panelling accented with abstract art and custom ceiling frescos and have contributed to the Holiday House Hamptons showcase in the form of an entryway inspired by Barbara Hepworth’s St Ives studio.

The vanguard of the design world’s return to a historically nuanced approach to design, Martin Brudnizki has specialised in transporting people to different times, far-flung places and, often, entirely imaginary worlds since 2000. It’s come to be expected of the award-winning grandmaster who is regularly appointed to be the inventor of the world’s hottest hospitality venues including Annabel’s and The Beekman. Continuing to push the envelope with the release of each of his projects, the Swedish-born London and New York-based designer has recently designed restaurants for the Four Seasons Astir Palace in Athens and Mayfair Supper Club in Las Vegas.

LA-based designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard’s year might be best summed up in two words: Kylie Jenner. The interior and product designer, who has created homes for most of the Kardashian-Jenner troupe, undertook the design of the makeup mogul’s Hidden Hills home last year. The heady cocktail of pink, 20th century furniture icons, campy accents and a universe of pop art became a social media sensation and is evocative of Bullard’s playful, personal approach to design.

Classical American designer Michael S. Smith has a reputation for designs which honour the past (after all, his inspiration “is the past, informed by the present”) and his recent wall covering collection for Hartmann Forbes surely lives up to that. Inspirations for the designs comprise ancient Japanese Sashiko stitching and French artist Jacques Majorelle’s iconic garden home in Marrakech. This past year, the designer, who is known for his A-list clientele, also collaborated with Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece on the children’s quarters of her New York home.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Millier has established itself as an expert in designing timeless interiors for the super-prime international property market. Established in 2010 by Alexandra Nord and Helen Westlake, the team of architects and designers are currently working on impressive commissions in central London including The Bryanston, Hyde Park and London’s Grade I listed Regent’s Crescent. Across the coming year, Millier will also be working on one of the UK’s grandest country estates and new West London residences with a strong focus on wellness.

Daring with texture and/or colour (or both) is the lynchpin of London-based designer Natalia Miyar’s work—a signature trait borne of her eternal design inspirations. "My work is always inspired by nature, especially the colours of nature,” the Cuban-American designer reveals, “I also spend a lot of time sourcing vintage books; I love having a mixture of old and new in a design scheme." The architect and designer founded her atelier in 2016 after many years working in architecture and interior design on both sides of the pond. These days, her 12-strong studio’s current activities comprise three projects in Ibiza, three in New York, three in London and a new project in her hometown Miami. Shop the Natalia Miyar edit.

Whilst his expertly curated interiors are regularly praised by the industry’s top shelter magazines, Nate Berkus is not just an interior designer. He is a beloved TV personality with three design shows on his resume, a product designer (fabrics for Kravet, homewares for US retailer Target, roller blinds for The Shade Store and furniture for California retailer Living Spaces), an author of two books and an executive film producer (he produced the Oscar-winning hit The Help). Having said that, his interiors are something to be talked about courtesy of their interesting East coast-meets-West coast interplay.

Homes for Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart, Charles Saatchi, and events for the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Rothschilds and Cartier (not to mention the myriad project locales of Barbados, Côte d'Azur, Moscow, New Orleans)—there isn’t an interior designer around who wouldn’t covet the career opportunities of Nicky Haslam. The famously opinionated designer (in matters of style and otherwise) is approaching 50 years in the design industry and, from this portfolio sampling, one might say that the designer, author, contributing editor, blogger, and, now, cabaret performer has spent the last five decades very well.

The influence of acclaimed British designer Nina Campbell’s career on the design world cannot be overstated. With a career spanning the better part of six decades, the interior composer is revered for her detail-oriented style. She has been the chosen designer for many high-profile clients, including A-listers and royalty alike, The Savoy hotel and Annabel’s, and considers herself “an editor of [clients'] dreams”. Campbell is the author of six design books and has her own range of furniture, decor, tableware, fabric and wallpaper.

“Collector of beautiful things, lover of great furniture, colour enthusiast” is how Olivia Outred describes herself and a survey of her portfolio thus far would prove her correct. Designer of charming houses, not-your-average offices and superyachts, Outred carefully layers refined backgrounds with caned chairs, Mid-century casegoods and custom paint-splattered tables which appear to have been lovingly collected over the course of a life well-lived. Previously of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler and Soane Britain, Outred founded her studio in 2014.

Celebrating the launch of a new fabric collection for Lee Jofa just last week is only one of Paolo Moschino for Nicholas Haslam’s recent achievements. With its team of 14, the award-winning design studio has recently completed a hunting lodge in Scotland, two chalets in Gstaad, a large property in Portofino, a large Central London townhouse and a penthouse in Miami, and currently has on its hands a hotel in Palermo, several houses in the Dominican Republic, two projects in Saint Tropez, chalets in Courchevel and Gstaad, a New York townhouse, several projects in London and a hunting lodge in Berkshire. It seems there is no end to the demand for this studio famous for its refined tastes. Shop the Paolo Moschino for Nicholas Haslam edit.

The high-fashion world of architect, designer, collector and interior extraordinaire Peter Marino can hardly be more impressive. The man is responsible for the award-winning retail spaces of many a fashion house (Fendi, Calvin Klein, Valentino, Louis Vuitton and Chanel) and collaborates with industry legends such as Frank Gehry (Louis Vuitton Maison Seoul). Announced just this year, the architect will be designing the spaces for LVMH’s Cheval Blanc hotel on Rodeo Drive—an ultra-luxe home away from home with rumoured astronomical room rates. Any less could not realistically be expected of a hotel with Marino’s name attached to it.

Luxury takes on varied guises in the portfolio of London-based Australian designer Peter Mikic. A former inhabitant of the fashion world, his roomscapes vary from ebullient London townhouses with rainbowed colour palettes to industrial luxe fitness centres. The eye-catching ensembles are considerately curated by the designer whose understanding of detailing proffers each project a unique personality. Classic moves include impeccable furniture cocktails (antiques with 21st century icons and bespoke designs), an unfettered use of colour and pattern, and a paramount quest for elegance.

So influential is the work of Pierre Yovanovitch that, for his recent venture, he was the only designer considered. Le Coucou—the high-design French alps chalet hotel which opened in December last year—has perhaps changed the face of chalet design forever. The designer transported the cultivated aesthetic of his Parisian projects into an entirely different world, transforming it as it settles into a new environment of warming timbers and relentless elements. His Wallpaper* Designer of the Year accolade, the redesign of Hélène Darroze at The Connaught and a private Chelsea home (above) are proof that the designer is at the top of his game.

Principal and founder of Architecture at Large, Rafael de Cárdenas has built up an enviable roster of commissions; the designer counts Andre Balazs, Cartier, Nike, Baccarat and many other high-profile clientele amongst his admirers. It’s understandable considering the designer’s versatile style which ranges from classic Parisian to high-fashion futuristic slots in nicely to most any locale. His studio recently revamped the Broadway bar of Nordstrom’s New York flagship store.

With his background working under the late great Andrée Putman, it was no surprise that Rodolphe Parente’s name would be one to know. This year the designer’s studio turns 10 and in the preceding years the Parisian designer has come to be known for contemporary spaces which emphasise extraordinary interior architecture and art collection par excellence. His furniture designs for Pouenat also draw on his supreme architectural abilities featuring designs crafted of exquisite marble and etched brass.

Rose Uniacke’s talent for crafting serene spaces which never fail to capture a quiet ethereality has attracted the commissions of major style influencers including the Beckhams and Jo Malone. A renowned arbiter of taste, her spaces read as still lifes—their subtle confidence allowing them to remain calm, muted and understated in a world where elaboration is too often overindulged. The designer achieves both modern and classical aesthetics without being fully committed to either. It’s this which gives her work its quintessential appeal.

It’s hard to believe that New York City’s pretty young thing has been in the industry for 12 years now, but it’s true (and he has two monographs to prove it). And, whilst the sought-after designer’s career trajectory has always accelerated in the vertical, he has been particularly busy of late with his acclaimed furniture and lighting collection KORBAN. The collection—modelled fiercely by friends Zoe Kravitz and Alexander Wang (for whom Korban has designed personally and in his positions at Balenciaga)—features his trademark black and white marble, pink velvet and wrought iron forms which speak to his romance-mixed-with-Brutalism style. The designer revealed the designs for his first 61-unit development project, 40 Bleeker in New York City, last year.

With an exuberance that matches both his location and his age, 26-year-old LA designer Ryan Saghian is a breath of fresh air in the industry thanks to his daring interiors and lack of interest in anything too safe. ”You win my heart if your designs are cool, exciting and not basic,” he reveals candidly. Such is his quest for the extravagant, the designer isn’t opposed to parlours painted entirely in electric blue, sparse chequerboard foyers or all-black dining rooms. Shop the Ryan Saghian edit.

Although they’ve designed for Ben Stiller, Kate Hudson and Gwyneth Paltrow, husband and wife team Stephen Alesch and Robin Standefer seem less interested in celebrity commissions than they are in spaces which matter. Says the studio’s About Us manifesto, “Roman and Williams Building and Interiors have made a body of work that is an extension of their values, a continuum of longevity meant to live beyond them—like the name of the studio of itself, named for their maternal grandfathers.” The studio honours craftsmanship in everything it does—a practice for which it is highly admired and which likely secured for it The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s British Galleries revamp.

A penchant for Mid-century modern and nonchalant vibes characterises the interiors of New York designer Samuel Amoia. The interior and furniture designer set up his own design firm in 2012 and has produced his signature crushed crystal stools and console tables for the store interiors of illustrious fashion brands such as Dior, Chanel, Calvin Klein, et al. 2020 marks a new direction for the designer who is currently working on a wellness hotel in New York’s the retro-swanky Catskills, set to open at the end of the year.

This London-based studio eschews a cookie cutter approach to design and instead focuses its intentions on creating spaces that make an impact. Founder Shalini has also been practicing wellness design since before it was cool. “I always ensure the guiding elements of energy flow, sustainability and nature are seamlessly implemented throughout my clients’ properties,” she reveals. With her 20+ team the designer works internationally with projects in London (including a large Grade I family home in Belgravia), San Francisco (a 9,000 square foot home) and LA (a penthouse apartment).

Whether an Aspen retreat or a New York penthouse, Shawn Henderson’s signature aesthetic of relaxed elegance just works. Through his designs, the residential designer offers a masterclass lesson in composed interiors layered with an enticing ratio of contemporary-vintage furniture, blue chip art and unique bespoke pieces. Such is his aptitude for calming spaces, the designer finds unique ways to be bold without being overbearing. For example, he’s not opposed to upholstering a bed, covering a wall and commissioning drapery to be made of the same wool felt for a chic monochrome look or installing a floor-to-ceiling gestural modern canvas.

A design studio which needs no introduction, Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler remains an important name in the international design world 90 years after its original founder Ms. Colefax began designing. It has, of course, gone through various iterations in the preceding nine decades, including the acquisition of many popular fabric houses and furniture makers, but its reputation for fine British design remains intact. The reputable firm explains that its “client list (resolutely confidential) includes royalty and celebrities, businessmen and women, bohemians, and many in between.”

Headed by founder Brigitta, the woman responsible for the trademark ultra-luxe looks of multiple well-known London property developers, Spinocchia Freund specialises in unabashed luxury for real estate tycoons and paradisiacal getaway homes for the international elite. One of last year’s completed projects—the apartments at Albert Embankment’s The Dumont—offered up contemporary spaces characteristically dressed in the studio’s fashion: impeccable finishes, sleek lines and a decidedly urban attitude. Spinocchia Freund has also released a 61-piece dinnerware collection with Mary Katrantzou to celebrate the fashion house’s 10th anniversary. Shop the Spinocchia Freund edit.

London interior designer and unstoppable Instagram influencer Sophie Paterson had a successful year, product-wise, with the launches of her Andrew Martin fabric collection, Fromental wallpaper collection and a monogram linen collection with Coze Linen. On the interiors front, the designer’s signature rustic chic look continues to dominate moodboards of neutral-loving design aficionados. The designer and her studio of 9 are currently fully immersed in 14 design projects which includes two 30,000 square foot new build projects in Oman, a holiday home in Portugal and 11 projects across the UK. Shop the Sophie Paterson edit.

The husband and wife team behind Tollgård Design Group recently observed: “Unlike other industries, design is not obsessed with youth. Experience really matters when designing anything of importance, and there is still a very healthy respect for people who have been doing this for a long time.” However, after 15 years in the industry, it might be said that the duo finds themselves in a sweet spot which captures both youth and authority. With their portfolio of hushed luxury, the studio enjoys the industry clout which comes with such tenured experience whilst retaining the dynamism of a studio which is barely getting started.

There is something of a gallerist quality about Stéphanie Coutas and her contemporary interior creations, characterised by their use of perfectly Parisian furniture designs and the equally Parisian notion that homes, like sartorial choices, should be well-considered. It’s to be expected, of course, for a French designer who admits to preferring elegance to comfort. Not that her interiors defy comfort—simply, that elegance takes on an existential meaning in her work. And who, after viewing her spaces of faultless arrangements and innate serenity, can disagree?

One of the most remarkable of London’s young designer set and one who marches to the beat of her own design drum with admirable purpose, founder Sophie Ashby advocates art-driven, colour-full interiors, drenched in the personality of the owners. Although the designer typically works in the contemporary field, blending influences from the past to create her very own style, a recent project in London’s Holland Park demonstrates Ashby’s range. The grand antique-laden showstopper stands in marked contrast to the contemporary-meets-folk luxe aesthetic for which she has become known.

Claire Driscoll Delmar is part of the unique group of former interior stylists-turned-interior designers, switching her roles at Elle Decoration and Living Etc. for her own Sydney-based studio. Citing her extensive travels and passion for art and design as the inspiration for her work, Delmar’s portfolio captures a blended aesthetic which is, at once, Paris, New York and London. Beautiful architectural bones are smartly enhanced by Mid-century modern furniture, sensational art pieces and ever-cool colour palettes.

Bohemian meets high society meets contemporary—Studio Duggan’s distinctive portfolio refuses to be labelled. The London design firm—founded by Tiffany Duggan—is purveyor of eclectic interiors and similarly unexpected furniture designs (high-gloss bamboo wares, tasselled floral camelback sofas, Empire stools in leopard print and the like). Last year, the studio expanded its offering with the opening of its first home and lifestyle boutique, TROVE by Studio Duggan.

The essence of Giancarlo Valle’s work can be summed up as so: discerning, confident and excellently curated. Discerning because, of his varied projects, each feels genuine; confident because he can be bold, but equally comfortable decorating with a natural bent; expertly curated because he incorporates modern furniture and art into the very same spaces which savour the sculptural beauty of primitive forms. A collector of international hometowns (he grew up in San Francisco, Chicago, Caracas and Guatemala City), his aesthetic benefits from a well-travelled spirit and a travel-honed eye.

Even discounting her practical design work, Ilse Crawford’s sheer dedication to the interior design industry and its furtherance deserves all the respect one can muster. The designer advocates for and instructs in human-centric design, the kind which allows people to feel comfortable, regardless of whether it’s a private residence, airport lounge or community dining hall for those in socially vulnerable situations. Of course, her practical design work is more than worthy with projects which include Soho House New York, stores for Aesop and Sergio Rossi and diverse private residences, as well as collaboration with Ikea, Georg Jensen and premier bedmakers Hästens.

The interior makers of acclaimed Chiltern Firehouse, the Yves Saint Laurent Museum in Marrakech and homes for members of the Hermès family, Studio KO are a force to be reckoned with. At the helm of the studio are architects Olivier Marty and Karl Fournier—K & O—whose portfolio strikes the impossible balance of a gallerist focus on edited curation with a magpie fascination for layered detail.

Atmospheric and urban with a notably industrial finish, the designs of Tara Bernerd most likely furnish some of your favourite hotels. The designer is a hot ticket in the hospitality design world, designing for the likes of Thompson, The Principal, Rosewood and Four Seasons. Her newest project is the Equinox Hotel in downtown LA which sees her design the interiors to Frank Gehry’s exteriors. The hotel is set to open in 2022.

A staple of the London design world for almost 30 years, luxury interior design studio Taylor Howes has completed over 1000 projects and is still full of energy; so much so that its team couldn’t help but get involved during the COVID-19 shutdown. The studio’s recent Keep Creativity Going initiative looks to raise awareness for independent artists and craftspeople during this difficult time. (You can read CEO and founder Karen Howes’ conversation with LuxDeco CEO and founder Jonathan Holmes here.) The team are also busy with a large 47-apartment super-prime development in Knightsbridge, a Kuwaiti palace and an 18,000 square foot new build in the Cotswolds, classified as a ‘Building of Unique Architectural Merit’ for it being the largest thatched roof house in Europe. Shop the Taylor Howes edit.

This renowned design studio is everything that makes quintessential British design great. What founders Bunny Turner and Emma Pocock have achieved since the studio’s 2007 founding is a renaissance of eclectic design—Chinoiserie with Pop Art, seaside with grand London townhouse—but without any sense of being derivative. A recent mansion block apartment project saw the studio create liveable grandeur which is equal parts user-friendly and sophisticated.

A tastemaker of fine American style (he was proclaimed the "Dean of American Design" by Architectural Digest after all), Thomas Pheasant’s work speaks to those of an inescapably sophisticated ilk. Both his interiors and his furniture collections, which are produced by furniture makers Baker and McGuire, are modern classics, with celestial white spaces elegantly furnished with rich woods being his forte.

“When I walk into a home, I want to feel emotion,” London-based interior designer Trilbey Gordon reveals, “—not only look at pieces that are interesting and collectible, but be in a space that tells me a story.” As a former Vogue writer, she is intimately familiar with the importance of stories and, of course, fashion. Her high-impact interiors—caught somewhere between Studio 54 and handsome manor house—make use of colour and pattern in the way a fashion house would, not to mention unique elements (think brass doors with colourful glass inserts or amethyst objets) which serve as jewellery to her designs.

A doyen of fine interiors, acclaimed designer Veere Grenney has inspired many designers on this list, his influence reaching as far and wide as his many projects. And those projects do reach far and wide. Beach houses in Mustique, country estates in Norfolk, penthouses in London, voluminous homes in The Hamptons… Although his “passion [is] for London and all things English”, Grenney’s designs are entirely unfit to be pigeonholed; instead the master decorator employs his lifetime of design learning to most deftly bring to life the project at hand whether that calls for full-on bamboo (above) or tented ceiling complete with crenellated pelmets and matching drapes.

Converting a convent into a luxury hotel is about as characteristic of Belgian designer Vincent Van Duysen’s work as it gets. The August Hotel, which opened last April, features trademark Van Duysen spaces of unadorned, near-sacred caverns designed so that guests “can still sense the sober, understated life of the convent nuns”. Known for his pared-back aesthetic, the designer also serves as the creative director for Italian furniture brand Molteni&C and Dada and as an art director for textile company Kvadrat for Sahco.