Vogue Scandinavia meets Beata Heuman, the interior designer who relies on pure feeling to bring art into her stunning spaces
In addition to her eye for beauty, Beata Heuman has an exceptional imagination. The revered Swedish interior designer recently published her bestseller Every Room Should Sing, which captures her whimsical yet structured approach to uplifting everyday spaces. The AD100 regular lives in West London with her husband, managing director John Finlay, and their two daughters Alma and Gurli. The daughters' fairytale bedroom was inspired by illustrator Ludwig Bemelmans’s murals at The Carlyle in New York.
Heuman invited me for New Year’s Eve a few years ago and in between champagne and sparklers, I was struck by a painting by LA-based artist Andie Dinkin, its dreamlike scenes reminiscent of our own celebrations. This piece defined a well-curated art collection, which elevates her interior design.
A reproduction of Hilma af Klint in a project in Queen’s Park London. The vintage Pierre Jeanneret armchairs flank an original mantel. Photo: Simon Brown
Growing up in Skåne, in the south of Sweden, Heuman’s childhood was culturally rich. She described how, “I longed for my parents to take us to the beach, but they always focused on exhibitions, which I enjoyed from an early age.” She goes on to highlight that growing up in Sweden, it is thought of as important to visit museums. Specifically, the museum and sculpture garden Millesgården laid a strong foundation in her own appreciation of art. “It was very special to me,” she says. Although Heuman was not yet aware of interior design as a career option during childhood, she was “very interested in the environment around me – forever rearranging my room or doll’s house.” Lately she frequents Swedish auctions whilst redesigning their 1700s house near where she grew up “to reconnect with my roots and share that with my own children.”
A bathroom in Queen's Park, London designed with swan brackets, the walls are in polished plaster, and a bespoke embroidered cafe curtain for the freestanding main bath. Photo: Simon Brown
The poster above the art deco-style travertine chimney piece from Jamb, is a reproduction of artwork by Hilma af Klint. Photo: Simon Brown
With a thriving portfolio of international projects and numerous accolades, Heuman has solidified her position as a leading interior designer. She arrived in London after studying in Florence and Sweden and a chance encounter led to an opportunity to work for the famed interior designer Nicky Haslam. “It was an amazing education,” she says. From there, she launched her eponymous business in 2013. She quickly learnt that, “it’s a lot about the personal touch and enjoying yourself.” Although her work surpasses Swedish minimalism, Heuman does prioritise a Scandinavian attention to detail and longevity. “We only add if it enhances," she says. "It’s very considered and thoughtful. It’s not about being excessive.”
Heuman designed a rug based on a Jean Cocteau drawing, which was then upholstered onto a headboard in Holland Park, London. Photo: Simon Brown
Heuman’s vivid colour palettes reflect her love of art. “The Swedish artist Hilma af Klint is incredible when it comes to mood and colour – otherworldly," she says. "I saw her paintings in the Moderna Museet in Stockholm – they are very captivating.” Art plays a pivotal role in the moodboards she devises for clients. “To express the feeling of the room we’re trying to create, I’ll bring in a Matisse or Basquiat without considering the reality of acquiring them,” she says. If they like what they see, then she’ll be more specific. Although she is inspired by art fairs like Frieze and various exhibitions, Heuman's more likely to be struck by a "note or photograph" at a friend's house, or by something she scrolls by on Instagram. "It is more what happens to cross my path by chance," she says.
A bespoke Beata Heuman bench at the foot of the bed covered in the company's dappled velvet in Notting Hill, London. Above the bedside chest, hangs artwork commissioned from the artist Molly van Amerongen. Photo: Simon Brown
When I ask which pieces in her art collection mean the most to her, she mentions the evocative work of the British-Australian photographer Robin Friend. However, it is a painting by the British artist Henry Hudson that brings her the most joy. “I went to his exhibition, but Nicky Haslam acquired the piece that I loved most, which was an 18th century style portrait of a man holding a cigarette," she says. "A few years later, the contents of his house, the Hunting Lodge, were auctioned by Bonhams and I bought it for myself. It is a prized possession to remember a specific time in life.” To Heuman, it is this intuitive approach that defines her collection. As she puts it, "it's more about feeling than extensive knowledge."