After showing us around the eclectic interiors of her family home in Hammersmith, interior designer Beata Heuman shares her house style.

How would you describe the interiors of your house?

Layered, playful, considered.  

I find it fun to design for myself and my family, and I enjoy that aspects of the house are evolving organically over time, and I can continue to experiment with the space. Our house is pretty modest in size, but we’re so happy here and we have everything we need in one place. This is particularly important when you have two young children, as leaving the house can be challenging!

If there was a fire and you could only save one thing, what would it be?

My diaries. 

Growing up, I kept sporadic diary records that I still treasure to this day. It makes for pretty cringeworthy reading, but it does provide a real insight into what I was thinking and feeling at the time. As a result, they are completely irreplaceable. 

What was the last thing you bought for the house?

A day bed.  

It hasn’t been installed yet, but I’m making a day bed for our summer house in our new fabric design ‘Asteria’s Folly,’ which I’m very excited about. It will be masquerading as a present for my husband, but, really, it’s a gift for me. 

Where do you shop for your home?

Anywhere and everywhere.

Similarly to my clients’ projects, I like to design a lot of bespoke pieces. However, I also like to pick up interesting, unique things on my travels. I visit Florence frequently, which is a goldmine of beautiful design, and also Sweden (where I grew up and my parents still live) is great for homeware shopping. 

Top three coffee table books?

Josef Frank’s Against Design, Jaques Grange’s Interiors and Miles Redd’s The Big Book of Chic.

If money was no object, what changes would you make?

Expansion. 

Our house is semi-detached, and if we had the opportunity, I would buy the neighbouring property and expand into it. I would love to have the room for my own bathroom and dressing room, as well as to be able to double the size of our living room. This would also mean a much larger garden, leaving room at the back for a little 18th-century style folly pavilion…

Less is more or more is more?

It depends…

A successful space is all about balance and contrast, you need it to be both more AND less. 

Design classics or contemporary pieces?

Both! 

A bit of everything makes a room feel interesting and dynamic. As people, we are a mix of lots of different impressions and experiences and I believe our homes should incorporate all of this in an exciting way. As a result, this means placing different pieces side-by-side in an unexpected meeting of styles. 

If you’re having people over for dinner, what do you cook?  

Nigella’s Greek lamb stew. 

I like this dish because you can cook it in advance (in fact it’s tastier after resting for a day or so) which means you can be a much more relaxed host on the day. As my friend Amber Guinness says, ‘A calm host makes for a calm guest,’ so that is my guiding principle when I am deciding on a dinner party menu. 

What are the best things about the neighbourhood?

I love being located so close to the river, as well as several idyllic parks and nature walks, and of course the fantastic River Cafe. I feel removed from the frantic bustle of the city, but excellent tube connections mean I can be in central London in no time at all – it really is the best of both worlds.