House Style: Alice Leigh

Alice Leigh has been an interior designer for 20 years, with a portfolio that extends from period country retreats to slick city apartments. Her client-led approach produces unique, characterful interiors that express their owners’ passions and personalities. While one project might embrace a pared-back aesthetic, and another a more maximalist approach, her work is always underpinned by a respect for craftsmanship, an enjoyment of colour and pattern, and a love of playful motifs.

Where do you live?
I live with my family in Fulham – we love it for its friendly vibe. We’re close to the river and Bishops Park, as well as the Design Centre at Chelsea Harbour, with all its resources.

What’s the style of your house?
We live in a typical Victorian terrace, which is restricted for space, so for me it’s all about clever storage solutions, usable rooms for the whole family and generating as much light as possible. Our house is a mix of old and new. We’ve acquired a few family heirlooms over the years, to which we’ve added more design-led pieces. It’s evolved as our children grow – our biggest challenge has been morphing from open-plan living to closed areas where we can all have our own quiet space.

Do you have a signature design style?
My work is very much client-led, so each project is treated individually. I thrive on challenges, experimenting with new products and styles, but with a common, considered thread running through them. At the moment, I’m working on a Grade I listed country house and a new-build at Battersea Power Station. We’re so saturated with imagery on social media that I think clients can get a bit confused. It’s our job as designers to steer them. I always endeavour to achieve a home that’s warm, inviting and comfortable.

What’s your design philosophy and how do you implement it?
It’s very much about listening to the client and considering the period of the building. Interior design should be timeless. When I’m designing a space, I want to create something clients can continue to love for years. You can definitely have fun with trends in small accent pieces, but I avoid being slavish on the big items. A balance of form and function is essential.

Which are the pieces on your hit list?
I’d love to own a cocktail cabinet by Rupert Bevan.

Any suppliers or markets you recommend?
Head to Pimlico Road for really special investment pieces: Soane Britain and Tom Faulkner are among my favourites. For antiques, I love trawling the shops on Lillie Road or the Lassco showroom in Brunswick House – they are the doyens of architectural salvage.

Any furniture and textile designers you love?
I love de Le Cuona for its luxurious textures: chunky weaves and beautiful linens in timeless palettes. Christopher Farr is my go-to for pattern and colour – it’s always so uplifting.

Do you have any original art in your home?
My favourite piece of art is by Mark Demsteader, a wonderful figurative painter. We purchased it nearly 20 years ago and it hangs in my office. I still covet his work for clients.

Is there one property you’d love to design?
Last year, we were lucky enough to visit the Six Senses hotel in Rome, in a 15th-century palazzo. I’d love to have been involved in the design process: it’s an incredible fusion of history and contemporary living, by Patricia Urquiola.

Can you name some key figures who have influenced you?
I love the style of Steven Gambrel and David Mlinaric, who are both so clever at taking on traditional interiors and infusing them with personality, punctuating them with colourful furniture and fixtures. I also admire the late Robert Kime: he was the master of layering. His love of antique textiles, combined with his knowledge of architectural history and decorative arts, meant the homes he created were truly wonderful.

Which of your clients’ homes have you loved working on?
I have some lovely clients who inherited a family home in the country, and I’ve really enjoyed updating it over the years. When a house comes with a lot of history, it’s about looking at it with fresh eyes. The joy comes in helping the owners add their own stamp in order to reflect the present day.

Alice Leigh Design

Pictures from top: Alice Leigh at home; an elegant period drawing room conceived by Alice Leigh Design; a modern sitting room with bright graphic artwork; and a bold kitchen with marble counter