Nicholas Ponsonby Haslam (born 27 September 1939) is an English interior designer and socialite, and founder of the London-based interior design firm, NH Studio Ltd.

Early life and education

Haslam was born at Great Hundridge Manor,

Amersham Amersham ( ) is a market town and civil parish within the unitary authority of Buckinghamshire, England, in the Chiltern Hills, northwest of central London, from Aylesbury and from High Wycombe. Amersham is part of the London commuter belt. ...

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (), abbreviated Bucks, is a ceremonial county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-ea ...

, the third son of diplomat William Heywood Haslam (1889–1981) and his wife, Diamond Louise Constance nee Ponsonby, known as Diana, who was a granddaughter of the 7th Earl of Bessborough, a goddaughter of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

, and the former wife of Dr. Henry E. Marks, an American physician. Haslam's brothers are Ralph Michael Haslam (born 1931) and William John Heywood Haslam (born 1933). He also had a half-sister, Diana Marks, known as Anne (1925–1987), who in 1949 married John Hilder Loeb, son of a founding partner of the Brillo Manufacturing Corporation. Haslam was educated at a private school, and then at

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...

Career

In 1966, Haslam and his lover at the time, American banking heir James Davison, bought Black Canyon Ranch, near

Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

, for breeding and showing

Arabian horses The Arabian or Arab horse ( ar, الحصان العربي , DIN 31635, DMG ''ḥiṣān ʿarabī'') is a horse breed, breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is ...

. From 1970, he combined breeding show horses, working in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

as a photographer and designing rooms and parties for clients such as

Natalie Wood Natalie Wood ( Zacharenko; July 20, 1938 – November 29, 1981) was an American actress who began her career in film as a child and successfully transitioned to young adult roles. Wood started acting at age four and was given a co-starring r ...

. Haslam broke up with Davison, and in 1972 returned to London, where he was soon asked to design and decorate a townhouse for Alexander Hesketh. In the early 1980s, Haslam owned and operated the Nicholas Haslam Showroom on Holbein Place, London, together with his then-partner, Paolo Moschino. When the pair split in 1995, Haslam took control of NH Design as the interior design side of the business, with Moschino taking ownership of the Nicholas Haslam shop. The two businesses today operate separately. In 2002, Haslam published a book of his work, ''Sheer Opulence''. His autobiography, ''Redeeming Features'', was published in 2009; in it, he mentions his affairs with numerous individuals, including architect

Philip Johnson Philip Cortelyou Johnson (July 8, 1906 – January 25, 2005) was an American architect best known for his works of modern and postmodern architecture. Among his best-known designs are his modernist Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut; the pos ...

and photographer

Antony Armstrong-Jones Antony Charles Robert Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, (7 March 1930 – 13 January 2017), was a British photographer and filmmaker. He is best known for his portraits of world notables, many of them published in ''Vogue'', ''Vanity Fai ...

(who later married

Princess Margaret Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth ...

). He is a frequent columnist for ''

The London Evening Standard The ''Evening Standard'', formerly ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), also known as the ''London Evening Standard'', is a local free daily newspaper in London, England, published Monday to Friday in tabloid format. In October 2009, after bei ...

'' and ''

The Sunday Telegraph ''The Sunday Telegraph'' is a British broadsheet newspaper, founded in February 1961 and published by the Telegraph Media Group, a division of Press Holdings. It is the sister paper of ''The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', kn ...

'' magazines. Besides frequently writing reviews for ''The World of Interiors'' and ''

The Spectator ''The Spectator'' is a weekly British magazine on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving weekly magazine in the world. It is owned by Frederick Barclay, who also owns ''The ...

'', Haslam wrote a gossip column for ''

Ritz Newspaper ''Ritz Newspaper'', colloquially ''Ritz Magazine'', sometimes simply ''Ritz'', was a British magazine focusing on gossip, celebrity and fashion.Puttin' on the Ritz again, Andrew Lycett, Media & Marketing, ''The Times'', London, 31 May 1989 It was ...

'' under the pseudonym Paul Parsons, and has been a contributing editor of British ''

Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...

'' and ''

Tatler ''Tatler'' is a British magazine published by Condé Nast Publications focusing on fashion and lifestyle, as well as coverage of high society and politics. It is targeted towards the British upper-middle class and upper class, and those interes ...

'' for many years. In December 2010, Haslam started blogging for ''The Telegraph''. Before launching her own retail chain, the designer

Cath Kidston Catherine Isabel Audrey Kidston (born 6 November 1958) is an English fashion designer, businesswoman and author whose company, Cath Kidston Limited sells home furnishings and related goods online, through franchises and by mail order. She is ...

worked for Haslam. In 2005, he was reported to be a supporter of the

Conservative Party The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right. Political parties called The Conservative P ...

. In 2011, Haslam designed a set for the play ''As I Like It'' by

Amanda Eliasch Amanda Eliasch (born 1960) is an English photographer, artist, poet and filmmaker. Early life Amanda Eliasch was born in Beirut, Lebanon, 13 May 1960, where her father Anthony Cave Brown worked as a foreign correspondent for the ''Daily Mail' ...

, and also worked on her house in

Cheyne Walk Cheyne Walk is an historic road in Chelsea, London, England, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It runs parallel with the River Thames. Before the construction of Chelsea Embankment reduced the width of the Thames here, it fronted ...

. In March 2013, Haslam published a book entitled ''Nicky Haslam's Folly de Grandeur: Romance and revival in an English country house'', which reveals the history and design behind his own home. In September 2013, with

Annabel Astor Annabel Lucy Veronica Astor, Viscountess Astor (, formerly Sheffield; born 14 August 1948), is an English businesswoman and socialite who is the CEO of OKA (retailer), OKA, a home furnishings design company. Before co-founding OKA, she was the o ...

's furniture company

OKA Oka or OKA may refer to: Cars * Oka (automobile), a small car designed by AvtoVAZ and produced by ZMA and SeAZ * OKA 4wd, a large 4-wheel-drive vehicle made in Western Australia by OKA Military * 2B1 Oka, Soviet 420 mm self-propelled mor ...

, Haslam launched a collection inspired by

Gothick Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

-influenced furniture and accessories from his own house.

Cabaret performances

In June 2009, Haslam performed for five nights singing

Lorenz Hart Lorenz Milton Hart (May 2, 1895 – November 22, 1943) was an American lyricist and half of the Broadway songwriting team Rodgers and Hart. Some of his more famous lyrics include " Blue Moon", " The Lady Is a Tramp", "Manhattan", "Bewitched, Both ...

and

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film. Born to ...

songs at Bellamy's Restaurant in London. To celebrate the launch of the new Beaufort Bar at the

Savoy Savoy (; frp, Savouè ; french: Savoie ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south. Savo ...

in London in November 2010, Haslam performed two nights of cabaret, singing

songs to a private audience that included

Kate Moss Katherine Ann Moss (born 16 January 1974) is a British model. Arriving at the end of the "supermodel era", Moss rose to fame in the early 1990s as part of the heroin chic fashion trend. Her collaborations with Calvin Klein brought her to fas ...

Jerry Hall Jerry Faye Hall (born July 2, 1956) is an American model and actress. She began modelling in the 1970s and became one of the most sought after models in the world. She transitioned into acting, appearing in the 1989 film ''Batman''. Hall was th ...

and

Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musical ...

. In March 2014, Haslam performed cabaret at the Spectrum Ball at the

Globe Theatre The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, on land owned by Thomas Brend and inherited by his son, Nicholas Brend, and gra ...

, hosted by Francis Boulle, to benefit the

National Autistic Society The National Autistic Society is the leading charity for autistic people and their families in the UK. Since 1962, the National Autistic Society has been providing support, guidance and advice, as well as campaigning for improved rights, serv ...

. In 2013, Haslam released an album celebrating his singing and memories with his friends

Helena Bonham Carter Helena Bonham Carter (born 26 May 1966) is an English actress. Known for her roles in blockbusters and independent films, particularly period dramas, she has received various awards and nominations, including a British Academy Film Award a ...

Tracey Emin Tracey Karima Emin, Order of the British Empire, CBE, Associate of the Royal Academy, RA (; born 3 July 1963) is a British artist known for her autobiographical and confessional artwork. Emin produces work in a variety of media including drawi ...

Bob Geldof Robert Frederick Zenon Geldof (; born 5 October 1951) is an Irish singer-songwriter, and political activist. He rose to prominence in the late 1970s as lead singer of the Rock music in Ireland, Irish rock band the Boomtown Rats, who achieved ...

Bryan Ferry Bryan Ferry Order of the British Empire, CBE (born 26 September 1945) is an English singer and songwriter. His voice has been described as an "elegant, seductive croon". He also established a distinctive image and sartorial style: according to ' ...

and

Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...

; called ''Midnight Matinee'', it was produced by his friend David Ogilvy.

References

Bibliography

Books

* *''Redeeming Features'', published in November 2009 by Knopf (US) and Jonathan Cape (UK). *''Nicky Haslam's Folly de Grandeur: Romance and revival in an English country house''. Published in 2013 by Jacqui Small LLP (UK)

Articles

*People. Liz Elliot meets Nicholas Haslam in London and at home in Hampshire, and understands why he has become one of the most important figures – and characters – in British Interior Design. ''House and Garden''. Feb. 2008. *Dreaming of the Côte d'Azur. An NH Design decorated villa and garden in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France. ''Architectural Digest''. March 2008. *Picture Perfect, Stanley House. Feature on interior in London for a Russian client, designed by Nicky Haslam of NH Design. ''The World of Interiors''. March 2007. *Stanley House, ''Russian Architectural Digest''. May 2007. *House of Tricks. Dublin Townhouse decorated by Nicky Haslam of NH Design. ''House and Garden''. Nov. 2006. *Jungle Diva. By Nicholas Haslam, Article on Dorothy Draper. ''The World of Interiors''. Oct. 2006. *Pradelles, Janet de Botton's house in Provence, ''Vogue Living''. Oct. 2006. *The House and Garden ''Directory of the 100 Leading Interior Designers''. ''House and Garden'', 2006 *Modern English. To redo his Manhattan apartment, writer Hugh Bush calls on British design guru Nicholas Haslam to redecorate. ''Elle Decor'', Nov. 2004. *New Quarters, Nicky Haslam of NH Design re-decorating a New Orleans House. ''House and Garden'', Oct. 2000. *Fresh Eyre. Peter Eyre's apartment decorated by Nicky Haslam of NH Design, ''The World of Interiors''. Dec. 1997. *"Pavilioned Splendour. Leamington Pavilion, Barbados." ''House and Garden''. June 1993. *Haslam's Folly. The Hunting Lodge. ''House and Garden''. Oct. 1993. *In the image of Beaton. Cecil Beaton's one-time house is now home to interior designer Nicholas Haslam. ''House and Garden''. Oct. 1991. *Nicky Haslam: Party Monster. ''The Independent'', 21 March 2004.

External links

NH Design by Nicky HaslamNicky Haslam for OKA
Photographs of Nicky Haslam:
Getty ImagesZimbio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haslam, Nicholas 1939 births People educated at Eton College English interior designers English male journalists LGBT people from England English expatriates in the United States Gossip columnists English socialites Living people Conservative Party (UK) people