LIVING BY DESIGN/BOOKS: David Hicks

To quote Nicky Haslam: "...a thunderbolt rent the chintzes and fringes of Mayfair and Sloane Street. Aimed with the opportune accuracy from the god-like visage of interior designer David Hicks, 'geometrics' hit the custom-staled decorating ground with a lightning flash. His rooms were spare: square chairs, white or beige, sat squarely beside double-cube sofas set rigid to walls, standing on wall-to-wall carpet with small square designs.  Uplights cast their dramatic chiaroscuro over vast, unframed Francis Bacon canvases. Metals gleamed and a square of black patent leather shone. It was an eye-opener all right, and I awoke from my Beaton reveries with a jolt."

FOLLY DE GRANDEUR published by Jacqui Small with ravishing photographs by Simon 
Upton. 




Knowingly or unknowingly, design since the Sixties

has been influenced by the designs of David Hicks - his innovations in colour, the use of space, the freshness and airiness of his rooms were all innovations. 

There are some six books by him. I have 'Living with Design' published in 1979 and 'David Hicks - A Life of Design' by his son Ashley, published in 2009:

The Britwell Hall Fireplace [1963]

Elaine & Vidal Sassoon Sitting Room [1958]

For Keith Lichtenstein, King's Road, Chelsea [1969]

Peter Saunders' Study/Bathroom at Easton Grey where "the  carpet provided pattern interest against dark walls, curtains and concealed cupboards of darkest maroon polished felt", with a gilt fillet to walls, and curtain edging and Roman shades in brilliant orange tweed.

Setting up displays at his new shop David Hicks [1967]