At Home With Laura Hammett

Award-winning interior designer, Laura Hammett, reveals her favourite home and away haunts

The place that keeps drawing me back?

Greece has become our holiday destination as a family each summer. We have friends who live there, and we all love the culture, the food, the diversity of the landscape and boat trips to the remote islands. The cascade of blue and white houses overlooking the sea is one of the world's greatest beauties in my opinion.

Best global getaway for design inspiration?

Cities bring the most inspiration to me and the Haussmann architecture in Paris will forever be my favourite style, oozing heritage and refined luxury. I also love the restaurants and bars of New York. Buddakan designed by Christian Liaigre is one of my old favourites, especially as it’s where Aaron and I went for dinner after we got engaged.

The best souvenirs I’ve brought home?

We picked up the most beautiful late 18th century carved giltwood Barometer in the Marché aux Puces de Montreuil flea market in Paris. It takes pride of place by the back door in our boot room. It doesn’t work but looks stunning.

City pad or country pile?

This is an impossible choice for me because I’m born and bred in London but have recently moved my family to Hampshire. With the studio still in London, I have a foot in both camps, which is perfect. I love the vibrancy of London during the day and then the transition to the quiet of our country home in the evening. We plan to have a city pad in the future, so we can enjoy the best of both worlds. I loved growing up in London, so want our children to experience the city too.

Style trend you’d like to bring back?

I would love to see flocked wallpaper come back in a contemporary, high-end way. I see some designs crop up when I’m sourcing and it can create such a lovely tactile layer to a room, especially when used subtly in tonal colours. I also love colour blocking, where a colour, whether it’s neutral or something bolder, is used with real conviction throughout a room. It creates a cocooning effect.

www.laurahammett.com