TRAVEL AND DESIGN ADVICE FROM LIFESTYLE GURU ALLEGRA HICKS

04.06.18

Luxury lifestyle guru and designer, Allegra Hicks, reveals her favourite home and away haunts and top tips for life

BEST GLOBAL GETAWAY FOR DESIGN INSPIRATION?

My design process is not directly linked to my travels, but I feel everyone is inspired by the places they visit. My perfect place is India. I love the spontaneity of the design there. The creation of fabrics are not confined by symmetry or colour, but instead are representative of the chaos seen in daily life. There’s always something new and inspiring to see.

BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY OR COUNTRYSIDE KARMA? I love the excitement of the big city. I couldn’t live without it. I feed off of the theatre, museums, book stores, concert halls and architecture, but for a getaway I always look to the seaside. In particular I adore the Italian coast. I’m married to a Napoli man and we have a home out there. The landscape merging with the sea always gives a sense of infinite possibilities.

STYLE TREND YOU’D LIKE TO BRING BACK? There’s not really a trend I would welcome back. We’re so free nowadays with colour and design. I would love to see a resurgence in dinner dances though. I think back to those wonderful films from the 30s and 40s, where people would dine in an elegant hall and take to the floor after their meal. I love that idea of nostalgic glamour.

BEST ADVICE FOR HARMONIOUS HOME DESIGN? The first step is to understand how an individual lives and how their life unfolds during the day. It’s vital to know how you live, to lead how you create living environments. That way you ensure a harmonious design outcome. TOP TRAVEL TIP? Leave room for spontaneity. Don’t over plan, like a soldier following commands. By doing that, you miss what’s around the corner. That’s invariably where the magic lies.

BUCKET LIST NO 1? I’d love to travel the world for six months, but I love my work too much. One of the most exciting things in life is to continually learn and to grow as a person. I trained as a soprano for three years when I was a younger but then let it go, so I’d like to pick that back up again. I find singing so otherly and beautiful.