by Grace Clift
I’ve always been a fan of Architectural Digest’s ‘Open Door’ series. Watching Dakota Johnson lie about limes and Kendall Jenner stroll about her LA hideaway is a welcome distraction on a busy day. However, I’ve always wondered who’s behind the sleek, and sometimes strange, designs. While the celebrities may be the face of the videos, there are teams of interior designers, builders, and more working tirelessly to create pieces of liveable art. This article will explore ten of the interior designers behind celebrity homes.
- Clements Design, Kendall Jenner
Clements Design has been referred to as “the Hollywood celebrity’s first choice” by Coveted Edition. The mother-and-son duo has designed for clients from Jennifer Aniston to Paul Theroux, and uses calm, contemporary palettes. They also designed Kendall Jenner’s LA home, inspired by Spanish farmhouses. Tommy Clements said of Jenner, “Her taste was surprising, more bohemian and funky than the rest of her family. The mood she described was totally understated and down-to-earth.”
- Proem Studio, Emma Chamberlain
Chamberlain’s cozy – but creative – home is detailed with wooden beams, colourful tiles and lots of windows. The internet star went for “earthy-with-a-twist” in her Beverly Hills home, which was originally built in 1955. Proem Studios described the work: “We kept the existing floor plans but updated every room including the kitchen, five bathrooms, three bedrooms, several living areas and all the outdoor finishes.”
- Hallworth Design, Kirsten Dunst
This company is run by Jane Hallworth, who has restored the homes of Quincy Jones and George Washington Smith. An old friend of Dunst, the two paired up to create a house soaked in history. In their video for Architectural Digest, they explain the reasons behind every detail: even down to the door, which was originally in Jackie Onassis’ apartment. The house is evidence of Hallworth’s attention to not only detail, but personality; every item connects back to its new owner.
- Nicolò Bini, Cara Delevingne
Nicolò Bini owns a construction technology company, and his manual talents go hand in hand with the creative. His work to construct much of supermodel Cara Delevingne’s house went hand in hand with a number of other creatives. His post on Instagram is evidence of this teamwork: his detailed sketch was brought to life by six people, as well as himself.
- Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Cher
This is a household name – and no, I’m not just talking about Cher. Martyn Lawrence Bullard has designed so many celebrity homes, that Homes & Gardens made a top five list. Cher’s home is described as a “liveable museum”, with each room dedicated to a different area of the world. Bullard sourced furniture and decorative pieces from each location to create a house that rivals museums in its global scope.
- Kravitz Studio, Lenny Kravitz
Yes, you read that right: Lenny Kravitz has his own interior design studio. As a break from his life as one of the biggest rockstars of all time, Kravitz started his own design company in 2003. The studio has since worked for Sony, Swarovski, and Pepsico, as well as Kravitz’ own house. His Paris manor boasts a home studio, a name-sake room for his mother, and a seemingly endless amount of elaborate chandeliers.
- Flack Studio, Troye Sivan
Popstar and actor Troye Sivan’s home in Melbourne won the Australian Interior Design Award for Residential Decoration in 2022. The 19th Century building was transformed by Flack Studio into a tri-level bohemian living space, with wooden staircases spiralling upwards through open ceilings. The studio sourced original works from an impressive selection of contemporary artists, such as Gregory Hodge and Tom Polo.
- Michaela Cadiz, Viola Davis and Julius Tennon
Michaela Cadiz’s design for Tennon and Davis’ home made the cover of Architectural Digest, and it was a well-deserved accomplishment. Her and her team offer concept development, space design, construction drawings, bid coordination and more for every project. Viola Davis and Julius Tennon worked with Cadiz to renovate their home after 20 years of living there, aiming for a modern home with pops of colour.
- Jake Arnold, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen
Jake Arnold is one of the AD100 designers: a prestigious group of the top talents in architectural design. The London Evening Standard has described him as “Hollywood’s hottest interior designer”, and his house for Legend and Tiegen is proof. Speaking of his celebrity clients, he said, “They want a sanctuary. Not to be ostentatious. No one would come to me for a blinged-out house. It’s not the Nineties when it was all “the bigger, the better”. Houses now are about quality, warmth and richness.”
- Mandy Cheng, Daveed Diggs and Emmy Raver-Lampman
Daveed Diggs and Emmy Raver-Lampman are the star couple of the theatre industry. Meeting in the original cast of Hamilton: The Musical, it is no surprise that their LA house is brimming with creativity. Designer Mandy Cheng used one wall in the sitting room to display the couple’s collection of baskets from around the world, an inspired use of space which demonstrates real attentiveness to the homeowner.
Surround Sound 