A DIVE INTO THE WORLD OF DAVID HICKS DESIGN
“If I have been able to influence in some small way an important aspect of everyone’s environment, then it has been worth the hard work that I have put into trying to lead people away from drabness, safeness and conventional solutions” – David Hicks
If you have ever seen Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, you might remember a particularly arresting Steadicam sequence. The shot basically follows one of the protagonists on his Big Wheel Tricycle going from corridor to corridor. It had an eerie rhythm about it, as the wheels would change from wood floor to carpet. The carpet itself is a copy of British Interior Designer David Hicks most famous pattern, Hicks’ Hexagon. As one of his era’s preeminent tastemakers, David Nightingale Hicks had an extraordinary influence and the prestigious clientele base to prove it.
“I have always had a passion for what some people consider clashing colours. I call them vibrating colours – for instance, vermilion, shocking pink, puce, salmon pink, and blue pink. I like them with aubergine. All reds go together, and I include both pink and orange in the red family.” – David Hicks
David Hicks was able to show very effectively how to use bold color, how to mix new and old together, how to use patterned carpets. This is a beautiful example of a well-lit, strong color environment he was known for creating.
With the exception of the lone table lamp left of the fireplace, all ambient lighting come from up lights. Beige, Black, and white color schemes complement each other very well. Hicks employed the use of graphic Wilton carpets to tie colors often together and dictate the mood.
Not shying from bold colors and ethnic references, Hicks had a remarkable ability to create disciplined spaces with such strong materials. The bravado in the ceiling and walls are from a North African design. Wall St. corporate raiders can channel their inner Gengis Khan.
“Tablescapes” was a term he coined to describe beautifully arranged objects. Hicks was able to take disparate items and encouraged conversations between them by arranging them into themes. This beautiful example of blues comprises of a color-refracting Perspex sculpture by Rory McEwen, lapis lazuli, pottery, enamel, and glass. A lone yellow flower in the mix alludes to yellow and blueprint found on the sofa.
His work at the Hyde Park Hotel in London captures the brand of maximalism he championed throughout his career. Vibrant colors, layering of patterns, and the occasional over the top detail like this canopy bed fixed to the ceiling.