The dining room at Britwell Salome via Financial Times

David Hicks stands out as a prominent figure understanding of bold, sophisticated living spaces. Few designers are associated with color and geometry quite like him. His groundbreaking approach to interior design, characterized by fearless color combinations, geometric patterns, and an unwavering commitment to luxury, revolutionized how we think about residential interiors. Hicks's work occupies a pivotal position in design history, where traditional English (Royal-adjacent) elegance met contemporary innovation, and conventional decorating rules are artfully abandoned in favor of dramatic spaces for modern living.

David Hicks via 1stDibs' The Study

via Cabana Magazine

The Master of Color and Pattern

One of David Hicks's most enduring contributions to interior design is his masterful use of color and pattern, particularly evident in his residential projects throughout the 1960s and 1970s. His legendary geometric carpets—many of which are still produced today by companies like The Rug Company—became the foundation of his design philosophy. These weren't merely floor coverings but architectural elements that defined entire rooms. His famous "Hicks Hexagon" pattern, first introduced in 1963, remains one of the most recognizable carpet designs in interior design history.

These commissioned interiors are truly breathtaking, with bold geometric carpets serving as anchors for rooms filled with unexpected color pairings. His iconic "Hicks Blue"—a particular shade of navy lacquer—became so associated with his work that it's still referenced by designers today. The incorporation of these daring design elements, combined with his instinct for proportion and scale, creates a sense of drama and sophistication that transforms ordinary rooms into extraordinary living spaces.

via Interiors Icons

The Inventor of the Modern Tablescape

Perhaps one of Hicks's most overlooked innovations was his invention of what we now call "tablescaping." Long before the term became popular through social media, Hicks was creating elaborate, theatrical table arrangements that went far beyond simple flower arrangements. He combined exotic objects and unexpected materials to create vignettes that became part of the room's decorating story. 

Villa Verde's living room via India Hicks

Villa Verde via House Beautiful

Vila Verde: His Portuguese Masterpiece

Hicks's personal favorite project was Vila Verde, a Palladian-inspired estate in Sintra, Portugal, that he designed in the early 1970s. This property showcased his ability to blend his distinctive aesthetic with local architecture and landscape. The interiors featured his signature geometric patterns scaled up dramatically—including a dining room with a custom carpet that measured nearly 30 feet long in his famous hexagon pattern. Vila Verde represented the perfect marriage of his London sophistication with Mediterranean grandeur, and he often cited it as the project that best captured his design philosophy in its purest form.

The South Eaton Place Legend

David Hicks lived and worked primarily in London, establishing his interior design practice at 37 South Eaton Place in the late 1950s and quickly becoming the go-to designer for Britain's social elite. His showroom became legendary not just for its location but for its revolutionary approach to displaying design concepts. Rather than traditional room settings, Hicks created what he called "mood rooms"—spaces that demonstrated how his signature elements (geometric carpets, lacquered furniture, bold color combinations) could work in various configurations. The showroom featured his now-famous mirrored screens, which he used to multiply light and create the illusion of larger spaces while showcasing his geometric patterns from multiple angles.

As seen in Inspired Design by Jennifer Boles

Balancing Drama with Livability

What distinguishes David Hicks's interior design work from that of his contemporaries is his ability to balance bold artistic statements with practical functionality. His living rooms maintain perfect harmony despite their seemingly audacious color schemes; his dining rooms, though dramatically decorated, create intimate settings for entertaining. This marriage of drama and livability speaks to his unique position in the design world. Working with clients like Helena Rubinstein, Princess Margaret, and numerous members of the British aristocracy, Hicks developed a profound understanding of how to create spaces that were both visually stunning and genuinely comfortable for daily life.

His famous "Britwell Salome" project for Lord and Lady Sainsbury demonstrated this perfectly—the house featured his signature geometric stair runner that became one of the most photographed design elements of the 1970s, while maintaining the comfort and functionality required for a family home with young children.

The Enduring Legacy of Hicks Design Elements

The signature elements of David Hicks's design aesthetic tell stories of their own. His geometric area rugs weren't just floor coverings—they were architectural statements that defined spatial relationships within rooms. His "Dog Tooth" pattern, "Greek Key" borders, and the famous "Basket Weave" design continue to influence contemporary rug designers. Fashion house Hermès still produces scarves based on his geometric patterns, and his fabric designs are archived at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Contemporary Influence and Market Recognition

Collectors and design enthusiasts worldwide continue to seek out David Hicks's original designs and the pieces he specified for his projects. In 2019, Sotheby's held a dedicated auction of his personal collection, with his geometric carpets fetching record prices—one of his hexagon-pattern carpets sold for over £25,000. His influence can be seen in contemporary interior design trends, from Kelly Wearstler's bold pattern mixing to Jonathan Adler's geometric ceramics.

Major design houses continue to reference his work: Ralph Lauren's "Hicks Hexagon" wallpaper pays direct homage to his carpet patterns, and contemporary designers like Martin Brudnizki and Kit Kemp frequently cite his fearless use of pattern and color as foundational to their own aesthetic development.

The Philosophy That Changed Everything

Yet what resonates most powerfully about his design philosophy is not its current market influence but its timeless insistence on creating spaces that reflect personality and passion. Hicks famously said, "The most important thing in decorating is confidence—if you believe in what you're doing, others will too." This philosophy challenged the prevailing notion that "good taste" meant restraint and convention.

A David Hicks interior is not merely a decorated room—it is a daily encounter with beauty, sophistication, and the power of confident design choices. His famous maxim, "There are no rules in decorating, only guidelines," liberated an entire generation of designers to experiment with bold combinations that previous generations would have considered impossible.

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