Martyn Lawrence Bullard
Interior Designer, LA
As I knocked on the front door of Martyn Lawrence Bullard’s 1920’s Mediterranean Style Villa in Los Angeles, I felt like I’d stepped onto the set of a Shakespearean play. A window from a Juliet balcony above me flung open, and Bullard himself appeared, calling, “Hello Darling! I’ll be right down!”
Bullard’s charming partner, Michael, welcomed my photographer, Hugh, and me at the door. By his side was their adorable puppy, Daisy, whom they affectionately call their “baby girl.” They’d flown in from Italy only the night before, but they both looked as fresh as daisies. We were ushered in and within minutes, Michael returned with a steaming Hermes teapot & matching cups. It looked so good, I made the following note to self: “Purchase Hermes tea set as soon as humanly possible and serve tea to any person who walks through my front door.” After one sip I had convinced myself that it’d be a great way to get in touch with my English roots and the splurge was therefore completely justified.
Let me give you some background on Bullard. He arrived in LA in 1994 as an aspiring actor, but it didn’t take long for his love of design to win over. Bravo’s TV producers realized he should be playing no other character than himself, which brought him a starring role on Million Dollar Decorators. He has earned a reputation as the official “designer to the stars.” Just to name-drop a few, we’re talking the likes of Elton John & John Furnish, Christina Aguilera, Cher, Tommy Hilfiger, Pamela Anderson, Ozzy & Sharon Osbourne, Eva Mendes, Kourtney Kardashian and Khloe Kardashian.
I love mixing metals, brass with bronze, chrome with stainless, copper with platinum.
Once the warmth of the tea started to settle, I began to take in the opulent interior of the couple’s home: It was a feast for the eye; pattern on pattern medieval hand-carved sideboards, cabinets and chairs, and an amazing zebra print rug under my feet. “The rug was once in Andy Warhol’s studio,” Martyn told me. “If only the stripes could talk!” How does one even get the chance to purchase a rug which once resided in Andy Warhol’s studio? I won’t even begin to guess, but what I will say is, that rug is a celebrity in itself.
I think in design you should never have any rules. Be free to express yourself and your creativity. Always take chances. You only live once.
Next, Bullard extended us an invitation—drum roll—upstairs to his dressing room. Bullard’s ensemble never fails to impress, and here I was seeing the source of his fashion sense. It was like Aladdin’s cave in there: full of magic. Shoes, shirts, jackets and vests were impeccably compartmentalized and there were more cravats and scarves than you could poke a stick at. A statue of Napoleon oversaw the comings and goings in this room, his neck dripping with chains. There were inlaid ivory and wooden boxes brimming with cuff links and masculine power rings, silver cobra candlesticks and tortoise-shell dishes, and an array of Bullard’s signature scents.
Linen has long been my fabric of choice but more and more I’m drawn to velvets, especially when used to upholster furniture pieces with brass studs.
The next thing we noticed was a pile of matching Louis Vuitton Luggage arranged in perfect shoot-worthy precision on the floor: signs of their recent trip. My eye travelled further and I realized Bullard’s love of LV luggage was no fleeting affair. There was an additional stack of beautifully aged, vintage LV suitcases, arranged neatly in a way that would make Monsieur Vuitton himself utterly proud. Had I been sitting on a chair I would’ve fallen off it.
What a wonderful adventure it was to peek inside the door of Martyn Lawrence Bullard’s exquisite home. Anyone who has met him will agree that he is a true gentleman with charm, charisma and definite stage presence.
I have beautiful treasures collected from around the world and grouped together they offer me travel memories which always inspire my interiors.
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Martyn Lawrence Bullard
Interior Designer, LA
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10 THINGS I CANT LIVE WITHOUT The star of Bravo’s Million Dollar Decorators, and design maven takes time out from decorating the homes of celebrities to tell us about the 10 things he can’t live without! Head to our website to read more! ☝🏼 -
TIP TWO: THINK LIGHT, WHITE AND BRIGHT. Give all internal walls and ceilings a fresh coat of white paint (my favorite is Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White). This will give buyers the sense of the home being a clean, blank space where they can build their new life. Everything will feel cleaner, brighter and bigger. Change the lampshades to white, update old light fixtures, and replace all lights with new increased-wattage bulbs. Focus on making your house bright and cheery. To get more tips click the link in our bio! -
TIP ONE: MAXIMIZE VIEWS AND LIGHT It is well known that potential buyers are attracted to properties with good light. No one wants to buy a home that feels dark and dingy. Open all shutters and wash all windows within an inch of their lives. Take down dated drapes and blinds to let light in and show off the scenery outside. I’ve learned that window coverings are actually quite a personal choice, so buyers are likely to change whatever you have there anyway.. Check out the full story online! -
HOW TO PREP YOUR HOUSE FOR SALE If you’ve ever prepped a house to put on the market, you know it’s no easy task. We want potential buyers to fully appreciate the beauty, size, capacity and function of our home so that we can attract top dollar. Yet it’s common to have an emotional attachment to our house and its contents, and as a result we sometimes fail to get things into a condition that pleases the majority. This can be a costly mistake. Our aim is to make prospective buyers feel at home the minute they set foot in the door. Link in bio for more tips to attract the highest bidder ☝🏼 -
INJECT A LITTLE FRENCH SOPHISTICATION INTO YOUR OWN ABODE TIP 2: If your house already contains some French architectural details—for example, decorative ceiling mouldings, architectural wall panels or French doors—begin by restoring them to their original state and sprucing them up with a fresh, white coat of paint. Expose and restore any rustic beams or French oak flooring. Aim to get as natural a finish as possible, so avoid glossy lacquer finishes. If you don’t already have any French details in your home, look into introducing some such as a limestone fireplace, French oak parquetry flooring or decorative ceiling mouldings. These traditional French elements tend to be highly ornate and detailed, so aim to finish everything in a clean and simple manner. As we move through these steps you’ll notice it’s all about contrasting the traditional with the contemporary. -
THE INTERIOR SECRETS OF THE FRENCH, DIVULGED TIP 1: Quintessential French-inspired interior design always marries well with large-scale black and white portrait photography. This is because the French interior palette plays with sophisticated, matte textures rather than with color. The tonal shadows found in black-and-white portrait photography are the perfect contrast to the layered textural finishes of a typical French interior. It just works. -
HOW THE FRENCH DO IT SO WELL The French certainly are the envy of the rest of the world when it comes to their je ne sais quoi (rough translation: “a certain something”). Some describe it as effortless class—an intangible quality—and it doesn’t stop at their sense of fashion. Time after time, I’ve found myself drooling over classically chic French interior designs. Link in bio for my top tips for styling your home with a little French flair! -
MLB’s PERSONAL TREASURE CHEST We are so excited to be currently featuring the private home of world-renowned interior designer Martin Lawrence Bullard on our blog right now. Feast your eyes on a world of pattern, color and texture combined into a stunning eclectic sanctuary. “Linen has long been my fabric of choice but more and more I’m drawn to velvets, especially when used to upholster furniture pieces with brass studs.” Says Bullard. What a wonderful adventure it was to peek inside the door of Martyn Lawrence Bullard’s exquisite home. Anyone who has met him will agree that he is a true gentleman with charm, charisma and definite stage presence. Link in profile to click through to the story!
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