It seems only natural for Martyn Lawrence-Bullard to live in Hollywood. Drawn to glamour all his life, he moved from London to Los Angeles as an actor, but quickly discovered that decorating houses was more exciting than the tedium of movie sets. Blessed with a passion for decorating, and a boat-load of British charm, Lawrence-Bullard has become a classic Hollywood decorator—with a client list that reads like an issue of People magazine. “My career was acting, which I still love,  and would have pursued if destiny hadn’t changed the course of my life,” says the designer, “The director of a movie I was in came to my home and loved it and hired me to do his offices—he gave me an instant new career.”
While many decorators firmly shut their doors at the end of the day, Lawrence-Bullard is constantly out and about with his clients, who become his firm friends, and keep coming back for each new house.
Aaron Sorkin, the multiple-Emmy-award-winning writer of the political drama The West Wing, and author of the recent feature film screenplay Charlie Wilson's War is one of Lawrence-Bullard’s long term clients. He decorated Sorkin’s previous house in Hollywood, his offices at Warner Brothers, and is currently finishing a new, ultra modern residence for the prolific screen-writer, done in a 1940s style with sofas by Jean Royere. Another long-term client is the actress and model Cheryl Tiegs.” I decorated her house 11 years ago, Cheryl was my first client and is now one of my best friends,” explains Lawrence-Bullard. Her Indonesian house (first seen in Elle Décor,) is still evolving, currently undergoing its third face-lift.
I found Lawrence-Bullard in a rare moment at home recently, recovering from a hectic installation for another star client, Elton John. Several years ago, on vacation in San Tropez, he dined with David Furnish, who has been John’s partner for many years. The couple were planning an apartment in Los Angeles—and Lawrence-Bullard’s eclectic glamour was exactly what they had in mind. Today, bright colors abound in their elegant modern space, with views over the city reflected in the silver leafed ceiling. The underlying inspiration is 1970s-style luxury, incorporating unique furniture by Paul Evans, Curtis Jere, and a varied art collection, including de Kooning, Keith Haring and Andy Warhol.
Adding to the busy month, he has also been installing another very famous client, the legendary Cher. Here, Lawrence-Bullard has clearly met his match in the Hollywood glamour stakes. Together they have created an Indian fantasy—incorporating her passion for all things Moorish—while shopping the world together. They found pieces in London, Paris, Istanbul, and even many great finds from 1st Dibs—lots of Syrian inlaid furniture and exotic antique Moroccan lanterns.
The versatile Lawrence-Bullard can strip his vision back to the elegant restraint of mid-century Modernism. Another of his high-profile projects has been working hand-in-hand with Vidal and Ronnie Sassoon on their Neutra Singleton house. Said to be one of the most famous Modernist houses in the world, it has been on at least twenty book covers in the last half-century. With breathtaking views of both the San Fernando valley, and Los Angeles to the Pacific Ocean, it is currently for sale for twenty million dollars, and is furnished with Jean Prouve and Charlotte Perriand furniture, with elegant lighting from Serge Mouille. “With painstaking detail we restored the house and Neutra’s built-in furniture. I learned so much about mid-century Modernism in L.A.,” adds Lawrence-Bullard.
The decorator is busy in London, helping the Sassoons with their apartment in Notting Hill , and Jimmy Choo- founder Tamara Mellon’ s house which appeared recently in Elle Décor. Mellon was deeply inspired by the Hollywood Regency style, which Lawrence-Bullard freshened up with extra pieces from the 1960s and 70s. This eclectic interior combines mirrored furniture from Serge Roche with Venini chandeliers, eighteenth-century Ottoman textiles, and art by Jean-Michel Basquiat. Mellon’s corporate offices were refurbished with a touch of Halston style nineteen-seventies glamour—gold leafed wallpaper and Paul Evans Cityscape polished metal furniture on wall-to-wall white goatskin rugs.
Hired to restore the former Beverly Hills home of the agent Charles Feldman (whose clients included Marilyn Monroe and James Dean), Lawrence-Bullard had to peel back the layers. Like many movie industry residences, it had been decorated by the great Billy Haines in the 1940s, then ten years later Tony Duquette was brought in to add more details. The decorator’s first job was to restore the Beegle Duquette powder room, which she had hand-painted in a Hollywood Regency style. Before Tony died, Lawrence-Bullard went to dinner at Dawnridge, the historic Duquette estate in Beverly Hills, where he saw Beegle’s work and “was dazzled by the artistry and set decoration of the house,” explains the designer.
Lawrence-Bullard gives his Hollywood clients’ houses a sense of theatre and drama that satisfies their craving for the new and unique. “Beauty and diversity are key to good design,” says Lawrence-Bullard. “As Oscar Wilde said, ‘All beautiful things belong to the same age.’”
His own house is in the Hollywood Hills in picturesque Whitley Heights, where it is easy to imagine that you are back in the early 1920’s , and might at any moment catch a glimpse of one-time residents like Maurice Chevalier, Gloria Swanson, or perhaps even Bette Davis, sweeping past in their Deusenbergs. This suits Lawrence-Bullard, as it is exactly how he imagined life here when he was still living in cold, grey London. The house has its own Hollywood stories: William Faulkner tapped away at a typewriter on the upstairs balcony, eager to escape the studios, but he has nonetheless decided to call his house the Villa Swanson in honor of the actress who moved there to shoot Sunset Boulevard—and who could blame him? Gloria Swanson was much more photogenic. Today the Villa Swanson has the atmosphere of the early nineteenth century Ottoman Empire unexpectedly landed in Los Angeles. Would he ever leave? “Who knows what other continents will inspire me next!” he exclaims.
ART
I love the work of Lucio Fontana. I think his slash paintings are perfect in any setting and the La Fine di Dio pieces are spectacular. I am a big photography collector and love everything from the Andy Warhol polaroids to Peter Beard’s  "Photo Lesson Diptych" portrait of Jackie O, as well as the fashion photography of Steven Miesel.
MUSEUMS
The Uffizi in Florence with its extraordinary collection of Pre-Raphaelite art, and the Medici galleries are always a favorite. The diverse collections of the Hermitage in St Petersburg are magnificent and are housed in one of the greatest palaces in Europe. The Tate Modern in London is a spectacular space to visit and the Anish Kapoor exhibition several years ago has engraved itself on my memory.

SHOPS
I like J.F.Chen for an eclectic combination of decorative ideas here in Los Angeles. Moss is great for fun and inspirational modern design accessories both in New York and L.A, while in Paris, Lydia Courteille for esoteric jewels and silverware.
Robert Kime in London has beautiful vintage and modern fabrics, pillows, small hangings and Turkish textiles, and Bottega Veneta in Venice for the best luggage in the world.
BOOKS
My favorite coffee table book recently is Rooms to Inspire by Annie Kelly, with photography by Tim Street-Porter. The combination of fantastic interior design and flow from traditional to modern was brilliant. The back chapter on the uses of color are truly inspirational. Jeffrey Banks’ book Tartan is a smart look at the history of this Scottish tradition and the many uses of it through fashion, interiors and political intrigue. Chintz published by the V &A museum is a must for any fabric buffs.
MUSIC
The new Seal album System drives me wild. I love his voice and this albums uptempo beat is the perfect companion in the car or at the gym. Mozart l’ egyptien  from Virgin Classics is another favorite—a mad combination of classic Mozart compositions with wild Arabic arias and overtures. It makes a great dinner party ambience. (NOTE TO EDITOR-MOZART ALBUM TITLE IS CORRECT- IS EXACTLY AS WRITTEN ON ALBUM COVER.)

RESTAURANTS
My current favorite eatery is Mozza—a New York style pizzeria recently opened in LA serving the most devilishly delicious pizzas and anti pasta—believe me it’s worth the calories!
HOTEL
I still love the Hotel Costes in Paris, I have always stayed there since it opened ten years or so ago. Decorator Jacques Garcia’s Napoleon III style interpretation has become a design classic, and its rich décor coupled with its signature lounge music and busy night life, makes it the perfect backdrop for a fun few days in Paris. Located on the rue Faubourg St Honore, this is also a perfect spot for fashion and antique shopping and is only a stroll away from the Louvre.
GIFTS
I love jewelry design and enjoy giving it as gifts. My favorite designer is Loree Rodkin, her signature rock-and-roll-chic style is a winner with both sexes. Her diamond-encrusted skull ring is my favorite possession, and everybody loves her wood bead bracelets with diamond charms.
COLOR
The color of nature feeds my creativity daily, and is constantly inspiring my decorative schemes, and fabric colorways. I have always loved the color combinations of earth red and chocolate, and olive and eggplant. But with spring blossoming all around us, I am inspired by crisp, bright green—this color is perfect as a wall covering statement or simply a snappy accessory color to brighten your coffee table or bookshelf.
DESIGN
My current design passion is the revival of  1970s glam—the fanciful and risque shapes of such great furniture designers as Vernor Panton, Vladimir Kagan and Joe Columbo. I love the earthy exotic furniture of Brazilian master Oscar Niemeyer, and the fun, whimsical accessories and lighting from Italian designers Ettore Sottsass and Mario Bellini. The mix of a cool 1970s Paul Evans cabinet in a period paneled room- it refreshes and awakens the senses.
ENTERTAINING
I love to entertain at home for eight or ten friends, and create a theme for the evening with food, music, décor, and movies to match. Moroccan evenings, serving lamb, couscous, cheese-stuffed figs, pomegranate salads with mint sprigged vodka cocktails are always a success. On Sunday I love to serve a traditional English dinner of roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, brussel sprouts, butter beans, french beans, creamed horse radish, and rich gravy—all washed down with a delicious full-bodied red wine and polished off of course with a blueberry crumble! It tastes delicious and gives me a chance to use my antique silver, porcelain, and crystal—making a fine English feast.
FLOWERS
A simple silver cup filled with white roses is always my favorite—followed closely by white peonies when in season.
FASHION
Being a true Brit at heart I love the eccentric designs of Paul Smith, especially his classic tailoring juxtaposed with the wacky silk lining fabrics and brightly colored accents—like buttons or contrast stitching. I believe fashion and interior design are close relatives and Smith’s aesthetic is a mirror of my own design tastes—which follow classic shapes, re-interpreting them with new colors and adding modern accessories to freshen it all up to add one’s own character. My favorite personal accessory is the scarf, you can dress up or down an outfit simply by adding this one item. No wardrobe is complete without a fine selection!
FABRICS
I have recently launched my own range of fabrics, a modern take on the exotic Turkish and Uzbeki susani fabrics woven in silk and cotton, and printed on linen/silk mixes. These designs are fresh and modern in color, while still grounded in their tribal roots. I also love the textured woven solid colors from Rogers and Goffington, and the sophisticated yet fun prints from Raoul Textiles. For modern weaves you can’t beat Glant and Dongia.

FRAGRANCE
I love the classic Vetiver cologne by Guerlain, I have worn it since I was 17, and it has become my trade mark, however for a more spicy twist I mix it up with Vetiver Extraordinaire by French couture fragrance house Frederick Malle.  I love fragrance so much that I created my own candle collection with the most exotic, heady, and  refreshing fragrances I could find. The packaging is inspired by my own fabric designs, which are based on the ancient Ottoman Suzani’s and Ipek’s of the sultans. The essential oils used in the soy wax blends are first quality and are at perfume strength.