Renowned designer to the stars, Martyn Lawrence Bullard creates daring interiors which encapsulate the bold, glamorous Hollywood clientele that helped carve his path in the design industry. Over the years, Bullard has honed his aesthetic through his knack for sourcing vintage pieces and remaining focused on a client’s personality versus design trends. Adhering to this principle has established Bullard as a timeless creative whose eclectic style surprises and delights with every new project. We spoke with Bullard further to hear about his talent for creating inviting spaces and where he derives his design inspiration.
Custom Catella by Emily Todhunter | Photography: Douglas Friedman
A: My design career has been an amazing journey. From my early days as a 12-year-old boy buying and selling objects in Greenwich antique markets to unsuspecting American tourists, to my move to LA aged 21 to study acting at the Lee Strasberg Institute, and eventually almost tripping up into a design career that by the time I was 25 included designing homes for some of Americas most iconic stars. It's been an extraordinary journey with a lot of luck, a great deal of hard work, and a massive dose of design passion.
A: In my early years, the flea market stalls really trained my eye. I learned how to combine two things to make them look better and mix and match colors to grab people's attention and make my stall stand out. It was truly a hands-on approach that I learned by trial and error, and it gave me the confidence to understand how to make an object shine in a space.
Martyn Lawrence Bullard | Photography: Hope Rollins
A: I always want my projects to be a mirror image of my clients' personality. For RuPaul, I wanted to create a space that would represent who he is, let him shine in the space, and become the center stage for his home life. The home captures his love of Hollywood regency and gives it pride of place within the design world. For example, you can see his love for great black disco divas and songstresses represented in the artwork choices. Drama, glamour, and high style rule this design aesthetic, whilst comfort is king within the spaces, making this grand house a real home.
A: I wanted Ru to feel instantly at home in the space, so I filled it with colors he loves and feels good surrounded by. Oranges, pinks, and jewel tones are the primary palette and are very personal to his tastes. The rooms are designed in a way to have dual purposes. His ballroom can operate as a dance floor, a dining space, a meeting room, or a yoga studio; his living room is perfect for entertaining, zooming, or lounging.
Custom Panthera by Martin Brudnizki | Photography: Douglas Friedman
A: We based the design around the great lady decorators of the 1930s and '40s, with an added nod to Hollywood decorator Tony Duquette and his exuberant style. References to Joan Crawford's Billy Haines designed home and sets from Elizabeth Taylor's movie Boom were also in the design mix. Elsie de Wolfe, Francis Elkins, and Dorothy Draper were the primary references, and many furniture and lighting pieces were originally designed by them and found through auctions and vintage.
A: Function is always essential in the homes I design, so I use mostly natural fibers in the materials, which all clean beautifully. For our rugs in the home, I turned to The Rug Company, not only because of our design partnership but also because of The Rug Company's quality standards and natural fibers which offer excellent durability and a lifetime of use.
Custom Stevie Mac by Martyn Lawrence Bullard | Photography: Douglas Friedman
A: The designs I chose all reflect the high-stakes glamour look of the home. My design for The Rug Company in the living room has a robust, geometric design that grounds the entire space and plays well off the furniture pieces and colors. It has the perfect vintage vibe while remaining fresh and bold. The primary bedroom rug was integral to the design. The interlocking circles are repeated on the nightstands and the back of the chairs, offering a subtle but essential tie into the design's overall luxe feel.
I often start with the rugs when designing a space. They hold together the entire look and become the bone structure to apply the cosmetic beauty of the furniture. In this case, the living room rug was specially chosen as the first moment to build upon its scale, and the color palette informed everything else I did within that room.
A: My favorite room has to be the ballroom. We rarely get to add 26 giant disco balls to a ceiling, especially in a private home. That, along with the architecture of this space, the impressive height of the ceilings, and the grand fireplace, make this a breathtaking room that is truly a one-off. It has all the unexpected glamour and style of RuPaul himself and will live in design history, always known as the 'House of Ru.'
A: I think the ultimate song to dance to here has to be Donna Summers' "I Feel Love" because this house was made with love. Ru exudes so much joy and laughter, so which song could be better to celebrate this magnificent room with than that of the greatest Disco Diva the world has ever known?
Discover the full story featured in Architectural Digest - June 2023
Stevie Mac by Martyn Lawrence Bullard
Custom Panthera by Martin Brudnizki
Custom Stevie Mac by Martyn Lawrence Bullard
Custom Catella by Emily Todhunter
Catella by Emily Todhunter
