Nicola Harding: Homing Instinct

Harding takes the principles of English interior design—a decorating style beloved throughout the world for its embrace of color, whimsy, and true comfort—and deploys them with a universal appeal in her debut book, which features a selection of her most celebrated projects.

Having moved around a lot as a child, Harding has always been interested in creating homes that evoke a sense of belonging. After designing several homes for herself, what began as a passion grew organically into a thriving career. Today Harding is known for her quintessentially British, reassuringly familiar interiors that mix traditional charm with rich atmosphere. A sense of meaning comes from deftly weaving together expertly sourced antiques and luxurious fabrics, married with craftsmanship that has a particular significance—for example, a supplier who works in a village near where a client grew up, or antiques from local dealers.  

With a calming, nature-inspired palette, Harding’s residential projects embrace English country-house coziness and radiate a warmth that makes each place feel personal and well lived in, while her hospitality commissions are bold and spirited, often inspired by literary or historic characters. This first book delves into Harding’s design philosophy, which, at its heart, prioritizes human experience above all else.