At Home with...Nigel Barker

rooms are eclectic with bits and pieces of things we have collected over the The Barkers love to entertain, and this spacious three-bedroom apartment allows them to do so. Credit: Studio NB years, however it’s predominately Asian,” Barker says. He refuses to shop from catalogs, choosing instead to purchase handmade items from his own and the family’s travels or to decorate with photographs from these travels as well as personal hand-me-downs from friends or relatives. Barker uses furniture from his own childhood in his son’s room, which is decorated with flags from around the world and other non-matching odds and ends. One special piece is a wooden cupboard filled with delicate China pieces. Closer inspection, however, a visitor would see that the cupboard is actually an The couple’s bathroom. Credit: Studio NB upside- down boat, which was part of his wife’s father’s boat years ago. The cupboard is out of reach of his young son’s hands, yet can still be admired from afar. The room also includes a double bed, not typical for such a young child, but perfect for family storytelling. “We lie in the bed with him and tell him stories,” Barker says. “It’s a perfect bed for us.” While many celebrities enjoy the jet-set lifestyle of living in hotels and having room service at their beck and call, Barker is a self-described homebody. “People spend a lot of time trying to make their homes look like hotel rooms, but I spend so much time in hotel rooms that I want to see my family in the decorations at home,” he s ays. “When you walk into my home, you see photos of generations of our family, and I grew up hearing about these people. It’s nice to have photographs around to show our children about who we are.” When decorating your own house, Barker suggests that you trust yourself. “Homeowners always think they haven’t got style or taste,” he says. “It’s easy to look in a catalog and put it in your room, but you want something that feels good to you when you’re home.” In an industry based on perfection and beauty, Barker has proven that beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder.

...Continued - Page 2 of 2 ( 1 2 )
< Previous Page