Ben, it appears we have caught you at a busy moment.
“Very much so. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of my first illuminated timepiece, the Tempus Collection. That means it’s important to celebrate a decade of experimentation, investment, and creative evolution. We are starting by opening a limited-edition showroom in Mayfair, launching my new Icon Edition. Shortly after I’ll be heading to Paris for Retromobile, exhibiting alongside fellow automotive artist Chris Twitcher.”

You were born in Australia but grew up in Colchester. Was there anything about your childhood that sparked your creativity?
“Probably a desire to rebel, growing up surrounded by history, castles, and cobbled streets. I recall having a strong urge to shape the future – to be the person designing the next castle, something that would stand for 2,000 years. I was obsessed with James Bond: the interiors, gadgets, cars. Everything felt imaginative, aspirational — but also believable. My ambition was to turn that sense of possibility into something real.”

Why is light so central to your designs and spaces?

“Light is the most important element of design. Without it, you see no texture, no colour, no detail, no beauty. It allows me to communicate energy, atmosphere, and story. Artificial light allows you to shape emotion. It also allows you to create calm, intimacy, excitement or drama. The relationship between light and shadow is also crucial – sometimes darkness is just as expressive as illumination. Often people can’t explain why a space feels so good to be in. More often than not, it comes down to how thoughtfully the lighting has been layered. Atmosphere is everything.”

You’ve created installations for everyone from sports stars to business leaders. Is there one piece you are particularly proud of?

“One that still brings out a childish grin is the ‘Bat Cave’. This was a 3,000 square foot basement I created for an art collector beneath a modern home in Holland Park. I designed it as a fully immersive environment for entertaining and displaying art, with installations that invoked a sense of escapism. The centrepiece was a red laser ‘force field’ surrounding the client’s Aston Martin DB4, which descended beneath the house on a motorised driveway. There was a custom bar, a chrome ceiling coffer, an illuminated bubble chair I co-created with graffiti artist INSA, a cinema, pool room, office and snug, with a complex Lutron lighting system tied everything together. It stimulated every sense.”

Do you have a favourite commercial project – and if so, why?

“My first room at the Ice Hotel is still one of my favourites, largely for the romance of it. I originally visited Arctic Sweden while researching somewhere to propose to my wife, and was completely captivated by how light interacts with ice and snow. That experience made me determined to return as a designer. Over time I built a strong relationship with the team there, as it’s an extraordinary pool of talent. Being able to take my wife back and stay in a room I’d designed felt very special. I was told that the Queen of Sweden stayed in that room too.”

Perhaps one of your most famous projects is the iconic iceberg catwalk created for Chanel in 2010. How did this idea come to fruition?
“Ice Hotel Sweden led that project, bringing together their most visionary ice artists alongside Karl Lagerfeld’s team. The original idea was a literal iceberg beneath the Grand Palais roof, but instead we created the illusion of ice using a timber walkway, water, and a special snow-and-ice mix called sneece, shipped from Arctic Sweden in 30 large trucks. We worked around the clock, using a suspended refrigeration system to control melting. It was intense — but incredibly rewarding.”

It must have been exhilarating to be the brain behind the custom vehicle used to follow the Olympic Torch around the UK back in 2012. What do you remember about the experience?
“That year I narrowly avoided using up one of my nine lives after falling from an 80-foot cliff snowboarding. I was actually on a call with the design team while waiting for my friend to be airlifted off the mountain! The brief was to make a tour bus feel aerodynamic and dynamic, more speedboat than bus. Three weeks before launch, the route changed, meaning the vehicle had to fit under low bridges. I had to redesign a folding roof structure that remained safe for people standing on the top deck. Despite the pressure, it worked beautifully.”

Finally, what’s next?
“Let’s just say, I’m not short on ideas. We should catch up again soon!”

The post Interview with Artist and Designer Ben Rousseau appeared first on Best of Living.

Invest In Art

“Art speaks volumes about your style and personality, so buy pieces you are instantly drawn to. Choosing art should be ‘love at first sight’. If you can’t stop thinking about it, you need to buy it. Art is very powerful and is about evoking emotion as much as looking good on a blank wall. I go shopping with my clients when they think they don’t know what they like, and it’s so interesting to see the genre and the colours they’re drawn to. The biggest misconception is that art should be bought last, to finish a room. It’s one of the first things I choose, and everything else evolves around it.”

Splurge On Statement

“This is another powerful way to add excitement to your interior. For me, a statement piece that sets your home apart from everyone else’s is priceless and will make your home memorable. My top tip would be to keep the other elements simple, so that your statement piece really shines. I bought this hand painted antique carousel horse by the famous funfair artist, George Hebborn in 2017. He’s called ‘Del Boy’ and has become an iconic piece, featured in numerous publications around the world.”

Mix Old and New

“To create striking and memorable interiors, I like to mix old and new pieces. Mixing different eras adds depth and interest to any scheme, almost taking your eyes on an unexpected journey around the room. A memorable room is one that keeps surprising — every time to you enter it, you should notice or discover something new.”

Use Symmetry and Asymmetry

“Symmetry is classic — it works in both modern and traditional interiors, creating balance and harmony to make a space feel calm. A symmetrical layout promotes stability and relaxation, which is often while it’s used in bedrooms, such as matching bedside tables and lamps. That said, too much symmetry can feel predictable and stiff. I often balance it with a touch of asymmetry, such as placing a lamp on one side of a sofa or juxtaposing a wall of vintage plates in a random design.”

Lighting is Key

“Statement lighting is always a great investment. A feature ‘showcase light’ is a great way to add wow factor, whilst drawing the eye up, especially if you have features on the ceiling such as ceiling roses and cornices. It’s also a wonderful way to anchor the room or create zones — just make sure it’s central to any features you want to highlight, such as a fireplace or kitchen island. Then, use a mix of task, ambient and accent lighting to add depth, warmth and functionality. This could be done with ceiling lights, wall lights, table lamps, floor lamps and even candlelight.”

The post Some Effective Ways to Give Your Home an Alluring Appeal appeared first on Best of Living.

More is more

“First off, I’m a strong believer that colour has the ability to change your life — it’s proven that different colours can influence your mood and the way you feel. For example, warm colours such as orange and yellow are linked to energy and warmth, while cool colours, such as blue and green, are generally more calming and relaxing. Colour is so much more than a paint on the wall: it’s a way of your interior speaking to your soul and the feeling that evokes. You will never wake up feeling low in a home full of colour and pattern. If you’re nervous, start with three to five colours that work together and build up from there.”

Layer patterns

“I love to layer patterns in my designs as I believe it brings a level of joy that cannot be achieved with plain walls and plain soft furnishings. My rule is to choose a ‘hero pattern’ such as a wallpaper, as the main feature, and then choose a variety of smaller patterns to complement the hero. As a former artist, I see a room in the same way as a painting. I start with a blank canvas then add the colour and pattern layer by layer to create a ‘masterpiece’. In my own collection, The Penally House Garden Collection with Wear the Walls, I designed the pieces to be layered. The collection includes various wallpapers, fabrics and home accessories with different patterns in various colours and sizes.”

There are no rules

“Ignore the naysayers and build a space that makes your heart sing. Take risks with colour and choose a design scheme you love and that reflects your personality. Add colour by incorporating items that tell your story — artwork, antiques, travel finds, and personal items. Your house will only feel like a home if it reflects you and your life. For my Dining Room at Penally House, I decided to wrap the room in a piece of art by my favourite artist, Kristjana Williams. I wanted to create the feeling of dining at the bottom of the ocean. The wallpaper is immersive as it was 3D scanned, and some of the hero characters printed onto Perspex and layered over the wallpaper to give extra depth.”

The post An Interior Designer’s Advice to Adding Colour to Your Home appeared first on Best of Living.