Alexa Hampton

What inspired you to write your latest work, The Language of Interior Design?
As a person who loves words and language, it occurred to me that I was employing design to convey certain notions and qualities on behalf of my clients, in order to express their tastes. Then it dawned on me that if I could portray design as a language, perhaps people would see that it could be learned—that it wasn’t this mysterious and mystifying category.

Did your father’s book, On Decorating , get you thinking about language as a metaphor?
Not really. His two books on design were filled with beautiful essays about design, but not design as a language.

What was it like growing up in a family where design was the language?
I don’t think I did grow up in a family where design was a language. It was a passion, for sure, but only my father and I were in the design world. My mother and sister don’t work in design at all. Instead, I would say that I grew up in a family that was hyper-verbal; to know us is to know that we are a group of talkers. Just try to get a word in edgewise! So, in that respect, all language is of deep concern to my family.

What is your earliest memory of design being a topic?
I can’t recall a time when I wasn’t visiting houses and museums. It has been a constant in my life. As a child, I wasn’t always enchanted by it, but as a grown-up I thank my lucky stars for the exposure. Now, I take my three kids to museums and I can’t wait to open their eyes to art and architecture.

What was the first thing you designed?
I have an old sketch from 2nd grade that shows a fantasy house I drew, and even that specifies details like curtain color, exterior paint colors, etc. It’s absolutely hideous, but it clearly betrays my early interest in design. 

Did your dad encourage you to go into the business or was it like Cher and Chastity: Stay away?
Neither. In addition to being a famous designer, my father was an excellent, nurturing parent. He let my sister and me find our own passions and let us choose what to pursue professionally. My sister always knew she would be an actress and I always knew I’d be an interior designer. He and my mother just wanted us to be happy.

Where and when were you happiest?
Whenever I have my three children in my arms, and they’re healthy and laughing is when I’m most happy—I have twin 3-year-old boys and a 2-year-old daughter. Otherwise, it’s when I’m with my husband and when there is cheese available. Cheese makes me very happy, indeed. 

Can you ever go into a room and NOT think about design?
It’s the strangest thing but yes, I can tune it all out. This has proven to be a self-preserving skill since my apartment resembles nothing so much as a Fisher Price outpost. Dreadful primary colors rule my living room.

What was your happiest memory from your childhood?
Any time spent in Italy is a great memory. I went for the first time when I was 8 and was immediately smitten. On top of that, my parents met in Florence, Italy, on a blind date, so it’s also a sentimental favorite. And, of course, there’s the buffalo mozzarella.

We are catching up with you while you are traveling. Was travel important for your
family? Huge! We traveled all the time. Now that I am married to a European, we continue the trend. My children’s grandparents live in Greece, one aunt is in Rome and one is in London. And then their other grandmother and aunt are in New York.

Do you draw inspiration from your travels? Could we drop you down in sub-arctic Juneau and find you sketching a new idea for an igloo?
I draw inspiration from everything. It may be on a trip to the kitchen or a trip to Tokyo, but there is always so much to look at. If I were in Juneau, I don’t know that I’d design an igloo, but maybe I’d have a new interest in snow-white interiors.

Did the family—like a political family, say the Kennedys—eat, sleep and breathe design? Did you argue?
We argued all the time, but not about design. We all have very homogeneous tastes. And, as I said, my sister and I were really encouraged to pursue all kinds of interests, not just design. We are all big readers, we all love music, we all love to dance, we all love movies, we all love food, etc. That was more the fodder for our arguments.

When did you first know that you had design encoded in your DNA?
Always.

What are you most proud of?
Personally, it would have to be my kids. Professionally, I’m most proud of my working hard. I know that’s not a glamorous answer but I always want to be a hard worker. Certainly, there are many times when I’m tempted to be lazy. But, between my decorating business and my product design—fabrics, furniture, carpet, lighting, mantels, artwork and plates—I don’t dare. However, I do manage to watch a bizarre amount of TV!

What was your most frightening experience?
I was working on an apartment on the 44th floor of a high-rise on Third Avenue in Manhattan. The window contractor was replacing an 8x4-foot window. When he removed the pane of glass, he created a wind tunnel and it immediately sucked out an adjacent 8x4-foot pane of glass that crashed down onto the middle of Third Avenue. Miraculously, no one was hurt—not even slightly. But it was a beyond-terrifying experience. 

How do you handle celebrity?
Puhleeze! I’m a designer, not a celebrity!

What is your favorite design of your dad’s?
My parents’ New York apartment and Southampton house are two favorites. While not the most glamorous nor most expensive examples of his work, I think they are beautiful.

What is your own fave?
I couldn’t begin to choose; that’s like picking a favorite child! Let’s just say my favorite project is whatever I’m working on at any given moment.