Proper English

Hayley English's effortless approach to interior design and everyday, casual living

“Yes, it’s my legal name,” Hayley says with a soft laugh, the kind that suggests she’s answered this question more than a few times. “And it just so happens that I love the English aesthetic,” she adds. 

With a name like Hayley English and a passion for the juxtaposition of old and new, gentle nods to the English countryside, and spaces curated for effortless, everyday living—Hayley’s path to interior design feels predestined. However, interestingly enough, interior design was not always the plan for Hayley English.

Hayley earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Denver and spent several years in the financial services industry. It wasn’t until she and her

husband renovated a century-old Arts and Crafts home that her natural talent for interior design became undeniable. Others took note, too. “Friends and family noticed my enthusiasm for design, then it felt like the phone was ringing off the hook,” she says.

As a result, Hayley English Interiors was born—a full service interior design firm based in Los

Angeles. The firm specializes in crafting thoughtful spaces for those who live an “indoor-outdoor lifestyle” and adhere to Southern California’s slow pace of life. “Joyful experiences occur when people are given an inviting zone to celebrate big and small life moments,” she says. “That is what drives us and inspires us.”

What Hayley and her team do so effortlessly is curate every inch of a home to feel

intentional—never too precious, never off-limits. “Our goal is to provide cheerful spaces for casual living that offer function and are suitable for family life and flow,” she explains. She goes on to say something that I find especially endearing: “We are not creating rooms that are too precious. Many of us likely grew up in homes with a room that we would use two or three times a year, jokingly calling it the museum. It’s important for us to guide our clients to enjoy every corner of their homes.” When she says this, I can’t help but think back to the dining room in my childhood home and the dining table that, although it seated multiple people, was often only used when we had guests. I remember watching my mother delicately lay placemats under each plate prior to our guests’ arrival, wondering why this table—and this room in particular—seemed too precious for everyday moments. This is the very feeling Hayley seeks to eliminate by creating spaces that are elegant and refined yet designed to be truly lived in—spaces where family and friends can gather without hesitation.

“Function and utility drive our designs. Opening up furniture floor plans for conversation and

connection is underrated and can truly reinvigorate a space,” Hayley says. In her latest east side project, she put this philosophy into practice. Reflecting on the project, Hayley says, “We were lucky enough to collaborate with Jh2, a Southern California interior/architecture firm.” 

The 1978 Tudor-style home boasts nearly 7,000-square-feet, and is nestled in a quiet San Marino neighborhood on the east side of Los Angeles. The project led to the creation of many custom pieces, including a bespoke breakfast table that can comfortably seat 10 people and is specifically designed for hotpot dining experiences. Elements like these are never far from reach when working with Hayley, as she strives to incorporate her clients’ lifestyles and personalities into the very fabric of the space. “Each room was designed to facilitate a specific use for the family. There’s not an area of the home that isn’t enjoyed frequently and this felt very true to our philosophy,” she says.

She continues, “We created a custom tournament size pool table, game table to facilitate poker nights, wet bar sprinkled with unlacquered brass hardware, and an oversized corner banquette to open the entertainment room up for conversation and ease.” Creating spaces that nurture connection is deeply ingrained in Hayley’s design approach and, when popping in post install, she loves stumbling upon board games or puzzles left mid-play, knowing that her clients will hunker down again that night. 

The home’s asymmetry presented a unique challenge. “We had to be thoughtful about the ways in which the rooms were laid out,” she explains. Reflecting on the process, she says, “leaning into some quirkiness in regards to the asymmetry of the home was something that was challenging, but we were able to complement it and lean into it with the way in which we configured each space.”

One thing that was very important from a design perspective was to ensure that the home and its multiple rooms were unified in aesthetic and nature. Collaborating with Valley Studio, “we sourced a gauzy linen to feel light and airy throughout the home,” she says. This is just one example of how Hayley and her team created a cohesive design language that seamlessly connected each space. 

Hayley proceeds to passionately describe some of the homey elements featured in the project, and it’s clear that her eye for design is both instinctive and precise. She raves of the contrast between the “cozy mohair or boucle upholstery and natural elements like wicker accents from William Laman or jute blend flooring.” English inspired unlacquered brass hardware, lighting and plumbing fixtures serve as subtle but noteworthy threads throughout the home that offer approachable, everyday beauty. Each detail in this project feels purposeful and carefully curated. Small touches that may seem incidental to the untrained eye are, in fact, the very things that make all the difference.

For Hayley, no detail is too small or insignificant. “The goal is to continually have one’s eye

move around the room, and what’s unique about our designs is that once someone is immersed in the space, they’ll notice more of these whimsical elements,” she says. Perhaps it’ll be the chocolate leather piping on the throw pillows or the unexpected mixing and mingling of colors and patterns. The homeowner, a successful shoe designer with a keen eye for detail, specifically appreciated playful passementerie in the form of geometric borders and vibrant fringe from Samuel & Sons. 

The most rewarding aspect of her work is seeing how her designs can transform a home into a space that encourages meaningful interactions and memorable moments. “What has been an honor with our projects is being able to help people enjoy their homes and create spaces that people are eager to celebrate life moments in,” she says. “What really gets us excited about our current and future projects is helping facilitate grounded, intimate spaces that are authentic to our clients and slower-paced lifestyles,” she adds. Santa Barbara is no stranger to slow living and community, so it comes as no surprise that although Hayley was born and raised in Pasadena, she and her husband frequented Santa Barbara growing up and today reap the benefits of the flourishing community with their daughter and son. Hayley’s goal remains to “create relaxing environments that feel connected to nature with an aesthetic that nods to the past and pays homage to what came before us.”

Speaking with Hayley immediately sparks inspiration. You can’t help but feel the urge to pull a vintage keepsake from a forgotten cabinet and proudly display it on a shelf—merging old and new—or fluff a throw pillow that’s lost its shape. She has a unique ability to make you excited about design—even in the smallest of ways. If her words ignite an undeniable spark in you, Hayley’s best advice is to lead with passion, no matter the endeavor. “Creativity and the eagerness to learn are essentials if one is looking to start something from the ground up,” she says. 

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