Summer 2026 | 21 Henrietta Southam: Ottawa’s Interior Design Superstar Considered by many to be the best interior designer in Canada, Henrietta Southam is a Canadian creative and the visionary behind her namesake design studio. Henrietta Southam Design (HS Design) sees built environments enriched with meaningful and collaborative design, guided by the belief that luxury spaces should be personal, layered, and emotionally resonant. We caught up with Henrietta following HS Design’s recognition as the Best Luxury Residential Interior Design Studio 2026 – Canada. The secret to great design in luxury spaces is making sure that the stories, lifestyles, and rhythms of the people who inhabit them are reflected in every decision made. HS Design achieves this through work grounded in curiosity, exploration, craftsmanship, and the simple drive to create spaces that feel both timeless and lived in. Across her work, Henrietta combines utility with graceful detailing, making sure that timelessness and emotional resonance lead her design, not fleeting trends. The pieces that she sources for a space also strike this balance, being both evocative and enduring. This is true of everything from textiles and furniture through to the art. For HS Design, luxury is all about creating a sense of harmony within daily life, and this means every material, object, and spatial gesture contributing to a larger sense of beauty and ease. Henrietta added: “Luxury is steeped in thoughtful craftsmanship, meaningful materials, and the balance between ornament and restraint. True luxury reflects the individuality of the client while drawing from a broader sense of history, culture, and lived experience.” This idea of reflecting the client’s individuality is at the heart of HS Design, and is something Henrietta believes sets her studio apart. There is a certain humility required when designing spaces that are profoundly personal to others, and this is why Henrietta looks to uncover and refine beneath the surface of a client’s vision for their project, so that a space feels authentic to them but also cohesive in terms of the overall design. Cohesion is key, and Henrietta stresses that not every element of a space must compete for attention. Instead, thoughtful editing sees the most important characteristics live in harmony and resonate. At this stage in her esteemed career, Henrietta is fortunate enough to be able to work with many one-off pieces, allowing her to source and curate spaces unique to her pedigree. Like with everything she does, this requires client-designer trust. Henrietta seems to naturally command this trust, something she attributes to her background in theatre. This background also means that art curation and scenography are two of her greatest strengths, with Henrietta approaching each space as something that is living and needs to be set in the right direction. Outside of her design work, Henrietta has used this same approach to shape the style and image of high-profile politicians and industry leaders, demonstrating her versatility as a designer and visual storyteller. Her clients recognise this across the testimonials they leave, including a particularly notable one from valued client Brittany. Brittany sought Henrietta out after buying her first home, a three-storey Tudor from 1927, which required a complete overhaul. “Henrietta is not afraid to take chances, to be bold when desired but also to speak loudly with subtlety and restraint when needed”, Brittany wrote. “She is a designer for those who want something artful, unique, layered, interesting, and respectful of their vision.” Brittany continued: “I cannot recommend Henrietta Southam Design enough. I am frequently told my home looks like it belongs in Arch. Digest, and as it happens, Henrietta’s designs have earned her accolades globally and in Arch. Digest. We are so lucky to have this talent so close to home in Ottawa. If you are thinking about hiring a designer for your home, you do not need to look any further.” We at LUXLife are proud to echo this sentiment, and as Henrietta looks towards launching the first season her podcast, ‘Wild & Ragged’, as well as working on a memoir, a coffee table anthology, and a new style of custom furniture and design that she calls ‘post-apocalyptic chic’, we are delighted to recognise this Canadian talent here in this feature. Excitingly, this is not the only award Henrietta could receive this year, as she is also up for a plethora of nods at the International Design and Architecture Awards in London, England, this September. It is nice to see Henrietta Southam finally garnering recognition that has been decades in the making, and we are delighted to be a part of it. More on how Henrietta can help can be found at her website below. Contact: Henrietta Southam Company: Henrietta Southam Design Web Address: https://henriettasoutham.com/
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