After leaving New Zealand in the 1970s, interior designer Veere Grenney landed in the upper echelons of British society. But it didn’t happen straight away. It took the young Kiwi years working as a waiter before he found his footing as design assistant to Mary Fox Linton. At the time, Linton also happened to work with David Hicks thus reaffirming our hunch that all roads lead back to the design legend.

Grenney spent the next seven years learning the ins-and-outs of the business until, in 1991, he accepted a position as the director at Colefax and Fowler. He stayed with the Britain-based company — known for its incredible fabrics, trimmings and wallpapers — until 2000, when he launched Veere Grenney Associates.

Today, Grenney leads a team of designers and architects in London with projects around the world. His aesthetic is popular for its contradictions: Classic yet modern, humble yet glamorous. Interiors that transport you, but still feel like home.