Screen idols and rock stars home in on designs for living

The rock star turned interior designer Lenny Kravitz, who has designed chairs for Philippe Starck and creates rock-star interiors for private homes with his creative team, wants to expand his company Kravitz Design, into a Ralph Lauren-size empire, according to the New York Post.

"The plan is to make it a lifestyle brand... that's my dream for this company. In the same way you would see Ralph Lauren or Giorgio Armani," he said. Kravitz Design Inc, which he founded in 2003, focuses on commercial, residential and product design, but now Kravitz wants it to include furniture and bedding, even clothing.

He is not alone in the quest for a career in interior design by pop stars and actors. Justin Timberlake has just added interior design to his CV, claiming it is "almost like being in the studio, or on a movie". He started his online interior design company HomeMint.com a few months ago, co-designing with his celebrity stylist/interior designer friend Estee Stanley (bottom right with Timberlake), explaining in Elle Decor, that "the devil's in the details". Once you have taken your free Home StyleProfile on his website, you get "immediate access" to Timberlake and Stanley's "exclusive designs and curated collections" that match your style. "It's like having your very own interior designer," he claims.

Beyoncé has included bedroom furnishings in her merchandise empire House of Dereon, that she runs with her mother, Tina. It includes Diva Window Panels and Valance for $59.99.

But would UK homeowners want a pop star as their interior design guru? "I think my clients would prefer Kelly Hoppen to somebody who they just saw in the film Bad Teacher," says west London based builder/property developer, Alexander Baxter.

British stars tackling homes and interiors include the actor Rupert Friend who trained as a labourer and is doing up his own east London property single-handedly. Actress Sadie Frost has designed modern kitchens for a new development in London. The Turner Prize-winning Martin Creed has tiled the loos of the London Library and designed the restaurant at London's Sketch, in Work No. 1347. The Eighties pop star, Belinda Carlisle, has recently created a homewear range, for the US retailer Bergdorf Goodman.