Designer Maxine Harrison Sloss Juxtaposes Grand Scottish Architecture with a Deeply Personal Collection
Her stately Georgian townhouse in Edinburgh possesses a graceful splendor and cozy allure that touches on both the past and present
The classical proportions and high ceilings of a stately Georgian townhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland, offered the perfect framework for designer Maxine Harrison Sloss, whose decorative philosophy marries rigorous architectural appreciation with an abiding passion for color, art, and literature. “The Georgians were incredibly clever,” she says. “I adore the bone structure of the houses here.”
Sloss cultivated reverence early for design details such as the impeccable cornice crowning the drawing room, refining her aesthetic under famed New York architect and interior designer David Easton in the mid-’90s. “Working for David was perfect—we both loved the same things,” she says, reflecting on her time in his studio. “David’s brilliance was in teaching clients about art and beauty, which remains my favorite part of the job as well.”
After four formative years with Easton, Sloss established herself in London with
expatriates who craved traditional decor with American indulgences. Eventually, she and her family moved to Edinburgh, where they found a Georgian townhouse that evokes her literary touchstones. “I’ve always loved Mary Poppins, and this felt like the Banks house with many stairs as well as a view of the town from the top floor.”
Sloss set about restoring the restoring the residence’s Georgian features— exquisite cornicing, working shutters, and dadoes—while integrating contemporary elements and a more saturated palette. “I’m not afraid of color,” says the designer, whose studio boasts orange accents, “as it deflects negative energy.” Bright yellow in the main bedroom lifts spirits through Edinburgh’s dark winters, while a pale blue sitting room reflects the nearby sea. The entrance hall features a hand-painted mural by Mr & Mrs Bell Art and Design depicting an enchanted land from an old Hans Christian Andersen book.
Throughout the residence, art drives many of the interiors. An aerial photograph of salt plains by Canadian Edward Burtynsky hangs in the dining room. “It’s an immediate conversation starter,” says Sloss of the image. Her daughter Bea Sloss is an established makeup artist in London known for her dramatic conceptual magazine editorials, and her paintings are displayed throughout the home.
“Art has the ability to comfort and to heal,” states Sloss, whose commitment to that ethos permeates both her decorative practice and charitable endeavors. Much of her free time is spent promoting U.K. artists—including Tennant & Tennant, Kevin Harman, and Poppy Ellis—and campaigning for more creativity in local schools.
Other facets of the house’s history occasionally reveal themselves. “A lady came to the door and said she had lived here so I welcomed her to look around,” Sloss recounts. “She walked into our sitting room and said, ‘My father set up the National Trust for Scotland from this room.’” As it turns out, this is the very same space where Sloss founded The Super Power Agency—which enables writers, artists, and volunteers to work with Scotland’s youth to improve literacy rates—leaving no question that the residence is more than a showcase of taste; it’s a testament to her belief that our surroundings shape our consciousness and ultimately our capacity for creating beauty in the world.
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2025 Summer Issue under the headline “Personal Touch.” Subscribe to the magazine.