Islands in the mainstream

India Hicks and David Flint Wood were in town last week on a publicity tour for their just-published “Island Life: Inspirational Interiors” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $40), a lushly photographed coffee-table book about their island life on tiny Windermere in the Bahamas. Wood and Hicks -- who happens to be the goddaughter of Prince Charles, granddaughter of Lord Mountbatten, last viceroy of India, and daughter of David Hicks, legendary decorator to the jet-set chic of the ‘60s -- moved to the Caribbean six years ago to raise their three children.

Since then, they’ve “decorated, restored, or built three houses and a hotel on two islands in the West Indies,” they write, all “products of our imaginations, hard work and often heated debate.” Hibiscus Hill, the plantation house that they’ve cleverly mixed with antiques, contemporary furnishings and flea-market finds, has been used by Ralph Lauren in ad campaigns and photographed for Vogue.

The authors write about the slower pace of island life, of decorating with sand dollars and pineapples, and of living to the rhythm of the seasons.

But last week the couple left island time for a hectic publicity schedule in New York, Los Angeles and Miami, starting with a “Larry King Live” taping on Thursday afternoon. During the interview, Hicks fielded far more questions about Charles, Diana and Camilla than about Caribbean history or the beauty and practicality of verandas or the restoration of the Egyptian temple-inspired beach house designed by Hicks’ late father after a hurricane almost destroyed it.

Photos of Hicks in “Island Life” reveal a look of sculpted serenity (one of the most striking images is of her perched in the bare remains of a hurricane-blasted tree), but while talking to King, she appeared to grow ever more politely apprehensive as he continued to travel the royals route: Had she been nervous as a flower girl for Lady Diana? (Of course.) Did Prince Charles stay in touch? (Yes.) Did Diana and her mother-in-law have a bad relationship? (No.) Did she think Charles and Camilla would marry? (No opinion.) As she spoke, images flashed on the television screen of Hicks at age 13 holding Lady Diana’s wedding veil, and, later, as a model for Ralph Lauren.

After the taping, Hicks and Wood were shuttled to Kathryn Ireland’s cozy Santa Monica home for a casual, kick-off-your-shoes dinner party in their honor. The vivacious Ireland, expat British interior decorator known for creating sink-in-comfortable English-style homes, threw the party together at the last minute, having returned from India (the country) the night before.

The 50 or so guests included such design luminaries as decorators Nancy Corzine, Joe Nye and Jackie Terrell, House Beautiful editor in chief Mark Mayfield and artist and interiors color consultant Scott Flax, many of whom had been on the endless party circuit during WestWeek, the two-day design and architecture trade event at L.A.’s Pacific Design Center. They milled around the house and on the patio overlooking the pool, air kissing and sipping on cocktails before a buffet dinner was served in the kitchen.

Just before 9 p.m., Hicks, Wood and a few friends disappeared into the den to watch King’s show on an enormous television. Hicks and Wood occupied a position of honor on the sofa, while Veranda magazine editor-at-large Miguel Flores-Vianna and antiques shop owner Nathan Turner lounged on a haphazard pile of big throw pillows on the floor. Ireland and various guests popped in and out of the room. At each commercial break, King announced that Hicks would be signing books the following night at the eponymous shop Nathan Turner. Turner, King’s sometime furniture supplier, said he made a mental note to order an additional 50 wine glasses for the event.

The next night at Turner’s shop, which could easily stand in for a cozy English cottage, Hicks, dressed in jeans and a fitted white button-down with lacy black lingerie tastefully peeking through, sat with Wood at an 18th century Spanish rectory table signing books. When friends such as photographer Bruce Weber, socialite Cornelia Guest or ex-model Cheryl Tiegs arrived, the couple emerged from behind the table to pose for pictures.

But by 7 p.m., it had become difficult to move about as people kept crowding in. By the time the party ended, all 200 books on hand had been sold, and not one person had asked if Charles would marry Camilla.