At Home on the Peninsula: Beverley East

“Nothing is on my wall that doesn’t have a meaning,” she explains. Given that her line of work is all about finding meaning, that’s far from surprising. Every letter, slant, stroke and loop in anyone’s handwriting has deep implications. Watch out if you’re ever write anything in Beverley's presence.

A framed CD on her bedroom wall, for example, reminds her of her mother. “I find it hard to look at images of late loved ones, so I’ve taken a CD that my mum loved and put it on the wall. This way she is here with me.” Two 1960s paintings by her mother stand by the entrance. Depicting dashing white dresses on black mannequins, they symbolise her mother’s creative side and trendsetting zeal, traits that Beverley has inherited. As the very first black woman to be qualified in both graphology (handwriting analysis) and forensic document examination, Beverley earned the prestigious Flori Roberts – Ladies First Trailblazer Award in 2002. Next year, she will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of her company, Suspect Signatures, with the launch of a reference book on cases she has won internationally.

It is clear that Beverley creates much of the energy that fuels her achievements from her home. “I think homes should be lived in. Some people have their homes, but don’t really live in them. They sleep in it, but live in offices. Your home should be your sanctuary. The energy you surround yourself with in your home is so important.” And a sanctuary she has created. An emerald-green velvet sofa, carefully chosen for its silky sensation, commands the living room. It is the perfect spot to sit on, relax and linger over the breathtaking river views that envelop the apartment. A golden bookshelf stands behind it, highlighting the importance of the written word in Beverley’s life. Words have been at the forefront of her journey through her passion for graphology, love of reading and prominent writing career. Books adorn her shelves like art pieces.

Even colour choices have been meticulously thought-out. “You need to look at your colours, the colours that resonate with you, when decorating your home.” Gold is undeniably one of Beverley’s signature colours. From the imposing bookshelf to the table base, through the salt and pepper set and glassware – gold has claimed its presence in Beverley’s home. And chartreuse. “That’s really my colour,” she states happily. It paints the armchair, the pillows, the balcony chairs. Unsurprisingly, Beverley’s specialisation takes her to many different parts of the world. Whether it is to give her expert testimony in fraud cases, authenticate historical documents, offer seminars on handwriting analysis, do research for her books or just travel for the sake of it, Beverley is a globe-trotter. “There is a piece of everywhere in my home.” A Japanese fruit bowl, a Jamaican mask, a zebra sculpture from Rwanda, a Middle Eastern jewellery box and an ornamental plate from Bahrain are just some of the treasures she has brought home to adorn her life.

But it is here, on Greenwich Peninsula, that Beverley’s heart lies. “When I was shown this place, I was already sold because I had visited a place just like this in the USA. And I thought to myself: oh this is beautiful. I told the selling agent: you’ve got to find me something sexy. And indeed he did! I love the views, the height, the building, the community. The peninsula is developing, and lots of exciting things are coming. The Design District, for example. The agent sold me the community, not only the flat. I love it here.”

Within her much-cherished peninsula, Beverley has created a beautiful home filled with memories, achievements and ambitions. Amid her sanctuary, a lithograph hanging by the kitchen deserves special focus. It is an artwork that she has carried for more than three decades, reminiscent of her past as an art curator. Ninety-nine; A Hundred, by Ernie Barnes, depicts a woman jumping rope next to her friend, determined to carry on no matter what. It’s a symbol of ambition, self-motivation and willpower for Beverley, and one that truly emblematises her life.

In fact, sitting on her fluffy meditation stool, as she calls it, she looks out her bedroom window on to the riverside panorama and brews her next projects: a poetry book on love; a reference book on forensic document examination; a children’s book on strength; a TV show on handwriting investigation; a sequel to her book Reaper of Souls: A Novel of the Kendal Crash and an anthology entitled Mercy on identity and fraud, due to be published next year. Oh, and perhaps one day, a Jamaican restaurant, too. She simply never stops.

Top Tips for starting with a blank canvas?

Fill it with love; things that you love, not things that are trendy or that other people think you should have. Everything should have a sensitivity, a connection – be it a spiritual, creative or other kind of connection. Also, don’t overdo it. Less is more. Be picky!

What do your friends think of the apartment?

Actually, what they love the most are the amenities in the building! The cinema, the library, the common living area, the terrace, the gym. Everything is in the building, on your doorstep.

Most exciting moment since moving in?

New Year’s Eve. My niece and I spent it on the 23rd-floor terrace watching the fireworks. It was amazing.

What do you love about your neighbourhood?

The vibrancy of it. I like what’s coming. Because I am a creative, I am very interested in seeing the development of the Design District, among other projects. I like the touristy and the residential combined. I like The O2 and the buzz that happens around it, the activities, the life there, with the cable car next to it. When I visited here to buy, I got two tickets to go on the cable car. Loved it. The proximity to the river is great, it’s right there, and taking the clipper is amazing! I saw London how I was going to live it.

Could you give us tips from your book Finding Mr. Write: A new slant on selecting the perfect mate on how to read your partner better?

Look at how your partner writes vowels and you’ll understand what type of communicator he or she really is. A closed “a” or “o”, for example, represents someone who is reticent, while an open “a” or “o” is an open communicator. Letters that go downward, like “g” and “y”, show energy levels. The longer they are, the more energy your partner has. I always say, the longer the gs and the ys, the longer the nights! Of course, no trait stands alone. The slant, size, loops and pressure used by a person when writing can all make a tremendous difference to the final result.