Furniture has always been the big category for us at Livingetc — the easiest way to make a statement and the sort of investment we know you take weeks, months, to consider. A central piece of furniture becomes the focal point that anchors a scheme, setting its mood through sculptural form, beautiful craftsmanship, a clever use of colour or a comfortably welcoming shape.
The winners in this year's Style Awards furniture category are particularly strong — today's standout designs are as comfy and versatile as they are visually arresting.
From beautifully engineered side tables and statement seating to heirloom-quality craftsmanship and dynamic new design talent, these are the pieces that stopped our judges in their tracks. Whether through innovative materials, impeccable detailing or silhouettes that feel instantly iconic, each winner is the sort of piece which can transform the spaces around it.
Best in class: Half-Pipe armchair by Gallotti&Radice
Gallotti&Radice started 70 years ago as a glass specialist and is now a leading name in contemporary furniture too. And the new Half-Pipe chair, bringing together the brand’s expertise in both fields, was a true standout at this year’s Salone del Mobile in Milan.
Made from recycled glass powder, it has a gemstone-like quality, catching the light and sparkling ever so subtly. ‘What a hero of a piece!’ says Livingetc's editor Pip Rich. ‘It is quite mesmerising and a reminder of the wonder that great design can inspire in the people who see it.
British design: Split Turned bench by Galvin Brothers
Galvin Brothers has long been utilising the best of British craftsmanship to create sculptural pieces of furniture, and this design is another huge success. It is a meeting of wood top and ‘buttered’ brass pedestal that gives the bench its signature lightness and lift. The result is a sublime piece that is weighty in form yet visually very elegant and graceful. "Just beautiful — a work of art as much as it is good furniture," says Livingetc's global editor in chief Sarah Spiteri.
Newcomer: Tabitha Isobel x Dom Callaghan
Ferro is the debut homeware collection from interior designer Tabitha Isobel, created in collaboration with maker Dom Callaghan and including a side table, wall light and mirror.
Both the richly grained and characterful London Plane timber and brushed, on-trend stainless steel used in the design caught the eye of all our judges. "This smart collection is small but perfectly formed, and I’m excited to see what she’ll do next," says Pip Rich.
Small furniture: Dual pouffe by Six The Residence
Many designers think of animal print as a neutral: this pouffe could just prove them right. The monochrome version of a tiger coat is just the perfect graphic pattern — not too shouty but interesting enough to enliven even the dullest corner.
"As someone who tends to shy away from print, I’m impressed to find one I feel I could easily fold into my home," says Livingetc.com editor Hugh Metcalf.
Table: Lozenge side table by De Rosee Sa
Lacquer (clearly the finish of the moment) shines in the form of De Rosee Sa’s new Lozenge side table. Its cantilevered tabletop means it can slide neatly over the arm of a sofa or chair, whizzed around to be useful wherever and whenever you need it.
"I like that it can be a laptop rest for working one minute and a coffee table for relaxing next to another, as versatile as we need our homes to be," says Sarah Spiteri.
Collection: Rizzo by Trove by Studio Duggan
Inspired by Trove by Studio Duggan’s founder Tiffany Duggan’s love of the iconic designer Willy Rizzo, her Rizzo collection of tables captures his ‘let’s have a cocktail’ chicness perfectly.
Lacquer finishes gleam, hexagonal corners jut rather sexily, and there is a sense of pure 1970s glamour. "The exact table I want to gather my favourite people around for the most fun night in ages," says Livingetc's interiors editor Emma Breislin.
Craft: Avington chair by Bill Amberg Studio x Joss Stoddart
Bringing together two master craftsmen, the Avington chair marks a new collaboration between Bill Amberg Studio and rising British designer Joss Stoddart, and is made in the UK using English oak and oak bark–tanned British leather.
"The best of craft comes from collaboration, and seeing a powerhouse work with a newcomer shows how supportive our industry can be," says Emma Breislin.
Sofa: Curve by Aurelo
A newcomer on the design scene, the judges felt that furniture brand Aurelo deserved praise for the sensual yet welcomingly chubby roundedness of the Curve sofa.
Defined by flowing lines and soft geometry, it’s modular and able to go as large as you would like — what we have here is a family sofa that doubles as cocktail seating too. "This is the perfect shape to lie back into and onto," says Hugh Metcalf.