Sifting through the entries for our inaugural House of the Year award proved almost as challenging as selecting the winner itself. All five projects bring together that secret alchemy that makes them a Livingetc house — that is hard to explain but that we know when we see it. It's partly down to their bold creativity, their ability to mix eras and styles and still find a way to blend everything together smoothly. But it's also because each designer has taken a thoughtful approach to how we want to live today.
From quietly layered neutrals to exuberant colour, sympathetic restorations to inventive contemporary updates, each home demonstrates the power of great design to transform not just the way a home looks, but how it feels, too. Look a little closer so as not to miss any of the clever details, smart planning and original ideas. They represent some of the finest residential design we've featured this year — and while only one could take home the title, every project here deserves its place among the very best.
House of the Year: Highgate House by A New Day
For our first-ever House of the Year, London-based studio A New Day’s project in Highgate was a unanimous winner. On judging day, editor Pip Rich was immediately drawn to the colours, global editor in chief Sarah Spiteri noticed how well zoned, and therefore how good for families it was, while inteiors editor Emma Breislin and Livingetc.com editor Hugh Metcalf were both impressed by various details, such as the beaten metal edging of the desk in the entryway and the way the Wasabi granite was painstakingly cut around the power outlets in the kitchen splashback.
In short, not only is this house absolutely bursting with ideas (already making it the perfect Livingetc home), it’s also an incredibly well-considered space that was made specifically so that its family could easily live the lives they had expanded into.
Highly Commended: New York house by Greg Natale
Truly fantastical, this bold, evocatively colourful home in New York is a curated mix of collectable vintage and 20th-century design pieces layered with artful custom finishes.
Standout pieces, such as a pendant light commissioned from Crizu, handmade from paper flower bouquets, are just one of the ways designer Greg Natale has turned this home into a wonderland. ‘The decor is so whimsical but above all that, so, so pretty,’ says Emma Breislin.
Highly Commended: House on the Hill by TXTURED
A masterclass in being both pale and interesting, this striking north London period house was overhauled by design studio TXTURED to have more flow, and feel more harmonious.
Layered neutrals, warm browns, muted ochres and soft blush tones blend together to create a calming backdrop, a monastic world where the soul is soothed and looked after. ‘This home is ever so restful, and seems like it would look after anyone who lived in it,’ says Hugh Metcalf.
Highly Commended: Regent’s Park apartment by Gunter & Co
Showcasing studio founder Irene Gunter’s trademark use of warm colours, clever storage and smart ideas that make each space supremely liveable, this Grade II-listed apartment feels both personal and lived in.
As with all Gunter & Co projects, there is a very clever balance between on-trend ideas and aesthetic choices that will last for years. ‘Every space seems so layered, so interesting, so full of stories,’ says Pip Rich.
Highly Commended: Chelsea apartment by Elicyon
Oh, but this space is so grown up. Moire silk wallpaper in neutral tones, a TV that slides behind an artistic screen, a beautiful and enticing palette of rich golds, aubergine and chocolate to sit alongside the neutral details. Bespoke bedroom wardrobes are finished beautifully, helping to create a very polished and serene ambience.
‘There are so many clever details in this apartment, and I really like how traditional design ideas have been updated for a modern scheme,’ says Sarah Spiteri.