'Downsized' Restaurants, Friendship Bracelets, and Croissant-Footed Chairs — 6 Design Moments for March From the Editor's Desk
From the advent of the tiny restaurant to finding a sofa with neck support that actually looks good, these are the things in the Zeitgeist Edit this month
As I write this month's Zeitgeist Edit, we're in the midst of London Design Week, the first in a number of events in the UK throughout 2026 that speak to the extraordinary nature of the design scene here. However, let me leave the gems I've discovered this week until next month's issue.
For March, I've got plenty of inspiration already, taken from new collections launched, explorations taken, and interesting ideas I (and my team) have spotted so far in 2026. Each may focus on a specific project — whether that's an individual design, a range, or a space — but speaks to what's happening in the wider zeitgeist.
Here's what I want you to know about for March.
Article continues below↑ Going Up — Classic Good Looks
Lights&Lamps' Pimlico chandelier has an adjustable central drop rod for rooms of all scales.
I've been saying it for months now, but there's an air of the 'traditional' in interior design trends of late. It's about looking to bring the idea of story to the home, choosing pieces that have a classic flourish that bring with them a sense of history, even if you don't have a familial trove of antiques to inherit.
It's serendipitous timing for Livingetc-favorite lighting brand Lights&Lamps, which has just released a new (and its biggest) collection, Avenue & Acres, which takes its design style (already timeless, just a little more contemporary) to this more traditional-leaning. My favorites from the collection? For a mid-range budget, its Cecily chandelier is dreamily romantic; while its Portobello chandelier, though undoubtedly pricey, takes the idea of lighting to the realm of art. And who can put a price on that?
↑ Going Up — The 'Friendship Bracelet' Aesthetic
Image credit: Pols Potten
Image credit: Pols Potten
We're seeing it everywhere at the moment — stacked forms used for everything from floor lamps to side tables, cutlery to door handles. But my favorite expression of the idea is encapsulated in this new collection from Dutch design brand Pols Potten, mixing and matching shapes, colors, and sizes for an eclectic look that reminds me of friendship bracelets.
It, of course, feels a little more elevated than this immature motif, more jewel-like in its execution, but there's still a sense of childlike whimsy that brings some sparkle to your interiors, too.
↑ Going Up — Neck Support
Cozmo's Hug is its first collaboration with Pearson Lloyd.
In January, I spent a morning at the showroom of sofa brand Cozmo, testing out the brand's sofas and getting some hands-on insight into how comfortable they really are. Once I'd taken the test drive of its full range on the ground floor, I was ushered up to the upper level, where I was introduced to a prototype of its new collaboration with design studio Pearson Lloyd, Hug.
It wasn't the finished product then, but the new sofa went on sale mid-February, and there's one part of it I haven't been able to get off my mind. You see, to me, sofas with neck support have always felt 'frumpy' — designs that sacrifice style for functionality in a way that I can't get on board with. However, not only did I not feel that about Hug when I saw it, but I also felt the full effect of sitting on a sofa that supports you in the right places. Don't get me wrong, the rest of Cozmo's sofas were comfortable, but this design sort of felt like I was being cradled, and there was pressure applied in the right places so I felt comfortable, but not slouched.
And now, I'm looking at my own sofa in a whole new light.
↓ Going Down — Ball Feet
Designer and artist EJR Barnes' "Croissant Basculante” chair was on display at the Collect art fair this year.
Ball foot furniture is everywhere this season, which means it's probably at the height of its trend cycle. And from there, the only way is down. What was once a design feature you'd only find at high-end retailers, becoming a bit of a signature for brands such as Soho Home over time, has trickled down to more budget-facing stores. Dunelm, this season, had a viral ball foot chair for £169, which almost instantly sold out, and you'll find similar styles in an ever-growing range of more affordable sources.
So, what's the alternative? Soho Home is doing more of a 'double-stacked' version, as seen in its Pippa Armchair, new for this season, but I can't help imagine a world filled with more adventurous, whimsical ideas.
At this year's Collect art fair, gallerist Max Radford showcased a chair with croissant-shaped feet by artist and designer EJR Barnes. The "Croissant Basculante” Armchair is a beautiful paradox — silly, but sophisticated; fanciful, yet serious.
↓ Going Down — Basic Checks
Image credit: Kirkby Design
Image credit: Kirkby Design
I'm redecorating my bedroom right now, and I can't move away from the arresting quality of a good checkered pattern right now. For me, they work as a 'punctum' of a scheme; even in a small quantity, they create a space for the eye to pause and elevate everything that sits around them.
However, I'm looking to move my design on from basic checkerboards into more interesting versions of the idea. Whether broken checkers, gridded prints, or versions of plaid or tartan, my favorite expressions of this pattern trend right now are more complex and detailed.
This month, Kirkby Design launched its Underground Vol. III collection, its iconic collaboration with Transport for London, reinterpreting and re-coloring 8 archival designs as decorative velvets. My favorite from this raft is Northern, which comes in four colorways — each captures the spirit of the railway seats from which they're inspired, yet feels sophisticated simultaneously.
↓ Going Down — Big Restaurants
Is 'downsizing' the biggest trend in restaurants right now? I'm not talking about the food, although you might read reports of 'Ozempic menus' — the idea that some establishments are catering specifically to customers who are taking GLP-1s and, therefore, have a reduced appetite. No, I'm talking about the size of the coolest restaurants around right now, and what effect that has on their design.
Tiny, 'private' restaurants — different from private dining rooms — are opening that only cater to a few covers at a time. It's a new way to embrace exclusivity that's much less about who sees you eating there and is way more about the experiential quality of small-space dining.
A restaurant like Milan's Langosteria private restaurant only seats 16 people, and revels in the luxurious intimacy it affords the design. Not only is the design rich and atmospheric, but it also affords pockets of privacy, and that feeling of dining intimately at home, but with the experience of quality food and hosting. Expect it to be the next big trend for restaurants in London, too.
If you're looking for more inspiration for your month, keep an eye on ICYMI, our low-down of the biggest launches each month in the design world, from luxury studios to the high street.
