In a living space where the kitchen, dining area and lounge may share one generous footprint, rugs can create a sense of order without putting up a wall. Used thoughtfully, the right rug can help furniture feel grounded and give each zone its own identity — used without a plan, they can compete for attention. Here’s how to make more than one rug work, whether you’re layering them together or using them to define separate areas.

Can You Use Two Rugs to Zone an Open-Plan Room?

Absolutely — in an open-plan layout, two rugs can give the living and dining areas their own visual boundaries while preserving the sense of space between them. “Rugs are a great way to zone a space within your home, working particularly well in open-plan layouts such as a living room,” says Ann Marie Cousins, founder of AMC Design.

I’d start by thinking about what each area needs to do. A larger rug beneath the sofa and chairs can anchor the seating group, while another beneath the dining table helps that area read as a destination in its own right. They don’t need to match, but they should feel like they belong in the same conversation — perhaps they share a color, have a similar level of contrast, or balance one patterned design with a quieter, more textured one.

This kind of soft division can be especially helpful if your open-plan room feels a little undefined. It gives everyday activities their own place without closing off the view or interrupting the flow. If you’re still working out how much openness suits your household, our piece on regretting an open-plan layout⁠ explores why a more flexible sense of separation can make a home work better.

Should the Rugs Sit Side by Side or Be Layered?

It depends on the room and the effect you want. For separate zones, two rugs can sit side by side, each aligning with the furniture it’s meant to anchor. But in one seating area, layering is often the more natural choice — a generous, understated base rug gives the arrangement a foundation, while a smaller accent rug brings in a little more personality.

Designer Marie Flanigan of Marie Flanigan Interiors recommends keeping the two living room rugs complementary, and favors layering when the aim is to create a more cohesive look. The larger rug should be plain or subtle enough to anchor the whole seating area, whether that’s a neutral flatweave or a natural-fiber style such as jute. Then let the smaller rug on top be the more playful choice — a bolder pattern, a vintage design, or a stronger accent color can bring character and become the focal point. As Marie Flanigan puts it, “The next layer is the accent layer, and should be a slightly smaller rug, where you can add personality and introduce more colors.” This is also a useful solution when the rug you love doesn’t come in a size large enough for the whole seating area (or is extremely costly).

Side-by-side rugs work in a larger living room with enough space for two distinct seating areas. Each rug should be large enough to anchor its own furniture grouping, helping the zones feel purposeful rather than disconnected. Marie Flanigan adds, “I would avoid putting two rugs side by side, as it can make the room feel a bit disconnected.” In a smaller room, that risk is greater — two rugs may leave a narrow, awkward strip between them and make the space feel accidentally divided, so one well-sized rug or a layered arrangement may work better.

If a single very large rug would suit the room but is difficult to find, two rugs can be placed together, with the join hidden beneath a coffee table or dining table. Ann Marie Cousins explains, “Two rugs side by side is a good design technique if your room is on the larger side and you can’t find a rug big enough; however, ensure it looks seamless by hiding the join if you can. Positioning the join under a coffee table or dining table, for example, is a good way to do this.”

How Do You Make Two Rugs Feel Like They Belong Together?

They don’t have to be identical, and in fact a little difference often makes the room feel more layered. What matters is finding a point of connection. You might repeat a color from one rug in the other, pair a restrained pattern with a bolder one, or use texture to link two designs that have different motifs.

Scale matters, too. If both rugs are busy and equally eye-catching, the floor can start to feel restless — if one is calmer, the other has room to stand out. I’d also consider the room around them, including the flooring, upholstery and artwork, so the rugs feel like part of the wider scheme rather than two separate decisions.

And don’t forget how the room feels underfoot. A flatweave can work well beneath a dining table, while a softer pile might make the seating area feel more inviting. If you’re narrowing down materials and styles, our guide to where to buy rugs⁠ is a helpful place to start.

So yes, you can have more than one rug in a room. In an open-plan space, they can bring a welcome sense of structure — layered together, they can add depth, softness and a more personal touch. The trick is to decide what each one is doing, then let color, texture or pattern tie the arrangement together.

For more personalised advice on making your home feel right for the way you live, explore our design services at Design Lab by Livingetc and subscribe to the Livingetc newsletter for more ideas, inspiration and expert guidance.

But poor ventilation can have big consequences for your space. We all know bathrooms create significant amounts of moisture on a daily basis. And without the right type of extractor fan, your beautiful bathroom might be plagued with condensation, mold, mildew, peeling paint and damaged finishes down the line – even if you have a window.

"Extraction is one of those things nobody gets excited about," says Arezoo Pouya, design and sales consultant at West One Bathrooms, "but it’s the decision you’re most likely to regret if you get it wrong. Condensation leads to mold and damp, and fixing that once the bathroom is finished costs far more than planning it properly from the start." That’s why bathroom extraction should never be an afterthought, say the experts.

"We use a lot of natural stone, timber cabinetry and specialist wall finishes in our bathrooms," says Manuela Hamilford, creative director of Hamilford Design. "These can be expensive investments and poor ventilation can cause real damage over time. There’s little point spending money on beautiful materials if moisture is going to ruin them."

The key is all in the planning, and crucially, bathroom fans should be part of the design process from the get-go. From choosing the right power, where to locate your fan, and how to seamlessly install your extractor so it doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb.

"As a plumber, I know what steam does when it has nowhere to go: mirrors that stay fogged for twenty minutes after every shower, cabinetry that starts to swell at the edges, black mold creeping along the silicone," adds Todd Glister, founder of Glister Services, a London-based plumbing, heating and gas engineering firm. "Good extraction is what protects everything you’ve chosen, so it deserves the same amount of thought."

So where to start? I’ve gone straight to the pros for their foolproof guide to planning extraction so your bathroom looks and performs beautifully, and excess moisture is a thing of the past.

Do I Need an Extractor Fan if My Bathroom Has a Window?

For windowless bathrooms, an extractor fan is essential. But even if your bathroom has an opening window, this rarely clears steam quickly enough, particularly during hot showers and in winter when keeping a window open is less appealing.

"An opening window can be an acceptable alternative for a separate WC but not for a bathroom containing a bath or shower," says Anthony Calvert-Harrison, architectural design lead at Levan House Design. "We’d always recommend effective mechanical extraction to help manage moisture, prevent condensation and reduce the risk of mold."

If you’re refurbishing an existing bathroom, make sure any extractor fan is retained and updated where necessary.

"For new builds or complete renovations, building regulations require a fan to be installed regardless of whether there is a window," adds Jo Sangster, senior sales design consultant at Ripples London. To be sure of the exact requirements, it’s always advisable to check the building regulations in your area for any work you're planning to undertake.

1. Plan Extraction Early

There’s nothing worse than spending a fortune on a beautiful bathroom, only to have an ugly plastic extractor grille stuck in the ceiling. That’s why the experts always plan extraction in the layout stages.

"We consider ventilation alongside lighting, joinery and architectural details from the start, so it can be discreetly incorporated into the design," says Manuela of Hamilford Design. So plan your fan at the design stage and fit at first fix, before the ceiling is closed and the tiling starts. That’s when the duct and the cable are easiest to route.

Retrofitting a fan is possible, but the disruption depends on the access. "A bathroom beside an outside wall may be relatively straightforward, whereas an internal bathroom could require opening a ceiling or introducing discreet boxing," says Kunal Trehan, interior designer and founder of Touched Interiors. "Planning early gives you far more control over how neatly everything integrates."

2. Choose the Right Extractor Fan

Your plumber or electrician will be aware of the different styles of extractor fans on the market, but it’s good to know the main types. Basic axial fans are fitted in a wall, window or ceiling and work well with a short, straightforward route; a centrifugal fan copes better with longer or more complicated duct routes.

Remote inline fans tend to be stronger with a vent in the bathroom and the central fan located in the loft space.

"In most bathrooms, there will be an individual fan that is vented outside, either through a wall or via ductwork," says Jo at Ripples London. "One thing I always advise is that the extracted air is actually being vented outdoors, rather than simply into a ceiling void or loft space. We’ve come across this far too many times when removing existing bathrooms."

The ducting is as important as the fan, say the experts. If your bathroom isn’t located against an outside wall, the air must travel through ductwork to a suitable vent in, say, the roof or soffit.

"The shorter and straighter the pipe to the outside, the better it works," adds Todd at Glister Services, who has specified Roca in his own bathroom. "If it runs through a cold loft, it needs to be insulated, or the steam turns back into water inside the pipe and drips back down."

3. Position the Fan Effectively

The position of your extractor fan matters and affects both design and functionality, say the experts. "I prefer to position extraction close to the shower, where the moisture is generated," explains Anthony at Levan House Design, "and specify a flush, paintable grille that blends into the ceiling. The best extractor is the one you notice only when it's working."

You’ll need to check the IP rating and electrical requirements too; if the extractor is located close to the shower head, it may require a low-voltage installation.

"Ideally, the fan should sit on the opposite side of the room from the door, so the air is pulled across the whole space rather than straight back out," adds Todd at Glister Services. "And make sure the door has a small gap at the bottom; otherwise, the fan has nothing to draw air in from."

4. Check Extraction Rates, and Go for More Power Than You Think

Your installer or bathroom expert should work out the extraction power depending on room size, shower use, duct length, and number of bends. In England, a typical intermittent bathroom extractor must extract at least 15 litres per second, equivalent to 54 cubic meters per hour.

"I leave the exact figures to the electrician or ventilation specialist, taking account of the room and the duct route," adds Anthony at Levan House Design. "But my advice is always to specify a little more extraction than minimum, and make sure air can get into the room to replace what the fan removes."

5. Consider How You Want the Fan to Operate

"More often than not, clients opt to have the fan turn on with the main downlights, with a separate switch for mood lighting," says Jo at Ripples London. "If you do this, remember that an extractor fan cannot be fitted with a dimmer, so it’s worth thinking about lighting and ventilation controls together at the planning stage."

Choose a fan with an overrun timer, so it continues to run for a set time after being switched off. Humidity sensors are a good idea and will automatically switch on the fan when moisture levels rise and off again once they drop.

"They’re particularly useful in busy family bathrooms because they remove the need to remember to switch the fan on after every shower," says Waleed Shahid of Royal Bathrooms.

6. Plan for Quiet Extraction

No one wants a noisy fan humming away in the background, and if it’s loud, you’re more likely to switch it off, and then it’s doing nothing at all.

"The lower the decibel rating, the quieter the fan, so look for something around 25dB or below, which you’ll barely notice once the shower is running," says Arezoo at West One Bathrooms.

For an en suite, pay particular attention to sound travelling into the bedroom.

"Installation matters too: vibration and poorly designed ductwork can undermine an otherwise quiet fan," adds Kunal at Touched Interiors.

The key to good bathroom extraction is all in the planning and should be factored in at the design stages at the very start of your new project. This is a job for the experts, so get advice from your bathroom expert, interior designer, or plumber who can work out the right fan to keep excess moisture at bay.

For more practical design and renovation advice, sign up to the Livingetc newsletter.

Without tooting my own horn, I can pretty confidently say that I know my way around hosting a dinner party, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. See, I know I have the food down, and the conversation is certainly never lacking either, but lately I've been wanting to bring a little more refinement to my gatherings. I want my dinner parties to look like the ones you'd save on Pinterest, with those little elevated touches of elegance that make the night feel truly special for your guests. What I want is to be the boujie host of my friendship group.

So, who better to guide me than the internet's favorite host and founder of Second Helping, Matilda Bea. Even if you haven't heard her name, you'd certainly recognise her home, and more specifically, her dining table. Matilda's hosting setups regularly amass several million views on TikTok, and for good reason. Her dinner parties always appear thoughtful and considered, without ever seeming as though she's taking herself too seriously. There's a level of playfulness and whimsy to all her tablescapes, while still remaining thoroughly and undeniably boujie. And there are a few essentials that Matilda recommends for anyone who wants to level up their hosting game.

Starting with servewear. Matilda swears by a striking serving platter, specifically referencing this Balu Tallulah Serving platter, which she says is "perfect for dinner parties and serving up sharing dishes, from roasted meats to spatchcock chicken." You'll want to think about how the dishes you serve on will become part of the tablescape, and as she says, "The pedestal adds a lovely bit of height to the table, bringing another dimension to the tablescape."

She also loves her Tatiana Alida Catch Me if You Can! Platter, which she regularly places front and centre on the table. "It's so generously sized that you can pile it high with all sorts of delicious things, keeping everything within easy reach of everyone around the table," she tells me.

A good floral arrangement is a quintessential feature of Matilda's events, and though she regularly switches it up, she often finds herself turning to her trusty collection of bud vases from The White Company. "I always have a collection of these on the go," she says. "They are perfect for scattering little arrangements of flowers along the table, adding a lovely touch without taking up too much space or getting in the way of conversation."

An excellent host is always prepared, which is exactly why Matilda is never without a can of Perello Olives [available at Selfridges] in the fridge, which she says are "the perfect thing to bring out with drinks when friends pop round!"

So, with that in mind, we've curated a thorough guide of thoroughly unnecessary essentials for becoming the boujiest host around.

For more ideas to elevate your hosting game, these interior designers' hosting tips will leave you with plenty of inspiration for your next dinner party.

And for all the latest shopping advice and design ideas, subscribe to our newsletter.

Like many of our favorite modern homes, this space comfortably sandwiches handpicked design genres of the past and present, and the result is something of a dopamine decor dreamhouse.

It's not stoic or minimalist in any sense, and that's precisely what strengthens its individuality. And if it's the quirky green kitchen that roped you in, you'll enjoy sneaking a peek at the rest of these living quarters.

Although I typically reserve space on my moodboard for minimalist bedrooms designed for sleep, this fantastical candy-striped canopy, coupled with its surrounding pockets of blue, makes me feel like I'll be whisked off into a dream state before I can count the third sheep.

"We wanted to celebrate the art of mixing," says Maria Onuchina, co-founder of OM Studio. "Be it colors, textures, eras, hues, and everything in between, to create a home that feels as individual as its owner."

Where else would you find an antique china cabinet, Murano glass chandeliers, color capping, cream bouclé, and fuzzy pink textiles mingling with one another?

"The inspiration behind this interior is a blend of nostalgia for 1980s Memphis Italian postmodernism and a flurry of contemporary trends, as evidenced by the blend of pink and green, the bouclé, and posters," says Ivan Minyaev.

"It was also significantly influenced by the dopamine decor trend, where our curated use of bright colors and the interior itself has been designed to bring a smile to your face."

And how could you not grin looking at the butterscotch ceiling and feeling the soft tufts of a bubblegum carpet underneath your feet? Its playfulism instantly lets your guard down and makes you feel at home and possibly in a storybook, all at once.

However, as easily as it might seem to have come together, they explain that there was a definite challenge in combining all the colors and textures so that the interior looked cohesive.

"We spent a long time testing wall paint samples and selecting hardware, furniture, and textiles to match," Minya adds. In the end, each painstaking decision came together in one rewardingly eclectic flat that will make you want to live the rest of your weekends away, waking up to a home without an ounce of boring around.

Get the Look

Another confident, space-conscious project we can't stop thinking about is this narrow Camden townhouse by Russian For Fish. It's yet another lesson in the power of bold palettes, and our newsletter holds many more virtual tours to snoop through.

This home was a large Georgian detached farmhouse with four huge lawns and a barn converted into a self-contained apartment; upkeep of this large expanse of rooms and grounds was costly, particularly when we were only using half of it.

It was time to move on, so we sold to a couple with six children. They could fill the space and give the house the busy life it so deserved. We, meanwhile, downsized, moving to a Victorian terraced house in the center of York with a courtyard garden and significantly less space.

Moving home after such a long period of time felt odd. Our new home was much smaller, so I urgently needed to reassess the huge amount of 'things' that I’d collected over the years. My love of a charity shop find and car boot sales meant that my kitchen was filled with vintage bits and pieces — copper pots, cast iron casserole dishes, tiny seventies sherry glasses sourced on my trawls, endless tableware and servers. This, of course, was all well and good when I had access to spacious storage, but it wasn’t going to cut it in the new, smaller space. I edited hard and chose pieces with memories, favourite buys, and things that I knew I wouldn’t be able to leave behind.

But, of course, the one thing that I had no control over taking was the kitchen itself. I hadn’t installed it myself, as it was new when we originally moved in, but over the years, I had changed the look of it time and time again, swapping the work surface, tiling the chimney breast, adding shelves, updating the flooring and replacing the cupboard doors.

As a serial house updater, I had painted the cabinet doors multiple times, depending on what color I was keen on that year — from lilac (color-matched to my nail polish of choice at the time) through to pale green, navy and eventually, sandy yellow.

A local antique shop had sourced and renovated an old French shop counter which had been adapted into a long workbench for prepping and eating. It sat in the middle of the room and was my pride and joy, adding contrast and history to what was otherwise a fairly contemporary space. It was entirely impossible to move home with this workbench (which measured over two meters long) due to its huge size and I knew that it would need to be left behind.

This kitchen had been the focus of all social events, family gatherings, and the place that all five of us had gravitated to during lockdown. It was double aspect and fully square, a large room that was the first that you came to as you walked through the rear door, and it was absolutely the heart of our home. I had made it my own, adding art, lamps, and favorite ceramics that I’d picked up on holidays.

I have always been of the opinion that kitchens shouldn’t be purely utilitarian spaces; there is always plenty of room to add character and personality, even in a smaller space. It had been the scene of many fun times; my children had grown up there, and there was a chalkboard-height ruler on the wall. I knew that I’d miss it.

A year later, the new owners asked me if I’d like to go back to the house for a dinner party, and I jumped at the chance, not least because I was interested to see how it felt visiting as a guest.

I’d been on the oven side of the French workbench kitchen island before; now I was sitting on a bar stool on the non ‘working’ side with a cold glass of wine, while someone else cooked for me.

Did it feel odd? Well, aside from the fact that it was wonderful to be cooked for (especially as the new owner is a chef), no, not really. The kitchen looked very much the same, as unlike me, they did not have an obsession with door color updates, but they’d added lots of their own touches, including art and accessories. Now, it felt like theirs.

My main thought was how lovely it was to see the kitchen that I’d spent so much time creating used for the very same purpose that I had loved using it for. Lots of chatting, music, laughing, memorable gatherings with friends and family.

We moved into our new home with the intention of renovating. The house had previously been owned by a chef who used to run supper clubs, so it came complete with three ovens and an immense amount of storage that filled the much smaller space.

During the renovation, my marriage broke down so I continued alone, ripping out what was there and knocking down walls to create a space that was going to work much better for me and my son.

I had never before installed a kitchen from scratch, but I knew exactly how I wanted it to be and enjoyed every moment of this (at times rather stressful) build. I had learned lessons from my previous kitchen, the main one being that I never switched the spotlights on, so I was keen to take these out.

The spotlights were removed, replaced instead with ceramic wall lights and counter table lamps that made the kitchen lighting feel much more ambient and cozy. I knew that I wanted that similar contrast of vintage and contemporary I had achieved in my previous home, so I found an old, French-painted dresser base that the antique shop had adapted to become a free-standing island.

I went without over-counter units or shelving, instead tiling the wall to the very top for impact. I matched the walnut cupboard fronts to a barrister's cupboard that had held recipe books in my old home, using it instead for crockery and glass. After 10 years in our previous home, I knew exactly how I wanted the space to feel, and I wasn’t prepared to compromise. I created a plate wall above the island using pieces that I had collected on a visit to Marrakesh, and instead of an excess of work surfaces, I built floor-to-ceiling open storage to maximize the space I had, displaying my favorite finds — well, the ones that had made the cut when I downsized my possessions.

I thought it would be hard to move on from my previous kitchen. I had created a room that had worked for me; it had been the focus of many a long chat and fun evening, but it also made me realize exactly what I wanted to achieve in my new home.

And my new kitchen? Once again, it is the heart of our family home, and I look forward to many years of friends and family gatherings, seated around my French workbench island with a cold glass of wine in a kitchen that, for me, is perfect. The same, just different.

For more from Livingetc, sign up to the newsletter.

The home has never been simply private. Interiors have always communicated status, identity, and aspiration; we have long used objects and space to construct an image of who we are. What has changed is that this image now has a potentially permanent audience. Social media has turned domestic space into something simultaneously inhabited and represented. The home is a backdrop, a portfolio, a set, but increasingly also a gallery, where sculptural furniture, art, and collectible objects are composed almost as carefully as they might be in an exhibition. The home as stage and the home as gallery are not separate phenomena. They are two consequences of the same cultural shift: domestic life has acquired a public life.

Architect and academic Javier Fernández Contreras, author of The Interiors of Social Media: Architecture, Space, and Technology in the 21st Century, argues that platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, and Pinterest do more than circulate images of interiors. By producing what he calls "aspirational futures", they can alter the criteria through which we judge our own spaces, increasingly turning the home into a "container for visual representation". The question, then, is no longer simply whether social media has changed how homes look. It is whether it has changed what we expect a home to do.

The pandemic accelerated something social media had already begun. Suddenly, millions of people were broadcasting from their homes every day. The bookshelf became a professional credential. The kitchen island became a television studio. The wall behind a desk acquired a new architectural function: it was a backdrop. For professional creators, the relationship is even more explicit. A home can now be residence, portfolio, and studio simultaneously. Renovation itself can become serialized entertainment: demolition is an episode, sourcing is content, the finished room is the reveal.

And yet the people living inside these spaces do not necessarily experience them as sets. Dima and Guy of creative duo The Berlin Chapters, whose interior-focused content has brought their home to a large online audience, describe a striking disconnect between digital exposure and everyday life. "It's almost impossible to fully grasp that millions of people might eventually experience the space through a screen," they say. They do not design or inhabit their home with that audience consciously in mind. For them, the practical demands of content have more to do with light and weather than furniture. "When we're not creating content, we never feel like we're walking around a set. It's our home first."

Social media may turn the home into media without necessarily turning its inhabitants into performers at every moment. But you do not need to be a creator to have internalised its gaze. Pinterest boards and the endless scroll of other people’s homes have given us unprecedented visual literacy, and an equally unprecedented awareness of how our own spaces compare. Fernández Contreras sees this as more consequential than simply having more inspiration available. “Just as social media has contributed to consolidating certain bodily ideals, it can also promote normative models of domesticity that need to be questioned,” he says.

At the same time that the home has become a film set, it has begun to resemble another public typology: the gallery. The vocabulary is familiar. Large artworks sit alone against uninterrupted walls. A collectible chair is granted enough empty space to be read almost as sculpture. Lighting becomes theatrical. Everyday objects disappear into concealed storage while fewer pieces are given greater visual emphasis.

Even the way objects occupy a room has changed. A chair isolated against a bare wall is perceived differently from the same chair around a dining table. A lamp on a plinth moves closer to sculpture. The coffee table becomes a composition; the bookshelf an installation. This does not necessarily make contemporary homes less domestic. The increasingly porous boundaries between art, craft and furniture have produced some of the richest interiors of recent years.

Few cultural platforms occupy this territory as explicitly as Objects With Narratives, the contemporary collectible design gallery founded by Nik and Robbe Vandewyngaerde and Oskar Eryatmaz, based in Geneva, Brussels, and Bruges, which has just opened a new outpost in Antwerp. Rather than approaching functional pieces simply as products, the gallery treats objects as carriers of ideas, stories and identity, often presenting them in settings that blur exhibition and interior.

It is a revealing reversal: while homes borrow the visual language of galleries, galleries increasingly want to resemble homes, a phenomenon that is on the rise in the British capital, too, as attested by numerous of its newest design hotspots. "The boundaries have become much more fluid," explain the Objects With Narratives co-founders. "Galleries want to show objects in contexts that allow people to imagine living with them, while collectors have become more confident about giving important objects space and presence within their homes."

Yet the distinction between a collection and an exhibition remains important. "A home becomes interesting precisely when it isn't too resolved," the gallery says. "A child's drawing can sit next to an important work; something inherited can coexist with something contemporary." Those contradictions are exactly what stops an interior from becoming a showroom.

Objects With Narratives has noticed a growing awareness among collectors of the home as an expression of identity, but not necessarily a desire for greater coherence. Their picks embody a more confident approach to curation, mixing periods, materials, and different financial benchmarks. "The most personal homes often contain unexpected combinations because they reflect different moments in someone's life rather than a single moment of decoration."

There are two meanings of curated. One is selection: the gradual accumulation of objects containing memories, discoveries, and obsessions. The other is editing: removing anything that interferes with the image we want to project. Social media complicates the distinction because it rewards immediate legibility. An instantly recognisable lamp, a rare vintage chair, or a collectible piece can communicate cultural knowledge in fractions of a second. Objects become shorthand for taste.

At the same time, social platforms have made discovery radically easier. "Someone can discover a young designer in another country almost instantly," say the Objects With Narratives co-founders. "At the same time, visibility creates repetition." Their counterpoint is curiosity rather than recognition. "Perhaps that is becoming one of the greatest luxuries: owning something without needing anyone else to understand its value."

This is where performance and curation meet. The perfectly framed room is not merely being shown. It is saying something. For architects, designers, artists and other creative professionals, the home increasingly operates as an extension of the portfolio. To invite someone into it, physically or digitally, is to reveal references, taste, and cultural fluency. The interior becomes autobiography written in objects.

The Berlin Chapters complicate the idea of the creator home as a calculated personal brand. Their aim, they say, is not to follow what an audience already rewards but to contribute something of their own. "We try to be influencers in the most genuine sense of the word," they explain. "We don't want to simply reproduce what is already everywhere." Their audience is not there to determine the home, but to find inspiration in it.

Still, once an interior circulates online, its image can take on a life independent of the people who made it. The duo remembers seeing their images reshared on Pinterest and suddenly feeling as though they were looking at someone else's home. "That loss of control created a very surreal and eerie feeling." The physical home remains theirs, but its image becomes public material: saved, reposted, and absorbed into somebody else’s moodboard.

Fernández Contreras argues that digital platforms intensify a mechanism that has always existed. Homes have long communicated aspirations and social position; what changes is that the domestic sphere can now function as a "permanent showcase". The distinction between public and private may therefore no longer be the front door. It may simply be the edge of the frame.

For The Berlin Chapters, what remains outside that frame is decided less by privacy than by a simple criterion: "Is it interesting or beautiful?" A wardrobe interior or bathroom may remain unseen not because it is sacred, but because it does not qualify as content.

In a mediated home, visibility may therefore be organized less according to what is private than according to what is worth showing. And yet, as polished interiors have become ubiquitous, we have begun craving evidence that nobody has over-polished them: patina, handmade ceramics, faded textiles, vintage furniture, uneven surfaces, books that appear to have actually been read. We have, paradoxically, begun curating signs of not having curated too much, as Zac Procter wrote in these very pages in his investigation into the 'time-poor' look.

Objects With Narratives recognizes the contradiction. "Once there is a desire for authenticity, authenticity itself can become aestheticized," the gallery says. "Patina and imperfection can be curated just as carefully as polished minimalism. "But beneath that aesthetic shift may be a genuine desire for something less frictionless. As the co-founders put it, an object carrying traces of "the hand, material, or time offers something different". The problem is not curation itself. It is what happens when the image of living begins to outrank living.

It would be easy, and probably wrong, to conclude that social media has corrupted the authenticity of home. Homes have always performed. What has changed is the frequency and reach of that performance, and the fact that the audience no longer needs to cross the threshold. There are liberating consequences. Social media has democratized access to interiors, designers, and craftspeople, allowed emerging makers to find audiences outside established institutions, and encouraged millions to treat their homes as sites of personal creativity.

Fernández Contreras argues that platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, and Pinterest “do not merely depict interiors but actively script new spatial types": homes that can be simultaneously "private and hyperpublic, domestic and performative, material and algorithmic". Perhaps that is the crucial shift. The digital world and the physical home are no longer separate environments. Increasingly, the contemporary home exists in both at once. So the defining interior-design question of the social-media age may no longer be, simply, "does this room look good?" But instead, "who is this room for?"

The answer does not need to be singular. A kitchen can cook beautifully and make an excellent film set. A living room can contain museum-worthy objects and still survive a party. A collectible chair can be sculpture and somewhere wonderful to sit. Performance and authenticity are not opposites. Nor are curation and domesticity. The question is whether we remain the authors of the performance.

Objects With Narratives offer one answer: the child's drawing next to the collectible work, the inherited object interrupting the scheme, the piece nobody recognizes. The Berlin Chapters offer another, disarmingly ordinary one. Asked what makes their house feel most like home when the cameras are off, their answer has nothing to do with styling or reach: "Flowers, a fridge full of food, and loud music."

Perhaps that is the point. A home can now be image, portfolio, gallery, and stage. But a photograph of a room is not the experience of living inside it. Perhaps the true luxury of home in the social-media era is having somewhere that does not always need to communicate. A home worth showing, certainly. But, more importantly, a home worth returning to when nobody is watching.

Subscribe to our newsletter for more longreads like this one, or head to our The Meaning of Home archive to browse them all in one place. Want to move away from the purely performative and find your own authentic sense of style? Our recent panel task, The Future of Taste, examined just that, and holds inspiration aplenty.

Between finding room for a desk, squeezing in storage, and ensuring there's actually space to move, it's all too easy to end up with a workspace that feels more cramped than considered. But the secret to successful small home office ideas isn't necessarily more square footage — it's a smarter layout.

From floating desks that free up precious floor space to clever built-ins that make every inch count, these designer-approved ideas prove that even the tiniest room can become a hardworking, beautifully designed place to work.

1. Stretch the Desk Across the Window Wall

In a tiny box room, don't assume the answer is an equally tiny desk. Running a work surface almost wall-to-wall beneath a window can actually be a much more efficient use of the footprint, creating generous desk space without encroaching on the room's limited circulation area.

Better still, positioning yourself towards the view draws the eye beyond the room, helping even a narrow office feel less enclosed. "I placed the desk parallel to the window because it maximizes the work surface and makes it easy to get in and out," explains Clara Jung, principal at Banner Day Interiors.

"When placing a desk under a window, consider how much direct sun the spot gets throughout the day. Glare makes it hard to read a screen or take a video call, so if the light is strong, plan on a window treatment to control it.

"As a rule, I avoid a desktop that sits higher than the bottom edge of the window glass, but every rule has its exceptions. Here, I wanted the largest window possible to frame the forest views, so the wall-mounted desk sits just above the sill."

She adds: "In a small space, pay close attention to desk depth. Most people can get away with a shallower desk, especially if they work mainly from a laptop rather than a full monitor setup.

"Like a powder room, a small office is a perfect place for the impact of wallpaper. The rest of the house is clad in redwood paneling, so I chose a vine pattern to bring some roundness into the overall design and make the room feel immersive.”

2. Wrap the Desk Around Two Walls to Maximize Workspace

When every inch counts, sometimes the smartest solution is to let your desk follow the shape of the room. A wraparound work surface makes use of two adjoining walls, providing generous space to spread out without the need for additional furniture.

Introducing a curved edge, as seen in this moody blue home office, can also soften the layout and make navigating a tight footprint feel more effortless — which is why we love bean-shaped desks so much.

"The room was awkwardly shaped, and we wanted to fill as many corners as possible to make it feel cohesive," explains Rachel Bullock, co-founder of LAUN Los Angeles. "Additionally, we wanted to maximize the desktop space in a somewhat small room.

"There was an existing closet with an existing adjacent window. The space next to the closet was sized perfectly to fit another leg of the desk; adding it improved the function of the closet/desk nook."

In terms of size and circulation space, Rachel suggests "a minimum of 24" for the depth of the main section of the desk," with the other wrap-around portion being much more flexible because it's typically used for storing items.

Another top tip? "Don't put a pencil drawer above your knees!" she warns. "We've learned that the hard way. Your knees will hit the drawer. Try to have at least 3' behind the desk to accommodate the chair and circulation behind it. We didn't have that much space in this project, but we knew no one would be walking behind the chair unless they were getting into it."

3. Ensure Awkward Angles Work Harder with Bespoke Built-Ins

Sloping ceilings and awkward angles might seem like an obstacle when planning a tiny home office, but with a little creative thinking, they can actually inform a much more efficient layout.

Rather than trying to squeeze freestanding furniture into an unconventional footprint, bespoke joinery can be designed to follow the room's architecture, incorporating a generous desk, shelving and storage into spaces that might otherwise go unused.

"With a sloping ceiling, the most important consideration is head height and avoiding the risk of bumping your head as you move around the room," comments Gemma Fabbri, of Studio Fabbri. "This office sits in a dormer room, so although it is under a sloping ceiling, there is still good head height in the dormer area.

"The design was driven by the need for bookshelves and storage, which called for a long, tall, flat wall. The desk then needed to sit where there was little risk of hitting your head, and where the screen would be protected from direct sunlight. The recess at the dormer was the perfect opportunity to tuck the desk in and design one cohesive piece connected to the shelving."

Gemma's advice for anyone tackling an awkward room with a sloping ceiling is to first work out where the optimum head height is. "This is where you can move around easily, and it is likely the ideal spot for the workspace," she explains. "I would allow a minimum of 1.5m at the desk, with room for a large monitor, and a minimum of 1.8m where the seat is, so you don’t hit your head when you stand up.

"These figures can vary based on the height of the person using the space. Consider low storage in the more awkward areas where the ceiling is lower. Storage can often act as a natural barrier to the areas where you might hit your head."

"Bespoke joinery is key to creating a practical, functional area tailored to that specific space. It also lends itself to a considered, purposeful design and feels more finished. It’s very difficult to recreate this with separate off-the-shelf pieces."

4. Make a Statement with a Freestanding Sculptural Desk

Just because the space you're working with is tiny doesn't mean every piece of furniture needs to be pushed against the walls. In fact, allowing a beautifully designed desk to take center stage can give even a compact room a more considered, purposeful feel.

"The trick is choosing a piece with proportions that suit the space — think slender legs, an open silhouette, and a design that feels more like statement furniture than conventional office equipment.

"In a small home office, pushing the desk against the wall often feels like the only option, but it usually makes the room feel tighter and more makeshift," says Kasia Kronberger, founder and principal designer at Studio Bosko.

"A freestanding desk gives the space a center and lets light and sightlines move around it, which makes limited proportions feel calmer and more generous." She continues: "Here the desk sits in front of the built-in shelving wall, so the joinery carries the storage and the desk can stay clear and purely for working."

The style of your desk is also an important factor, adds Kasia. "The sculptural silhouette matters for exactly that reason: in a small footprint every piece is seen from every angle, so the desk has to earn its place as a design feature, not just a surface," says Kasia.

"My advice on size and positioning is to go slightly smaller than feels natural and protect the circulation space around it, so you can walk around the desk comfortably. When the proportions are right, the room reads as intentional rather than compromised."

5. Free Up Floor Space With a Floating Desk

In a tiny box room, even the legs of a desk can contribute to a sense of clutter. A floating design offers a clever alternative, providing a generous work surface while keeping the floor beneath completely clear.

Running it wall-to-wall can also make the desk feel like an architectural feature rather than another piece of furniture, creating a streamlined, considered look that works particularly well in narrow spaces.

"The trick with a small room is to resist the temptation to fill it with small furniture," says Victoria Sass, founder of Prospect Refuge Studio. "Petite spaces love a big design moment. Bold wallpaper, unexpected color combinations, oversized furniture. It feels a little counterintuitive, but it works."

She adds: "I also love finding ways to make the architecture work a little harder in small spaces. Built-ins, generous moldings, and paneling — all those things make a room feel like it was designed rather than 'furnished'. A floating desk in a tiny home office is a great example. You're getting all the function of a desk without adding something fussy to the room."

6. Conceal Your Desk Within Built-in Cabinetry

Even the smallest home office doesn't need to look like a workspace around the clock. Incorporating a desk into a wall of built-in cabinetry allows the practical elements of working from home to be neatly concealed when they're not in use, creating a room that feels more like a beautifully designed living space than a conventional office.

It's a particularly clever approach for a box room that needs to double up as a guest bedroom or somewhere to retreat at the end of the day. "I am a big believer in maximizing every centimeter of space in a smaller setting; making the most of the wall height with shelving is not only great for functionality but also aesthetically," says Natasha Lyon, founder of Appreciation Project.

"Cleverly hiding a desk away in shelving is something I love to explore; I'm a huge believer in protecting your mental health with the notion of out of sight, out of mind, especially with more clients working from home," she says.

Ultimately, a tiny box room doesn't have to mean compromising on either practicality or personality.

In fact, its compact proportions can be the perfect excuse to get a little more creative with your layout, whether that's embracing bespoke joinery, rethinking where your desk sits, or making use of every last inch of wall space.

With a considered approach, even the most awkward little room can become a home office that's not only a pleasure to work in, but a beautiful space in its own right.

And when it comes to decorating your space, these are the colors to paint your home office, according to color psychology.

And for more design advice and the latest trends, subscribe to the Livingetc newsletter, and all the latest will be delivered directly to your inbox.

The real estate entrepreneur has a very precise vision of what it means to inhabit a space — not merely to live in it but to recognize yourself within it — and to translate that vision into the interiors of her own apartment, she called upon Gaia Venuti, the Milan-based interior designer known for her unmistakable chromatic design language.

The two met almost by chance during the closing of a retail property deal. "Gaia arrived wearing a combination of colors I never would have imagined putting together," recalls Veronica, "and yet it worked perfectly." From that moment, a collaboration was born that has transformed this modern home into a portrait of its owner: as the front door opens, a wave of color, warmth, and personality washes over you.

Every project Gaia — who works under GaiaHomeProject — designs has a starting point from which the rest evolves. In this case, it was a pair of Cornaro sofas designed by Carlo Scarpa for Cassina: blue velvet upholstery paired with a burgundy lacquered structure. "That contrast between the softness of the velvet and the firmness of the dark lacquer captured Veronica's essence completely: gentle in the way she approaches people, yet incredibly determined and strong-willed," says Gaia.

From those sofas, the rest of the home unfolded almost cinematically. Gaia does not think in terms of rooms, but of emotional transitions and visual flows. "I love the idea that walking down the corridor feels like discovering a chromatic plot twist behind every door." The secret to working with strong color, she says, lies in proportion. "I use intense color either as an accent or to define precise architectural volumes."

Surprisingly, perhaps, Veronica chose not to bring anything from her previous life into this home. This was intentional: a new beginning coinciding with a new professional phase. "I wanted this space to represent a complete fresh start, both personally and professionally," she says. For, while the apartment is her private residence, it is also her creative studio, workplace and meeting space for her real estate business, BetterCallVero.

"An interior designer is a bit of a psychologist," says Gaia. "You have to understand not only how people live, but how they want to feel when they close the front door behind them." Veronica already knew the answer to that question: she wanted a space capable of recharging her while simultaneously reflecting who she is. "This has become a true extension of myself," she says.

For more home tours — plus plenty of other interiors inspiration — sign up to our newsletter and get all our stories sent straight to your inbox.

In full honesty, I was surprised by Thomas's home adopting a more playful and traditional style, considering how contemporary his restaurants are in comparison. However, it makes sense — our homes are a place to unwind and rest, away from the 'real world'. And his family home reflects his personal style, as well as what we can assume is the way Thomas and his family live within the home. For instance, kids' toys aren't always hidden away; rather, they become a part of the joyful interior design — toys as shelving decor, and play tables are set prominently in the living room.

But, of course, we also see Thomas' passion for food, design, and entertaining in this thoughtfully curated space. Basically, it's a home tour that offers some truly unique inspiration. So read on for a deep dive into Westwing's At Home with Thomas Straker and a glimpse into his personal style and creative process.

The colorful living room was definitely the room that stood out the most. There is such a clear sense of life and whimsy. Many factors contribute to the warmth and livability — the plethora of cushions, the pink and green color combinations, the layers of textures, and, of course, the kid-friendly elements.

Despite Thomas' busy schedule, Westwing shares that Thomas considers home an essential retreat. "With time at home increasingly precious, it is somewhere to switch off, away from the pace of professional life. It is also a space shaped by the realities of family life, where comfort and practicality take precedence over keeping everything perfectly in order," shares Westwing.

For example, next to the bench seat, there is a, dare I say, rather stylish kids' play table. Why tuck a play area like this into a clever storage idea when it so perfectly blends into the color palette and scheme of the room? These signs of life become a natural part of the eclectic decor.

Many layered textiles also make the living room feel extra cozy. Featured amongst the pile of pillows are Westwing's Laguna Cotton Cushions, along with a red patterned ottoman with a curated bit of coffee table decor, all of which provide an essential touch of color contrast. Liking what you're seeing so far?

But of course, with a name like Thomas Straker, what we are most interested in seeing is the kitchen. How does a contemporary chef decorate and live within his cooking space?

The kitchen, much like the dining area, adopts a more muted color palette with an open layout and airy feel. These characteristics feed into the mood that Thomas wanted to create. Westwing shares that hospitality and creating a welcoming environment were essential for Thomas — these needed to be spaces where Thomas and his family could relax and feel comfortable. Just like in restaurant creation, the environment influences how people feel.

Thomas unsurprisingly spends a lot of time in the kitchen, so the design is relaxed and liveable. There is plenty of open shelving with cookware and utensils, dinnerware, and even Westwing's new Victoria Beckham collaboration styled on it.

And did I spot a small coffee nook to the side? Between more design-forward elements like the Jordan Leather Dining Chairs around the breakfast nook and the curated 'clutter' of knives hanging on a magnetic strip, Thomas' home continues to be the perfect inspiration for a stylish but personal home.

It's always fun to see inside the homes of the design-obsessed, but I must say, London bistro interiors (like Thomas Straker's) are the new best place to find inspiration for your decorating plans.

For more inspiration like this, be sure to subscribe to the Livingetc newsletter.

Nearly 10 years on, I still refer back to that lesson whenever I spot something that, at first sight, seems completely casual and then turns out to be much more ubiquitous than I would have thought. For one thing, homeware pieces featuring preserved flowers 'trapped' in their body, or what I have just come to know as 'floral epoxy' resin designs. From the first-ever herbal infusion house of the French capital, tucked on a picturesque alley in the Haut-Marais, to a new spirited sushi and cocktail address in the nearby Tuileries district, passing through the science-infused practice of Polish botanical artist and designer Marcin Rusak and his frozen-in-time, functional floral still lifes, so many of the third spaces that have landed on my radar this month are imbued with the same blossoming romance, literally. But what is it about resin and petals that's enthralling so many of our favorite makers and creatives as a design trend?

"I think it's a mix of nostalgia, which is all around us right now, from interiors to film to fashion, and something much deeper. Like the mosquito in amber in Jurassic Park, we're deliberately choosing to freeze time — and there's something reassuring in that in such unstable times: it doesn't move; it's there, still," Romain Casella, founder and director of London- and Geneva-based boutique creative, brand consulting, and communications agency MAY, tells me, having observed the steep rise of resin in the curation of client platforms like Monologue London, particularly "in the form of tables of every kind, consoles, and lighting: pieces that dress an interior and live alongside people."

That the 'One Decorative Gesture' trend has been named one of the most contagious design moments set to reshape interiors in the year ahead by our just-dropped Style Pulse S/S27 report seems only fair, given I have been noticing this phenomenon taking over myself, whether during Frieze Week earlier this month or simply scrolling after design awakenings on Instagram.

Stumbled upon coincidentally or while expanding my research on floral epoxy resin furniture — a genre originating in the 1940s and revived in the 1980s that's enjoying an unexpected comeback alongside amber-everything — the addresses and resin practitioners spotlighted below each capture the material's ability and that of flowers in turn to "become carriers of knowledge, memories, and emotions," as Marcin Rusak wrote in an Instagram post featuring his Flora Herbarium Clear Amber 152, one of the creations he is taking to next week's Salon Art + Design fair (November 4-8, The Salonny, Park Avenue Armory) in New York.

"I often wonder what someone discovering it a hundred years from now might see in it. Would these flowers tell them something about our relationship with nature, or about what we considered beautiful and valuable? I hope one day the piece becomes a record of the time we lived in," he continued.

Some Like It Hot

Paris's First-Ever Herbal Infusion House, Apoticari, Takes Its Leaves Seriously

At Apoticari's La Tisanerie, Paris's first herbal infusion house in the Haut-Marais and a new contender for a spot in our edit of the best concept stores in the city, the floral-enriched resin bar counter acts as a literal anchor for the space's botanical ethos.

Designed by Paul de Saint Maur and crafted by Bankal et Decker, the surface encases hand-picked flora directly into its structure, transforming a high-traffic hospitality surface into a permanent archive of real vegetation.

By trapping perishable leaves and petals within the durable, clear medium, the design ensures that the transient beauty of a single season's harvest is preserved for years to come. It offers city dwellers a tactile, unmoving connection to nature, elevating a standard afternoon tea break into an experience that feels entirely suspended in time, and the menu is just as great.

Expect creative, caffeine-free alternatives like a roasted barley coffee substitute, a vibrant Nettle Latte, and 12 organic French herbal infusions served hot or cold. To eat, you can look forward to wholesome, earthy treats including blueberry-oat muffins, a honey and vegetable charcoal energy bowl, and hazelnut lentil-flour biscuits.

A Transformative Approach to Art and Design

Marcin Rusak Bridges the Gap Between Aesthetics and the Botanical World

Long before the floral epoxy resin furniture moment caught my eye and, clearly, swept through the contemporary interiors scene, Marcin Rusak was pioneering the art of floral encapsulation, officially debuting his technique in late 2015 with his first-ever Flora collection. Unveiled at London's Future Heritage exhibition during Decorex, the series — comprising an intricate screen, lamp, and table cast in dark resin — won him the Research in Making prize and international acclaim the same year.

Rusak's lifelong obsession with the natural cycle of growth and decay sinks its roots in his childhood in Warsaw, where he spent years curiously exploring his family's overgrown, abandoned greenhouses. This early playground deeply influenced his design philosophy, transforming his artistic practice into a poetic, personal quest to salvage the ephemeral from local flower markets and make it, at once, tangible and eternal.

Through his acclaimed Vas Florum: Resina Botanica solo exhibitions at Carpenters Workshop Gallery, Rusak has delivered some of his most breathtaking masterworks to date. Iconic creations like his Flora Sister Tables pair sleek, brushed brass frames with dark, complex floral-infused tops, while his spectacular Flora Credenza and Flora Cabinet 190 Clear Amber juxtapose organic, vividly hued flower petals suspended inside a stark, snow-white and amber resin body. Something just as remarkable happens in his Flora Sister Tables 91 & 110 and a new Inventive Cabinet / Credenza, all of which will be on display at the latest edition of Salon Art + Design from 4 November, 2026.

One More Blossoming Hotspot

Tom Ducarouge's Bar Nomo Gives Floristry the Late-Night Treatment

In the heart of the 1st Arrondissement, Bar Nomo has arrived as a bold new addition to Paris's most beautiful, design-forward dining destinations. Inside, custom furniture pieces featuring floral-enriched resin details serve as a captivating focal point, immediately establishing a surrealist, electrifying ambiance.

Conceived by industrial designer Tom Ducarouge and meticulously brought to life alongside the artisans at Atelier Roma, the venue's striking clear-acrylic chairs and tables trap real, delicate blossoms within their structure, either breaking with delicate whites and pastels or, instead, feeding into the red bar's moody chromatic theme.

The mood is intentionally intimate and cinematic, bouncing off the deep cherry wood surfaces present throughout and warm cast bronze accents. Illuminated by low lighting in a wink at traditional Japanese kissaten cafés, Bar Nomo's cohesive atmosphere lends itself naturally to the hyper-focused, raw culinary concept, which swaps standard sit-down courses for a high-end, late-night handroll bar experience. Et voilà.

Digest our latest Style Pulse SS27 report for a comprehensive rundown of the biggest design trends for the year ahead, or head to our lifestyle pages to continue your exploration of all things hospitality, art, and aesthetics.

When in doubt, subscribe to our newsletter for weekly roundups of our top articles, delivered straight to your inbox, from curated shopping edits and the hottest design collaborations to tips on renovating, exclusive profiles, and celebrity guides to hosting.

So, that's what I've done, too. I’ll admit it, I didn’t expect Habitat’s sofa range to offer quite so much variety in its upholstery — from camel chenille, velvet and natural bouclé to green and navy fabrics, soft neutrals and tan leather. I’ve been looking at them side by side, thinking about the mood each could bring to a space, what I’m drawn to in its texture and color, and the cushions, wood tones and other details I’d bring in around it.

If you’re weighing up where to buy a sofa⁠, it’s worth giving the upholstery as much thought as the shape. A fabric can soften a more structured design or give a simple silhouette real presence — it can also be the starting point for a room’s wider palette.

Even different sofas from the same retailers can vary a lot in how they're constructed, and how comfortable they are; however, for this review, I was able to test Habitat's Casper sofa, as shown below, to get an idea of comfort. At £550, It's an affordable sofa, so I'm comparing it to other sofas in that price range, rather than to styles that cost several thousand. And I'd say it offers surprisingly good value for money. It's not a sofa you sink into as such, but it's not as firm as many others I've tried at a similar price point. It's definitely comfortable enough to lounge on.

It also has some surprisingly elevated design details for the price. The curved back and its rounded feet felt particularly design-y — a good sign for the other sofas we're looking at in this feature.

Beyond the design, here’s what stood out to me in each sample, and how I’d imagine styling it in a home.

Casper

I was lucky enough to try the Casper two-seater in person, which gave me a much better sense of how its generous shape and camel chenille come together beyond the product photos. The fabric has a plush, soft finish, and its warm tone shifts gently in the light, giving the sofa a lovely depth. I’d style it with dark timber, a chalky rug and cushions in cream or a muted stripe, letting the sofa bring a relaxed, sun-warmed note to the room.

Nora

Green can sometimes feel like a big commitment on a sofa, but the Nora Fabric 2 Seater Sofa felt surprisingly easy to imagine at home. I like that the color brings a little of the outside in without taking over the room, and the soft fabric gives it a relaxed, everyday quality. I’d lean into that natural feeling with warm wood, a vintage-looking rug and perhaps a small accent in rust or ochre. It has the potential to make a compact sofa feel like a thoughtful focal point.

Poppy Bouclé

When I picked up the Poppy Fabric 2 Seater Sofa sample, I found myself wondering how practical a white bouclé fabric could be in everyday life. It’s such a lovely, soft-looking neutral, but the light color and textured weave would probably need a little more attention to keep it looking fresh. And yet, even though we’ve seen bouclé everywhere, I can understand why it continues to appeal — there’s something timeless about its warmth and texture. I’d keep the styling simple, with a darker wood detail and cushions in a muted color, so the fabric can bring that gentle, tactile quality to the room.

Chesterfield Blue

At first glance, the Chesterfield Velvet 3 Seater Sofa silhouette can feel quite traditional, but the blue fabric is what made me want to include it in this edit. It feels so soft against the skin — the sort of sofa you sit down on for a moment and then have no real intention of getting up from. The velvet brings out the depth of the color, while the classic shape gives it presence. I’d mix it with relaxed linen, warm wood and less formal accessories to make the look feel fresh and modern.

Della Natural

Della Fabric 3 Seater Sofa natural is a softer take on a clean, mid-century shape. I like that the neutral tone feels warm enough to work with timber and layered textiles, while the simple lines keep the overall look feeling light. It’s a good option if you want a sofa that can adapt as a room evolves — I’d start with cushions in olive, tobacco or faded blue, then bring in a patterned rug to give the pale upholstery a little more personality.

Newell Leather

There’s something special about real leather — it has a natural richness and a way of catching the light that makes even a small sample feel full of character. Newell Leather 3 Seater Sofa has a warm tan tone which brings a mid-century note into a room, but I think it could sit just as beautifully in a more eclectic space. I’d pair it with walnut, a soft wool rug and cushions in green or creamy neutrals, letting the leather bring grounding warmth to the room.

Jacob Chocolate

I’ve always liked the idea of a chocolate sofa, but seeing the Jacob Velvet 3 Seater Sofa sample made me realize how much depth the color can have — and yes, it's my favorite fabric so far. It feels incredibly soft and elevated, bringing a luxurious feel to the space. It has the same warmth and versatility as a neutral, but with a little more depth and drama — the velvet texture gives the brown tone a beautiful richness. I’d bring in pale cushions or a cream throw to lift it, then repeat the darker shade in a lamp, frame or side table so it feels intentional and effortlessly elegant.

Myra Green

The Myra Fabric 3 Seater Sofa feels a little more tailored to me — it has a mid-century character that would look especially good against walnut or darker timber. I like the way the color could bring the garden indoors without turning the whole room into a green scheme. I’d keep the surrounding palette warm and fairly simple, with a textured rug, a few pieces of pottery and perhaps one small accent in ochre or soft pink.

Beckett Navy

Navy is a color I often come back to when I want a room to feel settled, and I liked how the knitted fabric gave this sample a softer, more relaxed impression. The Beckett Fabric 2 Seater Sofa has the depth of a darker upholstery, but not the severity — I can imagine it feeling cozy without making a room seem too serious. I’d bring in lighter cushions to create contrast, then use pale wood or a brushed-metal detail to keep the scheme feeling fresh.

Draper Bouclé

By now, you may know that I have mixed feelings about bouclé. We’ve seen it everywhere, so it wouldn’t usually be the first fabric I reach for. But when I picked up the Draper Boucle 3 Seater Sofa sample, I had that familiar, comforting reaction that reminded me why it became so popular in the first place. It feels soft and tactile, and the natural color makes it easy to picture at home. I’d pair it with smoother materials, like timber or stone, to let the texture stand out. I may not find bouclé unexpected anymore, but I can still see the warmth it brings to a room.

What I like about laying all these samples out together is that there isn’t one right answer — the same sofa can feel completely different depending on its upholstery, the light in the room and what you pair with it. Whether you’re drawn to the ease of a natural fabric, the richness of velvet, the texture of bouclé or the character of leather, the sample is a useful starting point for imagining how a sofa might feel at home.

And if you’re looking for a little help bringing a room together, Design Lab by Livingetc⁠ offers product sourcing and styling guidance to help you find pieces that feel right for your space. For more interiors ideas and inspiration, you can also sign up to the Livingetc newsletter⁠.

Kasia's design goal for every modern home project is to "make sure clients feel reflected in the environments we create for them". To ensure as much, she delves deep: "What's important to them, what places they're connected to, what stays with them from the past. Personal stories, translated into homes, become a meaningful anchor for aesthetic choices."

The owners of this chalet-esque house south of Berlin lived in Milan for some time and, says Kasia, "It impacted them a lot." So Kasia, who founded her own interior design firm, Studio Bosko, brought in some vintage Italian pieces and, across part of the ground floor, a striking terrazzo palladiana floor (a large, irregular mosaic of natural stone) to remind them of their time in Italy.

The house — a 1970s, partially timber-clad gabled house — was also a compelling muse. "It was very dated but had charm. The clients felt inspired, so we kept those 1970s characteristics." This inspired Kasia's use of warmer-toned woods — for example, the "almost mahogany" floor-to-ceiling cupboards in the hallway, kitchen cabinetry and oak paneling.

The 1970s palette nods to the decade: "1970s fashion had a lot of oranges, browns and yellows — that warm, autumnal palette really worked with the story here." The nature surrounding the property also influenced the design. "The clients bought the house in autumn and fell in love with the colors of the garden," explains Kasia. "This inspired the palette."

With Kasia's work, there are often deeper layers of thought beneath the surface — so it's not just about evocative colors but how color relates to the material. "They're often not independent," she explains. "Color often comes from the material" — for example, in the daughter's bathroom, the marble on the basin and the plinth on the walls. While many architects work to minimize the palette throughout a home, Kasia likes to combine different tones of wood. "Clients worry they'll clash — to me, they add depth and tension."

But how to satisfy the differing preferences of the sociable homeowners and their somewhat introverted 14-year-old? The solution was two living rooms on separate floors. "We noticed a need for a space where the daughter could withdraw and relax, and move through the space without being involved when the parents have guests," says Kasia. A trend that any teen would get behind.

For more tours of some of the most beautiful homes around the world, sign up for our newsletter and get these stories — and much more — delivered straight to your inbox.

Founded by Bilen Zeremariam, editor-in-chief of OLISE Magazine, this new addition to London's design festival scene is set to take the stage from 8th to 10th July 2027 at the Crafts Council. With palpable interest already from those in the know, I spoke to Bilen about what you can expect from this design exhibition and why its inauguration feels more timely than ever.

I already have my calendar marked for the new year, and I have a feeling this peek behind the curtain will ignite your interest in what's to come. Especially if your home reveals traces of creativity from the African diaspora.

The Inspiration

"Africa Design Week was born from a desire to create a dedicated international platform that celebrates the extraordinary creativity, talent and innovation emerging from Africa and its diaspora," says Bilen Zeremariam.

"Having spent many years working in the interiors and design industry, both as a designer and as an editor-in-chief, I have witnessed first-hand the incredible talent across the continent, as well as the lack of visibility and access to opportunities within the wider international design industry."

Bilen set out to create something that went beyond showcasing beautiful work. "A platform connecting designers, artists, makers and creative entrepreneurs with new audiences, collaborators and commercial opportunities. London felt like a natural starting point, and one that holds special significance for me," she notes.

Having been born and raised in London, the same place that sparked her design journey and her studies at the University of the Arts London, launching Africa Design Week now in the city where it all began feels like a full-circle moment.

With its cultural diversity, global influence and deep connections to Africa and its people, Bilen explains that the English capital stands to be the perfect meeting point for creativity, culture and commerce. "Our ambition, however, extends far beyond London," she teases. "We envision Africa Design Week becoming a truly international platform, building meaningful connections between Africa and the rest of the world."

What to Expect

"Across three days, from the 8th to 10th July, we will bring together an exciting mix of established and emerging designers, artists, makers and creative voices from Africa," Bilen shares.

"Expect a vibrant programme of collectible furniture, contemporary art, craftsmanship, immersive installations, inspiring conversations and cultural experiences that celebrate the richness and diversity of African creativity."

Aside from returning with a gallery of ideas to inspire modern homes, Bilen and her team have also scheduled Africa Design Week to host opportunities for networking, knowledge exchange and engagement between creatives, brands, industry leaders and international audiences.

"For the team and me, the most exciting part is the opportunity to introduce audiences to extraordinary talent they may not yet be familiar with, while creating tangible opportunities for the people behind the work."

Exploring African Interior Design

Learning more about the global interiors zeitgeist will no doubt be among the biggest design trends in 2027. And in the name of ditching appropriation and stepping towards cultural appreciation, Bilen explains that one of the most important things she wants Africa Design Week to communicate is that there is no single definition of African design.

"Africa is a continent of 54 countries, each with its own cultural identities, traditions, materials and creative expressions. Its design landscape is incredibly diverse, and I think that diversity is one of its greatest strengths," she explains.

"There is a remarkable relationship between heritage and innovation. We see designers drawing upon generations of craftsmanship, traditional techniques and locally sourced materials, while reinterpreting them through contemporary forms and fresh perspectives."

She also wants to challenge the perception that African design must always be rooted in tradition or defined by a particular aesthetic. "African designers are creating sophisticated, experimental, and forward-thinking work that belongs in the global conversation on contemporary design," Bilen says.

"Ultimately, we want audiences to see African design not simply as a source of inspiration, but as an influential and evolving creative force with the talent, ideas, and ambition to help shape the future of the industry."

Get the Look

If you're looking for inspiration irl, then Salù Iwadi Studio's insider guide to Dakar will make you want to escape to Senegal for an artful holiday away. And to keep up with more of what's on in London now (and later), sign up for the Livingetc newsletter.

When beginning a career in design writing, I became familiar with the Carl Hansen name in the same way you do legendary companies or famous families — through aspirational association. When a piece is from Carl Hansen, the immediate vocabulary is expensive, high-quality, well-made, or a piece you strive to own. And if you are a fan of interior design, you've most likely heard of or seen the Wishbone Chair at some point. But when a company like this is also known for being a family business — and, in this case, one central to the Danish design world — it's instantly intriguing how it grew to icon status, or how they still operate in a family-oriented manner today.

After three days with the team, it was clear that two words could summarize what drives the Scandinavian design brand's acclaim: craftsmanship and devotion. Knud Erik Hansen, the grandson of Carl and the current CEO, knows good design better than most and how to ensure his company has the best of it. And everyone at Carl Hansen, from Knud to the apprentices and factory workers, is committed to maintaining the craft. It's these qualities that make Carl Hansen & Søn worth knowing.

Getting to Know Carl Hansen & Søn Inside the Funen Estate

There's no more intimate a setting for meeting someone than being invited into their home. After driving through the Danish countryside, we arrived at Knud Erik Hansen's residence on the island of Funen for our tour of the four-storey, heritage-protected estate, complete with a moat and running church. The home, which is better described as a kind of Carl Hansen museum, is where we spent the afternoon learning the stories that shape the Hansen history.

Every corner of every floor has an iconic Danish chair or an original piece of furniture from Carl Hansen's lineage. As we made our way to the cozy, renovated attic space, it was at first hard to believe that Knud and his wife actually occupy the rooms. Original Wegner pendant lights (the only three of their kind ever made) were hanging above a one-of-a-kind custom dining table, and the first dream chair designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando was positioned next to a white baby grand piano. But rest assured, Knud told us that this space is well-lived; he loves to make breakfast for his wife up here every Saturday.

"I think it is important to understand that we are not simply a furniture company, but a craft-driven design house built around long-term thinking," Knud tells me. "Every piece we produce is selected with great care because we believe good design deserves to be preserved, made responsibly, and passed on from one generation to the next."

And as a furniture manufacturing company founded by a master cabinetmaker back in 1908, Carl Hansen has always been rooted in that desire to produce the best of the best. The company is currently the largest manufacturer of Hans J. Wegner's designs (a small portion of ornate designs are in production at other manufacturers — a slice of friendly competition, I'm assured) as well as several other iconic designers that share a similar design ethos. Kaare Klint and Børge Mogensen are among the mix.

Undoubtedly, Carl Hansen is inspired by the Golden Age of Danish Modern — a sub-style of mid-century modern furniture, but with more warmth and Scandi influence. However, the brand is equally influenced by the timeless principles behind it: honest, natural materials, masterful craftsmanship, functional beauty, and a deep respect for people and the environment.

"Our philosophy has always been rooted in the belief that exceptional design should improve everyday life and endure for generations," says Knud. "Furthermore, we are very proud of producing our products in Denmark, educating cabinetmakers, and preserving traditional crafts for the future."

The Story Behind the Iconic Furniture

Every piece made by Carl Hansen fits within the brand's aesthetic. Sure, there are a few experimental pieces (the Dream Chair instantly comes to mind), but they still mesh with a larger narrative. It's part of what makes the brand feel like the place to invest in truly timeless furniture. And to understand the brand's design story, it's helpful to know what pieces uphold the essence of the brand best.

"The CH24 Wishbone Chair by Hans J. Wegner is undoubtedly one of them," says Knud. "It perfectly combines sculptural beauty, comfort and extraordinary craftsmanship in a way that feels as relevant today as it did in 1950."

The Wishbone Chair has become a global ambassador for both Carl Hansen & Søn and Danish design. Its appeal lies in the fact that it feels simultaneously iconic and approachable — it's recognized by design enthusiasts around the world, yet it remains a chair people genuinely live with and use every day.

"The chair has introduced countless people to our brand, often serving as their first encounter with our craftsmanship and values. From there, many discover the wider universe of designers, stories, and products that define Carl Hansen & Søn," says Knud.

"I would also highlight the CH07 Shell Chair, another Wegner masterpiece that demonstrates his innovative approach to form and construction," says Knud. The seat's unique design is instantly recognizable, but still fits into mid-century modern, comfortable, and functional living.

From the brand's more recent collaborations, Knud says, "EOOS's Embrace series reflects how contemporary Scandinavian designers can build upon Danish design traditions while creating something distinctly modern." The leather seat slouched over the arms certainly points to more contemporary design trends.

Finally, Knud says, "Kaare Klint's Faaborg Chair designed in 1914 embodies the thoughtful functionality and understated elegance that continue to define our collection." And there are currently only two weavers at the factory, both female, who can make this chair.

"Together, these pieces illustrate the breadth of our portfolio while sharing the same commitment to longevity, craftsmanship and human-centered design," adds Knud.

But as mentioned, there are so many designs that make the Carl Hansen brand what it is. Below are a few more worth knowing.

What the Factory Taught Me About Craftsmanship

Of course, wandering around a beautiful home, hearing the stories of how Knud expanded the business and acquired the design catalog they have today was inspiring; however, visiting the factory proved even more informative.

With such a powerhouse of a brand, it's comforting to witness how dedicated the production team is, from sustaining the forests where they source their wood to intricately staining and weaving every chair. Carl Hansen is one of the only Danish furniture brands still truly made and crafted in Denmark.

"Craftsmanship and responsibility have always gone hand in hand for us. Many of our pieces involve techniques that require highly skilled hands and significant time to perfect, and we continue to invest in training future generations of artisans to ensure that knowledge is preserved," says Knud. At this time, the brand educates about 25 apprentices.

The team of weavers even has a mandatory hour of gym to stay in shape and an on-site masseuse to relieve fatigue. It's a well-oiled ship. For instance, the Wishbone chair has 100 steps with 20 quality checks along the way, and anywhere from 2,000 to 5,000 are produced a week.

The brand also takes a long-term approach to sourcing and production, working closely with trusted local suppliers and sawmills, carefully selecting materials and striving to utilize as much of every piece of wood as possible.

Woodpieces too small for furniture production are used to produce smaller home accessories, and sawdust is even used to produce heating for the factory and homes in the local community. It's quite an impressive use of materials. We even stopped by the woods where the trees have been growing for decades, ready to become a part of the creation process.

Ultimately, "the most sustainable materials and products are ones cherished and used for decades, which is why durability, repairability, and timeless design are fundamental to everything we make," says Knud.

Carl Hansen & Søn is one of those companies that makes furniture you aspire to have in your home. It's iconic furniture that stands the test of time by leading with passion, craftsmanship, and Danish design principles.

"What excites me most is continuing to connect craftsmanship, innovation, and sustainability in meaningful ways, ensuring that Carl Hansen & Søn remains as relevant to future generations as it has been for the past century," says Knud.

For more stories and inspiration like this, be sure to subscribe to the Livingetc newsletter.

Already boasting the approval of some of the most respected tastemakers, the shell has emerged as the unlikely decor icon to pair with your dinnerware this year. Not only did Posh Spice herself feature them in her recent collaboration with Westwing, but they were also a major point of inspiration for the it-girl's favorite jeweler, Jessica McCormack, when designing her recent collection with L'Objet. In both of these collections, the coastal motif is given a luxurious makeover, finished in shiny chrome and polished ceramic, ushering in a new aesthetic era for the shell.

Once restricted to a solely coastal, beachy aesthetic, the shell is having a new design moment. Perhaps partially inspired by our growing desire for the unpredictability of nature, shells are a perfect example of the random beauty that AI can never replace. This is, in part, what inspired Melissa Borovali, founder of Hide and Stone, to develop her own collection of shell-centered decor and jewelry. "Shells are having a resurgence because designers are reimagining them through a modern lens, coinciding with a broader global shift toward sustainability that is drawing people back to natural materials," she tells me.

There's also something about the unique formation of shells, with all their texture and variation, that makes them such an appealing material to explore in design. "Texture has become the ultimate element of exploration in fashion and design. Beyond their innate aesthetic, shells offer a medium that is naturally beautiful yet durable enough to withstand manipulation, allowing them to be elevated into high-end, lasting design," says Melissa.

Pairing the natural material with more luxurious, elevated materials, like silver and gold, is what has allowed the shell to transcend beyond that beachhouse look. "I combine natural elements with solid gold, silver, and semi-precious stones to honor the craftsmanship of every piece," says Melissa. In other collections, shells are reimagined purely from these luxurious materials, transforming the natural form into something wholly new.

No matter the material, these shell-centric designs bring a touch of whimsy and elegance to your dinner table setting, with an organic, sculptural quality that can only be found in nature.

There is something undeniably enchanting about these shell designs, transporting you back to a childlike place of wonder and excitement, which is exactly what every dinner party could do with a little bit more of. And it doesn't hurt that they are incredibly chic, too. And if you're looking for some more stylish hosting ideas, these interior designers' hosting tips will have you covered.

For all the latest design trend updates, subscribe to our newsletter.

And this year, as we waved summer goodbye and stepped into the crispness of autumn, we found ourselves positively overflowing with inspiration. Throughout October, the team at Livingetc has explored countless modern homes, each offering its own unique charm. We explored Brutalist Milanese apartments and sprawling wood-drenched ranches in the Utah desert. We saw a Space Age garage-turned-family home in Paris and a six-storey townhouse in London. The team spoke to designers working across the globe, each bringing their own design perspective to the forefront, allowing us to get lost in the worlds they have constructed, inspiring a whole new realm of design.

If that all sounds a little intimidating to you, though, don't worry. I've done you all a favor and narrowed down these countless gorgeous homes to a mere 10, picking the spaces that I've not been able to stop thinking about. There's a little something for everyone here, with homes that encompass a wide range of styles. The one thing that they all have in common, though, is undeniably good design.

What makes each of these homes feel quite so special is just how distinct they are. Each one exists within the context of its surroundings, finding inspiration in the culture and landscape around it, as well as from the unique lives of the families living within them. These homes show that true style goes beyond following all the latest trends: the future of taste is about something personal.

If you love staying on top of all the biggest conversations in design, make sure you're subscribed to our newsletter.

Inspired by your brief, I’ve curated a personalised edit of dining tables that brings together sculptural shapes, beautiful materials and a little architectural character, while keeping your budget and style preferences in mind. From softly curved silhouettes to distinctive pedestal bases, I’ve focused on pieces that feel contemporary yet timeless, with natural wood grains, subtle stone finishes and details that will sit beautifully within your colourful kitchen. I’ve also kept practicality in mind, prioritising designs that make moving around your banquette corner a little easier without compromising on style.

If you'd like a little more support pulling everything together, take a look at Style, our room design service at Design Lab By Livingetc. We'd have a 45-minute one-to-one call to discuss your space, and afterwards I'd put together a full moodboard for your space, along with tailored product recommendations and a clear design direction.

I hope you find the selection useful and, most importantly, that you discover a piece that feels like the right fit for your home. I’d love to know which ones stand out to you.

Best wishes,

Iokasti

Not everyone will have the chance to sojourn at some of the coveted addresses graced by the team's savoir-faire, from the Oxfordshire-based Soho Farmhouse and the Groucho Club to The Williamsburg Hotel in New York. Nor will every reader who lands on this page get to savor the winning combination of bold flavors and atmosphere that serves as the premise of reservations at the Michaelis Boyd-envisioned Santi NYC, Exmouth Market's Moro, and Officine Bac at Le Grand Hôtel Cayré in Paris. Still, this doesn't mean that the studio doesn't have lessons that trickle down to your own front door. In fact, the opposite.

Whatever the scale of your apartment or home, Michaelis Boyd's partner Christina Gregoriou explains, it holds the potential to far outgrow its constraints. Scroll to learn more.

What Is the One Design Hill You're Willing to Die on?

"In every design brief — whether it is your own home, a client's, or a commercial or hospitality concept — there are spaces that no one knows what to do with. They are the weird nooks and crannies, the unused corners, the long and narrow corridors; the rooms that suddenly feel uninspiring once the walls are demolished and a massive, unmovable, structural column is exposed. Or worse: the moment your structural engineer announces that you need a brand-new column for the building to remain standing. Who would have thought buildings needed structure?

"Quite often, the instinct is to leave these stubborn areas for last, hoping that if the rest of the project is brilliant enough, the awkward spots will quietly blend into the background. But left unaddressed, they rarely blend — they look like an afterthought. My advice? Look for these tricky spaces first. Give them primary consideration from day one. You might be surprised to find that the space you once dreaded designing actually holds the potential to become the hero of the entire project. And that, yes, design's biggest constraints can become its greatest stars, if dealt with the right way."

What Does Embracing the 'Frame' of a Project Bring to the Table?

"Working within design constraints forces a level of creativity that an open canvas rarely demands. Finding the 'main character' or central feature of a space is not always about opting for the obvious centerpiece; often, it's about listening to what the architecture — or the landscape — is resisting and leaning in.

"When designing Miiro Paris — a hotel renovation combining two heritage Haussmann-era buildings connected from different streets in the French capital — the secondary entrance was historically treated as the 'ugly' side. Dark, narrow, and lacking natural light, it had been relegated to back-of-house operations, administrative offices, and windowless meeting rooms. We decided to challenge the spatial flow. Those tight, dimly lit proportions weren't a drawback — they were the perfect environment for a moody, intimate speakeasy.

"However, during strip-out, we uncovered a structural column that made an already challenging floor plan feel almost impossible, leaving behind a tiny, awkward pocket with no apparent functional use. Rather than fighting it, we used that constraint to conceive a deeply theatrical, custom love seat nestled precisely into the niche. What started as an unworkable architectural flaw became the most memorable, defining feature of the space. It's proof of how, often, your accidental hero is born from turning obstacles into icons."

What's Your Advice for People Looking to Turn a Renovation Obstacles Into Its Strength?

"Sometimes the space itself feels uninspiring, not because of structural oddities, but because of its conventional routine, like bathrooms, for example. When tasked with designing the main bathroom for the WOW!house in collaboration with House of Rohl, we were dealing with a room type that many view as purely functional compared to grand living areas or bedrooms. And so, instead of letting the layout dictate the feeling, we chose our protagonist first: a grand, statement round bathtub.

"The rest of the design supported that choice. We elevated the tub on a central plinth, set beneath an architectural dome, featuring a breathtaking, hand-painted ceiling by artist Claire Basler. By declaring the hero early, by choosing it first, a standard functional room was transformed into an immersive sanctuary."

Many of the Studio's Biggest Projects Are Architectural. How Does Your View of Limitations Shift Then?

"For us, this same philosophy applies when the architectural canvas we are working with is a living one. Often, a site is rich with mature trees and native landscape that directly disrupt a conventional layout. Our approach is never to clear-cut or fight against the terrain, but to work with it — to invite it into the architecture. You could view nature as the ultimate constraint, really.

"Yet, designing around the natural landscape is simply another challenge that sparks profound creativity. We approach these sites by tightly framing structures around existing trees, transforming the daily experience of a space into a sensory interaction where you see, touch, and smell the environment. Whenever feasible, we elevate buildings on stilts to ensure the lightest possible intervention on the earth.

"In a recent Six Senses resort concept we designed, the site was a dense pine forest sitting just 300 meters from coastal dunes. Rather than clearing the site to make way for the structures, we orchestrated the entire masterplan of the buildings around the natural clusters of pine trees. We then allowed the native sand of the site to flow seamlessly right up to and around the structures, preserving the exact topography that the forest had carved out over decades. By treating the landscape as a non-negotiable constraint, the architecture didn't dominate the site; it became an extension of it."

What Do You Want Your Projects to Evoke?

"At its core, great design is tactile and emotional. You can hold all the degrees and accumulated experience in the world, but if a space doesn't feel good when you step inside, it will always remain cold and soulless.

"In an era saturated with curated visual noise, it is easy to get caught up in replicating aesthetic trends. But true design requires us to stop relying endlessly on Pinterest and Instagram for inspiration, and start tuning back into intuition and nature. It's not just about styling a picture-perfect vignette; it's about how a space makes you feel when you inhabit it.

"The next time you encounter a space with a seemingly hopeless corner, a column blocking your way, or a tree line disrupting your masterplan, don't try to hide it or override it. Lean in, give it your attention first, and let the constraint reveal its own protagonist."

Gregoriou isn't the first nor the last person to realize how much of a value offline authenticity has in the contemporary design landscape. In his latest piece for Livingetc, James Cunningham, too, argues that, increasingly, people are rejecting algorithm-influenced, predictable interiors for adventurous, more personal homes. Finally, a trend we can't wait to get on ourselves.

Subscribe to our newsletter today to stay in the loop on similar stories and everything else we are up to weekly.

Bathroom wallpaper is uniquely positioned as a safe space to step outside your design comfort zone. It's a room where it becomes less intimidating to do something that feels a little bolder than you'd do elsewhere.

There was a time when the bathroom was viewed as little more than a purely functional space, free from the flourishes and fancies applied to the rest of the home. Thankfully, we've come a long way since then. Nowadays, it's not unusual for the modern bathroom to be a design highlight of the home. There's something about the intimacy of these rooms that invites a little extra drama, and what better way to make a statement than with wallpaper?

1. Earthy Neutrals in Nature

In this Philadelphia home, designer Brittany Hakimfar sought to create moments of warmth and coziness within a large, bright home.

For this bathroom, Brittany leaned into the darkness, covering this petite powder room in a beautiful patterned paper decorated with leafy foliage and exotic trees, turning a small room into a big design moment.

2. Fine Line Illustrations

For interior designer Sheena Holton, the biggest struggle when renovating her Art Deco apartment was the lack of natural sunlight, leaving some rooms almost completely in the shadow, particularly this small bathroom.

Instead of focusing on what she couldn't change, Sheena searched for ways to bring some playfulness to the space. "It wasn't possible to change the developer's designs for the bathrooms, so I concentrated on making this a fun space," says Sheena. "It's small but uplifting."

3. Blushing Beauty

"The client has a particularly fashionable and daring personality, so we knew up front she wouldn’t be afraid of unique wallpaper options," shares Maria Hogrefe from C&M Interiors.

"We immediately loved the feminine nature of the wallpaper once we received a sample memo from a local vendor. The wallpaper was used sparingly, but it truly ties everything together with historic-style nude muses with an antiqued backdrop."

4. Candy-Striped Sweetness

In this bathroom, candy cane-style striped wallpaper feels sweet and playful, but the muted, pale color palette gives it a more calming feel, keeping it from slipping into circus territory.

"A stripe gives rhythm and can be used in a myriad of ways," say Kristin Fine and Analisse Taft-Gerste from The 1818 Collective. In loft bathrooms, where the slanted ceiling can make the space feel suffocating, a striped wallpaper brings some continuity to the space.

5. Hidden Narnia Doors

Though not technically within the bathroom, in this home, the ensuite bathroom is hidden behind a wallpaper-clad wardrobe door, creating a Narnia-like entrance into the room.

"This bedroom is dominated by a large built-in wardrobe covered in wallpaper that once again evokes distant landscapes and exotic imagery," shares Marco Rulli, co-founder of 02A Studio.

6. Pattern-Maxxing

One for the maximalists out there, this pattern-drenched bathroom combines patterned tile floors with delicate floral wallpaper and a contrasting patterned shower, too.

It could easily come off as overwhelming or crowded, but thanks to the pale background and sage green trim, the final result has a whimsical, storybook-like quality to it.

7. Textured Warmth

In this small bathroom, designer Zac Evangelisti, from ZARQ, paired a custom-made marble bathroom sink with a wallpaper featuring a green, knotted bamboo pattern against a silk moiré background.

The silky background provides an extra element of depth and warmth, while the Viola Calacatta sink remains a striking focal point in the design.

8. Croc Chic

A small powder room provides the perfect opportunity to do something slightly more experimental than you would otherwise consider, and this elegant toilet, with its green, crocodile-effect walls, is the perfect example of that.

The rich green pairs beautifully with the warm brass bathroom hardware, and the textured finish certainly makes a statement, without feeling overdone.

9. Portal to Paradise

In this tiny ensuite bathroom, palm-tree patterned paper sits alongside rich, red bathroom tiles, making for a transportive space, like stepping straight into a holiday. Sitting within the loft's color palette of warm reds and earthy greens, this awkwardly sized bathroom makes the most of the limited space available.

10. Never-Boring Neutrals

In this Notting Hill home, designer Brian Woulfe wanted to build a neutral color palette without any of the coldness you find with bright, stark whites. Instead, he opted for softer, creamier tones across the home, building warmth with shades of beige, brown, and cream.

Although sticking to the same color palette, this bathroom marks a departure from the stylistic norm used across the rest of the home. "We hadn’t used any wallpaper anywhere else, and we wanted to give guests that moment of 'wow' when they walked in," says Brian.

11. Old World Luxury

Designer Christian Bense wanted to create a space that felt more like a living room than it did a typical bathroom, and with wooden floors and elegant mural-covered cabinetry, he did just that.

The design refers back to the home's Georgian roots, while still feeling thoroughly modern. It's sleek and undeniably impressive, hiding utilities away behind the patterned pocket doors.

12. Eclectic Layering

The patterned, tiled sink may be the show-stopper in this bathroom, but the delicate wallpaper makes for an excellent supporting act.

It would've been easy to keep the rest of the bathroom pared back and allow the tiles to do all the talking, but by going the opposite direction and pairing them with some equally characterful touches, the designers were able to create a bolder, more impactful space with a stronger visual identity.

13. Sunshine Doodles

Emanating a sunny warmth, this little powder room combines ochre colored tiles with sunshine-yellow paper, decorated with the playful, childlike drawings of blooming florals and wisps of grass.

The drawn-on effect of this wallpaper offers a touch of whimsy to this space, as does the wavy-framed yellow mirror above the sink. There's an atmosphere of joy to this room, turning a space dedicated to functionality into a moment of optimism.

14. Multi-Dimensional Monochrome

The clients behind this home weren't afraid of decorating with color, so this room made a departure from the norm for them. But just because they stuck to black and white doesn't mean it was any less packed with personality.

Veined marble and the monochromatic artwork mimic the black-and-white patterned surface of the wallpaper, making for a layered, multi-dimensional effect.

15. Drawn-On Guest Room

Another bathroom from the previous home, this room pays homage to the beauty and whimsy of femininity.

"This guest bathroom wallpaper the client had been eyeing up for a while, and we were happy to give it a home here. It's a celebration of women and cheerful femininity. There's a fine line between celebrating a paper like this and keeping the overall design elevated, so we grounded the space with more muted tile colors," says Clara Jung, principal designer at Banner Day Interiors.

16. A Touch of Sheen

Wallpaper doesn't always have to entail a big, bold pattern. You can find countless gorgeous designs that place importance on texture rather than pattern, and these can often have an even more striking visual effect.

Take this room, where the subtle shine of the pink, panelled wallpaper brings a luminosity to the small powder room, giving it that jewel-box quality.

Wallpapers We're Loving

There's clearly a growing appetite for more personality-led, characterful homes nowadays, which is exactly why we expect this style to become one of the biggest modern bathroom trends of the year.

Stay up to date with all the latest trends and subscribe to our newsletter.

All Hallow's Eve — Halloween's original name in medieval times — is a night of storytelling. Ghostly tales around the fire in the darkness, quietly inspiring fear. And I stumbled upon a designer-styled space curated for a Halloween dinner party that's like a folkloric tale brought to life.

Los Angeles-based interior designer Marco Zamora transformed his home into an extravagant surrealist landscape that invites guests not just to appreciate the visual masterpiece, but to experience it, too. From a floating, ethereal ghost in the entryway to a magnificent circus-like bar lounge, Marco shares the inspiration behind his Halloween decorating ideas for this year's dinner party and how you can recreate the look.

The Entryway

With an impressive social media following of 2.3 million on Instagram and 1.5 million on TikTok, Marco is well known for his creativity — sharing elaborate DIY projects across his platforms, often using his own home as the foundation. This particular project piqued my interest from the first teaser.

'Surrealist Ball' was the theme for the Halloween dinner party he hosted this year, and was inspired by the first Halloween dinner party he hosted the year prior. "Someone commented on one of my posts saying the event looked like it was pulled straight from a dream. Ever since, I’ve wanted to create a fully immersive experience centered around that same otherworldly, dreamlike imagery," says Marco.

"I absolutely love curating extravagant experiences for my guests, and Halloween provides the perfect opportunity to lean into that creativity," he says. "It has quickly evolved into an annual tradition that my friends, my followers, and I all look forward to."

For his Halloween entryway, he bought 100 red roses to cover his entire spiral staircase — his favorite element to style in the dinner party scheme — making it look as though the staircase was completely overtaken by them. "The entrance to my home already feels dramatic in the best way, and I wanted a design to match that energy. Making it look as though the roses and branches were naturally growing out of the stairs delivered that exact drama and felt hauntingly romantic," Marco shares.

Of course, 100 roses is a lot, but even a slightly pared-back approach would be striking. You could even order artificial roses to reuse each year, repurposing them slightly differently each time, and this pack of 12 Laelfe Burgundy Roses on Amazon would do just the trick. You could also skip the roses entirely and forage some branches to cover your staircase with, for a less romantic but statement-making look.

The red lighting and fog Marco incorporated in his foyer are also highly impactful and "complete the haunting, dreamlike atmosphere," Marco explains. While technically a sleep aid, these Red Light Plug-In Wall Lights on Amazon are an easy way to recreate the vibe, or you could replace your existing lightbulbs with red varieties for the occasion — Amazon has a big selection of red lightbulbs to choose from depending on your fitting. Plus, this Littleboyny Fog Machine, also on Amazon, has a fog discharge distance of 3-5 meters plus a removable cable remote control for added versatility.

The pièce de résistance in the entryway? The ghost, of course. "I wanted guests to encounter an eerily beautiful moment the second they walked through the door. To achieve this, I sculpted a floating, dancing figure entirely out of chicken wire to resemble an ethereal ghost," says Marco. It was, however, by far the most challenging element of the project — "incredibly difficult, but such a fun challenge!" Marco says.

Using something like this TOYPOPOR Chicken Wire on Amazon, Marco worked on the sculpture section by section, starting with the skirt, scrunching it into shape before using fishing line to attach it to a disco ball motor on his chandelier.

This Disco Ball Motor comes with a remote, and this Nylon Fishing Line would work well; both are available on Amazon — plus, you could also use a ceiling hook if you don't have anything else to attach the motor to, like this Pack of 5 Adhesive Ceiling Hooks on Amazon.

And when you're not spinning ghosts for Halloween, you can use the disco ball motor for an actual disco ball, too — disco interiors are still very much a thing.

The Dining Area

Marco decided to use his living room as the dining area for the Halloween dinner party, which meant moving all his living room furniture elsewhere — though it was definitely worth the effort. The framed view of the red-lit trees in the garden defines the surrealist space and gives Martin Scorsese vibes, too.

"I wanted the dining area to evoke a dark, eerie setting grounded in surrealism," explains Marco. "The space was anchored by unexpected elements, including a swan centerpiece and custom ballerina candle holders that I handcrafted. For the backdrop, I draped sheer fabric and formed a central opening to frame my large window that overlooks the garden. To enhance the mood, I bathed the trees in red light, allowing a haunting glow to naturally creep into the dining area."

This Auraglow Garden Spike Light with a Red GU10 Bulb on Amazon is a great outdoor uplighter for your trees and walls to create an eerie scene — and if you don't have anywhere to stick a spike, you could try these LED Flood Lights instead, also available on Amazon.

Marco's Halloween tablescape also features one of this year's biggest tablescaping trends — outside of spooky season, too — which is calla lilies as tableware. From runways to restaurants, the calla lily is the flower to have on your table, and although Marco has incorporated real calla lilies into his table setting (cut and placed over thin black taper candle holders), you can also buy calla lily-shaped candle holders, like these Silver-Colored Candlesticks at H&M, or these Antique Brass Ninfea Candle Holders at OKA, which I'm completely obsessed with.

Decorating with sheer curtains in this space adds to the sense of romance that's evident throughout the entire scheme, bringing softness, movement, and, of course, plenty of drama — these Black Voile Curtains on Amazon would be the ticket.

The result is a space that really does feel otherworldly — it keeps you guessing, thinking, and your eye dancing from one unexpected moment to the next.

The Bar Lounge

For the final room transformation, Marco turned his library into a cocktail bar lounge of dreams, featuring a tented ceiling that's to die for — pun intended. "I envisioned draping fabric across the ceiling to create a circus-like tent," says Marco. "My goal was for guests to feel as though they had just stepped into an extravagant, otherworldly spectacle."

To create the ceiling effect, Marco strung together red and white curtain panels, which he then tied together at the top, wrapping them around his ceiling light while nailing each panel's ends along the top edges of the room. You can get these Single Plain Voile Net Curtains in red and white, along with a variety of other colors, on Amazon, along with the Ceiling Hook I mentioned earlier.

"I also carried the red lighting into this space to maintain a cohesive, immersive ambiance throughout the entire home." The 'horror red light' is also echoed in the reds of the ceiling drapery, roses, bows, and velvet curtained doorways for a wonderfully considered scheme.

Part bar, part theater — it literally looks like a stage to me — let the cocktail performance begin. And Halloween or not, Marco's bar accessories are elegant additions that elevate any home bar setup, and I've found similar pieces to help you get the look in your own space.

I asked Marco if the project turned out to be quite expensive in the end, and he said it wasn't as much as he initially anticipated. "I repurposed a lot of décor, such as fabric from previous projects. For the elements I didn't already own, I was able to source them affordably from Facebook Marketplace, Wayfair, and Amazon. I love being resourceful and reusing items from past events to stay in budget," he says.

It boils down to creativity and working with what you've got as much as possible. Plus, if you're passionate about what you're creating, the results will always reflect it. "I remember hosting my very first Halloween dinner party and bringing my creative vision to life in a new way. It was an exciting experience that taught me the importance of trusting my instincts, embracing my creative perspective, and taking pride in the details I put into my work. The biggest lesson I took away from that first event is that people naturally gravitate toward what you put love into," says Marco.

When you're committed to telling a story, people want to listen.

If Marco's Halloween dinner party has inspired you to do some last-minute decorating, these Halloween door decor ideas will add spooky curb appeal, and some are DIY, too.

For more design ideas straight to your inbox, subscribe to the Livingetc newsletter.

Designed by Nox Studio Interiors, this 100-year-old farmhouse keeps you on your toes with its palette. You're greeted by a botanical green entryway, moving into a bold red kitchen with tiger-print seats, and then a living room in orange, blue, and gold. The color choices make every room feel like a new chapter in the story of the home's design, yet it still hangs on a cohesive narrative.

"We were also inspired by the fact that the house used to be a farm," says Anne Van Heugte, interior designer and founder of Nox Studio Interiors. "We wanted to incorporate this aspect into the design without making it feel too much like a newly built modern home."

However, that is largely what it is. "Only the front façade of the original house was preserved; the rest was completely demolished and rebuilt," explains Anne. Still, "We really liked and appreciated the fact that the farmhouse was 100 years old, and we wanted to emphasize its history through elements such as aged-looking beams, 300-year-old bricks, wooden wainscoting, and other traditional materials," she continues. That blend of old and new informed the more maximalist, eclectic, and layered details.

Like most renovations, the inspiration for this Netherlands home revival started with its surroundings, the owner's taste, and the history of the property.

"The surroundings of the house, with all the greenery, were a major source of inspiration," says Anne. You can see this in the shades of green, blue, and teal throughout each room, but Anne explains they were also drawn to the contrasting warm tones; hence, blue and orange in different variations pop up around the house.

As mentioned, color takes the main stage in this renovation. Teals, calming blues, and green color trends account for the serene mood, and when contrasted with complementary warm tones, each room becomes more dynamic — built on both grounding earthy color palettes, but with a stylish flair.

Luckily for Anne, "The clients really liked bold, vibrant colors such as orange, blue, and green." And again, this laid a lot of the color palette groundwork. "We combined these with burgundy red and terracotta tones, bringing together both light and dark shades of blue," continues Anne. "Then we softened the tones slightly to create a more harmonious palette and ensure that the colors complemented one another."

The living rooms, dining space, and kitchen, where these colors are most prominent, lead into one another. It's a fabulous example in how color palettes throughout a home can be harmonious — and are more effective when they are.

But the jewel of the house is most definitely the red kitchen. So how did this striking design come to life? "I think every designer has a list of combinations they'd love to use and bring to life in a project," Anne shares. "A red kitchen with a Rosso Levanto marble countertop was at the top of my wish list, and this was the perfect project to make it happen."

The kitchen may not need to be the center of the home anymore, but it is still a natural hosting and entertaining space, especially when you have this amount of space to work with. Red makes an impact, and the pink and golden details bring that comforting warmth that such communal spaces demand. "I love how the red marble turned out, especially on the kitchen island. It's such a large feature and truly the heart of the house. Everything happens here," says Anne.

"The tiger-print seats add a slightly wild contrast," Anne adds, no pun intended. "But I really enjoyed pushing the boundaries here and creating a bold contrast between the different elements." Why not decorate with animal print in the kitchen?

For the home bar, "we chose shades of brown, dark blue, and green to give the space a slightly rougher, more relaxed feel without making it look too styled," explains Anne. And this choice of a more natural color palette gives the space both a moody and cozy aesthetic.

However, the expert pattern mixing steals the show in this space. The different types of marble, the tiger print pouf, the stormy wallpaper, and the tapestry print across the corner dining bench never seem like they would all work together, but they do. There are layers of undertones and hues that blend beautifully.

Yes, there are a lot of different colors going on throughout the home, but the key to all of them working together is how they move and transform from space to space. For instance, on the ground floor, there are stronger, brighter, more uplifting colors. But as you move upstairs, "In the primary bedroom and en-suite bathroom, for example, we opted for light pink and dark purple," says Anne. "We wanted these spaces to feel softer and a little cozier."

But there is still tangible personality. The bathroom is covered in a pink Zellige tile, the bedroom walls are a dusty pinkish mauve, and even the walk-in closet incorporates a tonal blend of soft pinks. Though it's all the same or similar colors, the different shades create a dynamic scheme.

Shop the Style

Joyful colors can be elevated, luxurious, expensive-looking, and dynamic — it's all in how you layer and pair shades, materials, and textures. This Netherlands home is a masterclass in expressive color and leaning into individuality in a home.

For more inspiration like this, be sure to subscribe to the Livingetc newsletter.

Trends in interior design have, of late, been embracing something of the traditional — a storied frill and sense of ornamentation that introduces a little conflict for those who enjoy more contemporary rooms. However, if the idea of a 'modern home' resonates with you over classicism, there's a trick to benefit from the depth and layered sophistication of this style, without compromising your design aesthetic: the 'decorative gesture'.

It might be, for example, a strategically placed tassel on a light fitting, a standalone fringe or frill on a sofa, a frame that's unexpectedly gilded for a home that generally trades in minimalism. Maybe it’s the unexpected, yet harmonious, pairing of an ornate brass handle against the cool, monolithic surface of veined marble. Whatever it is, it's an interior design trend that makes you look twice.

Los Angeles-based interior designer Ryan Saghian puts it best: "I've always believed that the most interesting rooms have tension. I don't want everything to match, and I certainly don't want everything to look like it came from the same decade. That's boring to me."

"I'm constantly looking for that one element that challenges everything around it. Sometimes it's an antique, sometimes it's an ornate detail, and sometimes it's something completely unexpected," the designer adds. "I think the best interiors have a little contradiction in them. There's something incredibly beautiful about an object that, on paper, has absolutely no business being in a room, yet somehow becomes the very thing that makes the room work."

For Marisa Gutmacher, senior vice president of design at Samuel & Sons, these key decorative accents can also be the final flourishes that elevate an interior from well-designed to truly distinctive. "Sometimes a piece has all the right elements but still feels unresolved," she says. "But the finishing detail can give it the presence it needs, bringing weight to its silhouette or creating the transition between upholstery and the space around it. For me, that final gesture is integral to a beautifully resolved design."

To uncover the quiet design theatrics in 2026 that make you pause and think, 'why didn't I think of that?', these are some of the considered details and unexpected accents that elevate an interior beyond the ordinary.

In case you missed the memo: we’re moving away from the idea that passementerie — the art of crafting decorative trimmings and edgings like tassels — is reserved solely for traditional interiors. Instead, these upholstery trimmings are proving right at home in more contemporary settings.

"I'm biased, but I believe a beautifully made piece of passementerie has to be one of the most stylish gestures you can bring into a home," passementerie artist Elizabeth Ashdown observes. "Passementerie is an art form in its own right, with centuries of skill and knowledge behind every tassel, cord and braid."

Today, the once 'old-fashioned' tassel is appearing in unexpected corners of contemporary interiors. For example, we're seeing tassels strategically re-emerge as a singular, graphic drop-line on the likes of lighting and mirrors.

And it’s for good reason: "Passementerie adds personality in a way few other objects can, because it can be designed for one particular room," notes Elizabeth. "That level of personalization is what turns a well-designed room into one that feels truly yours," the expert adds.

And it doesn't end at just tassels. The coolest rooms have some 'edge' to them. And by that we mean soft furnishings and upholstery that have been elevated with a final flourish of trim — be it braids, gimps, or fringing.

The good news is that there is no shortage of ways to add these design details to your interior. For example, maybe it's the leading edge of a sheer Roman blind, the back of a chair, the hem of a lampshade, or the border of an upholstered headboard.

In Elizabeth's view, adding an edge is the interior equivalent of a beautifully finished seam in tailoring. She says: "Most people couldn't tell you why the room feels expensive, but that crisp, contrasting edge is often the reason."

It doesn't have to be a traditional element to qualify, says Ryan Saghian, just something that tells a different, more decorative story. "An antique mirror, an elaborate chandelier, a traditional textile, or a piece of furniture with beautiful ornamentation can completely change the energy of a room."

The art to keeping things feeling contemporary? "The secret is knowing when to stop," the designer adds. "If everything is making a statement, nothing is making a statement. I like giving those decorative moments room to breathe rather than surrounding them with things that are competing for attention."

"For me, great design isn't about making everything belong. It's about having the confidence to put things together that other people might never think to combine."

It's not just the big-ticket items that make a home stand out. The most covetable spaces show that even the functional elements of a home can be an opportunity to inject some creativity, character, and a little fun.

"Little details like decorative door hinges that are found through personal discovery make a home feel intentional and cared for," says Ginger Curtis, founder and CEO of Urbanology Designs. She says the same goes for unexpected colors inside cabinetry, decorative metal grilles, embroidered upholstery, or drawers lined in leather or patterned fabric.

"The smallest of surprises, like a hand-painted detail tucked inside a cabinet, can be memorable," Ginger adds. "You don't always notice them immediately, but once you do, you realize just how thoughtfully the space has been considered."

The most compelling interiors aren't those that follow a single trend or aesthetic too rigidly. Instead, the real magic lies in rooms that embrace individuality, the unexpected, and, perhaps most importantly, the 'one gesture' philosophy.

Elizabeth suggests that one gesture, done properly, gives a home individuality and soul without the expense or visual noise of a full redesign. "It's also a more sustainable way of thinking," she adds. "You buy one beautiful thing and keep it for a lifetime, rather than restyling every season."

For example: "A single tassel in a saturated color against pale oak, or a fine braid tracing the line of an upholstered headboard, becomes the exclamation mark," the expert adds. "Because everything around it is quiet, it doesn't have to shout to be heard."

But remember, the balance needn’t be uniform. "A beautifully chosen border can give plain curtains a distinct identity without adding another object to the space," Marisa adds. "Curtains with a more expressive treatment can sit comfortably alongside simply upholstered furniture. I find that variation far more interesting than carrying the same degree of decoration throughout."

Though contemporary restraint can be appealing, Elizabeth says all that understated uniformity can tip into anonymity. "People are becoming tired of disposable things and of rooms that look like everyone else's," she says. "There's a real appetite for objects with provenance — something made by hand, by a named maker, with a story behind it."

And Ginger concurs. "The coolest homes right now don’t look purchased. Instead, they look gathered and curated over time."

The expert says it's these design details that give a home its 'soul'. "After years of everything being available with one click, people are craving things that carry a story," Ginger says. "In fact, I love pieces that introduce a sense of curiosity, history, or even humor. Not everything needs to make perfect sense. Sometimes, that’s exactly what makes it interesting."

You can read the rest of our Style Pulse trend report online, now.

Shop the Decorative Edit

Green will always be in style — what changes is the specific shade. Emerging from the sluggy olives and soothing sages right now is one particularly refreshing pick: mint. Often described as an 'oxygenated green', mint sits somewhere between the natural world and a more futuristic, digital one, making it the perfect interior design trend for SS27.

"Mint is so futuristic because it’s wrapped up in the mid-century space-age palette, as well as contemporary tech, screen, and app culture," color expert Amy Moorea Wong explains. "Its light-filled pastel teeters on the brink of a bright, almost neon, which makes it feel weightless, synthetic, and unearthly. In the home it’s a punchy, jolt of vigour that’s striking and audacious (without the retina-singeing properties of a real fluorescent)."

Livingetc's editor, Hugh Metcalf, also reported seeing the green color trend everywhere at Milan Design Week this year. "It's a little disruptive, in a way that makes the scheme feel alive, but it's just soft enough (less jarring than something like an acidic green) that it doesn't bring harshness in the contrast," he shared at the time.

In a broader cultural sense, you could argue that mint green has been trying to break through for a while now. On the runway, it was spotted in Fendi's Spring/Summer 2026 collection as a floaty, floral bomber jacket. Days later, in Matthieu Blazy’s first drop for Chanel, all eyes were on a pair of mint-green croc-leather pumps.

More recently, mint green was hard to miss at Loewe's 2027 spring ready-to-wear show at Paris Fashion Week — a handbag here, a striped shirt there. It acted as a form of punctuation — at once fresh and cheerful, yet also remarkably liveable.

So it makes sense it's now making its way into our interiors. "We like this kind of green because it feels fresh and optimistic, but also has a strong connection to modernist design," says Samantha Hauvette, one-half of Paris-based studio Hauvette & Madani. "[In the armchair pictured above], it acts almost like a punctuation mark: a small but very deliberate burst of color that brings energy to the room and creates a dialogue with the turquoise used elsewhere in the apartment."

Aside from the fact that we could all use a little more optimism in our lives with the state of affairs right now, Chicago-based designer Jennifer Sucher thinks the trend is growing because people are generally more ready to decorate with color at the moment. "I think a lot of people resonate with shades of green, but mint feels really fresh and new; it feels unexpected," she adds.

"It is particularly good at conjuring a 1930s-1950s feel, which can be great fun and gives it a slightly nostalgic quality," adds color consultant Harriet Slaughter. "With that fresh, rejuvenating quality, it works beautifully in bathrooms, kitchens, and other light, bright spaces."

So with a shade so energetically charged, how do you actually work with it in an interior? The obvious answer is small doses. Just as the 'Unexpected Red' Theory taught us about using bold color in our homes, a small pop of mint — especially an unexpected one — can be all a space needs to feel fresh and punchy.

Take the living space pictured above, for example: a minty table lamp advances against the warm-toned palette around it. If you want to create impact, "The red side of the color wheel naturally complements mint," says Amy Moorea Wong. "Rust, rosy pink, and cherry would be my first tester pots."

Interior designer Jonathan Richards, co-director of Australian studio Richards Stanisich, would agree. While the building's Art Deco heritage inspired the mint green ceiling pictured below, "it was also just a gut feel for what would work well with all the pinks and terracotta tones we had elsewhere in the design," he shares.

And while mint green features a few times throughout the home, the colored ceiling above the staircase is Jonathan's favorite. "[It] holds the space together," he says. "Throughout the house, the ceilings are used as room-defining features" — there are glossy sky-blue ceilings, timber ceilings, and curved rendered ceilings — "but in the biggest space, the central stair, a gloss mint green really anchors the interiors."

"Mint is an interesting color because it isn’t quite one thing or the other," explains Harriet. "It sits somewhere between blue and green, softened by white, so it has the calming qualities of both while still feeling light and playful."

"Mint is like a leafy green dialled up a few notches — more how we feel the flavor should look than a truthful ode to the plant," says Amy. "Like a minimalist, digital take on nature, it soothes without being sleepy, coming across as airy, crisp, and cool while retaining its link with the outdoors, should things get a bit too pixelated. Does it bring the garden into the home in the same way a fern or forest green does? No, but it makes that restorative, nature-vibe contemporary and relevant, as well as fizzing with energy."

But with a color like mint, it's especially important to consider how lighting may affect this shade of green paint. Get it wrong, and you could end up with a space that feels strangely sickly or overly clinical.

"Mint can seem clinical because it has strong ties to the bathroom (thanks, toothpaste) and other starkly lit hygienic environments," explains Amy. "The color is just asking to be wipe-clean and hard-surfaced, so to counter this, dodge harsh materials and shapes, bring it in via timber, textiles, or in unexpected areas, and layer in warm lighting."

If you really need to tile, "Pair mint with natural materials, roundness, or a sense of whimsy to soften the space, so there’s no way you could mistake it for your hygienist appointment," she adds.

As such a playful color, there are plenty of ways to decorate with mint green. "To add depth to a minty room, play with the shades and hues around it," says Amy. "For high contrast, bring in deeper greens such as bottle or forest green, which retain that sense of calm, or inky navy for a cooler contrast." How will you use it?

You can read the rest of our Style Pulse trend report online, now.

I have a feeling that the ‘quiet luxury’ moment was a turning point in how we feel about our homes. If you missed this trend the first time around, the long and short of it was an ideology that elegance doesn’t shout; it whispers. In interiors, it translated into homes that were neutral and soft, yes, but also inherently inoffensive and safe… words that have come to have a not-so-desirable meaning today in design.

But where quiet luxury felt, above all else, ‘comfortable’, in just a few short years, something has changed in the zeitgeist. Designs are emerging that don’t just ‘shout’, but introduce elements that seem to deliberately challenge our expectations of how a home should behave — rooms that feel slightly jarring, even if just for a moment.

The word I’ve come to use to describe these ideas is reactionary against the trends that came before: it’s ‘discomfort’. But, maybe ironically, it’s not a word that I feel most interior designers I speak to about it are, well, comfortable with.

I don’t think ‘discomfort’ means the same thing as ‘uncomfortable’, though. Discomfort is a slight wince; a momentary squirm — something that challenges and pushes your boundaries. “I’d say friction rather than discomfort,” designer Nicholas Kaiko, founder of Kaiko Design Interiors, pushes back on me as an alternative. Friction is a word that has come up a lot, independently, across our interior design trend report for 2027, but the reason I love discomfort is that it’s a more recognizable feeling to me.

Yet, whatever we call it, it’s clear we’re talking about the same thing. “What keeps a space evolving is one or two elements that don’t quite settle,” Nicholas says. “A color that’s slightly too loud, a surface you want to touch but aren’t sure you should, or a piece of furniture that seems at odds with the rest.”

“That friction can’t be random, though,” the designer adds. “It needs to be deliberate so the rest makes sense.” And therein lies the art of creating discomfort in the home.

One of the most interesting ways in which discomfort, or friction, is being realized in the most exciting interior design projects today is through decorating with color. “We’ve spent so long trying to create interiors that are harmonious, cohesive, and universally pleasing, but I think there’s a growing confidence in allowing a space to be a little more unexpected,” says interior designer Sophie Rowell, founder of design studio Côte de Folk. “People are becoming more comfortable expressing their individuality rather than following a prescribed idea of what a home should look like. There’s a freedom in that, and a willingness to trust your own instincts rather than worry about whether something is conventionally tasteful.”

Palettes that challenge convention, that feel like they don’t make sense on paper, and that could feel harsh and jarring to live with, are being used to create spaces that feel anything but.

Take, for example, a recent project of Sophie’s, pictured above, created for the youngest client she’s worked with to date. “In this bedroom, the chartreuse and deep purple are certainly an unexpected pairing, but what I find particularly interesting is that, despite their visual impact, the room feels incredibly calming,” the designer says. “The colors have depth and richness, and there’s something enveloping about the combination. It feels cocooning rather than chaotic, which is exactly what you want from a bedroom.”

The use of acidic colors, in particular, is one of those emerging trends that naturally plays into the idea of discomfort — surely, a luminous chartreuse is not meant to be easy on the eye, after all? “Acidic colors, such as chartreuse, bring a particular energy to a space,” Sophie suggests. “They have a freshness and vibrancy that can feel almost electric, introducing a tension that more conventional colors don’t offer.”

“But that doesn’t mean they have to feel loud or unsettling,” the designer adds. “For me, the secret to creating a successful, slightly ‘unsafe’ palette is to understand that contrast doesn’t have to mean conflict. You need to be willing to take a risk, but you also need to consider the balance, the proportions and the atmosphere you want to create.”

Discomfort is also being found in form, too. Soft, fluid lines have become an inescapable part of the modern design lexicon, in everything from the curved sofa to the bullnose edge of kitchen countertops. Anything that was once ‘linear’ has been re-engineered into a more curvaceous, flowing form. And, for good reason. In design psychology, we’re programmed to avoid sharp corners — rounding the edge off makes our spaces feel more welcoming and safe.

So, what can we infer from the swing of interior design trends not just from curves back to straight lines, but to jagged, pointed, zig-zagging, and even spiked edges? “Spikes are an evolution,” ponders Russell Whitehead, one half of design duo 2LG Studio, “and those soft organic shapes have solidified into harder angles.”

Russell suggests that, much like the curves that came before, these forms take just as much inspiration from the natural world. “Plant forms that gave inspiration behind trends for biophilia and organic shapes have taken a darker turn towards something more edgy — the sharp thorns of a rose bush hold as much beauty as the soft pale petals. It’s the contrast of both that we find really exciting.”

It’s perhaps the most pointed example of deliberate discomfort in design, if you’ll excuse the pun, actively pushing back on the psychological underpinning of what makes a home feel comfortable. “Discomfort is something we are all feeling,” Russell says, “so it’s no surprise that it is appearing in the creative output of designers. Perhaps it’s a need to rebel or agitate or stand ground. Or perhaps it’s a way to make the beauty out of the challenges we now face.”

Other uncomfortable forms are also emerging in modern design, especially in materials that feel ‘overly textured’, or as Nicholas Kaiko puts it: “a surface you want to touch but aren’t sure you should.” At Milan Design Week this year, one of my last memories was a collection by Alessandro Ciffo at Galleria Rossana Orlandi, which looked like glass but was actually made from silicone, and wobbled when you touched it.

But, it could be anything that feels overstimulating to the touch (to somebody, at least). “There are a few textures I keep coming back to,” suggests Nicholas. “One is stone left with its pores open, like unfilled travertine. Another is playing with gloss levels, in paint or in applied finishes like veneers and spray finishes.”

And, although I’ve differentiated between discomfort and uncomfortability, I can’t help but be charmed by the idea of furniture that’s not really designed only with comfort in mind.

Of course, comfort is a baseline of what we want from our homes, but not everything needs to be in pursuit of the idea of comfort, as this living room by Kaiko Design Studio goes to prove.

It may be a modern design icon, but the Tom Dixon S-Chair is not, outwardly, the sort of chair you’d gravitate to sit on to unwind after a long day in the office. “Tom Dixon’s S-Chair is there to be looked at as much as sat in,” Nicholas explains. “The sofa does the work of comfort, and the chair does the work of form.”

“A second deep, soft seat would have made the room heavy and sleepy,” the designer adds. “Something upright and sculptural keeps the eye moving, and it changes how people use the space. It’s the chair you perch on with a glass of wine while someone else takes the sofa. I’d argue most living rooms need one. A room only becomes interesting when not everything in it is trying to please you.”

That’s to say, discomfort only works if it’s very deliberate. I think Leah Ring, founder of Los Angeles-based studio ANOTHER HUMAN, is the name to look to for someone who has mastered the art of introducing friction in this bold, adventurous way. “In the quest to create unique interiors, finding tension between colors, patterns or eras of furniture is what makes a space interesting,” Leah tells me. “There's an amount of harmony in the aesthetic discord I create — while mixing colors and design eras, I'm constantly thinking about texture, proportion, positive and negative space and the relationship between varied finishes.”

And that’s the true test. Discomfort, done well, should end up feeling comfortable for the person living in the home. “I really aim to make my interiors very comfortable,” Leah explains. “I've been very fortunate to have clients who are really interested in their homes as a unique expression of their personal taste. Most of my clients are bold and creative, which allows me to be very assertive in my design choices.”

Because, after all, this design trend isn’t just about a color, a texture, or the design of a chair. It’s about a human’s reaction to these things. Discomfort in design is, like any trend, a mirror to what people are feeling, not just an aesthetic choice. “I think there’s a wider movement happening at the moment, not just in interiors, but in the way we approach life,” Sophie Rowell says. “We’re beginning to understand that feeling uncomfortable isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Whether it’s having difficult conversations with the people we love, challenging our own perspectives, or stepping outside our comfort zone, discomfort is often where the most meaningful growth happens.”

“We naturally gravitate towards what feels safe, but if we always stay within those boundaries, we limit ourselves. I think we should embrace that feeling of uncertainty a little more, both in our spaces and in our lives. It’s an opportunity to grow, evolve, and discover something about ourselves that we might not otherwise have found.”

You can read the rest of our Style Pulse trend report online, now.

As interior designer Róisín Lafferty puts it, "I love when materials almost match, but not quite." Across luxury interiors, designers are layering finishes that sit in the same tonal or textural family, and finding that the tension between them can deliver more design depth and longevity than a striking or stark contrast.

Naturally, the results can appear quiet at first glance. A soft clay-pink wall beside plum and peach marble, burr wood against veined stone, swathes of suede framed by swirling veneer, or one type of wood grain sitting next to another. But look longer, and the differences reveal themselves as a shift of grain, a change of sheen, two very different wood grains, or even just a variation in tone. These rooms feel layered, as though they have been considered and curated with a honed eye, and over time.

Some designers push the interior design trend's limits with competing grains and tones; others keep the look tight and close to matching (but importantly not matching). This is the 'texture near match' trend, and it’s one of the most absorbing ideas in interiors right now.

Tactile Dissonance and Friction

This kind of friction is a gentle thing. It lives in micro-contrasts, a grain that runs a fraction coarser or a finish that catches the light differently, rather than in a color pop doing the talking.

At Project Regent’s Park, designer Katie Harbison keeps everything in one tobacco register. Cotton velvet lines the walls and mohair covers the sofa and ottoman, "both the same color, but different fabric families, so the walls and seating read as one envelope."

"It's about building depth with one color instead of contrast, so the materials do the work," says Katie.

It's a form of color drenching here, but there's a friction that lives in the light. "When two materials are close, the differences are subtler, and they come from the way light catches each surface rather than from a sharp change."

The final layer is a bespoke artwork by Heath Wae, created after Katie sent him physical samples of everything. It picks up the color of the velvet and mohair "in paint, so the scheme carries right up the wall instead of stopping at the furniture," while its canvas profile defines it differently from the smooth walls and upholstery.

The Argument for Tonal Monochromatism, With A Little Tension

Choose to stay inside one color family, and the surfaces are free to compete. At Colt Manor, Róisín Lafferty's Georgian powder room, Viola Carnival and Breccia Pernice marble bring coherent plum, burgundy and peach tones, while the soft clay pink of the walls sits alongside them rather than against them.

Here, the marbles carry the drama, each with its own veining and pattern. The paint plays a supporting character role. "Rather than introducing a contrasting color, I wanted the paint to sit within the same tonal family as the natural stone, creating a softer backdrop that draws out the warmth and subtle variations within the marble," Róisín explains.

Her summary is the whole trend in miniature: "Nothing matches exactly, but everything feels connected."

The Death of the ‘Safe Pair’

For years, the dependable way to add texture was to pair opposites: rough against smooth, matte against gloss. It works well for contrast in interior design, but in some respects it works so well that it has become something of a default design move. Dare we say, it’s a little fatigued. Designers are now looking for something less predictable.

For the interior designer Nicholas G Potts, founder of Nicholas Potts Studio, part of the push away from this choice comes from time spent staring at screens. He says the sameness of "AI-generated images which inevitably trend towards 'safe'" is “a challenge to be more personal and individualistic”.

Nice Projects, the studio behind 40 Duke, Selfridge's Members' Club, put it down to our appetite for touch: "as humans, we all enjoy materials that engage the senses, especially touch, and using tactile finishes just feels better and connects us to our environment".

Simon Mayhew, founder of design studio TXTURED, goes further, making the case for rough against textured: "You don’t always need a smooth surface to balance out a rough one. Sometimes it’s those subtle differences in texture and tone that make a space feel more considered and give it its character."

Matching everything is no safer bet. "If everything matches or nothing sticks its neck out, this can have a dulling effect, hiding the beauty that a material or an object brings to a space," says Nicholas.

His Watergate pied-à-terre shows several strong grains working in close conversation. An ABC Worldwide Stone onyx wall was the anchor, and the rest of the scheme builds from the pinks within those slabs. Wood veneers followed close behind.

With that much figuring in play, restraint matters. "We knew that we'd be using some very bold materials, so there is some white space [here, burnished plaster with just a bit of sheen] to allow the elements some breathing room."

Wood Grain On Wood Grain

Put one wood grain finish beside another, and the instinct is to match them. However, Nicholas Potts treats it with care. Matching woodgrains, he says, "can be like matching patterns in an outfit — admittedly it can be dangerous territory, but some of the same rules apply to interiors as they do sartorially."

In the entry of the Watergate pied-à-terre project, he doesn't try to match the timbers at all. The veneer does the heavy lifting. Only two logs of okoume were used for all of the paneling in the apartment, and as the team worked through the panel layout with the cabinetmaker, "we realized that each portion of the log had its own identity". In the entry, they chose a portion with "a lacy grain that almost took on a textile appearance (somewhere between a damask and a Jugendstil print) when it was quarter-matched". He adds that "with the curved plan of the room it feels like drapery."

His rule of thumb: "If things are similar in type, shift the scale, and harmonize (through a color or a theme) rather than replicate."

Subtle Complexity

At first glance, 40 Duke, Selfridges London's private members' club, appears closely paired and coherent — and tonally, it is. However, look a little closer and your eye is pulled in by the subtle material complexities that designers Simone McEwan and Sacha Leong, cofounders of Nice Projects, have chosen to include in the scheme.

The walls are lined in yellow travertine, a nod to Selfridges' brand color, and a thread that runs throughout the club. Underfoot, marble and terrazzo trade patterns within the same golden family, so the floor feels rich, but not distracting. Then there is that table, arguably the room's quiet centerpiece and the pièce de résistance of the project.

Made by Floris Wubben, it could easily have been a piece curated to contrast. Instead, the designers chose a glaze close to the rest of the palette, which they felt was "a fresher and more unexpected approach". Whilst the visual texture appears 'matched' to other materials in the space, the handmade, glazed finish feels, and on closer inspection looks, different to the stone and terrazzo, and that small difference is what keeps the eye moving, delivering the all-important element of discovery as guests sit down, touch the table and realize it’s a differentiating factor.

Simon Mayhew describes the same slow reveal in his own spaces: "You might not notice everything at first glance, but as you spend more time in the space, you start to spot those little details and unexpected finds. I think it's those elements that give a room its character and make it feel like it's evolved naturally over time." That is the near-match at its best: a room that feels layered over time, rather than just 'styled up' in a day.

This trend has longevity — you heard it here first. So, whether you’re going to keep the look exceptionally close, or let the leash out into a more diverse mix of textures and grains that push the trend to its limits, consider this the green flag to dabble in near-match territory.

You can read the rest of our Style Pulse trend report online, now.

Every Monday morning, my cellphone pings with a notification: your average screen time is xx hours, xx minutes. As if this figure — which I can't bring myself to share — weren’t shameful enough, my phone also helpfully informs me, in percentage terms, just how much it has gone up. Almost all of those hours (and yours too, I’d bet) are spent scrolling through social media — but has this endless exposure to images and ideas, far from broadening our minds, actually dulled our taste?

For better or worse, our idea of what makes a room beautiful is directly influenced by a supercomputer in Silicon Valley. The images that attract the most engagement win, and again and again, variations on that look keep appearing until they seem like the obvious choice. Press 'like' and the repetition ramps up. Don't be too hard on yourself, though. "People are busy and, frankly, have a lot of life going on, so it's hard to find the time for a deep dive or to figure out what you actually like," says New York-based interior designer Darren Jett. "The problem is that a machine is telling us what's tasteful, what's good, and what's right."

When our frame of reference is our smartphone, everything runs the risk of becoming standardized — and who wants to live in a space that could belong to just about anyone? By rejecting the safe option and swearing off the predictability of design trends, interior designers are fighting back.

Rooms Should Feel ‘Individual’

Less about minimalism versus maximalism, or decorating with colors and patterns that seemingly buck a trend, the anti-algorithm interior has something idiosyncratic about it. Speaking with industry leaders, 'individuality' was their constant refrain. There’s an appetite for homes that break the mold and take risks, yes, but only if they skip a paint-by-numbers approach to eclecticism.

As we all consume the same content and encounter similar types of spaces, though, distinguishing our own taste from what we’ve seen online becomes increasingly difficult — and so much more important. "People might think they're educating themselves by being on these apps and following lots of influencers," interior designer Leah Ring, who helms the Los Angeles-based studio Another Human, tells me. "In reality, this is just creating a homogenized look."

"People, whether they realize it or not, are starting to copy other people," says Leah. "This completely misses the point of what interior design should be about, which is reflecting your own life and personality."

The most successful spaces, then, are deeply personal. "You either walk into a room and feel something, or you don't," says Darren Jett, whose New York studio, Jett Projects, thrives on creating a sense of visual tension.

"To get the pulse quickening, there needs to be a point of view," he adds. "There has to be a sort of originality; a jumping-off point that spurs the imagination."

In a recent project for clients with Indian heritage, the interior designer upholstered a sculptural sofa using saris that had been given to the couple as a gift, and translated henna patterns from their wedding ceremony into wall decoration.

"We kept going and going with all of our ideas, but in the end it was all about telling their story," says Darren. "They point to pieces in their room, and they have a real connection to them. As a rule of thumb, I always look backwards and then forwards. I never look left or right."

Rely on Your Intuition

Terms like 'layered' appear regularly in design journalism, but there's always a danger that eclecticism veers into saccharine pastiche. Rather than creating a space that feels like it belongs to three different characters, you want it to feel like it actually reflects you and your own history.

"If you can't find an image that represents what you're trying to do, then that's usually a sign you're onto something really good," says Scott Maddux, a London-based interior designer who regularly juxtaposes different eras and styles to great effect.

Patience, he tells me, is a virtue. "When you’re furnishing a room, leaving space for serendipity is very important. Don't make all the decisions at once," he adds.

Some of Scott's favorite spaces are the ones that ended up surprising him most, where he's worked in tandem with a client to find pieces that bring everything together. "Oscillating between old and new always works, whether that’s discovering an artwork at a fair or going antique shopping in Paris," he says. "Suddenly, you’re giving a space its own narrative."

Broaden your vision by stepping away from the scroll and looking at the world through a wider cultural lens. Zero in on real-life details, pore over print magazines, obsess over set design, and look at exhibitions without placing a smartphone between you and the artwork — you'll gain confidence in your own instincts.

What is it about these things that you like? Which colors keep cropping up, which patterns seem to fit your style, and which shapes could translate to your space? Go from there — discovering and then honing your own sense of taste is an essential first step.

"Designers are constantly seeking different references, researching different periods and looking at the work of different artists," explains Melena Dirou from landmark Australian studio Greg Natale. "Fashion, art, and graphic design are hugely influential to our interiors, and when you weave in pieces reflecting these subjects, whether you’ve collected them over time or from different places, you’re avoiding tunnel vision and doing something an algorithm never could."

"It might be an individual trinket or even a record collection that becomes your reference point, but all the elements in your room will work much more successfully if they are authentic," says Melena. "Honor your taste in all the details."

Contrast Is an Art, Not a Science

A room packed with meaningful pieces and interesting objects isn’t automatically beautiful, though. "You have to know when to stand back, observe, and edit," says Melena. "You want your home to be a representation of you, but you don’t want it to feel anything like a museum."

To that end, a little friction is key. Contrast can come from furnishing your home with pieces from different eras, using an unexpected combination of textures and materials, or decorating with colors that don’t instinctively go together. "Even so, you want a dialogue between everything in your space," explains Tom Bartlett, founder of Waldo Studio.

"Look at the properties of different objects — rough, smooth, shiny, fancy, basic — and when the mix feels right, you've got your backbone," says Tom. "Although to some it might seem puckishly discordant, to us it’s all about finding balance."

The best spaces tend to combine this sense of restraint and contrast — they juxtapose and clash in a way that feels unpredictable but looks completely right. "You have to design with conviction," suggests Another Human’s Leah Ring. "The worst thing is to waver, as the half-step is where everything starts to go wrong."

Anti-algorithm interiors don’t eschew social media trends just for the sake of it. Interior designers have always been arbiters of style, so it makes sense that this role becomes even more important when we are collectively bombarded with inspiration from every corner. The very concept of 'taste' has become key.

This movement is less about rejecting the popular and more about embracing the genuinely authentic — put simply, the parameters of a well-designed home aren’t formulaic. "If you like it personally, and you’ve never seen it before, then great," concludes Leah. "Don’t worry about what other people are doing."

You can read the rest of our Style Pulse trend report online, now.

Having tackled a DIY wet room, I’m now firmly camp shower tray. There’s only so much waterproofing anxiety I need in my life, and today’s supermodel-slim designs make that decision considerably easier. Still, I understand the pull of a beautifully tiled shower floor, particularly when it flows straight into the rest of the bathroom. Both routes can look fabulous, but choosing yours involves getting acquainted with a few less photogenic details before you get to the fun stuff.

To help, we’ve gathered shower floor inspiration from designers who’ve thought about everything from the drain position to the grout color. Alongside shower ideas worth stealing, you’ll find advice on trays versus tiled floors, materials that suit wet feet, and whether to match your surroundings or switch things up underfoot.

Ideas for Shower Floor Design

If you want a genuinely seamless shower floor, a level-entry wet-room setup is worth the extra groundwork. Tanking the floor and forming the correct fall to the drain takes more planning than dropping in a standard shower tray, but it removes the lip or change of level at the entrance, letting one tiled surface run straight across the room and into the shower. That makes access easier, simplifies the visual line and, as this bathroom by Mia Karlsson Interior Design proves, gives pattern much more room to work.

The trade-off is installation: waterproofing has to be meticulous, the drain position and gradients need deciding before tiling begins, and tile cuts become much less forgiving when a strong pattern is involved. Here, matching the stripe widths, spacing, and grout lines across the shower threshold keeps the yellow-and-white floor reading as one continuous plane rather than two separate zones.

Once you’ve found a floor tile you love, there’s a lot to be said for letting it run right into the shower. Here, the uninterrupted pattern makes the bathroom feel more generous, even with a substantial, black-framed enclosure keeping shower spray under control.

“We chose a geometric pattern of square and triangular tiles in three different types of marble, as these shapes recur throughout the interior design,” recalls Michelle Jager–van ’t Hof, head of design at Even Eleven Interiors. “Their straight lines also create an interesting contrast with the many circular forms used in the space.”

Getting that pattern to flow takes some careful setting-out, and Even Eleven did their tiler a solid with their choice of tile shapes. “This geometric pattern made it possible to create a clean, straight line directly beneath the shower doors, which became the starting point for the tiler to lay out the pattern,” explains Michelle. “From this line, the floor falls towards the drain within the shower area, allowing the drainage slope to be integrated while maintaining visual continuity across the floor.”

Switching up the tile pattern of your shower floor is a clever way to add definition and conquer blandness. In this bathroom, Nina Farmer picks up the mustard shade from the patchwork shower walls and repeats it underfoot, switching from squares to narrow rectangles. The floor gets its own identity while staying firmly on message “Because the bathroom doesn’t have a view, I wanted the shower itself to become the focal point, almost like an artwork,” recalls Nina.

You can take the same approach with a basket-weave, checkerboard or contrasting border, choosing the floor pattern alongside the wall design. Grout also needs careful consideration. The pale joints here pick out every turn of the herringbone, while a closer color match would soften the geometric pattern.

If possible, ask your tiler to dry-lay a section before committing, checking the view from the shower entrance and how the pattern meets the edges. A few tiles on the showroom counter won’t tell you nearly as much.

If you love decorative tile but don’t fancy being surrounded by it, the shower floor is a good place to indulge. In this bathroom by Regan Baker Design, white subway walls give the floral mosaic shower floor plenty of room to show off, while pink trim along the curb and ledge carries its color up from underfoot.

The owners of this home love 1920s-era tile and pretty, ditsy-print wallpaper. “So that became the inspiration for a custom floor mosaic with little hexagon flowers scattered across the shower,” recalls Regan Baker. “The architect designed it as a very tall, long space, and we wanted to layer in pattern and texture, so it felt more intimate and cottage-like.”

For anyone tempted to commission their own design, Regan’s advice goes beyond choosing a pretty pattern. “We mapped out the flowers before anything went down so they’d feel naturally scattered and land in the right spots around the drain and along the curb,” she explains. “Keeping the drain small and tucking it into the field tile lets the pattern run almost uninterrupted. We kept the grout light so it melts into the white tile and lets the little flowers do the talking.”

Changing the scale of your tiles at the shower door gives each area its own identity, while a repeated shape keeps them connected. Here, Gray Walker Interiors pairs large outlined hexagons on the bathroom floor with tiny honeycomb mosaics that continue up the shower walls and around its opening.

“The larger hexagons make a bold statement, while the smaller ones add just enough texture without competing. The classic black and white palette ties everything together seamlessly,” says founder and principal interior designer, Gray Walker. “The contrasting grout highlights the smaller hexagons without making the space feel too busy.”

Giving the shower floor the deepest shade in a tonal palette adds definition to the space. In this bathroom by Sawyers Design, earthy terracotta color square tiles sit beneath dusky pink walls, bringing depth to the scheme and zoning the shower area. The richer color continues across the raised curb, framing the entrance.

Color does most of the work underfoot, where a simple grid offsets the more elaborate tile pattern on the walls. Pale grout connects the two tile designs, preventing the change in shade from feeling abrupt. In short, choose shades with a shared undertone, then vary their intensity to give each surface its own presence.

To create a tiled base like this, one of the quickest solutions is to use a prefabricated shower former, like this one from Amazon. The slopes toward the drain are already built in, simplifying preparation for your tiler and providing a watertight foundation beneath your chosen tiles.

Enclosures

While level walk-in showers are a huge bathroom trend, there’s plenty to be said for a tiled curb. It gives the shower entrance definition, offers another surface to show off a great tile and, most obviously, helps keep water where it belongs.

“We chose a tiled threshold in this project because it is a boy’s bath and we figured we needed all of the help we could get in keeping water within the shower,” says Abbie Naber , founder of A. Naber Design. “I typically prefer a threshold, regardless of who the shower user is. I feel that it keeps water inside the shower (even though that could be psychological).”

If you’re with Abbie on this, agree the finished height with your installer and try the proposed step from both sides. This is a detail you’ll negotiate daily, possibly before coffee, and stubbed toes are a whole world of pain you don’t need.

Here, the six-by-six-inch floor tiles guided the proportions. “We finished the height at 6 inches so that we would not have to cut the tile down much,” explains Abbie. A small trim allowed for the half-inch-thick cap, while continuing the same flooring inside the shower kept the pattern flowing. There’s a step, but visually the floor stays connected.

On the flip side, “For real drama, nothing beats a seamless, tanked shower floor in polished plaster or cement, running straight through with no tray, no lip and no grout lines to break it up,” says Louise Ashdown, head of design at West One Bathrooms.

The benefits are bountiful. There’s no grout to scrub, a broad choice of colors and textures, and the option to carry the microcement up the walls and even across the ceiling for the full cocooning effect. As it’s applied by hand in layers, subtle variations give the surface depth, so even a shower finished entirely in one color has plenty of interest. Here, a microcement shower floor is combined with waterproof wallpaper, bringing decorative detail into the shower while the floor stays seamless.

Microcement can test a perfectionist’s patience, as movement beneath the finish can cause hairline cracks. These rarely mean a leak, as the waterproof layers underneath remain intact, but not everyone sees a few extra lines as added character.

Shower Trays