Sure, brown and burgundy are enjoying a moment in the spotlight when it comes to kitchens, but green has far too much going for it to ever surrender its place in our hearts (and homes). Full disclosure: My own kitchen is painted in Little Greene’s Obsidian Green, and it brings me joy every day.

The beauty of a green kitchen is that it can be fresh and sharp, deliciously murky, or rich enough to make even a modest run of cabinetry look fancy. Few colors are quite so accommodating of both a pale oak floor, a wildly veined slab of marble, or pretty much anything else you want to place near it. That versatility genuinely makes green one of the best kitchen colors, with enough scope to keep designers interested, regardless of the latest kitchen trends.

These 13 kitchens show just how much range it has, from sage Shaker cabinetry to more adventurous combinations that'll convince you to stop playing it safe. Above all, they prove green kitchens have the sticking power of Gorilla tape, not least because there’s always another way to style them.

1. Go for Green Stone

Green stone brings depth, variation, and movement that a flat paint color simply can’t match. It’s not a move for the cash-strapped, but it will produce a rock-solid kitchen that will feel cool forever. This Studio Duggan project is one of the best examples I've seen in recent years, and I highly doubt it will ever get old.

Note how the deep forest tones shift into brighter mineral greens across the sculptural kitchen island, while a slender metallic frame gives the backsplash slab the look of a large-scale artwork.

"The Verde Guatemala marble brings a huge amount of color depth and vibrancy — far superior to that of a painted finish," adds interior designer Tiffany Duggan, founder of the studio.

2. Load Up on Greens

Samantha Bartlett’s kitchen for Martin Moore at London’s most recent WOWHouse is an excellent study in why repeating green needn’t be boring. Fusion Green quartzite established the palette, joined by an Officine Gullo cooker in matcha, Arte vinyl wallpaper, aged-verdigris Porta Romana lighting and softer green seating. "I wanted the tones to feel as though they belonged to a landscape, rather than matching exactly," she says.

The trick is knowing which greens should command attention and which should fall back. "The matcha cooker, for example, has a real presence, whereas the verdigris lighting and softer greens in the seating reveal themselves more gradually," she explains.

Different materials further loosen the effect: "Stone, patinated metal, upholstery, and enamel all absorb and reflect color differently, so using subtly varied greens gives the room much more depth than repeating one exact shade," she adds.

The kitchen lighting control, directed by John Cullen Lighting, adds another shift, changing how those tones are perceived from fresh daylight to warmer evenings. Samantha’s guiding principle is pleasingly simple: "The colors should feel collected rather than rehearsed." And the burgundy rug prevents all that botanical harmony from merging into a blur. "For me, it’s about creating a sense of connection without everything feeling over-prescribed. That slight tension and variation is what gives a room personality and stops it feeling overly designed," she explains.

3. The Fifth Wall

A green kitchen doesn’t have to rely on cabinetry; taking the color overhead can be far more unexpected. The color green travels from the cooker to a wallpapered ceiling in this characterful kitchen, beginning with a Lacanche range in Tilleul and a custom hood color-matched by James Dawson. "The home has such wonderful storybook charm," says Sandra Lucas, founding partner of Lucas/Eilers Design Associates. "We wanted the kitchen to feel like a natural extension of that."

"From there, we selected a favorite Rule of Three fabric to recreate as wallpaper for the ceiling, fully customizing the colors to complement the range," she adds. "Its delicate pattern draws the eye upward and connects the kitchen to the adjoining breakfast area." White Carrara marble provides the pause: "I just love how it gives your eye a place to rest so you can fully enjoy the pattern overhead."

4. Give Pink a Greener Partner

Pink and green can quickly tip into confectionery territory, but earthier versions of both have far more interesting chemistry. This was one of the final projects from Maddux Creative, before founders Jo LeGleud and Scott Maddux established their independent practices. The palette grew from an extraordinary slab of Fusion Wow marble, with Paint & Paper Library’s Jaipur Pink on the base cabinetry and Edward Bulmer’s Pippin bringing a muddier green overhead.

"Pink and green are one of my favorite, slightly unexpected color combinations — they do appear together regularly in nature," says Jo. "I’d take my lead from there: find a shade you love and find its counterpart, a combination that helps each to flourish."

Timber keeps the combination grounded, while the curves prevent it from becoming too buttoned-up. The floor adds another layer: three colored marbles form an asymmetric tartan inspired by Villa Necchi, carrying green right across the room. "It’s not for the rigid and symmetry-obsessed," says Jo, "but a playful use of marble that provides an anchor and a beautiful sense of scale."

5. Sharpen Jewel Green With Black and White

Greens in bold jewel tones really come alive against something crisp. Here, black and white strip away any muddiness or heritage heaviness, making a deep green feel clearer, richer, and more graphic. Bright Designlab used Sherwin-Williams’ Dard Hunter Green on the cabinetry against Mosaic House’s Bordeaux encaustic floor, and the contrast makes the green feel particularly rich, almost like velvet against a patterned lining.

"The black and white floor came first, landing early on, and it heavily drove the decision to go for a rich cabinet color," recalls Katie Dahl, creative director at Bright Designlab. "In a smaller kitchen, we wanted a clear visual hierarchy, with quieter elements giving the eye a place to rest so the room wouldn't feel overwhelming or too busy." The restrained white hood does exactly that, while letting the jewel-green cabinetry remain the star.

6. Draw the Line With Green Tile

Taking green tile from floor to ceiling turns the color into part of the architecture, rather than simply a decorative splashback. Here, cream metro tiles wrap the walls, interrupted by a dark green horizontal band and deeper sections of green at dado height. Softer grassy-green cabinetry introduces another tone, keeping the palette layered rather than too neatly matched.

There’s also a lovely bit of history behind the scheme. "Chipped, curved tiles were unearthed from the renovation site, so the owners of this property decided to reinstate some new ones," says Helen Parker, Creative Director at deVOL. "That decision shaped the kitchen, a little something to get the design kick-started, and the satisfaction of putting a bit of history back into a building — we love that whole thought process."

When planning a border like this, set out the line across the entire elevation so it connects neatly with windows, shelves and corners. Pay attention to grout color too: a stronger contrast will emphasize each tile, while a closer match lets the green read as a more continuous band.

7. Give Green a Tailored Edge

When green runs across an entire bank of cabinetry, a little definition goes a long way. Here, La Cornue’s Brands Hatch Green is crisply outlined in stainless steel and brushed brass, framing the doors, drawers, and cooker with fine metallic lines. Against such a saturated backdrop, the effect is precise and polished rather than weighty, while the veined green stone introduces a looser, more organic pattern.

"Green continues to resonate in kitchen design because it has a natural warmth and timeless quality. This particular shade feels rich and sophisticated, bringing a sense of understated luxury," says Wafa Taktak, Kitchen Project Manager at La Cornue. "The enameled range cooker surface gives the colour exceptional depth and a luxurious, furniture-like quality."

If you’re introducing metal trim to green cabinetry (or any color cabinetry for that matter), use it to emphasize the shape and proportions of the doors and drawers rather than as decoration alone. Keep those lines consistent across neighboring cabinetry and appliances, and use changes in metal finish deliberately. Here, the warmer brass corners add subtle contrast to the stainless steel, without breaking up the overall composition.

8. Find Your Green in Aged Copper

If you’re hunting for a completely different way to bring green into your kitchen, verdigris copper is about as far from a neat paint swatch as it gets. Ledbury Studio went all in on the concept here, cladding all the cabinet fronts in hand-patinated copper. Against the terracotta wall, the richly mottled metal has an almost painterly quality, turning a run of straight-edged cabinetry into something closer to abstract art.

"The verdigris copper was never going to be one color. Across a single door it moves from a light turquoise to an iridescent sea green, and it shifts again with the light through the day," says Charlie Smallbone, founder of Ledbury Studio. "This was the effect we worked for many months to achieve, carefully developing each sheet by hand to ensure they looked both individually stunning and came together as a whole."

Copper isn’t the only metal that develops character with age: brass and bronze can also acquire rich patinas, although the color and rate of change will vary according to the alloy and finish. Ask to see larger samples rather than relying on a small swatch, and establish whether the surface will be sealed or allowed to continue evolving after installation.

9. Let the Grain Shine

Stained timber kitchens are how adventurous designers are delivering a serious dose of green without sacrificing the thing that makes wood worth looking at: its utterly unique grain. In this sensational kitchen for the latest Kips Bay Showhouse in NYC, Sarah Witkin of Bilotta Architecture commissioned a custom blue-green stain specifically for the scheme.

"The blue-green stain on flat-cut white oak was developed by Bilotta Kitchens to match the flashes of green that glimmer throughout the explosive earth-toned Patagonia quartzite slab. The blue-green stain was also chosen to act as a neutral contrast to balance the warm reds and whites in the stone," explains Sarah.

"Unlike solid painted color, the matte finish stain allows the natural oak grain to dictate the saturation of the color stain. The organically textured surface also has more depth and a more tactile quality in your hands, especially when paired with the integrated bullnose edge pull we designed for the space."

10. Blue and Green Should Definitely Be Seen

The old tale about how ‘blue and green should never be seen’ overlooks how naturally these neighboring colors sit together. ‘In this house, the kitchen sits closer to the garden, so we wanted to bring that fresh outdoor feeling inside by combining green with blue,’ says Michelle Jager-van’t Hof, Head of Design at Even Eleven Interiors. ‘The two colors create a fresh interplay, but introducing two distinct colors and contrast also brings just enough tension to keep the scheme interesting, while still feeling calm and cohesive.’

As unlikely color combinations go, Farrow & Ball’s Vert de Terre wraps the tall cabinetry, and Selvedge gives the island its stronger presence, while vintage bar stools upholstered in a fabric containing both shades help pull the palette together. Taj Mahal quartzite on the countertop and niche introduces a warmer neutral, while the niche’s rounded profile is repeated in the decorative molding on the tall cabinets.

"We wanted the green to feel soft and natural against the wall, while the darker, stronger tone of the island gives the kitchen a solid focal point," explains Michelle. "Together they create contrast without either color becoming overpowering."

Above the island, green glass pendants introduce green in a more translucent form. "They create a warm, atmospheric glow above the bar, complementing the more functional lighting provided by the three Serax spotlights placed in a row alongside them," she adds. "We like combining functional lighting with more decorative pieces to create different layers of light."

11. Go Pale but Make it Interesting

Too sassy for safe cashmeres and creams, but not quite ready for dark greens? Pale sage hits a very useful sweet spot in this Neptune kitchen, running across cabinetry, paneling and walls for a proper wash of color. Pale it may be, wishy-washy it is not.

"Sitting between a warm and cool tone, sage works comfortably as a neutral without dulling the space," agrees Fred Horlock, Design Director at Neptune. Sage’s muted character also makes it easier to use in volume. "The subdued, timeless feel of Neptune’s Sage paint works well in a busy environment like a kitchen, as its soft tones create a calming environment," he adds.

As ever, the antidote to all that softness is texture. "When using any pale green on the cabinets or walls, pair with different textures and materials to add warmth and interest without overwhelming the look; try light oak furniture, rattan lighting or wicker baskets, with brass hardware to elevate the look," Fred advises. In short, we’re calling it — sage green kitchens are still in style.

12. Let Lacquer Deepen the Green

Dark green looks far more interesting when the finish has a little luminosity. Lacquer gives color depth and subtle movement as light travels across the surface, which is exactly what makes the Empire Green cabinetry in Alessandro Moriconi’s French Riviera scheme feel so rich rather than flat.

Moriconi specified bespoke doors edged with rope-like moldings inspired by nautical detailing and Provençal basketry, adding another layer of shadow and texture. Black burgundy stone across the countertops and backsplash pushes the green darker still, while neatly absorbing the Lacanche range into the composition. A gray travertine-lined opening to the dining room cools everything down, making the kitchen feel like part of a bigger decorative story rather than a standalone color moment.

13. Go All In on Botanicals

Green cabinetry is only the beginning here, with leafy wallpaper and flower-like glass pendants taking the garden theme right up to the ceiling. The generous sweep of pattern gives this narrow kitchen an immersive feel, while solid cabinet fronts provide that hearty dose of green.

"This kitchen was designed for a client who is an herbalist and passionate about nature, so green felt like a very natural choice," says Emma Joy, co-founder of Studio Farra. "Of all the colors, green has perhaps the strongest connection to the natural world, which makes it particularly lovely to use in a kitchen, where you’re cooking and working with fresh ingredients, from colorful vegetables to seasonal fruits. We chose Stable Green by Paint & Paper Library, a deep, earthy shade that works beautifully with the Arts and Crafts character of the house and the botanical wallpaper."

Before committing to a similarly deep shade, try samples alongside your kitchen wallpaper and countertop materials, checking the combination in daylight and under your evening lighting.

"What I particularly like about using a darker green on kitchen cabinetry is how it changes throughout the day. In natural light, you pick up more of its green tones, while in the evening it becomes much richer and moodier," adds Emma. "Here, the contrast with the pale stone worktops and the colors in the wallpaper gives the kitchen plenty of character without making the space feel too dark or enclosed."

So, if you’re still nervously typing is green overdone into your search bar, these kitchens should give your fingers, and brain, a rest. Save that energy for choosing your shade (matcha green kitchen anyone?) — that’s where the real deliberation begins.

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

Every year there's an it flower. But it's quite rare that a bloom becomes so iconic that it steps out of vases and tips into the design of the vase itself and the dinnerware accessories surrounding it.

The calla lilies trend, however, has pulled it off. From being spotted on the runway at Wes Gordon's Carolina Herrera fall show to Cult Gaia's internet-famous clutches to walking down the aisle in the hands of this season's brides, and finding itself twirled and twisted on the tables of hot restaurants — it's everywhere. And now, it's being designed into tableware, too.

I spoke to stylists about what these flowers bring to the table and included some of my current favorite calla-inspired pieces to make your autumn table feel a tad more romantic.

Aista, stylist and founder of Aiku Floral, says calla lilies have broken out of the quick-gimmick trend cycle because their beauty lies in their simplicity.

"Whether you're decorating with the flowers or styling themed decor, embrace their natural shapes and don’t worry about perfect symmetry," she advises. "Sometimes, the most beautiful arrangements are the ones that feel effortless!"

Iokasti Sotirakopoulou, stylist at Design Lab by Livingetc, also explains that these blooms will forever be a timeless inclusion to any tablescape. "They have such a sculptural silhouette that I'd let them lead the tablescape rather than crowd them with lots of other decoration," she notes.

"I'd bring in soft, tactile details like linen, handmade ceramics, maybe a few garden-inspired touches, and let the flowers' elegant shape do the talking. Even a single stem or a calla lily-inspired finishing touch can make an autumn tablescape feel more personal and connected to the outdoors."

Creative director VH Rafaello tells me that the present love for calla lilies influenced one of his recent artistic endeavors. "This trend of calla lilies going beyond just the flowers shows how creativity can begin with something so unexpected, and how materials that might otherwise be overlooked can become part of something beautiful," he notes.

"For me, it was never just about styling flowers. It was about exploring the relationship between raw materials, form, texture, and nature."

So, if you're setting the table with these florets and you want your decor to feel in tune with your floral arrangements, or you wish to write a more understated love letter to calla lilies without a stem in sight, here's some table decor that understands the assignment.

Another thing we've spotted at all the coolest tables this season? Dark green dinner plates. And it'll tie into your biophilic theme perfectly.

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It's hard to say exactly when it started, but over the past few years, we've developed a rather fascinating relationship with butter. Of course, butter is far from a new addition to the dinner table. But while it was once simply a necessary accompaniment to a bread roll, nowadays, it has become something different entirely.

Butter is no longer simply an essential; it's a luxury, and we're displaying it as such. Don't believe me? Just take a look at the elegant, shell-shaped Isla Stainless Steel Butter Dish at Westwing, designed by none other than Victoria Beckham. A surprising star product from her recent collaboration with Westwing, the delicate design turns a simple curl of butter into the cherry on top of your tablescape — and if Posh is pro-butter dish, then so are we.

The rise of the butter dish has not come from nowhere, though. There's been a few years of this growing butter-based phenomenon, and there's hardly a food stylist out there that hasn't created some kind of weird and wonderful display from the stuff. Perhaps nothing expresses this obsession better than the highly photographed piles of whipped butter that sit proud on the counters at Copenhagen's Atelier September. The snow-white peaks of cloud-like spread have become as popular a tourist attraction as the colorful houses lining the canals. But it's not only these butter mountains that have done the rounds on social media; we've seen butter candles burning bright, butter platters decorated with edible flowers, and delicate vintage butter molds, too.

But as beautiful as these displays are, they aren't exactly the most compatible with the average day-to-day routine. And this is where the butter dish comes in. It's an easy way of elevating the everyday, and this is what designer Henry Holland loves about them: "It's something that sits on your kitchen counter or dining table every day, so why shouldn't it be something you really love looking at?"

And it's not just the designers that are loving them; these once old-fashioned items have become the object of desire for many a Gen Z and millennial. So whether you're looking for a way to take your dinner parties to the next level, or you simply want to add a little bit more joy to your morning slice of toast, a butter dish is the kitchen item we all need right now.

As the cost of living increases and true luxuries become increasingly inaccessible to the masses, we've been seeing a growing interest in embracing life's little luxuries, and that's exactly what this trend offers.

"I've always loved the idea of taking something we use every day and making it feel special," explains Henry, who just recently added a very stylish butter dish design to his collection of homewares. For him, this design signified an attitude of appreciation for the small things, finding ways to elevate everyday rituals into something that feels that little bit more special.

This is something Henry has noticed more generally in our attitudes towards interior design trends nowadays. "I think there's been a real shift in the way people think about their homes and the objects they surround themselves with," he says. People are finding the beauty in the mundane, appreciating the luxury of domesticity: "There's something quite lovely about the ritual of setting a table properly, even if it's just for breakfast on a Tuesday morning."

This item also reflects the growing appetite for the past, as shown through the countless nostalgic decorating trends we've seen popping up as of late. There's something pleasingly old-fashioned about the idea of a butter dish, like something you'd find in your grandparents' home. This was also part of their appeal for Henry, who says, "I also love the slightly nostalgic, almost old-fashioned nature of a butter dish and the idea of reinterpreting that in a way that feels contemporary, playful, and a little bit sculptural."

This idea of playfulism is also essential to this design's appeal. "Younger generations are having a lot more fun with their interiors and are less concerned with everything matching or following a particular set of rules," says Henry. "A butter dish is a relatively small way to inject a bit of personality into your home, and I'm all for anything that makes the mundane feel a little more joyful."

For much of the younger generation, our experience of adulthood feels so removed from the kind of lives our parents and grandparents were able to live at our age, so finding little ways to feel a bit more grown-up, as though you really have your life together, has become all the more appealing. Sure, you may not be able to own property, but at least you have a butter dish, and doesn't that have to count for something?

The right butter dish can add a little personality to your breakfast or dining table, but if you want to take it to the next level, these food stylists have turned displaying your favorite spread into an art form.

"I love treating butter as a little sculpture rather than just something to serve with bread," creative director and food stylist Clara Santa Isabel tells me. In one installation, Clara constructed a wall of butter, decorated with engravings of the brand's name. In another, bowls of fluffy whipped butter sit beside delicate pastries, braided in the shape of knives and forks. "It's such a versatile and malleable ingredient, which makes it perfect for experimenting with shapes, textures, and compositions. From geometric blocks to organic forms."

To Clara, the familiarity and accessibility of butter is exactly what makes it such a good subject. "It's a basic ingredient that almost everyone knows and can relate to, and there's something really interesting about giving it a completely new perspective," she says.

And of course, the dish is essential to the display. "I think the dish should be part of the composition, not just a container," she says. But this doesn't have to be limited to the traditional butter dish: "I love playing with the relationship between the butter and the object holding it, whether that's a beautiful vintage silver dish or tray, a ceramic piece, or something completely unexpected such as fabrics, mirrors, paper, pedestals," says Clara.

Shop Butter Dishes

If you're looking for more ways to level up your hosting game, these interior designer hosting tips will have you covered.

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Nobody is disputing the appeal of a kitchen-diner. You can cook while catching up, keep friends within wine-pouring distance and, crucially, actively enjoy the evening you’ve spent all day prepping for. Fitting everything in, however, can feel like a particularly high-stakes game of Tetris — especially when you’d quite like to open the oven without asking a dinner guest to move.

Different types of kitchen layouts create different opportunities for eating together. A long, narrow room might suit a table beyond the cooking zone; a wider footprint could accommodate dining alongside an island. A built-in bench can make a sociable spot out of an otherwise awkward corner. Your room’s size and shape will help steer you towards the right arrangement, but working out the best kitchen-diner ideas always involves giving the dining element as much attention as the kitchen itself. That means comfortable seating, flattering lighting, and enough space to get up without negotiating with three other people.

These popular kitchen-diner layouts show how to bring the whole arrangement together, so your kitchen isn’t compromised by dining or vice versa. Here's how interior designers make them work. Getting your guests to leave will be another problem entirely…

1. One-Wall for the Win

One-wall kitchen layouts leave room for a generous dining table without an island guzzling up space. At A.LONDON’s Hertford Street project, that suits a home where the social calendar is rife with dinner parties and entertaining.

"With the kitchen occupying one wall of the main living space, we wanted to soften its functional appearance and create a room that felt equally suited to dining and entertaining," explains Edward Bishop, interior designer at A.LONDON. "The freestanding dark timber table becomes the focal point, complemented by sculptural ceramic pendants."

Behind it, the kitchen’s orderly layout does more than look pleasing. "The existing arrangement places the cooking area centrally between two banks of full-height cabinetry, creating a strong sense of symmetry while accommodating essential storage and the apartment’s mechanical and electrical services," he adds. "We built on this balanced composition through the decorative treatment, using richly veined marble, carefully styled open shelves and a restrained palette to give the kitchen a more furniture-like quality, in keeping with the wider living space."

Borrow the approach by giving the kitchen the same decorative attention as the dining area, then check the less glamorous logistics: enough countertop for prep and room to open appliances behind occupied chairs.

2. End on a Breakfast Spot

A double galley layout’s long sightline deserves something good at the end, and this little breakfast setup delivers as a wonderful kitchen-diner idea. A fluted pedestal table and cushioned window seat give this long, narrow kitchen a café feel, with great odds of getting your favorite spot!

"The kitchen has a separate dining room adjacent to it, so we wanted to create a more informal breakfast area within the kitchen itself," says Tabitha Organ, founder of Tabitha Isobel. "The existing bay window provided a natural spot for this, allowing us to make use of the architecture while creating a lovely place to sit, enjoy a morning coffee and look out over the garden."

Making that invitation to linger work alongside a busy kitchen took some strategic appliance positioning. "We positioned the main appliances, including the fridge and dishwasher, along one side of the galley, together with the bins, to keep the practical elements of the kitchen in one area," explains Tabitha. "This helps to organize movement through the space, while the breakfast area at the far end remains easily accessible without getting in the way of cooking and preparation."

As a planning benchmark for double galley kitchens, allow at least 42 inches (107cm) between opposing work surfaces for one cook, or 48 inches (122cm) for multiple cooks. When adding dining, always check the route with any freestanding chairs pulled out: fetching a second coffee should be an easy trip, not an obstacle course.

3. Run Table and Island together

Placing a dining table parallel to a kitchen island keeps cooking and eating within conversational reach, with stools for those stopping by and proper chairs for those staying for dinner. In this kitchen by Laura Stephens, the positioning also gives the cook a particularly good outlook.

"The owner is a keen cook and wanted to be able to stand at the hob on the island and face the dining table, with the sofa beyond, so that she could cook while chatting to family and friends," explains Laura. "She also didn’t want to have her back to the garden, which lies beyond the dining table."

Making both seating areas comfortable comes down to planning the gap with everyone in position. "We allowed 1.5 meters between the island and dining table, which gives the space room to function comfortably when both are in use," says Laura. "It was important to consider how the kitchen would work when it was busy, rather than simply measuring the gap between the island and table when everything was pushed in."

With people sitting at the island and around the dining table, you still want to be able to move through the space without it feeling cramped or having to constantly ask someone to move their chair. "The parallel arrangement creates a clear, practical route through the kitchen-diner while keeping the island and dining table close enough to feel connected and sociable," adds Laura.

4. Position Dining Beyond the Island

Placing dining beyond an island in a kitchen-diner makes good use of a long room, especially when there’s a window worth settling beside. In her own home, interior designer Jess Cooney turned a former formal dining room into a kitchen, with walnut cabinetry leading towards an oval table and cushioned bench.

"The dining area at the end under the windows was a large cabinet originally. It was a great spot to add a long bench instead, then put an oval table there with a few chairs around," says Jess. "That space is light-filled and the best spot to sit and have breakfast."

Getting the proportions right meant planning the island and dining furniture together. "We gave four feet from the end of the island to the end of the table to pull a chair in and out and navigate around the space," she explains. "The scale of the island is balanced by the space around it, leaving at least four feet to each countertop on either side."

The long room also benefits from a few curves. "We used rounded fixtures over the island and breakfast nook to break up the long, straight runs of lines," says Jess. "We also put the large refrigerator in the pantry and used fridge drawers in the island to create more of a “hotel vibe” in the big, open, light-filled space, and we love it!"

5. Try a Split-Level Island Layout

Joining a dining table to an island puts serving space within arm’s reach and removes the need for an aisle between two freestanding pieces, so it can work well in small kitchens. In this project by Ina Rinderknecht, the timber tabletop also echoes the surrounding cabinetry, giving the spectacular marble a more relaxed companion.

"This solution gives the family a warm, comfortable dining space without the feel of a conventional bar counter or worktop experience," says Ina. "The marble worktop is set at a comfortable height of 93cm, while the integrated dining table sits at 74cm. The table is secured to the stone island by a concealed internal support structure and rests on a single leg, leaving the space beneath largely unobstructed so the chairs can be moved easily around it."

The trade-off is flexibility: an attached table can’t simply shuffle sideways when extra guests arrive. Alternatively, a freestanding design butted against the island gives you the option to pull it out or extend it when friends descend. Whatever you do, plan the seating capacity early and preserve an easy route around the outer end, particularly if it leads to busy exit routes.

6. Build a Banquette Into the Island

An island with built-in banquette seating brings everyone together for dinner without making the table compete with the kitchen for floor space. In this collaboration between Blakes London and Joanna Williams Interiors, combining cooking and dining in one substantial piece solved a problem with the room’s proportions.

"This rectangular room was too narrow to accommodate a kitchen island as well as a dining table," explains Annie Burrows, lead designer at Blakes London. Backing the bench onto the island removed the need for chair pull-out space on that side, making plenty of room for both.

Specify the cabinetry, upholstery and table together, allowing for seat depth, backrest thickness and knee room, plus clearance for the loose chairs opposite. A pedestal table, as used here, helps people slide along without negotiating a forest of legs.

If you’re considering a cooktop directly behind kitchen island seating, plan its setback and the relationship between hot pans, countertop and upholstered backrest. A successful kitchen-diner is a comfortable place to linger, with the cooking safely on its own side.

7. Zone Dining With a Low Partition

A structural column in the middle of your new kitchen extension might not feature on the mood board, but in this project by Cor Domi, it gave the layout its direction. "Once we’d opened up the back of the house and added the side infill, it had to stay where it was to hold up the floors above," explains Greg Daulby, senior designer at Cor Domi. "We didn’t want to just box it in and pretend it wasn’t there, so we worked the layout around it instead."

The column now sits within a low partition, with a curved tan leather banquette tucked alongside it. Oak and brass detailing give the dining corner a suitably dressed-up finish, while continuous polished concrete flooring connects it to the kitchen.

"We worked out the partition height from sightlines; that way it screens the worktop from the table, but you can still talk to whoever’s cooking," says Greg. "For the seating, the table overlaps the front of the bench by about 100mm so nobody’s reaching and the curve and the pedestal base mean people can slide in from either side without getting trapped at the end."

That roughly four-inch overlap is a useful project reference, but you should also consider bench depth, back cushions, and table height, as they’ll all affect comfort levels in a banquette scenario.

8. Make Dining Open-Plan

An open-plan kitchen-diner makes spending time together easy, especially when cooking and eating have their own clearly defined zones. In this project by Kate Guinness, a wide opening connects the spaces while retaining enough wall to frame the view and give each area its own identity.

"We wanted to ensure that moving from stove to table was as easy as possible, so the dining area was located directly next to the kitchen with the seating area to the right, just out of shot," recalls Kate Guinness, founder of Kate Guinness Design. "We introduced a peninsula to the kitchen to provide some definition between areas without restricting movement and giving as much storage as possible. This also allowed for some stool seating for more casual eating/drinking/chatting."

The existing opening couldn’t be widened because it adjoins the staircase enclosure, but shared wood flooring and repeated timber finishes strengthen the connection. Meanwhile, a rug beneath the dining table marks out its territory without adding another physical boundary.

If you’re going for a similar open-plan space, choose furniture and cabinetry together, and check the route through the opening with dining chairs pulled out and stools occupied. Keep the peninsula clear of that passage and check that its doors and drawers can open without blocking walkways.

9. Separate With a Peninsula

A galley kitchen layout with a peninsula makes an efficient kitchen-diner, keeping the cooking zone compact and dinner within easy reach. In Martin Brudnizki’s own Sussex apartment, the peninsula forms one of two parallel kitchen runs, placing the sink opposite the cooking area and presenting a smart paneled face to the dining table.

Attached at one end, it needs fewer circulation routes than a freestanding island. "It works a bit like a counter in a restaurant, allowing those not partaking in the cooking to watch the theater of it instead," explains Martin.

To borrow the layout, allow enough room within the galley for bending to the oven and opening drawers, then plan dining-chair clearance separately on the other side. Keep the approach around the peninsula’s free end clear, positioning the dishwasher so its open door won’t block the route. Reserve a stretch of countertop near the table for plating up and passing dishes across.

Green cabinetry, peach walls and a spirited display of plates give the working side of this kitchen just as much decorative attention as the dining area. "Interiors should be beautiful and exciting, but they also have to function and be practical," says Martin. "I think this kitchen embodies that principle."

10. Try a J-Shaped Kitchen Layout

A J-shaped layout packs the working kitchen along one long wall and around the far end, leaving the main floor open for a generous dining table. In Suzy Hoodless’ west London home, that extended run provides cooking and prep space, while the sink sits beneath the window and a short return completes the tucked-away working zone. Red Børge Mogensen chairs bring a shot of color to the central ash table.

Leading off the living room, the kitchen balances everyday family life with space to entertain. Keeping the table at its center means the same generous surface can host homework, an impromptu lunch or a full dinner spread for 10, with pendant lights giving the dining a clear focus.

To make a J-shaped layout work, give the short return a specific job. It can provide extra prep space or storage, but its length needs to leave an easy route into the far end of the kitchen. Plan the corners carefully, checking that drawers and appliance doors on adjoining runs can open without clashing. Keep frequently used items within easy reach along the straight sections.

For more ideas to make your kitchen a sociable dining space, these are the five things interior designers always include in eat-in kitchens that also hides the mess when hosting.

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It's easy to obsess over your kitchen design. From countertops to hardware to cabinetry, there are seemingly endless options to pore over, each one offering a slightly different effect. Yet, with all these options, there seems to be one crucial design element we've all overlooked: the floor.

All too often, kitchen flooring is an afterthought, a practical decision that rarely receives the time and attention it deserves. Some boring variation of wood or a plain, neutral stone; it's generally treated as little more than a backdrop for the rest of your kitchen design. Which is exactly why so many kitchens end up feeling rather lacklustre. Throw some color on those floors, though, and it's a whole different story. Suddenly, your kitchen springs to life, emanating a bold confidence that a classic floor finish never could. It's a simple move that sets your kitchen apart and makes it feel truly original.

There's a certain cool nonchalance to a brightly colored kitchen floor. It's impactful without trying too hard. And in this neutral-dominated design climate, there's something quietly rebellious about integrating color in such an integral, permanent way. Whether you opt for a pastel pink, poured-concrete base, or a sleek, red linoleum finish, there are countless ways to make this look your own; these are a few of our favorite ways to make the most of a kitchen's '6th wall'.

1. Bauhaus Brightness

Inspired by Steinholzestrich, a flooring finish found in many buildings in the former German Democratic Republic, including the iconic Bauhaus building, Gisbert Poeppler modernized this historic design feature, opting for a neon red linoleum for this modern kitchen, as opposed to the cement mix of the original material.

"We were drawn not only to the distinctive colors of these floors, but also to how naturally they belonged to their surroundings," explains Gisbert of the classic Bauhaus color. "With the red linoleum, we wanted to reference this history while translating it into a contemporary and welcoming atmosphere."

Although red can often be thought of as an intensely bold, powerful color, in this home, it provides a surprisingly comforting base. "Unlike traditional tiles or a concrete floor, the red linoleum brings warmth to the space and creates a cozy atmosphere," explains Gisbert.

In this room, where natural light was limited, the floor provides its own kind of sunny warmth, adding an energy that it could have otherwise lacked.

The bright red floor sets this kitchen apart from the average kitchen, but this is exactly what Gisbert wanted. It wasn't meant to be a 'conventional working kitchen' but rather a social gathering space, with a welcoming, playful energy. "The colorful floor reinforces this character and gives the space its own distinct identity."

Contrasted with the rich, royal blue painted ceiling, the kitchen is designed as a sandwich of intense primary colors, with a bright, neutral base sitting in between. "For us, the key is to create an overall atmosphere that feels coherent without being too perfect or overly designed."

2. Pastel Pink Edge

Proving pastel pink doesn't have to be overly flouncy or feminine, in this home, pink concrete floors add softness to this cool, industrial design kitchen extension.

For Dickon Hayward, from Material Works Architecture, this flooring style provided a relief to the warm, natural materials that dominated the kitchen. "We looked at different ways we could bring a contrasting color and extra warmth to the space," explains Dickon. "When we found a sample of the pink concrete flooring and showed it against the other proposed materials, it was an obvious win."

In this light-filled space, where exposed-timber beams and raw plaster walls provide the core material palette, the soft pink floor helps ease the utilitarian nature of the space. While in some rooms a colorful kitchen floor acts alongside the other colors in the design, in this home, it becomes the focus. "We used it more as an accent feature against a neutral backdrop — where it can really pop, define a distinct character for the space, and become a conversation piece," says Dickon.

It adds a sense of depth that can often get lost beneath the clean lines and straight edges. In contrast to the textured finishes of plaster and oak, the poured concrete flooring feels smooth and consistent. "For us, it’s all about getting the right balance of texture and color — thinking about the space as a whole and developing a balance that is stylish and contemporary but also warm, natural, and welcoming."

3. Minty-Fresh Foundations

In this home, the idea for a colorful floor in the kitchen actually came from the homeowners' impressive collection of Jadeite dishware, a feature that became central to the design, displayed on a suspended plate rack along the wall.

Wanting to further highlight the milky green tones of the jade dishes, designer Tim Cuppett, from Cuppett Kilpatrick, opted for a minty, pale green Marmoleum sheet flooring, a beautiful echo of the unique shade.

In this newly-built kitchen extension, Tim was keen to bring a more vintage feel to the space, making it more cohesive with the 20th-century home it's attached to. It was with this in mind that Tim chose this flooring: "This particular color recalls early modern design to me; we imagined the kitchen to be a mid-century addition to an early 20th-century home."

With neutral kitchen colors used across the cabinetry, this mint tone becomes the predominant color in the space, repeated across the dishware, the floors, and in the Patrick Pucket painting on the far wall.

4. Milan-Inspired Vibrance

When we think of white kitchen cabinetry, more often than not, the image is one of a bleak, minimalist kitchen. Ruined by the spaceship white kitchen of the early 2000s, this look has been somewhat of a no-go for modern kitchens in recent years. However, as this kitchen proves, there are times when a bright white cabinet is exactly what a kitchen needs.

In this space [above], it provides a necessary point of contrast to the boldness of the rest of the design. The two elements need each other; without the blue floors, the white cabinets could seem sterile and dull, and with a colorful cabinet finish, the blue floors would be fighting for attention, making the whole space feel suffocating.

Hannah McKnight, from Fawn Galli Interiors, knew the bright blue floors would have to be the star of the show. "A colorful floor gives a kitchen depth and a jolt of color," she says. And to allow it to shine, the rest of the space had to feel markedly restrained. "I like that contrast: something unexpected within a room that still feels light and airy. The surrounding materials and softer colors are what give the bold color room to work."

In this Upper West Side apartment, Hannah blends the original, prewar features with a bolder, more contemporary design style, drawing on mid-century modern designs to develop a transitional style that feels like a natural fit in this impressive New York home.

It would be easy to write this style off as hyper-modern, almost futuristic in effect, but, as Hannah says, "This project shows how well it can work in a kitchen that mixes classic and contemporary elements. The apartment kept its prewar character, while the kitchen brought together custom cabinetry, marble, subway tile, a Saarinen table, and vintage chairs. The blue floor is part of that mix of old and new."

5. Tension in Turquoise

With warm wood cabinets and elegant marble countertops, this kitchen could very easily have stuck with a traditional flooring style and passed by as just another stylishly neutral design. However, with the addition of the turquoise tiles, this space is elevated far beyond the average kitchen, becoming something far more interesting.

"In the kitchen, the oak and marble create a warm, restrained base, while the turquoise ceramic floor introduces a more unexpected sense of tension and energy," says Samantha Hauvette, one of the founders of Hauvette and Madani.

The floor color allows the otherwise simple design to develop a deeper sense of character and depth than a neutral floor would have allowed for. It highlights the texture and warmth of the wood, making the minimalist kitchen design feel more intentional and considered.

It comes back to Samantha's approach to decorating with color. Instead of allowing the colors to lead the space, in her projects, she uses color to accentuate. "We like the idea of color acting as punctuation rather than as an overly obvious decorative gesture," she explains. At Hauvette and Madani, colors are chosen based on how they interact with the existing materials and architecture, allowing the home to choose the colors, rather than forcing a space to adapt to a new color palette.

There's no interest in following design rules here; color is incorporated based on intuition, finding what works for the space most honestly rather than simply following what others would do. So while many would have opted for a colorful tiled backsplash, Samantha found she preferred a different approach. "On the floor, it anchors the space and influences the entire atmosphere, while allowing the walls and other materials to remain calmer," she explains. "It is quite a subtle way of introducing a bold color: it has a strong presence, yet still feels integrated into the architecture."

Colorful floor not your thing? Perhaps you'll have better luck with the fifth wall, and our collection of designer-approved kitchen ceiling colors is a great source of inspiration.

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Believe it or not, homeowners, decorators, and even interior designers once routinely treated their ceilings as something of an afterthought. They’d fret over paint colors and worry about wallpaper, yes, but rarely give the surface above their heads more than a second thought. Thankfully, the trend for color drenching has brought the ‘fifth wall’ back front and center, and today, a plain white ceiling is an increasingly uncommon sight.

When a room is wrapped in a single color, whether an earthy brown or a vibrant green, its boundaries seem to blur and the space takes on a more immersive feel. Introduce high-gloss paint onto the ceiling, though, and you create an instant sense of contrast — even if you’re using exactly the same color. The sheen catches the light, alters shadows, and draws the eye upward. “A glossy ceiling brings an entirely different dimension to color drenching,” says Sasha Bikoff.

So, is a glossy ceiling the next step of color drenching? And is painting your own ceiling in a high-shine paint finish a good idea — or fraught with decorating risks? Let’s discuss everything you need to know about this trending technique.

Why, When, and Where a Gloss Ceiling Works

A color-drenched space has fewer visual interruptions, as the room’s walls, window frames and other architectural features tend to recede more into the background. This makes living spaces and bedrooms, in particular, feel bigger and yet more cocooning. Painting the ceiling in gloss doesn’t automatically undo those benefits; it just recalibrates them.

Why go to the fuss, though, if traditional color drenching already works? “This is a natural evolution of the look but with added fearlessness,” enthuses New York-based interior designer Sasha Bikoff. “Playing with different finishes on the ceiling transforms it from a passive surface into an architectural statement, giving a real sense of depth and energy.”

“Glossy ceilings are a return to more expressive interiors, bringing richness and theatricality,” she adds, referencing the 1970s and 1980s in particular. The look shouldn’t just be reserved for these kinds of maximalist interiors, though — the treatment is effective in neutral shades as well as bold jewel tones.

“Even in a white room, the interplay between matte walls and a high-gloss ceiling adds layers of texture. People associate these finishes with grand, formal spaces, but I love bringing that glamour to everyday living,” says Sasha.

The paint reacts to light very differently compared to matte and eggshell finishes, reflecting natural and artificial sources in a more direct way. “The primary function of a gloss ceiling is to create these reflections,” explain Ana Arana and Enrique Ventosa, co-founders of Plutarco.

“It maximizes light throughout the day and makes your lamps and candles look stunning at night,” the pair add. “This effect works especially well in rooms with curved and vaulted ceilings.”

Don’t be put off if your space has more typical proportions, however, as a little reflective shine can elevate even the boxiest of spaces. “It’s a brilliant idea when you have a relatively low, continuous ceiling, too,” says Laura Panebianco, who heads up her own design studio in Mexico City. “It makes a standard ceiling feel like a more intentional part of your design, giving the room a feeling of completeness.”

Where to skip this look? “There are different ways to bring a beautiful luminosity to spaces with uneven ceilings, visible imperfections, and recessed architecture,” suggests Sasha Bikoff.

How Do You Get a Gloss Ceiling Right?

Experienced decorators will all tell you that gloss is a lot trickier to work with than standard matte emulsion. It is notoriously unforgiving, fiddly to apply, and, once it’s actually applied, highlights all of a surface’s bumps, scratches, and blemishes.

Ironically, the qualities that make the gloss finish desirable in a space are the very things that make it so difficult to execute. “Due to its reflective properties, every application mark and imperfection becomes more visible,” explains Dominic Myland, the paint expert and leading color authority.

“In a color-drenched room, reflections tend to reveal all the uneven areas that are hard to spot, too,” he adds. “These imperfections catch the light differently throughout the day, making an even application all the more important. Thorough preparation is essential, and your ceiling should be smooth, clean, and properly primed. For a flawless finish, bring in a professional.”

Gloss introduces visual contrast, and having this sheen ‘up top’ ends up drawing attention to the surrounding materials below, particularly when everything is in one uniform shade. To make the space feel livable and less like a hall of mirrors, avoid introducing too many other reflective or lacquered finishes.

“For me, restraint is key,” says interior designer Georgina Jeffries. “It works best when the ceiling sits in conversation with softer textures and natural materials, rather than having lots of different elements competing with each other.”

Georgina favors nuanced hues like olive, tobacco, and terracotta over high-octane colors. “For our studio, color drenching is less about using one shade everywhere and more about creating continuity, so working tonally can be just as beautiful. Whenever I use a high-gloss ceiling, I want it to be something you experience as much as something you see.”

Sasha Bikoff, on the other hand, tends to take a bolder approach. “A glossy ceiling doesn’t have to overpower a room, though,” the designer explains. “Not everything has to be an ultra-reflective, mirror-like lacquer to achieve a beautiful sense of depth. You can play with the level of sheen.” For a similar effect to gloss but with slightly less shine, try an understated satin paint finish.

Tempted to pick up a paintbrush? Applying gloss to the ceiling won’t automatically make your space feel bigger, brighter, or bolder, but it is a great idea for enlivening a color-drenched room with contrast and texture. Lighting conditions and the other materials in your space all play more than a supporting role.

Whether you’re figuring out problems with high ceilings or are considering swapping paint for wallpaper or tiles overhead, leaving the ‘fifth wall’ plain white may now seem impossible.

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If you design it well, your daily shower will become one of life's little luxuries. A moment of calm, quiet, and solitude — to prepare for the day or wash it away. Whether it's a walk-in shower, an enclosure, a shower over a bath, sunken, curved, or fitted with a luxurious seat, the latest shower trends prove that this space doesn't have to be purely functional; it can be pretty, too.

And while, yes, it's important to consider surfaces that will be easy to clean, that doesn't have to mean one-note. Mixing materials, from marble to timber, tiles, cement, and even textured glass, adds interest and will make the space feel more spa-like.

Below are 40 design-forward shower ideas to get you started.

1. Open and Shut

"Rather than enclosing the shower completely, I opted for a half-glazed screen to maintain a feeling of openness," explains designer Tiffany Howell of Los Angeles studio Night Palm. "It allows the room to read as one cohesive, light-filled space, more akin to a chic hotel suite than a traditional bathroom."

2. Curve Appeal

The satisfying curve of the wall separating the shower from the bathroom in this project by New South Wales-based Anna Carin Design wasn't just for surface-level good looks.

"The house had two baths, but one was sufficient, so this room gave up its bath and became a better shower room," says principal designer Anna-Carin McNamara. "The curved tiled wall wasn't for decoration; it answered the existing door position and did away with the glass screen, which no one ever wants to clean. Practicality, done properly, reads as beauty."

3. Screen Queen

Beautiful, shapely brass double doors leading into the shower give this scheme by Pasadena-based House of Honey elegance — as does the rest of the material palette.

"Our goal was to elevate the everyday," says founder Tamara Kaye-Honey. "Richly veined stone, warm brass, and reeded glass turn a daily routine into something more sculptural, sensual, and glamorous."

4. Glow Getter

Glass bricks are going nowhere, and work well as a way to screen off a shower without losing light in the space. Created by London architect Simon Astridge, this amber-colored screen — made of Venetian glass bricks — stands out against the cream microcement walls and casts a warm glow over the scheme.

5. Check Mate

A striped curtain and zellige tiles give this niche a theatrical edge. "We wanted something enveloping and bold, enclosing the shower in a jewel-like chequered box," says Tiffany Duggan of Studio Duggan. "The space lacks natural light, so we embraced the subterranean feel. It's good to have fun with smaller spaces, as it adds personality and a little playful jolt to the house."

6. Marble Might

De Rosee Sa design studio and Ca' Pietra stone and tile artisans collaborated on this beautifully veined shower niche. "There is something very unapologetic about giving a shower its own front door," says Grazzie Wilson, head of creative at Ca' Pietra. "Taking the marble around the opening, rather than keeping it behind the glass, changes the whole feel of the space. The shower becomes somewhere you step into, not an enclosure pushed into the corner."

7. Grid Lock

A heritage-style shower door extended over the vanity unit is a feature in its own right. "The materiality and design of a shower enclosure should be as intentional as every other selection in a bathroom," says Kirsten Blazek of LA studio A1000XBetter. "In this relatively small bathroom, we designed a custom brass shower enclosure that maximized the space and elevated the room's aesthetic, transforming a functional element into a defining feature."

8. Color Pop

"I wanted the shower to be its own special moment, slightly hidden around a corner to allow a layered su24 Walk-In Shower Ideasrprise as you enter the room," says Pierce Jordan of California/Texas design studio Shane & Pierce. "The Calacatta Rosa marble was found in Italy before the home construction began. I wanted to portray this space — with its typically feminine colorways — in a gender-neutral way, with hints of masculinity."

9. Curtain Call

Who said shower curtain ideas can't be stylish? Interior designer Ginger Curtis created a sensory, tucked-away retreat nestled behind some simple drapery.

"The key is thoughtful design — using luxe finishes, smart layout, and features like this stunning shower curtain instead of glass to soften the space and add style without shrinking it," she explains.

10. Double Trouble

Designer Kami Schaffner says her clients wanted a shower idea that felt cohesively planned, "but the long, narrow footprint of the room — combined with awkwardly placed doors and windows — posed a design challenge."

"To make the most of it, we reimagined the layout and created a doorless walk-in shower, placing the tub inside the shower zone to form a modern wet room," she explains. "The open layout allowed us to go big — with dual showerheads, ample space, and designated zones for each person to store their self-care essentials."

11. Stone-Drenched

In the space above, designer Julie Hillman wanted the shower to feel like part of the room. "I hid the faucets and everything in a niche so you can’t see anything but a glass box," she says. "It was important to me to use a powerful stone, and for the floor to continue from outside of the shower, so it's all cohesive. Then I used a leftover block of stone to create a stool with an organic shape."

Slab showers actually tend to make the space look more expansive. "I often specify large format tiles set horizontally, making the space appear larger," shares interior designer Julia Mack. "The result is virtually seamless and contemporary without all of the grout joints of a smaller, more standard tile."

12. Embrace Curves

Walk-in shower ideas are a great way to embrace unusual architectural details like nooks or curves. "We made a bold statement in this kids’ ensuite with a floor-to-ceiling tiled arch framing the shower like a work of art," the team at Three Birds Renovations says of the shower above. "It's fun, functional, and a little bit fabulous, showing how even the smallest spaces can pack a serious style punch."

The curved shower wall, clad in blue zellige Kit Kat tiles, gives the shower the same coziness and privacy of a traditional enclosure, but with the ease of a walk-in shower.

13. Seeing Stripes

Striped tile configurations have been a big shower trend in recent years, especially when laid vertically. This simple layout has the illusory effect of heightening a room.

"We played on the low ceiling by using vertical striped tiles to visually stretch the height," explains designer Sarah Simmonds. "We also incorporated a flush ceiling-mounted shower head, shower niche, and concealed vanity mirror cabinet to help make the space work as efficiently as possible, allowing the colors, patterns, and textures to take center stage."

14. Framed Well

In this bathroom, the same high-contrast stone seen in the tub, vanity, and shower spills over onto the door frame, inviting you in. This beautiful outline not only makes the space look more cohesive, but it also allows the small, tucked-away walk-in shower to really stand out.

"We framed the shower in the same warm-toned Viola marble as the bath, echoing its sculptural presence and drawing a subtle visual thread between each element," explains Eliza Davey of architecture and interiors practice, De Rosee Sa.

15. Integrate a Tub

If space allows, turn your walk-in shower into a fully immersive wet room idea by including a bathtub in the same area. This layout can transform the experience (try a cold rinse after a warm soak) and allow for a more cohesive visual design.

Sarah Montgomery says a shower-bathtub setup is sometimes necessary with an awkward blueprint. Faced with an awkwardly angled wall in the bathroom above, "We reimagined the space by designing a combined shower room," she says. "At the far end of this room — where the angled wall narrowed the footprint — we positioned a compact soaking tub that fit perfectly into the niche. Nestled beneath a window, the tub feels naturally integrated, as if it were always meant to be there."

16. Or a Shower Bench...

For a true spa bathroom feel, add a shower bench. Inspired by European spas, Ginger Curtis at Urbanology Designs wanted to create a truly serene shower in the design above. "Stepping inside feels cozy, enveloping, and even triggers a dopamine release — it’s a space that nurtures both body and mind through Neuroaesthetics," she says.

17. Step It Up

By raising the floor, you not only bring the shower area into focus, but you also section it off from the rest of the room so it remains dry and usable at all times. (It's a practical choice for plumbing, too.)

Lindye Galloway, founder and chief creative officer of Lindye Galloway Studio, was tasked with creating a serene shower retreat for her clients. "I've always wanted to incorporate a platform like this, and it was the perfect addition to divide the large bathroom with dimension," she says. "It created an elevated moment that highlighted this statement spa-like space."

18. Under the Stars

Designing a shower under a skylight makes for a truly immersive experience. In the morning, natural light will help regulate your circadian rhythm; in the evening, you can moonbathe under the stars.

For the project above, designers at Studio Go Ibiza were designing a shower with accessibility in mind, but didn't want it to feel "adapted." "This en-suite bathroom, complete with a walk-in, captures that intent," says founder Sam De Ridder. "The existing skylight became the central anchor, around which we organized the layout, resulting in a space where daylight, access, and clarity come together seamlessly."

Skylights can also help prevent mold growth, reduce electricity bills, and sometimes even negate the need for a bathroom fan (if ventilation is built-in), not to mention being a great option for windowless loft bathrooms.

19. Book-Matched Marble

"To achieve a luxurious look, it's important to choose materials that have real design integrity and solidity," says James at Drummonds. "Large statement pieces such as a walk-in shower are part of a trend for ever more luxury in the bathroom; we see this too in the increasing popularity of elements such as freestanding baths, too."

For beautiful symmetry that adds visual harmony to your shower setting, consider book-matched marble, as pictured above.

20. Double Doors

As if the Arabescato marble wasn’t loud enough for this bathroom trend, this spacious shower speaks volumes with double doors, an extra dose of drama for a space that usually gets a simple curtain. "Perhaps it is the color of the door — in this case, it was powder-coated a soft white — or perhaps it is the shower door handle," says David John Dick, a cofounder of LA’s DISC Interiors. "Both are opportunities to bring a subtle moment of visual surprise to one’s space, and to break the mold."

21. Screen Queen

A custom shower screen injects visual interest, even in small bathrooms. Here, an amber resin panel inspired by Victorian architecture drenches the bathroom in a tangerine glow. "I would always make it go full-height of the room so you don't have to have any additional horizontal supports or armatures that can ruin the look," says Alex Holloway, creative director at London’s Holloway Li, when choosing a custom screen.

Even if bespoke resin panels like these aren’t exactly within reach, you can still make a statement with traditional materials that draw the eye. "Frosted, clear, or textured transparent materials are great because they are more forgiving than plain glass from a maintenance point of view," adds Alex.

22. A Twist on Minimalist

While standard showers are often rectangular or stuck in a cubicle, it pays to think outside the box, like this sculptural stall with curved walls. Who said minimalist has to mean boring?

For this cream-colored minimalist bathroom, Susannah Holmberg leaned into the natural shape of the circular shower. "We chose a small format tile that intentionally lays out with some variation, so it has the most lovely, matte, artisanal finish," she adds. "It reminds me of a seashell after being smoothed and rounded by the waves.”

23. A Shed?

"Often showers are simply glass cubicles, but we felt that, for the design of this bathroom, it would be interesting to use the shower's 'walls' as a very decorative feature on the outside," says Angus Buchanan, creative director and co-founder of London’s Buchanan Studio. "We were able to create the symmetry with the WC shed and bring some color and pattern into the bathroom."

As a result, the opportunity for visual interest is flipped inside out; while shower wall ideas are often reserved for inside the cubicle, giving the shower its own structure creates a new way to incorporate shapes, textures, and materials — here, beauty is on the outside.

24. Center Stage

Create a new focal point by pulling your shower out of the corner or away from the wall. "This shower is in the middle of the room, which makes it unique — it’s a glass form with a metal structure, and the marble surround gives it height and an artistic, almost sculptural frame," says NYC-based interior designer Sara Story, who embraced the central placement with a showstopping base. "I used a very lively pattern of stone in the design — given the size of the space, it could handle it."

25. Color-Blocked

The easiest way to give a small bathroom shower personality is by tiling it in unique colors. In this project, the multicolored space with unique patterns gives the shower area a big boost of personality and allows the shower head to really stand out. It also distracts from the shower's small square footage.

"To maintain cohesion with the property's color palette, I brought the same color scheme into the bathroom," says Michelle Boudreau, founder of Michelle Boudreau Design. "To add visual interest, I used standard-sized tiles and incorporated a captivating bold graphic pattern with a juxtaposition on the floor and the wall."

26. A Standalone Shower

If you're lucky enough to have a large modern bathroom and want a stand-alone wet room, this one by Paradowski Studio is one to take note of. The design maximizes the beauty and versatility of marble, and the high-concept structure looks elevated, giving a hotel style bathroom vibe. "The minimalist clean lines stand in opposition to the maximalist scale of the free-standing shower block made of large-format marble slabs," say Zuza and Piotr Paradowski, founders of Paradowski Studio.

27. Stone Cold

Usually, spa and steam shower rooms are designed in a continuous stone that makes the room not only feel bigger but also calmer and more relaxing. A marble bathroom in a heavily veined design will add layering and depth to the room, as sometimes a single material can make a space feel too one-dimensional.

"We designed this shower area in Ceppo stone for a spa-like feel," says celebrity interior designer Kelly Wearstler. "The tribute stool in this space is custom-designed by us."

28. Hide Lighting

Shower lighting ideas can be tricky, as you can't just install any fixture due to its high moisture environment. This is why recessed lights, or flush mounts, do well in such a space.

"Acrylic ceilings with diffused lights are perfect solutions to all your light troubles," says Nishita Kamdar, founder of Studio Nishita Kamdar. "And for those who like to bring in a mood — remember no bright, harsh lights — add in backlit wall fixtures and turn on the music to create a peaceful ambiance."

29. Storage Niches

Built-in niches look especially beautiful when carved in tiles. "The primary bathroom I designed for my clients immediately pulls from São Paulo," says interior designer Mark Grattan. "One of the very first moments I noticed on my first trip to Brazil a few years ago was the use of mosaic tile on many exteriors of buildings. However, the most unusual application was the living room and bathroom at Casa de Vidro. It felt refreshingly retro. I’ve never met a mosaic with abundance like this. It felt new, opinionated, and full of quiet noise. "

30. Timeless Terrazzo

This homeowner worked with the smaller dimensions of this spa and shower room by choosing terrazzo flooring and walls, which gave the space a sense of luxury. Integrated seating is raised above the floor, making these heavier details appear lighter.

The tap and shower head are from the Davinci collection at AF New York. These ceiling lights are from Delta Light.

31. Shower-Tub

The warm woods, graphic tiles, and sleek fittings are beautifully combined in this space. We love that this wet room has incorporated a plunge pool, too, and even better that it's a deep tub that will cocoon you up to the shoulders.

In such spaces, experts suggest using wall-mounted faucets. "Having a floor-mounted solution can create more issues where the water can cause leaks over time when breaking through the sealed caulk at the perimeter of the space," says Alex Epstein, lead interior designer at Annapolis-based Purple Cherry Architects.

32. Pony Walls

This brick, pony wall separates the master bedroom from the shower room, without breaking the floor plan. These walls are actually great architectural additions to a room that retain the charm of an open-concept space.

"Pony walls are nice as a soft architectural separation while keeping the visual feel open and airy," says interior designer Kristen Pena at K Interiors.

33. Squeeze Into an Alcove

This stylish shower room boasts a porthole window that offers views of the outdoors. It creates a whimsical vibe and gives the room a special look. The white tiles ensure the space feels clean, breezy, and welcoming, while the views and architectural arch remain the focal points of the room.

The step-up shower with the door also ensures that the room feels secluded and a special unit within the bathroom.

34. Statement Stone

The green marble bathroom sink continues through the glass shower partition to become the seating in the shower. It looks particularly special when juxtaposed against the white tiles in the space.

The continuous stone also gives the room a design touch, while the brass/gold stool adds a pop of color to the otherwise muted space.

35. Alfresco Enclosure

A great way to make a small bathroom feel brighter is by making it alfresco; or adding a skylight above. The natural light streaming from above will make this space feel airier, cheery and more welcoming.

Plus, the light well will double as a design feature in the room and make the square footage feel not so tight anymore.

36. Mixed Marble

While it is common to see a white marble bathroom, it is truly a unique visual to see different colored marbles make home in a bathroom. Take this space, for example — the white walls, juxtaposed with the heavily veined marble seating give this bathroom a striking look.

If you want to pack your small shower with personality, this is a good design trick to follow. You could even add some marble bathroom accessories to add other colors to this space.

37. Lave Stone

While it is usual to see stone, such as granite, marble, or travertine in bathrooms, as these offer a luxurious and spa-like ambiance, it is quite unique to see lava stone make an appearance. The strength and versatility of this material allows it to go through several types of treatments, which is impossible with ceramic or marble.

This is a great stone for tiles and wall claddings, counters, bathtubs and even sinks.

38. Natural Beauty

Thanks to manufacturing technology developments, the marble look is available at a fraction of the cost of authentic marble. These realistic alternatives are also easier to care for than the real McCoy. When it comes to tiles, bigger is better. Fewer grout lines create a fuss-free, uninterrupted finish that’s hard to achieve with smaller tiles.

This shower makes a big impact, thanks to a simple mix of marble, chrome, wood, and very little else. The walk-in design creates a luxurious, open feel, especially when installed with a fixed shower panel and minimal framing.

39. Crittall-Cool

Crittall-style windows are enjoying a moment. In fact, metal-framed windows — first invented in the 19th century — are so popular that their comeback includes doors and partitions, too. Elevate a monochrome scheme with a metal-framed shower panel.

Here, it pairs well with the vanity unit. What its basin lacks in depth, it makes up for in width, extending into the shower to create a handy shelf.

40. In the Frame

Crittall-style glass translates well in the bathroom, where creating a stylish space that feels both light and open but retains an element of separation is a key objective. Pair an industrial aesthetic with classic metro tiles or ramp up the luxe with marble.

If you have an unusually shaped bathroom like this one, go for a custom-made enclosure. If you’re worried about the bathroom looking too industrial, team a natural material like marble with the steel frames to give it a spa vibe.

FAQs

Can I Put a Walk-In Shower in a Small Bathroom?

We all know showers are a better solution than a bath in a small bathroom, but are walk-in showers still a good idea, or is a traditional enclosure best? While walk-in showers typically take up more square footage than a shower cubicle unit, there's no reason why you can't scale it down.

"A walk-in shower can actually make a small bathroom feel larger," says Ginger Curtis. "It opens up the space visually and eliminates the visual clutter of a bulky tub or framed shower door."

Even a small corner can be dedicated to a walk-in shower. Just remember to use a glass screen (if it's not a dedicated wet room) to prevent water spray.

Is a Walk-In Shower a Good Idea?

Walk-in showers are usually a sound choice for your bathroom, but as Emma Scott, director of client design at C.P. Hart, says, it depends on the unique layout of your bathroom and, of course, your personal preference.

"A walk-in shower offers a more seamless, simple look, is easy to maintain, and the layout can be created to suit the space," she says. "However, be mindful that since it's not enclosed, it can sometimes feel colder because it doesn't contain the steam. Walk-in showers also typically require more space than an enclosure to ensure the water from large shower heads is contained."

What are the Disadvantages of a Walk-In Shower?

While walk-in showers have many functional and aesthetic benefits, they're not without their drawbacks. As mentioned, walk-in showers may feel a little cooler without the enclosure to trap steam.

"That’s where materials and layout matter," says Ginger. "I often skip the glass door and use a luxe shower curtain instead — it adds texture, softness, and makes the space feel less rigid or cold. It’s also easy to switch out if your style evolves."

Rebecca Hughes, founder and creative director of Rebecca Hughes Interiors, says she actually prefers enclosed showers because they help contain the water, citing drainage and extraction as common problems of walk-ins. "For this reason, we would always recommend having a separate enclosed shower," she says.

Looking for small bathroom ideas, specifically? Just because the room may lack space doesn't mean it has to lack style. From bold colors to wallpaper, slabs of marble, and clever architectural features, small spaces are perfect for big ideas.

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What makes a room more visually interesting? Most of the time, the answer is texture. A layered blend of materials and finishes that add depth to the decorating scheme. But what texture should you choose? After poring over this Space Age-style home in Paris this week, I'm convinced lacquer is the answer. The glossy finish calls on retro nightlife allure, but with an innovative elegance.

"We love materials that respond to light and bring an interior to life," says Hugo Vince of L'Atelier HA, the studio behind the project. "Lacquer creates reflections that shift throughout the day and as people move through the room." It's a finish that both stands out and lives with you, no matter what color or piece you apply it to.

High-gloss furniture, lacquered finishes, and a shiny surface or two seem like relatively easy details to incorporate. But using them in confident, adventurous applications is what makes them even more eye-catching.

A lot of this personality comes simply from the sheen. "Lacquered surfaces never look quite the same as the light and viewing angle change," Hugo continues. "Their reflections animate the cabinetry and create interesting shifts in perspective." Lacquer or high-gloss finishes "also give colors more depth and emphasize curved forms," says Hugo.

The trick with high gloss, like most decorating ideas, is to create balance in the design. In your own space, you can translate lacquered finishes however boldly or subtly you wish, as long as there is a sense of balance. For example, "we paired it with softer or more textured materials to balance its gloss: velvet, rugs, and the brushed stone used in the kitchen," says Hugo.

Below are a few stylish pieces that will make a statement and feel like a naturally fashionable addition to your home.

When we get the chance to peek inside homes with bold personalities, inspiration always surges. This Space Age-inspired Parisian home definitely packs a design punch, but I'm left with an overwhelming desire to bring a little more glamour and gloss into my home. Lacquer walls next? Anyone?

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It's often the small details that distinguish the very best interior design projects from all of the others. Curiously, one such detail that's surfacing ever more regularly is the rough-edged table. Dining tables, coffee tables, and side tables, always in wood or stone, with carved, hammered, or otherwise textured edges that make the piece feel raw, and much more organic — we've seen enough of them now to officially declare them 'a thing'.

The real charm of this interior design trend is how the rugged surface lifts a minimalist scheme by introducing subtle texture and interest, adds edge to a contemporary look that's overflowing with smooth, honed surfaces, and elevates a playful scheme by making everything feel a little more handcrafted and considered.

This clever note of contrast is why designers are incorporating rough-edged finishes into their schemes more and more. "I think we're naturally drawn to pieces that tell a story, and a rough-edged table does exactly that," says Steffanie Ball, co-founder of Australia and US-based furniture brand En Gold, which counts beautiful textured-edged beige marble dining tables and raw fossil stone plinths among its collection. "It celebrates the imperfections that make natural materials so beautiful, rather than trying to disguise them. In a room filled with clean lines and refined finishes, that rawness introduces warmth, character, and a sense of authenticity. It creates some contrast, which is often what makes a space feel layered rather than flat."

In his own studio, Adyn Kelly, founder of his eponymous Australian-based interior design studio, incorporated a table made out of travertine, used for the jagged-edged top, and chrome, which adds contrast to the rough-and-ready look. "We looked to create something with an organic feel," says Adyn of the design. "The edge reads as a natural fracture, the opposite of the legs, which are machined, straight, and precise. We wanted the top to appear to float, so we balanced its weight against legs that barely register."

Dining tables are an obvious starting point for this finish. So much of eating is about the senses beyond taste, which is why, for example, food looks and tastes better in a handcrafted ceramic bowl than it does on a mass-produced plate. The pleasure of being able to run your hands along the roughed-up edges of a table adds a little something to the experience of sitting down to eat. But if you're hesitant to invest in such a big piece, where else could you incorporate a rough edge?

For Yasmine Ghoniem, director of Sydney design studio YSG, one should look beyond the dining room. "We'd use them on the surface edge or legs of a coffee table," she says. Or venture beyond the table altogether: "Perhaps also along the fronts of a bedside console or feature wardrobe in a primary suite."

Adyn concurs: "I'd use it anywhere the surface is looked at more than it's used — a plinth, a coffee table, the end of a bench run, a powder room vanity where the drama is the point," he says. Practicality plays a part here, too; after all, this finish will never be the easiest to clean.

"I'm a big believer in repeating materials and textures throughout the home so that they feel intentional," says Steffanie Ball. "Rough-edged detailing works beautifully on coffee tables, consoles, shelving, and plinths, but it can also be incorporated more subtly through objects such as stone bowls, vessels, or sculptural decor. The key is restraint — you don't need it everywhere. A few thoughtfully placed pieces create enough contrast to bring depth and a stronger connection to natural materials throughout the space."

1. Drawn by Hand

"A smooth edge tells you a machine has been there and looks like every other table," says Adyn Kelly. "We wanted this to feel natural, like a raw edge straight out of the ground. Except it isn't — it's water-cut, and every line and step of it was drawn. The textured edge has a life of its own: it holds shadow, and it changes as the light moves across it."

2. Toughened Up

In the dining room of their Elden Ranch project, En Gold used their La Via table as the centerpiece. "The inspiration for this came from wanting to preserve the honesty of the stone," says Steffanie Ball. "Rather than overworking it, we wanted the edge to feel as if it had been shaped by nature, while pairing it with a form that feels calm and architectural. That's a balance I come back to often in my work — something organic alongside something considered. I tend to pair it with softer elements like upholstered seating, timber, linen, and warm lighting."

3. Well Worn

As well as a carved edge, this round dining table in an Ibizan project by Paris-based interior architect and designer Emmanuelle Simon features a hand-gouged finish on the base and the middle for extra texture. In making the table — the Tiga design from the studio's own collection — Emmanuelle wanted to evoke "the faces of a cliff".

4. Cutting Edge

"The kitchen's shell we inherited had white walls, plus glass and steel doors framing the courtyard, so we needed to add tonal and tactile warmth," says Yasmine Ghoniem of this space. "The custom table's caramel shade and hand-pitted timber bookends do both, bringing a rustic charm that steers away from looking too ornate, as the detailing is minimal. It's a gathering space for meals or casual coffees throughout the day, so it's nice for everyone to run their fingers across it, connecting them to social moments."

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Edges are often overlooked when it comes to design, but they're a feature that's perfect for playing with. Take these decorative kitchen countertop edges, for example. Whether fluted, honed, or a rounded Dupont edge, it can elevate a simple design into something striking.

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When superchef Yotam Ottolenghi updated his kitchen recently, not much changed. He asked Roundhouse to keep the layout as it was, with new white cabinet fronts replacing old white cabinet fronts. "The biggest difference was the tiles," he says. These cover the wall above the cooker and behind the shelves and are daubed in a hand-painted mural by artist Cecilie Maurud Barstad of Gilles & Cecilie.

"It makes me so happy," Yotam says. "Cecilie suggested including little illustrations of things that are meaningful to my children. So there's a taco, a Dungeons & Dragons logo because they play so much of it, and a cartoonish portrait they did of their cousin. I'm hoping that when they come home to visit in their 20s, it will feel like a wall of memories."

Yotam's approach of making a kitchen backsplash as decorative as, say, the living room rug or cushions on the bed, is part of a growing trend. More designers are daubing murals across kitchen walls, turning away from the space being one of pure function, and towards something more personal.

"It's a real wow moment when someone sees this commitment to joy in your space," says muralist Charlotte Fuller, whose work has appeared on backsplashes. "I have a tile mural in my own kitchen to make me feel positive and inspired as I make the first cup of tea of the day. Under the boldness, there's a connection to nature and the abstract, to energize and relax. I like to think of my work as portals for dreaming, providing a moment to pause, find calm, and reflect."

Backsplash murals come in many forms — hand-painted on tiles (Yotam's was done off-site, fired, then affixed to the wall), daubed directly onto walls, or even as stained glass or wallpaper.

For the latter, extra care is advised. "We have protective finishes that can be applied to textile grounds, such as dyed silk or hand-painted fabrics, but these are not heavy-duty and can dull design elements and colors," says Harald Donoghue of luxury wallpaper brand de Gournay. "It's sensible to add a backsplash or protective barrier in glass or Perspex to allow for maximum protection."

If you're considering a decorative backsplash, take a lead from Jules Gallop, founder of JAM Design Works, a design studio that used stained glass for one.

"Start by thinking about the backsplash as part of the overall design, rather than as a decorative addition," she says. "The colors, patterns, and scale need to work with the cabinetry, worktops, and lighting. Accurate templating is essential, particularly around sockets, switches, and cabinetry, and you need to ensure it is specified for an area that will be exposed to heat, water, and cleaning. Samples are invaluable, as colors and textures can look very different alongside the other finishes."

While kitchen backsplash murals don't have to be big, this is not a moment to hold back. "A design this bold needs room to breathe," says Charlotte. "Now is the time to go big and create immersive spaces for expression and dreaming."

1. Meadow Mood

Sophie Ashby of Studio Ashby commissioned Anna Glover to create this floral-themed mural in a London kitchen. The tiles are from Balineum, and Sophie wanted to evoke the feel of an English meadow, even in such a functional space as a kitchen.

2. Silver Screen

In a kitchen in Shanghai, de Gournay's hand-painted Uki Hana wallcovering gleams above equally metallic cabinets. It is printed on tarnished silver-gilded paper, and the brand recommends that if you go down this route, you should cover the wallpaper in Perspex to protect it properly from splashes and humidity.

3. Glass Act

This stained-glass splashback was designed and commissioned by JAM Design Works Ltd and produced in collaboration with specialist stained-glass maker Tenby & Penny. JAM created the pattern specifically for the clients, incorporating personal meanings, colors, and references within the design.

"This piece was incredibly heavy, so we had to reinforce the wall behind it and encase it in a way that the LED panels within could be accessed if ever necessary," says studio founder Jules Gallop.

4. Color Therapy

Muralist Charlotte Fuller is a big believer in the uplifting power of a backsplash artwork. "To decide what you want, start with how you want to feel in the room, and the wider context: the tones, materials, and light you already have, and where in the space the mural will sit," she says. "Choose colors already in conversation with the room. They might be lightly reflected in your countertop, cabinetry, or even a rug. And think about what sits in front of the wall — a shelf, a tap — so the mural works comfortably with that."

5. Wild Thing

Paris-based designer Pierre Yovanovitch commissioned artist Matthieu Cossé to create this mural on the tiles of a celery-green kitchen in an apartment in France. It is intended to evoke the natural skyline, and shows how even an ultra-modern space can be given a hefty slice of whimsy.

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But the kitchen backsplash isn't the only place tiles are starting to tell stories in the home — hand-drawn bathroom tiles, in a modern Delft style, help make these once purely functional spaces feel hyper-personal.

Ahead of the official opening on October 8th, I had a chance to explore the hotly anticipated Tate Britain exhibition, The 90s: Art and Fashion. Curated by none other than Edward Enninful, the former editor of British Vogue, this exhibition offers a glimpse into his experience of the era; all the grit and the glamour he was exposed to as a 20-something in London in the 90s. And, as a 20-something in London some 30 years later, these are the aesthetic takeaways I'm still thinking about from the exhibition.

An all-encompassing approach to British culture in the 90s, this London design exhibition brought together icons of the era across all mediums, introducing the varying stylistic trends happening throughout the nation — from the stunningly stripped-back intimacy in Juergen Teller and David Sims's photographs to the flamboyant artistry in the fashion of Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood. Many of the greatest artistic achievements of the decade were on full display, including Chris Ofili’s moving No Woman, No Cry, a standout piece in any room it’s placed in.

There were the instantly recognizable images that have come to define the time, like Juergen Teller's 1998 Young Pink Kate, as well as lesser-known (but equally significant) works, including Hamad Butt's 1992 installation, Familiars. This was, as the Tate Britain's director Alex Faqhousan explains, part of the goal of the exhibit. By "bringing together icons of the era, as well as artists who were too overlooked," the curatorial team was able to establish a more honest, authentic depiction of the time, as opposed to a flat, clichéd recreation.

Of course, there are plenty of shots of Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss to admire, but equally represented were the more exposing, more illuminating artworks that perhaps haven't sustained the same level of cultural significance, but offer a true representation of the artistic culture of the time. It's an honest view of the decade, addressing the flaws as well as the highlights, and allowing you to step back in time and experience it all over again. Or, for 2000s babies like me, for the first time.

1. Minimalism As Authenticity, Not Simplicity

One of the leading themes of this exhibition, and perhaps of the era more broadly, was a celebration and exploration of minimalism. Today, minimalism in design is often viewed as some sort of lacking, an essential absence of personality or meaning. It's become tied up with the 'millennial beige' aesthetic, and has, in this age of maximalism, become somewhat of a dirty word.

In the 90s, however, a different kind of minimalism was defining the era. Arriving as a response to the flamboyant excesses of the 80s, the youth culture was searching for a way to rebel against the 'more is more' approach adopted by their predecessors.

The result was a stripped-back simplicity. A raw, authentic expression of minimalistic style. It wasn't characterless and beige. If anything, it was the complete opposite. It was honest and exposing, a celebration of truth. As one of the exhibition curators, Helen Little describes it: "Minimalism isn’t about a coldness and a lack of content. It’s distilling things down to their truest and purest state of being."

This approach was perhaps best expressed in the photography of the era. In the images of Juergen Teller and Corinne Day that line the walls, there's a clear desire for honesty and authenticity; any hints of artifice are stripped away, leaving us with a clear, exposing view of the subject.

In terms of design, this approach can be communicated in how we explore the finishes and materials we work with. Helen described the "focus on intentionality and materiality and using spare materials to make something new," which became so present in the art over these years, and today, we can adopt this same approach in our homes, finding pieces that express this authentic materiality in their design.

2. A New Type Of British Identity

While this era is so often characterized by the explosion of 'Cool Britannia' and the renewed sense of pride the British youth felt towards their cultural identity, this exhibition adopts a more complex view of what it meant to be British in the 90s, with a specific focus on the Black British experience.

Alongside the rise in Britpop and Union Jack-clad pop stars, there was a cultural reckoning taking place, and a developing understanding of the disparity in experience across different racial groups. Chris Ofili's No Woman, No Cry takes the viewer back to the 1993 murder of Stephen Lawrence and the institutional racism that removed any chance of justice for his family. Donald Rodney's moving work, In the House of My Father, explores similar themes, looking at the Black British experience of the British healthcare system.

Despite this setting of injustice and inequality, this room displays the achievements and resilience of the Black British youth in the 90s. At the center of the room, Ozwald Boateng's fantastically tailored suits stand proud, commanding in the suave simplicity of their construction. British director Steve McQueen is also honored in this room, with his silent film, Bear, playing on the wall.

A celebration of what we would now call Black Excellence, and what has been described as the 'most meaningful room' for curator Edward Enninful, this space explores a different side of the Cool Britannia movement.

3. The Allure Of Grunge

It wasn't all stripped-back minimalism, though; equally present in this era was a grittier, more outwardly rebellious stylistic approach. It was, as a 1992 story in American Vogue called it, 'Grunge and Glory'.

In many ways, the essential components of minimalism were still present. There was an honesty and authenticity that lay at the heart of the grunge movement. But this was a far cry from the 'clean girl' version of minimalism we know today. This was the anti-aesthetic aesthetic, revoking the very idea of the contrived intentionality that went behind the highly curated stylistic trends that came before it.

The grunge movement was more interested in exploring the truth behind the lived experience than it was in constructing a new version of it. Works like Barbara Walker's Attitude show an interest in embracing all aspects of the human experience, elevating the moments we previously would have disregarded into art.

Things were a little more undone, a little less contrived. A rejection of style that has ironically become one of the defining styles of the time. And even in our homes, grunge interior style can bring this same sense of stylistic nonchalance.

4. Utility Above Aesthetics

As you step into the third room of the exhibition, bright white walls are replaced with something a little darker. A small TV in the center plays Mark Leckey's Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore, a short film compiled from found footage of British nightlife through the ages, culminating in clips from the 90s underground rave scene. The walls that surround it are plastered with images of sunglass-clad ravers huddled around a DJ, and bleary-eyed friends slumped on the Brighton shore, roll-up cigarettes in hand.

What is striking about these images when compared to similar shots of nightlife in the 80s, or earlier, is the relative simplicity in the style of the subjects. Look at images of the Blitz club, just a decade prior, and you'd see a sea of the most highly stylized individuals, each dressed up as if playing a character. In the 90s, however, this degree of expression was swapped out for a more functional approach to dressing.

There was, as curator Dominique Heyse-Moore explained, a focus on utility. Young people were going out in clothes that they could dance, move, and sweat in without worry. There was a rejection of the curated approach to self-image that was so integral to the 80s. Instead, there was a more relaxed authenticity to the style.

This idea of a more casual, collected approach to self-expression is something we can carry through to our homes, too. It's all about trying less and allowing things to occur naturally instead, with more of a collected interiors approach.

While pop culture has exploded with 90s nostalgia in recent years, with the hit Love Story series reigniting a love for the cool elegance of 90s minimalism, this exhibition introduces us to a different view of the era, one that is rooted in the British experience and all the subcultures and movements that made the 90s what it was.

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Design is meant to be exciting. A unique expression of personal taste, with each home displaying a glimpse into the mind of the person who designed it. So when every kitchen looks the same, with the same neutral scheme and the same marble countertops, it can start to feel slightly... uninspired.

I look at countless beautiful kitchens every day. And after a while, they can begin to blur together, an indistinguishable mash-up of hyper-trendy styles, culminating in one beautiful but ultimately uninspiring mass. So, when I come across something genuinely different, it always piques my interest. And lately, no kitchen finish has intrigued me more than these brilliantly blue kitchen countertops.

Swapping out the white, veined marble finishes we see in every kitchen for something far more striking, these swirling blue stone counters bring that same touch of nature-inspired beauty into our home, but in a way that feels wholly original. It may sound completely out of the box, but it's already become a fast favorite amongst designers in the know, and I'm predicting it won't take long for this look to be in all the most exciting modern kitchens.

Calming yet sometimes energizing, blue is a color of contradictions. It challenges our expectations without seeming wholly out of place, creating an air of creativity and intrigue in the home.

When there's such a clear focus on referring back to nature in interiors (as shown through the trend for earthy color palettes and natural materials), but in kitchen design, this generally translates into warm neutral tones, wooden kitchen cabinetry, and natural stone counters. No less beautiful, but expected.

That's exactly what makes a blue countertop feel so unusual. When given the natural movement and texture of a stone, blue takes on a whole new quality — bringing the ocean waves and bright blue skies right into your kitchen, providing a whole new way to draw upon nature in your home. This is what inspired designer Anna Carin to use a Pallido Blue calcite for the kitchen pictured above: "Rather than introducing blue as a purely decorative color, the stone allowed us to bring the feeling of water, sky, and nature into the interior in a very tactile way."

When you're working with natural stone or a material designed to mimic the appearance, these blue counters take on a unique sense of fluidity and variety that can add a lot of depth to a kitchen. "We love the natural variation and uniqueness of the material; knowing no other worktop will ever be quite the same," adds Ester Corti, from Mitchell + Corti Architects, who also chose a unique, deep blue stone for a recent kitchen renovation.

Despite being such a statement shade, a blue countertop can also be surprisingly versatile. At least, this is what Matilde Valagussa (of Atelier Zero) found when using blue quartzite in a Milanese apartment kitchen. "It can feel very rich and almost meditative, but it is also an extremely versatile color," she explains. "Depending on what you place around it, it can work naturally with other cool tones or create a very beautiful tension with warmer colors."

The kitchen can so often be one of the most chaotic rooms in the home, constantly brimming with energy and activity, so finding ways to diffuse some of this energy can help bring balance to the home. And, as Anna points out, "There is something inherently calming about blue." It's a color of gentle relaxation and peace, a perfect addition to busy family kitchens.

"I think there is a growing appetite for kitchens that feel more individual and less formulaic," suggests Anna. "We're moving away from the idea that a kitchen has to be completely neutral to be timeless."

There seems to be a degree of fatigue with the same-same look we've been seeing in kitchens over the recent years. A lot of kitchen trends are actually just a reframing of one that came before, and rarely will anyone adopt anything other than neutral kitchen colors in a space that's so expensive to design.

So, something truly original, like a blue countertop, couldn't be a more welcome change. It's a way of challenging the idea of what a modern kitchen is meant to be, creating something that feels authentically unique, while keeping the space feeling welcoming and enjoyable to be in.

It's this balance between neutrality and surprise that makes this color such a beautiful fit for kitchen worktops. As Anna says, "Blue is particularly interesting because it has that balance of color and calm. It can feel contemporary without being trend-driven, and it connects naturally to ideas of water, sky, and landscape."

How to Style Blue Kitchen Countertops

For such a unique finish, a blue countertop can be surprisingly versatile when styling. In fact, depending on what you pair it with, it could work in practically any type of kitchen design.

"With the right combination of materials and colors, it can work in a very contemporary interior as easily as in a more traditional one," agrees Matilde. For her, it was more about considering how it would relate to the other finishes and colors in the space: "A material or a color becomes convincing when it has a clear relationship with everything around it."

The way you build your kitchen color palette around blue will also make a difference. If you want to make it the accent, try layering the counters with other shades of blue, creating a more layered, cocooning look. Or, for a more contrasting effect, make blue the counterpoint against other warmer tones, as Matilde did in the kitchen pictured above.

And while it can work in any style or kitchen layout, if you want to highlight the material's relationship to nature, this will be particularly effective in brighter, lighter homes. "I particularly like blue stone in homes with a strong connection to natural light or landscape," says Anna. "It can echo the colors outside without becoming literal." When the blue counters can bounce off the blue skies outside, the relationship becomes more inherent to the design and intensifies the natural effect.

When picking out the finishes for the rest of your kitchen, consider whether you want the countertops to be the accent or simply a part of a broader visual language for the space. If you prefer the sound of the first option, Anna suggests pairing "blue stone with warm, tactile materials that allow the natural variation in the stone to come through. Timber, warm whites, soft neutrals, natural linen, and aged metals all work beautifully with it," she says.

However, there's no need to get too bogged down with what does and doesn't work with a blue counter. Even smaller details like the metallic finish of your kitchen hardware leave plenty of room for experimentation. "It is actually quite versatile and works well with brass, stainless, or nickel," adds Ester.

If you love the idea of a kitchen that feels both calming and energizing, but a countertop feels like too much of a commitment, there are plenty of other blue kitchen ideas worth considering, from paint to decor.

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Homes filled with beautifully dramatic marbles might be all you get served up as inspiration online, but it’s a tricky look to pull off in real life. Many natural stones aren’t the most practical and durable options, and they’re hard and expensive to source, too.

However, just because you don’t have a vast swathe of marble for your kitchen counters or cladding the walls of your shower doesn’t mean your home can’t benefit from the beauty of this material.

My advice? Get to know your local stone yard, and get into the world of offcuts. You can have small remnants of stone and types of marble cut to fit your needs, and not only can it look amazing when applied in the right way, but it's sustainable too.

“We believe natural stone can be equally impactful when used with restraint,” agrees Sally Knibbs, design director of Sally Caroline. “Thoughtfully placed moments of materiality that bring depth, contrast, and a sense of quiet luxury to a home.”

Stone yards are, in my experience, usually more targeted towards trade customers than they are for someone renovating their home themselves. You won't find a flashy customer service desk in a stone yard, necessarily, but they're often more than welcoming to any sort of customer (if in doubt, call before you turn up).

And while you can go to a stone yard yourself to source a large slab of marble, granite, or a composite material for yourself, the beauty of these spaces is that they're also usually stacked high with offcuts — small or awkwardly shaped pieces of stone from other projects which don't have a lot of value by themselves, but are too good to throw away.

I've bought a lot of offcuts over time, and in various sizes. They've been used for everything from shelves and windowsills to kitchen island counters to coffee tables, in all sorts of materials, including granite, marble, travertine, and quartz (basically, whatever I liked best in the yard).

But, don't just take my word for it. I've curated some projects to inspire the uses of offcuts and marble in smaller amounts to inspire you.

Get the Look

This idea is a great way to use bolder, more exciting marbles and other natural stones in small amounts, and those styles are some of the biggest kitchen marble trends this year.

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I often think of curtains as being the underdog in interior design. These hard-working decorative elements are so often an afterthought, but they can completely transform a space and tie an entire scheme together.

As the most popular modern window treatment idea, there are so many different styles, fabrics, and colors to choose from that it can be hard to know where to start. That's where the experts come in.

I've deep-dived into the Livingetc archives and pulled together the best curtain ideas for adding subtle elegance to bold drama. So if you're looking to buy curtains, consider this your ultimate source of inspiration for interior designer-styled curtains.

1. Mix the Patterns

"Our coppery curtains are incredible as the patterns differ on both, accentuated in the daytime when sunlight filters in from behind," says Yasmine Saleh Ghoniem who designed this sustainable home in Melbourne. "We love their pom-poms." Who said curtains have to match? These custom rust-colored curtains instantly add intrigue to the space.

2. Add Subtle Texture

The owners of this southwest London Victorian terrace designed by Anna Burles, founder of Run for the Hills design studio, wanted their home to be at once a cocooning and exciting space, making use of every nook and cranny. The curtains in this space are a perfect example of how you don't need color to add depth to a space, instead letting texture take center stage.

3. Opt for a Delicate Valance

For this Montreuil residence designed by Julie Nebout and Giuseppe Punzo of La Fotosintesi, warmth and personality were key. Decorating with sheer curtains not only allows sunlight to filter into the space throughout the day, reflecting off the large aluminium screen for added warmth, but the delicate valance also adds an extra layer of softness and romance.

4. Use as a Decorative Flourish

Curtains aren't just for windows — shelf skirts are an often-overlooked design idea and a great way to add softness to a space (and hide clutter), as this project by Arabella Maza and Stephen Maginn of Archive for Space proves. Textural draped linen curtains are used throughout the home, from radiator covers and cabinet skirting to doorway curtains, forming a cohesive poetic language.

5. Create an Ombre Effect

'Joy Haus', as this home is aptly named, is a celebration of color. "The palette evolved into more than 15 carefully choreographed hues," says designer Ruby Shields. "Every color responds to the light, orientation, and purpose of its space, but equally importantly, to the spaces before and after it," adds Ruby — and these ombre-effect curtains perfectly enhance the room's color narrative.

6. Cocoon With Contrast

Entrepreneur Séverine Redon and her partner Olivier wanted to create a "warm and immersive atmosphere" in their Geneva apartment, with a nod to 70s retro design. This chill-out space in the open living area is a masterclass in using curtains to add contrasting color and zone a space. With the ability to envelop the seating space in a cocoon of warm yellow, the opposing curtains also frame the space perfectly.

7. Soften With Peach Sheers Curtains

Color and materials play a key role in this bold, immersive 60-square-meter home in Paris, a short stroll from the Moulin Rouge, designed by Hugo Vince and Adèle Nourry, co-founders of Atelier HA. The soft peach 'Andora' curtains — a wide-width voile in pure wool — by Nobilis complete this living space, adding soft drama, texture, and tonal color.

8. Choose Heavy Drapes for Depth

The deep brown tones of the curtains in this home office area are part of a wider earthy color palette used throughout this Kazakhstan apartment designed by Diana and Elina Musakulov, founders of sdelaemremont. Enhancing the wood tones and pairing wonderfully with the warm sunshine yellow walls, the brown curtains add depth and a cozy feel to the space.

9. Blend Them Into the Walls

Blending the curtains seamlessly with the walls was the approach of Charlie and Josh Karlsen of Opus 11 when designing their London home. This bedroom curtain idea works so well to define the mood of the space — soft, enveloping, and calming, while also being light-filled and interesting.

10. Create a Patchwork Masterpiece

"Across the ground floor, living and entrance, curtains by Isabel Farchy — made using fabrics from her own collection — introduce softness" says Ashley Law, founder of Flawk studio, which has a signature style of 'refined playfulness'. The curtains bring together the home's color palette with a pop of fun and visual intrigue.

11. Choose Tonal Pattern

"The rear living room was designed as a retreat, complete with an open fire, a fully stocked bar, and a cinema curtain that gives it the feeling of a cozy den," says designer Zoe Willis of this mid-century-inspired Victorian terrace. The curtains add a sense of theater to the space and mirror the tones of the artwork above the sofa.

12. Use Linen for a Relaxed Feel

As one of the best curtain fabrics, according to designers, linen curtains fold 'happily', offering a relaxed, natural feel, as seen in this Byron Bay home designed by YSG Studio. Used in the corner of a seventies-inspired sunken lounge, the curtains' earthy tones bring the space together, adding an extra layer of texture and depth.

13. Take Them to the Ceiling

This style of curtain, taken right up to the ceiling, accentuates the room's height to create a luxurious, clean-lined look in this neutral living room designed by Dan Rockenbach, founder of Charleston’s Rockenbach Design Studio. "Each piece serves a dual purpose, contributing to the overall aesthetic while offering comfort and practicality, making the living room both a visual and experiential centerpiece of the home,” Dan explains.

14. Keep Them Short

In the long vs short curtains debate, this hallway curtain in this Rome apartment designed by Marco Rulli, cofounder of 02A Studio, makes a case for short. It ensures the specially commissioned mural remains the centerpiece while enhancing it by drawing out the botanical greens of the painted landscape.

15. Use a Pelmet

While a more traditional approach, there are plenty of modern pelmet ideas that add a decorative touch to your curtain ideas, as seen in this Upper West Side apartment designed by Christine Gachot, co-founder of NYC’s GACHOT. Also a practical choice for hiding curtain rod brackets, pelmets can show confidence in an interior scheme and help to add structure and a 'finished' look.

16. Add a Pop of Color

Curtains are an easy way to inject a pop of color into your space, and these rust-colored velvet curtains uplift this dining area in Sha Wang's home. Founder of design studio Atelier Fēn, Sha designed the home for her family, which hinges on the tension between color and no color. The velvet adds weight to the curtain's texture and warmth in the rusty orange tone.

17. Blend Them Into the Room

Almost hidden in the corner, these curtains blend into the wall while also relaxing the space with texture and quiet elegance, allowing other unexpected details to shine. Designed by Chris Rak and Kathryn Robson of Robson Rak, this Melbourne home, where "nothing is really linear", nods to the home's history while adding a bold, contemporary touch.

18. Go for a Vibrant Pattern

Decorating with patterned curtains is a great way to add a bit more personality to your space. In this Art Deco-inspired home in Florida, designer Chelsea Cox of Chinotto House used them to pull the colors together in this open plan space, from the artwork to the furniture, adding a dynamic layer to the scheme as well as a visual pop.

19. Choose a Valance With a Trim

What could be more romantic than cream sheer curtains with a valance and contrasting trim? A total showstopper in this elegant apartment in Kazakhstan, designed by Fariz Mamedov of FM Interiors, the French fabric curtains add a sense of nobility and multidimensional depth. Plus, taking them right the way up to the ceiling is a great way to use curtains to make a space look bigger.

20. Tie in Other Decor Details

Designed by Anna Møller, this 1930s family home in London is as practical as it is cozy and stylish — and this curtain idea is no exception. Adding depth and quiet drama, the curtains echo the colors of the space from the walls to the sofa and rug, creating a cohesive scheme that complete the look.

21. Go Wall-to-Wall

When windows go wall-to-wall, take the curtains with them. Designed by Trevor Wallace, the principal and founder of Reflect Architecture for multi-award-winning record producer Noah ‘40’ Shebib, the curtains in this 2,700 sq-ft Toronto penthouse — previously one of the sets of the TV show Suits — add a layer of intimacy as well as refined contrast with the darker hues and modern angularity.

22. Conceal a Desk

Curtain ideas come in many forms, including cleverly concealing a desk area, as seen in this theatrical Warsaw apartment designed by Gosia Kotyczka of Warsaw's Obiekty Studio. "Despite the high volume of stimuli and textures, the entire apartment — just under 50 m² — reads as a coherent, logical, and harmonious composition where every element has its place," Gosia explains.

23. Use Drapes to Separate Spaces

Designed by Jennifer Kranitz of Set Setting Studio, this dining area is separated from a living room by the thick drapes that fall from a double-height, two-storey ceiling, which define the zones and create a wall of texture and color as well as a practical, statement-making feature.

24. Go Dark for Moody Elegance

As well as helping to introduce a light and airy feel into spaces, curtains can also help to create a moody atmosphere, with dark tones that help to create a cavernous effect, as seen in this cozy living room designed by Allison McAfee and Naina Hotchkiss of Park Interiors, which perfectly balances the visual and tactile. Using a darker tone than the olive green walls, the curtains make the space feel effortlessly layered.

25. Choose Café Curtains

Café curtains in kitchens continue to be a major curtain trend, and for good reason. Inherently timeless, this stylish yet practical choice offers privacy without compromising light in a delightfully elegant manner, as demonstrated in this mid-century-inspired Brooklyn Brownstone designed by Crystal Sinclair.

26. Bring the Detail Into the Room

"The screen is covered using leftover material from the curtains," says designer Jo leGleud of Maddux Creative. "The owner complained of glare from the big windows, so we wanted to do something that felt quite soft." This curtain idea cleverly carries the pattern detail into the room, almost making the room divider and curtains come together as one.

27. Define a Space

This mezzanine modern bedroom that is revealed or concealed by romantic curtains with an elegant trim, is inspired. Designed by Oksana Zavarzina of the Moscow-based interior design and architecture firm Lake & Walls, the project, called Jazz Apartment, "gained its character and distinctive atmosphere from these historic buildings," Oksana explains, which were constructed in 1972 and redesigned in 2026. The white curtains contrast with the bedroom's chocolate-colored walls and echo the white of the living area below.

28. Be Brave With Black

Sometimes it pays to be bold, like in this pre-war apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side designed by New York–based designer Jessie Schuster. Tying in with the color of the dining chairs, the black curtains serve as a bold backdrop to the equally bold and vibrant red artwork, allowing each element of the space to truly pop. "The artwork inspired vignettes and color moments throughout the home,” Jessie explains.

29. Take Them Into the Center

Hanging curtains in the center of the wall, as seen in this London duplex apartment, designed by De Rosee Sa's co-founder Claire Sá, not only ensures there is as much light as possible flooding into the bedroom, but it also frames the dressing area and serves as a reference for the earth clay color palette carried throughout the home and across other details within the bedroom.

30. Be Unique With Tie Backs

Tie-back curtains don't need to look formal and stuffy, as this adventurous home in Kentucky proves. Designed by Bethany Adams of Bethany Adams Interiors, the striped fabric of the window treatments mirrors the beach scenes in the triptych by Massimo Vitali that hangs above the sofa and adds a relaxed elegance to the space.

31. Opt for Dramatic Drapery

And if you really want to go for it, take inspiration from the dramatic drapery in interior designer Kristina Busko's maximalist Spanish apartment. “They make the usual interior unusual, bringing magic, a runway vibe, which is very flexible and diverse, works with light, and can be easily changed,” she says. “You can create many forms out of it, which can also be soundproof and intimate.”

32. Balance a Moody Space

Bring balance to an otherwise dark color palette with a more neutral-hued curtain idea, as styled in this London home office designed by Kathryn Porter. The space, in contrast to the otherwise neutral color scheme across the rest of the home, is color-drenched in a deep burgundy, and the soft warmth of the curtains brings together the accent chair and rug details.

33. Tuck Them Behind a Window Seat

The corner banquette seating in this space is enhanced by the floor-to-ceiling curtains that elegantly frame both the windows and seating. Designed by Irene Gunter of Gunter & Co, who wanted to give the London apartment a "sense of summer," the light-filled room is softened and defined by the curtains, inviting you to take a seat by the sunshine.

Stylish Curtains to Shop

Feeling inspired? These designer-look curtains all cost under £100 and will instantly elevate a room.

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Design is always personal. Even the decisions that you think of as purely functional reveal something about yourself — a glimpse into your thought processes and priorities. Our homes are meant to act as a kind of portal into our inner worlds, an outward expression of not just our personal style, but our identity too. But when the design world is so heavily dominated by trends and spaces start to all look the same, these small touches of identity become harder to find. So when a trend comes along that actually embraces the personal (rather than encouraging stylistic monotony), it can feel like a small revelation.

Which is exactly why this new bathroom trend has captured my attention. To me, the best homes have always been the ones that tell a story, rich with personal touches that you can tell hold a significance that goes beyond the surface. It's something that often comes with time, of course — with collected items handed down through generations and family photos displayed along the walls. But, as these designers have found, there are many different ways to tell a story in your home.

Your bathroom walls may not be the place you typically turn to for this kind of visual storytelling, but that's exactly why this hand-drawn bathroom tile trend works so well. The bathroom is a personal space, a quiet, solitary room, ripe for personal contemplation. It's also, most typically, a room where functionality trumps design. But with just a few illustrated tiles, you can transform this space. With the right motifs and details, your bathroom tiles can become part of your home's visual narrative. And in a world becoming increasingly dominated by AI-generated trends and mass-produced designs, a little bit of individuality has never felt more welcome.

Why Are People Using Tiles to Tell a Story?

While unique, this idea is ultimately reflective of a wider shift in interior design trends; in reaction to the overwhelmingly fast-paced nature of the trend cycle, we're beginning to embrace a more holistic, personal approach to our homes.

"There is this lovely movement towards filling our spaces with things that actually hold memory and meaning, and tiles are such an enduring way to do that," explains Petra, who built her business creating customized, illustrated tiles at her brand, House of Petra. There's something special about taking tiles, which often play such a functional role, and turning them into a true design moment, elevating these oft-overlooked areas into little design storybooks. "Each square can hold its own tiny moment, whether that is a native garden bird, a birth flower, or an anniversary date that catches your eye while you sit with a cup of tea," says Petra.

In this age of AI, where we're fed a constant stream of falsified, picture-perfect homes, it's become more important than ever to honour authenticity. Features like these allow us to make our own mark, building our own identity into the very fabric of our homes. Sure, you could hang up a family photo, or display your collection of souvenirs, but part of what makes this tile trend work so well is the permanence.

As Petra explains, "Tiles are brilliant for this because of their sheer permanence. Paint gets rolled over and wallpaper peels, but fired ceramic becomes part of the actual fabric of the building. It is there for generations, like a little archival stamp of your family."

Below are some of my favorite examples.

1. The Cowboy Kid

As a professional interior designer, Callie Windle is well acquainted with what goes into making a room look good. But when it came to decorating her own home, and more specifically, her son's bathroom, her design approach shifted slightly.

It wasn't just about making the most beautiful room; it was about making it feel personal, too. "I wanted to create a space for him that would fuel his imagination and be a magical place he'd always remember," she says. During the early years, the bathroom functions as a shared space; milestones are reached here, and bath time and family time blend into one. So, dedicating this space to tell a story of family life feels particularly appropriate.

And it didn't take long for Callie to land on the idea of illustrated tiles. Having already met Jo Briggs, one-half of Such Stories, years prior, this new home felt like the perfect opportunity to work together. "I loved what she and Laura Carlin were doing and knew I wanted to commission tiles from them for a future project," she explains.

The cowboy motifs on the tiles came about as the bathroom itself developed. "I first picked the Scalamandre paper in the bathroom; it reminded me of leather tooling, which started this whole midcentury American cowboy concept," Callie explains. With images that feel straight out of a childlike Western fantasy, the whole room feels like stepping inside an adventure book.

But it's not just the family that these tiles tell the story of; it's the home itself, too. "I love honoring the architecture and history of a home; in the US, that history is often very recent, but it's still nice to nod to the period," she says. "This was a late 1960s ranch-style house, so I wanted to create a bedroom and en suite that felt like a modern interpretation of a midcentury American space." By opting for a modern interpretation of this mid-century style, blending western motifs with elevated materials and avoiding tired clichés, Callie was able to create a space that honored its ranch origins without going full rustic farmhouse style.

Although used sparingly and interspersed between blue bathroom tiles, these illustrations are easily the hero of this bathroom. And they even informed the other decisions Callie made in the room. "I ended up hand-water coloring the sconce shades to carry the theme through the rest of the bathroom," she says.

It may be just a small detail in some ways, but these tiles are part of what makes this home feel so special. "Tile is obviously much more of a commitment than a piece of art or a shower curtain, but that's what was so exciting to me," says Callie. "I suggest following your heart; choose to tell a story that means something to you, that will bring you joy every time you step into the bath."

2. A Bathroom Bouquet

In this Californian bungalow, a floral theme flows across the home, with references sprinkled into every room, and the bathroom is no exception. "We were inspired by all of the beautiful gardens surrounding the property," explains designer Whitney Soloman. "Being in California, we always want to bring the outdoors in. Flowers are everywhere."

While the surrounding landscape may have informed the floral theme, it was these hand-painted tiles that set the ball rolling at the start: "Once we found these tiles, we knew we wanted to repeat the floral theme throughout the home," Whitney says. A delicate, matte white, decorated with fine blue botanical motifs, the tiles adopt the Delt tile color palette while swapping out the illustration style for something slightly more pared-back than you'd typically find on this type of bathroom tile.

There can be an expectation that working with an interior designer removes some of your own identity in a space, but as Whitney proves, there's no reason why that has to be the case. "Prior to our sourcing phase, we did a design deep dive with our clients," she explains. "We knew we wanted this home to ooze with charm. This collection from Tiles of Ezra was perfect! We wanted something playful, charming, and a nod to the East Coast."

With a different botanical motif featured on each tile, these delicate details became the focal point for this bathroom design. "All design decisions for this bathroom centered around these tiles," says Whitney. "We kept everything else neutral, clean, and simple." And, honestly, that's the best approach here.

3. The Floor That Tells A Story

Proving there are multiple ways to interpret this style, the mosaic flooring in this bathroom may look a little different from the rest, but the storytelling goal remains the same.

For mosaic artist Amy Exton, the bathroom has never been just a functional space; it's a canvas, somewhere to bring her artistry to life. Every commission she works on is shaped by the lives and stories of the client, making each design personal and unique. "I work really closely with my clients to get a good idea of what they'd like included in the design," she explains. Developing the story and building the narrative is always the first step in her process, and she works closely alongside her clients to create that vision.

Having worked with this art form for years, Amy has seen firsthand the growing desire for more unique, character-led designs within the home. "I think, thankfully, lots of people are getting fed up with stark, plain interiors which can feel pretty soulless, and mosaics are such a great way of adding in character," she says. Not only does it make the home feel more personal, but it also introduces a level of artistry and craftsmanship, too.

"They're completely customizable, and anything is possible when it comes to design, but it's also a craft which inescapably shows the hands of the craftsperson who made it, with all the irregularities and imperfections that come with that," she explains. "In an age where a majority of the things that surround us in the home are machine-made, the imperfections and character of mosaics are becoming more and more appealing."

It's her Unswept Floor mosaic works that have resonated the most. "The concept originated in ancient Rome, and it's definitely having a resurgence," she says. This tiling style was meant to create the visual effect of a messy floor after a party or feast, with various food items strewn across it. "The design concept in its own right, therefore, tells a story, but it's also a great design for people to customize and tell their own individual or family story by adding in elements which relate to them personally," explains Amy.

In the Fitzrovia home shown above, Amy's clients wanted to use the Unswept Floor style to tell the story of the family's multi-cultural heritage. After workshopping the concept, they chose to translate their heritage through floral imagery, with a Bulgarian rose, French lavender, and a Californian Sequoia leaf adorning their bathroom floor.

The hand-drawn bathroom tile trend is a further reflection of the shifting attitudes towards home design. Gone are the days of sleek minimalism. Now, we want our homes to feel personal, showing signs of the person living within them. It's exactly why we've seen such a buzz around the 'time-poor' aesthetic and homes that feel intentionally imperfect.

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They say that moving homes is one of the most stressful things you can do in life. Sure, a renovation can also be a pressure cooker, but there's a reason you fell in love with your home in the first place, so before you move out, why not explore whether you could move up, down, or further out instead?

Adding a modern extension to your home will not only dramatically improve it, but well-designed extensions can honestly transform the way you live in your home, add significant value to your property, and give you a chance to tweak the little things that irk you every day. Perhaps you need extra bedrooms for your growing family, a dedicated space to work from home, are in need of a kitchen extension, or want to make your outdoor area more livable — this project can make it happen, all while staying in the same home.

Of course, sometimes an extension isn't the answer, and there are alternatives worth considering first, but once you've researched your local planning regulations and weighed up the costs, here are 12 modern extension ideas to inspire you.

There is a lot to consider when it comes to extending your home, but the latest kitchen extension trends say to go big on color, accentuate the ceiling, break up the floor plan (over an open-plan), and focus on establishing a connection to the garden.

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In 1964, when Danish designer Verner Panton first designed his now-iconic Fun series, they were seen as an absolute embodiment of the era. Twinkling shiny discs dancing in the light, cascading down in waves of pearlescence, these lights were free and unconstrained; they were unapologetically fun for fun's sake. And now, over 60 years later, the shimmering appeal of these Capiz Shell lights remains just as strong.

Although this style of light fitting was certainly popularized by Verner Panton, today you'll find similar designs at many of the best places to shop for lighting. Perhaps a symptom of our desire for nostalgia in design, I've noticed these pearlescent lights making their return to the design world, a lighting trend that's popping up in several projects from our favorite designers, filling homes and hotels alike with their mermaid-like sheen.

But while these lights may date back to the 60s, Capiz shells hold a design history that stretches far beyond this era. Capiz shells, otherwise known as a windowpane oyster, or Placuna Placenta, are a type of mollusc found across the coasts of Southeast Asia — though they appear most prominently in the Philippines, where they have been harvested and utilized for thousands of years. Once serving as a more affordable alternative to glass, today, you can still find homes and churches featuring these shell-covered windowpanes.

In its currently trending iteration, the material is used again for its translucent quality, with a focus on how it plays with light. And we expect to see even more of it in the upcoming year.

Why Designers Love It

"With its organic, translucent, and pearlescent characteristics, Capiz lighting introduces a gentle iridescence to any space," shares Australian designer Greg Natale, who has previously used the material in his own projects. In the current design climate, we're becoming increasingly driven by a desire for authenticity in the home, searching for materials and finishes that feel inherently 'real' and show signs of their origins and ties to nature. Capiz lighting, with its unmistakably aquatic finish, satisfies this need perfectly.

"As we have seen such modern, sleek, and minimalist fixtures for many years now, people are beginning to respond to more naturally imperfect materials and products that appear to have been crafted by hand," agrees interior designer Kanika Khurana, who often searches for ways to integrate natural materials and finishes into her projects.

It's a new take on this all-natural aesthetic, a welcome contrast to the earthy color palettes and wooden finishes that have become so all-consuming in recent years. This pearlescent, magical naturalism introduces something that feels slightly more whimsical and transportive, bringing new dimensions and character to your space.

Much of this effect comes from how the material reacts with light, which is exactly why it has become such a popular finish for light fittings in particular. As Greg describes it, "The lustrous shell’s surface refracts and diffuses light throughout a room, immediately radiating a gentle warmth. Its delicate, sculptural, lightweight form brings fluidity and sensuousness to a room." It's an effect that's hard to achieve with practically any other material.

"One of my favorite things about Capiz is what it does to the light itself," agrees Alex Bucklin, founder of Bucklin Design Co. In her own design projects, Alex often turns to Capiz when searching for a light that will offer something slightly softer and more intriguing than a typical, standard chandelier. "The shells are translucent rather than transparent, so they soften and diffuse the light instead of giving you the harder, more direct glow you can get through clear glass," she explains. "When the fixture is illuminated, the shells almost glow from within. It creates a really warm, cozy effect while still making the fixture a focal point."

Creating a room that feels cozy yet dramatic can often feel like somewhat of a challenge, yet with Capiz shells, it can feel completely natural.

"Since we are always inclined to create spaces that are open, breathable, and luminous, Capiz lighting can embody these qualities through its pearlescent character, weightlessness, and movement, hence its popularity," says Greg.

How to Style the Look

Once a statement fixture in any coastal design home, this material can now be found in contexts far beyond a Hamptons beach house. In fact, this finish is at its best when it's somewhere slightly unexpected, adding a contrasting sheen to more modern designs.

"Capiz is probably most closely associated with coastal interiors, and I do think it works beautifully there because of its organic, shell-based quality. But I wouldn't limit it to coastal design," agrees Alex. Instead, she recommends using it as a feature of a transitional style space, allowing its natural softness and irregularity to bring dimension to spaces that could otherwise feel overly formal or polished. This is exactly why a dramatic Capiz fitting is such a beautiful addition to a grand entryway. Unlike other entryway lighting ideas, Capiz brings something more relaxed to your space, making it feel less contrived and more organic.

In Greg's opinion, "Capiz lighting is suitable for any room where you want to invite a sense of ethereal, luminous weightlessness." Which, of course, can apply to any manner of space, no matter the interior design style.

In fact, the exact style or aesthetic is practically irrelevant. As Greg describes, "it’s about the mood you're trying to convey with the lighting and how it complements the overall aesthetic." When using a capiz fitting, the focus shouldn't be on fitting into one particular design style, but rather on adding light and luminosity to a space. It's a material that can set a tone for a room, flooding the space with a playful shimmer and warmth.

Because of this, these fittings work particularly well in designs where this kind of delicate nature is echoed throughout. "The pearlescent qualities of Capiz lighting lend themselves to pairing with materials that evoke a sense of softness and delicacy in the space, while enhancing luminosity," says Greg. Think linens, silks, and other soft, luminous materials.

Shop the Look

Looking for more inspiring lighting trends to bring some personality to your space? These similarly retro-inspired textured glass light fittings play with light in a similar way to Capiz shells and will look equally beautiful in your home.

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As the nights draw in and the temperature drops, what could be more alluring than a roaring fire in the grate? Except these days, it's not so simple. Following strict clean-air guidelines, traditional hearths are attracting the wrong kind of attention; post a photo of a fireside moment online today, and you may well get a telling off from an eco-conscious follower.

Enter the ceramic stove — or ‘kachelofen' in German and ‘kakelugn' in Swedish. Once a background artiste (you can spot them in The Sound of Music or Sky's Amadeus), these monumental towers of warmth are quietly claiming their moment in the spotlight as the fireplace idea to know now.

Though a centuries-old staple in northern Europe, this traditional thermal engineering is a fresh frontier for British design, with interior design studios only now beginning to adopt it. "They are beautiful objects and make a focal point in any room," says interior designer Henri Fitzwilliam-Lay. And, "As far as their heating output goes, they're extremely efficient."

"There's always been a lack of knowledge here because we're used to open fires, which are much more inefficient," says Alan Hills, director of The Ceramic Stove Company. Ceramic stoves work by generating heat for 12 to 24 hours from one hot burn, using far fewer logs than a conventional wood burner. "The fire itself is hotter and brighter, which means the particulates are combusted within the firebox, and it produces fewer emissions."

Beyond their eco-credentials, in our fast-paced digital landscape, the kachelofen stands as a symbol of slow, enduring luxury. "They are sort of an art object — a jewel if you like," says Henri. "They add a certain sense of history to a room, and speak to craftsmanship because they are made of ceramic tiles, often elaborately decorated." Adam Bray, Beata Heuman, and Veere Grenney are just a few of the designers who have installed ceramic ovens for their clients.

But kachelofen need not be the preserve of grand properties. Interior designer Olivia Outred installed a gas-fitted ceramic stove for her clients living in a modest east London terrace. "It arrived in lots of boxes, all these beautifully curved tiles," she says. "We built a monolithic-looking brick tower first, and then the tiles were applied to the surface. It was literally built in the room."

As it's a little more hands-on, you need to time the installation right. "The best time to install is when wet trades like the plasterer have finished," says Alan. "You might need to consider a reinforced base. Many of them are modular and can be put together in a couple of days."

With prices starting at several thousand pounds, installing a ceramic stove isn't for the faint-hearted — yet it's an investment that will last decades. They emit hours of deep, radiant heat after burning only a single basket of logs. It's also a sustainable choice that protects the household from rising winter fuel bills. In introducing such an enduring heirloom of "gemütlichkeit" (coziness) to your space, the emotional and visual pay-off will be huge.

Want proof? See the examples below.

A custom pink Drottningholm stove by Gabriel Kakelugnar makes a strong focal point in Villa Luella, the home of Finnish shoe designer Minna Parikka. "Minna had a vision of creating custom interior elements that combine the color pink with playful and romantic design features," says Mikki Ristola, partner at AOR Architects. "The stove became the heart of the house, a decorative visual element as well as providing warmth and atmosphere throughout the year."

Olivia Outred opted for a Karl-Johan stove from The Ceramic Stove Company for her East London project. "We needed a source of heat and wanted something sculptural for the corner of the room that wouldn't block the windows," she says. "The ceramic tiles respond beautifully to all the tiles used elsewhere in the house." The stove was fitted with gas to ensure it met with London's strict air quality control regulations.

A ceramic-tiled stove forms a focal point in this bedroom within an apartment designed by AIYA Bureau, a design studio based in London, Milan, and Dubai. One of the more historical features in the apartment, which is set within an early-20th-century building, the angular stove is suitably decorative thanks to its intricately patterned tiles — but their subtle, cool-green hue and the pared-back, minimalist surroundings give the scheme a much more contemporary edge.

For her Heart Lake project in Ontario, the Canadian interior designer Colette van den Thillart opted for a Roslyn stove created by ceramicist Jessica Steinhäuser of Stone House Kachelöfen. "The backing is unlacquered brass, which will, of course, tarnish over time," says Colette. "I loved the idea of the patina anchoring the rich terracotta of the stove. I find it so primitive in a way."

At Beata Heuman's design studio at 188 Hammersmith Road, a bespoke cupboard has been made in the shape of a traditional Swedish kakelugn stove. The tiles were painted individually and mark out the same size as the original stove it emulates. The faux kakelugn makes a striking focal point and summons a mood of coziness. The specialist paintwork was contributed by The Finished Effect.

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How different can the shape of a sectional sofa really get? These are typically styles made for lounging, consuming a large amount of the room with the structural L-shape. But sometimes a space doesn't call for such a strong angle; the design style is more flowing, organic. But when you still want a sofa with ample seating, what shape are you left with? Well, an Art Nouveau home in Vienna has opted for a curved, 'bean shape' over the typical L, and it really works.

"The shape of the sofa was designed to 'soften' the irregular lines of the space and create a more harmonious sense of proportion," explains Yana Molodykh, the Ukrainian-based designer of this Viennese home. Rather than designing a room and picking a sofa style separately, the two were considered in tandem. The bean-shaped sofa's "curved silhouette echoes the wave-like form of the custom cabinet in the living room, while also recalling the flowing, whiplash line characteristic of Art Nouveau," says Yana.

So while the L-shaped sectional often works, sometimes it pays to think of the design of your room as a harmonious whole. Because sometimes, that tried-and-true sofa shape can read a bit clichéd when the room could really benefit from a touch of out-of-the-box design. Here's why the bean-shape makes for a more welcoming and cozy living room — and why it might just be the sofa trend for 2027.

What led the designer to veer away from a traditional L-shape? "I wanted the sofa to feel as though it belonged naturally to the architecture, almost continuing the movement of the room rather than introducing a contrasting, rigid form," Yana Molodykh explains.

She looked to the Art Nouveau design style when renovating this home, which played a part in this decision as well. A major part of Art Nouveau is movement and organic motifs, and a slight curve hints at both the traditional style while still feeling modern.

If you are working with other furniture, detailing, or shapes that have a natural movement to them, this sofa shape continues that conversation where an L-shape would cut through it. Plus, this bean shape is really great for small living room layouts: the softness gives off a gentleness of form, making for a more welcoming space without dominating the room.

That said, Yana says she wouldn't always choose a bean shape in place of a normal sectional sofa idea. Time and place are everything. For this space, "I wanted everything to flow from one element into another, almost as if the space were flowing from one vessel into the next," she explains. "The soft forms and rounded corners create this sense of continuity, allowing the different elements to connect naturally rather than feeling separate or rigid."

"That is why I would choose these softer, more organic forms over a sofa with sharper lines — the curves help maintain the fluid language of the entire interior," Yana adds. If you have a more linear space, then perhaps a bean-shaped sofa wouldn't be as harmonious.

All in all, this shape shows that there are no strict living room design rules that you have to follow. If you are in the market for a large sofa, a clunky sectional isn't your only option. Introducing a curved chaise that resembles a bean, provides ample seating, and ample style.

Ready to incorporate a bean-shaped sofa in your living room? Below are six of the most stylish options to currently shop.

There are so many types of sofas to choose from, contrary to what you might think. Sometimes, deviating from more traditional sofa shapes, even if just ever-so slightly, can lead to a more rewarding space.

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Modern window treatments do way more than just block out light. They add privacy, help reduce the level of UV rays penetrating your furniture and flooring, and, most importantly, modern window treatments add style to your home — both indoors and out.

"There is such a variety of options available for window treatments nowadays, allowing way more to explore creatively," says Claudia Afshar of Claudia Afshar Design. And it's not just about how you hang your curtains and blinds (though that can make a big difference). Current curtain trends include doubling up layers, framing with pelmets, color-blocking, and playing with light through sheers.

The most creative window treatment ideas treat these finishing touches more like art than a functional aspect of the room. Below are six(ish) ideas from some of the coolest designers right now.

1. Au Naturel

For her beautiful La Quinta project, designer Abbie Naber — founder of interior design studio A Naber Design — chose a linen-and-paper blind to bring "texture, depth, and dimension", contrasting with the simple plaster walls.

This material is Zak + Fox's lovely Shanty design (in 01 colorway). Woven in a zigzag pattern and semi-transparent when hung against the light, the design is special, Abbie says: "The combination of fibers makes for a beautiful braided look."

2. Tie-Dye

This cool tie-dye sheer fabric, conjured by Tamara Kaye-Honey of House of Honey, adds a nuanced layer to the design for the Ethel Apartment at HiLight at Battersea.

"The windows do more than bring in light — they shape the room," says Tamara. "We treated them almost like a material, layering soft, diffused surfaces that catch and shift with the sun. Alive, constantly changing, and never the same twice."

3. Stained Glass

Stained glass can work in a contemporary setting as well as a traditional one. For this project in Santa Fe, New Mexico, glass artist Theodore Ellison designed a window depicting the sunrise and sunset.

"It beautifully balances the structural demands of a window built for the climatic extremes of the high desert with a geometry that evokes the phases of the sun and moon," he says.

4. Perfect Patchwork

"This chic window treatment functions more like an art installation," say Joelle Kutner and Jesse Rudolph, cofounders of design studio Ome Dezin. They commissioned their team member, Cali Tee, to curate the panel from fabric remnants, with the focus firmly on materiality and light.

"That quality is what gives the curtain its character," the duo adds. "Even within a more minimal space, introducing something layered and tactile can instantly create a stronger connection to the room."

5. Vintage Florals

The curios and vintage textiles of this Bondi Beach apartment by YSG Studio reflect one client's upbringing between Australia and the Middle East. In the living room, an offcut vintage floral fabric is just the right length for two Roman blinds.

"I didn't line them with a block-out treatment as I wanted them to have a supple edge when partially raised," says founder Yasmine Ghoniem. "They add a lightness, with tonal interest and pattern — but given their translucency, they aren't dominating."

6. Open and Shutters

Shutters, but not as you've seen them before. From abstract and installation-worthy to perforated polka-dot designs that herald a renaissance of postmodernist design flair, these hinged creations offer fresh approaches to this ordinary window treatment.

Mind you — it's not always so easy to get modern window treatments right. With so much fabric to play with, and, depending on the style of your windows, they can quickly become frumpy and overwhelm a room. Designers warn to steer clear of outdated window treatments like eyelet curtains and off-the-shelf roller blinds.

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Of all the parts that make up a kitchen, there's one feature you can have more fun with than possibly any other: the island. We constantly see designers pushing the boundaries of this feature, elevating it through bold choices in color, material, or shape. And recently, there's a distinctive trend making its way into some of our favorite schemes: the rise of the strikingly angular kitchen island.

Ever since we featured Polish design studio Akurat's ‘chopped' kitchen island, we've had angular kitchen islands on the mind. At the time, creative director and founder Maciej Ryniewicz told us that playing with the shape of this kitchen staple made perfect sense for the property. "We were faced with a challenging space that was highly irregular in shape," he said. "By offsetting the directions set by the walls, we defined a shape that felt in harmony with its surroundings, no matter from which direction you approached the furniture piece."

Since then, we've noticed angled islands featuring more and more in designers' projects — be it a subtle ‘nip and tuck' of a rectangular block or something more dramatic in shape.

It's clear modern kitchen islands lend themselves to experimentation. "I think there are certain moments where you can really treat interior utility items like sculptures — kitchen islands, powder room vanities, fireplaces, and stairwells," says Romaine Alwill, director of Sydney studio Atelier Alwill. "These items resonate as they are moments to set a design tone for the house."

But why choose one over a regular island? "It challenges your thinking about what a kitchen bench needs to be," says Romaine. More than just a design talking point, an angular island can help shape the flow of the room, toughen the edges of a softer color scheme, offer an unexpected but welcome contrast to bog-standard cabinetry, and ultimately make a kitchen feel like a creative space as well as a functional one.

With any such island, the shape should be the focal point. "We often use a very neutral stone to let the form do the talking," says Romaine. "It has impact without shouting 'look at me', but catches the eye and speaks of the intent and thought given to the interior and architecture coming together as one considered, holistic item."

Of course, there are some practical considerations with an angled kitchen island — design elements such as storage space, seating, and work surfaces all become more complex when you're working with a non-standard shape. Unless you're after a monolithic block, you'll need to work with your kitchen designer or architect to integrate all the features you need.

"It took some work, especially as we needed functionality for the family," says Romaine of her own design. "Clearances for legs and allowance for dishwashers and storage all took fine-tuning. Not having a sink on the bench helped a lot, and we had the luxury of space in the room to add more depth for the angles, but it took some massaging to get it right." Plan carefully, though, and the result will be worth it, as the following examples prove.

1. Material World

Composed of terrazzo with a wood base, the kitchen island in this project by Madrid studio Plutarco is materially rich — but the effect still allows the hexagonal shape to shine.

"Mixing materials was essential," says co-founder Enrique Ventosa. "We worked with five main ones: two types of wood — cherry, for its reddish tone, and pine stained dark blue, an experiment with a new Danish material; a terrazzo island, specially made for this project; a floor of another type of terrazzo reminiscent of the portals of Milan; and blue tiles with red grouting."

2. Architectural Edge

The impetus for this angled kitchen island was the architecture of this Australian home, designed by Atelier Alwill with architecture by KA Design Studio.

"The windows at the front of the house had blades chamfering back into the home, and I thought it was a nice intent to pick up on this and take it through the interior," says Romaine. "The island was an opportunity to use this idea and create more of a sculptural piece. I feel so tired of a rectangular block."

3. Geometry Lesson

In this Belgian home, owner Eline De Bruyne worked with interior designer Oskar De Roover to create a kitchen island that combines angles and curves into one tidy package.

"Our desire was for the island to feel sculptural rather than purely functional, less like a traditional kitchen, more like a piece of furniture or an object living naturally in the room," says Eline. "The curved edge adds warmth and softness to such a large volume, while the angled sides keep it grounded and architectural. The shape also helped us make the most of the space and keep the walkway open and easy to move through. All in all, the well-considered geometry keeps everything feeling visually calm and balanced."

4. Carved Out

With many points of angular interest, including an inverted bevelled underside and pedestal-like base, the marble island in this kitchen by Studio Duggan is an example of how to bring the angular trend to a monolithic design.

"I wanted the kitchen island to feel almost otherworldly, appearing as if it were one huge block of marble," says Tiffany Duggan. "We clad the island structure in Verde Guatemala stone, which brings a huge amount of color, depth, and vibrancy."

5. Sociable Shape

The shape of this kitchen island by BeAr, an architecture office based in Bilbao, was informed by how the owners wanted to use the space.

"The kitchen is [one of] the defining features of the house, a reflection of the cooking of its inhabitants: a conversation with friends, a celebration of everyday life, culminating in a large polygonal island of Brazilian granite that embraces the pillar and rests weightlessly on mirrored doors," the studio says. "[It's] a kitchen for cooking while enjoying the views, with friends, and for friends."

It's official: traditional waterfall countertops are out, and interesting, angular shapes are in when it comes to the latest kitchen island trends.

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We've seen something of a shift in staircase design recently: open-concept options are being replaced with enclosed staircases. Perhaps it speaks to a wider trend away from open-plan towards separate, defined spaces — but either way, we're noticing designers and architects increasingly embracing solid, sculptural forms.

There’s more to this trend than good looks, too. An enclosed staircase can subtly divide an open layout, soften noise traveling between floors and hide away the less glamorous practicalities of stairs and storage. But where this approach really comes into its own is in the opportunity it creates for beautiful materials and expressive forms: think colorful stained timber, tactile microcement or softly curved walls that catch the light and transform the stairwell into something closer to sculpture.

As the below ideas show, it's always worth thinking outside the box. So if you’re looking for staircase ideas, let these designs — from sweeping curves to unexpected material pairings — show that sometimes, closing things in can make a space feel so much more open.

1. Spiral out

This staircase linking upper and lower ground floors in a project by London’s Studio Tashima is as much an art piece as it is a functional means of circulation. "The stair was conceived as a singular, softly sculptural white form, set in deliberate dialogue with the sharp geometry of the triangular oak-and-glass window that punctures the interior and draws the garden into the space," says the studio’s founder, Charles Tashima.

2. Artful approach

In a house all about materiality, the staircase stands out in this scheme by Barcelona-based Lobb Studio. "Conceived as a central element that articulates spaces and circulation, its presence transcends function to become an aesthetic experience," say co-founders Roger Bosch Ferrer and Josep Olm Serra. "Clad in bright red microcement, it evokes the chromatic universe of Joan Miró, a close friend of Josep Lluís Sert, establishing a subtle dialogue between architecture and art."

3. Two tone

Staining part of the wood that makes up this sculptural staircase is a fun take on a natural wood finish by Zurich's Studio Hinton. "By contrasting the natural oak treads with the dark-stained oak, we were able to emphasize its fluid and ribbon-like form and to create a stronger sense of depth, all while highlighting the beauty and the texture of the timber itself," says founder Sandra Hinton.

4. Fine form

"For us, the balustrade was never intended to be a purely functional element," says Samantha Hauvette, co-founder of Parisian interior design studio Hauvette & Madani, of this project. "The staircase and balustrade were executed in staff, a traditional molded plaster material that offered an exceptional degree of plasticity with a sense of softness and permanence."

5. Not-so-heavy metal

A metal staircase appears to float in this project by Milan's LC Atelier. "Our intent was to respect the original structure of the building, enhancing its historical features while introducing a fresh and colorful atmosphere," says founder Lucrezia Calvi. "The staircase, designed by us, is made of burnished brass and connects the living area to the bedrooms."

6. True blue

Remodeling this home's internal structure gave London architecture studio Foils licence to experiment with the staircase. Made from birch-faced plywood by a carpentry team, the studio opted to install it. "Each section of the stair was assembled at ground floor level and then lifted into place using a small internal telehandler," says director Ned Scott. "The stair was finished with a tinted wood stain by Osmo."

7. Ahead of the curve

The curved diving wall between the living area and staircase in this project by Paris architect and designer Martin Massé is at once both a clever disguise and a standout feature. "The staircase is concealed behind a curved panel that serves as a handrail," Martin says. "The curves, inspired by [French cabinetmaker and decorator] Eugène Printz, set the tone. The space is imbued with the art deco spirit and modernist influences of the venue."

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Both rugs and sofas have a large impact on a room. They take up a lot of visual space, so depending on the colors you choose, the feel of the room can be completely different. Sorry, I know that only makes the decision harder, but what is perhaps more helpful is sharing a few trusty sofa-and-rug color combinations that are dependably stylish.

Rather than over-analyzing what comes first, the sofa or the rug, think of the color conversation these two pieces are having in a room. "I tend to look at this question from a different angle because I don't see sofa and rug colors as fixed combinations," Craig Gritzen, founder of Los Angeles-based interior design studio, Curated Style Collective, explains. Instead, "The relationship between these items, and how they interact with light and other materials in the room, drives the direction for me," he adds.

As mentioned, sofas and rugs occupy a huge amount of visual space in a living room. "Contrast and color undertones between the items are a great way to create tension instead of being perfectly matched," says Craig. "This tension creates visual interest and helps the space feel curated instead of staged." And with that in mind, these are a few failsafe combinations to start with.

1. Red and Blue

Sofa color trends are heading in a more adventurous direction this year, so let's start bold, shall we? Red and blue can be a really rewarding rug-and-sofa color combination. First of all, they are both timeless, primary colors, so they will always feel classic in a room. Plus, they balance each other near perfectly in terms of warm versus cool colors.

"I'm always considering how I balance color within a scheme," says interior designer Jessica Horton, founder of Deorling Studio. "In a warm space like the space pictured above, "Introducing a cooler note, such as a soft blue, helps bring the palette into balance. It's a subtle shift, but one that creates a sense of harmony and makes the whole room feel almost effortless," the designer explains.

2. Earthy Brown and Muted Olive

In light of current color trends and 2027's color of the year predictions so far, it's no surprise that designers love a brown-and-green moment for rugs and sofas. And this is another combination where you can really play with the tones, tints, hues, and shades to find a green-and-brown duo that works for your space.

Plus, this combination works well since both colors are rooted in nature. "This pairing works well for people who prefer a sense of calm in their living space," says Craig Gritzen. Even if you lean into a punchy green color trend on your rug, the contrast of the brown upholstery will balance the relationship. "Camel or tobacco upholstery creates warmth and plays well with natural light, while the olive feels grounding and gives the room depth without feeling excessively colorful," adds Craig.

And don't forget the rest of the room. "This relationship works even better when the materials introduce texture, like mohair or bouclé, with supportive elements like walnut and aged brass," the designer adds.

3. Ivory and Umber

White sofas are a classic choice, but without a darker rug underneath to ground the look, it can often fall flat in a room. That's where ivory and umber make for a more contemporary pairing. "This combination allows the sofa to be visually calm and supportive when a bold rug color is selected to create the atmosphere," says Craig.

Yet, once again, "The key to getting this color combination right is to focus on undertone," says Craig. A warm ivory next to a burnt umber both have warm undertones, and therefore create a more balanced contrast in the design. Though "If you were to set a bright white sofa with a cool undertone on a warm umber rug, they would feel disconnected because the undertones are fighting each other," says Craig.

Then don't be afraid to dress up the space with textures and tactile materials for the ultimate cozy living room. "This combination works well with layering in oak, handmade ceramics, and a cooler undertone accent like dusty blue to balance out the warmth," adds Craig.

4. Camel, Cognac, and Oatmeal

The next sofa-and-rug color pairing that designers love is more tonal, so color-drenching lovers listen up. Nisrine El Lababidi, founder and creative director of Harf Noon Design Studio, says, "I love a camel/cognac sofa paired with an oatmeal brown rug. It's probably one of the most timeless living room color combinations." And it's a very adaptable sofa-and-rug combination if you are prioritizing building a stylish base.

Decorating with neutrals like camel and cognac already brings a lot of warmth, so a quieter rug keeps the room sophisticated rather than an overly earthy," says Nisrine. It's almost a reverse of the previous sofa and rug combination — here the sofa adds character and color, while the rug brings a polished, classic aesthetic.

5. Pink and Brown

Lastly, designers are loving pink tones with brown on sofas and rugs. Think dusty, earthy pinks and delicious chocolate brown. Not only is pink becoming one of the hottest autumnal colors, but as Nisrine says, "The deeper color, like chocolate brown, on the sofa grounds the space, while the rug introduces warmth and character. It feels rich and collected rather than overly coordinated."

However, you aren't strictly tied to dusty pink and brown — crank the pink up to a terracotta red or oxblood, or tune the chocolate brown down into a mushroom. "Oxblood is one of my favorite colors to use," says Craig, "and a sofa in this color creates a strong point of view that is best paired with a rug in oatmeal, mushroom, or a faded flax." Any variation of pinkish-red tones with brown works as long as you balance the right undertones.

"This combination also feels sophisticated and allows you to pull in brown, clay, or even a slight green undertone in the rug or supporting elements to help the space feel warm and enveloping instead of flat," adds Craig.

Picking your sofa-and-rug color combination is not always about blindly following rug trends or the most popular sofa colors; it's about building a harmonious color scheme that lets you keep developing your decor.

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Every once in a while, I come across a new color combination that takes over my life. Suddenly, everywhere I look, I find a new opportunity to include it. Every morning, as I pick out my outfit for the day, I'm internally plotting how to center it around my current favorite pairing. Every corner of my home becomes a blank canvas, just waiting for the combo du jour to bring it to life. And I think I've just found the best possible application for the latest color combination that's captured my heart: tiles.

It's pretty much an undisputed fact that brown and blue are the color palette of the season. From catwalks to stylish hotels, this calming duo is everywhere. What you might not have known, however, is just how well this combination works for your bathroom tiles. Striped or checkered, shiny or matte, no matter how you use the pairing, the result seems to be consistently chic, and I can't get enough of it.

Taking cues from nature, it should come as no surprise that the calming brightness of sky blue and the rich warmth of earthy brown work well together. And in the bathroom, where the goal is to reconnect and rejuvenate, these colors couldn't be better placed.

It's not just me who's obsessed with this color combination; designers seem to be equally enamoured with it. It's rich and earthy, yet bright and uplifting, coming together to make a beautifully balanced pair that's just perfect for a modern bathroom.

It's not too serious, either, says Nicky Muudie from Violet & George. "We wanted something playful," says the designer, who recently used this combination in the cozy ensuite of a rural, wellness-inspired cottage. Opting for a spin on the striped tile trend, Nicky chose to intersperse rows of brown tiles within a base of soft sky blue squares, bringing a cool, geometric quality to the walk-in shower.

When the design world is so saturated in earthy color palettes, this combination feels slightly unexpected, while still staying true to the desire for nature-inspired homes. As Nicky explains, "Blue and brown are such a natural pairing, essentially earth and sky." Which is exactly why they work so beautifully together.

Although borrowing directly from nature, there's something striking about the combination that brings a bathroom to life. "We love the contrast of blue and brown and blue and oxblood," adds Nicky.

Sitting at the slightly warmer end of the spectrum, a deep burgundy red tile can make a beautiful alternative for brown, too. For artist and content creator Laura Prietto (@laura_prietto_ on Instagram), it was this richer, warmer tone that stood out.

In her own bathroom, she opted for sky-blue tiles alongside a deep red bordeaux. "What inspired the decision was a picture I saw on Pinterest," she explains. "I had saved a couple of different colors and ideas, but this one really spoke to me. My husband liked it too. I went to the tile store and was laying out options, and a designer from the store was really drawn to this option as well."

How To Get The Look

The beautiful thing about this trend is just how many ways you can bring it to life, with different types of bathroom tiles and layouts to explore. You could opt for large-format tiles for a more seamless, spa bathroom effect, or stick with smaller tiles for a more on-trend finish.

While there are many gorgeous ways to interpret it, there's something especially beautiful about the effect of brown and blue zellige tiles against one another; the shiny finish amplifying the contrast between the two colors.

For Nicky, it wasn't just the color that the high-shine finish amplified. "We went for zellige as it works perfectly with the texture of polished plaster," she adds. Sitting directly alongside the mottled plaster walls, the zellige tiles become even more prominent as a feature.

You don't have to feel bound to one particular design style, either. "Depending on how you pair it, this could work in either a more contemporary scheme, such as this, or a more traditional one," says Nicky. "It’s really about how you use it." It would look as beautiful paired with traditional bathroom features as it would within a sleek, modern home.

For designer Brandon Schubert, this color combination presented the opportunity to explore a slightly more industrial, modernist style. "I was looking for a tile that felt tactile and soft but also highly utilitarian," he explains. "I settled on these unglazed tiles from Winckelmans in France. They're the kind of thing you might see in a public swimming pool or bus station." But they look way better. (See below.)

How To Style Blue and Brown Tiles

With such a striking, high-contrast design, it's best to keep the rest of your design relatively neutral, allowing the tiles to take center stage.

Although the combination takes its cues from nature, in the context of your bathroom, the colors can look surprisingly bold, so other competing features can quickly make your bathroom feel cluttered, detracting from the calming atmosphere you're attempting to create.

Instead, seek out warm, natural materials, with Nicky listing "timber, aged brass, stone, and linen" as particularly good options. The natural warmth and textured finishes work beautifully alongside this color combination, rooting it in nature and highlighting the earthiness of the brown and the calming effect of the blue tones.

In terms of bathroom hardware, Laura encourages polished nickel, which further adds to this laid-back, lived-in warmth. Similarly, Nicky suggests using "Warm whites rather than brilliant white, which can feel a bit harsh next to these colors."

Colors in general are best kept to a minimum here. "Let the blue and brown do the work and use texture and natural materials to layer around them," says Nicky.

If you do want to expand the color palette, though, other nature-inspired shades work best. In Brandon's bathroom (shown above), he paired the brown and blue tiles with rich, green granite. "The green granite of the door lining is an important transition," he explains. "And the dark reddish-brown of the vanity is a perfect third color to add into the mix."

Shop The Look

If the idea of committing to a hyper 'on-trend' color combination fills you with fear, worry not. As much as I believe this gorgeous pairing will look just as chic in years to come, if you don't want to take the risk, these tried-and-true anti-trend color combinations will be just what you're looking for.

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October is just a few days away, and that means the beginning of the holiday and hosting season is coming — full steam ahead. IKEA just quietly launched a new collection of holiday products, and though they are centered around December festivities, I couldn't help but notice that a few pieces double as the perfect addition to Autumn table plans. And what's better than doubling up on your seasonal decor? Especially when it's a red candelabra that will bring a flickering glow to your home, and it's priced at just £22.

Good lighting is essential all the time, but I'd argue especially so when entertaining. Lamps and pendants are the obvious choice (and can be really stylish); however, nothing quite replicates candlelight. Luke Arthur Wells, award-winning interiors blogger and professional stylist, adds, "If you have a dining table without a pendant light above it, using a hanging candelabra is a great way to drop something above it that anchors it in the room and makes it feel more intimate and cozy when you're entertaining."

Plus, "Candlelight is way softer and more atmospheric than most pendant lights anyway, which can be a little harsh for hosting a dinner party, in my experience," Luke adds. So, if you're ready to get a head start on your party planning and autumn table decor ideas, IKEA's new Candle Chandelier makes a subtly fabulous finishing piece.

Fall table centerpieces and tableware, of course, are important parts of building the perfect tablescape, but too often the overhead ambiance is overlooked. While hanging centerpieces make for a stunning statement, it's not always the easiest or most practical detail. IKEA's chandelier has a simplicity to it that makes it relatively easy to incorporate without minimizing the visual effect.

When styling, real candles are always the preference, "but you'll just need to be particularly careful when it comes to dripping wax," warns Luke Arthur Wells. "I've found, with these hanging candelabras, that if they're not hung perfectly straight, dripping can be more of a problem, and they tend to drip down onto your table (or table linen) more than a standard candlestick." Trust me, peeling wax off of fabric is not the day after a party activity you want to partake in.

So, if you're a bit scared to hang one from your ceiling, don't fret; "they can be used flat on the table too, for a bit of drama," says Luke. "I've used the slightly gothic-looking candelabra that I found from a reclamation yard on spooky tables around Halloween before like this, and it sets the tone for the evening perfectly."

Or even try flameless candles (like these from Lights4Fun) — there are plenty of ways to bring this piece to life.

And if you can't make it to IKEA, don't worry; I did a little research to see what else was out there. Below are six more candle chandelier styles that would make the perfect addition to a fall table. Let the hosting plans commence!

Whether you are looking for ways to light a dining table with overhead pendants or want to wow your guests with an affordable statement that looks incredibly elevated, IKEA's new candle chandelier is the seemingly perfect addition.

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