Indholdsfortegnelse for May 2024 i Living Etc

Did you notice the decor mood shift slightly a couple of years ago? It was when curved sofas became the most covetable piece of furniture I could imagine, as they symbolised a sense of comfort, smartness, elegance. I could picture using them to entertain in a way that made guests feel like the best versions of themselves. Like they might put on a nice dress (begone the joggers of 2020!) but could kick off their shoes and curl their feet up under them. That vibe has crept into all corners of design – from stylist Colin King’s living room, right, to Gwyneth Paltrow’s sun-drenched home. And now it’s taken on a softness that we’re calling The New Pretty. The way this look makes you feel, with its rounded edges and…

BOLD DECISION Are you a maximalist? If so, then the Zigzag collection of seating by Bangkok design studio Touchable is for you. Made from leftover yarn, which is woven around a metal frame, the chairs’ unique silhouettes and vivacious palettes come together in a beautiful explosion of colour. From €480, Touchable DUE SOUTH Handwoven from chuspata fibres, the Waje range by Comuna Mx references the traditions of Mexico’s southern states. Designed by the brand’s creative force, Sebastian De Los Angeles, the pieces are made by Andrea Ramirez (AD2) using artisanal techniques of the Pátzcuaro region. Mex$31,999, Sebastian De Los Angeles for Comuna Mx material world The gorgeous indoor/outdoor Altana coffee table by Antonio de Marco for Chairs & More mixes textures and materials with its marine rope and steel combination.…

Wallpaper elevates a room entirely,’ says Charlotte Cosby, Farrow & Ball’s creative director. ‘It brings in pattern and allows you to indulge in something quite maximalist or, on the other hand, more tonal. It certainly adds depth, especially in a space that is otherwise quite bare.’ It’s fair to say that wallpaper is having another resurgence. After using a graphic black and white print from Porter Teleo to cover a small dining room ceiling, designer Barette Widell of the US studio Widell + Boschetti said: ‘The scale and unexpected shapes [you can add with] wallpaper make a space feel much more grand than it did.’ Meanwhile, the designer Enass Mahmoud is using it in even the smallest of homes. ‘My advice for anyone with an apartment or small space is…

DINING AREA Demarcated by a decorative ceiling motif designed by Studio MILO, this spot with its Calacatta marble table is the perfect place to have dinner in the clouds. KITCHEN Studio MILO kept the existing cabinetry, adding custom sliding doors so it can be separated from the dining area as well as the pair of aqua cabinets. the view from up here is breathtaking, and the terraces, always lush due to the efforts of the acrobatic gardeners, add to the charm,’ say the owners of this 23rd-floor flat in the iconic Milanese Bosco Verticale apartment block. A couple of globetrotters with Italian roots, who divide their time between Miami and Europe, they had long harboured a dream of owning a base in Milan, partly down to its appeal as a…

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LORFORDS We always like to mix contemporary pieces with found objects – there’s nothing better than the aged charm of an antique. Lorfords is a great resource for finding unique items and giving them a new purpose – for example, turning a weaved basket or copper cauldron upside down to act as a side table. You’ll find excellent dining tables on offer, too. EXTETA At first glance, the Locus Solus table from Exteta (shown opposite) may appear to be a traditional outdoor table – but its endless array of unexpected colour combinations [the 1964 original is available in red, green, yellow and blue, as well as white] transforms it into something truly unique and personalised, adding a distinctive touch to any outdoor space. SUMMIT FURNITURE We have a great relationship…

It’s a Friday afternoon in Westchester, upstate New York, and the sun is baking. The air is thick like toffee and all the midges seem to be feasting on us. The house’s exterior is beautiful and grand and the clients are young and in their prime. My job is to inject some life into its dated and rather soulless interiors. As the hours speed by at an alarming rate it is becoming more evident that the ‘white glove’ delivery service that had been recommended to help with the installation of this sprawling residential project would be better suited to work in a bowling alley… Crash, bang, wallop! It’s a strike! The first casualty of the day is a delicious Paola Navone x Lando ceramic shelf and to my horror I…

1 SIDE STORY Don’t stop with the bed itself: architects often incorporate built-in nightstands, doubling down on the bed’s seamless and dimensional look. Here, designers not only gave the bed levels by raising it on a concrete platform; they also added side tables that ground the entire design. ‘We had an idea that it will “touch” and connect all of the elements,’ say Zuza and Piotr Paradowski, founders of Kraków’s Paradowski Studio, noting how the table legs not only attach to the platform but also the floor. PROJECT BY Paradowski Studio What’s even tidier than a perfectly made up bed? One embedded right into your architecture. In highly custom projects, architects and designers can forgo floating furniture in the bedroom and craft built-in beds with perfectly clean lines — working…

The New Pretty aesthetic is a fresh and invigorating take on classic themes. Delicate tones, muted pastels and curved edges have been around before, but this look – where ruffles, sheers and movement combine with a dash of 90s modernism – creates an atmospheric, inviting and ethereal feel. It speaks directly to the balletcore trend so perfected by many fashion houses for SS24 (particularly look at the Chanel Haute Couture show). This landmark Livingetc shoot celebrates how that translates to an interior space, from colour and texture to shape and setting. FINE LINES This is a quiet trend with an ethereal quality that calls for making welcoming, livable rooms that are full of depth through subtle detail. ON THE MOVE Unsurprisingly for a look inspired by dance, movement is essential;…

We’re seeing a return to traditional and time-honoured craftsmanship in the spring collections and Iris Ceramica’s new line, Bottega d’Arte, is a special example. Designed to celebrate the beauty and versatility of red clay, it features tiles with a handmade quality and a beautiful range of finishes unlike anything we’ve seen – from satin-like designs in an earthy palette to chromatic gloss and pearly iridescent effects. Apply them to spaces you’d never think to use tiles – your living room, hallway, even your bedroom – and watch them bring the room to life.…

in its first few years, WOW!house at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour has made quite a splash. Names including Maddux Creative, Natalia Miyar, Clare Gaskin and Tala Fustok have turned their hand to creating schemes – and this year, it’s over to a new cohort, including Sophie Ashby, who has designed her Sitting Room in collaboration with United in Design. What do you think we’re going to see from the designs at this year’s WOW!house? I have absolutely no idea – and I think that is what’s exciting about it. You don’t have a client, so there are very few constraints. In the first few years, I’ve been amazed at how each room feels utterly different to the next, so I hope we are able to produce something that feels distinct…

B & B ITALIA Lacquered Allure O’ table by Monica Armani, 2021 ‘For Allure O’ table I designed light, precise, harmonious and lasting volumes that register in a person’s memory and evoke the fantastic glamour of the 1960s,’ says Monica Armani of her design, which artfully balances straight lines and clever, delicate curves (referencing the shape of Jackie O’s majestic glasses). Its lasting quality stems from its astute contrasts – coated all over with bold layers of lacquer that create an attention-grabbing gloss, the table is calmed in timeless earthy tones or soothing neutrals, making it understated as well as a statement. bebitalia.com GALLOTTI & RADICE Soda sideboard by Draga & Aurel, 2022 Turning heads as soon as it hit Salone del Mobile in 2022, the Soda sideboard is crowned…

for me, it’s a year of metal experimentation!’ said the interior designer Angus Buchanan, co-founder of Buchanan Studio. ‘We have lots of stainless steel products in the pipeline and we are looking at using Corten steel on projects as wall cladding. And then of course brass always has a place in our hearts.’ It was a surprising statement of intent from the man perhaps best known for his Studio Chair, a plump, marshmallowy and deckchair-striped armchair that has appeared in Livingetc many times and couldn’t be further from steel if it tried. But such was the feeling of new ideas taking hold that characterised the first Livingetc Design, Directed dinner, our new series which brings together the creatives we admire most to help us set the trends for how you’re…

DINING ROOM The plan was not to compete with the home’s Spanish Revival architecture but instead to ‘respect it and bring it to life by playing off its colours and patterns’, says the interior designer Tamara Kaye-Honey. living in a historically significant house comes with many advantages. For the British-American couple Justine Roddick and Tina Schlieske, who live in one of the finest examples of Spanish Revival architecture in Santa Barbara (as designed by the late, great American architect George Washington Smith), that includes original handmade tilework, hand-painted ceilings by George’s female apprentice, the pioneering architect Lutah Maria Riggs, and murals by the Mexican artist Alfredo Ramos Martínez. Also, says Justine: ‘[George] must have chosen the most perfect location because it’s just a 10-minute walk to the beach and a…

ODE TO ITALY You almost feel like you’re living it up on holiday with La Dolce Vita, the new collection from Mindthegap, which takes the coastlines of Italy – and historic palazzos of Venice – as its muses. This is not a collection for minimalists: the patterns are playful, the colours bold and the prints are best used together for impact. Try in a dining room to encourage conversation over dinner, or the study for brain-boosting stimulation; or take it to the living room, like this, for a taste of Italian comfort at home.…

1 FLOWER POWER On a recent visit to Schumacher’s new SoHo office, Marian McEvoy, a real hoot who made her name as a fashion editor in Paris and Manhattan for decades, walked me through her delightful collaboration with the NYC-founded brand. Nodding to the charmed life she now leads in her Hudson Valley cottage, the collection of botanical-themed fabrics and wallcoverings pulls from designs the decorative artist had scattered about her home. The most unexpected pattern of the bunch is no doubt her Bow-Wow-Wow print, a budding striped bow that’s a shoo-in for any powder room — further proof that bows are currently in fashion, and always in bloom. 2 HIGH LIGHTS It’s not nice to pick favourites, but I’ve long been a fan of Zoe Feldman’s work. The DC-based…

MINI ME The new mini islands from luxury Italian kitchen brand Cesar pack a lot of punch for their size. It’s a neat proposition: each of the four islands have different characteristics and functions. If you want space for food prep, the N_Elle in Rosso Lepanto marble has a roomy sink and copper worktop for just that; the antique gold Maxima has functions for storage, cooking and rinsing, making it a bit of a workhorse. For where space really is at a premium, the Unit island has space in the middle for a stool or two, so you can use it as a desk or dining table as well as a cooking surface. And, finally, there’s Tangram, pictured, with its glossy, gunmetal finish, designed to serve as a corner bar for…

WOVEN WONDER The brickwork of this urban dwelling in Vadodara, India, appears as though woven together, thanks to the intricacy of the patterns created within the building’s facade. Dreamt up by Manoj Patel Design Studio, the entire home looks to have been carved out with care, creating clever shadow play and presenting its owners with myriad opportunities to gaze out at the views beyond – who wouldn’t want to sit next to that ornamental window and daydream? BLOCK PARTY During its ambitious renovation of this Victorian property in Cremorne, New South Wales, Melbourne architectural practice Studio Bright opted for a creative solution to the problem of boundaries in a densely packed urban space. A skin of intricately patterned breeze blocks acts as a diffused screen that gives privacy, yet allows…

1 Hotel Mayfair, London IN A SENTENCE An impeccably stylish, incredibly welcoming central London hotspot with sustainability at its core. DESIGN DOWNLOAD This hotel’s environmental credentials are clear: flooring is made from fallen trees on the Windsor Estate, bathroom tiles are made from Welsh slate, and plants are absolutely everywhere. Its signature scent, incidentally, is also incredible, with notes of eucalyptus and cedar wood – buy yourself a candle to take home. ON THE MENU A dinner at Dovetale restaurant (left), headed by two Michel-instarred chef Tom Sellers, was one of the best we’ve had in London recently – enhanced by a make-your-own knickerbocker glory station that catered to our sweet tooth very well indeed. HOTEL HIGHLIGHT Situated on Berkeley Street, overlooking Green Park, you’re right at the centre of…

BAMBOO BRILLIANCE I discovered Mingyu Xu’s work at last year’s London Design Festival before connecting with him via Instagram. His designs had both a visual immediacy and an intricacy that pulled me in further. To me, his work represented a complete vision. I enjoyed the inventive shapes of his creations and his near retro colouring, and I suspect whatever he dreams up next may have a similar completeness to it. Upon meeting him, he is approachable, curious and talented – three components that, as a brand owner, I know will take him far. His work also demonstrates how integral the connection of the human head, heart and hand are in making our world, especially in the age of AI, where the role of the designer is quickly evolving. His work,…

OLD IS NEW French modern furniture giant Ligne Roset has launched a new collection – but keen design historians might have seen these pieces, or a version of them, before. Unveiled in Paris in January, the collection revisits the work of Pierre Guariche, an emblematic figure of French mid-century design whose pieces have ‘a spirit of lightness and economy of materials’ about them, according to Michel Roset – and certainly a sense of timelessness that makes this reissue feel just as comfortable in the modern world as it would have decades ago. We were particularly taken with the G10 armchair, originally designed in 1953, with its moulded beech plywood frame and textured fabric – the only pairing we want right now.…

collage couture Artist Lauri Hopkins’ exclusive abstract designs are created using a combination of Graphenstone paint and collaged collected materials, such as book covers, sweet wrappers and cardboard. Lauri draws her inspiration from the materials she finds, using them as a starting point for each piece. £195, Lauri Hopkins CHARM OFFENSIVE Jo Laing has many strings to her bow – she’s a fine artist, produces luxury stationery and is a talented ceramicist. Her ceramic matchboxes have gathered quite the following, and that’s no surprise – these little gems have tons of charm. They make great little presents – personally, we’re ordering for ourselves. The World ceramic matchbox, £65, Jo Laing THIS IS PERSONAL Make it your own with customisable matchbox sleeves by Matilda Goad & Co. Take your pick from silver-…

RISING STAR Staircases are the new status symbol. An elegant curve that perhaps ends in a flick, a soft whirl, a gleam of metal. The elevated former unsung hero that – in most of the homes we now feature – takes centre stage of an entire house design. In this space, created by Nicola O’Mara, a powder-coated dark bronze handrail sweeps up and along the swoosh of the stairs, removing the need for a bannister and instead marking an intent that this is a design to be reckoned with.…

ENTRANCE Even the furnishings in the apartment have an artistic quality – like the plaster, paper, pulp and steel ceiling pendants and custom curved consoles featured here. MEDIA ROOM ‘For this room, the owners had a very clear vision of an all-black space, filled with textures,’ says art advisor Barbara. ‘We found a large scale work by Guillem Nadal that plays with texture and has a bit of red colour contrast.’ KITCHEN Low seating keeps the views the centre of focus. ‘We chose a delicate wall sculpture by Eduardo Perez Cabrero that is small and subtle, but its multi-dimensionality and amorphous shape draw attention,’ says Barbara. there’s basically nothing to improve upon in this impressive apartment located in Tribeca, the heart of the Big Apple. Firstly, the 82-storey building in…

FAMILY ROOM ‘This is the calming relaxation spot. The idea was for this space to be minimal in appearance while being able to host a group of friends and family,’ says Margaux. A TV, disguised as art, hangs on the wall. FAMILY ROOM ‘Along with our architectural collaborators, Envelop, we made sure the doors and oriel window seat were as large as possible so the beautifully designed garden is as visible and a part of the whole experience of the lower ground floor as possible,’ says Margaux. with its cool neutral tones, elegant pale chevron flooring and limestone surfaces, on paper this home sounds more art gallery than family dwelling – but thanks to the owners’ vision, and the skill of their designers, it’s a house that celebrates practicality, while…

When it comes down to it, this is a white room, but that small percentage of colour shakes the space’s soul. Brightness is carefully speckled around like magic dust, until, hello, we’re in the land of colour and the contemporary. The creamy backdrop seems to make everything else pop, especially the more subtle shades. Glimpses of pure white on the accessories leap forward, standing out as a fresh, bright alternative to the softer walls, while the colours act as strokes on an artist’s canvas, each expressive, distinct and momentous. Every pigment feels carefully chosen and placed to sit in harmony with the surrounding hues for a sophisticated yet casual ambience. ‘The classical apartment is awakened with colour and pattern – the splashes of brightness add pep and spread life into the…

FLOOR SHOW An exciting year awaits for LA-based Studio Woven – designers and curators of some of the most luxurious rugs we’ve seen. The brand has expanded to the UK this year with the launch of its first London gallery on Pimlico Road. Expect tailored, elegant and highly textural pieces – the studio’s newest collection, Linea, features sculptural designs in earthy tones that lend a wonderfully soft sense of structure to a scheme.…

GAME ON Who knew a coatstand could double up as a piece of art? If anyone could give this workaday piece a new lease of life, it’s Zanotta. Part of the collection launched last year, the Sciangai clothes stand, originally designed in 1973, is foldable and adjustable, available in a variety of varnished ash finishes – and inspired by the Chinese game of the same name. Sciangai clothes stand, price on request, Zanotta COMFORT ZONE Consider faux fur the new boucle – it’s a fresh take on texture that makes a chair feel even more inviting. Arflex’s Yuzu design is the perfect piece if you want to invest in this look, the softly rounded design and small stature contrasted with the highly strokable finish. Yuzu armchair in yellow faux fur,…

TEAM GREEN We love the splash of colour Officine Gullo added to this minimalist kitchen project in a villa on the Aeolian island of Filicudi. In an otherwise monochromatic space, the glossy green finish of the cooking range – housing an integrated sink, worktop, fry-top, four gas burners and an induction cooktop – feels fresh and current. Is this the fabulously soft shade to watch in 2024? We think so. Professional cooking range, price on request, Officine Gullo STONE AGE Time is Caesarstone’s new collection inspired by stone – specifically, the way it’s transformed over millennia by geological processes. Referencing the effects of oxidation and fossilisation with brushed, scuffed or scored effects, the collection feels characterful and weathered, but with durability and a polished finish. We like 5113 Solenna, with…

MAIN EVENTS After Salone del Mobile in Milan, the next style destination we turn our attention to is Clerkenwell Design Week (a decidedly different but equally vibrant location). From 21-23 May, this London hotspot hosts over 600 events and 160 showrooms and 300 exhibitors. Highlights this year include British Collection, taking over the entire crypt of St James’s Church, and the ICON Talks series. Revel in the buzz and enjoy a few days of inspiration in this corner of the city.…