Indholdsfortegnelse for February 2026 i Living Etc

The interior designer Ananth Ramaswamy, founder of Arall (and our ‘interiors agony uncle’ in the December issue), invited me to dinner recently. It was a pleasure to spend time with someone I’ve long admired professionally – and, naturally, an irresistible chance to snoop. His living room did not disappoint. Eclectic in the most artful, intentional sense, the sofas didn’t match the armchairs, and the artworks and objets had been gathered one by one from auction houses and far-flung travels. Yet every piece felt deliberate: something with a story to tell, something that asked you to pause. An antique bust of a lady. A fragment of a marble frieze rescued from a building and now hanging proudly above bookshelves. As we talked by candlelight, the conversation meandered as my eye caught…

Foster & Gane The joy of Foster & Gane is in the brand’s collection’s eclecticism. Stocking fine and decorative antiques as well as 20th-century design, you’re as likely to find a George Hepplewhite chair from the late 18th century as you are an arts and crafts secretaire from the 1950s – just two of the most recent items listed on the website at the time of writing. The mother-and-son partnership ‘buy what we love’, and it shows – all of the pieces feel right together despite their disparate styles and periods, because they’re all united by good, discerning taste. Find them at 3 Pigeons in Oxfordshire, at the Battersea Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair three times a year, or year-round on their website. fosterandgane.com Domestic Science It might have expanded…

PIP RICH You pioneered the American Rustic look that has been so influential with its mix of at-home familiarity in furniture choices and high end art curation. But I see a slightly different mood in your new book, New Work, and a slightly more avant garde twist in some of the spaces. What effect does that have on how the rooms feel? ROBERT STILIN As I’ve grown and matured I’ve gotten more and more daring, and more and more willing to try out new ideas. When I started out, I had an aesthetic and was quite controlled with it and never wanted to really deviate from it. And it worked for me. But now I’m more open to other influences from the art world and how galleries display work, and…

Like a mixture of melted gold and sunlight caught on the precipice between warm and hot, ochre is opulent while remaining very much of the natural world. From gleaming and honeyed to dusty, desert-worn tones, it’s steeped in sun, sand, soil and stone – a comfortingly familiar hue, yet still surprising. A member of the yellow family, making up this sprawling landscape? That’s not how I thought today was going to go. Like a glowing blanket wrapped reassuringly around you, ochre feels at once enlivening and effervescent as well as safe and snug, its mellow, earthy depth saying ‘let’s go out and face the day!’ as well as ‘come here, let me tuck you up’. ‘Ochre is one of those colours that makes you feel before you think; it’s grounding…

Q I’m starting to get on board with the trend for chrome-coloured metals, but it still scares me a bit. How best to use it in a space so that the room still feels warm? We just love metal in general, but do tend to use a lot of stainless steel. It has a rawness to it, and part of its appeal to us is that it doesn’t look new for very long. It ages fast and patinas, softening as it does. We actually use an orbital brush on every stainless steel surface as we install it, to hasten the process – this gives the metal a more velvety appearance, and stops it from having that commercial kitchen vibe we all associate with it. Instead of being scared, think of…

A natural choice Interior designer Nicola Harding explains why matcha is such a refreshing hue I believe that matcha green resonates in kitchens right now for the soulfulness and warmth it brings to a room – it feels friendly and nurturing. The shade works well with earthy tones, such as beige, cream and taupe, but also some pastels, like soft pinks. In the Tuscan villa we worked on (see previous page), for example, we juxtaposed matcha green Shaker-style cabinetry with plaster pink walls that have a textured finish. Matcha is a refreshing yet calming green and it’s great for kitchens as it gives the space a contemporary edge while still feeling classic. We often reserve it for cabinets as a focal point against pink as a neutral. We also prefer…

And rinse Take note of the next must-have mod-con. ABI Interior’s new Mini Water Filter Tap and Glass Cleaner delivers fresh water and easy glass cleaning in one sleek duo. Once you’ve finished your drink, simply place the glass upside-down on the drainer and lightly push – a satisfying fountain spray rinse leaves the glass spotless, ready for next time. Available in five stylish finishes. Mini Water Filter Tap, £199.99; Glass Cleaner, £266.99, ABI Interiors Counter culture With an architectural style that exemplifies it creator, Zaha Hadid Design, the Cove kitchen from Boffi is defined by sinuous lines and sculptural forms. Now it has introduced new finishes for doors and countertops, as well as a fabulous full-length snack counter, perfect for family and entertaining spaces alike. Cove kitchen, price on…

In the basement of a large Edwardian house in Twickenham, southwest London, this kitchen by Roundhouse is purposefully period detail-free. ‘The clients really liked a modern ambience and simple aesthetic,’ says Roundhouse’s senior designer Ben Hawkswell. ‘So the box-like feel of the room with its lack of cornicing was mirrored by the sleek joinery, with every edge and finish as smooth and clean as it could be.’ ART OF DARKNESS Dark countertops are a rising kitchen trend, gradually replacing the white marble that designers have been using for years, and this has been harnessed to full effect with the worktops chosen for this scheme. ‘Layering dark surfaces upon dark surfaces creates a really classic and long-lasting effect – it won’t date,’ explains Ben. HIGH CONTRAST That said, he did not…

1 Future-forward lighting There’s something space-agey about Luce Cilindrica, a sculptural modular suspension light by Ronan Bouroullec for Flos – composed of cylindrical modules, it can be built up or down to extend across a table, for example, and despite its length, the transparent design has a feeling of lightness. Price on request, Flos 2 Collab alert: functional and fun homeware Arket has teamed up with furniture brand Massproductions for a limited edition capsule collection that feels quintessentially cool – think everyday objects made playfully utilitarian. With its simple form and a choice of neon orange or cream colourways, the Buffer bookend gets our vote. Buffer bookend, £69, Arket x Massproductions 3 Shop independent: Evoke London Evoke London is dedicated to celebrating global heritage craft, with the founders working with…

Back in 2019, I was brand new to Livingetc, and style-wise, it was a different world from where we are today. The colour ‘neo-mint’ (a sort of pistachio) was big news in the office, and as an industry we were far more concerned with how a room looked than how it felt. Curved sofas were a rarity, only available with price tags to match their exclusivity at brands like Sedilia and Pierre Augustin Rose. So, while in talks with the British furniture makers Love Your Home about a capsule collection designed to fit the Livingetc aesthetic, we came up with the idea of the Hepworth, a curved armchair and sofa to match. ‘I’ve always been a big fan of curves, falling for the sculptures of Barbara Hepworth,’ says Love Your…

Coffee tables NIMBLE NEEDLEWORK This humble pastime is experiencing something of a renaissance in the form of footstools – but with a modern, updated look. Keep your eye out for contemporary embroidered scenes and graphic shapes, because these are the du jour designs to pepper into your living room. Cushions SMART ART How you display art in a living room matters almost as much as the art itself. Consider thinking outside of the box and take inspiration from these schemes – be it framing a piece with gallery-style lighting, opting for a tapestry, using it to cover a TV or investing in a picture rail and chain combo. Armchairs Rugs…

OCHRE TURQUOISE BURGUNDY GREEN…

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interior designer Lonika Chande is known for her love of jewel-box colours. She’s spoken before in Livingetc about how she pairs crimson with turquoise, mustard with bright green, and all while still managing to make her schemes look considered and curated. But she has out-Lonika’d herself with this new project in Chelsea, west London, where primary colours stretch across joinery and sky-blue curtains hang behind a red chair. How did she manage to conjure such an extraordinary palette? ‘We didn’t use much colour on the walls, which were mostly left light and bright, creating a more calming backdrop,’ Lonika says. ‘And no colour ever appears just once. We made sure the house as a whole felt cohesive by reusing a blue that might be in an artwork in one space…

blue is the invisible becoming visible,’ noted the artist Yves Klein of the ultramarine shade he created in 1960. It also turns out to be an apt metaphor for this Victorian worker’s cottage in downtown Toronto, where once run-of-the-mill schemes have been allowed to sing again in the hands of interior designer Sam Sacks. Yes, that particular brand of International Klein Blue underscores the transformation, inspired by the vivid colours of Yves Saint Laurent’s Jardin Majorelle in Morocco, but a host of other details, from meticulous woodwork to statement rugs, also play their part. ‘My goal was to put the architecture back in,’ says Sam, of the property, which had been renovated in the early 2000s, resulting in the formation of an impressive double-height living space on the first floor.…

Another world ‘For me, our interiors have always been about storytelling: creating worlds that people can step into and inhabit, not just look at,’ says interior designer Róisín Lafferty of the recent opening of her furniture and lighting gallery in the heart of Dublin. ‘The gallery is a natural extension of that philosophy.’ Set within an elegant Georgian townhouse that blurs the lines between a home, gallery and installation, the opening provides a curated environment in which to celebrate the launch of Róisín’s Sphere and Moonface collections, and is a move that’s been a dream of hers for over a decade. ‘There’s a real appetite right now for design that feels personal and sensory and people are craving spaces that move them emotionally,’ she says. She designed the collections more…

DOWN TOWN At this time of year, all we want to do is immerse ourselves in the richest of rich interiors – whether it’s a cosy living room or a glitzy bar. So we can’t wait to get ourselves over to Town, a restaurant on the West End’s Drury Lane that opened in 2025 and has been highly rated ever since. Interiors designed by North End Design are delicious – all glossy burgundy walls, lava stone countertops, curved edges and a vivid green-lacquered open kitchen that looks as though it’s arrived from outer space. A bold, fun design that doesn’t take itself too seriously – and with an impressive menu to match? We’ll meet you there.…

Elemental beauty Architect Anthi Grapsa tells us of the many ways copper adds contemporary character to a kitchen scheme I have always loved copper because it brings such a lovely warmth to a kitchen. It has a soft, natural glow that changes over time, reacting to how you use the space and making it feel alive. Copper is more practical than you might think. It is naturally antimicrobial, so it’s quite hygienic and very forgiving once you let go of the idea that it needs to stay perfect. I tend to advise my clients to let the material develop its own patina; every mark and tone shift adds character and becomes part of the kitchen’s story. Generally, I prefer to use unlacquered materials as I find them more interesting than…

There may be views across to the bridges of Sydney Harbour from this kitchen in a project by Arent&Pyke, but the designers wanted it to feel enclosed, almost cocoon-like. To achieve this, they chose a deep, moody indigo blue for the cabinetry, with its dark tone running through the elaborate swirl of the worktop and contrasted by pale natural wood – and brightening metallic accents – to lighten the overall look. FEEL THE BLUE ‘The deep blue sea colour of the joinery is immersive, anchoring the kitchen space,’ says studio co-founder Juliette Arent. ‘From here, you can step out onto the adjoining terrace, which is a wonderful spot to enjoy a coffee in the bright sunshine.’ COUNTER POINT ‘We specified Caravaggio quartzite for the worktops and upstand to contrast the…

Chrome continues to be the trend we didn’t dream of predicting but nevertheless can’t deny, as everyone’s ubiquitous love of brass – furniture brands, interior designers and now homeowners – is being overtaken by an appreciation for cooler metallic tones. And while chrome is often limited to accents, such as handles, lightingandtaps, inascheme, OfficineGullo pushed the boundaries with this project by incorporating chrome into the very fabric of the design. FULL GLEAM This kitchen has silver one very surface, craftedin stainless steel and enriched with polished chrome. ‘The striking contrast of the chrome finish of the framing against the cabinetry, along with the veined marble, creates a timeless, textural elegance that elevates the entire space,’ say the owners, who chose Officine Gullo for its ‘incredible Italian craftsmanship and unparalleled handmade…

Plumping for the look Yasmine Ghoniem of Sydney design studio YSG on why these fun, rounded forms are having a moment Chubby shapes have a naive charm that woos with childlike appeal. Balancing the robustness with curvaceous cosiness makes this design style feel really inviting, as opposed to the restraint of sleeker silhouettes that tend to sacrifice practicality and comfort. In bathrooms, these rounded shapes make you feel embraced, which is the mood these private spaces should embody. I like bringing in the shape via chunky bullnose edges – from shelf profiles to the returns of counter surfaces – and also playing with scale through low-bearing heights that are wider than usual to push the comfort factor. The trick is to balance the scale of the plus-sized pieces with their…

Fortunately for Phoebe Lipscombe, associate and designer at Studio Doherty, who created this spectacular 15-square-metre bathroom, her clients were ‘wonderfully open and willing to be bold with colour, so we were given carte blanche to really push creativity,’ she says. ‘They had a discerning eye but also placed a lot of trust in us and the process.’ GREEN DREAM ‘We landed on the green tile very early on,’ Phoebe says. ‘I remember laying out about 10 different mosaic options with our client and the moment we all saw the apple green Japanese mosaic, it was clear that this was the one. It was fresh, crisp and full of energy.’ COLOUR DRENCH ‘This approach to colour is immersive in the best way,’ Phoebe says. ‘The floor-to-ceiling tile creates a cocooning effect,…

For this Grade II-listed 19th-century townhouse in Knightsbridge, London, interior designer Christian Bense wanted to take the period charm of the property and update it for a modern sensibility. This balancing act was executed through scrupulous consideration of colour, pattern and mixing materials, for a scheme that is classic, layered and enduring. IN WITH THE OLD ‘Our mission was simple; we asked ourselves: “How would this home have looked when it was first built in 1845?”’ Christian says. ‘That deep respect for the house and its history informed every design choice we made. But it didn’t restrict us from injecting contemporary elements that felt authentic and befitting of this property.’ NATURAL BEAUTY The warmth of the copper bath contrasts the cool blues of the wallcovering. Handcrafted pearl-toned zellige tiles help…

There’s been a growing awareness for quite some time now, that rooms are in fact about a lot more than how they look. Feelings – you know, the real life, human kind – have crept up on us to become just as relevant to interior design as the likes of colour, form, texture, material and layout. It’s called neuroaesthetics. Sitting at the intersection of neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, design, architecture and aesthetics, it’s the study of the physical impact that aesthetic stimuli such as beauty, design and art have on the body and brain. We’re moving past spatial perception being the domain of the eyes alone – all of our senses can contribute to measurable brain activity that occurs when we interact with a space, revealing how our surroundings truly…

Moving to London after growing up in Barcelona, Alvaro Picardo began teaching himself about design by ‘looking and making’, he says. ‘Watching how objects change a room’s mood became my education.’ His pivot into the somewhat niche field of lampshade painting came in 2020: ‘I was repainting a vintage shade for my flat and realised how the surface could become expressive. The transformation was instant – I ended up painting every shade in the house.’ Turning what started off as an experiment into a new working practice, Alvaro has been designing and painting the strikingly graphic and colourful lampshade designs in his Pimlico studio ever since. His inspiration can be varied, but often roots back to his instinct for geometry and structure. ‘I naturally think in rhythm and proportion, and…

Family sofas Compact sofas Smart sofas…

Nostalgic, nuanced and not to be mistaken for something that’s done or outdated, basket weave is circling the design sphere in droves as of late. But how do we make it look fresh in 2026? ‘Design right now is craving a dialogue between tradition and modernity,’ explains interior designer Anu Jain, founder of Atelier Oleana. ‘The basket weave is an iconic motif – it speaks to heritage, but when reimagined in something like stone, tile or leather, it feels daring, sculptural and very now.’ Like many recent interior design trends, the reawakening of basket weave motifs can be attributed to the current fixation on storied details. The technique certainly isn’t a new trend (in fact, the craft is believed to predate pottery), but its revival coincides with a more refined…

We made some controversial decisions with the space,’ says Bee Janaye, the 29-year-old founder of up-and-coming design studio Janaye. Bee had been instructed to reconfigure a four-storey London townhouse (alongside an architecture practice), which had previously been divided into four separate apartments for one family. And with the client keen for a ‘deeply personal forever home’, says Bee, she was free from the constraints of designing for resale. For starters, the largest bedroom in the house, located on the first floor, was converted into a home gym. Another bedroom was sacrificed on the top floor in order to get one main suite with large bathroom and walk-through dressing area. ‘That bathroom has a walk-in shower and free-standing bath – with space to move around,’ explains Bee. Perhaps most radically, the…

There’s a playful detail doing the rounds in design right now that, since we first noticed it, we’ve seen wherever we look: perforated pinpoints that play with light, texture and the overall flow of the space. You might know that polka dots are trending, both in our wardrobes and our homes – and perforated surfaces offer the same sense of motion and playfulness, while also feeling slightly more design-forward, elevated, even architectural. The trend cemented itself in our minds when we saw the way design studio Pirajean Lees incorporated a draped, perforated fabric in its room at WOW!house last year. The effect added movement to the space, the light spilling through the pinpricks sparkles, as if stars in a night sky. But if decorative drapery is off the cards for…

Idon’t have an order when it comes to putting a palette together. There are a lot of colours in my schemes, but I don’t always start with a paint shade or a sofa. Instead, I’ll fall in love with one piece – it could be a rug, a curtain or anything – and build from there. I’d suggest everyone does the same, begin with something they adore. Balance is essential. You need a mix of warm and cool colours. No room should ever be all of one and none of the other. I’m using green in almost every room right now – it’s so elegant. I particularly love Bancha by Farrow & Ball, which is timeless and also quite sexy. An olive green works well with burgundies, whereas an apple…

Ahead of the curve Louisa Grey of interior design studio House of Grey on how to bring rounded shapes into a kitchen scheme Soft curved forms are quietly redefining the language of high-end kitchens. They bring a sense of calm and tactility to contrast with the precision and structure we associate with functional spaces. We see this as a shift towards environments that feel more human – spaces that invite touch, flow and connection rather than sharp delineation. Curvaceous edges encourage approachability, movement and a sense of ease, taking a kitchen from a place of task into one of gathering. Luxury today is defined by how a space makes us feel, and a kitchen with soft edges and sculptural forms holds quiet sophistication; it’s a reflection of craftsmanship, attention to…

Yes, it would have been easy for this Victorian terraced home in southwest London to have a traditional Shaker-style kitchen. And yes, it would have been a timeless choice, and fitted the house’s era and exterior. But where’s the fun in that, when it could be much more interesting, and subvert expectations, instead? MODERN APPROACH ‘The family who live here didn’t want a pastiche of “modern Victorian” living; instead, they wanted a thoroughly contemporary home that would be filled with light and feel open and spacious,’ says Hugh Leader-Williams, Blakes London’s creative lead. He removed a large part of the ground floor to create a double-height atrium that links the two entertaining levels and forges a strong connection with the outside. The property was extended into the basement as well…

In the pink This powdery tone can be warming and surprisingly versatile – here’s how, says interior designer Laura Stephens Powder pink adds immediate warmth and in a bathroom where you’re surrounded by hard, reflective surfaces, that feeling is so welcome. The colour softens the space and creates a gentle, flattering light that’s especially lovely first thing in the morning. This pink also has a subtle glow to it, even under bright lighting, whichgivestheroom an inviting, luminous quality. It’s a wonderful way to make a functional space feel more joyful and personal. I love using powder pink on a ceiling – this is an unexpected spot, but the colour bounces off the light from spotlights and warms the room’s tone. A soft pink on the walls also provides an effortless…

Well toned Two years on, Laufen is revisiting one of its most popular collaborations with celebrated Swiss designer Peter Wirz. The latest addition to the excellent Meda collection is this free-standing bath with a warm copper exterior and crisp white interior. Made from Marbond, the brand’s premium, two-layer composite, it’s perfectly proportioned for a comfortable soak without guzzling too much floor space. Meda free-standing bath, £4,250, Laufen Bronze age Bronze is going over to the dark side, and it’s never looked better. Swadling Brassware’s new Dark Bronze finish dials out the tan tones of traditional bronze for something deeper and more architectural. Rich, tactile and dramatic, it gives bathroom fittings sculptural depth and timeless appeal. A living finish that’s designed to evolve, it will age gracefully, developing its own distinctive…

Balancing beauty and functionality, emphasising timeless elegance and architectural honesty – that is the core design philosophy of Nomad Developments’ founder and creative director Jack Simpson, and these qualities have been deftly infused in every inch of this exquisitely crafted bathroom space. ROOM TO BREATHE The shower and WC in this shapely bathroom are hidden in arched alcoves, leaving only a very inviting bath and a warm wood vanity on display. ‘By discreetly concealing the more functional elements of a bathroom, you preserve the visual flow and create the impression of a larger, more uniform space,’ says Jack. ‘These concealed pockets give the eye a natural pause, which in turn gives more breathing room to the chosen focal points. In this project, the hero moments are the oversized vanity and…