Innehållsförteckning för March 2024 från Living Etc

Bold statement – I’m actually anti-trend. Always have been. And I’m not going to use this letter to tell you that you must redecorate your home with magnolia 2.0 (page 16) or burgundy (page 26), both of which we’ve identified as key ‘trends’ for the year. But. But! The ins and outs of what we’re drawn to at any one moment tell us so much about who we are right now. And collectively I sense that designers – and therefore most of the rest of us – are drawn to these shades particularly because, in their own way, they’re warm, inviting, enveloping, cosy and rich. They answer the craving many of us have to feel all those things. So yes, let’s call them a trend because they tap into the…

as we go into 2024, the role of colour has a deeper purpose than ever before; it’s seen as a tool for life. This heightened recognition of colour’s significance in our lives responds to the challenges of today – while colour cannot solve the world’s issues, of course, it can certainly help in creating environments that promote and encourage emotional wellbeing. What’s also important is that the colours impacting our psychology have a broader scope than we might have previously considered, of which we are becoming more aware. The focus on functional colour has typically skewed to high impact brights or soothing neutrals, but we are seeing now that saturation is essential. Colours are becoming richer, deeper and more complex to create mood and this links to some of the…

ON THE SIDE Pair pale blue with one of these accent colours, ranging from the soft to the bold…

GET THE LOOK Sink in, stretch out or put your feet up with sumptuous seats and stools…

Located in eastern France, this 18th-century townhouse was in desperate need of renovation, but who could ever have imagined it would become the super-colourful, super-contemporary and super-stylish abode seen here? The Lyon-based interior decorator Claude Cartier is who. She has restyled the historical building in a rather radical, creative and unexpected way. When the couple who own the property asked Claude to consider the project, she immediately understood that a bold approach was needed. ‘On the first visit, what impressed me most was the evident past of the building, which was at the same time both spectacular and a little overwhelming. Plus, it didn’t correspond at all to the DNA of the family,’ she says. ‘So I thought I had a duty to create some decorative codes to soften the…

once owned by the legendary movie producer Darryl F. Zanuck – the founder of film company 20th Century Fox, no less – this classic LA Spanish Colonial-style house has a new owner who is adding to its pedigree. Actress, author, real estate agent and reality television personality – with a starring role in Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles – Tracy Tutor had set her sights on this property, which just happens to be situated in the coveted suburb of Beverly Hills. As soon as Tracy had secured it, she tasked LA-based design firm KES Studio, led by Kara Smith, to transform it into a soulful oasis for herself and her two daughters, Juliet and Scarlett. ‘I was introduced to Tracy through a mutual friend in the business who thought we…

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Nature has given the design world endless inspiration, particularly those in the business of pattern and print – so the fact that fabric and wallcoverings design giant Clarke & Clarke’s collaboration with Breegan Jane, the Los Angeles interior designer and host of HGTV’s Dream Home, manages to make nature motifs feel contemporary again is testament to the power of this new collection. Drawing from African patterning and natural references, including the landscape and culture of Kenya, each design feels fresh, playful and entirely modern – just the thing we want to be decorating with this year. We spoke to Breegan to find out more. What do you think is the power of pattern in a home – and how do you use it in yours? Utilising patterns in a home…

E15 PA02 NOAH BED The mattress on this bed is almost fully sunken into the platform, with the base providing a ledge and perhaps even removing the need for a bedside table if you’re open to putting your books above your head or at the end of the bed. It’s super smart for small spaces for that reason, too. I love the visual simplicity and the fact that it almost looks like it’s levitating. SIX THE RESIDENCE KANGAROO CHAIR While not the cosiest, if you’re looking for some inexpensive accent chairs that lend an interesting shape and a nice mix of materials, this might fit the bill. The design is low profile but with plenty of visual interest and the rattan seat gives a good amount of softness for a…

1 KEEP CALM Bold wallpaper can bring huge personality to a small room, but it doesn’t have to be overstimulating. This powder room design has the qualities of a jewel-box space, but is far more relaxing. ‘We wanted to create an experience that made an impression, but also one that can be enjoyed for many years without looking tired.’ Georgina Jeffries, interior designer 2 TILING TRICKS If choosing tiles for your walls, the direction you lay them can make a real difference in a space with the size limitations of a powder room. However, sometimes the ideal solution for a tiny bathroom is the best of both worlds. ‘Running tiles vertically will add height to the room, while a horizontal pattern will open the space. One of my favourite things…

A FEAST FOR YOUR EYES You could easily spend a day in Sune, the newly opened restaurant perched on the canal at the foot of Broadway Market in east London. Dreamt up by renowned sommelier Honey Spencer and partner Charlie Sims, it’s a spot for weekend brunches, weekday lunches and late-night dinner dates all rolled into one. The interiors are simple but impactful, all terracotta brick, neutral-washed walls and dark teal accents. They allow you to focus on the food: freshly baked bread like pagnotta served with whipped lardo and rosemary and also a plate of local charcuterie; later, plates of smoked eel Caesar salad, linguine vongole, za’atar spiced lamb and rich chocolate tarts with cherrystone cream. This is a neighbourhood restaurant that feels elevated but friendly, worldly but uncomplicated…

there’s a depth and intensity to one of the biggest colour trends of 2024 that the design world’s previous darlings, off-white and pale beige, cannot match. Like brown – another shade on the up – red wine tones like burgundy and aubergine are dark, moody, intriguing. A sign, perhaps, of turning inward and embracing our homes as a respite from a restless world. But how to use such spirited shades? As with many darker colours, it’s often best to go all-in. In many designs – see Kingston Lafferty’s hallway, right – we’ve seen the two shades used together, a tonal match that miraculously works in traditional and contemporary spaces alike. It’s a pairing made even better, we think, with a third accent colour. Chartreuse, for example, could be the surprising…

SMOOTH OPERATOR Encapsulating two of the trending stones of the moment, this living room by Sydney-based design practice Arent&Pyke introduces travertine and terrazzo into a cosy space in a way that feels smooth and comfortable – this is a masterclass in taking harder textures out of the kitchen and into the other rooms of your home. ‘We love the unexpected pairing of the more laid-back terrazzo with the classic travertine stone,’ says director and design principal Sarah-Jane Pyke. ‘The travertine works magically with the glowing wall colour, balancing out the coolness of the terrazzo and adding a layer of warmth to the space.’…

designer Adele Lonergan refers to the challenge of reinventing a characterless 1980s townhouse, slap bang in the middle of London, to reflect a warm Los Angeles-meets-Ibiza sanctuary as a ‘dream job’. ‘We gelled right away with the owner, who is a model and travels a lot, and once we had agreed a vision for the refurbishment, largely focused on natural materials and organic shapes, she was pretty much hands off,’ she says. Adele, together with business partner Maria Lindgren, set up their design studio, Covet Noir, five years ago. The pair, who are known for curating effortlessly timeless interiors, share an affinity for neutrals and a love of mixing new and vintage pieces. ‘This house is round the corner from a smart city square, so we had to steer the…

THROWING SHAPES If there’s been one hero pattern trend emerging in recent months, it might be geometrics. And the best thing about the new designs is the incredible range and versatility: there’s so much more to choose from than just big, bold prints. Small-scale pattern is a good entry point to decorating with geometrics – take Totem, Arte’s new wallcovering collection, which brings to mind traditional world art and modern abstract sculpture at the same time. We love Infinity, one of the subtler designs in the range, with a rustic woven grass texture that gives this look depth.…

SHINE BRIGHT This standout bespoke kitchen in Manhattan by Officine Gullo is no wallflower: a mix of satin and polished metallic finishes gives it a clean, crisp and stylish look that’s still welcoming, not sterile. That’s thanks, in part, to the curved detailing on each cupboard door and the nod to traditional kitchen design in the panels up top; it’s also down to those subtle touches of wood in the chopping board and the wine fridge. Proof, as ever, that the details really matter when you want to nail a scheme.…

GO FOR BOLD An already vibrant and vivid burgundy is ramped up to new levels with a high-gloss finish in this project by Dallas studio Chad Dorsey Design – and in this home bar-cum-entertaining space, it elevates more traditional panelling with a large dose of glamour. Tempered by statement mid-century-style furniture and natural wood, however, it’s still grounded enough to make us feel like we could relax here, tipple in hand, lounging on that daybed.…

in favour of moody hues Interior designer Dan Lovatt on embracing rich, deep colours – and the joy that darker shades can add to the home There are so many misconceptions about darker colours in the home – one being that in painting a room dark it will make the space feel smaller, while lighter colours will have the opposite effect. This isn’t the case. Dark colours can help to maximise a room’s features – and anyway, since most of the time we can’t change a room’s size, why not embrace what’s already there and create something special? For those wary of making bolder choices on a larger scale, apply it to a room you don’t spend too much time relaxing in so you can see how it makes you…

layering various beautiful tones and textures of wood creates a timeless atmosphere, and wood immediately makes the home feel warm, cosy, and lived-in. Acing it is easy. British timbers such as pine, oak, cherry and maple work wonderfully together. Look into species indigenous to your area, because it’s sustainable and that’s what local craftspeople are used to working with. Absolutely avoid exotic woods and endangered species. Materials that look great with mixed woods are other natural elements; we always come back to a small selection that we know work beautifully – stones such as marble or limestone, metals such as brass, and textiles like wool. Pair dark and light timbers to create contrast and interest – we use different shades of oak for lighter tones and cherry and walnut for…

STAR QUALITY Talk about shapely design – all of the furniture pieces in this breakfast nook beg to be appreciated for the orchestra of curves and graphic lines on display. Mirroring the 90-degree bend of the banquette seating and balancing it out with a smooth arch, the table might just be the star, though – look at the way the base flares as it reaches the floor, creating a grounding sense of solidity. It’s one of many masterful design tricks employed by KES Studio in this classic Spanish Colonial-style home in Beverly Hills – take the tour on page 88.…

palazzo dei Conti Callori, a historic palace in the old centre of Turin, is home to minimalist architect Fabio Fantolino. He shares the space with his wife, Laura, and their two daughters, Bianca and Letizia. And, despite the aristocratic roots of the building, the actual view from their living room is somewhat deceptive: the raw, almost-industrial architecture, modernist green garden and exposed bricks seen through the floor-toceiling glass windows could almost transport you to any inner city. But look more closely and you will spot an olive tree and a laurel hedge, as well as a brick wall dating back to the mid-19th century. ‘In fact, we are in the wing of a noble building not far from the Giuseppe Verdi music conservatory,’ says Fabio. The original palazzo was designed…

once an average Victorian semi, this newly refurbished family home couldn’t tick more boxes for the way we want to live now. Light and open, yet with spaces that can be closed off for cosiness or privacy (the living room and home offices), and with a seamless kitchen-meets-garden rear extension, plus inventive ideas like a double-height atrium in the hall, it elicits a ‘wow’ the moment you enter. Needless to say, the owners – whose main requirement was for a ‘bright yet warm practical family home’ – are delighted that they have been gently pushed out of their comfort zone into a house that astonishes and delights at every turn. ‘The clients, a professional couple with a young son and daughter, approached us as they liked that we offer a…

Let’s not dilly-dally. The mural. What a beautiful, artistic, bold statement like this says is ‘we take design seriously’ and ‘we know the power of a single wall’. Dining beneath this magnificence – tucked into a corner in Italian restaurant San Carlo, Liverpool – would imbue any meal with a sense of magic and occasion. ‘We commissioned artist Jessalyn Brooks to create a strong, colourful, abstract piece that expressed movement and life with her signature figurative forms,’ the space’s designer Andy Goodwin, co-founder of London and LA-based interiors firm Fettle, tells me. ‘We wanted the space to feel light, fresh and playful.’ It’s the really warm, inviting colours, as much as the design, that draw you in. Middle-toned greens, tangerine, ochre and apricot are balanced by indulgent dark burgundy, emerald and…

NEW ICONS Here’s a name for your little black book: Lemon, furniture makers with an eye on utility as well as beauty. Presenting a sophisticated, highly curated edit of foundational pieces and decorative objects, the South African brand’s collection takes inspiration from history, film and art. Working with an impressive roster of designers to craft iconic pieces – from honed marble coffee tables to lattice plinths, many of which touch, we think, on the mid-century – there’s also a real commitment to sustainability: a considered material palette combines with a determination to make pieces that will one day become heirlooms in their own right.…

PROJECT BY Colombe Seamless integration has rendered many of our kitchen appliances invisible (think dishwashers and refrigerators, concealed behind cabinetry), while range hoods often remain a stubborn focal point. But instead of making them disappear, some architects are leaning in, letting the hood stand out. Often considered an ugly duckling in the kitchen, the appliance is designed with gritty functionality in mind: to capture unsavoury byproducts like smoke and grease. Thus, conventional materials prioritise practicality (like stainless steel, easier to clean and durable) and purpose-driven shapes (often bulky forms, especially for ducted varieties). The result? Commercial hoods aren’t always perfect matches for highly custom interiors. ‘[Their] visual expression is not in line with the way our kitchens are evolving,’ says interior architect Jesper Mellgren of Stockholm’s Note Design Studio. ‘There…

Pilguse Residency, Saaremaa, Estonia IN A SENTENCE Island living is given a luxury spin at this retreat off the coast of Estonia – yet there’s a sense of balance in the owners’ commitment to responsible design, too. DESIGN DOWNLOAD Set on a former dairy farm, this residency keeps the palette simple to let the materials (and the landscape) do the talking. Common areas and guest rooms are furnished with Danish rattan pieces and items picked up from the owners’ travels. Two mirrored cabins provide an almost 360-degree view of the surrounding countryside – this is peace like we’ve never experienced before. ON THE MENU Expect fresh, seasonal, often foraged fare, including whole smoked trout, cucumber two ways, and a Chanterelle mushroom dish we were thinking about for days after. IN…

CARVING A NICHE Mythology, a craft studio based between Bristol and London, is a recent discovery – they were recommended to me by another designer. We’re often influenced by the ethos of the brand when we look for new suppliers – where they source materials, how they work and also what it’s like to work with them – and as a founder-led brand, I’m really interested in Sam and Anna’s process. I enjoy how they use natural materials in such a strong, raw way through their furniture. We’re thinking of commissioning a bespoke piece from them for a project we’re working on soon – a set of cabinets, perhaps. We have a natural synergy, a shared interest in crafts and materiality, that makes the brand a good fit for our…