Innehållsförteckning för December 2024 från Living Etc

@pip.rich Sometimes decorating inspiration comes from the most unlikely places. I’ve just finished watching Monsters, the Ryan Murphy drama about the Menendez brothers. It’s not a festive show and should come with a trigger warning, but there’s one scene set at Christmas time that appealed aesthetically. Chloë Sevigny, who plays the mother, has decorated trees lavishly, wrapped presents beautifully, is dressed smartly yet comfortably and is sipping a glass of white. There are fairy lights twinkling and the scene has an effortless opulence that invites you in. I want my Christmas to have that opulence. A lot of soft light, glowing in dark corners, rooms golden and mellow. The super-stylist Hannah Franklin’s tips for where to string garland lights on page 32 has made me want every room to seem…

Chair design is having a real moment right now: from flared legs to wavy silhouettes, this simple furniture piece has the potential to be the most dynamic element of a dining scheme. Designer Yaniv Chen furthers the cause with the Rambling chair, his design for progressive furniture studio Lemon. The chair is a substantial, utilitarian yet decorative piece inspired by the traditional milk stool associated with Yaniv’s childhood memories of visits to historic houses and the South African countryside. The smooth edges and slim profile, however, bring it right up to date. Available in Natural French Oak, Honey French Oak and African Mahogany.…

PIP RICH One of the reasons I wanted to speak to you for our Christmas issue is that you use the jewel tones associated with the season so freely, in ways that more than suit the rest of the year. Why are you drawn to them? LONIKA CHANDE It’s a very happy-making way to design, to use such bold colours. I’m just not a pastels girl, I love strong tones. But our backdrops always tend to be softer and earthier. Jewel shades sit so well against terracotta or light whites, clay finishes that have a bit of depth to them. Those bright hues are so much fresher when there is a neutral for them to sing out against. PR Are there any neutral paints you’re using a lot at the…

Whenever I think about Christmas, and talk to my friends about how they spend their holidays, everyone has a different scent memory that makes them feel good. Growing up, my Christmases were always characterised by the smell of jollof rice, of my mum spritzing a little more than usual of her perfume, of mulled wine spices floating on the air. For one of my friends it’s the aroma of Guinness that instantly makes him feel festive, while for another, who went skiing each year with his parents, it’s pine trees, a snowy freshness, an airy sense of the outdoors. My point being there is no one sure-fire scent to make your home smell like Christmas, but instead a collection of fragrances unique to you that, if you bring them together,…

HOLIDAYS AT HOME Doesn’t this conjure exactly the feeling we want from our homes this season? Fire lit, seating poised ready for conversation, everything rich, cosy and cosseting: it’s interiors bliss. All of the houses in this December issue encompass what we think are this year’s key festive themes – be it the idea of comfort at the heart of the Victorian villa on page 74, or the way that the Boston party pad on page 54 casts off any suggestion of self-consciousness in favour of a nostalgic and joyfully carefree approach to a home. This West Village brownstone nods to the glamour of the season with its layered textures and heroing of materials like marble and brass: an approach we’ll certainly be taking into the new year.…

When you’ve got a large house, it would be remiss not to go big on Christmas. ‘We had only just moved in last December but we had three trees – in the hall, the living room and the basement entertainment space – so we figured we’d do the same this year,’ laughs Gill Martin who, together with husband Jonny, created this characterful home which, hard to believe, is actually a new build. Last year, with the paint just dry, they invited 20 family members for the festivities. ‘Yes, it will be the same this year,’ she says, ‘but now we’re happily ensconced, hopefully less stress, more fun.’ It’s rare, especially in urban southwest London, that you get the chance to build your own home, but Jonny, a developer, tracked down…

located in the Swiss Alps, Klosters has a particular kind of spirit. Its cocktail of tradition, authenticity and natural beauty are qualities that attracted glamorous celebrities such as Paul Newman, Gregory Peck, Lauren Bacall and Greta Garbo in the 1950s, as well as, more recently, the UHNW Davos crowd (Davos being the next town over). Its nickname, ‘Hollywood on the Rocks’, seems fitting. Situated right in town, this 60-year-old complex of three apartments provided the shell for creating a new and spacious family home with plenty of room for guests. Think Architecture, with help from interior designer Claudia Silberschmidt of Atelier Zürich (pictured), realised the radical transformation. The two businesses have a long-standing working relationship. ‘We’re a great match,’ says Claudia. Ralph Brogle and Marco Zbinden, partners at Think Architecture,…

This kitchen juggles the warmth of the fire as well as the chill of the snowball fight, chopping its fiery/frosty tones neatly into three to quell their dramatically fluctuating temperatures. Starting with a floor of sizzling red tiles – the heat of which blurs with the rich timber cupboard doors – it progresses upwards into a splashback in frosty peppermint Calacatta marble and coordinating enamelled lava stone worktops, before crescendoing in a glacial sky blue horizon (MC97 Orseille by Atelier Mériguet-Carrère). The colour distribution helpfully offers toastiness to the toes while promoting cool calmness when juggling roasting, basting and trying to light puddings on fire. On paper, red, blue and green sound terrifying together, don’t they? There are a lot of rhymes chronicling how they should ‘never be seen’ (although…

SOFT GEOMETRY Meeting on a course at the National Institute of Fashion Technology in New Delhi, it didn’t take long for Utharaa Zacharias and Palaash Chaudhary to realise they worked well together. Now, the founders of product design studio Soft Geometry curate pieces that are, essentially, ‘a study of softness’. ‘Our philosophy and values are shaped by observations and lessons from life in India, a poetic culture with a fervent commitment to individual expression, craft and storytelling,’ explains Utharaa. Palaash adds, ‘Our work often starts as an exploration of a new dimension of softness – a search to find it in a new material.’ Some of their first pieces were the SW steel coffee table and fluffy accent chair (centre); naturally, their collection has grown since then. The narrative is…

RIPPLES If the idea of planning a bathroom renovation gives you a headache, the experts at Ripples could be the cure. You’ve probably visited one of the brand’s showrooms before – but might not realise that its designers will take on your project for free. You just need to head to your nearest showroom and present one of the designers with your ideas – anything from magazine cuttings to Pinterest boards is welcome. The whole process is built around your ideas so is truly personalised. We’re also keen on Ripples because we see so many of the hot new bathroom products on the market make their way into the brand’s collection – we’re talking luxury fittings and chic accessories.…

HOME COMFORTS Moody, enveloping interiors are the order of the day in November and December, when we’re still settling into winter and enjoying the indulgence of the festive season. So one look at the inside of Koyn Thai, the new venture by restaurateur Samyukta Nair, had us convinced we need to make a booking pronto. It’s not just the design by Tom Strother of Fabled Studio, with its moodily-lit scheme of bronze, black oak and burnt oranges (this wall is lined with terracotta roof tiles), that should persuade you to visit this corner of Mayfair, though: the nostalgic, home-style cooking of Bangkok-born chef Rose Chalalai Singh is just as delicious.…

BEACH BEAUTY The first time I saw Shellegance’s designs they made me so happy! As the brand name suggests, it centres around shells, in literal form as clay ornaments and bowls, or as inspiration for vase shapes and motifs on fabric for cushions and tablecloths. I have a shell in my bedroom and it continues to make me happy each time I use it as a jewellery dish, but it could also go in the bathroom, the kitchen, on a coffee table or as wall art. It would make an excellent gift. Lucie de Moyencourt, the artist behind the studio, imbues her work with a sense of sunshine and the seaside, and that carefree joy radiates from it. She uses clay which is so absorbent and means that her paints…

TIME TO SHINE We’re still enjoying zellige tiles’ moment in the spotlight, especially as they’ve moved from kitchens and bathrooms into other areas of the home. This shot makes the case for covering your fireplace in the stuff, and we’re totally on board – it’s a genius way to deliver a hit of glossiness to a scheme in a way that still feels grounded and earthy. These are from the Medina collection, the latest collaboration between Bert & May and Fired Earth, which features zellige and encaustic tiles inspired by Moorish architecture in a palette of deep greens, warm ochres, soft neutrals and a pale cornflower blue. Dreamy.…

GAME, SET, MATCH Focused on circular principles, Soundbounce is an exciting project by recent graduate Mathilde Wittock who has transformed discarded tennis balls into a unique surface material. Thanks to the rubber and felt construction of the balls, the material contains superior sound-absorption qualities. This innovative idea is an ace in our eyes. While multiple designs are available, the curvaceous lounger makes a striking statement. From £2,900, Mathilde Wittock a benchmark Technogym invited leading designers, including Anna Bonomi (above), to use its bench as the starting point for a creative project. The results were auctioned in collaboration with Sotheby’s, with proceeds donated to UNICEF; shop more online. From £7,000, Technogym HOLD COURT A revered addition to any table setting, Christofle’s iconic Mood collection of flatware was transformed this year in…

It’s here, the most wonderful time of the year – and we want it to be the most stylish Christmas ever. That doesn’t mean it has to be stressful, though: know that all anyone actually remembers is the ambience, and that a relaxed host is much better than a napkin with hospital corners. And speaking of napkins – what better way to set the scene for a laid-back, funfilled festive season than this cracker design from Liberty? It’s playful, it’s jolly, it’s chic – it’s everything we want from our seasonal decorations this year.…

the beauty of Christmas lights, if done well, is that they can transport you into an enchanting environment, creating a world where all is twinkly and the mood is one of escapism, comfort, family and friends. I’m a traditionalist – my mother is German and when we do Christmas the whole house is covered in lights from top to bottom. The ambience is so warming. Of course, it’s as easy to get lights wrong as right – too much and they lose their allure, the wrong colours and the whole vibe is off. Having done many Christmas shoots – and styled my own home countless times – this is how I always approach them. Frame reflective surfaces. The real magic of lights comes when you string them over a mirror…

my style is very minimalist,’ says interior designer Vivi Bang. ‘I like the clean look – when it’s the architecture of a space that catches the eye, rather than the decor.’ It’s a sentiment you might think is hard to marry with a bountiful, fun-for-all-the-family approach to festive decoration, where garlands and candlesticks and pomegranates jostle for centre stage. But, actually, Vivi has perfected the art of a calming Christmas without holding back on the ornaments and dressings. ‘The trick is to put your usual things away,’ she says, having sent much of her well-edited collection of objets into boxes in the basement. ‘I used to just put Christmas decor on top of everything I already had out and it became too much. But if you remove a lot of…

In all the years I’ve been writing about interiors, I’ve never heard a designer say that they want to create spaces that give people solace. But that’s the main aim of the London-based designer Cat Dal – to create a sense of being held, nurtured and comforted, and I felt it was the perfect feeling to cherish this Christmas. ‘I like to use colour palettes to evoke emotional responses, to fill homes with natural, tactile materials and to make sure there is enough storage so that the home never feels cluttered,’ Cat says. ‘If your home can soothe you, and give you lovely moments every day then, yes, it can become a place of solace.’ Her work on this four-storey home in northwest London, is a haven of comforting colour.…

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CIRCUS 25 Circus 25 is one of my go-tos for bespoke ottomans – the brand offers every aspect designed to order. It also has a good range of shapes – ottomans don’t have to be rectangular or circular, scallop- or hexagon-shaped ones can add interest to a room. We tend to use Circus 25’s designs for larger projects where we may also be specifying sofas and other unique pieces of furniture in a scheme. GUY GOODFELLOW If I’m upholstering a vintage ottoman, one of my go-to fabric brands is Guy Goodfellow – I love its Olive Sacking in particular. Weaves are good for ottomans as they are harder wearing and I like the depth of texture they can bring. VINTERIOR We always try to include vintage pieces in schemes as…

BIG IMPRESSION The beauty of natural stone is something Karndean Design-flooring has harnessed in its new Art Select collection. Inspired by the delicate patterning and translucent quality of onyx – sometimes used on decorative panels and accessories, but too delicate to be applied to other elements of interior design like flooring – the brand has made the most of modern technology to capture the stone’s essence in a versatile new flooring design. With its large-format, 18” x 36” tile, and three colourways to choose from – Black, Pearl and Rose (pictured here) – it’s a practical option for kitchen and bathroom flooring, and lends these spaces a truly special, almost ethereal quality.…

No longer bottled up, cork is popping off throughout interiors and exteriors as architects adopt the lightweight material across flooring, cladding and wall-coverings. And while its earthy quality makes it an eye-catching choice, cork’s strongest appeal goes beyond the surface: it’s eco-friendly. The renewable resource is harvested primarily in Portugal and Spain from the bark of cork oak trees, which are never cut down or harmed in the process (the phrase ‘money doesn’t grow on trees’ doesn’t apply here, at least not for cork farmers). And as far as natural building materials go, the perks are legion. Cork is sustainable, recyclable, water and fire resistant – the list goes on. Initially used for insulation, cork is increasingly being brought out into the open by architects who are using it both…

Ikos Porto Petro, Mallorca, Spain IN A SENTENCE Ah, but how could you ever sum up a way of life in just a sentence?! Ikos, the mini-chain with luxe resorts across southern Europe, is the all-inclusive for people who think they don’t do all-inclusives. DESIGN DOWNLOAD The vibe is neutral palettes, pared-back spaces and restaurants entirely open on one side to let the sea breeze in. Salvias, cornflowers and herbs line walkways that snake around pools, leading you to beautiful beaches and sunset coves. ON THE MENU There is, quite literally, something for everyone here. Spanish, Thai, Italian and more – each restaurant specialising in the very best of its cuisine. You’ll quickly learn which are great for those with kids and which are better for those without, making it…

IN SHAPE Exuding art deco opulence with a contemporary twist, the Colourblock candlestick holders by Atelier Raff can be styled individually or as groups to create an eye-catching vignette on the table or mantelpiece. The geometric crystal forms reflect the flickering light of the flame, enhancing the intimate atmosphere on cosy winter evenings. With two designs available, mix and match them to create a striking feature with the candlelight positioned at different heights. From £76, Atelier Raff tie the knot Transport yourself to the magic of Venice with the Venetian Knot candleholder by Aina Kari. Inspired by the knots and ropes used on the city’s gondolas and boats, this intricate design has been expertly handmade by Murano glass artisans. It’s available in multiple colours, but our attention is drawn to…

neptune’s new collection is a feast for the eyes: furniture that takes the timelessness of classic designs and translates them for the modern day, accessories that deliver an abundance of texture, and a Christmas edit that conjures feelings of nostalgia and indulgence. We chatted with co-founder John Sims-Hilditch about how the latest pieces speak to the way we want to live right now. Neptune’s AW collection is about ‘autumnal indulgence’ – we couldn’t think of a better phrase to sum up this season. What does it mean to you? It captures the essence of the season and the sense of warmth we naturally gravitate towards. It brings to mind vibrant tones inspired by nature like rich greens, yellows and our seasonal shade Bracken, a rusty orange. At home we love…

Stepping inside this playful, yet glam and art-laden, West Village brownstone you’d never guess the family of five who own it had recently moved from a pre-war apartment on the Upper East Side – an area better known for its elegant, but occasionally prim, approach to interiors. But the family wanted to shake off those constraints and immerse themselves in the energy of downtown NYC. ‘Before moving, we found ourselves in the neighbourhood every weekend, enjoying its architecture, shops and restaurants,’ says the wife, ‘and with one of our children heading to college, it felt like the right time to make a change.’ They unearthed a classic brownstone, prized for the ancient sycamore tree in the backyard and the multiple rear gardens backing onto their own, something known in the…

IN THE MOOD Did we set this image aside for our December issue because of its Christmassy palette? Well, yes – but it also feeds into two key themes for our decorating section this month, namely nostalgic colours and dining room designs. The walls are covered in one of Arte’s newest finishes, Washed Linen, which is a really good option for anyone who’s new to adding texture to their walls – it’s soft, subtle and natural-looking. The gentle green walls paired with the pop of red in the chairs is making us feel festive, sure – but paired with brass accents and that glorious rich wood table base, it also taps into a mood for nostalgia that we’re seeing in decorating trends right now.…

GLITZ AND GLAMOUR Chandeliers tap into the trend we’re seeing this winter – we all want a thing of beauty in our homes. Maybe it’s the glitz of the festive season or a move away from a matte and muted kind of minimalism, but we’ve spotted more and more elaborate light fixtures in designer homes. The new wave of chandeliers is exciting: we’re talking sculptural and organic forms, coloured and smoked glass finishes and a sense of timelessness. We’re all in on this trend, so we were delighted to see this chandelier star in the autumn/winter look-book from lights&lamps – think opal, porcelain and textured glass designs with finishes in bronze and aged brass. We’re obsessed with this alabaster glass chandelier with its organic, curved form – just the right…

ALL AGLOW Original BTC launched two new wall lights this year – the Blossom wall light, a dainty, floral-inspired light in fluted bone china, and the Christie wall light, pictured here, a wavy, shell-like sculptural piece that emits a soft glow. It’s perfect as an alternative to pendant lighting in a dining area – statement-making, but a little more unexpected. Christie wall light, £765, Original BTC ON SIDE Porta Romana’s AW24 collection is as exquisite as expected, showcasing the brand’s penchant for beautifully crafted items, including metalwork. Take the Forest side table, painted gold with a marble top – we can see this in a cocktail corner next to the home bar. £2,940, Porta Romana MATERIAL GAINS Bamboo shows no sign of fading out of favour, and we’re into Alfred…

SMALL VICTORY Could this little beauty be the pinnacle of space-saving bathroom style? Crosswater’s new and lovely Tambour vanity hits the trendsetting sweet spot by combining curves, grooves and this season’s hottest burnt red shade in one 60cm wide unit. Shown here in Soft Clay, it also comes in Sage Green and Matt White. Tambour vanity, from £845, Crosswater OH-SO EASY If you like the look of small-scale finger tiles but don’t love the idea of maintaining them, Porcelain Superstore’s new Faenza range is the answer. Paying homage to the Japandi trend, each tile features two rows of ‘fingers’ with super-realistic grout-effect joints that are wipe-clean and won’t stain – so you can achieve the beautifully textured finish of traditional finger tiles without the fuss. Faenza Cotto tiles, £50.40sq m,…

WET VERSUS DRY ‘A wet bar usually is some distance away from the primary kitchen and includes a sink, wine fridge, ice machine and fridge; this offers clients the full capacity to make drinks of all types,’ explains David Flack, founder and principal of Melbourne practice Flack Studio. ‘Our dry bars are easily placed throughout the house, whether they’re free-standing or integrated within cabinetry.’ The best location for a bar, he adds, is usually the living room or dining area. ‘Being close to the most comfortable communal spaces in your home is important, so you can celebrate making drinks with your friends and family, or enjoying one solo.’ CLOSE ENCOUNTER ‘Take inspiration from your favourite bar or restaurant when it comes to design,’ advises Australian architect Rob Mills of Rob…