Home//Living Etc/April 2024/In This Issue
Living Etc|April 2024THE SMALL SPACE ISSUEI’m embroiled in my bathroom refurb. We had planned the whole thing for months around one specific bathtub from Landmade – the luxurious Torrens, which comes in at a rather decadent length of 180cm and width of 100cm. Technically, my floor space was big enough, but when I actually got the tape measure out and factored in that I’d also need a sink, WC and room to move around then, well, let’s just say my eyes were bigger than my square footage.So what I wanted to do with this month’s issue is look at homes where space isn’t infinite. Many of the houses we feature are sprawling, so by shining the spotlight on apartments and their confines we’re showing ideas that can be taken and used almost anywhere. The Berlin…2 min
Living Etc|April 2024circle roundAs if we needed another reason to love Heal’s, the British design brand has partnered up with East London’s Hackney Upholstery Studio for the launch of a new reupholstery service aimed at helping customers extend the lifespan of their furnishings. Choose from the entire Heal’s fabric selection, as well as a wider range sourced by the studio, and give a well-loved piece new life. Circularity is the key to sustainability in furniture, as in fashion – and this is a hugely important step we can get behind.…1 min
Living Etc|April 2024tangerine dreamPHOTOGRAPHS (JW ANDERSON) VICTOR VIRGILE/GAMMA-RAPHO VIA GETTY IMAGES; (EMILIA WICKSTEAD) JOE MAHER/BFC/GETTY IMAGES…1 min
Living Etc|April 2024fun house1 min
Living Etc|April 2024FULL CIRCLELIVING ROOMA mini office was created in one corner. The desk was positioned at an angle for a more relaxed look and to zone the space.DINING AREAThe round table is ideal as it allows for better movement around the open-plan living and dining room. ‘We chose one whose colours and texture echo the decorative elements of the fireplace,’ says designer Olga.LIVING ROOM‘We took as many opportunities as we could to reflect the light,’ says Olga, who backed the alcoves with mirrored panels. She also put a framed mirror between two windows and added a light.LIVING ROOM‘We added panelling to the walls for an elegant Parisienne look,’ says Olga. ‘And I enjoy the tension created between linear and rounded shapes.’The fact that interior designer Olga Ashby is ‘tuned into every possible…5 min
Living Etc|April 2024LITTLE WONDERLIVING ROOM‘We wanted the cosy feeling of being in a small restaurant or bar – a kind of modern approach to a curiosity cabinet; a room where you can sit and look at a lot of things,’ says owner Mike.DINING AREA‘I like curtains – I have a lot of them. They add cosiness and softness, keep the heat in with old buildings and can be used to hide spaces or make them look more organic,’ says Mike.just how do you introduce personality and joy into a small, rented apartment without it feeling crowded? There may be a lot going on in these pictures – surprising shapes, strong colours, plenty of quirky objets – but there’s also a sense of order and calm. The secret to this, explains artist and interior…5 min
Living Etc|April 2024subscribe today for 35% offSubscriber benefits Brilliant value: pay £53.99 for 12 months Beautiful interiors inspiration every month Delivered directly to your door – never miss an issuetwo simple ways to subscribeONLINE AT www.magazinesdirect.com/XLE/C89DBY PHONE 0330 333 1113 – quote code C89DLines are open Monday-Friday 8.30am-7pm and Saturday 10am-3pm UK timeOFFER CLOSES 31 MARCH 2024Offer open to new UK subscribers only. Pay only £53.99 every 12 months, saving 35% on the cover price. Savings are based on the annual subscription rate. We will notify you in advance of any price changes. Please allow up to six weeks for delivery of your first subscription issue (up to eight weeks overseas). For full terms and conditions, visit www.magazinesdirect.com/terms. For enquiries please call: +44 (0) 330 333 1113. Lines are open Monday-Friday 8:30am-7pm and Saturday 10am-3pm UK…1 min
Living Etc|April 2024dream world‘The top shades for calming bedrooms are blues, greens, all colours in between (green-blues and blue-greens) and neutrals like greys and whites. Blues are associated with the sky and water, both calming and meditative to peer at. Keeping your walls monotone, as opposed to combining different colours, is the most restful approach.’Amy Krane, architectural colour consultant and founder of Amy Krane Color‘Consider pulling in stronger tones through rugs, bedding and drapery fabrics, or bold colourful patterns to add a bit of pop to the room, like that morning espresso to give you a “seize the day” kind of feeling.’Jessica Risko Smith, founder of JRS ID‘Want to go bold? A combination of deep jewel tones adds richness and depth while creating an enveloping sensation that’s perfect for rest and recovery.’Sarah Barnard,…4 min
Living Etc|April 2024global outlook: interiors report1 PIN POINTEarlier last year aluminium furniture slowly took over my feed, and so it’s a welcome surprise to see the algorithm was onto something: according to an annual trend forecast by Pinterest Predicts, silver tones and chrome are on the rise. Who’s doing it best? My mind immediately goes to Philadelphia-based designer John Pomp, who recently opened a NYC showroom where metalwork is a staple in mixed material pieces; the legs of his new Warp dining table, pictured here, in particular seem destined for a rock star’s pad.2 AMERICAN DREAMI track wallpaper trends like it’s my job (ahem), which made it a delight to see this eye-popping collab between NYC and LA-based textile maker Voutsa (by George Venson, known for painterly prints) and interiors studio Marked (by Mark Cunningham,…2 min
Living Etc|April 2024on the rise: new stars of ceramicsLEV ROSENBUSHBrooklyn-born Lev Rosenbush was an NCAA soccer player for three years in America before he transferred to a BA in ceramic design at Central Saint Martins. Somewhat unusually, he manages to combine both his passion for the beautiful game with his artistic practice, and it’s this, along with the eye-catching forms and colours of his creations, that sets him apart in the world of ceramics.Now living and working between Brooklyn and London, Lev has designed pieces for retailers and collaborators across the US, including a black stoneware range for the launch of Jeremiah Brent’s Atrio. But his link to football goes back to his days playing for Kenyon College in Ohio. ‘The craft centre [at the back of the campus] was where I would often find myself after a…2 min
Living Etc|April 2024sleek tapsVOLAConsidering how central a role they play in our everyday lives, taps can often become an afterthought in a room’s design. Not so with Vola, whose sleek designs turn this functional item into a centrepiece. With more than 50 years of manufacturing under its belt, the Danish brand has perfected a kind of understated Scandinavian minimalism that nonetheless commands attention, and applied it to the staples of modern homes, from taps to towel rails. Its designs are particularly suited to contemporary spaces – think spa-like bathrooms with functionality hidden away, or kitchens in open-plan spaces where appearances are everything. If you enjoy the aesthetic, you’re bound to find the right product for your project.…1 min
Living Etc|April 2024laundry rooms1 OPEN ACCESSIn this small laundry room, interior designer Whitney Romanoff kept things simple. ‘To save on extra material costs we repurposed and painted a cabinet from the home’s guest bathroom, then added open shelving for easy access to cleaning supplies and hid the cats’ litter box behind a block-printed sink skirt.’Whitney Romanoff, founder of Meet West2 UTILITIES UNIFIEDWhen you’ve got varied storage requirements in a small space, whether it’s tall cabinets for vacuum cleaners and mops or larger cabinets for integrated washing machines and tumble dryers, the design trick known as ‘colour drenching’ can help simplify the look of your space. ‘To unify all of these practical functions, paint the whole space the same colour so the cabinetry, walls and woodwork all become one unit. This is a good…5 min
Living Etc|April 2024SEE YOU IN UPSTATE NYGO FOR…The modern rustic perfection. What do you mean you thought New York finished at E 237th Street? Head a little further north and the state quickly becomes a trove of farmers’ markets, design stores, luxe cabins and like a photo gallery of the designer Robert Stilin’s work come to life. His aesthetic characterises much of what you’ll find – think plaid, plump chairs and artful curation. It’s a heavenly part of the world.STAY FOR…Those design stores. Hudson Home, Magic Hill, Elissa Halloran Designs. Each one brimming with an eclectic take on what it means to turn a house into a comfortable, lived-in home. Of course, it’s a broad area but the road trip is part of the attraction. Forests, gentrified truck stops and cafes run by those having fled…1 min
Living Etc|April 2024the zellige zeitgeistWe know how much everyone loves zellige tiles from how every feature we write on them over at livingetc.com just flies, and the innovative ways to use these decorative darlings are keeping us feeling inspired. A prime source (for both zellige and creativity) is London’s Mosaic Factory, which has adorned this fireplace beguilingly in green. As seen at the showroom on Columbia Road and on its website, the brand has so many colourways, shapes and styles to choose from. From terracotta herringbone to cobalt pyramids, how will you style yours?…1 min
Living Etc|April 2024new iconsfor the Swedish design brand String Furniture, 2024 is a big year, marking, as it does, 75 years of the iconic pieces found in homes across the world. To celebrate, it has a year of exciting events and launches planned. We spoke to CMO Bo Hellberg to find out more.At a time when our homes have to do more things than ever, what’s the importance of multifunctional design? If you need to fit [multiple] functions into one space, you need modularity and flexibility – but something that people don’t think about is wellbeing. That space that you use for work one minute has to be a place where you relax the next. It needs a lot of different design elements, [as well as an] aesthetic that makes you happy about…2 min
Living Etc|April 2024taking shapewhat is sculpture?’ ponders American potter and designer Jonathan Adler. He’s asking because this once-rarefied genre has had something of an overhaul. ‘People are taking the idea of art off the walls – we’re entering into a fabulous free-for-all.’ What’s more, he adds: ‘Sculpture used to be the preserve of the wealthy, but there’s been a huge democratisation and you can now get it at all price points – this is the era of the great blurring.’Indeed, more and more homes are being decorated with sculpture – and in innovative ways. It’s actually essential with modern architecture, notes interior designer Georgia Collett, who turns to sculpture when decorating open-plan spaces with vast windows and fewer walls. ‘You can’t hang a painting in the middle of the room in the same…4 min
Living Etc|April 2024TREASURETROVEDINING ROOM‘Creating the délabré [dilapidated] wall effect took almost a month of work with a sponge and water, but we are super proud of it,’ says Nicola.DINING ROOMThe couple’s dream of a green marble table became a reality after the discovery of a striking marble slab.LIVING ROOM‘We wanted Mario Bellini’s Camaleonda sofa so it dictated the colours of the room’ says Nicola.this house is our very own cabinet of curiosities,’ say Nicola and Arianna, the owners of this striking Italian apartment. ‘We live surrounded by elements that inspire and stimulate us: colours, objects and wonders found during travels or browsing in vintage markets. We have played on the similarities and contrasts between furniture from the 1960s and 1970s and modern works of art by local artists. Each object tells a…4 min
Living Etc|April 2024wall flowersHOT TROPICPick palm prints on the moody side for an interior that’s sophisticated rather than kitsch. Paint woodwork in the darkest tone pulled from the design to ground the room, and embrace velvet upholstery for a cosy space.MEXICAN MURALPulling from the palette of the mural, this scheme has a 1970s aesthetic – but the curvaceous shapes bring the space up to date. The earthy desert tones of clay, terracotta, cactus and spice found in the mural are carried through the interior.BUTTERFLY EFFECTThe framing of this simple foliage illustration – a reworking of a classic Chinoiserie style motif – demonstrates how to bring botanical prints into a contemporary space.DREAMSCAPEIdeally suited to an entrance hall, in a clear space where the mural remains the key focus, this design is based on hand-painted…2 min
Living Etc|April 2024the big ticket: dining tablesA well-worn dining table is a piece of furniture that can get away with a few scuffs. Those stubborn red wine rings and scribbles from naughty toddlers only add to its charm over the years. It’s an item of furniture that tells a story, which is why, if you’re looking for a new one, it’s not a decision to be taken lightly. The chances are that you’ll have it for years to come. So what are the practical tips to swot up on, and what are the trends to know? We speak to the experts to find out more.Your chosen table shape can impact the layout of your room and how your family or guests interact with the space. Most homeowners opt for round or rectangular tables over oval and…3 min
Living Etc|April 2024cleverSHOW-STOPPERWe never knew we needed a Harvey Jones x Swoon collaboration, but now it’s here it makes complete sense: the clean lines and attention to texture typical of Swoon combined with the quality craftsmanship of Harvey Jones make for a particularly sleek and characterful kitchen. Combine ribbed and smooth finishes, choose from a palette of eight soothing colours and top with one of the range’s four worktops and – voilà – you get a personalised kitchen that’ll stop you in your tracks again and again.…1 min
Living Etc|April 2024interior curtains1 CUT CORNERSThe curtains in this Hamptons home smooth over an awkward corner while adding a statement feature thanks to a bespoke wooden cornice that cleverly edits the room’s architecture. ‘Curtains can act as a cinematic backdrop for a space, but of course they can also close off smaller areas or hide select elements to increase a sleek sense of organisation,’ says NY-based Timothy Godbold. ‘Curtains specifically are elegant; they aren’t fixed or static but move and follow long gestural lines.’PROJECT BY Timothy GodboldCurtains don’t need to be confined to windows. In a pinch – or shall we say cinch – statement curtains and drapes can stand in for heftier renovations like partition walls, sliding panels, hinged doors and more. And many designers lean into their flexible architectural qualities, softening…4 min
Living Etc|April 2024NEXT BIG THINGSCIENCE OF SCULPTUREI spotted Abid Javed’s work on Instagram and thought his pieces would be an excellent addition to [my ecommerce design platform] Curio as I love the unique inspiration behind the sculptural forms. His work breathes life into the unseen world; with his degree in biochemistry influencing his process, his pieces are informed by molecular biology, drawing inspiration from geometry and abstraction. His sculptural pieces push the boundaries of clay work, delving into the integration of ceramics with materials like paper, metal and wax. The attention to detail and level of craftsmanship are spectacular, employing pinch, coiling and slab techniques. It is beautiful to see how each piece effortlessly blends form, colour, texture and space. I’m eager to see him flourish. abidjaved.com; curio.space…1 min
Living Etc|April 2024tubular legsPUMP IT UPUnleash childlike excitement with the Balloon collection by designer Jan Waterston, which references the playful forms of balloon animals. Our pick is this upholstered chair: its Douglas fir frame and wool boucle details merge good humour with elegant sophistication, whilst finding a sensitive balance between art and design. £3,060, Jan WaterstonCREATURE COMFORTSSeating, footrest, side table… the delightful Little Monster stool by Dara Maison is many things, including beautiful. With its inviting velvet seat, shearling upholstered legs and brass detailing, it brings a multitude of texture – and joy – to the home. £595, Dara Maisonwork of artWith its Picasso-inspired surface and sculptural details, the Rainbow table by Laura Gonzalez is, well, a masterpiece. The multicoloured raku marquetry, expertly finished by Fabienne L’Hostis, might be the focus here, but…1 min
Living Etc|April 2024power playerthe artist and designer Simone Brewster would love to share how her various collectors around the world display her creations – from jewellery and paintings to sculptures and furniture – but she can’t because she’s signed NDAs. Yes, Simone is contractually bound not to reveal the identity of her VIP fans who have paid up to five figures for her work. It’s yet another indicator of success for the 40-year-old polymath. Others include the acquisitions of her work by notable institutions, namely the Smithsonian, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Museum of London, and that in May, she’ll be releasing a rug collection for Habitat.Genre-defying, politically engaged and high-concept, Simone is one of the most exciting design names of her generation. Although she trained as an architect, she confidently…4 min
Living Etc|April 2024feels like homebritish designer Nicola Harding set up her eponymous studio in 2007, and has been creating richly atmospheric spaces ever since. She has just launched NiX, her first collection of furniture and lighting for living rooms and bedrooms.PIP RICH You’re who I turn to when I want inspiration for a scheme that is supremely beautiful, but really homely, too. You straddle that balance like no one else. What are the ingredients you use to create that alchemy?NICOLA HARDING Well, thank you! I always think a home should be comfortable for real life, not for the version you think you ought to be living. And it’s the functionality of a space that brings it together – a reading light you can tuck in next to the bed, a table that’s just the…4 min
Living Etc|April 2024APRIL IN PARISLIVING ROOM‘We found the abstract painting after we had chosen all the colours but it was such a perfect match for the furniture mix that we had to buy it,’ says owner Sarah.DINING ROOM‘We wanted to feel very cosy within this large space so used velvet and the calming shade of blue on the library wall,’ says Sarah.KITCHEN‘The material palette – brass, velvet, mahogany parquet and granite – makes it feel posh but cosy,’ says Sarah.when Sarah Zaquine and her husband, Jacques, first set eyes on this swishy Paris apartment, its many charms were easy to spot: think impeccable proportions, lofty ceilings, elegant windows, ornate mouldings and a drop-dead gorgeous mahogany parquet floor. So far, so good – but aside from its good bones, there was very little to admire.…6 min
Living Etc|April 2024NEW ROMANTICLIVING AREAThe marble splashback with its ‘fire’ and ‘water’ labels is original to the apartment. The bar counter is new and was created by owner Lucilla after the wall was taken down.LIVING AREAThis is defined by two vintage sofas, both reupholstered in a green and aubergine velvet stripe.brera, the achingly cool neighbourhood in Milan where some of the most innovative new design is showcased during the annual Salone, is also home to Lucilla Bonaccorsi Beccaria. The eldest daughter of fashion maven Luisa Beccaria, she designs the brand’s fashion and homeware collections alongside her mother, as well as running trunk shows and the commercial side of the family brand, including foreign sales. ‘In short, I never back down when there is something to do,’ she laughs.Her bijou city apartment reflects her…4 min
Living Etc|April 2024colour decodedThis kitchen may be satisfyingly minimal, but there’s just so much going on. Initially, the eye wants to linger on the alluring deep blue matt-ness of the splashback, surface top and curved extractor, but it gets distracted and rolls off its beautiful bends into the rest of the room and its curious contrasts. ‘The space is a concerted effort to restrain expressive excess, resist architectural blandness and amplify a sense of joyousness and delight,’ says Adriana Hanna, director of architecture at Melbourne practice Kennedy Nolan. ‘Colour is deployed to create varying, distinct intensities of saturation, and we explore laminate’s ability to create dramatic sculptural forms.’The contradiction of the rugged terracotta tiles and the surrounding laminate flatness demands immediate attention. The textures here could not be more dissimilar – coarse handmade…3 min
Living Etc|April 2024flexible livingURBAN PLANNINGThis apartment is part of the first step by Rotterdam-based design office Shift towards Domūs Living, an urban concept for compact apartments with the benefits of shared amenities and a ready-made community on your doorstep. But while the apartments are small (43-60m2), they’re designed to be spacious and flexible, with a modular approach to living and private spaces defined by dividers – including an alcove for the bed that can be shut away as needed.INTO THE FOLDMateriality reigns supreme in this São Paulo apartment designed by Coletivo Arquitetos. Opening up a once fragmented floor plan into a bright and open home, the studio used slatted wood cladding to emphasise the expanded space. Separate from the main living area, a more private snug is hidden behind panels that pivot shut,…2 min
