Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2026 i Living Etc

Have you decided what your 2026 is going to be like yet? Predicting the future is a risky little game – I started 2025 off saying that I never wanted to move back to London (after five years living in Somerset) and am now absolutely adoring being in the heart of the capital city. I’m renting at the moment and hope to buy and put down roots again but anything could happen in the next 12 months. Yet that hasn’t stopped me from idly planning the sort of decor I might introduce if I do find myself in a new home. I’m really enjoying the surrealist revival noted by the designer Minnie Kemp in our report on new trends from page 12. Minnie has always been attracted to the more…

1 STUDIO BROCKY Brands that promote British craftsmanship will always have a place in our hearts – so Studio Brocky, which launched its debut furniture and lighting collection in autumn, more than earns its place on this list. Founded by Max Brockbank to celebrate craftsmanship over mass-market ‘noise’, the studio designs its pieces in London, sources materials from across the country and works with British craftspeople who are experts in their field – metalwork, furniture, textiles and more–to create pieces bound to become heirlooms. The inaugural collection is inspired by the spirit of the 1960s, both retro and futuristic in style – we love the Vanguard lounge chair (pictured, left). studiobrocky.com 2 PLEAT The chore of shopping for window dressings is lessened thanks to Pleat, a brand launched last year.…

We talk a lot at Livingetc about ‘timeless design’, making choices that won’t date and will feel cool and contemporary forever. For the past few years, those choices have tended to include white bouclé, marble, rounded edges and some sort of indoor tree and you wonder if these statements are as timeless as we think – or if we’ll look back in 10 years from our square-cornered leather sofas and realise how 2020s that aesthetic was. But every now and then a design emerges that is truly timeless, that transcends eras, looking as fresh now as it did when it was envisioned. Step forward Original BTC’s Hector series of lights. This series, with its mid-century sensibilities, its 90s industrialism and its heralding of British craft, looks like it could have…

TOP TABLE Interior design studio Arent&Pyke paired custom-cut terrazzo floor slabs with a custom marble table top – then softened the scheme with high-shine gloss paint. ‘We avoided overloading the senses by creating a push-pull tension of honed and polished, reflective and matt, soft and strong elements,’ the studio says. Custom table in Rosso Lepanto marble from Euro Marble, designed by Arent&Pyke. Custom-cut terrazzo floor in stone sourced from Santamargherita GRAND GESTURE Autoban transformed Manchester’s Stock Exchange Hotel with a renovation that honoured the building’s rich history, drawing on carefully restored elements to create grandeur. In the entrance hall, buffed chequerboard floor tiles sit against large rust-coloured columns and doorways surrounded by green stone – ornate features punctuated by the deep burgundy gloss of the console table. SHOW YOUR STRIPES…

ALL FRESCO Murals never go out of style – their ability to wrap around a room and pull you in charms interior designers over and over again – but we’re particularly excited by the idea of fresco-style designs. Arte is leading the way with Passeggio, a panoramic from the brand’s Kaolin collection: refined and textural, it depicts a nature-inspired pattern with a weathered effect for a finish that looks as though it’s been there for years. Passeggio wallcovering in Golden Olive, £1,229 per panoramic (200cm x 300cm), Arte…

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When the Australian decorator and curator Simone Haag opened Livingetc’s September issue with an essay on what the word ‘style’ means today, she talked about approaching interiors in the same way you would an outfit. She said that sometimes an unexpected twist, like the up-flick of a shirt collar, is all you need to look more sophisticated, and that the same attention to detail could elevate a space. So what are the ‘collar-flick’ moments of this three-bedroom home that she decorated in Adelaide? ‘Well, there is a lot of heavy timber – floorboards and ceilings – so the collar flicks came from softening them with the rugs, the curtains, and using a different fabric for every single chair,’ says Simone. ‘And, of course, the graphic carpet that we covered the…

before buying this house, Laura Sawyer’s pros and cons list looked perplexing. On the downside, it had no central heating or insulation; the floor joists were rotten; the chimneys were letting in water (so add damp issues to the list) and some parts were structurally unsound. But the positives immediately won out. ‘It was my dream house,’ says Laura. ‘I love Victorian design – it’s pragmatic. I love the original features, the double-front, the light, the proportions – it’s a four-bed house, but it’s so cosy.’ And she also loved the opportunity to start over completely – ‘I could create my perfect environment.’ In fact, that can-do spirit was Laura’s key criterion when it came to recruiting tradespeople: the ones who said ‘Oh, this is a huge job’ did not…

NEAT AND TIDY We’ve found just the thing to kick-start your new-year reorganisation drive, be it to clear up clutter or make more space in a small flat. Lualdi’s Framework panelling system reimagines walls as dynamic, multifunctional elements with a super-customisable design that combines shelving, drawers, lighting and more – all with that classically sleek Italian elegance, of course. You can create anything from walk-in wardrobes to bookcases and workplaces with this clever bit of kit, now with a new 60mm-thick door model and a dedicated aluminium frame. Framework, price on request, Lualdi…

A stylish solid surface made from waste Introducing Low Carbon Industrial (LCI) – the disruptors on a mission to slash architecture’s carbon footprint without sacrificing style. Their debut, Elenite, is a solid surface crafted from post-industrial waste, including walnut shell, walnut dust and bamboo fibre. Cutting carbon by 29% already, with 50% in sight, Elenite signals a bold future for sustainable design. Elenite in Buckland Brown and Dawson Black, £325sq m, Low Carbon Industrial Set the tone Pearl Beige is the appliance shade to watch for 2026. Responding to high demand, Miele has expanded its line-up in this softly shimmering neutral tone, which blends beige, grey and subtle metallic sparkle. Warm, cocooning and gently luxe, it plays nicely with natural stone and wood. The VitroLine Collection, from £2,829 for a…

Top of the list for any party is comfort. You want to be able to take people’s coats off the moment they arrive, and hand them a drink. Enlist a teenager to do both these things. Glasses should be pretty and non-valuable. They’ll break regularly, and that should feel OK. In my glass cabinet nothing matches, for that very reason. I’m a big fan of Zara Home, Ikea, Next, Dunelm, Mango Home and H&M Home. You can get wonderful glasses on the high street, ones that you won’t cry over if they get knocked. Patterned plates are a must. You don’t want a plain plate in sight, only things that stretch the imagination a little. People don’t eat a lot at parties as they’re too excited, so go for little…

OLIVE PITS One of the most exciting materials to come out of the past few years is even more so because it comes from such a humdrum source. It turns out that olive pits, rather than being discarded, have the potential to become a distinctive-looking material that can be used to craft everything from lamps to tabletops. Greek design studio Koukos de Lab, led by founders Christos Ververis and Irene Moutsogianni, has developed its own composite material using waste olive cores and pits from local olive oil production combined with natural binders – turning the resulting Koukoutsi eco-material into a chic line-up of interiors applications and products. ‘The olive pits and cores that remain after pressing are crushed, sifted and blended with natural binders to form a durable, stone-like material,’…

DESIGNING FOR LIFE ‘The interiors movement that I’m looking forward to seeing thrive in 2026 was summed up by designer Leanne Ford: “Don’t squat in your own home”,’ says Alex Dauley. ‘Homeowners are now embracing lifestyle design rather than trends. That is, designing spaces to support how you live functionally but also with aspiration: rooms where you can listen to your favourite vinyl or meditate and practise yoga. Interiors are bold, emotive, purposeful and personal – much like my WOW!house Date Night space.’ DELICATE MATERIALS ‘I’m drawn to this quiet return to emotional materiality, especially through embroidery and textiles,’ says Jo leGleud of Maddux Creative. ‘There’s something so beautiful about the way embroidery is being used right now: not as fussy decoration, but as a kind of subtle texture. Tonal,…

BEDSIDE COMPANION John Lewis has wowed us with its AW25 Modern Luxe collection – all mossy greens and deep rusts, soft velvets and burl wood, stone accents and hints of chrome. It encompasses all that we love about contemporary interiors right now, leaning into luxury and not being afraid to combine bold textures and a deep, dramatic palette. But if we had to choose just one buy, it would be this burl bedside table – a true showstopper of a piece. Burl bedside table, £349, John Lewis…

The shade of jewels, velvets and silks, teal speaks of old-school, old-money decadence. On walls, it wraps around the room like a thick 18th-century cloak, warming and comforting but at the same time energy-filled and invigorating. Not quite green, not quite blue, it hangs in a beguiling in-between zone, and it’s this range that gives teal its magic – from deep, forest-y tones to brighter, more oceanic shades, it shimmies along the green-blue spectrum, morphing from serene to stimulating, mysterious to muted depending on the light, the time of day, the colours around it… Teal creates a surge of power that is impactful yet controlled. This is a potent colour that envelops you in its everything’s-okay embrace, but somehow lifts you up while doing so. Depending on the tone, you…

THE PALETTE WAS VERY WELL CONSIDERED – STARTING WITH THE TONES OF THE FLOORING AND WORKING UP FROM THERE, WE CHOSE COLOURS THAT COMPLEMENTED THE GRAINS OF THE WOOD ‘The homeowner loves wellness and celebration in equal measures – as we all should do,’ says Portia Fox, the interior designer behind this impressively sprawling and architecturally rich four-storey home in Chelsea, west London. It’s a place that reflects both sides of his personality, with an onsen, ice bath, massage table, sauna and smartly kitted out home gym close to a fully-stocked home bar, a games table, a wine fridge big enough for 2,000 bottles and even a humidor room for cigar smoking. In fact, part of the original brief for the basement level (where you’ll find all the hedonism-related areas)…

DOUBLE DUTY Wallpapering the fronts of a wardrobe instantly transforms it into something unique, as this room by Suzie Mc Adam Design shows. ‘This space had to offer a duality for our clients, where they could both work and retreat,’ says Suzie. ‘We wanted it to feel light and airy, so opted for pale oak joinery. We chose the wisteria wallpaper to reflect the property’s exterior, which is enveloped by wisteria in spring.’ Joinery, Suzie Mc Adam Design. Edo Wisteria wallpaper, Iksel ARTISTIC EXPRESSION In this space, designed by Finch Interior Design, the client wanted an open-plan lounge that doubled as a media room. ‘Hiding the TV was central to achieving this so we designed the joinery with sliding artwork,’ says founder Nicola Crawford. Artwork by Mary West. Joinery, Freeborn…

If there’s any place we can relax, home ought to be the safest bet. But home is also full of everyday distractions: stacks of dishes in the sink, pings from our phones, even the whirring of pneumatic drills or leaf-blowers from the street. These are just a handful of reasons today’s homeowner might carve out space that invites relaxation – and few capture the mood quite like a meditation nook. ‘This desire for dedicated sanctuaries within the home resonates particularly well with the growing cultural focus on wellness and self-care,’ says designer Anna Jach. ‘These thoughtfully designed spaces serve as essential refuges for meditation and relaxation, ultimately enhancing quality of life and giving a chance to reset.’ Relaxation areas, of course, are not entirely new. But the boldest examples tend…

ATELIER COMO Sheila Cortale and Inés Moyes Li-Wearing are the duo behind interior design studio Atelier Como. They met while working at Studioilse and both previously came from architectural backgrounds, ‘which is our foundation’, they say. ‘We’re both of mixed heritage, brought up in the UK, and we share a deep curiosity and sensitivity to people and place, culture and identity.’ Already under their belt is a span of projects including a beautiful Georgian townhouse in Barnsbury – and a collaboration with Patch, which saw Sheila and Inés help to transform High Wycombe Library (above) into a local centre for work, culture and community. Using natural and sustainable material palettes, Atelier Como aims to curate interiors that feel coherent – where, ultimately, ‘the architecture and interiors are completely intertwined’, the…

1 Dream team Good sustainable design news: Naturalmat has launched ReNew, a limited-edition closed-loop fabric created in collaboration with IINOUIIO. Pattern-cutting offcuts are sepa rated by colour and shredded into fibres, then blended with wool and cashmere offcuts from the textile and clothing industry and transformed into a new thread. Pictured here on Naturalmat’s newly launched Narrow Halstock bed, it’s a perfect example of how smart circular design can be. The Narrow Halstock bed in ReNew Wool Blend, from £2,640, Naturalmat 2 Artful accessories Dinosaur Designs reached its 40th anniversary in 2025 and celebrated by launching Rock, a homeware collection including vases, bowls, platters and servers in the brand’s signature resin. All pieces reference the shapes and palettes that have become the touchstones of previous collections. From £20 for a…

PIP RICH Congratulations on The Chancery Rosewood hotel – I adore it. It’s very you. Are you pleased with how the decor turned out? JOSEPH DIRAND Thank you, and absolutely! It was interesting to convert an old building, from what used to be a huge demonstration of power as the U.S. Embassy in London, into something softer, calmer, more in context with the city and buildings and people around it. The architecture has such a presence – it was designed by the legendary Eero Saarinen in the 1960s – but I wanted to make sure it was welcoming and open. PR ‘Welcoming’ is one of the key words people use to describe what they want their home to be now – every trend we report on currently feeds into that…

ART FORM ‘The clients had two sculptures – serendipitously titled In Conversation – by Texan artist Jeffie Brewer,’ says Homan Rajai, co-founder of San Francisco’s Studio Ahead, of this dining room. ‘We thought, why don’t we use these for the legs of the table and make the woodwork around them in the style of Brancusi’s totems and edge details? The clients loved the idea – it’s a perfect example of making something magic and surreal from a memory the clients had.’ Table, custom. Chairs, Rooms Studio and 1stDibs. Custom pendant, Phoenix Day, with shade by Vacht Van Vilt BALANCING ACT In the dining zone of an openplan converted barn designed by Gräfling, a mix of textures and materials – including an oval lacquered table and an original chandelier from the…

Q Colour drenching – when should I do it and when shouldn’t I? Plus what do I need to know if I decide to go for it? Colour drenching generally makes a space feel cocooning and cosy. In a cinema room we designed, we wanted exactly that feeling; it’s predominantly an evening space, so leaning into depth and drama made sense. But that’s the key consideration: is it a room you use mainly in the day or at night? My general rule is that daytime areas need to feel lighter and brighter. If you’re colour drenching, then picking the colour needs to come first, with everything else inside the space flowing from that main choice. The cinema room features a wallcovering rather than a paint – we used Tektura Bead…

now is the season for entertaining and you would be hard-pressed to think of a space more suited to welcoming in a posse of guests than this zhuzhed-up ground floor of a much-loved family home. Masterminded by designer Roelfien Vos, its embrace of punchy hues and vibrant pattern is no surprise to those who know her work. Happily, the family who commissioned her are just as adventurous: ‘They were open to lots of colour and bold choices,’ she says. The house was built in the 1930s and the clients had already been living there for some time when they approached Roelfien for a ‘touch-up with colour and wallpaper’. Instead, the designer advised they reconfigure the layout for better functionality and flow. ‘I saw that the layout needed to be reworked…

LOW PRIORITY Interior designers Muriel Gregoir and Frédéric Vankeijmeulen of Duo Grevan still needed storage for their books and games in their Provence home, so they added this fabric skirt under a ledge in the living room. ‘The soft curves of the skirt also bring romance and roundness to the more geometrical corner,’ they explain. SPLIT SCREEN Applying the idea to this shelf in European interiors brand Dusty Deco’s show apartment gives a fresh twist to the classic gallery wall. It’s ideal for when you’d rather not display objects at floor level – adding storage while keeping the decorative rhythm intact. HALL PASS For a different take on skirted storage, the architects of this East Hampton home designed joinery for the hallway between the main bedroom and bathroom. ‘It was…

At a glance Hong Kong is a city that never stops – merging old and new, East and West, and the mix always surprises you. The backstory Bodin spent his early childhood here, and it’s also where we chose to stay after meeting in Milan. We got married in Hong Kong and soon after founded Studio Yellowdot. The contrasts here – glittering skyscrapers beside bustling street markets, temples tucked within neon chaos – have deeply shaped our design DNA. For Dilara, coming from Istanbul, the city’s cultural mix, bold colours and fast-moving rhythm instantly felt like home. Its international spirit continues to inspire how they bring together craft, play and innovation. Design stop Central is Hong Kong at its most impressive – skyscrapers by I.M. Pei, Norman Foster and Zaha…

AMERICAN DREAM Interior designer Martin Brudnizki has managed to do something quite amazing with Twenty8 NoMad in Covent Garden. Stepping inside, you’re transported into something between a classic French bistro and a buzzing New York establishment, where ochre and tobacco hues, rich wood tones and plenty of leafy plants channel something of the vintage Palm Court. Once you’ve browsed the portraits by Napoleon Sarony hung up on mirrored walls, get seated for New York City-inspired food with a twist – and, of course, a cocktail from bar royalty Leo Robitschek’s curated menu.…