Living Etc February 2022

what i’m into this month 1 Impressed with Lick’s perfect White 03 paint. Just creamy enough to feel sunny. 2 Realising that, if chosen carefully, wood burners can be eco-friendly. Perusing Arada’s selection with that in mind. 3 Rimadesio’s London showroom is such a haven of organisation and calm. Storage has genuinely never been this chic. My advice for anyone tackling a renovation is to get the living room finished first. I mean, a completed kitchen is handy, sure, but having a space to put your feet up in each evening is really the tonic you need to stop getting too dependent on the gin. Yes, there are still whole rooms my husband and I can’t get into (the joys of this particular 1840s house is that the walls start crumbling down if you…

HAPPY PLACE For French designer Irina Flore, being isolated at home, using the same glass or plate, became monotonous so she began to explore the shapes of everyday objects and created sculptural drinkware that is colourful and naive with off-kilter bases and stems. Each piece is handcrafted in Istanbul. Joyful glassware, £147 each, Studio Flore (irinaflore.com) CREATE A STIR Wonderfully eclectic accompaniments to homemade cocktails, Yali Glass’ multicoloured sets of glass stirrers are handmade in Murano – Venice’s historic home of glassmaking – and each is shaped with a spherical end that highlights the cool colour combinations. £235 for a set of eight, Matchesfashion (matchesfashion.com) SUGAR HIGH Designer Nienke Sikkema’s towering stacked candleholders became an instant crowd-pleaser at the recent Dutch Design Week. Willy Wonka-esque in candy hues, the holders play with the transparency, colour…

The punchy colours and graphic shapes seen on this season’s runways now adorn artisanal homeware FEATURE JO BAILEY PHOTOGRAPHS GUILLAUME ROUJAS FOR INSTITUT FRANÇAIS DE LA MODE (IFM); ISSEY MIYAKE INC…

With his distinctive style of theatrical furniture and accessories, Tom Dixon has convinced us that hallucinogenic molten glass pendant lights, high-shine gold furniture and iridescent accessories should play a key part in domestic spaces. His recent collaboration with VitrA is a collection of playfully formed bathroom accessories. How do you imagine your dramatic designs in homes? We do use materials in unexpected ways and for me the best way to use iridescence or gold is as a contrast to perhaps a more subdued backdrop. These finishes are intended to surprise, but we also use earthy materials like cork, which still delight but blend into modern homes. For me, the exciting thing is to make surprising juxtapositions, such as my molten glass Melt pendant over a farmhouse kitchen table or my futuristic HYDRO…

To make the most of a modest space, the rule of thumb has traditionally been subtle decor. However, we are seeing interior designers throwing out the rule book, creating joyful maximalist schemes in compact rooms. Bijou Notting Hill flats are being furnished like rambling country homes, with generous seating and bold fabrics, and tiny city bathrooms come to life with high-energy tiles. ‘People often believe smaller spaces call for more pared-back design, but I disagree,’ says designer Sophie Ashby. ‘A living area should feel like a cocoon that gives a sense of who you are, and smaller spaces are often better for creating this heightened sense of character.’ REPEAT COLOURS Interior designer Sophie Ashby transformed her one-bedroom home by being bold. ‘If you want to create a room that feels really charismatic,…