This One Type of Furniture Will Help You Avoid Feng Shui 'Poison Arrows' In Your Home
The article highlights how furniture with rounded, fluid forms can mitigate Feng Shui “poison arrows” – sharp angles that disrupt energy flow. Designers Anjie Cho and Michelle Accetta explain that curvy pieces embody the water element, counterbalancing fire energy, especially in the year of the fire horse. The piece lists specific products, from a sand‑boucle accent chair to Soho Home’s Eli Storage Bench priced at £931 (≈ $1,180), illustrating how to incorporate fluid designs in living rooms and bedrooms. Emphasizing both aesthetic trends and ancient practice, the guide positions fluid furniture as a practical way to enhance home harmony.
Curated Finds for Hilde | Livingroom Seating
Design Lab’s Livingetc service presented a curated seating plan for Hilde, aiming to balance the striking Little Petra sculpture with complementary furniture. The proposal recommends a small two‑seater Covent sofa or a second armchair to anchor the space, alongside a...
Curated Finds for Nadia | Refining the Seating Balance
Livingetc stylist Miaad Latoof curated three accent chairs for client Nadia, emphasizing warm orange and yellow velvets that echo the brown sofa, pink accent chair, and wood tones in the living room. The selections include Westwing’s Mikkel lounge chair (£359 ≈ $449),...
OMG, OMG, OMG — This Just In: West Elm X Emma Chamberlain Will Be Available in the UK From Tomorrow
West Elm has partnered with YouTube star Emma Chamberlain to launch a whimsical home‑wares collection in the United Kingdom. The line becomes available online on April 10, with physical stores opening on April 17. Pieces range from a two‑tone vanity desk to...
Linen vs Cotton Curtains — Which Material Is Best for Your Window Treatments?
Spring’s brighter days prompt homeowners to swap heavy drapes for lighter window treatments. Designers compare linen and cotton curtains, highlighting linen’s textured weight and dimensional drape versus cotton’s crisp surface and low‑maintenance durability. Both fabrics are breathable, making them suitable...
I Finally Found a Water Butt for My Garden That's Not a Total Eyesore — And Landscape Designers Say My...
Garden designers are championing rain‑water butts as a practical, eco‑friendly way to water gardens, especially now that hosepipe bans are common. Garden Trading’s new Kingscote 200 L rattan water butt blends a hand‑woven rattan exterior with a recycled‑plastic liner, offering a...
"I'm Looking for a Mirror for Over My Fireplace" — These Are the Best Options Right Now, According to a...
Interior stylist Iokasti Sotirakopoulou advises homeowners to start with a mirror when decorating above a fireplace. She outlines four leading styles—arched, sculptural, vintage, and minimal—each offering a distinct visual impact. Mirrors not only fill the void but also reflect light,...
Curated Finds for Gemma | Softly Sculptural Bedside Tables
A stylist curated five bedside tables that blend sculptural softness with practical storage, targeting a narrower width but maintaining visual grounding. The selections feature rounded forms, natural wood tones, and a mix of closed drawers to keep bedroom spaces uncluttered....
I Style Homes Around How They Feel — These Are the 24 'Sensory' Products I Always Come Back To
The interior‑design world is shifting from purely visual aesthetics to sensory‑focused interiors, a movement rooted in neuroaesthetics that ties colour, texture, scent and light to mood and stress levels. Stylists like Iokasti Sotirakopoulou of Design Lab by Livingetc curate product...
5 Overhyped Features You Can Probably Skip When Picking a Soundbar — They're Style Over Substance, Says Our Expert
The article warns consumers that many soundbar specifications are more marketing than merit, highlighting five features that can be safely ignored. It explains why virtual surround, up‑firing Atmos drivers, Hi‑Res audio claims, built‑in voice assistants, and excessive HDMI inputs often...
"We Completely Avoided White" — How This Designer Used a Palette of Soft, Soothing Pigments to Create a Calming Home
Brian Woulfe, founder of Designed by Woulfe, transformed a Notting Hill apartment by deliberately avoiding white and embracing a palette of soft, creamy pigments. He applied liquid‑metal finishes to joinery, allowing the surfaces to develop a subtle patina that catches...
These Solo Stove Torches Might Be the Most Dynamic, Exciting Way to Light Your Garden Paths
Solo Stove has expanded from smokeless fire pits to garden lighting with its Mesa Garden Torch, now sold at John Lewis. The torch uses the brand’s 360‑degree airflow system to produce a large, smoke‑free flame that burns up to five hours...
I Spent Weeks Searching for the Right Scandinavian-Inspired Sofa Bed — These 12 Styles Actually Get It Right
The article chronicles a personal quest to find a Scandinavian‑inspired sofa bed that balances style and practicality. After weeks of research, the author curates twelve models that deliver clean lines, comfort, and functional features such as storage and adaptable mattresses....
Small, but Important — Every Bathroom Needs a Bin, and I've Found the Most Design-Forward Ones That Elevate Rather Than...
Bathroom accessories often get ignored, but a well‑chosen bin can tie a space together. The article spotlights nine design‑forward bins ranging from natural resin to brushed brass, each offering a distinct aesthetic. Many options emphasize sustainability, such as hand‑woven rattan...
Nobody Wants "Uncool" Antiques in Their Home — These Are the 3 Kinds of Vintage Pieces That Designers Say Are...
Interior designers warn that certain antique styles are now considered uncool, urging shoppers to avoid bulky matching furniture sets, overly carved wood pieces, and excessive collectibles. They recommend selecting single, well‑chosen vintage items that complement modern furnishings rather than dominate...
Why Copying Beautiful Homes Straight From Instagram Is Creating an Era of 'Identikit Homes' — And Why That's a Really...
Instagram’s visual culture is turning interior design into a copy‑paste exercise, spawning what the author calls “identikit homes.” The platform’s trend‑driven aesthetics—moody blues, bouclé sofas and checkerboard floors—are being replicated without regard for light, scale or personal taste, eroding the...
5 Clever Ways to Make Your Washing Machine Quieter Through Design — Here's to Never Being Disrupted by a Spin...
Open‑plan homes amplify washing‑machine noise, disrupting daily life. Experts recommend simple, design‑focused fixes: securing the appliance on a level surface with adjustable feet, installing anti‑vibration mats or softer flooring, and positioning the machine behind custom cabinetry. Proper load balancing and...
The 'Marble Architrave' Trend Is the Idea That Makes Your Bathroom Look Incredibly Elevated and Expensive, and Gives It Main...
The latest bathroom design trend spotlights marble architraves—molded stone trims that frame showers, tubs, and doorways. Originating from ancient Greek and Roman architecture, the feature now serves both structural and decorative purposes, turning ordinary openings into luxe focal points. Designers...
Is Buying a Soundbar Actually Worth It in 2026? How Today's Tech Compares to TV Speakers, According to an Audio...
Flagship TVs are adding AI‑driven processing and technologies like Sony’s Acoustic Surface, but their built‑in speakers still struggle with bass depth and dialogue clarity. Modern soundbars compensate with dedicated center channels, up‑firing drivers, and AI‑based speech isolation, delivering a noticeably...
Want Your Garden to Look More Japanese? These 5 Plants and Trees Will Make It Feel Like Springtime in Tokyo
The article spotlights five quintessential Japanese‑style plants and trees—azaleas, hakonechloa grass, maples, mondo grass, and black pine—recommended by landscape designer Katherine Aul Cervoni for creating a tranquil, spring‑like garden. Each species is described with its visual appeal, growth habits, and...
How to Make an Olive Tree Look Expensive in a Garden — Advice From a Designer Who Nailed the Elevated...
Designer Gina Taylor shows how olive trees can give a London garden a luxurious Mediterranean feel by treating them as hero plants and surrounding them with a restrained, silvery planting scheme. She emphasizes selecting mature, UK‑acclimatized specimens with gnarled trunks...
Curated Finds for Kourosh — Rugs & Lamps
A stylist from Iokasti sent Kourosh a curated edit featuring a selection of rugs and lighting fixtures tailored to his office/dining space. The recommendations span hand‑woven jute and viscose rugs in various sizes, as well as pendant and wall lights...
What Are the Best Fabrics for Curtains? These Are the Ones Designers Rely on for the Most Design-Forward Drapes
Top interior designers emphasize natural fibers—linen, wool, cotton—as the go‑to curtain fabrics for both aesthetic depth and durability. Sheer wool and weighty velvets are highlighted for their ability to diffuse light while maintaining a structured drape, whereas silk offers luxury...
Curated Finds for Terrell | Vanity Hardware
Livingetc’s stylist Miaad Latoof curated a set of bathroom hardware for a client named Terrell, emphasizing a mix of walnut wood and brass to complement the space’s polished nickel fixtures and dark wood mirror. The recommendations include a high‑end Belwith Keeler...
Curated Finds for Suzi — Floor Lamps
Interior stylist Iokasti Sotirakopoulou delivered a curated selection of floor lamps for client Suzi, focusing on warm 2700 K lighting and a blend of Scandinavian, mid‑century and Japandi aesthetics. The list includes six options ranging from $244 to $1,245, each featuring...
Hear Me Out — I've Found the Floral Plates That Actually Prove Why a Flower Print Will Always Be Perfect...
Olivia Wolfe’s Livingetc piece spotlights 24 floral dinner plates that prove the pattern remains spring’s go‑to décor choice. The roundup spans budget‑friendly options like H&M’s $9 plate to luxury hand‑painted pieces costing around $505, illustrating a wide price spectrum. Wolfe...
21 of the Most Beautiful Gardens, Selected From Our Favorite Home Tours, to Inspire Your Outdoor Space This Season
Livingetc presents 21 striking garden designs—from Ibiza poolside villas to Manhattan rooftop terraces—showcasing outdoor spaces as true extensions of the home. Designers prioritize seamless indoor‑outdoor flow, climate‑responsive materials, and personalized aesthetics. The collection spans diverse climates, highlighting desert‑friendly California terraces,...
This Kelly Wearstler-Designed Restaurant Proves Brutalist Interiors Don't Need to Feel Hostile — Its Nature-Inspired, Textural Look Captures the Edgy...
Kelly Wearstler’s first European hospitality project, Beefbar at L'Apogée Courchevel, redefines alpine dining with a Brutalist‑inspired, nature‑driven interior. The restaurant spans five distinct zones—central bar, salon, east and west dining rooms, and a piano lounge—each layered with textured wood, near‑black...
IKEA's Iconic £19 FADO Globe Lamp Just Got a Colorful Update, and It Looks So Much More Expensive Than Its...
IKEA has refreshed its iconic FADO globe table lamp with a new pink, hand‑blown glass version priced at £19 (about $24). The lamp keeps the classic 24 cm height and 25 cm diameter silhouette, delivering a soft, diffused glow that looks far...
Is a 'Palette-First' Approach the Key to a Personal Home? Designer Simone Brewster on Using "Color as a Material in...
London‑based artist‑designer Simone Brewster argues that color should be treated as an architectural material, not merely a decorative accent. She begins every project with a curated palette that migrates from her paintings into furniture, jewelry, and installations. Brewster’s "color‑drenching" technique—applying...
This Foldable Outdoor Privacy Screen Brings Another Level of Flexibility to a Small Garden — Portable, and Affordable, the Stylish...
Outsunny’s foldable outdoor privacy screen, priced under £60 (about $76), offers a portable, weather‑resistant solution for small gardens and balconies. Made from solid fir wood, the 120 × 170 cm panel can double as a trellis, adding greenery while dampening noise. Its lightweight,...
'Nature-Drenching' Is Going to Be the Big Gardening Trend for 2026 — This Is How to Let Your Space Be...
The 2026 outdoor‑living trend dubbed “nature‑drenching” asks homeowners to let plants overtake furniture rather than merely placing décor among foliage. Designer Kris Manalo of Atkin & Thyme explains that climbing vines and hardy greens should wrap around pergolas, gazebos and modular pieces, turning...
How to Make Attracting Birds Feel Design-Y, and Not Ruin the Look of Your Garden
The article shows how modern garden design can attract birds without sacrificing style, emphasizing three core elements—trees, evergreen shrubs, and grasses—as natural habitats. It highlights specific plant choices such as crab apple, alder, and Stipa tenuissima, and stresses the importance...
How to Reset Your Home for Spring — 8 Things to Do Today to Properly Embrace the Bright New Season
The article outlines an eight‑step spring home reset, beginning with a concrete plan and moving through decluttering, completing any unfinished spring cleaning, and reorganizing storage zones. It then advises lightening the interior palette, maximizing natural light and fresh air, and...
Curated Finds for Emily | Paint Options
Livingetc’s stylist Miaad Latoof curated three warm‑brown paint options for a client named Emily, each chosen to harmonize with her existing wallpaper, rug, and dark‑painted living room. The selections—Benjamin Moore’s Reid Brown ($69), Farrow & Ball’s Deep Reddish Brown ($99), and...
Mid-Century Sofa Beds Are a Safe Bet to Always Look Good — I Spent Hours Whittling Hundreds of Options Down...
The piece positions mid‑century sofa beds as a stylish, space‑saving alternative that feels lightweight rather than bulky. It showcases a hand‑picked list of 20 models, with prices converted to roughly $380‑$6,600, illustrating a broad value range. The author stresses that...
"I Like an Element of Surprise" — How Sophie Ashby Uses Color, Texture, and Antiques for Her Instantly Recognizable Schemes
British interior designer Sophie Ashby of Studio Ashby creates instantly recognizable spaces by anchoring each scheme to a strong artwork and then layering colour, texture, and antiques. She deliberately avoids “matchy‑matchy” aesthetics, instead injecting contrast through unexpected pairings of modern...
5 ‘Overambitious’ Things You Probably Shouldn’t Plan Into Your Garden If You’re a Bit of a Beginner
Beginner gardeners are urged to skip five ambitious projects that can quickly become overwhelming. Experts recommend focusing on perennials instead of annuals, small water features rather than large ponds, native or low‑maintenance plants over tender exotics, simple vines like clematis...
This Contemporary-Looking 'Click-Clack' Chaise Moonlights as a Stylish Single Bed (and It's Currently 30% Off)
The Sawyer Chenille Modular Click Clack Sofabed Chaise Unit from La Redoute combines a sleek, armless chaise with a click‑clack backrest that transforms it into a single sofa bed in seconds. Upholstered in soft chenille, it features solid‑wood conical legs and fits...
Curated Finds for Natasha: Armchairs
Design lab stylist Iokasti curated a personalized selection of armchairs for client Natasha, blending vintage and modern pieces across a range of price points. The edit includes high‑end leather swivel chairs from Castlery, mid‑range velvet and leather options from NEXT,...
A Super-Detailed Guide to Sourcing Antique Artwork, From Someone Who's Spent Decades Combing France’s Brocantes and Flea Markets
The newly released 240‑page volume *The Art of Antiquing in France* offers a step‑by‑step roadmap for sourcing, evaluating, and preserving antique paintings across French brocantes, flea markets, and auction houses. It stresses the importance of cultivating relationships with dealers whose...
Nearly 50 Years Later, Studio 54's Disco Aesthetic Still Resonates Today — Here's How to Get the Look in Your...
Studio 54’s iconic disco aesthetic is experiencing a revival in contemporary interior design, as designers replace minimalist trends with theatrical, vintage‑inspired elements. The club’s signature mix of velvet, chrome, mirrors, and moody color palettes now appears in living rooms, bedrooms, and...
I'm Not Super Outdoors-Y, but HAY Might Have Just Convinced Me I'd Like Camping (or, at Least, the Look of...
HAY has launched the ‘Market Bag’ outdoor collection in partnership with British designer Jasper Morrison, now sold at Selfridges. The line blends minimalist Scandinavian design with rugged garden functionality, featuring stainless‑steel fire‑pits, recycled‑polyester fabrics, and fold‑away furniture. Prices range from...
What to Actually Buy for Easter Decor — A Stylist's Edit of Chic Finds That Bring Spring Vibes Without Endless...
Living etc’s stylist curates a chic Easter décor edit that emphasizes spring‑inspired tones and timeless pieces rather than overt holiday motifs. The guide starts with a layered table setting, blending pastel yellows, terracotta, and relaxed floral prints, then expands to vases,...
I'd Have Never Known This Sofa Was for a Garden If I Saw It in a Showroom — Its Iconic,...
King Living has expanded its iconic 1977 sofa into an outdoor version, swapping the original steel frame for a lightweight aluminium chassis and wrapping it in solution‑dyed polypropylene fabric. The outdoor model retains the low‑slung, sculptural silhouette and modular flexibility...
5 Genius, Designer-Approved Styling Tricks That Tackle the Biggest Eyesores in Your Kitchen — Say Goodbye to Features Spoiling Your...
Design experts highlight five simple styling tricks that eliminate common kitchen eyesores. By swapping plastic soap bottles for refillable dispensers, concealing outlets with cutting boards, draping fabric skirts over bulky appliances, corralling essentials on trays, and using an appliance garage,...
If You Have A Record Player, Then You Need to Be 'Vinyl Styling' — Here's How to Do It Like...
Design‑forward interiors are embracing analog listening, prompting homeowners to showcase vinyl collections as décor. Trend expert Victoria Robinson outlines five vinyl‑styling strategies—from gallery‑wall displays to curated bar carts—that turn album covers into visual statements. The tips emphasize thoughtful curation, complementary...
5 Bedroom Mistakes That Will Always Disturb Your Sleep in Spring — And How Experts Overcome Them
Spring’s shifting temperatures and longer daylight expose common bedroom missteps that can sabotage sleep. Experts Natalie Hasseck and Kenny Timper warn that over‑layering bedding, neglecting a seasonal reset, turning nightstands into charging stations, using overly vibrant colors, and allowing light...
Style Pulse AW26 — The Edit of the Most Important Trends for Next Season, in Context
Livingetc has published its Style Pulse AW26 trend report, outlining the most influential interior design directions for the upcoming autumn‑winter season. Drawing on insights from Paris Deco Off 2026 and dozens of showrooms, the guide spotlights anti‑trend timeless pieces, hyper‑personal...
5 Key Things I Just Learned About Designing Homes That Make You Healthier
Design experts gathered at Karndean’s Chelsea Harbour showroom to outline five principles for healthier homes. They emphasized that wellness design now hinges on spatial breathing room, user‑centered comfort, softer material finishes, personal emotional triggers, and acoustic control. The seminar showcased...