As interior-design enthusiasts, our Instagram feed reads like an Architectural Digest as we scroll through the Carlo Scarpas of the world and goggle at the Charlotte Perriand-esque chaise that purvey an unfamiliar person's abode. We're intrigued by the seemingly barely-lived in minimal homes as well the tall ceilings awash with art deco grandeur; saving posts to our ever-growing wish list for when we move out of our London flats and "get my own place". But we know that seeing is believing so we've craned our heads up and out of our screens and sought out advice from 4 experts in the art & design world to help us take one (achievable) step closer to our fantasy home reality.
"It’s all about the lighting… Good lighting is key and can affect the mood of any space, especially in a dark room. I always like to layer up different lighting sources to set the mood - using a mix of ceiling lights, pendants, wall lights, side lamps and floor lamps - all on dimmers so that you can control the ambience at different times of the day.
To really set the room apart, choose a light that really makes a statement and is the centrepiece to the room; chosen well, a sculptural chandelier can be as enjoyable as a treasured piece of art! And if you have high ceilings, don’t be afraid of going big - it can often give the illusion of space.
The best thing about investing in a beautiful pendant or lamp is that you can always take it with you if you move, so it’s a good choice if you’re renting, for example."
DESIGN & THAT'S Drop Chandelier Bulb
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Rebecca Howarth, South-London Based Artist
"The colours used in a piece will heavily influence your decision making when choosing artwork for a particular room but I’d say the best artwork is the art you connect with instantly. If you don’t get a spark of joy or appreciation when first looking at a piece, you’re probably focusing too much on the colour and not on the actual artwork."
Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin, co-founders of Forma Fantasma
"One very good solution is to start using some of the autoprogettazione furniture pieces designed by Enzo Mari. These are all based on standard planks and technical drawings are available. Another suggestion is to pay attention to lighting. The best is to have many individual lamps so that intensity can be easily changed. Even inexpensive pieces do the trick."
Forma Fantasma tile designs for material company, Dzek.
Ruth Wassermann, Design Director of MADE
"I think the key thing this Winter is to embrace whatever makes your home an enjoyable place to be, to make it a true reflection of 'you'. We’ve already seen lots of popularity for accessories and art, where customers are looking to inject some fresh personality into their space. Colour is key for that, but really pay attention to texture as well. We've brought lots of tactile materials like boucle and corduroy into our recent collections to create a sensory experience. They can be quite quirky and a statement when paired with bolder colours or silhouettes, but on a more subtle note, they can be layered for a really calming, cocooning vibe too."
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