Trends

Art & Design
Distinctive ceiling lighting

When you furnish your home, you immediately think about painting, hanging up wallpaper, laying floors and furnishing rooms. The choice of lighting is often not considered until later and it sort of comes as an afterthought. And yet lighting has long since ceased to be merely a means of providing light and is now even considered one of the most important design elements in a room.

The materials used in popular, high-quality designer lamps are not comparable with those used in cheaper versions. The design is often more pronounced and the lighting is designed to be strong and durable, so that on average it lasts a lot longer than a cheaper version. Eye-catching lighting also distinguishes an interior from the rest because it gives the room a unique and personal touch. You also give a room a certain atmosphere and character. See it as a true interior statement! Another reason for choosing it is that it can put other objects and pieces of furniture even more in the spotlight, literally.

It is important to have a good base of wall or hanging lamps, preferably with an opening at the top. This allows the light to shine through the wall to the ceiling, which lengthens the walls and creates a spacious effect. Feel free to play with the heights and depths of your lamps, it will add some liveliness.

In addition, pronounced lighting creates a luxurious and powerful look, especially if you choose pure materials. It is best to have the option of dimming, which, in addition to a good light output, also gives the option of making a room warmer and more atmospheric if desired. In short: by choosing the right lighting, your interior really comes into its own.

Left column, from top to bottom:
1. Project Art Eco by Artem Babayants Architects
2. Project by design Artpartner Architects
3. Project by Dieter Vander Velpen, photography by cafeine
4. Juniper House by Dylan Farrell Design, photography by Felix Forest
5. Project by Evelyn Moreels
6. Project by MAKHNO Design
7. Project by Quadro Room
8. Plafonnier 'Araignée' Lamp by Serge Mouille
9. Project by YSG studio, photography by Prue Ruscoe

Right column, from top to bottom:
10. Project by Andreu Taberner
11. Project DT by JUMA architects, photography by Annick Vernimmen
12. Project by Dries De Malsche, photography by Cafeine
13. Project by Evelyn Moreels
14. 'House on the beach' by Yas N. Vincente
15. Project by Jasmin Kodzha
16. Project by MAKHNO Design
17. Project by RR Interieur, photography by Cafeine
18. 'Architecture of Slience' by Wentz Blackhaus
19. Project by Quadro Room
Finish
Decorative stucco

Stucco, stucwork or plaster has been used for centuries to finish walls and ceilings. Not only does it provide a flat surface that is easy to attach wallpaper to or paint over afterwards, but (interior) architects are increasingly choosing to regard this type of wall as a decorative element and not to hide the pure material from view.

We are not talking about ornamental work such as rosettes, moulures and other similar frills that can be seen, for example, in Belgian bourgeois townhouses from the 19th and early 20th centuries, but about the tighter, more timeless use of stucco. After all, a seemingly simple wall can radiate a lot of warmth and emotion, as you can see in the projects we are showing here. There are various techniques for applying stucco and it is therefore also possible to add some relief to a monochrome wall, bringing subtle dynamics to a room. It does require a great deal of skill to achieve a beautiful result with stucco, but the combination of functionality and a decorative element provides great added value in a room.

Nowadays we see this kind of stucco more and more often in high-end interior and architectural projects. It also fits in with the increasing popularity of natural materials and organic shapes used in interiors to create an even more soothing environment. Light colour variations give a wall, ceiling or floor a less ‘man-made’ or ‘artificial’ look and a more artisanal feel, which adds to the cosy atmosphere of a room. At the same time, it provides a neutral background that does not distract too much from any interesting pieces of furniture and art, or that rather interacts with them in a natural way.

Left column, from top to bottom:
1. Project by Faina
2. Project by Detale Copenhagen
3. Project by Grain Designoffice
4. Project by NC Design & Architecture
5. Project by Grain Designoffice, photography by Piet-Albert Goethals

Right column, from top to bottom:
6. Project by Marc Merckx
7. Project by Dezest
8. RR Interior by Grain Designoffice, photography by Cafeine
9. Project by Proske Architects and Georgie Shepherd Interior Design, photography by Christopher Morrison
10. Project by h206design, photography by Willem Van Puyenbroeck
Art & Design
Sculptural Furniture

The 'cave' trend that we observed in interiors, is also happening to furniture and decorative elements. Sofas, lamps, cupboards, tables and chairs, you name it! Organic, flowing shapes can be found everywhere, preferably in natural, soft colours.

Art, especially sculpture, has long been an important inspiration for designing furniture. Both disciplines influence each other, but where should one draw the line? When is something art and when is it design? Sculptural furniture is located in the grey zone between functional sculptures and non-functional design.

Sculptural furniture has obviously existed longer than today. The difference now is that they appear more and more in an organic and artisan form. The pieces of furniture seem to be handmade and for the construction they regularly rely on natural materials such as wood, natural stone or clay. The pieces of furniture are most beautiful in combination with an interior that is very sleek in terms of form, in this way the piece of furniture can claim all the attention. Are you still looking for a unique piece? Then I advise you to take a look at the Carved Collection of the Australian brand Future Collective or Ossicle, a furniture collection by Giobagnara in collaboration with Francesco Balzano. Or anywhere else, honestly, the possibilities are endless!

Left to right, top to bottom:
• Carved Collection by Future Collective
• Fudge chair by TOOGOOD, photographer Angus Mill
• Elephant chair by Agnès Debizet, images by Galerie Yves Gastou
• Ossicle by Giobagnara and Francesco Balzano
• Carved Collection by Future Collective
• Carved Collection by Future Collective
• Carved Collection by Future Collective
• Ossicle by Giobagnara and Francesco Balzano
• Ossicle by Giobagnara and Francesco Balzano
• The Slice Chair by Mathias Bengtsson
• Onedent by Rick Owens
Interior
Monochrome interiors

Monochromatic interiors in natural shades such as beige, brown and grey are coming more and more to the fore in the interior scene. The term 'monochrome' is often used in the description of art, fashion or interiors. It means "consisting of or using a single colour or similar colour palette". Vincent Van Duysen, for example, has known this for a long time and regularly uses a simple colour palette to radiate timelessness. Posh Feng Shui, Andrew Trotter, Yaroslav Priadka and Photonic Studio have also tried this trend in their projects that you can see on the images.

The difference with previous monochrome interiors is that now also the furniture is selected in a matching. The result is an interior that blends together and radiates tranquillity. The difficulty with a monochrome interior is that it quickly feels flat. To counteract this problem it is best to use textures and different materials. The choice of colour is therefore replaced by the choice of material. The materials you regularly find in these interiors are often natural with a rough undertone such as concrete, wood and plaster. A monochrome, sober colour palette radiates modesty and therefore luxury and refinement. By adding small details, this simplicity never becomes boring.

Left column, from top to bottom:
1. Splendid Spa, a project by Posh Feng Shui
2. Apartment, a project by Kanstantsin Remez
3. Apartment, a project by Kanstantsin Remez
4. House, a project by Maria Osminina
5. Two Residences in Fira, a project by Kapsimalis Architects
6. Monochrome Bathroom Design, a project by Yaroslav Priadka

Right column, from top to bottom:
7. Villa Castelluccio, a project by Studio Andrew Trotter, photography by Salva Lopez
8. Purgatory, a project by Photonic Studio
9. Introvert Residence, a project by Kanstantin Remez
10. Baleares, a project by OOAA
11. Villa Waalre, a project by Russell Jones, photography by Hélène Binet and Rory Gardiner
Art & Design
Earthy colours

The earth has many riches and in 2020 we embrace them all. A natural colour palette and the use of wood in an interior is nothing new of course, but the way we deal with it this year goes a step further. In colours, materials and shapes we bring nature inside. We see this also in these pieces of furniture and decorative objects that we put in the spotlight here.

Nature has many form and the most striking is of course wood. This material may therefore be abundantly present in an interior and will always create a timeless atmosphere. Moreover, it is something very characterful and especially the colour variations in darker wood are visually very pleasing! The sustainable aspect of this material should of course not be forgotten, because that remains a very important fact if we want to enjoy our earth for as long as possible.

Don't be put off by the rougher character of wood, stone and other natural materials. They give a space not only warmth, but also definition. Any imperfections are part of it and create a certain uniqueness.

Feel free to play with relief in larger surfaces such as walls or cupboards for some extra liveliness. By staying within the earthy colours, this also provides a calming feeling.

Left column, from top to bottom:
1. 'Montery' chair by Marie's Corner
2. 'Irving' dresser by Vincent Van Duysen for Molteni & C
3. Panel 'Oliver boiserie' by Emmemobili
4. Sideboard 'Aiko' by Gabriele e Giuliano Cappelletti for Emmemobili
5. 'Roue' bookcase by Elena Salmistraro from Emmemobili
6. 'Marquetry' by Pascale Risbourg © Marie Pierre Morel

Right column, from top to bottom:
7. 'Cathedral Sconce' by Allied Maker
8. 'Whiteville' chair by Marie's Corner
9. 'Vendôme' sidetable by Casalto
10. 'UFO' table' by Ferruccio Laviani for Emmemobili
11. 'Atlas' table by Emmemobili
12. 'Jessi' chair by Thomas Van Noten

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