INTERIORS & INTERIOR DESIGN
6. THE LOW-SLUNG LIVING ROOM
Our furniture is starting to reflect the fact that we lounge more than we sit.
Copenhagen gave us one of the clearest signals here. Low seating was repeatedly seen at 3daysofdesign, including new pieces and reissued designs from the 1970s. Milan reinforced it with deep modular sofas, low platforms and furniture that spreads horizontally through a room.
I think this tells us something beyond aesthetics.
The traditional living room was organised around fairly upright seating- often facing a television or fireplace. Today ' s living room has to accommodate sprawling, reading, working, talking, watching television, children, pets and entertaining. The furniture is adapting accordingly.
8. THE RETURN OF THE INTERESTING ROOM
Perhaps the biggest movement of all is away from designing homes to fit an aesthetic.
For the past decade social media has had an enormous influence on interiors. The result has been beautiful homes, but also an extraordinary amount of visual sameness: similar neutral palettes, similar curved furniture, similar accessories and increasingly similar rooms. The international design shows are starting to feel like an antidote to that.
Maison & Objet ' s 2026 theme Past Reveals Future explored memory, craft and heritage, including contemporary interpretations of Baroque and folk traditions. Milan placed collectible objects, craftsmanship and narrative interiors firmly on the agenda. Its Aurea: An Architectural Fiction installation went as far as treating interiors as scenography- rooms designed to tell stories and create emotional experiences. And designers are revisiting archives rather than constantly trying to invent an entirely new aesthetic.
7. NEW FURNITURE THAT IS DESIGNED TO GET OLD
Longevity is replacing perfection as a measure of luxury.
For years sustainability in interiors has largely been communicated through recycled materials and eco credentials. The design conversation is becoming much more interesting than that.
At Milan, durability, repairability, modular construction and the lifecycle of materials were recurring themes. Copenhagen also put provenance and lifespan firmly on the agenda— one kitchen manufacturer even chose to display an elevenyear-old kitchen. I love that idea. Because the most sustainable piece of furniture is often the one you don ' t feel compelled to replace.
That leads us towards materials that patinate, furniture that can be repaired, components that can be replaced and pieces that don ' t become aesthetically obsolete after three years.
This doesn ' t signal a return to traditional decorating. It signals permission to mix things again.
An inherited chair with a contemporary table. A highly modern sofa against decorative wallpaper. Patchwork alongside modern furniture. Art that doesn ' t match the cushions.
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