A-List
ELLE Deco International A-List: Europe
THE ELLE DECO INTERNATIONAL A-LIST brings together the year’s most remarkable interior design projects from across the globe. Selected by the Editors-in-Chief of the 25 ELLE Decoration editions, this annual showcase celebrates not only exceptional interiors, but also the talents who shape them. Discover the outstanding European projects of 2026.
Czech Republic
100DOLA
BY NEARCHITEKTI AND ARKI STUDIO
PHOTOS HONZA ZIMA PORTRAIT HONZA ZIMA
Private Home. In the picturesque valley of Kryštofovo Údolí in Czechia, Tereza and Michal Hošek transformed a former farm building into a minimalist black barn house called 100dola – a fusion of heritage, innovation, and self-sufficiency. Designed with architect Tomáš Beránek (Arki Studio), the new concrete structure preserves the original timber frame and shingles, merging seamlessly with the adjacent log cottage. Solar panels, heat pumps, and triple glazing make the home nearly energy-independent, while a bold interior reflects both nature and creativity: lime-green Corian in the kitchen, sky blues, and soft pinks evoke the surrounding landscape. The 300 m² house includes Tereza’s fashion studio (Julie Store), an art gallery, and a private retreat under the rafters — a contemporary sanctuary rooted in craftsmanship, color, and mindful living.
TEREZA AND MICHAL HOŠEK
Tereza and Michal Hošek, founders of Nearchitekti, are a Czech design duo combining engineering precision and fashion sensibility. For over 30 years, they’ve created award-winning architectural and interior projects, including boutique hotel V Bezovém Údolí. Their “experience architecture” merges creativity, craftsmanship, and emotional connection to space. www.nearchitekti.cz
“After the boutique guesthouse Bezové údolí and the successful renovation of their home in a traditional timber cottage, the Hošek family returns with another project — 100dola. Once again, it’s full of bold ideas, striking in its minimalist clarity, and rich in surprising contrasts. Simply beautiful!”
— EVA SLUNEČKOVÁ, HEAD OF ELLE DECORATION CZECH REPUBLIC
BORNHOLM FARMHOUSE RESTORATION
BY ADELA KUDRNOVA, NANNA & MADS LÖWE BRUUN
PHOTOS NICHOLAS LØYE PORTRAIT LINA NÉMETH, NICHOLAS LØYE
Private Home. On the Danish island of Bornholm, Nanna and Mads Löwe Bruun transformed a traditional farmhouse into a soulful retreat that embraces Nordic simplicity and slow living. Together with Czech interior designer Adéla Kudrnová, they sensitively restored the early 20th-century home using local craftsmanship, natural materials, and traditional techniques. The couple managed the entire renovation process – reviving the building’s original structure, repainting floors and windows by hand, and reintroducing historical details inspired by Bornholm’s carpentry heritage. Kudrnová collaborated as an architectural consultant, suggesting layout adjustments, built-in niches, and a bespoke kitchen design. The result is a poetic, authentic home without modern distractions, where light, texture, and time define its quiet elegance – a place to slow down, reconnect with nature, and live deliberately.
ADÉLA KUDRNOVÁ
Adéla Kudrnová is an interior designer and stylist working across Czechia, Sweden, and Denmark. Formerly an editor at ELLE Decoration magazine and founder of Soffa magazine about interior design, she creates thoughtful residential and commercial spaces defined by Nordic simplicity, emotional depth, and editorial precision. www.adelaliparkudrnova.com
NANNA & MADS LÖWE BRUUN
Nanna and Mads Löwe Bruun are the founders of Löwe Bruun Bornholm, a family-run real estate agency based in Gudhjem. Combining Mads’s 25 years of real estate expertise with Nanna’s background in communication and styling, they approach every project with integrity, professionalism, and deep love for Bornholm’s community and heritage. www.lowebruunbornholm.dk
“This project won me over with its subtle use of colour and materials, approached with a deep respect for tradition and the past. The result is an exceptionally fresh and elegant summer home with an old soul.”
— EVA SLUNEČKOVÁ, HEAD OF ELLE DECORATION CZECH REPUBLIC
LYSOLAJE HOUSE
BY DOROTA KLUSKÁ
PHOTOS PETER FABO PORTRAIT EDA BABÁK
Private Home. In Prague’s Lysolaje district, architect Dorota Kluská transformed a developer-built house into a warm, light-filled family home. Designed for a couple of analysts and their two children, the interior celebrates openness, color harmony, and emotional connection. Concrete ceilings, rubber floors, and skylights create a bright, airy atmosphere, while rounded forms in cabinetry and corridors bring softness and flow. Each room expresses its own tone — from the green kitchen with a mirrored hood to a ruby-red hallway mirror — blending playfulness with elegance. The design balances practicality and beauty, integrating bespoke details, sustainable materials, and Polish design influences close to the owners’ hearts. The result is a home that feels authentic, joyful, and deeply personal, reflecting trust, creativity, and everyday family life.
DOROTA KLUSKA
Founded in 2015, Dorota Kluska Studio creates bespoke architecture and interiors that celebrate identity, craftsmanship, and cultural diversity. Led by architect Dorota Kluska, the studio blends rich color, natural materials, and geometric forms to translate clients’ stories into spaces of enduring creativity and comfort. www.dorotakluska.com
“The key theme is connection: the interior flows naturally into the outdoor patio, the furniture is built into the very structure of the home, and the children move seamlessly from one end to the other. This house is designed for living!”
— EVA SLUNEČKOVÁ, HEAD OF ELLE DECORATION CZECH REPUBLIC
STUDIO HOUSE
BY FORMAFATAL
PHOTOS BOYS PLAY NICE PORTRAIT MISHA
Private Home. Nestled in the Costa Rican jungle above Playa Hermosa, Studio House by Formafatal blurs the line between architecture and nature. Designed as the permanent home of architect Dagmar Štěpánová and her partner Karel Vančura, the residence unfolds around open terraces and a 10-metre infinity pool overlooking the Pacific. Crafted from rammed earth, concrete, and Corten steel, the house embraces wabi-sabi imperfection and celebrates the raw beauty of materials. Half of its surface consists of outdoor living areas that dissolve boundaries between inside and out, inviting sunlight, air, and the sounds of the rainforest. Every element – from hand-made furniture to art by Josef Achrer, Lukáš Musil, and Studio Geometr – reflects a poetic dialogue between simplicity, craftsmanship, and the surrounding landscape.
DAGMAR ŠTĚPÁNOVÁ
Formafatal is an internationally acclaimed architecture and interior design studio founded in 2015 by Czech architect Dagmar Štěpánová, now based in Costa Rica. Working between Costa Rica and the Czech Republic, the studio creates residential, commercial, and cultural projects worldwide with a holistic approach. www.formafatal.cz
“A few years after relocating to the Costa Rican jungle, architect Dagmar Štěpánová finally treated herself to a home filled with Czech art and design. And she didn’t compromise here either — the house opens up on all sides and embraces both raw materials and top-tier design. This is a dream come true!”
— EVA SLUNEČKOVÁ, HEAD OF ELLE DECORATION CZECH REPUBLIC
BY THE RIVER APARTMENT
BY ADÉLA KŘÍŽKOVÁ AND TOMÁŠ KOVALČÍK
PHOTOS VOJTĚCH VEŠKRNA PORTRAIT VOJTĚCH VEŠKRNA
Private Home. Designed by architects Adéla Křížková and Tomáš Kovalčík, By the River Apartment is a calm, timeless home shaped through a slow and thoughtful process. Over the course of two years, the designers worked closely with the clients to refine materials, craft bespoke furniture, and curate each detail with purpose. The interior blends simplicity and warmth, allowing personal pieces, art, and everyday life to take center stage. Every choice—from floors to finishes—was guided by patience and authenticity, creating a home that feels genuinely lived in from the start. The result is not just an aesthetic interior but a sustainable, evolving environment that grows with its owners and reflects their values, personality, and sense of belonging.
ADÉLA KŘÍŽKOVÁ
Adéla Křížková is a Prague- and Lisbon-based architect known for her refined sense of detail and collaborative approach. She designs timeless, functional homes blending modern elegance with traditional aesthetics, often using local materials and craftsmanship to create spaces that reflect her clients’ individuality. www.adelakrizkova.cz
“This story resonates with me in a special way, because the owner found her architect through the pages of ELLE Decoration Czechia — she fell in love with Adéla’s previous project that we had published — and from there, one thing simply led to another.”
— EVA SLUNEČKOVÁ, HEAD OF ELLE DECORATION CZECH REPUBLIC
France
LE PRINTEMPS NEW YORK
BY LAURA GONZALEZ
PHOTOS GIEVES ANDERSON PORTRAIT ANTOINE WAGNER
Retail. It’s anything but just a department store. In New York, Laura Gonzalez has invented an exciting new retail model that places the skills of artists and artisans and the quality of materials resolutely centre stage. Infusing the Wall Street space with her creative vision, the French interior designer has crafted a series of delightfully distinct yet impeccably harmonised spaces, ranging from the iconic Art Deco Red Room, now devoted to footwear, to the Sneaker Room and the flawless Beauty Corridor, delivering a perfectly pitched whole that skilfully blurs the lines between France and the USA. us.printemps.com
LAURA GONZALEZ
In a world that revered the beauty of simplicity, interior designer Laura Gonzalez successfully traced her own maximalist trail. She artfully weaves patterns, colours, leopard print and Toile de Jouy into her very own signature style, sparking creative collaborations with the likes of the Casa Monti hotel in Rome and fabric editor Schumacher. www.lauragonzalez.fr
“Showcasing an eclectic abundance of talent commensurate with her aesthetic vocabulary, Laura Gonzalez has pushed the boundaries of retail to the extreme with her Printemps design, serving up a space that straddles the line between department store, vibrant agora and immersive work of art.”
— DANIELE GERKENS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DÉCORATION FRANCE
FONDATION CARTIER
BY JEAN NOUVEL
PHOTOS MARC DOMAGE PORTRAIT ALBERT WATSON
Museum. For its new flagship venue on Paris’s Place du Palais-Royal, the Fondation Cartier has once again turned to Jean Nouvel, the creative brains behind its former glass-and-steel exhibition space on the Left Bank. In an impressive display of technical ingenuity, the starchitect has transformed what used to be the Grands Magasins du Louvre department store into the perfect backdrop for the Fondation Cartier’s outstanding contemporary art collection, introducing adjustable ceilings that can be effortlessly raised and lowered to create a fully modular exhibition space. www.fondationcartier.com
JEAN NOUVEL
Jean Nouvel is widely regarded as the most celebrated French architect of his time. As a champion of context-driven architecture, the 2008 Pritzker Prize laureate places light and the building’s surroundings at the very heart of every design. His landmark projects include the Institut du Monde Arabe, the Musée du Quai Branly, Torre Glòries, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, and the National Museum of Qatar. www.jeannouvel.com
“Jean Nouvel is a master of surprise who has unexpectedly opened the building up to the sky and enhanced the space’s rhythmic flow. The eagerly awaited Fondation Cartier for Contemporary Art is perfectly tailored to today’s evolving art market, providing a canvas for expression and emotion.”
— DANIELE GERKENS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DÉCORATION FRANCE
SET DESIGN FOR WAGNER’S DIE WALKÜRE OPERA / ACCADEMIA NAZIONALE DI SANTA CECILIA, ROME
BY PIERRE YOVANOVITCH
PHOTOS GIULIO GHIRARDI PORTRAIT ANTOINE DOYEN
Culture / Scenography. Having already been awarded an EDIDA earlier this year, Pierre Yovanovitch continues to carve out a creative path with unblinkered vision, eyes wide open to both visual art and opera. It was, indeed, the latter that inspired his latest project - a truly majestic set for the opera Die Walküre. The stark white structure, complete with staircases and turrets, sits right in the heart of Renzo Piano’s auditorium and is entirely devoid of machinery, providing a static stage to frame the performance. Alongside director Vincent Huguet and conductor Daniel Harding, these clean, sculptural volumes help structure the action and elevate the vocals.
PIERRE YOVANOVITCH
The French interior designer crafts haute couture spaces featuring architectural volumes and natural materials that engage seamlessly with bespoke furnishings. With offices in both Paris and New York, he champions understated context-driven luxury, infused with expert craftsmanship and contemporary art. www.pierreyovanovitch.com
“As an artist, interior designer, and man of culture, Pierre Yovanovitch relentlessly broadens his creative horizons, bringing a fresh new perspective to set design. Despite having to navigate tight constraints of space, acoustics, and staging, he has skilfully crafted an opera set that magnifies the entire work, embedding the emotions of the score and libretto into every element of the design.”
— DANIELE GERKENS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DÉCORATION FRANCE
THE FRAGONARD MUSEUM IN ARLES
BY STUDIO KO
PHOTOS FRANÇOIS DELADERRIÈRE PORTRAIT NOEL MANALILI
Museum. This summer, following five years of refurbishment, Fragonard inaugurated its Musée de la Mode et du Costume (Museum of Fashion and Costume) in Arles. Studio KO spearheaded the entire project, introducing floors that gleam like glazed Marseilles tiles, walls awash in tones inspired by the canvas-sailed boats that once drifted up the Rhône, and a gilded brass door in a nod to Provençal jewellery. Seamlessly marrying 17th- and 18th-century heritage with contemporary aesthetics, the Parisian studio has unveiled the building’s volumes and curated ‘Collections-Collection’, the inaugural exhibition at this new jewel in Provence’s cultural crown. www.musee-mode-costume.fragonard.com/le-musee/
STUDIO KO, KARL FOURNIER AND OLIVIER MARTY
Studio KO is the architecture and design firm founded by Karl Fournier and Olivier Marty, with offices in both Paris and Marrakech. Blending raw materials with artisan craftsmanship to create their signature pared-back aesthetic, the duo brings a meticulous eye for light and detail to villas, boutiques and cultural institutions, including the Yves Saint Laurent Museum in Marrakech. www.studioko.fr
“Respect for the building’s historic integrity, bold architectural statements, delicate materials, a soft colour palette and intelligent scenography. Fragonard’s Museum of Fashion and Costume by Studio KO elevates Arles’ allure and reinvents the museum experience.”
— DANIELE GERKENS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DÉCORATION FRANCE
ROSEWOOD / COURCHEVEL
BY TRISTAN AUER
PHOTOS EDVINAS BRUZAS PORTRAIT AMAURY LAPARRA
Hotel. The latest addition to Tristan Auer’s expansive portfolio is Rosewood in Courchevel 1850, where luxurious materials and carefully crafted details elevate the traditional guest experience by creating an immersive, sensory space that feels more like a private chalet. Designed to ooze 1960s glamour, the interiors celebrate craftsmanship, warm materials and clean lines in a masterful ode to restrained audacity. The hotel counts 51 rooms and suites, accompanied by three signature suites whose panoramic terraces and modular spaces effortlessly accommodate families or groups of friends. The crowning jewel is the four-bedroom Jardin Alpin Apartment that is accessed by a private lift and offers a cinema room, a professional kitchen and vast terraces from which guests can enjoy breathtaking views of the Saulire, whilst an installation by Olafur Eliasson further heightens the illusion of infinity. Contemporary Alpine luxury, rich with texture and bathed in light. www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/courchevel
TRISTAN AUER
Tristan Auer is a French architect and interior designer whose elegantly tailored and timeless signature style blends excellent craftsmanship with contemporary comfort. His design portfolio includes hotels, private residences, boutiques and even interiors for classic cars. www.tristanauer.com
“A mountain retreat full of flair: modern, exquisite, surprising, couture. In other words, fabulously French and breathtakingly beautiful! Tristan Auer rose to the challenge of this project with the utmost finesse, drawing on his unparalleled ability to layer depth into hospitality design.”
— DANIELE GERKENS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DÉCORATION FRANCE
Germany
A PENTHOUSE IN BERLIN SCHÖNEBERG
BY FABIAN FREYTAG
PHOTOS RAGNAR SCHMUCK PORTRAIT BIRK ALISCH
Private Home. What began as a simple refresh quickly evolved into a full remodel of a 175-square-meter penthouse in Berlin’s lively Schöneberg district. The homeowners asked German interior designer Fabian Freytag to reinterpret their space with the eclectic, artsy retro style they admired—especially after falling in love with a hotel in São Paulo. Freytag’s vision required a bolder transformation: new ceilings, wall finishes, built-ins, and a reworked floor plan. The most dramatic gesture is a raised black natural-stone platform in the living area, creating a two-level space that frames views of Nollendorfplatz and turns the lounge into a glamorous stage. To evoke a 1970s spirit, Freytag layered browns, jungle greens, lobster reds, warm walnut, golden melted glass, and graphic textiles. About 80% of the furniture is his own sculptural design, complemented by boho accents like raffia lamps, ceramic stools, and emerald tiles. “I wanted the space to feel elevated—like stepping into a film,” he says.
FABIAN FREYTAG
Fabian Freytag is a Berlin-based interior designer known for his colorful, cinematic, and boldly expressive style. Rejecting minimalism, he creates storytelling spaces defined by urban edge and “beauty meets rebellion.” His work spans private homes, hotels, and restaurants, each with a distinctive, sculptural twist. www.fabianfreytag.com
“The whole penthouse mixes retro and futuristic styles together and reflects nowadays longing for the past but also modernism. It’s a celebration of different textures and craftsmanship and shows how surprisingly bold and colorful German design can be, normally more known for clinical Bauhaus white.”
— FRANZISKA FROSCH, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECORATION GERMANY
Hungary
THE BLUE HOUSE
BY HADNAGY STUDIO
PHOTOS CSABA VILLÁNYI PORTRAIT CSABA VILLÁNYI
Private Home. Located in downtown Budapest near the Danube, Hajós Street was once frequented by sailors and ship captains who gathered in local taverns. In the late 19th century, the nearby Opera House transformed the area from industrial to bourgeois, a history that inspired the apartment’s interior. The design draws on seafaring imagery: metal surfaces reference industry, while sea-blue doors and textured walls ground the space. A softer, poetic layer appears in cloud-like paper lamps and a pink Hannabi sofa. A playful ceiling mural of a swimming whale, drawn by studio member Hanna Szenner, adds whimsy. Original double doors were preserved, maintaining the classic sequence of three interconnected rooms. Structural changes focused on improving the entrance hall–kitchen–dining area, including a new glass window to bring in light. Pendant lights replace track lighting, and Hungarian artworks and objects complete the home.
HADNAGY STUDIO
A young, fresh team of interior designers who start from architectural precision and a carefully considered treatment of space, then enrich the finished interior with youthful, cheeky twists. www.hadnagy.studio
“This apartment is unmistakably Budapest. Its historic downtown details recall homes built during the city’s rapid growth 150 years ago, yet the space feels youthful and bold. Traditional elements are reimagined in vivid colors, creating striking gradients and playful moments. Notably, the furnishings feature works by Hungarian manufacturers and fine artists.”
— JUDIT OSVÁRT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECORATION HUNGARY
A PLAY OF COLORS AND VINTAGE
BY ZSOFIA KOMA / DAKEN STUDIO
PHOTOS CSABA VILLÁNYI PORTRAIT CSABA VILLÁNYI
Private Home. This 41-square-metre guest apartment in Budapest was transformed from a run-down space into a bright, characterful interior built around colour, humour and sustainability. While the original layout was kept – with such a small footprint there was little room to relocate functions – a shadow-casting loft was removed to create airy, open and cheerful spaces with a strong sense of personality.
The main design goal was to challenge the common belief that working with colour is difficult. On the contrary, the project shows how bold colour combinations can create depth, atmosphere and entirely new layers within a compact interior. Sustainability also played a key role in the concept: alongside a few bespoke pieces produced by a carpenter’s workshop, the apartment was furnished exclusively with carefully selected and restored vintage furniture and accessories from the second half of the 20th century. The final result is defined not only by its vivid palette, but also by the curated mix of objects, graphics and illustrations, which add humour and visual richness to the space. The apartment offers a vibrant and engaging experience, proving that even a small urban home can feel generous, expressive and memorable after just a single day spent inside.
DAKEN STUDIO, ZSOFIA KOMA
Daken is a vintage furniture store founded by siblings Zsófi and Dániel Koma, offering pieces from the second half of the 20th century. As Zsófi is also a trained interior designer, alongside running the shop she occasionally works as a designer as well, giving further expression to her passion for vintage furniture. www.daken.hu
“What I find most fascinating about Zsófi’s work is that within just 41 square metres she created a spacious, exciting, playful and airy interior, with lots of storage – almost entirely from vintage pieces.”
— JUDIT OSVÁRT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECORATION HUNGARY
Italy
CASA ZANINI IN POSILLIPO, NAPLES
BY GIULIANO ANDREA DELL’UVA
PHOTOS ANDREA FERRARI PORTRAIT ANDREA FERRARI
Private Home. Ermanno Zanini’s apartment, designed by Giuliano Andrea dell’Uva within a historic building in Naples’ Posillipo neighborhood, feels like a lookout suspended above the sea. Focused on reclaiming the sea views and surrounding vistas that had been sacrificed during a 1970s renovation, the project preserves the home’s original sequence of rooms, linked by tall, slender doors that open onto airy, vaulted spaces. Between interiors and exteriors, a subtle visual continuity emerges, reinforced by a neutral palette — most notably the bright white walls and resin floors that reflect and amplify the Mediterranean light, allowing the architecture, landscape, design furnishings, and artworks spanning multiple eras to speak for themselves. From Pompeii to the present day, the apartment features pieces by Mario Ceroli, Giulio Paolini, and David Tremlett.
GIULIANO ANDREA DELL’UVA
With studios in Naples and Milan, Giuliano Andrea dell’Uva crafts projects marked by a meticulous attention to detail and a profound respect for local traditions. His work ranges from the restoration of villas and apartments to retail and hospitality spaces, with a signature style blending the echoes of memory and a distinctly contemporary approach. www.giulianoandreadelluva.it
“Giuliano Andrea dell’Uva’s project in Posillipo thoughtfully restores the historic relationship between landscape and interior, reimagining the original views and bathing rooms in the dazzling Mediterranean light. The home evokes a poetic narrative, enhanced by artworks that span the centuries.”
— LIVIA PERALDO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECOR ITALIA
FAMILY VILLA, CASTEL MADAMA, ROME,
BY MASSIMO ADARIO
PHOTOS NATHALIE KRAG PORTRAIT NATHALIE KRAG
Private Home. The family villa designed by Massimo Adario in Castel Madama is nestled among olive groves and forested hills in the Roman countryside. Guiding the design of both architectural volumes and interiors is the memory of Alvar Aalto’s “Experimental House,” built more than 70 years ago on Finland’s Muuratsalo Island. The 250 m2 residence, together with a 30 m2 greenhouse and two patios, continuously references the Finnish master’s project — from the materials, including a multifaceted reinterpretation of brick in varied shades and terracotta reimagined beyond its rustic roots, to the unique dialogue with the surrounding landscape. Furnishings — a mix of celebrated design pieces and custom-made creations — shape a Scandinavian atmosphere warmed by Mediterranean touches: the dominant orange, the patios, and the garden views.
MASSIMO ADARIO
Born in Rome in 1970, after earning a degree in architecture and various experiences abroad, Massimo Adario opened his own studio in the capital in 2007. A passionate collector, he crafts projects blending design, art and decoration into one cohesive vision. www.massimoadario.com
“The family home in Castel Madama, a refined expression of Massimo Adario’s design language, showcases the architect’s ability to shape a complex domestic environment that is both intimate and extroverted. A sophisticated nod to the work of Alvar Aalto, the project is distinguished by its thoughtful tribute to the great masters of design and the contemporary reinterpretation of a villa in the Roman countryside.”
— LIVIA PERALDO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECOR ITALIA
ÉTAGE 3, LATITUDE 43, SAINT-TROPEZ
BY DIMORESTUDIO
PHOTOS ANDREA FERRARI PORTRAIT ANDREA FERRARI
Private Home. Inside Latitude 43 — originally a prestigious hotel in Saint-Tropez designed in the 1930s by architect Georges-Henri Pingusson and later converted into a condominium after World War II — Dimorestudio co-founders Emiliano Salci and Britt Moran have completely redesigned a 150 m2 apartment. As a private retreat for a young couple, the space was conceived with a special focus on balancing practical needs and respect for the building’s historic identity in a seamless mix of functionality and aesthetics. “Saving” the long corridor with its striking porthole windows and maintaining the centrality of the living room, the apartment combines comfort — custom furniture, abundant wood, and natural fabrics — with understated luxury, punctuated by references to Gio Ponti, masterpieces of 20th-century European design, and works by Dimoremilano. The result is an uninterrupted dialogue between styles and eras.
DIMORESTUDIO, EMILIANO SALCI AND BRITT MORAN
Emiliano Salci and Britt Moran founded the Milan-based interior design studio Dimorestudio in 2003. The duo blends decoration, art, and creative direction to create spaces that bring together memory and modernity. Their style is recognizable for its refined use of materials and a distinctly theatrical sensibility.
www.dimorestudio.eu
“This apartment in Saint-Tropez reinterprets 1930s influences, nautical motifs, and nods to Gio Ponti with creative freedom and meticulous refinement, all while honoring the modernist building that houses it. The result is a masterclass in balance — between memory and modernity, comfort and creativity — shaping a scenic residence in constant dialogue with the light, colors, and landscape of the French Riviera.”
— LIVIA PERALDO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECOR ITALIA
CASA BRERA, MILAN
BY PATRICIA URQUIOLA
PHOTOS ALBERTO STRADA PORTRAIT ALBERTO STRADA
Hotel. Casa Brera, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Milan, occupies a historic corner of the city: a rationalist building designed by Pietro Lingeri between 1954 and 1958 in the heart of the metropolis. The interiors are the work of Patricia Urquiola, who envisioned the new Marriott International property as a temporary home — open and cosmopolitan — shaped with a bespoke sensibility “conveying a sense of the place, preserving its memory while enriching its story with new compositional elements.” Throughout the hotel, respect for the genius loci and references to Milanese craftsmanship appear in materials, colors, finishes, and inspirations, all reinterpreted with great creativity. Geometric floors and rugs, marble, walnut, metals, and a mix of soft and saturated colors come together for an inviting, deeply relaxing atmosphere across both public and private spaces. www.marriott.com
PATRICIA URQUIOLA
Architect, designer, and art director for Cassina, Patricia Urquiola creates collections for companies including Moroso, B&B Italia, Kartell, Flos, Mutina, and Haworth. Her style reflects her dual Spanish-Italian heritage, with projects blending material research and poetry, craftsmanship and technology.
www.patriciaurquiola.com
“The spatial fluidity of the common areas strengthens the connection to Milan, while the rooms and suites provide a sense of domestic intimacy, expressed through a carefully balanced interplay of materials, colors, and geometries that convey the building’s character with a spirit of experimentation. Casa Brera, introduces a new destination for hospitality in the heart of the city.”
— LIVIA PERALDO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECOR ITALIA
Lithuania
KUKLA BEAUTY BOX
BY RŪTA BAGDZEVIČIŪTĖ
PHOTOS NORBERT TUKAJ PORTRAIT PAULIUS GASIUNAS
Interior Design / Hair Salon. Kukla Beauty Box hairstyling parlor was founded in a Coscic manor house dating 18th mid-century and situated in the heart of Vilnius downtown. The original plan remained untouched and determined the new layout, suggesting the idea of a hairstyling salon as a gallery. One of the biggest emphases was given to a daring color palette. Purple, lilac, petrol blue, pink and red accents provoke the viewer, instantly riveting one’s attention. Huge mirrors are intentionally placed in a way to reveal new perspectives, letting the clients observe what’s going on behind their back and the other spaces. Kukla Beauty Box hairstyling parlor was ranked in the TOP20 of best salons in the world by the international professional publication E’STETICA Hair. www.kukla.lt
RŪTA BAGDZEVIČIŪTĖ
Ruta Bagdzeviciute is a Lithuanian architect mostly focused on interior, furniture and fashion set design. Renowned for her refined eye for color and composition, she transforms each project into a thoughtful study of how design shapes emotion and experience. Fifteen years in fashion set design has brought new points of view upon different use of space and materials without fear of failure. www.instagram.com/ruta_bagdzeviciute
“This project reimagines an 18th-century manor as a contemporary creative space. Its daring color palette, gallery-like layout, and sculptural use of mirrors create an interior with unmistakable character.”
— EDVARDAS ŽIČKUS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, ELLE DECORATION LITHUANIA
Netherlands
HOTEL ROSEWOOD, AMSTERDAM
BY PIET BOON
PHOTOS JONATHAN MALONEY FOR WHAT THE FOX STUDIO; DANIËLLE SIOBHÁN PORTRAIT WENDELIEN DAAN
Hotel. Rosewood Amsterdam breathes new life into the city’s former courthouse: a place once marked by justice, now reborn as a sanctuary of art, heritage, and quiet luxury. Piet Boon’s masterful design restores original details, from the preserved holding cell to the grand staircases and ornate ceilings, creating a dialogue between history and contemporary refinement. The interior is profoundly art-driven, with curated pieces of modern art animating every space, from public areas to the most private suites. Modern art is made accessible to all, from gallery-style rotating exhibitions to a playful vending machine offering contemporary art objects for immediate purchase. Piet Oudolf’s lush courtyard gardens introduce a poetic calm, while the new spa and pool area offer an immersive experience of pure, elevated well-being. www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/amsterdam
PIET BOON
From an early age, the Dutch designer Piet Boon developed a deep appreciation for craftsmanship, natural materials, and functional design. He began his career as a contractor before founding Studio Piet Boon. His studio is known to create bespoke architecture, interior, and product designs for private, corporate, and commercial clients. www.pietboon.com
“The refined minimalism of Piet Boon’s architecture harmonizes seamlessly with avant-garde top Italian design pieces and the bold, layered atmosphere of Studio Sagrada’s Bar Advocatuur, resulting in a space that feels both timeless and thrillingly modern.”
— MONIQUE VAN DER REIJDEN, CREATIVE DIRECTOR ELLE DECORATION NETHERLANDS
PRIVATE HOME IN WASSENAAR
BY JUST HAASNOOT
PHOTOS PIM TOP PORTRAIT ©
Private Home. These apartments in Wassenaar are located above the furniture design store and studio of interior architect Just Haasnoot. Working together with Unknown Architects, Haasnoot preserved the building's original 1752 beam structure while creating a dynamic spatial experience. Rather than following the historic divisions, the design introduces curved elements like rounded walls and a curved curtain rail that contrast beautifully with the straight beams, allowing circular movement through open layouts. Signature features include rounded forms throughout the staircase and kitchen countertops, a bold blue-green-grey kitchen, and a striking wooden wall by Studio Jeroen Wand crafted like a collage from leftover pieces of veneer. Haasnoot combined the oak floor with colorful accents like an orange table and artworks by Dutch artists and designers, balancing calm and vibrant elements. The space merges beauty with functionality, creating an interior that surprises without being excessive, offering both serenity and character.
JUST HAASNOOT
Interior architect Just Haasnoot grew up in Wassenaar, working in the furniture store started by his parents. He joined the family business in the nineties, after which he also started his own interior design studio. In his showroom and store, he offers a selection of furniture, collectible design, and art objects. His goal is to realize projects with smart, timeless, functional, and aesthetic solutions. www.justhaasnoot.nl
“Just Haasnoot manages to create a luxurious, art-filled space, combining curated design, innovative solutions, and subtle, invisible touches that make it feel original and effortless.”
— MONIQUE VAN DER REIJDEN, CREATIVE DIRECTOR ELLE DECORATION NETHERLANDS
PRIVATE HOME IN WASSENAAR
BY ROELFIEN VOS
PHOTOS SPACE CONTENT STUDIO PORTRAIT SPACE CONTENT STUDIO
Private Home. This newly built villa in the Dutch town of Wassenaar, near the North Sea, feels as if it has always been there thanks to its many authentic details. With its lavish aesthetics, opulent materials, glamorous lighting, and an exuberant use of color, the extravagant home transports you back to the Roaring Twenties – albeit with a distinctly modern sensibility. The client gave interior designer Roelfien Vos carte blanche. Her only guideline was to exceed the limits of imagination. Vos designed eighteen rooms, each with a colored ceiling that evokes a sense of intimacy, and added, amongst others, a majestic wooden staircase, a luxurious kitchen with a bar, and a master bathroom with an oversized velvet pouffe and a brass bathtub. The project is kaleidoscopic at first glance, but closer inspection reveals a deliberate relationship between colors and patterns, bringing balance and harmony to the luxurious home.
ROELFIEN VOS
Roelfien Vos is an Amsterdam-based interior designer with 25 years of experience. Drawing on international travels and arts and crafts, her rich portfolio includes residential projects, yachts, hospitality, and product design. She’s known for her bold use of colors and patterns. The studio’s design ethos resembles that of a maison, leveraging the characteristics of haute couture with a profound understanding of space. www.roelfienvos.com
“In this villa, Roelfien Vos masterfully combines a mix of leading brands in fabrics and wallpapers, fashionable colors, retro details, and vibrant styling. Every space feels daring yet harmonious. The result is a glamorous, homely ambiance that invites residents and guests to experience a new level of chic sophistication — a celebration of bold, luxurious, and timeless interior design.”
— MONIQUE VAN DER REIJDEN, CREATIVE DIRECTOR ELLE DECORATION NETHERLANDS
Poland
HOUSE OF COLOR
BY NOKE ARCHITECTS
PHOTOS PIOTR MACIASZEK PORTRAIT PIOTR MACIASZEK
Private Home. Designed by NOKE Architects for artist Magda Grabowska-Wacławek (Bovska) and animation producer Grzegorz Wacławek, this small house in Warsaw’s allotment gardens is a vibrant retreat shaped by creativity and nature. Set on a narrow trapezoid plot between Żoliborz’s greenery and the city, it transforms limited space into a colorful sanctuary. A cherry-red gate drawn by Magda and a path of red stones introduce the home’s expressive spirit, while the compact 35 m² structure opens fully to the garden through large glass panels and a terrace shaded by an 80-year-old grapevine preserved by the architects.Inside, raspberry hues, natural plywood, and eco-stained surfaces create a warm, playful atmosphere. Sculptural touches—a semicircular window framing the garden and a bold red volume hiding the bathroom—reflect NOKE’s precise yet humorous approach. “House of Color” becomes both refuge and artistic statement, celebrating individuality, intimacy, and a deep connection to the surrounding landscape.
NOKE ARCHITECTS
NOKE Architects is driven by the creation of exceptional, meaningful spaces shaped through close collaboration with clients. The studio combines experience and intuition with each client’s vision to develop bespoke, functional designs. www.nokearchitects.com
“This summer house by NOKE Architects is exceptional because it blends bold artistic expression with a deep sensitivity to its natural setting. Despite its small scale, the project feels spectacular — full of colour, light, and personality, yet gently immersed in greenery."
— ANNA CHWALIŃSKA, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECORATION POLAND
PRIVATE HOME
BY MARCIN FROM MISTOVIA
PHOTOS ONI STUDIO PORTRAIT MARTA RÓZYCKA
Private Home. In Warsaw’s Praga district, architect Marcin of Mistovia transformed a 75 m² shell apartment into a refined balance of raw minimalism and expressive detail. Designed for a lawyer in his 60s, the space was reimagined by stripping it back to a single central concrete column, which now acts as the home’s sculptural anchor. Exposed ceilings and microcement floors create a clean, industrial foundation for richer elements such as dark burl veneer, deep green Mutina tiles, and striking quartzite. A pink-and-blue bathroom, a steel-and-quartzite kitchen island, and vintage pieces by Verner Panton and Vico Magistretti introduce personality and contrast, complemented by custom Polish furniture. Flexible sliding doors, integrated shelving, and thoughtful lighting add function and depth. The result is a precise, atmospheric interior—pragmatic yet boldly individual, shaped by purpose, materiality, and an unapologetic embrace of contrasts.
MARCIN CZOPEK
Marcin Czopek, founder of the Mistovia studio, thinks through form and enjoys when function grows naturally out of it, rather than the other way around. He emphasizes the importance of curiosity and creative experimentation, believing that bold concepts always defend themselves, and that aesthetics is a natural outcome of a process that begins with an idea and ends with emotion. mistovia.com
“Marcin’s masterful use of contrasting materials and forms is combined in ways that are unconventional yet entirely rational—achieving visual lightness while balancing pragmatic needs with artistic expression.”
— ANNA CHWALIŃSKA, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECORATION POLAND
DKR HOUSE
BY OSKAR FIREK ARCHITECTS
PHOTOS ONI STUDIO PORTRAIT ONI STUDIO
Private Home. DKR House sits west of Kraków in the Vistula valley, positioned on a sloped, irregular plot that allowed the architects to integrate the building naturally into its landscape. Designed by BXB Studio, the structure recalls traditional Slavic forms, with a façade of blackened timber using the shou sugi ban technique, grounding the contemporary design in local craft and a respect for nature. In 2020, Oskar Firek Architects refined the interiors to better reflect the clients’ lifestyle, reshaping circulation and introducing freestanding elements that create a calm, cohesive flow. Natural materials define the atmosphere: dark-stained oak, lighter oak floors, clay-plastered walls, granite in the kitchen, and naica quartzite in the bathrooms. A warm, earthy palette enhances the home’s sense of serenity. Custom furniture, handcrafted pieces, and artworks—including sculptures by Wojciech Firek—add personality and depth. The result is a timeless interior where architecture, craftsmanship, and daily life remain closely intertwined.
OSKAR FIREK
The studio was founded in 2012 by Oskar Firek – an architect and the son of sculptors. From an early age, he was surrounded by art, which led to a lasting fascination with painting, sculpture, and ceramics. This strong artistic background is clearly reflected in the studio’s work, where natural materials, refined forms, and functional layouts form the foundation of every project. www.oskarfirek.com
“DKR House shows us what happens when attention to detail and strong focus on character take center stage, when the creative process is guided by passion, precision, and a deep respect for quality.”
— ANNA CHWALIŃSKA, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECORATION POLAND
OFFICERS' HOUSE OF THE MILITARY QUARTERING FUND
BY GRZEGORZ PNIOK FROM HAUSLAB
PHOTOS MOOD AUTHORS PORTRAIT MOOD AUTHORS
Private Home. Located in a 1933 building once known as the “Officers’ House of the Military Quartering Fund,” this 87 m² Warsaw apartment was restored with deep respect for its original architecture. Historic elements—including the door and window joinery, parquet flooring, and the distinctive rounded corners of the load-bearing wall—were carefully preserved and refreshed. The interior palette draws from an Art Deco sideboard inherited from the previous owner, with warm veneer tones contrasted by touches of green and black. Modern lighting by Aquaform and a sculptural chandelier by Aromas add a subtle theatricality. The layout opens with a spacious hall leading to a living room and kitchen connected by two curved passages. A green-tiled island defines the kitchen, while rattan and chrome pieces echo the apartment’s 1930s character. The bedroom features a full-height veneered wardrobe and soft green accents, and the bathroom, in white with black details, includes a windowed shower overlooking the Warsaw skyline.
GRZEGORZ PNIOK
Grzegorz Pniok graduated in Architecture from Kraków University of Technology. He started his professional work during his studies in 2005, and since 2011, he has been the founder and owner of architectural studio HAUSLAB. From 2019, he has also been a lecturer at the Academy of Interior Designers at the Krakow Academy of Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski. www.hauslab.pl/en/main-english
“This project was selected because of the designer’s exceptional understanding of the architectural and historical context of the apartment’s location, and for referencing it in an original manner. The use of timeless forms and materials reflects the tastes and needs of the owners.”
— ANNA CHWALIŃSKA, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECORATION POLAND
Spain
CASA MYTTAS
BY CASA JOSEPHINE
PHOTOS RICARDO LABOUGLE PORTRAIT RICARDO LABOUGLE
Private Home. Casa Myttas is inspired by a trip to Venice, its soft light, Titian's colours and the city's trade relations with exotic Asian countries, from where silks, silver and handicrafts unknown on the continent arrived. Entering the house is like stepping into a play, with domestic settings elevated to works of art. The lack of light has become its greatest virtue, thanks to the fact that the interior rooms have been designed as jewel boxes at different heights where indirect lighting plays a decisive role in the luxurious experience using light-reflecting materials such as travertine marble, stucco and gold brass on the floors and walls. The house is experienced as a totally immersive experience through a longitudinal axis, and the different rooms unfold like a stage set in which colours, textures, mixed materials and layers of history create a play of appearances that delights the senses creates a new concept of interior design. www.myttas.com
STUDIO CASA JOSEPHINE, IÑIGO ARAGÓN AND PABLO LÓPEZ NAVARRO
Iñigo Aragón and Pablo López Navarro created Casa Josephine in 2012. Trained in art history, fashion design and photography, everything they create (furniture, clothing or houses) exudes a unique vision of interior design, and they are masters in the use of colour and the selection of antique pieces. www.casajosephine.com
“Total freedom and a surprising result: Casa Josephine's new residential project in Madrid is a jewellery box that opens up to create an immersive experience”.
— JESÚS CANO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECORATION SPAIN
CRISTINE BEDFOR SEVILLA
BY LORENZO CASTILLO
PHOTOS DANIEL SCHÄFER PORTRAIT PABLO SARABIA
Guest House. The Andalusian capital radiates an irresistible personality, one that Guest House Cristine Bedfor Sevilla has captured to perfection. This boutique hotel, which opened its doors on September 15th, refines the Andalusian soul of the Neo-Mudejar architecture of the former Teatro Trajano, transforming it into a space made to be felt and remembered. The project by Lorenzo Castillo follows the distinctive rhythm of the Spanish interior designer, who sought to honor the memory of a city once considered Europe’s gateway and a beacon of the Renaissance. Marble, intricate hand-painted tile patterns, noble fabrics, natural stone, and artisanal ceramics evoke Seville’s timeless cultural melting pot, elevating the ambience—and the 28 rooms—of Cristine Bedfor Sevilla to new heights of sophistication. This singular guest house has been conceived as a living space, preserving the spellbinding aura that defined Seville in the 16th century. Lorenzo Castillo has succeeded in creating sensory interiors that invite guests to delight in a decorative piece, engage in conversation, or simply breathe in the serene echoes of the past. www.cristinebedforhotel.com
LORENZO CASTILLO
Lorenzo Castillo stands among the leading figures of Spanish interior design. His sharp, discerning eye has earned him the utmost respect within the design community. With a background as an antiques dealer, he possesses a profound understanding of objects steeped in history. Yet his creative spirit keeps him attuned to the latest trends. Every one of his projects embodies an unwavering commitment to elegance and sophistication. www.lorenzocastillo.org
“It is an exceptional interior design project. It fuses Seville’s cultural richness with an immersive sensory experience through Lorenzo Castillo’s design. Each room connects with the city’s historical memory and with the refined taste of times gone by.”
— JESÚS CANO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECORATION SPAIN
THE MOP CENTER
BY ELSA URQUIJO
PHOTOS COURTESY MOP FOUNDATION PORTRAIT © ELSA URQUIJO ARCHITECTS
Cultural Center. The MOP Center, designed by A Coruña-based architect Elsa Urquijo, is an architectural project that transforms a former industrial complex on La Batería dock in A Coruña into a contemporary cultural space. This project, home to the Marta Ortega Pérez Foundation (MOP), stands as an example of adaptive reuse, integrating the A Coruña's port history with art, fashion, and photography. The Marta Ortega Pérez Foundation (MOP) is a private, non-profit organization whose activities consist of organizing top-tier exhibitions around fashion and photography, and of promoting other cultural activities such as the creation of the Future Stories program, which supports young artists. Architect Elsa Urquijo’s intervention focuses on the restoration of an industrial building and several silos, preserving their structural essence while adapting them to the needs of a modern exhibition center. The relationship between the city and the sea is a constant theme in the design, with spaces that allow for a visual and sensory connection with the maritime environment. One of the old silos houses MOP – The Bookstore, which specializes in photography, fashion, design and other artistic disciplines, which has a circular shape that invites discovery. The design maintains the original industrial aesthetic, with exposed concrete surfaces and metal structures, creating a sober atmosphere that enhances the exhibited works. Natural light is utilized through the incorporation of skylights and strategic openings, while artificial lighting is discreetly integrated. The choice of materials and colors—earthy tones and natural textures—contributes to a welcoming and neutral atmosphere that enhances the photographic works on display. www.themopfoundation.org
ELSA URQUIJO
Elsa Urquijo is an architect born in A Coruña, Spain in 1972. She founded Elsa Urquijo Architects, based in A Coruña in 2000. She has completed significant commercial, social, and residential projects. These include the MOP Center, flagship stores for the Zara chain New York, Hong Kong, Zurich, Madrid and several European cities, the residence of Amancio Ortega, owner of the Inditex Group (which includes Zara), several retirement homes promoted by the Amancio Ortega Foundation, the Padre Rubinos social center, and the headquarters of Proyecto Hombre, founded by the founder of the Inditex Group. www.elsaurquijo.com
“With minimalist architecture that respects the landscape, the MOP Center brings together several objectives: the promotion of art and culture and the defense of the local architectural and landscape heritage in the city of A Coruña in Galicia, on the northwest coast of Spain, facing the Atlantic Ocean.”
— JESÚS CANO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECORATION SPAIN
CLUB NUBA
BY SIERRA DE LA HIGUERA
PHOTOS PABLO ZAMORA PORTRAIT SIERRA DE LA HIGUERA STUDIO
Private Club. Club Nuba has created a new experiential concept for those who love to travel the world. More than just a travel boutique, it has become a contemporary and inspirational agora tailored to travelers and flâneurs for sharing conversations, tastings, exhibitions, and gatherings. The Sierra de la Higuera studio has turned Club Nuba into a destination in itself, a place where art, culture, gastronomy, and luxury coexist, but without losing its authenticity. Its layout in three spaces maintains a very solid aesthetic and architectural coherence, which is reinforced by geometric elements, natural materials, custom-made pieces, and icons such as Davide Groppi's Moon lamp. Stone, wood, and water envelop these sophisticated environments, bathed in natural light, to illuminate a refuge destined to fulfill the desires of future travelers. www.nuba.com
SIERRA DE LA HIGUERA, INES SIERRA, MERCEDES SIERRA, AND JAVIER DE LA HIGUERA
Sierra de la Higuera is a studio of architecture, interior design and furniture design that has succeeded in finding a serene balance between the most groundbreaking proposals and classical canons. The versatility of its work means that each project offers a highly personal reading of space and achieves an aesthetic discovery in pursuit of beauty through naturalness, functionality and craftsmanship. www.sierradelahiguera.com
“Travelling is discovering who you are and where your dreams will take you. The Sierra de la Higuera studio has captured the message for this renewed Club Nuba, which aims to etch unforgettable memories in the mind”.
— JESÚS CANO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECORATION SPAIN
Sweden
HOME OF CHRISTIAN PERSIA
BY CHRISTIAN PERSIA
PHOTOS PATRIC JOHANSSON PORTRAIT PATRIC JOHANSSON
Private Home. In Segeltorp, south of Stockholm, Christian Persia and his wife Elzbieta von Semkov have transformed a classic 1960s house into a warm, design-driven retreat that honors its architectural roots. The 320 m² home maintains the era’s signature indoor–outdoor flow through expansive windows, terrazzo floors, and materials that extend seamlessly into the garden, where natural rock formations frame Elzbieta’s passion for gardening. Inside, Persia’s furniture designs mix with 1960s vintage pieces and works by artist friends, creating an eclectic yet cohesive atmosphere. The renovation prioritizes function and material integrity: a former sewing room is now a dining space, and the kitchen has been updated with stainless steel counters and tall cabinetry that echo the warmth of the home’s original teak. Throughout, craftsmanship and authenticity remain central, with plastered walls, preserved textures, and carefully maintained historic details.
CHRISTIAN PERSIA
Christian, a designer and interior architect, grew up surrounded by craftsmanship. His family roots in Sweden and northern Italy fostered a deep appreciation for materials and tactile design. His main fields are interior, architecture, products and identity design. www.studiopersia.com
“The Segeltorp house embodies Christian Persia’s philosophy: design that respects history, highlights materials, and emphasizes tactile experience. It’s a project where the architecture, interiors, and furnishings converse seamlessly, demonstrating that thoughtful preservation and modern living can coexist beautifully.”
— CECILIA VON MENTZER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECORATION SWEDEN
UK
BEIHOUSE IN BEIRUT
BY LINDA BORONKAY
PHOTOS MARCO PINARELLI PORTRAIT MARTIN MORRELL
Member’s Club. Situated just across from the location of the port explosion that devastated Beirut back in 2020, this members’ club is designer Linda Boronkay’s attempt to ‘rebuild and reshape a small part of the city’. She worked with local artisans to create one-off designs for this space, many of which are deep in meaning – the wildflower mouldings around the ceiling of one room were a nod to a symbol of resilience during the Lebanese civil war. This is a thoughtful design, but also one that is deeply opulent, featuring luxurious marbles, rich colours and a level of detail that means you’ll always spot something new to delight the eye. www.beihouse.com
LINDA BORONKAY
Linda Boronkay’s eponymous studio is highly regarded for its cinematic and craft-driven approach. She creates spaces, she says, ‘that transport and enchant’, perfecting an approach that she has come to call ‘spatial couture’. Based in London but born in Budapest, it was here that Boronkay’s love for all things decorative began, encouraged by her architect father and her mother, an avid art collector who founded a design magazine. Since moving to the UK in her twenties, Boronkay has worked on global projects for the likes of Tom Dixon, Martin Brudnizki and Soho House, as well as designing the atmospheric Speakeasy bar in Claridge’s hotel, London. www.boronkay.studio
“Linda Boronkay is a designer respected as much for her level of detail as she is for her penchant for the theatrical. Both are at play here in the most fabulous way possible, with a real understanding of the local design scene and cultural impact of this project married with a flair for luxurious materials and palettes.”
— BEN SPRIGGS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECORATION UK
WESTMORELAND AT THE FRICK
BY BRYAN O'SULLIVAN
PHOTOS WILLIAM JESS LAIRD PORTRAIT JAKE CURTIS
Café. Westmoreland is the first café established inside the storied Frick Collection on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, as part of Selldorf Architects’ renovation of that institution. Situated adjacent to Russell Page’s beloved garden, the Westmoreland’s design reflects the natural world through floral motifs on the bar surrounds, a palette of deep greens and soft pastels, and Darren Waterston’s breathtaking mural, which envelops the foyer and the frieze of the main dining space. Selldorf’s established palette of marble floors and walls is complemented by custom plaster mouldings and abstract chandelier medallions, from which Selldorf’s ‘Seguso’ pendants hang. Bryan O’Sullivan Studio’s design for the custom millwork of the bar and wait station reflect a contemporary take on the stylistic influences from the period during which the original Frick mansion was built. Custom furnishings subtly reference pieces from The Frick Collection itself, with bespoke dining chairs nodding to Elsie de Wolfe’s chinoiserie influence and a striking central borne in the foyer clad in green mohair, reminiscent of Hans Holbein’s Portrait of Sir Thomas More. www.frick.org/visit/cafe
BRYAN O'SULLIVAN
Bryan O’Sullivan Studio was founded in 2013 and today has teams established in both central London and New York City. The studio works with clients globally to produce contemporary, liveable design informed by an elegant and eclectic European point of view. Projects span residential, hospitality, restaurants, bars and maritime. www.bryanosullivan.com
“O’Sullivan’s studio’s style is completely compelling. Elegant and timeless, this project shows its prowess at making any space appear welcoming and unique and always infused with a sense of authentic glamour.”
— BEN SPRIGGS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECORATION UK
FAENA HOTEL NEW YORK
BY PETER MIKIC
PHOTOS NIKOLAS KOENIG PORTRAIT NIKOLAS KOENIG
Hotel. The third hotel by Alan Faena, and the firm’s first in New York, makes a bold, brash and brilliant impression. From the gloss-red reception area, complete with leopard print carpet, to the burgundy embrace of its La Boca restaurant, this design by London-based Peter Mikic is all about celebrating the city’s innate glamour and rich, bustling social scene. This is the designer’s first hotel and a real attention-grabbing statement of intent. The rooms are calmer and lighter, but no less impactful, with a love of glossy finishes (a motif that has also appeared in his residential projects) and animal print being the thread that runs through the whole building. www.faena.com
PETER MIKIC
Originally from Australia, Peter Mikic moved to the UK in the 1990s before founding his eponymous studio in 2006. Unafraid of bright colour and with a love for the playful and creative as well as the elegant, he has worked on residential projects across the globe, as well as bars, restaurants and yachts. Often arresting, his work is also renowned for an attention to craftmanship and detail. www.petermikic.com
“Peter Mikic has captured something in the air: an unapologetic approach to high-glamour that is very en vogue. Taking the design world’s current obsession with glossy finishes to a new level, his design is a love letter to the bustling brashness of New York.”
— BEN SPRIGGS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECORATION UK
ST JAMES’ PARK APARTMENT
BY SOPHIE ASHBY
PHOTOS KENSINGTON LAVERNE PORTRAIT KENSINGTON LAVERNE
Private Home. A new-build apartment on the 15th-floor of a London tower block, this project was, for interior designer Sophie Ashby, about imparting some soul into the space. Known for the use of art in her interiors, Ashby embraced the view of the London skyline as the masterpiece here, drawing her decorating inspiration from ‘that urban skyline, as well as the greens from the trees and the bluey-grey sky’. A testament to the impact of bespoke joinery, every surface and corner of this home has a special finish, with the kitchen a highlight. Ashby loves it for its delicious mix of materials – cloudy stainless steel, chocolate parquet flooring, a lime-green oven and a swirling marble splashback. It is, she says, ‘a surprising, bold palette that I haven’t used before’.
SOPHIE ASHBY
Since founding her eponymous studio in 2014, Sophie Ashby has gained a serious following for her interiors style, which is heavily influenced by the art world. Often focusing her room schemes around a certain artwork, Ashby has a strong eye for colour and pattern, building interiors that are reliably packed with personality. Having worked on residential and commercial projects, in 2022 she opened the doors to a showroom space in London’s Blewcoat School, which also functions as a place to shop her own range of homeware and furniture – Sister. www.studioashby.com
“A markedly different kind of offering from Sophie Ashby, this private home shows how her tailored and creative approach to interior design can bring charm, individuality and artistry to any home. With the designer currently working on projects in Hong Kong and Denmark, it’s an aesthetic with a growing fan-base.”
— BEN SPRIGGS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECORATION UK
PALACE GARDENS, LONDON
BY STEPHANIE BARBA MENDOZA
PHOTOS KENSINGTON LEVERNE PORTRAIT KENSINGTON LEVERNE
Private Home. Since this is a lower ground floor conversion that was previously very dark, Stephanie’s first intervention was to add windows for extra natural light. The colour scheme needed to feel warm and inviting, reflecting the client’s personality and love for art. Considering this is where the family spends most of their time together, it was essential to create a welcoming and cosy atmosphere where they can gather, play games and music, watch TV or read books. The project began when Stephanie’s client showed her a painting they had just acquired, featuring vibrant blood orange, cerulean blue and yellow shades. The artwork’s ‘happy energy’ inspired her to base the main colour scheme on a red-orange and peach palette, incorporating complementary touches of green and blue. Oak-panelled walls and orange wallpapers create a perfect backdrop for her client to showcase their art, rather than using white.
STEPHANIE BARBA MENDOZA
Born and raised in Mexico, Stephanie Barba Mendoza led global design projects at Martin Brudnizki Design Studio for a decade before founding her London-based interior design studio in 2020. The studio is now composed of 10 designers who deliver residential and commercial projects guided by a creative vision defined by vibrancy and opulence. With an impressive international network of creatives and artisans to call on, she loves fusing high and low, contemporary and antique and the simple with the ornate in her global portfolio, which include private homes in London, Antwerp, Miami boutique hotels in Lisbon, Vienna, Porto and Amsterdam; along with members’ clubs in Hanoi and Mexico City. www.barbamendoza.com
“Stephanie Barba Mendoza transformed the lower ground floor of this London home by filling it with art, characterful details, sophisticated colour pairings and tactile textures, all of which combine to create a sense of warmth and easygoing elegance. Stephanie is known for creating immersive, playful interiors that are rich in print, pattern and colour and enlivened by surreal touches and fantastical elements. Here, she’s applied her globally rich style and imaginative flair to the interiors of a traditional London house, creating something warm and soulful which feels contemporary yet timeless.”
— BEN SPRIGGS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECORATION UK
Ukraine
GUNIA CONCEPT STORE
BY TEMP PROJECT
PHOTOS YEVHENII AVRAMENKO PORTRAIT NINA SUBINA
Concept Store. Gunia Concept Store, situated in Kyiv, embodies the Ukrainian design and lifestyle brand’s philosophy within a historic building that once housed the Embassy of the Republic of Panama. The interior reinterprets tradition through a refined contemporary lens. The space celebrates the dialogue between heritage and modernity – a central theme of Gunia’s identity. Original dark timber ceilings and panels were preserved and softened with pastel hues, stainless steel, milky glass, and gentle lighting. Locally crafted furniture by Noom, Woo, and Cegla Studios reflects the brand’s commitment to Ukrainian artisanship, while colour accents reference Kyiv’s architectural icons. Soft carpeting, sculptural displays, and calm, domestic details create a tactile and emotionally resonant environment – one that feels like both a cultural gallery and a modern sanctuary. www.guniaproject.com.ua
ANASTASIIA TEMPYNSKA
Founder of Temp Project (est. 2022), Anastasiia Tempynska is a Kyiv-based designer known for her conceptual approach and strong visual language. Her work bridges interior design and architecture, specializing in complex retail and office spaces defined by clarity, emotion, and precision. www.instagram.com/tempproject
“This project is a dialogue between heritage and modernity — a space where history feels light and alive. It captures Gunia’s essence: refined yet soulful, rooted in Ukrainian craft while open to the world.”
— SONYA ZABOUGA, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECORATION UKRAINE
GRYBOVA HATA RESTAURANT
BY YOD GROUP
PHOTOS ANDRIY BEZUGLOV PORTRAIT ULIANA VINICHUK
Restaurant. Grybova Hata (Mushroom House), located in the Ukrainian Carpathians, is a traditional restaurant, reimagined by YOD Group. The design reinterprets Ukrainian hospitality through the lens of mushrooms – the restaurant’s symbolic and culinary signature. The minimalist interior unfolds in a palette of warm neutrals and organic forms, crafted entirely from two materials: textured plaster and locally quarried travertine. Locally made furniture, sculptural fixtures, and lighting pieces by Valerii Kuznetsov, created from recycled plastic, reinforce the project’s sustainable ethos. Nature’s unpredictability inspired the design’s tactile beauty, culminating in a standout feature – curtains grown from mushroom-based biotextile by Dasha Tsapenko. The result is a serene, earthy atmosphere where craftsmanship, sustainability, and Ukrainian terroir design come together to celebrate the humble mushroom as both muse and medium.
DMYTRO BONESKO AND VOLODYMYR NEPIYVODA
A multidisciplinary design studio with over 20 years of experience. Specializing in hotels, restaurants, and wellness spaces. Guided by the philosophy of terroir design, YOD reveals the character of each place through authentic materials and meaningful storytelling. www.yod.group
“This project feels alive — it literally grew from local materials and ideas, just like a mushroom from its mycelium. It’s a poetic embodiment of how design, nature, and Ukrainian tradition can evolve together into something genuinely new.”
— SONYA ZABOUGA, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLE DECORATION UKRAINE
MOUNTAIN RESIDENCE
BY YOD GROUP
PHOTOS ANDRIY BEZUGLOV PORTRAIT ULIANA VINICHUK
Hotel. Perched in the Ukrainian Carpathians, Mountain Residence in Polyanytsia, Bukovel, designed by YOD Group, reinterprets the idea of mountain hospitality through the lens of contemporary design and local tradition. The 4,280 m² public areas include the lobby, two restaurants, a conference hall, SPA, and a rooftop pool. Inspired by the natural landscape and Carpathian mythology, the interiors blend tactile materials, handcrafted details, and organic forms. Reed, wood, vine, and fireclay create a sensory environment where every texture tells a story. Highlights include a 90-meter reed installation symbolizing the wind, a monumental woven sculpture of the mythical Chugayster, and a glass-walled rooftop pool floating over the mountains. The result is a poetic dialogue between architecture and nature – immersive, authentic, and deeply connected to its place.
DMYTRO BONESKO AND VOLODYMYR NEPIYVODA
A multidisciplinary design studio with over 20 years of experience. Specializing in hotels, restaurants, and wellness spaces. Guided by the philosophy of terroir design, YOD reveals the character of each place through authentic materials and meaningful storytelling. www.yod.group
