Super shiny interiors are having a moment, and these homes from the ELLE Decoration archives show just why designers are returning to this decorative flourish. Applying gloss paint or lacquer to walls and ceilings can create an expansive, light reflecting feel that’s also pleasingly opulent.
A mesmerising lacquered ceiling in London
This otherworldly dining room in a Maida Vale home was created by designer Trilbey Gordon, who used resin and lacquer to create a glistening, reflective enclave. The lacquered walls and ceiling took six months and more than thirty layers to complete, while the resin-topped table and lacquer-coated mica chandelier further enhance the mirror effect.
The maximalist Paris home with a rich gloss ceiling
‘For some, the colours can be tiring and the decoration too exuberant, but it actually makes me feel very calm,’ says illustrator Pierre- Marie of his eclectic home in Paris. In the kitchen, a gloriously glossy burnt orange ceiling clashes to spectacular effect with his own custom printed melamine surfaces. The dining table is also one of his designs, as is the ‘Flowering Camouflage’ rug for Nilufar.
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The opulent lacquer dining room in London
‘I’ve always enjoyed the idea of reflection. It really excites me, and this was the perfect opportunity to explore that,’ says designer Peter Mikic. This dining room in an opulent Chelsea home proved to be the ideal canvas for him to create an ultra-glossy interior where rich colour combines with reflective surfaces to create a sensational, atmospheric room which appears to glow from within.
The Milanese apartment with an understated shine
Emitting more of a gentle sheen than full on shine, the smoky, moody walls in the home of Emiliano Salci (creative force behind the legendary Dimorestudio) are the perfect backdrop to the designer’s maximalist approach to decorating. Showcasing a mix of the brand’s contemporary and vintage pieces, along with artwork, textiles and iconic furniture pieces the home encapsulates Salci’s pioneering creative vision.
Lacquered doors in a Milanese home
Mario Abruzzese’s team at Kick.Office were inspired by Piero Portaluppi’s work at Villa Necchi Campiglio when redesigning this 19th Milanese apartment. While restoring some original features they reimagined and implemented a dynamic new layout – in the hallway, a pivoting, brick-red lacquered door leads to the more private areas of this apartment, with the walls lined by hidden storage. At the end of the corridor hangs Things by Pietro Terzini, and the ‘Foglio’ wall light is by Tobia Scarpa for Flos.
Floor-to-ceiling reflection in an Antwerp bathroom
The glossy mint ceiling in the bathroom of this Antwerp apartment is not the only reflective element in the room. Belgian studio Atelier Dialect paired it with mirrored steel, a material that’s become increasingly popular in bathroom design, for a full on high-shine effect that’s tempered with a groovy thick pile carpet.
Lacquer and metals combine in this Paris home
‘I like to mix traditional and modest materials with precious details, and to combine glossy and matt or patterned and minimal finishes,’ says designer Rodolphe Parente. When it came to designing this compact Parisian flat for a David Lynch superfan, Parente combined concrete with an unusual wet-look mahogany floor in ruby red, the late filmmaker’s signature colour. Stainless steel and brass finishes throughout the home add another dimension of shine.
Black paint is elevated with lacquer in this penthouse apartment
Designer Michala Jessen swapped the typical white walled interior of her Copenhagen home for a mesmerising ebony-hued palette. Using just two shades, a blue-black for the bedroom and a green-black elsewhere, she elevated the scheme with coats of lacquer applied to the ceiling, which takes advantage of the abundance of natural light from the penthouse’s wraparound terrace.
The sunny home with high-shine floors
‘The glossy yellow looks insanely beautiful paired with the pink velvet curtains,’ Johanna Rosén of the winning combination of high shine and lustrous textiles in her Copenhagen home. To achieve the perfect sheen on the mustard-hued floor in the bedroom and hallway she used ship’s varnish, while the use of curtains throughout the home creates an inviting, cocooning ambience.
