Happy new year! As promised, we’re back with a bang, and I, for one, am super excited about all that’s to come this year. Granted, the world’s in a strange, volatile and uncertain state, with terrible things happening wherever you look. But I’ve found that the only way I can function is to put one foot in front of the other and focus on the tiniest glimmers of hope – the almost imperceptible green shoots poking through the snow and ice.
As we enter 2025, when it comes to decorating, design and interiors, I see two very different and divergent movements, which, at the same time, both speak to our desire to get away from the here and now, to escape reality.
On the one hand, there’s an embracing of an otherworldly futuristic aesthetic, all shiny metal, glossy surfaces and brutalist elements. In these spaces, colours clash, materials contrast and there’s a rejection of nostalgia and heritage. Conversely, we’re seeing a renewed appreciation and evaluation of neutrals, texture and what it really means to create an environment that acts as a sanctuary – a place to comfort yourself and take solace in times of distress.
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These are two schools of thought we will delve deeper into as the year progresses, but you’ll already see these themes across the places, spaces, pieces and people in this issue. There are the extremities: Uchronia’s interplanetary revamp of a London retail space; Sam Buckley’s zingy residential project; and our profile of French cartoons-inspired interior-design firm Zyva Studio, all championing an electrifying sense of ‘other’. These are tempered by the ‘poetic modernism’ of Space Copenhagen’s Danish project, alongside the muted, comforting tones of a Polish pad and a west-London home, where designer Linda Boronkay has applied her signature exploration of texture.
If there’s one country where these two worlds coexist in harmony, it’s Japan. And so, perhaps it’s no surprise that we’re seeing an explosion of all things related to the Land of the Rising Sun. I was lucky enough to visit it last year, and was enthralled by the mix of tradition, technology, formality and freedom; I’ve wanted to dedicate an issue to its ongoing attraction – and how it influences design here in the UK – ever since.
Finally, back to the place we all want to stay this time of the year: our living rooms. Our thorough Focus section, brimming with ideas and products, should inspire, delight and give you something to muse on as you snuggle up this winter. Hopefully, this packed issue will fill you with some sense of positivity, to set you on the right track for the months ahead.
