How Quiet Luxury Is Inspiring Interiors

It may have started in the fashion world, but the idea of quiet luxury – a low-key sumptuousness rather than an ostentatious or flashy approach to what you wear – has segued into interiors. It heralds an aesthetic that’s all about creating deliciously discreet spaces that are visually calm and relaxing. Here are five ways to embrace the new mood.

Calming colour
Bright hues and maximalist pattern-on-pattern designs are too full of energy for a room that whispers, rather than shouts, its style credentials. Instead, quiet luxury is all about shades that encourage a peaceful frame of mind. Soft neutrals, warm chocolate browns and caramels are increasingly popular.

“These rich colours deliver cocooning, restful spaces,” says Ruth Mottershead, creative director of Little Greene. “Deeper, richer caramels are perfect for creating an enticing, sumptuous feel, while soft golds provide comfort and reflect the desire to create warmth within our homes.”

Silvery lining
The cool tones of stainless steel and aluminium have been replacing the brightness of brass in stylish interiors. The trend was first seen in kitchens: interior designer Hollie Bowden, for example, juxtaposed lacquered cabinets with stainless worktops and splashbacks to produce a space that combines warmth with industrial sleekness.

Now these cool metals can be found in other pieces for the home, too. Bryan O’Sullivan has designed an exquisite ruby-encrusted stainless-steel table lamp, while Faye Toogood’s pared-back Spade Chair in aluminium exudes understated sparkle.

Rounded edges
Andrew Martin’s handmade Lamarr sofa, with its super-cosy curved seat, is the epitome of quiet luxury. “Furniture with rounded edges and soft lines adds a gentle touch to a space,” explains Riley Uggla of The Condo, a platform that’s all about carefully considered interiors. Fabrics are extra-tactile, too: the Lamarr features the looped texture of bouclé; velvet, wool and linen are also quiet-luxe favourites.

Understated accessories
Forget shouty look-at-me patterns. Accessories are making a case for keeping it plain. This lack of ostentation, however, is more than made up for in shape, with sculptural forms adding an extra visual dimension. On the floor, rugs are subtly tactile, rather than starring as the main feature. In the new capsule collection from Knots Rugs, pieces are made from sustainable and undyed materials such as hemp, linen and wild silk. Colours and patterns are decidedly unshowy but elegantly luxurious all the same.

Semi-precious stones
Onyx is just one of the many materials du jour – agate-clad walls and rose-quartz bathroom basins have also been seen imbuing spaces with texture and understated polish. Laura Torregrossa and Cyril Zbirou of Paris-based studio Marbera do beautiful things with semi-precious stones. Their striking side tables are made from blocks of onyx that have been polished to reveal their natural beauty.

Pictures from top: a quiet-luxe space from the Elicyon studio; interior designer Hollie Bowden’s kitchen for the Forest Estate in Ibiza (Genevieve Lutkin); Riley Uggla’s sitting room; and an Elicyon dining room