THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME

By Gillian Upton

Institute. She only has heating in the basement and ground floor. There is also 11kw of solar power installed. “I’m not quite off-grid but I have great insulation and am as sustainable as possible,” she explains. Not many builders are so well-versed in these building methods. Monche is a competent and price-competitive business led by Monika who has a keen eye for detail and enjoys taking on complicated or high-end design with a focus on quality and energy efficiency. “When your architect’s drawings are ready, we relish the opportunity to get to work on your project, providing you with an expert, experienced and steady hand at the helm.”

Italian company Extroverso has reinvented wall coverings using parchment-based panels made from goatskin which is smooth, waterproof and soft. Applied to a wooden structure, the luxe panels can be enriched with gold leaf, inlaid to create a mosaic effect or layered to create a pattern in relief. Cover an entire wall, a sideboard, door or headboard; the options are endless. Seen here: parchment-covered wall panels with gold leaf sanded finish.

Copper with its patina and aged finish and brass adds a real pop of warmth and texture to a plain kitchen. Sheets can be cut to most sizes and although each piece is bespoke, colour-matching is possible. Kitchens by Holloways flags up that “one current kitchen trend is to use natural materials which are rich in texture; brass is also popular.” Seen here: copper splashback from Halman Thompson.

If you’ve always fancied marble floors or walls, cheat with these porcelain stoneware tiles that look just like genuine honed and veined marble and with a natural variation from tile to tile. Called Cathedral, they are available in verde, emerald, blue and arabescato from Stone & Ceramic Warehouse.

Who would put stripes and patterns together, or clashing colours? It’s Luke Edward Hall’s hallmark and it’s catching on. Says Bethell, “We think that the gorgeously colourful, bold, eclectic style epitomised by Luke Edward Hall is increasingly visible and we adore it! Fabulous unexpected colour combinations, a riot of different prints that shouldn’t work but do... it’s like being in an interior design sweet shop!”