On materials: temperature before colour.

Most studios talk about palette. We talk about material. A colour swatch tells you almost nothing about how a room will feel — temperature, depth, the way light folds into a surface, none of it is on a paint chip.

Dark surfaces are rarely a single tone. We default to a soft charcoal lacquer that absorbs light without flattening, paired with honed stone for the floor and matte velvet for upholstery. Three depths reading as one.

Ivory is the hardest. Too cool and it goes hospital; too warm and it goes builder-grade. We anchor most projects on a single fabric — usually a Belgian linen — and tune every other ivory in the room to match its undertone.

Metal is used like seasoning. Brushed, never polished. Always warm. Always small.