24 Sophisticated Finds for a Colorful, Sculptural, and Soulful Home – Perfect for Anyone Bored of All-White Interiors

From painterly hues and conversational patterns to forms bold enough to flabbergast, this look invites your inner artiste to take the lead

Colorful seating room area featuring a painterly rug, swirl-upholstered irregularly shaped ottoman, and a woven floor lamp
(Image credit: Kensington Leverne. Design: Studio Ashby)

They say children make the best artists – and adults, occasionally, need to play too. If both are true, tapping the inner child might just be the secret to a chicer, more joyful home – a design ethos recently animated by designers like Sophie Ashby of Studio Ashby, whose Hampstead townhouse project is every bit as colorful as it is considered.

Like a great painting, the look is guided by avant-garde color combinations, pairings and an embrace of the imperfect. Soft blues mingle with punchy pinstriped oranges. Straight, polished lines give way to organic or sculptural forms, manifested as live-wood details, handblown glass, and bulbous-based lamps.

In essence, this is a design style that celebrates youthful spirit without feeling juvenile. Like the famously childlike hand of Picasso, it balances play with prestige – choosing furnishings that satisfy the inner child, if that child happened to have impeccable taste in interiors.


The Round is Homes & Gardens' collection of the must-have pieces shaping styles, trends, and ideas. It brings together thoughtfully curated products that express a single moment offering readers inspiring ways to style their homes through seasonal themes, emerging looks, and everyday pieces.

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Julia Demer
Style Editor

Julia Demer is a New York–based Style Editor at Homes & Gardens with a sharp eye for where fashion meets interiors. Having cut her teeth at L’Officiel USA and The Row before pivoting into homes, she believes great style is universal – whether it’s a perfect outfit, a stunning room, or the ultimate set of sheets. Passionate about art, travel, and pop culture, Julia brings a global, insider perspective to every story.