Look, no hands

The staircase in the top picture without any handrails is as dramatic as it was intended in this Paris apartment. One would hope only for visual drama, rather than another flight of fancy. The dining area beneath it is dual purpose; when not used for dining it doubles as an elegant hallway, with the front door, and the entrance to the sitting room on the left hand side.

The main sitting room is an exercise in artful eclecticism, providing an exquisite backdrop for an array of carefully chosen and unusual artifacts.

With muted colour tones throughout, drawn only occasionally away by the orange of an armchair, the entire effect is charmingly pleasing, and the most suitable for the enjoyment of the collection.

(Images from House & Garden.)

Eclecticism

Collett-Zarzycki think of their work as "considered", and it's easy to see why. Although there is a vast array of different pieces from around the world in this London apartment, they have been put together seamlessly. This image is from the bedroom through to a desk area. The chests mounted on simple wooden stands are from Korea, and although these create an obvious sense of the Orient, together with the Chinese lamps above the desk, the effect is not overwhelming

This factor is perhaps helped by the sense of space and lack of clutter, both essential devices in my take on interior design.