Courtesy of Sebastien Durelli
Long associated with wealth, power, and beauty, the color gold was historically used to make a strong design statement. Whether gilded onto walls in European estates or woven through tapestries now hanging in museums, this symbol of luxury transmitted a message of nuanced taste and cultural awareness. And while styles have evolved, gold remains a timeless—and surprisingly versatile—shade that designers keep returning to again and again. No longer reserved for mansions and matriarchs, it shines on in furniture and décor, often showcased with streamlined, modern shapes or in darker tones that nudge it towards neutral-palette territory.
Sebastien Durelli’s Awakening 02 floor lamp is a good example. Crafted in gold-toned bronze, its coloring is understated and elegant, allowing the designer to work with a more experimental shape. Similarly, Luca Stefano used a mohair fabric with a dark-mustardy finish for his LS35A sofa, embracing the earthier side of metallics. Looking to the brighter end of the spectrum, De La Espada goes bold with the Orion dining table: a combination of wood and metal that’s eye-catching but not garish. For an extra-inventive twist, Brazilian designer Lucas Simões recently unveiled the Colendra chair, a wild, sculptural example of metalworking that combines an irreverent sensibility with practiced craft.
In a subtler interpretation of the trend, the Jazz bookshelf is handcrafted in oak that takes on a golden hue when hit with the right light. It’s not metal, but it brings a softer, warmer, and more natural tone to minimal décor.
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LS35A, Luca Stefano
Image Credit: Courtesy of Luca Stefano Design This showstopper by Milan-based designer Luca Stefano is all curves. A sexy lounge sofa, seen here upholstered in Pierre Frey mohair with Canaletto walnut details, the LS35A is available for customization, but we think that this mossy-gold hue is incredibly chic, evoking the muted desert tones popular during the ’60s and ’70s. $47,250, as shown
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Jazz, Tom Bensari
Image Credit: Courtesy of StudioTwentySeven Part of master woodworker Tom Bensari’s Manhattan collection for StudioTwentySeven, the Jazz bookcase is an ode to the designer’s love of music. With edges that curve like brass instruments and shelves that skip like riffs, this unit is meticulously hand-built in Poland from oak and olive wood, with custom veneered interiors according to the client’s preference and a glowing finish that takes on a golden tint in just the right light. $20,900
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Awakening 02, Sebastien Durelli
Image Credit: Courtesy of StudioTwentySeven Designed exclusively for StudioTwentySeven, Sebastien Durelli’s Awakening 02 floor lamp is available in a limited run of eight examples. Handcrafted in Italy from cast patinaed bronze, the striking piece takes inspiration from the naturally sculpted landscapes of Iceland, specifically the country’s glacial lagoons. The organic boulder-esque shade is rugged and elemental—like an exploded rock wrenched apart by seismic activity—while the base is sleek and symmetrical, providing visual balance in a deep bronze finish. From $46,550
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Orion, De La Espada
Image Credit: Carlos Teixeira When it comes to the Orion dining table, the draw is in the details. Designed by Anthony Guerrée for De La Espada, this piece features a central base crafted from a series of overlapping wood slats—a textured moment that creates visual equilibrium with its smooth, curved-brass counterpart. A bona fide visual anchor, the Orion can be paired with thin-framed chairs for a sneak-peek view or heftier seats that provide a surprising reveal when guests sit down to dinner. From $14,880
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Sleeper, Lucas Simões
Image Credit: Alessandro Gruetzmacher Last month at Christie’s in Los Angeles, Brazilian artist Lucas Simões unveiled his first furniture collection, Colendra. Presented in Lightness & Tension, an exhibition curated by roving gallerist Ulysses de Santi, Simões’s work is rooted in material exploration, as seen in the Sleeper chair, a curving steel form that suggests Brazilian midcentury modernism. A unique patina—which imparts the shimmery, rainbow-esque look of an oil slick—gives the piece a wholly contemporary, artistic feel. $16,000
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