The teal velvet sofa in that picture feels familiar, right? That’s because you’ve probably seen it twice a week, or more, for as long as you’ve been following Monikh Dale.
There’s a reason why you feel like you’ve been inside the influencer’s South-West London flat: it’s the signature backdrop to most of her Instagram posts.
And while Monikh makes a living through sponsored fashion posts, styling and writing gigs, she has also become known for interiors by default.
Because in today’s curated world, social media posts are treated almost like an editorial – no detail goes unnoticed.
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A deep dive scroll through your favourite influencer’s grid will take you back to simpler days, when only the outfit mattered. But now, even a nonchalant mirror selfie will have a purposeful reflection – a well-placed plant or print perhaps, or some perfectly plumped Bella Freud pillows.
While the intentions may be well-meaning – all in the name of aesthetics, that is – the outcome is slightly more problematic: now your sofa is just as much of a statement symbol as your new It bag. The cycle of purchase pressure continues.
Still, the world of interiors and fashion has always been intertwined, with catwalk trends influencing decor and architecture influencing clothing. So you can’t blame influencers such as Pandora Sykes, Lucy Williams, Katherine Ormerod and Camille Charrière for aspiring (and succeeding) to nail both.
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Monikh’s approach is creative: she often uses just one corner of her living room, curating different sets using some easy props such as a bamboo room divider, and switching around chairs and tables, plants, prints and pots. The result is simple, but stylish. And her followers are constantly asking where they can find her furniture.
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The good news is, lots of the her favourite pieces are super accessible price wise. The Insta-famous L-shaped sofa is from the Millennial mogul made.com, while her lamps are French Connection and her chairs by Soho Home.
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3 OF THE MOST INSTAGRAMMABLE INTERIORS
If you don’t have the funds to kit out your entire apartment in new decor, there are some hero pieces you can invest in to immediately elevate a room.
Marcel Breur’s Cesca chair
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First designed as part of the Bahaus movement by Marcel Breur in 1928, the Cesca chair was marvelled at for its modern tubular steel frame which appeared to float without a standard four leg base. In the ’60s, retailers began to mass-produce copies of the rattan chair, which is why you’ll no doubt have seen it in numerous atmospheric sets (Kramer and Kramer, Julieta, The Little Drummer Girl, Top of The Lake and Black Mirror, to name but a few).
Much like Tretchikoff’s Chinese Lady print, these newer, cheaper versions of the chair were once seen everywhere, but now they’re considered a quirky gem. You can still find the Knoll versions at Heal’s, or shop for vintage versions on eBay.
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Anissa Kermiche is a fine jewellery designer with a penchant for the tongue-in-cheek: think boobs, bottoms and middle fingers, but make it high brow. Inspired by the work of Francois Morellet and Picasso, as well as Les années folles period in ’20s France, the Central Saint Martins-grad has a knack for making what could be novelty look ultra elegant.
So when she forayed into interiors last year with the launch of her Love Handle and Jugs Jug ceramics, they gained traction fast. Camille Charrière, Pandora Sykes, Leandra Medine and Monikh Dale all have a piece of Anissa Kermiche’s pottery somewhere in their well-documented homes.
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Velvet sofas
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The number one It piece in an influencer starter kit? A luxe velvet sofa. There’s one thing Camille Charrière, Dolly Alderton, Lucy Williams, Monikh Dale, Anissa Kermiche and Alex Steadman all have in common: the blue-green shade of their cotton-velvet upholstery. Namely teal, bottle- or forest-green. These colour palettes are like the new neutrals, they’ll go with pretty much anything – whether you’re into simple Scandi pairings or something brighter.
When it comes to design, anything goes. Monikh’s L-shaped style has a louche, ’70s appeal, Dolly Alderton’s chesterfield is decidedly mid-century and Camille Charrière’s classic three-seater is ultra versatile (and looks remarkably comfortable).
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If you’re reluctant to switch things up, dip a toe into this trend by buying a love seat, or one of made.com’s neat two-part bench sofa beds. It will add a playful accent to any room. If you’re ready to invest though, these are our favourite velvet sofas out there: