Covet Noir: Redefining Elegance in Chelsea's Design Scene
people • DESIGNERS
Covet Noir is a Chelsea-based interior design studio that curates effortlessly timeless interiors that are beautiful and liveable interiors for its discerning clients. Led by co-founders Maria Lindgren and Adele Lonergan, Covet Noir was born out of their shared affinity for neutrals and their love of mixing new and antique pieces. Covet Noir guides its clients through the process from initial concept to completion, taking care at every stage to understand not only their clients brief but also to learn how they live. This allows us to develop designs that are tailored perfectly to their clients' lifestyles.
Website: covetnoir.com INSTAGRAM: @covetnoir
Words: designeers
DECember 2024
DESIGNEERS
Describe your style and aesthetic:
Maria Lindgren
Timeless, elegant, and liveable, our style is best described as understated luxury. You won't catch us using lots of colours and patterns. We take a timeless approach, carefully mixing new and antique pieces to elevate our designs and create confidently neutral interiors emphasising layering elegant materials. We tend to avoid trends to ensure our schemes stand the test of time.
DESIGNEERS
A project you are working on now:
Adele Lonergan
We have some really amazing projects underway at the moment, thankfully no Christmas deadlines this year though. All of our current projects are in West London and the majority are period properties. We absolutely love the challenge of working on listed homes, I often think the best design can come from responding to restrictions either spatially or due to planning, it forces you to think really creatively and respond to the space. Sometimes having complete free reign can actually make it harder!
DESIGNEERS
What constitutes great design?
Maria Lindgren
As residential designers, it’s important to remind prospective clients that it isn't all about our studio aesthetics. It’s our role to elevate the clients own preferences and styles, while slightly pushing them out of their comfort zone. We also always focus on the balance of architectural character and more modern features, we believe it's important to accentuate the heritage of the property. We lean towards more classic palettes, while adding a layer of more seasonal accessories which also meets the functional demands of modern families to create timeless yet comfortable living spaces.
DESIGNEERS
What do you do when you're not working?
Maria Lindgren
Our son is turning two in February, so there's a lot of outdoor activities currently, especially in Richmond Park where I also go horse riding every Saturday. I also adore antiques markets and independent lifestyle shops or florists, I'm lucky I live a short walk away from Petersham Nurseries which is always inspiring! We also love staycations and trying different hotels, I think it's such a great source for inspiration and design ideas!
Adele Lonergan
I bought my first flat this time last year, so currently lots of my free time is taken up on projects around the house. Unlike client projects it's been nice to take some time settling in and evolving into the space before making lots of drastic changes. My weekends are often spent wandering round markets on the hunt for unique finds, or catching up with friends. I'm also not the biggest sun worshipper so you're more likely to catch me on a city break than a tropical island! The next trip I have planned is to Antwerp in January, I've been desperate to stay at the August and to mooch round all the incredible design shops.
“It’s our role to elevate the clients own preferences and styles, while slightly pushing them out of their comfort zone..”
COVET NOIR
DESIGNEERS
Favourite material to work with?
Adele Lonergan
We love mixing materials and finishes in our projects, it's so important to layer to make a space feel truly considered. But if we had to choose a material I think it has to be marble. Nothing compares to the organic beauty of a natural stone and with the vast variety of colours & veining it's also very versatile as a material. Even how you finish it can completely change its look, while we normally prefer honed, sometimes a piece of furniture lends itself to a polished look. Some clients are nervous to use it for fear of it being marked, but for us that is all part of its beauty. The fact that it patinas and ages over time only helps to add character to a design.
DESIGNEERS
Top 3 suppliers you love working with:
Maria Lindgren
Cox London, for unique and sculptural furniture, lighting and objects.
Nick Jones Antiques, Nick has got a fantastic eye for one-off antiques and accessories. We always find something that works for our projects in stock and Nick has also helped us source pieces of furniture for our clients.
Riviere Rugs, they have such a friendly and collaborative team! We've used a good selection of their designs in our projects as well as developing some bespoke rugs which is always a fun process!
DESIGNEERS
Favourite hotel in the world:
Maria Lindgren
There are so many fantastic hotels, it's hard to pick one! I'll go for the two that are the closest to my heart: Ett Hem in Stockholm - I'm Swedish, so I'm probably a bit biased, but Ett Hem is such a great concept, and it does feel like a home away from home. I particularly like the relaxed and cosy atmosphere they have managed to achieve while keeping a very high standard. The food is also out of this world and it feels like you're at a friend's house for dinner or breakfast (if you have superstar chefs as friends)!
Also I love Gili Lankanfushi - I can only describe this as paradise on earth, barefoot luxury!
DESIGNEERS
On your coffee table right now:
Maria Lindgren
I always change my coffee table styling depending on the seasons, so now that it is December and Christmas time, it's looking rather festive!
I have a crackle glass vase from Kosta Boda with white amaryllis stems and baby eucalyptus which always give off the most amazing scent. I also filled an antique silver bowl with some green moss and placed it next to my favourite Diptyque candle: The 34 Boulevard Saint-Germain. It's not their holiday scent, but I love it! I also have a few large antique silver glazed baubles that I added dark burgundy velvet ribbons that I placed in a ruffled edge marble bowl.
Adele Lonergan
Currently I have a couple of stacks of some of my favourite coffee table books- Alyssa Kapito, Rose Uniacke, Clements Design & The Essential of Cy Twombly. I also love an antique silver accent, so dotted on top is a small candle holder, scalloped edge tray & clamshell dish. Finally no coffee table is complete without some foliage, I have a petite ceramic vase that I like to fill with seasonal flowers.
DESIGNEERS
Design hero:
Maria Lindgren
I don't have a design hero as such, but I'm inspired by elements from varying projects and designers. The first names that come to mind are: Rose Uniacke, Joseph Dirand and Alyssa Kapito, but the list could go on forever!
