Handcrafted Harmony: Inside The Good Living&Co. Philosophy
people • DESIGNERS
The Good Living & Co. is a Polish family-owned brand established in 2019, dedicated to handcrafted furniture and home accessories. Founded by Monika Szyca-Thomas, who continues her family's century-long tradition in Polish craftsmanship, the company blends traditional techniques with contemporary and classic design. Their product range includes chairs, armchairs, tables, and accessories, each reflecting a commitment to quality and artistry. Through their initiative, The Collective Matter Studio, they collaborate with external designers to redefine craftsmanship and contemporary design, experimenting with various materials and forms to create unique collections of everyday objects. This approach ensures that each piece is thoughtfully designed, resulting in coherent and harmonious collections that elevate everyday living.
WEBSITE: thegoodliving.co INSTAGRAM: @thegoodliving.co
Words: designeers
APRIL 2025
DESIGNEERS
What inspired you to create ‘The Good Living’?
THE GOOD LIVING GALLERY
The first items were born out of a need that has always been within me, although I wasn't fully aware of it. I have always known that I am a somewhat creative person, but it never occurred to me that I could create something of my own. The first projects were made for my apartment; I stood on the threshold of true adulthood, feeling a tremendous need to surround myself with things that bring me joy, so I decided to create them for myself. I had great support in the form of a family workshop, and the process gave me immense satisfaction. Creating was definitely the missing puzzle piece in my life and- more importantly- my whole personality. Designing makes me feel finally whole.
DESIGNEERS
How do your values of lifestyle and mindfulness shape the brand?
THE GOOD LIVING GALLERY
I always say that I wouldn’t be able to create something I don’t like and that I couldn’t have in my own home. I believe that the greatest asset a designer can have is their own personality, which is unique, and thus, their projects should be too. Of course, we all function within certain trends that strongly influence our work, but each designer interprets them a bit differently. This is what makes this world a beautiful place. I like it when people see my new project and say–wow, I can immediately tell it’s yours. And it is consistent with everything that has been created before. I am quite a chaotic person, so I long ago gave up the pressure of creating seasonal collections; I want my projects to be one big collection. New items emerge when they come to me–sometimes they mature in my mind for months. I have no plan, no strategy; what happens in the brand reflects what my intuition tells me at the moment. It’s all very personal.
DESIGNEERS
What does “good living” mean to you, both personally and in your work?
THE GOOD LIVING GALLERY
When I was thinking about the brand name, I asked myself—what do you want people to feel when they invite these projects into their homes? I am a person whose mood greatly depends on the objects surrounding me. Drinking morning coffee from my favorite mug on my favorite sofa gives me a boost of energy for the whole day. I wanted people to feel butterflies in their stomachs while interacting with these things, exactly the same way I feel while creating them. I wanted the name to be broad and not close the door to creating products from different fields. I know this name may seem somewhat childish, but in the end, aren’t we all striving for a good life? If not, then what else is there to strive for?
DESIGNEERS
How would you describe your brand’s aesthetic?
THE GOOD LIVING GALLERY
I recently realized that I am a total maximalist and a total minimalist in one person, and that is not a bad thing at all. This is also the aesthetic of these projects – from the ornate and rich stuccoes in the ARTISAN table to the totally minimalist BLOCK coffee table. Also, if you add just a cute, skirted cushion to the very minimalist design of a MEADOW chair, you get this maximalist chair that feels totally different. And I love both versions. I like to think that the brand’s aesthetic is a balanced mix of these two approaches, and everyone will find something for themselves. I love natural materials and colours, being inspired by what is natural and what has been created by man, such as architecture, just a total mix.
“I wouldn’t be able to create something I don’t like and that I couldn’t have in my own home. ”
THE GOOD LIVING GALLERY
DESIGNEERS
What role do materials and craftsmanship play in your designs?
THE GOOD LIVING GALLERY
An enormous one. I come from a family that has been bonded with craftsmanship since 1927, and many values regarding the worth of what is created by human hands have been passed down to me by my grandfather and father. Owning handmade items has a unique value; they may sometimes be imperfect, but that is their charm; they are unique and personal, as if they had a soul of their own. My family has been connected with steel since my great-grandfather, and I practically grew up in the workshop observing work with this material. It is my absolute favorite. Sometimes, there are projects where I feel they should be made from other materials, but steel is always in first place. I love that you can create something very technical and industrial from it but also something delicate with organic shapes. It’s just the best, and I love that it gets so much appreciation these days, especially within the design Industry.
DESIGNEERS
Who is your biggest design hero, and how have they influenced you?
THE GOOD LIVING GALLERY
Design has always interested me to a certain extent, but I didn’t know many great designers by name; I keep discovering them and learning from them, so you could say I started from a completely different angle. Looking back at the beginnings of my professional path, Athena Calderone from Eyeswoon comes to my mind immediately. Thanks to her profile, I learned the term “multihyphenate” and found the courage to create something of my own. It’s funny because she is a completely foreign person living on the other side of the globe, yet she has had a significant influence on my life. Later, I discovered the projects of Pierre Yovanovitch, whose work resonates with me the most. My most recent discovery is the Polish designer Julia Keilowa, who created incredible metal designs in the 1930s and is currently my biggest hero.
DESIGNEERS
What is your favourite museum or gallery, and why?
THE GOOD LIVING GALLERY
I have visited many beautiful places, but the Musée Rodin has a special place in my heart. It is the place my mother took me during our first trip to Paris when I was still a child, and it made a huge impression on me. Because of that, it will be my forever favourite.
DESIGNEERS
Is there a hotel anywhere in the world that you feel perfectly embodies “good living”?
THE GOOD LIVING GALLERY
Creating a hotel has probably been one of my biggest dreams since I was a child. I love staying in them; they allow you to create something like a magical realm that you move into for a few nights. I have been to a few that were wonderful, but I felt the real vibe of good living the most at Hotel Amour in Paris. It’s a hotel full of design, but not overstated, with great attention to detail—from the plates and glasses in the restaurant to the incredibly fragrant soap in the bathroom. It has a unique approach to the art of travelling, and staying there makes you feel at home, like a part of it, and makes you want to return, to feel that good, relaxed, and inspired again.
DESIGNEERS
What’s a daily ritual or habit that keeps you inspired and grounded?
THE GOOD LIVING GALLERY
I am a collector of all kinds of design-related books, magazines, and everything printed on paper; I browse through them daily. Only then can I truly feel that I am in touch with what I see in the pictures. Films that I watch obsessively are also a huge source of inspiration – this inspiration doesn’t have to come directly from design-related things; beautiful pictures or music are enough to make my heart race. Of course, Instagram is also a significant source, but on a completely different level; there, people inspire me more than the objects themselves. As for grounding, my daily work in the workshop provides that for me. I don’t create these things myself, but I participate in the process of their creation. I know the knowledge required to make them, how much work needs to be put into them, and ultimately, it’s about the people who create them—trusted, dedicated, believing in what they produce. What is visible on Instagram, in photo shoots, or in exhibitions is just a fraction of the entire process because all the magic, which can sometimes be bittersweet, happens in the workshop.
DESIGNEERS
What’s next for The Good Living? Any exciting projects or collaborations?
THE GOOD LIVING GALLERY
I try not to make far-reaching plans; I just go with the flow. Throughout my professional journey, I have learned that everything good usually comes to me on its own. It’s not the result of analysis or plans, but a culmination of friendships with the people I meet or spontaneous proposals. This spring, we have a few exciting exhibitions ahead, including two in Milan, where I will showcase several new projects that have a very neo-romantic vibe. Additionally, I feel ready to open The Good Living to collaborative projects with other designers whose work I greatly respect, and I think that is a significant step. There is an exciting future ahead, and this is what keeps me going.
