From a gilded bedroom ceiling to rooms lined with shimmery metallic drapes, this lookbook focuses on interiors where silver and gold instil a sense of festive cheer.
Gold and silver have long been associated with the Christmas season. Gold features in the nativity story as a gift from one of the three wise men, while silver recalls the glistening appearance of frost and snow.
Both colours are commonly found in Christmas decorations – such as baubles and tinsel – but in this lookbook, we have collected interiors in which they are appreciated year-round for their dynamic appearance, reflective properties and striking aesthetic.
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring snowy white interiors, distinctive bedside tables and versatile staircases.
The Magic Box Apartment, Spain, by Raúl Sánchez Architects
Spanish studio Raúl Sánchez Architects added built-in storage with highly burnished brass doors to this house near Barcelona.
A concealed walkway is hidden behind an unassuming central door, adding to the playfulness of the feature together with its striking surfaces.
Find out more about The Magic Box Apartment ›
Reception House in Higashiyama, Japan, by Nanometer Architecture
Foil curtains clipped to the concrete ceiling conceal storage areas inside this storage-turned-reception room within a home in Nagoya, Japan.
The material’s shiny appearance contrasts with the rough concrete walls and ceilings and the matte tatami mats that cover the floor.
Find out more about Reception House in Higashiyama ›
The Whale, France, by Clément Lesnoff-Rocard
Designed by local architect Clément Lesnoff-Rocard, this art deco Parisian apartment features a palette of marble, mirror and brass.
Gold-hued brass clads built-in wardrobes, whose softly reflective finish makes them appear to glow.
Find out more about The Whale ›
Casa A12, Spain, by Lucas y Hernández-Gil
An internal courtyard lined with sheets of corrugated metal is separated from the basement bedroom of this Madrid apartment by a row of floor-length silver curtains.
These metallic features pop against the whitewashed floors, walls and ceilings as well as against the bright tangerine-coloured sand in the courtyard and a vibrant lamp in the bedroom.
Find out more about Casa A12 ›
Chelsea apartment, USA, by Stadt Architecture
Dark green and gold accents are the only departures from the otherwise neutral colour scheme of this New York City pied-à-terre by local studio Stadt Architecture.
These main two accent colours are exemplified in the bedroom, where a bright gilded ceiling appears to drip gold down the walls over a painterly background of deep green brushstrokes.
Find out more about Chelsea apartment ›
Univers Uchronia, France, by Uchronia
Design from the 1960s and 1970s was one of the main reference points for French studio Uchronia when it created this playful apartment interior.
In contrast with the kaleidoscopic furniture and finishes in the dining room, the ceiling has a glinting silver finish, which matches the back wall. This has been covered in small mirrored tiles, creating a disco ball-like effect.
Find out more about Univers Uchronia ›
D2 Townhouse, Ireland, by Jake Moulson
Niches containing tufted leather seats were cut out of gleaming golden panelling in the dining room of this Dublin townhouse.
This isn’t the project’s only eye-catching element – a ripple-fronted kitchen unit and a geometric, multicoloured ceiling are among its other statement features.
Find out more about D2 Townhouse ›
Double Roof House, Taiwan, by Studio Tngtetshiu
The lofty, pitched ceilings within this Taiwan house are rendered in a silvery paint in reference to the building’s corrugated-metal exterior.
The shiny ceilings stand out against the interiors’ white walls and sparse furnishings.
Find out more about Double Roof House ›
NoLita apartment, USA, by Crosby Studios
A plush headboard upholstered in shiny gold fabric creates a characterful focal point in the bedroom of this New York apartment by local firm Crosby Studios.
It joins a host of other silver and gold soft furnishings in the interior, such as gold throw cushions in the living room and padded silver cupboard fronts in the kitchen.
Find out more about NoLita apartment ›
Rubikum for Three, Slovenia, by Arhitektura d.o.o
The adaptable living space in this Slovenian apartment features a forest-green wall that contrasts with another hung with lustrous silver floor-to-ceiling curtains.
Light is ricocheted around the space by the reflective material and by a stainless steel caster-mounted sofa and counter, which were designed so they can be easily repositioned.
Find out more about Rubikum for Three ›
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring snowy white interiors, distinctive bedside tables and versatile staircases.
