A beautifully designed home doesn't need to be filled with statement pieces to feel special. Often, it's the balance between thoughtful design, natural textures, considered proportions and personal details that makes a space feel truly complete.
For interior designer and content creator Mathilde Kubisiak, founder of MK Design London, good design begins with how we live. Practical layouts, clever storage and a calm foundation create the conditions for a home that feels effortless, while sculptural furniture, expressive materials and carefully chosen objects bring personality.
As part of our Sculpted to Stand Out collection, Mathilde shares how to introduce statement furniture into a timeless interior, balance contrasting materials and create a home that feels both refined and comfortable to live in. From choosing statement furniture to styling accessories and making the most of your space, discover her approach to creating interiors that feel considered, personal and timeless.
For this feature, Mathilda chose our:
- Palma Round Green Marble Coffee Table
- Palma Round Green Marble Side Table
- Delphine Walnut Burl Wood Chest of Drawers
- Echo Cream Fabric 3 Seat Modular Sofa
Furniturebox Q&As with Mathilde from MK Design London
Tell us a bit about yourself, your home and your projects
I’m Mathilde, an interior designer and content creator behind MK Design London. My approach is centred on creating timeless, warm and considered interiors that feel beautiful but work just as well in everyday life.
I always start with how a space needs to function: how we move through it, where we need storage, how natural light changes throughout the day and how the room should make us feel. Once those foundations are right, I bring in colour, materials, lighting and furniture to create a space with its own identity.
As a working mum of two, I know how important it is for a home to feel calm without being precious. I love interiors that have a sense of understated luxury, with thoughtful details, tactile materials and a few unexpected pieces that make the space feel personal.
For me, the goal is never a room that looks perfect but feels comfortable. It's a home that supports everyday life, reflects the people living in it and becomes more meaningful over time.
Tell us your thoughts on the Furniturebox products you’ve selected
I was particularly drawn to the Palma collection because of its sculptural shapes and the distinctive green and white veining of the marble-effect finish. The rounded silhouettes soften a room, while the pattern introduces colour and movement without requiring a strong overall palette.
I also like that, despite its elevated appearance, the marble-effect finish makes the pieces feel much more approachable for everyday living. Unlike real marble, they are lighter and easier to move around, which makes it easier to adapt the space as your needs change. I think that's an important part of good design: a piece can feel special and beautifully considered without being too precious to use every day.
I would approach the coffee table and side table as accents within a considered scheme rather than designing the entire room around them. Against warm neutral walls, a cream sofa and tactile textiles, their sculptural forms can become subtle focal points.
I also love the Delphine chest of drawers for the character of its walnut burl wood effect. Its expressive pattern brings another layer of visual interest, complementing the movement of the Palma pieces without competing with them. The Echo cream sofa provides a softer, more understated foundation, helping to balance the stronger shapes and patterns.
For me, a successful statement piece should add depth and personality while still feeling connected to the wider room. It's about creating contrast with intention, so every piece has a role and the overall space feels harmonious.
Photo by MK Design; the new Palma green marble side table
Are there any standout design trends you think our customers can lean into with these sort of pieces?
I'm less interested in following trends for their own sake than in understanding what makes a design feel enduring. Sculptural furniture is a good example: an unusual silhouette can bring individuality to a room without relying on a fashionable colour or pattern that might quickly date. My advice is to start with a timeless foundation, then introduce character through furniture, artwork and accessories. If you love the green tones in the Palma collection, for example, you could pick them up in a piece of artwork, a cushion or a small decorative detail rather than repeating the colour everywhere.
I'm also drawn to the way contrasting materials add depth to neutral interiors. Instead of relying on a single shade of beige or cream, combine different textures and finishes so the space feels warm and nuanced. Think soft upholstery alongside wood with expressive grain, textured wool, ceramics and a sculptural table.
The foundation can remain relatively calm while the accessories evolve with your tastes and the seasons. That gives you the freedom to experiment without having to redesign an entire room whenever your preferences change.
Photo by MK Design; the new Palma green marble coffee table
What other Furniturebox products would you style these standout marble pieces with, and why?
I'd pair the Palma coffee table and side table with the Echo cream sofa, a generously sized wool rug and a ceramic table lamp. These softer elements balance the visual weight of the tables and help create a comfortable, inviting atmosphere.
I'd also introduce walnut or burl wood, whether through a furniture piece such as the Delphine chest of drawers or smaller decorative details. The expressive patterns of the wood complement the movement of the marble effect, while the warmer tones help the scheme feel grounded.
Lighting is equally important. I like combining general room lighting with softer, lower-level lamps to create depth and make a living room feel more intimate in the evening. A rechargeable table lamp can be particularly useful because it can move around the room as your needs change.
The key is to balance more sculptural surfaces with softer materials and warm light. This allows the furniture to stand out while keeping the room relaxed and welcoming.
Palma Round Green Marble Effect Coffee Table
How would you style these pieces with other accessories, soft furnishings and colour palettes?
I'd begin by considering the overall balance of the room. If the furniture has a strong sculptural presence, I'd keep the accessories relatively edited, choosing a few objects with interesting shapes, textures or personal meaning rather than filling every surface.
On a coffee table, for example, a couple of well-chosen books, a ceramic vessel and a small sculptural object can be enough. I also love using beautiful games as decorative pieces. A chess or backgammon set in wood or metal can contrast with the green marble-effect finish while remaining something you can genuinely use.
For a quiet, understated palette, I'd work with warm whites, oatmeal, taupe and natural timber, introducing contrast through texture rather than lots of different colours. Alternatively, the green in the Palma design could be echoed in a muted olive accent, a piece of artwork or a cushion.
One practical consideration is scale. On a smaller coffee table, a single arrangement with a little breathing room often feels more considered than several small objects competing for attention. I'd also leave enough clear surface for everyday use.
The important thing is not to match everything too precisely. A room feels more natural when the colours and materials relate to one another without being identical. That creates cohesion while allowing individual pieces to stand out.
Tell us about what you’ve done in your own projects and how our customers can do the same.
A recurring focus in my projects is making the most of the space available. Before thinking about decorative details, I look at the layout, storage and circulation: whether furniture is correctly proportioned, whether there's enough room to move comfortably and whether everyday items have a practical home. This is especially important in smaller homes, where every decision has an impact. Before buying a statement piece, I recommend measuring the available space and considering how it will work alongside the other furniture. A beautiful table can still be the wrong choice if it interrupts the flow of a room or overwhelms the seating area.
Once the practical elements are resolved, I encourage clients to be more personal with their choices. Art, books, ceramics, vintage finds and objects collected over time give a home a sense of individuality that can't be achieved by following a look too literally. You don't necessarily need to buy everything new or change an entire room to make a difference. Sometimes, rearranging furniture, improving the lighting or introducing one carefully chosen piece can completely change how a space feels.
I also believe in giving a room time to evolve. Rather than trying to finish everything at once, start with the essentials and add pieces gradually as you discover what works for you. Great design is a balance between practicality and personality: the layout needs to work, but the finishing touches should tell your story.
What's your advice for creating a home that feels luxurious without overspending?
For me, understated luxury is much more about thoughtful choices than about how much you spend. A well-planned layout, good lighting and a cohesive material palette can make a room feel considered before you invest in any statement furniture.
I'd prioritise the pieces that have the greatest impact on how you use the room, then build around them. It can be worth investing more in an item you use every day, while accessories can be sourced more gradually. Existing furniture can also take on a new lease of life through rearranging, restyling or pairing it with different materials.
Texture is another way to create depth without introducing lots of expensive decorative pieces. Layering a wool rug, soft upholstery, natural timber and ceramics can make a simple palette feel rich and inviting.
Above all, avoid buying things simply to fill a space. A few well-chosen pieces, positioned thoughtfully, can have far more impact than a room crowded with accessories. The aim is to create a home that feels balanced and personal, not one that looks as though everything was purchased at the same time.
Anything else you’d like to add?
I think there is a misconception that timeless interiors have to be safe or overly minimal. For me, a timeless home is one that gives you the freedom to express your personality without losing a sense of balance. You can have warm neutral walls, natural textures and simple foundations while introducing sculptural furniture, expressive wood, bold artwork or an unexpected colour. The interest comes from the relationship between the elements rather than from any one piece competing for attention.
Ultimately, quiet luxury is less about how much you spend or which brands you choose, and more about quality, thoughtfulness: the proportions, the textures, the lighting and the details that make a home feel right for the people living in it. A home should be beautiful, of course, but it should also feel comfortable, functional and unmistakably yours. When those things come together, a space can feel both understated and full of character.
Sculpted Spaces That Feel Effortless
As Mathilde Kubisiak of MK Design London, explains, creating a beautiful home isn't about following every trend or filling every corner with furniture. It starts with a practical foundation, a considered palette and an understanding of how the space needs to work.
From the sculptural silhouettes of the Palma green marble-effect tables to the expressive walnut burl wood effect of the Delphine chest of drawers and the understated comfort of the Echo cream sofa, distinctive furniture can bring personality to an interior without overwhelming it.
Whether you're refreshing a single corner or rethinking an entire room, the secret is to make considered choices, balance contrasting materials and leave room for the pieces that make a home feel uniquely yours.
Explore our Sculpted To Stand Out collection for more inspiration.
