We asked experts in architecture and interior design which furniture pieces elevate an interior to an entirely new level, giving it meaning and character.
Tina KovačićekFebruary 1, 2026
You know that feeling when you step into a space and, while your gaze is still moving across the physical objects, your intuition has already subconsciously decided whether you like the place you are in or not.
Interiors that stay in our memory rarely rely on square footage or budget. I personally like to believe they are defined by details. That one piece that shifts the dynamics of a space, introduces character, and gives the impression that someone placed it there with intention and prior thought. In an era of mindful living and increasingly conscious design, the focus is shifting from quantity to quality, and it is precisely such objects that designers recognize as key points within an interior. Small yet powerful allies in creating a space that looks and feels “on a new level.” Dieter Rams would probably tell me here: Good design is as little design as possible.
Related: How social media is shaping the way our homes will look in 2026
Designers agree that there are pieces with the power to elevate an entire space, visually, functionally, and emotionally. We bring you 15 objects that professionals believe in when they want to make an interior more sophisticated, layered, and relevant in the long term.
Tana Gerenčer, Trika.hr
“The Le Mura sofa by Tacchini combines modernist clarity with pronounced tactility. Its low silhouette and strong volume define the space quietly and with restraint, while soft materials introduce a sense of comfort and warmth. I experience it as a strong yet calm piece, something like an architectural element within an interior. I chose it because in my projects I often seek a balance between form and tactility, and Le Mura achieves this very naturally. It is a sofa that gives a space a feeling of stability and permanence.”
Tacchini Le Mura Sofa / Trika.hr, photo: Andrea Ferrari
Maja Stamenković, Mastar Studio
“I chose Love Letters ‘M,’ a sculptural side table that celebrates handwritten letters as a lost ritual of intimacy, transforming furniture into a thoughtful and meaningful presence that connects generations, awakens memories, and pays tribute to human relationships. Through its form, materials, and emotional resonance, this piece speaks to the heart, reminding us that spaces and objects are not merely functional, but deeply personal; embodying creativity rooted in authenticity and love, elevating every interior and changing the way we feel, live, and connect with the world around us.”
Photo: Marijo Zupanov
Mario Vurdelja, Soba.hr
“My choice is Vis à Vis by Davide Groppi, a transparent portable lamp that appears in a space almost like an illusion. It is a design freed from excess, even from wires, which gives it complete freedom of transformation. It behaves like a chameleon: since it is not tied to a specific place, it is equally convincing on a table in a classic living room or on the floor of a contemporary loft. Its presence is unobtrusive, subtly changing the character of the space with its diffused light.”
Private archive
Aleksandar Stanković, Studio MARSA
“As a link between architecture and decor, the folding screen is an extremely multifunctional spatial element. It adds dynamism as a performative partition, but it can also function as an art object, a painterly canvas, or a sculpture. Thanks to its two sides and a variety of materials, from wood and metal to fabric and paper, it is ideal for a quick yet powerful intervention in an interior. Traditionally present since the Renaissance, the screen once served as a discreet shelter in aristocratic homes, while today it remains just as relevant, as a tool for regulating intimacy and expressing the character of a space. And when it is no longer needed, it simply folds up and is stored away until the next occasion.”
Design by Faye Toogood from the Lucid Dream collection for The Future Perfect exhibition, courtesy of Toogood Studio
Elmedina Imamović, +ei atelier
“A lamp, as a lighting object, has a dual function within a space. With the right choice of lamp, one contributes to the ambience and visual dynamics of the spatial whole. +ei_atelier proposes the Delight floor lamp by Ido Mohar, which has a pronounced artistic and sculptural value, and through its constructivist design and specific features creates an authentic impression. At the same time, its light construction and complementary color tones achieve a discreet presence, airiness, and sophistication.”
Delight by Ido Mohar, photo: Oded Antman
Sabina Jušić, arhitektica
“I chose a rug as a key element with the power to transform an interior. It is the quiet treasure of a space, but also a strong visual accent that can be easily changed and gives the space a completely new face. The presented examples come from the KARE collection.”
KARE Collection
Sandro Užila, Wave Studio
“My choice is the Kontrapunk armchair by Prostoria, because it acts as a calm yet confident accent in a space. Inspired by musical counterpoint, it combines form and function without unnecessary gestures. Minimalism here is not cold, but composed and inviting. From the very first encounter it invites relaxation, a luxury within the accelerated rhythm of everyday life. With a single movement it transforms into a chaise lounge, creating a zone for rest in a living room, office, library, or by the fireplace. Kontrapunk is not just furniture, but a small architectural pause.”
Courtesy of Prostoria
Josipa Rogošić and Andrea Dujić, JA ARHITEKT
“The S2 table lamp from the Silver collection, JA LAMPA, acts as a subtle accent that gives a space rhythm and depth. A stainless steel base with precisely cut planes supports a soft, diffused light that subtly changes the atmosphere and softens the space. Positioned between sculpture and function, S2 quietly shapes the mood of everyday life and effortlessly transforms any interior into a thoughtful, sophisticated stage for daily living.”
Photo: Luka Barković
Lucy Dinnen and Vernes Čaušević, Projekt V Arhitektura
“We value innovative design that responds to its context. Kalia, a chaise lounge from the Zanat workshop designed by Jean-Marie Masauda, combines the UNESCO-recognized woodcarving technique from Konjic with elegant contemporary design. Handcrafted in Konjic, Kalia connects monumental strength with gentle fluidity, reflecting the relationship of the body to the Neretva River and the surrounding forest landscape. This piece connects those who recline on it with the nature and culture of Bosnia and Herzegovina; strong, yet calm and soothing.”
Courtesy of Zanat
Eva Nedjeljko, EVAVOI Interiors
“I chose the Nebula / QX-9 cushion from the Eclipse collection by the EVAVOI studio because it exists at the intersection of sculpture and sensation. Its heavy, spherical form gathers light, shadow, and emotion into a single quiet orbit, simultaneously softening the space and giving it stability. More than an object, it becomes an atmospheric gesture, a tactile pause that changes the way a space is experienced.”
Private archive
Tijana Kostić and Suzana Jakić, Focal studio
“We believe that good lighting has the power to transform any space. As the ultimate example of iconic design, we single out the Toio lamp, designed in 1962 for Flos by the Castiglioni brothers. The name comes from the word toy, not as a plaything, but as an intellectual game, taking an industrial element and giving it a new function. Toio is a manifesto of their idea that design is not a style, but a way of thinking: a car headlight as a light source, a visible mechanism, raw construction, and complete material honesty. No decoration and no form for form’s sake, only function, humor, and intelligence. It is precisely this kind of design that gives a space character and identity.”
Courtesy of Flos
Luca Nichetto, Nichetto Studio
“I choose the Ultrafragola mirror, a piece designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, and it is an iconic work by this Italian designer. It is a mirror that integrates light, bold yet functional. It is more than an ordinary mirror; it is a piece that functions like a sculpture.”
Photo: Max Rommel
Emiliana Martinelli, Martinelli Luce
“My favorite lamp is L’Amica because it is cheerful, colorful, suitable for a desk, for reading, or for the living room; on a low table next to the sofa or by the bed, and as such it is an optimistic detail in any interior. It was designed to be placed in countless ways, illuminating exactly what we want, without disturbing others, thanks also to the possibility of adjusting the light intensity. The very name suggests the close bond we can have with it. It is special to me because it expresses my liveliness and joy of life. A true friend, amica, as they say in Italian.”
Courtesy of Martinelli Luce
David Tavčar, designer
“I like the idea of anonymous design, objects of folk art, archetypes without a real author, belonging to everyone and everywhere. Such a design for me is the ‘Spanish trestle table’: timeless, functional, with clean and clear lines. I can imagine it in a brutalist apartment from the 1980s, in a modern high-rise, an office, or a children’s room. Its modesty and rational form elevate any space, and besides, everyone needs a table.”
Courtesy of metmuseum.org / Met Collection
