The poetry of everyday life: why lived chaos is more beautiful than catalogue aesthetics

Pia Seidel

2/7/2025

Translation: machine translated

Pictures: Pia Seidel

At the "3 Days of Design" festival in Copenhagen, I suddenly found myself in the middle of it all: an unmade bed, breakfast leftovers on the table, scribbled notes - and design everywhere that didn't seem perfect, but alive. Charlotte Taylor has achieved what hardly anyone in the interior design world dares to do: she celebrates everyday chaos. And suddenly everything felt so real.

I felt as if I had burst into someone else's morning: the bed was ransacked, an egg for breakfast only half eaten, the newspaper open. Somehow I felt like I had to apologise - and at the same time I wanted to stay. Between all the seemingly spontaneous clutter, there were designer pieces that blended so naturally into the scene as if they had always lived here. Old friends who just happened to drop by for a coffee.

At home: between calm and chaos

The exhibition entitled «Home from Home» shows what our home is really like: sometimes a harbour of calm, sometimes the eye of a wild storm. Sometimes empty, sometimes full of life. Chaos and order, all at once.

Collaborating with design collective Noura Residency, creative director Charlotte Taylor wanted to capture these contrasts - and in doing so, she's shunning the Scandinavian minimalism we usually see so often. «I feel like there's a lack of design presented in a more domestic, accessible way, especially in the context of Copenhagen», she told Wallpaper.

And she's right: who lives in a spotless, perfectly styled flat? Real life is messy - and that's what makes it beautiful.

A table that tells stories

One example of this was the «Sobremesa» table, which Taylor designed together with Sheila Llovet. Its name, inspired by the Spanish tradition of relaxed table conversations, fits perfectly: an elegant oak and walnut table with a hidden chess set inside.

But this table wasn't just an exhibit. It was actually used during the trade fair - for real dinner evenings and chess games between friends. That's exactly what made it so dynamic. Stories tell of good food, long conversations and shared laughter.

Playing with the light

Natural or artificial - the light also danced through the room, playing with the objects from brands such as Aarke, Birkenstock and Tekla. A light breeze caused a mobile on the dining table to sway gently, while a coffee cup clinked softly somewhere. Every aspect of the exhibition - from the scent of the room to the sounds - was designed to create an atmosphere that felt like a real home. It wasn't flawless. But that was the point.

A minimalist wall object with a secret compartment provided an unexpected moment: a gust of wind caused notes to flutter out of the compartment and sail onto the floor. Suddenly, the designer piece came to life - no longer just an object, but part of a story. Unplanned? Perhaps. Magical? In any case.

The beauty of spontaneous chaos

Who would have thought that an unmade bed and a few crumbs on the table could be the new desirable aesthetic? Maybe I should always leave my living room as it is most of the time - alive and in use. Because that's exactly what «Home from Home» showed: a home doesn't have to look immaculate to be beautiful. It is a place that lives, breathes and tells stories. A place where dreams are created and where you feel safe.

What makes a home for you? Is it perfection or lived-in chaos? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Pia Seidel

Senior Editor

Pia.Seidel@digitecgalaxus.ch

Like a cheerleader, I love celebrating good design and bringing you closer to everything furniture- and interior design- related. I regularly curate simple yet sophisticated interior ideas, report on trends and interview creative minds about their work.

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