Let’s say you’ve purchased a flat at The Whiteley for £25 million. Furniture from IKEA is no longer quite appropriate. Most likely, you’ll engage an award-winning design studio to create a bespoke interior, curated with art pieces and premium materials.

But what if it’s a house on the outskirts of London for £500,000? You’re unlikely to head to Hermès for a dining table that costs as much as a car. And that’s perfectly natural. We choose furniture not only based on taste, but also on budget, lifestyle… and, yes, status.

And this principle extends far beyond interiors. Clothing, cars, watches — these are not merely objects, but reflections of how we live, what we value, and who we are. Furniture works in exactly the same way. We choose it as we would a suit or a car: some prioritise comfort and accessibility, others seek status and exclusivity, and for some, furniture is art. The difference can be immense.

Dacia Sandero or Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail?

IKEA, Tikamoon, marketplaces like Wayfair — this is the furniture mass market. Affordable, functional, convenient. The Zara of interiors. The equivalent of Škoda or Swatch. You choose without overthinking and use without sentimentality.

But there is another level: Promemoria, Liaigre, Poltrona Frau, B&B Italia. These are the Mercedes and Bentley of furniture. Exceptional materials, impeccable craftsmanship, world-renowned designers. Nothing here is accidental. This is style, prestige, and proportion at their most refined.

Limited Edition

On 20 March 2025, Audi unveiled the RS Q8 Legacy Edition, a run of just 125 cars to mark the brand’s 125th anniversary.

Fashion houses such as Tom Ford, Valentino, and Hermès do the same with limited collections.

The furniture world is no different. Two Italian titans, Fornasetti and Poltrona Frau, reinterpreted the iconic Vanity Fair XC armchair and released a series of just 50 pieces. The Imagine Edition is not merely furniture; it is a marker of belonging to a very private club.

Yet limited editions are not confined to the ultra-premium. IKEA knows how to create a frenzy too. Their limited collections disappear faster than you can finish reading “SNÄRJMÅRA”.

Original or…

A Birkin bag, Alhambra jewellery — their makers are universally known. The same applies to iconic furniture and lighting: they are produced by specific manufacturers, specific brands. Take the legendary Lounge Chair by Charles and Ray Eames, created in 1956. It is manufactured by Herman Miller (for the US market) and Vitra (for Europe and the Middle East). Yes, you can find something similar, much cheaper. But it’s rather like buying Louis Vuitton from a market stall.

Burberry, Rolex, and Balenciaga are endlessly replicated. Furniture follows the same pattern: the Barcelona chair, pieces by Philippe Starck, lighting by Flos and Oluce, chandeliers by Lindsey Adelman, or the famous “Artichoke” by Louis Poulsen.

Replicas and counterfeits are always available at a fraction of the price.

There are different ways to view this. Both replicas and counterfeits can dilute the value of the original and undermine the work of designers. Yet they also introduce people to iconic objects, offering a way to engage with 20th-century design even on a Dunelm budget.

Vintage & Antiques

Classic cars, collectible Levi’s 501s, vintage furniture — these are not just possessions, but investments. Chairs by Arne Jacobsen, armchairs by Pierre Jeanneret, works by Hans Wegner only increase in value over time.

The “Dragons” armchair by Eileen Gray, created between 1917 and 1919 and once owned by Yves Saint Laurent, sold in Paris in 2009 for €21,905,000 and is now the most expensive piece of 20th-century furniture ever sold.

Auction houses regularly offer 16th–19th century commodes and dining sets for tens or hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions, of pounds. A commode from the suite of Sir John Hussey Delaval (by Henry Hill, 1776) carries an estimate of £150,000 at Bonhams. Another, attributed to Thomas Chippendale and owned by the Earl of Harrington, was sold at Sotheby’s for £3,793,250 in just 15 minutes, from a starting price of £1,000,000.

Collectible Design & Art Objects

There are couture pieces by Iris van Herpen, watches by F.P. Journe, hypercars like the Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita — objects that sit closer to art than function.

In interiors, this includes works by Marc Newson, Wendell Castle, or Semeur D’Étoiles.

These are not simply tables, chairs, or lights. They are installations. They are investments. The relatively young concept of Collectible Design refers to unique functional objects created at the intersection of design and art, often presented at international fairs such as Design Miami, PAD London, PAD Paris, or TEFAF Maastricht. Here, galleries present works by artists from around the world, bringing together historical collectible pieces and contemporary design, placing established names alongside emerging talent.

Interior design, like personal style, is the art of composition. Taste and restraint make all the difference: carefully placed accents create a home that feels alive rather than simply filled with objects — a space to live in, not a furniture showroom.

Your choices define your style. Every choice tells a story. What story will your furniture tell?

Ultimately, an interior is a reflection of your lifestyle. And it begins with choosing the right property. At Prime Legacy Homes, we guide clients through every stage, from acquisition to creating a space that aligns entirely with the way you live. The result is not simply a property, but a considered, fully realised solution.

If you are exploring property in London, we would be delighted to help you navigate the journey with confidence and achieve the best possible outcome.

Prime Legacy Homes: +44 7551 164947
[email protected]
www.primelegacyhomes.co.uk