What inspires us – Palefire

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Journal

A closer look at the artists and designers pinned to our moodboard.

The Return of Decoration

Lately, we've observed how painted decoration is joyously creeping back into interiors – not only on wallpaper and upholstery, but as hand-painted murals and motifs that climb across restaurant walls, ceilings and furniture, turning everyday surfaces into canvases for storytelling.

The Houses That Defined Mediterranean Modernism

We take a look at some of our favourite homes from the modernist era that exemplify an ethos of architecture shaped by climate, comfort and a deep connection.

The art of Italian living

As the summer stretches out ahead of us, we've found ourselves indulging in a little wanderlust via our favourite films set in Italy. It transpires that few spaces capture our imagination quite like the Mediterranean kitchen.

Lessons in Colour

Have you ever wondered why the same shade of colour can work beautifully on a hard surface, appearing crisp, fresh and invigorating, yet transfer it to a soft furnishing or textile, and it can appear dull or dated? Rather than a question of taste, this shift comes down to how materials handle light – reflecting, absorbing and diffusing it in different ways.

Artists Who Taught Us About Colour

Milan Design Week 2026 – all the fun of the fair

This year, as our woman on the ground, Ali Morris dipped her toes into the Salone madness for three days and came away with inspiration by the bucketload.

Winter Light – Turner, Pasmore and Celia Paul

Space Age design's iconic tactility

Its distinctive bubble-like curves, glossy plastic, and sleek chrome transports us back to the post-war excitement for the ‘futuristic’.

James Turrell's Celestial Domes

Turrell has said that ‘I want light itself to be the revelation’ – and the ethereal, celestial dome acts as a kind of conduit for this.

The home of Guy de Rougemont

Described as ‘a man of grand culture, but also a free spirit,’ artist and collector Guy de Rougemont's home is a masterclass in eclecticism.

The Volta Collection –Vico Magistretti

Vico Magistretti's career-long obsession with the pure, geometrical dimensions of the dome informed our process when designing the Volta collection.

Sofia Coppola’s painterly worlds

When we think of Sofia Coppola, we think of the glacial stillness of her shots, and the languid pace of movement through them – and then, the consequent space given to colour and mood to fully envelop and sink into the edges of the frame.

Georgia O’Keeffe’s home and landscape

The images of Georgia O’Keeffe’s home have become an iconic example of living and breathing at the intersection of art and design with no compromises.

Milan Design Week 2025

This month, Palefire Founder and Creative Director Rowena Morgan-Cox hot-footed it to Milan for a whirlwind three-day tour of Milan Design Week 2025. In between dodging the queues and scouring for gems, Rowena made some notes for the Palefire Journal – here’s what she saw and liked.

Murano, Venini & Carlo Scarpa

The Venetian island of Murano’s storied history of glass craftsmanship goes back hundreds of years, but the 20th century saw the ancient artform revolutionised for the modern era by visionary designer Paolo Venini, and in particular his collaboration with Palefire Studio favourite, Carlo Scarpa.

Sophie Taeuber-Arp

Sophie Taeuber-Arp is one of our most central inspirations at the studio. A multi-disciplinary artist in the fullest sense possible, her polymathic creative approach stemming from a philosophy that art is always relevant to, must be woven into, the dailiness of life.

The majestically sinuous, curving lines of Art Nouveau form the backbone of our earliest designs at Palefire Studio, with two of our most popular U/V lights, the Parasol and the Pavilion, making direct reference to this turn-of-the-century aesthetic.

Art Deco has never lost its prevalence, but lately, there has been a resurgence in demand for Art Deco pieces in the home. Here are some of our favourite reference points for drawing on the opulent spirit of the Gilded Age without committing to a full look.