What happens when a couple who love Burning Man ask a designer to bring the desert into a Victorian terrace in London? You get Desert Moon – a four-storey home by Yoko Kloeden Design, tucked beside Regent’s Canal in Angel and completed in 2025.
We love this project because it proves a simple idea: warm colour, soft curves and a few well-chosen pieces can turn an ordinary terrace into a home with real personality.
In this case study we walk through the house room by room, explain why each space works, and show how to get the look in New Zealand – starting with the burnt-orange, Togo-style sofa that anchors the living room.
Living room: the orange sofa that anchors everything
This is the hero room, and the one most NZ homes can copy.
The walls are washed in soft terracotta, so the whole room glows in the afternoon. A deep, inky wall holds the fireplace and TV, so the screen disappears instead of dominating. Three white globe pendants hang in a loose cluster like rising moons, and double-height linen curtains open onto a private garden – a rare luxury in inner London.
At the centre sits a low, curvy, burnt-orange Togo-style sofa with a striped throw tossed over one corner. (The couple’s cat, Twinkle, claimed it immediately.) Around it: a round, pale coffee table, a cream boucle armchair, a walnut sideboard with a small lamp, a slim black floor lamp and a single piece of art.
Why a Togo-style sofa is the right choice here
- It sits low. With no legs and a low back, it leaves the walls and the ceiling height to do the talking.
- It adds texture, not noise. The soft, quilted folds give the room its relaxed, sculptural feel without any pattern.
- It’s tone-on-tone. Orange on terracotta is bold but not loud, because the colours belong to the same family.
- It’s modular. Loveseat plus ottoman means the layout can change for movie night, guests or a nap.
Get the look
- Top Fireside Sofa – the same Togo-inspired silhouette: six generous folds, low and legless, shaped to follow your spine, and it arrives fully assembled. For this desert look, go for a warm colourway such as Curry or Tan Leather. Want the “night sky” instead? Gradient Blue.
- Top Fireside Ottoman – add it to stretch out, or pull it away as extra seating.
- Top Fireside Sofa 2 Seater – for a larger lounge, or pair a single and a 2-seater in an L-shape like the original.
- A round coffee table – curves echo the sofa folds. Browse our coffee tables.
- A cream boucle armchair – the pale texture balances the orange. See our armchairs.
- A walnut sideboard – one warm timber piece grounds the room. See sideboards.
- One piece of art, not a gallery wall – keep it calm. Browse wall art.
NZ tip: Lime-wash terracotta walls are trending here too, but if you rent, you don’t need them. Put the warm tone into the sofa, a throw and a rug, keep the walls cream, and the effect is surprisingly close.
Entrance and hallway: hide the clutter, keep the calm
Before the renovation, you could see the whole ground floor from the front door. The designer’s fix was simple: a curved curtain on a ceiling track now screens the entrance from the living room, and built-in storage swallows coats and shoes. New solid balustrades made the stairs safe.
Get the look
- A slim cabinet or sideboard near the door for keys, bags and post – see our storage and cabinets.
- A small stool to perch on while you put shoes on – something sculptural like the Zig Zag Stool.
- Carry the living room wall colour into the hallway so the two spaces read as one.
Home office nook: a desk with a canal view
Tucked behind the hallway storage is a small work alcove that looks straight out over the canal. It’s now the owner’s favourite place to work from home – proof that an office doesn’t need its own room, just the best view in the house.
Get the look
- Claim the corner with the nicest window, even if it’s small.
- Choose a chair that earns its place: many of our dining chairs are comfortable enough for a desk and good-looking enough to stay in the lounge.
- Add a warm table lamp and keep the walls the same colour as the room next door so the nook feels like part of the home, not a cubicle.
Kitchen: walnut and green marble
The owners had already chosen and installed the kitchen themselves: warm walnut cabinetry with deep green marble. It’s bold but refined, and it set the tone for the rich, textural feel of the rest of the house.
Get the look
- Pair one warm timber with one rich colour or stone – then stop.
- Upholstered dining chairs in green, tan or cream tie the kitchen back to the living room palette.
- If you have an island, bar stools in a matching fabric keep the look consistent.
- See our dining tables for warm-timber options.
Master bedroom: a forest retreat
After all that warmth downstairs, the bedroom is deliberately calm. A walnut four-poster bed sits against a forest-themed wall mural. An awkward corner became a make-up nook, furnished with heirloom Ercol pieces from the owner’s grandmother. Built-in wardrobes were designed to fit suitcases – a nice touch for two people who are always packing.
Get the look
- Pick a cool, natural colour for the bedroom (forest green, soft sage) to balance a warm living room.
- Keep the timber consistent – walnut downstairs, walnut upstairs. Browse bedside tables and drawers.
- Give a corner a job: a reading chair such as the Pony Lounge Chair and a small side table.
- Botanical wall art gives the mural effect without the commitment.
Master bathroom: the forest continues
Next door, the forest theme carries into the bathroom. An internal window frames the globe pendant hanging in the stairwell, and a large outside window floods the room with daylight. It’s a small space that borrows light and views from everywhere around it.
Get the look
- Repeat one colour from the bedroom so the two rooms feel like a suite.
- Keep it minimal: one small stool or side table for towels and a candle. See side tables.
Top-floor guest suite: rest and remote work
The top floor is a flexible guest suite with a desk, so visiting friends can work remotely and then switch off. It follows the same quiet rules as the rest of the house: calm colours, good light, nothing extra.
Get the look
- A low, lightweight sofa makes a spare room work harder. The Top Fireside Sofa weighs under 14 kg, so it can move between rooms as your needs change.
- A compact desk, a comfortable chair and one good lamp.
- A side table that doubles as a bedside table.
Five ideas you can steal from Desert Moon
- Start with a story, not a trend. “The desert at golden hour” gave every decision a test: does it fit?
- Go tone-on-tone with your hero piece. An orange sofa on terracotta walls is bold without shouting.
- Repeat one detail. Globe lights on every floor tie four storeys together.
- Fix the basics first. Light, storage, acoustics and safety were sorted before any styling began.
- Let one piece do the work. A low, sculptural sofa gives the room its character; everything else stays quiet.
Shop the look
- Top Fireside Sofa – the Togo-inspired hero piece
- Top Fireside Ottoman
- Top Fireside Sofa 2 Seater
- Coffee tables and side tables
- Armchairs and lounge chairs
- Sideboards and drawers
- Wall art
- Browse the full mid-century modern collection
Make it yours
You don’t need a four-storey terrace or a London designer to get this feeling at home. Start with the palette, choose one hero piece, and keep the rest simple.
Not sure how it would fit your room? Our free interior design service can help you plan the layout and colours. You can also book a visit to our Auckland showroom in Rosedale to sit on the Top Fireside Sofa before you decide. Shipping is free in Auckland, and most orders arrive within 1–7 working days across New Zealand.
FAQ
What is a Togo-style sofa?
A Togo-style sofa is a low, legless sofa made entirely of foam, with a quilted, folded cover. The original Togo was designed by Michel Ducaroy in 1973. The shape is loved because it’s relaxed, sculptural and very comfortable to sink into.
What colours go with an orange sofa?
Terracotta, cream, oatmeal, walnut and inky blue all work – that’s the Desert Moon palette. Olive or forest green is another good partner if you want a cooler contrast.
Does the Top Fireside Sofa need assembly?
No. It arrives fully assembled and weighs about 13.6 kg, so one person can move it. It measures 106 cm wide, 110 cm deep and 74 cm high.
Can I get this look in a rental?
Yes. Skip the painted walls and put the warm tones into the sofa, a throw, a rug and a lamp. Keep everything else cream or timber and the effect is very close.
