For decades, the term “living room” has been a simple architectural label. However, the latest collection from Emily Kate Design is taking the phrase literally. Their new line of interior decor doesn’t just sit in your house; it lives in it. We are talking about chairs that breathe, tables with a pulse, and sofas that require a specialized nutrient solution to maintain their structural integrity. This “Living Room” concept is the brainchild of Emily Kate, a designer who has merged the worlds of synthetic biology and high-end furniture to create a domestic environment that is truly alive.
The furniture produced by Emily Kate Design is grown rather than manufactured. Using a base of bio-engineered fungal mycelium and lab-grown “skin” cells, each piece is a complex organism. This means that your armchair is not just a piece of wood and fabric; it is a biological entity that adapts to the shape of your body over time. Because these pieces are alive, they require a specific maintenance routine. Owners must “feed” their furniture a nutrient-rich liquid once a day, which is absorbed through a discreet port at the base of the legs. If neglected, the furniture doesn’t just break; it withers and becomes lethargic.
The appeal of this living furniture lies in its ability to heal itself. If a cat scratches the “fabric” or if a glass of wine is spilled, the biological cells simply regenerate, leaving the surface as pristine as the day it was “born.” Furthermore, EmilyKateDesign claims that these pieces act as natural air purifiers, inhaling carbon dioxide and exhaling oxygen at a rate ten times higher than a standard houseplant. It is a symbiotic relationship: you provide the food and the shelter, and the furniture provides a dynamic, healthy, and perfectly contoured environment for you to relax in.
However, the concept has met with significant pushback from those who find the idea of “biological decor” unsettling. There are questions about the ethical treatment of these organisms—can a sofa feel pain? Emily Kate Design insists that while the pieces are alive, they lack a central nervous system and are therefore incapable of suffering.