The technologies affecting building materials and buildings have meant that architects and designers can provide us with houses that are flexible in every sense, especially in the clever use of space. The hallway can become a courtyard, the bedroom a study and the balcony a dining room. (This is already a reality at Beacon South Quarter where there are specially designed units which allow the self-employed to have an “own door” work/live premises.)

All you have to do is dress the spaces with some of the gorgeous furniture and accessories that will enhance, not clutter, your living space. Functional things – designer sofas, individually crafted tables and hand-made accessories - have a beauty all of their own – often simple, understated and elegant.

For the most beautifully made and stylish pieces of furniture – arranged in the most inspirational sets – residents and shoppers at the Beacon South Quarter need look no further than Roche Bobois – a well-established star in the French interior design firmament. The ideas and moods of the furniture collections at Roche Bobois are about more than appearance. They demonstrate that technical innovation really can improve the comfort of our lives.

Style, Roche Bobois suggests, can be modern, but it can also be based on a local style or an international one. Alternatively, the really modish can combine all three influences, placing a cherished, antique piece or an exotic souvenir from a trip overseas in an ultra-modern setting like the apartments in Beacon South Quarter and then furnished perhaps in an orient-inspired style.

Whether you prefer a traditional or contemporary look, however, there is no mistaking the key themes in the Roche Bobois collections: comfort, clear lines, inspiration from other cultures, a balance of the past and present and, most importantly, truly design-led.

Living in the modern metropolis is about the pleasure of shared cultural values. What better way to show these than in a well-thought out home. What better place than in Beacon South Quarter to find one.