A Modern Way to Live: 5 Design Principles from The Modern House, an illustrated interior design coffee table book

In 2005, childhood friends Matt Gibberd and Albert Hill set out to convince people of the power of good design and its ability to influence our wellbeing. They founded The Modern House - in equal parts an estate agency, a publisher and a lifestyle brand - and went on to inspire a generation to live more thoughtfully and beautifully at home.

As The Modern House grew, Matt and Albert came to realise that the most successful homes they encountered - from cleverly conceived studio flats to listed architectural masterpieces - had been designed with attention to the same timeless principles: Space, Light, Materials, Nature and Decoration.

In this lavishly illustrated book, Matt tells the stories of these remarkable living spaces and their equally remarkable owners, and demonstrates how the five principles can be applied to your own space in ways both large and small. Revolutionary in its simplicity, and full of elegance, humour and joy, this book will inspire you to find happiness in the place you call home.

Matt Gibberd was formerly a Senior Editor at the World of Interiors, and has written on design and architecture for the Telegraph, House & Garden and Elle Decoration. In 2005, he co-founded The Modern House, a pioneering design-led estate agency based in London, which he continues to grow with his business partner, Albert Hill. The pair established a new sister brand, Inigo, in 2021. Matt lives in the countryside with his wife, the designer Faye Toogood, and their three daughters. Their home has been published in Vogue, Cereal and the New York Times.