The inaugural edition of Shelter – a design fair on the occasion of NYCxDESIGN 2025, organized by the online collectible design platform Afternoon Light – was held on the third floor of Chelsea’s historic Starrett-Lehigh building. The 1930s-era daylit factory is an architectural relic from a time when industrial spaces of the same typology prioritized creative wellness through a structural-utilitarian-aesthetic unity. Its physicality provided an idyllic backdrop for the show’s eclectic, experimental design, which, when coupled with an expansive floorplate, promoted a sense of community among participants. More than 100 brands and makers across furniture, lighting, and product design converged on the bazaar of sorts to mingle with other trade professionals and media in what proved to be a creative convivance – something critical for in-person events looking to wrest audience attention and social currency back from the digital realm. Designers embraced the building’s ribbon-windowed, sun-drenched interior with some choosing to unfurl product-filled landscapes in lieu of walled booths while others opted for scene-building by erecting immersive sets. Aptly themed “Mart Nouveau,” Shelter’s successful launch has already positioned itself as a purveyor of taste and a collector of oddities in the best possible way. “We wanted to reference the industry-event tradition while also signaling that our activation is something entirely new… with a little aesthetic flair, too,” shares fair co-founder Minya Quirk. “Art Nouveau as a movement was about breaking from historical styles and creating something modern and forward-thinking, which we tempered by leaning into the larger concept of ‘shelter’ – protection, cover, the comfort of a hug.” Far from an exhaustive list, continue reading for a glimpse at 15 enchanting designers and the beguiling pieces that captured our attention at this year’s event. Matter.Made Matter.Made’s creative director and founder Jamie Gray launches the Delphi Pendant with star-like tubular detailing for a design that sparks great joy upon inspection. The versatile lighting collection is constructed of cast and machine brass paired with fluted glass in an homage to Greek columns. What’s more, the proprietary brass chain unlocks many use cases through customization as a pendant, sconce, and chandelier. N. Shook Reconfigurable, streamlined, and conceived as an architectural system. The Ledoux Prêt perforated shelving units, which revolve around a central spine, are satisfyingly thick with a lightness of form from their carefully calculated perforations. The cabinet doors swing on visible wooden hinges in an honest approach articulating their fully wooden joinery. Avram Rusu Studio Spring melds with summer in Psychogeography, a collaboration between Avram Rusu, Token, and Wallpaper Objects. The peachy-pink, biophilic glass orbs are whimsical by design suspended in space as they toe the line between sea creature and weeping botanicals. The sleek, bulbous forms and slightly organic folds pepper the collection with visual interest while enhancing their glow. Riffmade Riffmade’s Veil Curtain Desk is contemporary in appearance all the while deeply rooted in the domestic tradition that favors a slower pace. It supports a dynamic, modern work-life rhythm by hiding professional work stations behind a textile curtain and allowing users to create boundaries for the sake of their personal time. Jackrabbit Studio for Roll & Hill The Checa Stools commemorate Jackrabbit Studio’s first collection with New York-based, artisan manufacturer Roll & Hill. Each of the three options find themselves grounded in warmth, made even more inviting by Brett Miller’s inimitable round form-making, here inspired by the surface tension of water droplets. Ford Bostwick Finding furniture and lighting by way of architecture, designer Ford Bostwick takes the edge off rigid material forms with his indulgence in light and color. Lucy, the sculptural luminaire, can be stacked vertically or built out horizontally to create near-infinite linear combinations with her modules. She can be configured as a tower, room divider, wall feature, wall-mounted sconce, or ceiling-suspended pendant for a variety of programmatic needs. Yamazaki Home Smart brands like Yamazaki Home are approaching pet products with the same level of scrutiny and attention to detail as they would when designing goods for their human counterparts. The Tilted Pet Food Bowls elevate – quite literally – the dining experience for domesticated animals while creating a beautiful design object that doesn’t feel out of place in the contemporary home. Fort Standard Hardware Hardware bridges the gap between architecture and decorative objects, but few function with excellence at both. Fort Standard successfully expands into architectural hardware with beautiful home solutions through their Concave Collection. The slightly oversized handles boast a visual and physical weight that is hard to ignore. And, they are available in a variety of dimensions to accommodate a wide range of applications. M.Pei Studio (as curated by Colony) Maggie Pei presented her Portico Console Table and Wall Hanging Mirror as M. Pei Studio within a capsule showcase for Colony – a community of independent furniture, lighting, textile, and objects designers brought together by curator Jean Lin. Pei’s portico is monumental, meant for entryways that command passersby to gaze at and inspire a moment of personal reflection. A Space Studio Marble is arguably one of the trade’s most venerable building materials and A Space Studio takes a ‘waste not, want not’ approach to their use of it. The studio’s Slanted Armchair No. 1 is seductive, cut from a single sheet of Indian Onyx and leaning into its angular architecture. Michiko Sakano Studio Brooklyn-based, multi-hyphenate maker Michiko Sakano is all about duality. Her practice is an amalgam of art and design while her work blends utility with aesthetics. This current collection on view, Stacks, builds on previous explorations of jewelry. Here, rigid glass bangles of varying thicknesses and opacities are caught in tension as they melt into the layers below. It explores an inherent contrast between softness and structure, the negotiation between tradition and experimentation, and exemplifies Sakano’s skills as a fabricator when they meet her creative impulses. John Wells Heavy Metal & FDK Junior In a shared exhibition space, the natural patination of John Wells’ ES-07 Sconces complemented the iridescence found on Fernando Kabigting’s wall sconce from his collection 01 Capsule: Rooted in Nature. The two share a propensity for narrative driven design with contrasting approaches to storytelling through material finish and edgework. Wells’ sconces comprise stacked, terraced plates backed by LED strip lighting that echo elements of Art Deco design, while Kabigting looks to nature pulling inspiration from capillary waves caused by a droplet of water or the crinkled edge of crisp leaves. Heako Studio A good lede can make or break a story with its power to pull readers in. The same goes for objects with compelling visual contrast, which commands an audience. Soul-born artist Hea Ko knows how to craft a strong design narrative as demonstrated by the Himalaya Lunar Lamp. With this piece Ko creates a vignette distilling the serene yet powerful juxtaposition of the moon in dialogue with the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas – and bridging the natural with the celestial. Garnier Pingree Good collage is esoteric, expressive, and sometimes elusive, relying on chance for the perfect amalgamation of media. Marie Garnier and Asa Pingree, the duo behind Garnier Pingree, present the Claude Mirror I – a collage of simple shapes, a primary color, and superimposed textures – above their ‘A’ chair in a delightful display of materiality and wit. The seat offers a variety of ways to engage with comfort and even a little humor while settling in to relax.

Nichols Canyon cuts through the south side of the Hollywood Hills, stretching from Hollywood Boulevard in the south up to Mulholland Drive in the north. Made famous by David Hockney, whose 1980 painting of the canyon sold for just over $41M in 2020, the area remains a thriving artist's community. What better place for Elle Decor A-List designer Oliver Furth to build a "creative cottage" for his partner, The Culture Creative founder Sean Yashar?Furth and Yashar, who've been together 14 years, met in the industry and purchased their home 7 years ago. When the lot next door—a pines-filled acre with a tiny house on it—came up for sale, the couple jumped at the chance to buy. "Anyone else would've torn it down and built something bigger," says Furth. "We replaced the windows and redid the kitchen and bathrooms, but we leaned into its size." Now drenched in Yashar's signature "eau de nil" pastel tones, the cottage embraces the character of its original 1940s structure while serving as a cutting-edge space for creativity.Kort HavensIn the sitting room, a Philippe Starck chrome side table from the original Royalton Hotel, from 1988, holds a place of pride with a group of Peter Shire and Ron Arad vintage chairs and a Rachel Shillander pyramidal lamp. Art includes greats of LA’s past and present: a Laddie John Dill mixed media, a Sam Falls tapestry, a Tom Holland metal relief, and a Strauss Bourque-LaFrance painting."All of my work is really portraiture." —Oliver Furth"My clients are all muses to me," says Yashar, who provides consulting services for designers. "I have to be a good listener and understand who the client is and how they connect to decorative arts history, so I spend a lot of time researching. How else can I be an authority?"To that end, the space is designed to provide a moment to reflect and the fodder to rev into high gear in equal measures; to facilitate rest as much as the chance to recharge. Following in the footsteps of Albert Hadley and Tony Duquette (who once declared malachite a neutral), Furth color-drenched the space in a mint green. "That color is the envelope—that's what I call it," says Furth. "We kept it very tight by lacquering the floors, the walls, and the ceiling in that color. Even the cabinetry and the appliances are in that mint. It allows us to have this object-driven interior space by unifying everything with color."Kort HavensA vintage Joe D’Urso for Knoll desk, Sam Maloof desk chair, Christopher Prinz stool and felt-clad speaker by Studio AHEAD create a sleek composition under an Ingo Mauer chandelier in the office. Art includes a triptych of photographs by David Benjamin Sherry, and framed magazine ads from Yashar’s parents’ furniture store, Moda Italia, from 1990.The seafoam hue unites not only the interior, but also decades of decorative history: Yashar found that the architect Paul Williams, who worked in LA in the 1940's and 50's, used a similar shade in many projects. "There's a lot of history and narrative within this color that maybe not everyone will be able to know, but hopefully everyone can feel," says Yashar. Clocking in at roughly 1,000-square-feet, the interior is now a mixture of millennial aesthetics, showcasing Yashar's love for design culture icons like Mario Buatta and Saul Bass. The entry sets the tone with its metal-and-glass Dutch door. A mixed-use meeting room offers a blend of contrasts, from Buatta-inspired shades in a Dickies-esque khaki twill to antique Chippendale chairs juxtaposed with 1990s Marc Newson tables. "All of my work is really portraiture," says Furth, "so this was an opportunity to help create this sort of portrait of Sean and his business." "Sometimes things just resonate...you just know when it's right." —Sean YasharThe sitting room features iconic design pieces, including a worn black leather sofa from the 1980s and a Philippe Starck table from the Royalton Hotel. Peter Shire and Ron Arad chairs are paired with conceptual furniture inspired by Dan Friedman. The kitchen celebrates postwar and ’80s influences with Smeg appliances and works by Soft Baroque and Patrick Nagel, grounded by a custom table from Studio MUKA. "A lot of people know me for my interest in eighties and nineties design culture," says Yashar. "But when I think eighties or nineties, I don't think of one thing. I don't want to choose. So I want to have Joe D'Urso high-tech track lighting, and I want it against these Mario Buatta-style balloon shades. I like that duality."Outside, a Persian-inspired courtyard nods to Yashar's heritage while offering dining and lounging areas that showcase rare 1980s furniture, including a Peter Lane ceramic table and one-off mint-colored Richard Schultz seating. The courtyard’s natural and faux vine murals create a satirical trompe-l’oeil effect, celebrating real-versus-virtual artistry. "I think we're both big believers in feeling," says Yashar. "Sometimes things just resonate. You can't really put your finger on it, but you just know that it's right."Sean SantiagoDeputy EditorSean Santiago is ELLE Decor's Deputy Editor, covering news, trends and talents in interior design, hospitality and travel, culture, and luxury shopping. Since starting his career at an interior design firm in 2011, he has gone on to cover the industry for Vogue, Architectural Digest, Sight Unseen, PIN-UP and Domino. He is the author of The Lonny Home (Weldon Owens, 2018), has produced scripted social content for brands including West Elm and Streeteasy, and is sometimes recognized on the street for his Instagram Reels series, #DanceToDecor

Some spaces speak softly, yet leave a lasting impression, and The Lightwell Residence by A10 Architect is one of them. It features a minimalist design and is bathed in natural light. As such, it was envisioned as a serene escape from the chaotic world. Every room feels intentional, where light acts as a design element in its own right. Step inside the Lightwell Residence to explore how daylight shapes every surface and shadow. The living room in the Lightwell Residence feels alive, thanks to the sun’s ever-changing dance across the floor. Wrapped in floor-to-ceiling windows, the space is an open invitation to nature. The palette is purposefully restrained with the color palette, allowing textures and silhouettes to have their moment. A sculptural sectional anchors the space, flanked by a curved armchair and circular tables. At one end, a modern white piano catches the light just right, creating a subtle sense of occasion. At the other, a sun-drenched reading nook awaits, complete with The kitchen in the Lightwell Residence follows an open floor plan. A large kitchen island and wooden cabinetry take center stage in the kitchen area. In the dining zone, a large dining table provides room to enjoy meals as sunlight enters. The glass-front cabinetry allows glassware to double as decor. The bedroom at the Lightwell Residence is bathed in soft morning light and kissed by the last rays of sunset. A minimalist palette of oat-toned linens, textured throws, and cloudlike upholstery creates a cocoon of calm. The bed sits low and grounded, while the vaulted ceiling above adds grandeur. At the far end of the room, a pair of modern lounge chairs—framed in brass and dressed in ivory—invite slow mornings with coffee. Elevated on a stone platform, the sculptural soaking tub becomes a focal point in the bathroom. Soft, diffused daylight pours in through the windows, enhancing the earthy palette. With clean-lined fixtures and ambient lighting, this space offers the quiet luxury of a private spa.

Don't Feel Like Fighting? Check Out These Other Terrific PC Games Brawlhalla Brawlhalla (for PC) 3.5 Good The Blue Mammoth Games-developed Brawlhalla is a free-to-play fighting game—available on PC, console, and mobile—that builds upon Smash's wild, character-focused gameplay by introducing unlimited wall-jumps and various other movement options that facilitate fun combat.The expanding character roster also features the likes of G.I. Joe's Snake Eyes, WWE's Randy "Macho Man" Savage, Tomb Raider's Lara Croft, and Street Fighter’s Chun-Li. Many of these licensed fighters require spending cash, but that's fine; it's worth spending $20 for all current and future characters, because this platform-fighter is just that exciting. Capcom Fighting Collection 2 Capcom Fighting Collection 2 (for PC) 4.0 Excellent Capcom continues resurrecting its classic titles for modern audiences with Capcom Fighting Collection 2. This compilation features cool deep cuts not found in previous entries, including Power Stone and Project Justice. Along with the nostalgia, you'll enjoy new upgrades like online multiplayer (but no crossplay) and revamped display options. If you've had your fill of Street Fighter, this is a great way to broaden your fighting game horizons. Capcom Fighting Collection 2 (for PC) review Dead or Alive 6 Dead or Alive 6 (for PC) 3.5 Good Dead or Alive 6, much like its immediate predecessor, is one part fighting game, one part fashion show, and one part schlocky action movie. Individually, each of the game's widely differing elements might not stand up to scrutiny. After all, DOA 6 isn't the best fighter, doesn't offer the deepest character customization, and doesn't quite reach the Tekken series' level of story insanity.Still, Dead or Alive 6 is a fun and surprisingly strategic PC game that offers enough freshness to warrant playing with its new Break Blow and Break Hold tools. Plus, the game's familiar Triangle System and Danger Zones are highly entertaining, too. Divekick Divekick (for PC) 3.5 Good Iron Galaxy Studios' Divekick is the most hipster fighting game ever created. It's the product of the indie scene that mercilessly parodies fighting games and their die-hard community, yet demands that you be part of the underground circle to fully get all of the references and in-jokes.It's an odd game, but an interesting one if you open your mind to the insane concept of a two-button fighter based entirely on the idea of jumping and kicking. And 20-second rounds. And one-hit kills. And a line of scrimmage. Yes, Divekick is a fighting game freak show, but one worth checking out. Dragon Ball FighterZ Dragon Ball FighterZ (for PC) 4.0 Excellent Beside Fist of the Northstar and Jo Jo's Bizarre Adventure, there are few anime properties that are as intrinsically suited to the fighting-game treatment as the Dragon Ball series. Spanning multiple series, movies, and generations of characters, Akira Toriyama's manga-turned-anime-turned-game series is all about buff monkey men, humans, aliens, and androids trading blows in actual earth-shattering battles.The series' latest video game adaptation, Dragon Ball FighterZ, ditches the Xenoverse games' arena-brawling model in favor of 3-vs.-3, tag-team fighting on a 2D plane. The gameplay shift is just one of the many reasons Dragon Ball FighterZ is being held aloft as one of 2018's notable titles. Its beautiful design, intense combat, and accessible control scheme add up to a game that anyone can jump into for Super Saiyan thrills.Plus, you can kick Cell through a mountain. Dragon Ball FighterZ (for PC) review Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves (for PC) 4.0 Excellent The King of Fighters series is great, but Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves resurrects the SNK fighter that started it all. Familiar faces like Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui battle real-life guest characters like DJ Salavatore Gannaci and soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo gather for this excellent take on fundamental, 2D fisticuffs. Rich mechanics add depth to both offensive and defensive play, while comic book-inspired graphics give brawls a distinct visual identity. Crossplay multiplayer shines with rollback netcode. Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves (for PC) review Garou: Mark of the Wolves Garou: Mark of the Wolves (for PC) 4.5 Excellent Upon its 1999 release, Garou: Mark of the Wolves—a surprisingly deep and visually stunning entry in the long-running Fatal Fury series—was hailed as SNK's wondrous response to Capcom's Street Fighter III. Nearly 20 years later, SNK has finally given the fighting game the proper PC treatment by releasing it with numerous additional graphics options, leaderboards, and rollback, online versus play.Despite removing and downplaying some series-specific elements, Garou doesn't feel any less of a Fatal Fury game, however. It's set in the Southtown, and it features multiple fighters with classic Fatal Fury lineages, whether it's blood relationships to, or martial-arts tutelage from, older characters. Kim Kaphwan isn't in the game, for example, but his sons continue his legacy of swift, combo-heavy tae kwon do kicks.The result is an excellent game that boasts beautiful animation, Just Defend parries, and the strategic T.O.P. system that delivers increased attack damage, limited health regeneration, faster super-meter build up, and an exclusive special attack when your activate the mode. Guilty Gear Strive Guilty Gear Strive (for PC) 4.0 Excellent The Guilty Gear series reigns as the king of anime-style fighting games due to its gorgeous art style, and a rich, demanding, and lighting-quick combat system. Unfortunately, its oceanic depth and mountainous skill ceiling proved inaccessible to the causal player—until now. With Strive, developer Arc System Works streamlines the series’ unique combat mechanics to make them more newcomer-friendly, while retaining the older games' creative richness. Strive comes with fewer extra modes than its predecessors, but there is a lot to love in this PC game, including astounding visuals, impressive character play styles, and snappy, lag-free online play courtesy of top-tier, rollback netcode. Strive is an approachable series entry that shakes up the Guilty Gear formula in the best ways possible. Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign- Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign- (for PC) 3.5 Good Guilty Gear is a niche series within a niche genre, one that's enjoyed a cult following since its first appearance in 1998. With Xrd -SIGN-, developer Arc System Works ditches the series' 2D sprites in favor of 3D cel-shaded graphics in an attempt to expand its audience. Likewise, series creator Daisuke Ishiwatari sought a more approachable play style that maintains the depth and high skill ceiling that long-time Guilty Gear fans love.Still, Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- keeps the series familiar fighting action (Roman Cancels, Bursts, and Dusts) that enables creative offensive and defensive play. Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign- (for PC) review Killer Instinct Killer Instinct (for PC) 4.0 Excellent When Killer Instinct debuted for Windows 10 in March 2016, it represented the latest chapter in the continued PC fighting game renaissance. With its arrival, Microsoft's one-on-one game of fisticuffs joined the likes of Guilty Gear, The King of Fighters, Street Fighter, and other high-profile series that now grace the personal computer.Killer Instinct has a combo-heavy engine that caters to both novices and pros, incredibly detailed graphics that boast ridiculous particle effects (everything explodes!), and an over-the-top, NBA Jam-like announcer who screams your accomplishments ("C-c-c-combo Breaker!") at the top of his lungs.Killer Instinct is part of Microsoft's Play Anywhere initiative. So, if you buy Killer Instinct from the Microsoft Store, you'll also be able to play it on Xbox One at no additional cost. It has cross-platform play with Xbox One, too, thus expanding the online player base. There's a Steam version, too. Even better, the game's ridiculously good netcode ensures smooth play across the globe. Killer Instinct (for PC) review The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match Final Edition The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Final Edition (for PC) 5.0 Outstanding The King of Fighters '98—with its hops, rolls, blowback attacks, and meter-filling Advance and Extra modes—is one of the best fighting games ever made, so it's no surprise that developer SNK has returned to the title many times since the game's original release.In 2008, SNK celebrated the game's tenth anniversary by porting the team-based fighter to the PlayStation 2 as The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match, a game loaded with extra characters (including the almighty '96 Boss Team!), stages, moves, and gameplay modes. Now, a tweaked Ultimate Match is available for purchase under the title The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Final Edition.This version adds numerous graphics options and good, but not great, online connectivity that lets you battle other KOF fans around the globe in 3-vs.-3 action. The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Final Edition (for PC) review The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match (for PC) 4.0 Excellent Like The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Final Edition, The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match is a dream match that eschews a storyline so that developer SNK could include as many characters as possible—even some that are canonically dead, like crime boss Geese Howard. As a result, Unlimited Match boasts one of the largest fighting game rosters of all time, with a 66-character strong lineup.King of Fighters 2002 Ultimate Match continues the series tradition of excellent combat. Although it lacks KOF '98 UMFE's three radically different fight mechanics (Advanced, Extra, and Ultimate), Unlimited Match has a lone system that resembles Advanced Mode. This fighting style gives you plenty of offensive (Dash, Run, Hops, Super Jumps) and defensive (Guard Cancel Strike, Guard Cancel Roll Throw) options for setting up or evading traps. Excellent rollback netcode lets you play people around the world without hiccup. The King of Fighters XIII: Steam Edition The King of Fighters XIII: Steam Edition (for PC) 4.0 Excellent The King of Fighters XIII: Steam Edition brings SNK's incredibly dense, 3-vs.-3, team-based fighter to the PC via Valve's video game marketplace. It's an all-around excellent fighting game, and one of the best in SNK's rich catalog.If you've rumbled with friends and foes in the version that appeared on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, you'll feel right at home here: The intricate combat mechanics, meter management, and the best sprite-based graphics ever seen in a fighting game are brought over successfully in this Steam port.Even better, The King of Fighters XIII: Steam Edition contains all the console DLC and the King of Fighters XIII: Climax arcade features. Similar to The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match Final Edition, The King of Fighters XIII: Steam Edition has decent online play, but you can expect some hiccups. The King of Fighters XIII: Steam Edition (for PC) review The Last Blade The Last Blade (for PC) 4.0 Excellent SNK put weapons-based, 2D fighting on the map with 1993's delightful Samurai Shodown, but the developer went on to refine the idea of sword-based combat four years later in a somewhat lesser-known Neo Geo title: The Last Blade.Released to the Steam platform with several contemporary bells and whistles, The Last Blade boasts excellent swordplay, a dozen exquisitely designed characters, and a gorgeous anime- and manga-style presentation that make its 19th-century Japanese setting one of the most beautiful in fighting-game history. Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite (for PC) 3.5 Good Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite has taken its fair share of flack since its reveal, and the venom is not at all unwarranted. The initial trailer for the tag-team fighting game featured dull, washed-out graphics, and Capcom highlighted the new novice-friendly, auto-combo options that are designed to help casuals bust out cool-looking moves in an otherwise hardcore genre. As a result, fight fans were highly skeptical of the game, as was I.Fortunately, my Infinite sentiments changed upon logging several hours with the game. The Infinity Stone hook and the move to 2-vs.-2, tag team action make Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite an incredibly fun PC game to play in both casual and hardcore sessions.Still, Infinite has presentation and MCU-focused roster issues that prevent it from rising to the very top of the fighting game elite. Mortal Kombat XL Mortal Kombat XL (for PC) 4.0 Excellent When NetherRealm Studios released the blood-drenched Mortal Kombat X to consoles in 2015, the one-on-one fighting game continued to evolve via free and paid updates that added characters, balanced the roster, and improved online play. However, the High Voltage Studios-ported PC version of the game received zero post-launch support, much to the dismay of hardcore Mortal Kombat fans.Thankfully, that changed with the Mortal Kombat XL update, a version of MKX that finally gives PC gamers all the extras that console-based fight fans have enjoyed for some time now. I dislike the idea of paying more money for PC content released long after the console version, but it's hard not to love the additions, which include even more fighters, stages, costumes, and gore.Paid DLC added plenty of guest fighters, which has becoming commonplace in the fighting game circle. They include the Predator and Friday the 13th's Jason Vorhees. The King of Fighters XV The King of Fighters XV (for PC) 4.0 Excellent Developer SNK took KOF XIV's core, revamped the MAX meter, added the Shatterstrike counter system, and gave the character models an eye-catching redesign to create one of the best fighting games in recent history. KOF XV features an updated fighting engine that facilitates fast-paced, creative combat, and near-flawless rollback netcode that will keep you knuckling up with online rivals for hours on end.The game's dense with options. You can play the narrative-driven Story mode, use DJ Station to listen to more that 300 music tracks culled from SNK's rich, decades-long game library (many compositions unlock as you play Arcade mode), engage in casual and ranked online battles, view leaderboards, and check out match replays. In a community-fostering move, SNK included an esports-friendly tournament mode tailor-made for locals and majors like Evo. You can save 15 custom teams, set up brackets and rulesets, and register up to 32 entrants. It's a great touch. In addition, KOF XV lets you join online lobbies to play against others or simply spectate. Mortal Kombat 11 Mortal Kombat 11 (for PC) 4.5 Excellent Mortal Kombat 11 is far more than the guts and gore titles on which the series built its fame. The narrative sequel to Mortal Kombat X, Mortal Kombat 11 uses time travel to pit characters against their rivals in the past in order to alter the present. Whatever.Mortal Kombat 11 continues the series tradition of chop-socky action and otherworldly mysticism to lay the foundation for military operatives, ninjas, gods, and monsters to punch each other squarely in the face. With its character customization, HDR10 support, smooth animations, and new offensive and defensive meters, MK11 is the best Mortal Kombat game to date. Mortal Kombat 11 (for PC) review Samurai Shodown Samurai Shodown (for PC) 3.5 Good Clashing swords, blood spurts, and tense, measured play define Samurai Shodown, SNK's beloved weapons-based fighting game series. This series refresh, the simply named Samurai Shodown, carries those elements to PC after the game first appeared on console. If you've waited this long in hopes that Samurai Shodown would add many PC-exclusive extras, you may be disappointed; this is largely the same game that appeared elsewhere. Still, Samurai Shodown's unique, defense-orientated gameplay makes it a fighting game to check out for sword-swinging, blood-letting action. Prep for lengthy load times, though. Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection (for PC) 4.0 Excellent Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection, SNK and Digital Eclipse's follow up to the delightful SNK 40th Anniversary Collection, contains all the SamSho games that appeared on the original Neo Geo, plus production art, SNK staff interviews, and a true surprise—an unreleased title that only briefly saw a location test. Overall, Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection is a wonderful piece of playable history, with the only blight against the PC game being its mediocre online components. Skullgirls 2nd Encore Skullgirls 2nd Encore (for PC) 4.5 Excellent Skullgirls 2nd Encore, the update to Reverge Labs's critically acclaimed original game, takes cues from many highly regarded fighting titles and blends it with the series' unique, cartoony, art deco-influenced visual style.However, Skullgirls 2nd Encore's graphics aren't all that separate it from the competition. The indie fighter boasts a Capcom vs. SNK-style ratio system that lets you select up to three characters to battle up to three rival characters, as well as a Marvel vs. Capcom-style assist system. The fighter also has a built-in system that automatically stops infinites, those annoying and abusive combos that never end. SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium (for PC) 4.5 Excellent With Match of the Millennium's rerelease, the secret best fighting game in the SNK vs. Capcom crossover series finds a new audience. Featuring an 18-character default roster (Athena, Chun-Li, Dan, Felicia, Guile, Haohmaru, Iori, Ken, Kyo, Leona, Mai, Morrigan, Nakoruru, Ryo, Ryu, Sakura, Terry, and Zangief), and three deep groove systems that replicate beloved the companies' beloved fighting game engines, SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium sees two fighting game universes collide in marvelous fashion.That would be more than enough variety, but Match of the Millennium offers additional goodies. It features standard Sparring, Survival, and Time Attack fighting modes. Olympics, however, is the most intriguing mode, as it lets you indulge in several non-fighting game minigames. For example, you can blast Metal Slug's Mars People in a first-person shooting mode or guide Ghost 'N Goblins' Arthur across pits to snatch up treasure. The Versus points that you earn here unlock extra super moves for the default and secret characters. These contests have the depth of early mobile phone games, but they're a nice diversion from the standard fighting game action.Match of the Millennium is a genuinely entertaining and rich fighting game that combines challenge and strategy with a hefty helping of lighthearted humor. SoulCalibur VI SoulCalibur VI (for PC) 4.0 Excellent The weapons-based combat series has seen its ups and downs over the years, but with SoulCalibur VI, developer Bandai Namco has taken what's worked in the past—swift, strategic combat and robust character customization—and paired it with the new Reversal Edge and Soul Charge battle mechanics to create an engaging PC fighting game that'll shine in all sorts of battles, whether they're between buddies or on big esports stages like Evo.Combat is crisp and rewarding, with a universal control scheme that makes it a breeze to pick up a new character. Each fighter has a horizontal attack, vertical attack, kick, block, parry, sidestep, guard-crushing Break Attack, and Critical Edge super attack. This control scheme will feel familiar to anyone who's played recent SoulCalibur titles, and it leads to some tense combat moments as you attack and defend. Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection (for PC) 4.0 Excellent Film aficionados rely on The Criterion Collection to take vital classic and contemporary movies and present them in thoughtful, information-filled packages for modern audiences. Until very recently, the 40-year old video game industry lacked its own Criterion Collection, letting important pop culture contributions slip into oblivion due to incompatible hardware and software formats, expired licenses, and plain neglect. Thankfully, the games preservation experts at Digital Eclipse have taken up the task, blessing gamers with titles that celebrate classic titles via accurate emulation and a bounty of production-related extras and modern touches. The company's first foray into the fighting game genre is Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection.This collection doesn't include Street Fighter: The Movie, the Street Fighter EX titles, or X-Men vs. Street Fighter, but you will find all the core arcade releases. The lineup includes Street Fighter (1987), Street Fighter II (1991), Street Fighter II: Champion Edition (1992), Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting (1992), Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers (1993) Super Street Fighter II Turbo (1994), Street Fighter Alpha (1995), Street Fighter Alpha 2 (1996), Street Fighter III: New Generation (1997), Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact Giant Attack (1997), Street Fighter Alpha 3 (1998), and Street Fighter III 3rd Strike: Fight For The Future (1999).Even better, you don't just get the games. This collection includes a sprite/animation view, design documents, a historical timeline, and a jukebox. In short, Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection is a love letter to one of the most important video game franchises of all time. Street Fighter V: Champion Edition Street Fighter V: Champion Edition (for PC) 3.5 Good In February 2016, Street Fighter V arrived on PC with many flaws that detracted from the stellar gameplay, including awful server instability, no true single-player mode, and a surprisingly limited multiplayer Battle Lounge. However, over the course of the last few years, developer Capcom released several updates that addressed (most of) those issues while also adding new stages and playable characters.Street Fighter V: Champion Edition, with its fresh and returning characters, new fight systems (like the cool V-Skills and V-Triggers mechanics), interactive stages, Cinematic Story Mode, and cross-platform play with PlayStation 4 owners, finally makes the one-on-one fighting game a title to pick up even for gamers who don't have Evo dreams. Street Fighter V: Champion Edition (for PC) review Street Fighter 6 Street Fighter 6 (for PC) 5.0 Outstanding Following Street Fighter V's lukewarm reception, Capcom had much to prove with Street Fighter 6. Thankfully, the developer not only righted the previous title's wrongs, but exceeded expectations by including nearly everything that fans would want in a contemporary fighting game.The title's powered by the new Drive Gauge, a meter that's full and ready for action at the beginning of each round. With the Drive Gauge, you can unleash the Drive Impact, Drive Parry, Drive Reversal, Drive Rush, and Overdrive moves (read our review for a breakdown of each one). It, along with the Dynamic and Modern control schemes, gives you more combat flexibility than any previous Street Fighter game. The result is one of the best fighters ever crafted, one that enables hype-fueled moments in casual and competitive play. Street Fighter 6 (for PC) review Tekken 7 Tekken 7 (for PC) 4.5 Excellent Tekken 7, like the main-line Tekken games that came before it, is a tale of fathers and sons attempting to murder each other to purge the Mishima clan of the Devil Gene, a magical bit of DNA that transforms certain people into hell spawn.The excellent combat accentuates the narrative ridiculousness. Like its predecessors, Tekken 7 is a fighting game that features simple, limb-mapped controls, massive character move sets, and numerous juggles that let you keep a combo flowing, if you're skilled enough to input the correct move at the right moment. With Tekken 7, the series receives super moves (Rage Arts) and enhanced, special attacks that can blow through an opponent's attack (Power Crush).Tekken 7 is an incredibly tense game of jabs, feints, and sidesteps, because any hit may lead to a long combo sting. Factor in characters with move sets that emulate real martial arts, interactive stages that let you knock people through floors and walls, and terrific slowdown effects that happen when both fighters' health bars are in the red and they perform close-quarter melee attacks, and you have a fighting game that's essentially an interactive martial arts flick. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (for PC) 3.5 Good Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 pits Marvel's superheroes against Capcom's video game characters in a frantic 3-vs.-3, tag team brawl. The 48-character headcount is impressive, but it's the individual characters and visual aesthetic that truly make the game shine (unlike its Infinite sequel).Marvel's side has several popular and obscure characters, including Captain America, Iron Man, Iron Fist, and She-Hulk, and Spider-Man. Capcom's side mainly comprises characters from the company's fighting and action games, including Final Fight's Mike Haggar and Street Fighter's Ryu. The comic book-style graphics, with their bright colors and heavy black lines, gives Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 an eye-popping look.In terms of gameplay, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 builds upon its Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds predecessor by including a three-button control scheme, the momentum-changing X-Factor mechanic, and retooled aerial combat. Ultra Street Fighter IV Ultra Street Fighter IV (for PC) 4.5 Excellent Ultra Street Fighter IV marks Capcom's fourth version of Street Fighter IV and the third version available on the Steam platform. Like vanilla Street Fighter IV and Super Street Fighter IV, Ultra's combat is centered on Focus Attacks, a move that lets your character tank a blow and unleash a counterattack.This final iteration adds five new characters (Decapre, Elena, Hugo, Poison, and Rolento), six new stages, a YouTube upload option, Edition Select (which lets you pick different versions of characters, based on their past Street Fighter IV iterations), and Double Ultra (which makes a character's Ultra Combos available simultaneously, in exchange for reduced damage).It's Street Fighter IV's best and meatiest update, though some balance issues prove a bit irritating in play. Still, Ultra Street Fighter IV is an excellent, competitive one-on-one fighting game.

What do you do when the sun vanishes behind the rooftops just as you've settled in for an evening beer with friends? The answer is simple: grab your chair, rally your mates, and hike to the nearest hilltop to catch the last golden rays with a cold one in hand. This joyfully absurd premise forms the basis of Chairs, the hero film in Birra Moretti's newly launched global campaign, created by Lucky Generals and directed by Sam Pilling. It's a whimsical, cinematic ode to community, ritual, and the pleasure of doing something simple together. The campaign centres around the line "Enjoy Life's Simple Pleasures", a brand platform that aims to cut through the chaos of modern life with a message rooted in authenticity, warmth, and good humour. At a time when attention spans are short, and everything seems increasingly complex, Birra Moretti offers an alternative: slow down, pull up a chair, and enjoy a beer with the people you love. "In a world that's increasingly busy, noisy and complex, we look to Italy, where life's greatest pleasures are often the simplest," says Sam Fielding, global brand lead at Birra Moretti. "Our new global campaign playfully brings this idea to life, sharing the simple joy of connecting with your favourite people and enjoying a Birra Moretti in a beautiful Tuscan setting." That idea is carried across Chairs, and the companion spot Pull Up A Chair, in which a man carts his living room armchair to a bar when no other seats are available. There's a gentle absurdity to both stories, but the message is that pleasure doesn't have to be complicated and great moments are often found in everyday rituals, especially when beer, food and friends are involved. For Gareth Morgan, creative director at Lucky Generals, the idea was born from a desire to reflect real, relatable joy in a chaotic world. "Birra Moretti is here to remind us all that in an increasingly confusing and complicated world, pleasure is, well, simple. Your best mates, ice-cold beers, some antipasti and a sunset. What else do you need?" The campaign leans heavily on visual storytelling to strike an emotional chord without straying into sentimentality. Shot on film in a nostalgic 4:3 ratio, the scenes unfold with a timeless charm as we see sun-drenched village squares, weathered stone walls, and characters with stories etched into their faces. "There are very few places on Earth that know how to slow down and enjoy the moment better than a tiny village in Tuscany," says Gareth. "We tried to use the visual world, particularly the location and cast, to help with the emotion." That sense of place is no accident. Tuscany's cultural richness, from food and landscape to the rhythm of everyday life, was essential to capturing the campaign's tone. "Birra Moretti is from Tuscany, and the beer is literally called L'Autentica, so we were very keen to try and make everything feel as authentically Italian as possible," Gareth adds. The landscape is incredible, the food is banging, and the people are characterful and interesting." It turns out that the chair is more than a cute visual gag. "Everyone loves a sunset beer," Gareth explains. "And the whole village carrying chairs to the top of the hill to chase that last bit of sun felt like the perfect metaphor for what we were trying to say." Simple pleasures, after all, aren't passive. They're something we chase, share, and sometimes go out of our way to protect. The humble chair becomes a stand-in for that intention and a way to invite others in to make time for what matters. The campaign also marks the unveiling of a refreshed brand world for Birra Moretti, building on existing assets like its iconic Baffo character while giving the identity a contemporary update. With executions rolling out across film, social, digital and seasonal activations (including a focus on Birra Moretti Zero), the brand is establishing a more cohesive and emotionally resonant global presence. "We wanted to show people a window into Italy that didn't feel stereotypical but, instead, felt like somewhere you wanted to be," Gareth says. "Sipping on a Birra Moretti with your pals." The evolved visual language brings together heritage and modernity, keeping one foot firmly in tradition while opening the door to new drinkers in multiple global markets over the next 18 months. The media rollout includes digital activations, stills, and social content pillars tailored to brand, seasonal, and product-specific storytelling. With so many beer brands chasing novelty, disruption, or viral punchlines, Birra Moretti's campaign feels refreshingly low-key and all the more powerful for it. There's no over-engineered plot, no celebrity cameo, no lab-grown slogans—just a beautifully shot reminder that the best things in life tend to be the simplest.

Plenty of people take the advice "respect your elders" seriously, but Colordrunk Designs founder Jenna Gross lives by it. When she rebuilt, renovated, and designed her family's five-bedroom Atlanta home, her late grandparents' colorful residence was the driving force that inspired her. "I even had our pink front door custom-made to look just like my grandparents'," she admits. The rest of the foyer follows suit, with a boldly patterned area rug, colorful wallpaper, and cheerful paint. Color is the through line of the house's aesthetic, though using so many hues was not without its difficulties. "With so many spaces open to each other, it can be tough to make all the rooms flow—especially when you love as much color as I do," Gross says. "I spent a lot of time with the whole scheme laid out on the floor, making sure each room featured a color that flowed to the next."The foyer opens into the dining room, another space where pink is king and the family's forebears influenced the design. Here, a rather large oil portrait of her husband Caleb's great-aunt Vinny hangs on the back wall, giving the room an air of regality—and informing its color scheme. "I pulled the pink out of her dress and blasted it onto the ceiling and walls," Gross says. While the portrait is formal, the fuchsia is anything but. "With this fun and playful color, " she explains, "I wanted people to know that we do not take ourselves too seriously."The family room is painted a softer rose shade, but this home is not just a rhapsody in pink; other bold tints, like a canary yellow living break up the signature shade while keeping the energy high. "I have never been a 'yellow' person, but I was craving some exciting energy for that room," Gross explains. "The color draws you into a space that might not otherwise be used as much." There's no artistic ancestor involved here; Gross pulled "the brightest yellow" from a Manuel Canovas pattern on a banquette she already had and carried it over to the walls and ceiling to create what she calls "a fun, lively room that people gravitate toward."I wanted people to know that we do not take ourselves too seriously.The only room in the 4,000-square-foot home that isn't drenched in a bright color is the white kitchen, a spot that Gross kept serene and functional by design. "As much as I love color, I also love a white kitchen," Gross says. "It's where we cook, work, and play, and the white is such a good canvas for that." The exception is the custom tile backsplash in two shades of ocean blue, which Gross worked into every room of the house. "I picked those colors and used them in little doses to make the rooms flow easily," she explains.While a vibrant use of color obviously runs in the family, Gross is happy to report that she's seeing bold hues growing in popularity with her clients, too. "People are realizing that color makes you feel good! Even minimalists are embracing color, and all of my clients are asking for it," she says. "I am so happy to say that color is back—but did it ever really go away?"FAST FACTSJenna Gross, of Designer: Colordrunk DesignsLocation: Atlanta, GAThe Space:FAMILY ROOMGrasscloth textures hold their own against a riot of color.Emily FollowilWallcovering: Thibaut. Sofa: Jonathan Adler. Drapery: custom, in Schumacher fabric. Coffee table: Ballard Designs.Gross designed the wooden valance, a “nod to Hollywood Regency,” to soften the impact of 14-foot ceilings. LIVING ROOMA high-shine finish adds formality to bold color.Emily FollowilPaint: RAL 1018, Fine Paints of Europe. Chairs: vintage, in Kravet fabric. Art (above mantel): Evan Mooney expand=Gross used the same Manuel Canovas pattern she had upholstered on her banquette as insets for the walls, artfully connecting the room. BREAKFAST NOOKA caffeine-free spot to kickstart the day.Emily FollowilChandelier: Currey & Company. Chairs: Coley Home, in Schumacher fabric. Wallpaper: Brunschwig & Fils. Table: Jonathan Adler. Paint: Arsenic, Farrow & Ball.High-end artwork mixes with children’s creations on this eclectic gallery wall. DINING ROOMPink is the name of the game in this regal space.Emily FollowilPaint: RAL 4010, Fine Paints of Europe. Chandelier: Visual Comfort & Co. Table: Oly“Display the things you love, and let your home tell your family’s story,” says Gross, who showcases the heirloom china she and her husband inherited on custom shelves.KITCHENAnchored in white—but just as bold. Emily FollowilStools: Lee Industries, in Schumacher fabric. Pendants: The Urban Electric Co. Backsplash: custom, Renaissance Tile & Bath. Paint: Decorator’s White, Benjamin Moore.The everyday china is displayed on shelves. “Why hide it if you love it?” Gross asks. PRIMARY BEDROOMA masterclass in serene blues and purples.Emily FollowilWallcovering: Phillip Jeffries. Bed: Oly, in Schu­macher fabric. Nightstand and lamp: Worlds Away. Window treatments: Quadrille.Monogrammed bedding by JJA Custom Linens is “a nod to my traditional upbringing—but in a fun font with a lilac edge,” Gross says. KIDS' ROOMS Where animals roam free. Emily FollowilEmily Followil“The room has evolved since my now 14-year-old was a baby, but the personality and colors are the same,” Gross says. Wallpaper: Katie Kime. Drapery fabric: Schumacher. Desk and bed: Jonathan Adler. Headboard fabric: Thibaut.GUEST ROOMA custom-designed headboard stretches to the tall ceiling. Emily FollowilPaint: Pink Starburst, Benjamin Moore. Bed: custom, in Kravet fabric. Lamps: Jonathan Adler. Dresser: Oomph.“I designed the headboard to catch your eye and fill the space between the drapes,” says Gross, who drew a “whimsical shape inspired by a pagoda.”FOYERGross designed the front door to look exactly like that of her late grandparents'.Emily FollowilWallcovering: Carleton V Ltd. Console: Villa & House. Table lamp: Aerin. Rug: English Village Lane.In an homage to her grandparents’ home, Gross painted her front door a vibrant custom pink. MUDROOM"The stools are covered in one of my favorite patterns from my fabric line, Tipsi," says Gross.Emily FollowilPaint: St Giles Blue, Farrow & Ball. Pendant: Visual Comfort & Co. Ottomans: Society Social, in Tipsi fabric. Valance: Peter Fasano fabric, with Samuel & Sons trim.After school, Gross’s three kids stash backpacks and shoes within the custom cabinetry. Starbust cut-outs in the cabinetry provide ventilation and an extra dose of charm.About the DesignerJenna Gross founded her cleverly named full-service design firm back in 2013. Since then, Colordrunk Designs has been outfitting some of the country's most colorful and charming commercial and residential spaces, including her own home in Atlanta, Georgia, just a few short hours from where the designer grew up. She also founded a fabric line, dubbed Tipsi Home, inspired by her interiors' colorful nature.SHOP THE SPACEColey Home The Upholstered Teeny Dining Swivel$1,125 at coleyhome.comVisual Comfort & Co. Talia Large Chandelier$2,999 at visualcomfort.comCredit: Visual ComfortJonathan Adler Claridge 73" Apartment Sofa$3,900 at Jonathan AdlerCitrus Garden PillowNow 100% Off$17,576,006 $22 at schumacher.comCredit: Schumacher