Judge a Restaurant by Its Dessert and Its Toilet

This week, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Sophie Bharj from Trone.paris, a company boldly reinventing the toilet experience. Where most see mere functionality, Trone envisions a lasting memory, an experience worthy of a photograph, and an opportunity to inspire through aesthetic and functional art.

Inside we cover Trone’s journey in the home space, predict upcoming trends, and unpack the undeniable power of social media in shaping our interiors. We invite you to be a part of the conversation by replying to this email with your thoughts.

Find the full story and more trend reports in our latest Home Report.

enjoy!

Can you introduce yourself and share a bit about your background?

I’m a Franco-British-Indian marketer. I grew up in London but now live in Paris where I’ve been with Trone for the past year and a half as Head of Marketing. My role spans brand, acquisition, commerce, and content production, giving me the opportunity to shape the entire customer journey and craft experiences around beautifully designed products.

My background is kind of unconventional. I started my career with fashion internships before getting a master's from Sciences Po Paris, and spending seven years in London across big tech, sportswear, and consulting. After three years at Google, I moved to Paris and joined my first startup experience at Early Majority. That role introduced me to VAAN and marked my shift from tech to physical products, deepening my understanding of product, e-commerce, and brand-building.

For those unfamiliar, Trone is on a mission to reinvent the toilet experience. Now, we’re taking it further, redefining the entire bathroom space with products that are both highly aesthetic and highly functional.

How does Trone leverage customer imagery, reviews, or influencer collaborations to build brand credibility?

We take a more organic approach to brand visibility, one that’s rooted in real-world experiences.

Funny enough, the whole idea started with a visit to a restaurant called Sketch in London. The founder saw how people weren’t just using the bathroom, they were photographing it, photographing themselves in it, sharing it, and making it part of their experience. That’s when it clicked that bathrooms can be so much more than just functional.

That insight shaped how we approach brand awareness. Instead of traditional influencer marketing, we focus on placing our products in stylish restaurants, boutique hotels, and other high-traffic spaces where people naturally take photos and share. With permission, we feature these photos across our website, social media, and catalogs to help give customers a real sense of how our products work in different environments. A well-designed bathroom stands out, and when something stands out, it tends to end up on social media.

I’ve always heard you can judge a restaurant by its dessert and its toilets. If the bathroom feels cold and uninviting, it can totally take away from the overall restaurant experience. That’s what we’re changing with Trone. Whether it’s in a hotel or your own home, we want every interaction to be memorable.

What trends do you think are here to stay versus those that are fleeting?

I think one trend that's here to stay is the democratization of high design. It’s all about making beautiful, functional pieces more accessible without costing the price of a house. More and more people are willing to invest in those durable, well-designed, timeless pieces, and I think that's fantastic. It's this sweet spot between mass-market and luxury, giving everyone the chance to own something that truly elevates their space. 

On the flip side, I think the fast furniture boom is starting to feel a little tired. A growing group of people are becoming more resistant to the cheap, disposable stuff that just doesn’t last, across multiple industries. We’re seeing a push toward secondhand furniture, with many companies offering leasing or resale options. And honestly, I love the idea of people taking their favorite pieces with them when they move. Imagine someone taking their toilet with them! It’s about investing in something that feels like an art piece, something that lasts and that you love, not just something to throw away when you or TikTok get tired of it. 

And then there’s the shift in voices. When I was younger, being an opinion leader in design meant you had your own company and had been in the game for 20 years. But now we’re seeing teenagers, people who may have never owned a design piece, speaking out on design with authority just because it’s their passion. It’s exciting to see a more diverse range of voices in the conversation, and it’s shifting how new generations are learning about design. It’s not just a niche community anymore; it’s now something everyone can be a part of, and that’s pretty cool.

What products or experiences do you wish existed in the home goods space?

There are so many overlooked details in home design that, once you notice them, it feels impossible to ignore. One thing I’d love to see is better-designed sanitary wear bins that are actually adapted for period products and look nice instead of being an afterthought. It’s frustrating how often these essentials are neglected, making something as simple as disposal inconvenient, and just plain ugly. Another small but crucial (and very often forgotten) detail are hooks. The first thing I always look for, which immediately makes me question who designed the space, is whether there's a hook on the door. Good design should make people feel considered, not like they have to navigate a negative experience due to overlooked basic needs.

I also think there’s room for more thoughtful “anti-tech” design. We have smart everything, but what if some products did the opposite? When I was at Early Majority, we had an awesome off-the-grid pocket for your phone. Once you put it inside, you’re disconnected. I love the idea of taking that concept further, like a dining table that cuts off your phone signal the moment you sit down. A way to create real presence in a world where it’s so easy to be distracted.

And then, AI-powered interior design tools. I know some people might not love this answer, but I’m really excited about the potential here. When I was renovating my apartment, I struggled with clunky planning tools and ended up working with an architect just to visualize my space properly. Imagine being able to go from idea to sketch to a fully realistic 3D render in seconds. The more intuitive and accessible that process becomes, the more empowered people will be to design homes that truly work for them.

How has social media influenced the way we design our living spaces?

Social media has completely changed how we design our living spaces. First, it’s shifted how we discover new products and brands. Before, you’d go to the high street or a showroom, but now, it’s all happening through influencers and viral trends. Like the Ultra Fragola mirror, designed by Ettore Sottsass in the 70s - it really blew up thanks to Instagram. We’re also seeing a faster acceleration of trends, but at the same time, more niche styles are emerging. It’s no longer just a handful of trend forecasting companies deciding what’s in; it’s coming from so many different places organically.

But the biggest shift, to me, is how our private spaces are becoming public. Being “house proud” isn’t just about having friends over for dinner anymore, our homes are now the backdrop for TikToks, Reels, and even corporate meetings. It’s changed how we design because our spaces are now an extension of who we are, visible to people who wouldn’t have ever stepped inside otherwise. Even at YouTube, where I was working during Covid-19, we ran tutorials for creators on how to arrange their backdrops because they no longer had access to studios and very suddenly, their rooms became the set.This idea of homes as public-facing spaces isn’t going away, and I think it’ll continue to influence design choices in a big way.

And then there’s social commerce. TikTok Shop is launching in France next month, and we’re already seeing huge shifts in how people buy in markets where it is already live. It might sound crazy to think someone would buy a toilet on TikTok, but I know it’s going to happen. People are already using social media for social validation by checking comments, tagged photos, and real customer experiences. It’s becoming the new search engine. If a product is durable, harder to install, or more of a commitment, like a toilet, people will rely even more on these platforms to make sure they’re making the right choice.

Our Thoughts

There's something uniquely compelling about elevating overlooked spaces. 

Curating your environment with art that transcends seasonal trends, with pieces that are built to last. Knowing that nowadays your home is a tangible extension of your identity, potentially seen by a wider audience than you might realize. So why not curate them with intention?

Thoughtful details, like a well-placed hook on a door or a discreet sanitary bin, transform the way we move through a space. Even the most mundane moments can become memorable

Toilets, now art pieces. 

Going to the bathroom, now an experience. 

Why not, romanticize life?

This edition was designed to spark conversation within our community. We're eager to hear your thoughts, your ideas, and any points that resonated with you.

Hit reply and let us know!