In this lookbook, we have collected eight projects that use internal glazing and partitions to create brighter home interiors and increased connectivity between spaces.

While the primary use of windows is for daylight access and ventilation, they can also play a key role in visually connecting spaces within the home.

Adding internal windows enables more interaction between adjacent rooms, while allowing light to penetrate further into the home – creating bright and spacious interiors.

While similar, internal partitions offer a unique opportunity to simultaneously increase connectivity and enhance privacy through the demarcation of a home's internal spaces.

Below are eight examples that showcase the versatility of internal openings and partitions, ranging from a colourful home extension featuring playful, circular windows in London to an open-plan kitchen punctuated with brass-lined portals in Toronto.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring creative guest rooms that accommodate visitors in style, home interiors brightened with colourful window frames and hotel interiors characterised by eclectic designs.

Timbaud, France, by Isabelle Heilmann

Converted from a textile workshop, this open-plan apartment in Paris offers a bright, spacious interior equipped with a dedicated home office, mezzanines and a loft.

Designer Isabelle Heilmann used internal windows and glazing in order to retain visual connections between the rooms, as well as demarcate the living spaces and enable a flow of light through the interior.

Find out more about Timbaud ›

Curve Appeal, UK, by Nimtim Architects

Multifunctional partitions built from plywood joinery were used to define the interior of this 1920s house in Southwark, London, renovated by local studio Nimtim Architects.

Addressing a need for improved connectivity and daylight, the studio used curved, glazed openings within the partitions to encourage visual connection between the different spaces.

Find out more about Curve Appeal ›

Portal House, Canada, by Svima

Renovated by architecture and art studio Svima, this residence in Toronto features asymmetrical portals lined with brass ribbons.

Aptly named Portal House, the home's open-plan kitchen and dining area are connected via two portals – with one used as a doorway and the other as a pass-through for food, drinks and tableware.

Find out more about Portal House ›

Mediona 13, Spain, by Nua Arquitectures

Nua Arquitectures revamped this house in the historic centre of Tarragona, Spain, using pastel-coloured steel to reinforce its structure.

Internal windows overlook the home's large entrance, which features a staircase lined with pastel blue balustrades, to allow light to travel into the home.

Find out more about Mediona 13 ›

AR Residence, UK, by DeDraft

A kitchen extension clad in green aluminium panels was used by architecture studio DeDraft to update this home in east London.

Also overseeing the remodelling of the home's upper floors, the studio implemented large windows and skylights along with an internal window to allow light to permeate the interior.

Find out more about AR Residence ›

A House in East London, UK, by Charles Holland Architects

This colourful extension completed by Charles Holland Architects features a trio of aligned, circular windows that connect the ground-floor spaces.

Creating "unexpected views between rooms", these internal openings form a series of interconnected interior spaces, as opposed to a large open-plan layout.

Find out more about A House in East London ›

Fruit Box, UK, by Nimtim Architects

Also completed by Nimtim Architects is an extension added to a 1970s townhouse in Forest Hill, London, which is divided by adaptable partitions.

These plywood partitions are designed to be filled in for increased privacy between spaces, but are also non-structural to allow for easy removal to maximise interior space if needed.

Find out more about Fruit Box ›

House in Kutná Hora, Czech Republic, by Byró Architekti

Byró Architekti restored and renovated this 19th-century house in Kutná Hora using colourful joinery and playful openings.

Aiming to improve the connection between the home's spaces, internal windows and glass-block walls were added to each level of the centralised spiral staircase.

Find out more about House in Kutná Hora ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring creative guest rooms that accommodate visitors in style, home interiors brightened with colourful window frames and hotel interiors characterised by eclectic designs.

The post Eight homes where internal windows and partitions maximise light appeared first on Dezeen.

Working on a kitchen as part of a construction or renovation project but not sure where to start? Here are 10 kitchen design ideas taken from Dezeen's archive of lookbooks, featuring tips for colour, materials and layout.

Since 2020, Dezeen has published more than 300 lookbooks providing visual inspiration for all kinds of interiors based on the stories we publish.

Below, we organise 10 recent lookbooks into a useful guide that captures several of the key contemporary trends in kitchen design.

Read on for 10 ideas and tips for designing a standout kitchen:

Clad it in wood

If you want to avoid the kitchen feeling sterile, wood is a reliable way to introduce a sense of cosiness and homeliness.

Our lookbook on kitchens with wooden panelling and cabinetry features examples that use birch plywood, pale oak, salvaged cypress and pine – each providing a different level of warmth.

Pictured is Curve Appeal, a 1920s house in London renovated by Nimtim Architects that combines wood with decorative arches.

See more wood-clad kitchens ›

Make it pink

While it's not to everyone's taste, pink always adds personality to functional spaces.

Dezeen's pink kitchens lookbook highlights various approaches to using the colour, from splashing rosy shades across all surfaces to more restrained pops on tiles and cupboards.

Pictured is House and the River in northern Lithuania, where Vilnius-based studio After Party punctuated the monochrome cooking area with a salmon-coloured kitchen island topped in complementary terrazzo.

See more pink kitchens ›

Build a breakfast nook

If you have space to play with, squeezing in a casual nook for eating breakfast in can give the kitchen some coffee-shop charm.

As our breakfast nooks lookbook demonstrates, they are usually tucked into a corner with banquette seating – though the concept can be adapted to work in a range of setups depending on room layout and size.

Pictured is Budge Over Dover in Sydney by interior design studio YSG.

See more kitchens with breakfast nooks ›

Use metal

If cosy isn't the desired look, metal is an alternative material choice that affords a chic industrial feel.

Gleaming stainless steel is tried-and-tested, but our collection of metal kitchens also features units made from black iron and weathered reclaimed sheets.

In the project pictured, Berlin architecture studio Baumhauer chose to juxtapose a Swiss farmhouse's vaulted ceiling with the clean, modern lines of a steel L-shaped kitchen with built-in appliances.

See more metal kitchens ›

Fit floor-to-ceiling cabinets

Often employed to complement a minimalist aesthetic, floor-to-ceiling cabinets can represent an effective way to maximise storage space and reduce clutter in the kitchen.

Our lookbook collects eight elegant examples in kitchens of various sizes.

Pictured is a residential extension in Dublin by Scullion Architects, where tall oak-panelled cupboards conceal appliances and a pantry.

See more kitchens with floor-to-ceiling cabinets ›

Include a waterfall-edged island

Kitchen islands have become a staple of contemporary interior architecture – but the most sophisticated examples tend to a feature a surface that flows seamlessly from the countertop to the floor.

Dezeen selected eight kitchen islands where waterfall edges create an impactful yet sleek focal point for the room.

The image above shows Botaniczna Apartment, where Agnieszka Owsiany Studio formed a kitchen island out of travertine draped over oak cupboards.

See more kitchens with waterfall-edged islands ›

Embrace constrast

Don't be afraid to combine clashing materials to create a kitchen that really makes a statement.

We collected eight rich-palette kitchens that juxtapose the rough with the smooth, the glossy with the grainy and the warm with the cool.

Pictured is the pistachio-green units and red marble surfaces of the kitchen in a Melbourne apartment designed by architect Murray Barker and artist Esther Stewart.

See more kitchens with colour and texture contrasts ›

Combine wood and stone

For a less ambitious but no less effective material combination, the natural textures of wood and stone are a practical and pleasing partnership.

Dezeen put together a lookbook showing various ways to pair wooden units with stone surfaces, from demure limestone to dramatic marble.

Shown above is Architecture for London's kitchen extension to an Edwardian house in Muswell Hill.

See more kitchens that combine wood and stone ›

Tile the worktops

Tiles are a staple of many kitchens – particularly for splashbacks and flooring – but some designers go further and use them to add personality to surfaces.

Our lookbook of kitchens with tiled worktops explores how the technique can create an eye-catching focal point or be more utilitarian.

Pictured is a kitchen island covered in glossy oxblood-coloured tiles in an East Village apartment designed by GRT Architects.

See more kitchens with tiled worktops ›

Add a touch of terracotta

Rusty-shaded terracotta can be a handy tool for making the kitchen a more welcoming environment with a touch of Mediterranean warmth.

In our lookbook on kitchens with terracotta tiling, we collect projects that use the earthenware material to create pleasingly textured floors and walls.

At Hygge Studio in São Paulo, designed by Melina Romano, terracotta flooring teams up with tan brick walls to soften monochrome kitchen units.

See more kitchens with terracotta tiling ›

Dezeen's lookbooks series provides visual inspiration from our archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring light-filled kitchens, kitchens with minimalist storage solutions and Scandinavian-style kitchens.

The post Ten kitchen design ideas from Dezeen appeared first on Dezeen.

In this lookbook, we've collected eight guest rooms from China to Spain that provide visiting friends and family a space to call their own.

Guest accommodations come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Ranging from a sofa during our younger years to full-blown guesthouses later on, putting up friends and family is made better when we have a place to put them – no matter how small.

The houses and apartments below showcase the myriad ways an extra bedroom can be integrated into an interior, often doubling as an office, storage space or – in the case of a Beijing apartment – a place to enjoy some tea.

Read on below for fresh ideas on how to provide space for visitors.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring brightly-framed windows, tactile and organic living rooms and mezzanines that maximise usable space.

Weeties Factory home, Australia, by Spaceagency

A deep red carpet defines this guest room in a single-family Australian home, which consists of three consolidated apartments that once were part of a heritage-listed cereal factory.

The same red was carried into a curtain – which provides privacy from the living room below – and a corner chair, while built-in shelving sits at the entrance.

Find out more about Weeties Factory home ›

Barcelona apartment, Spain, by Eva Cotman

Guests sleep atop a platform in this Barcelona apartment, which also doubles as a storage area.

Croatian architect Eva Cotman sought to renovate the apartment to provide more open space. To optimize its functionality, she placed a bookshelf staircase in front of the guest bed.

Find out more about Barcelona apartment ›

Canal house, The Netherlands, by i29

To accommodate guests in this renovation of a canal house in Amsterdam, architecture studio i29 inserted a forest-green volume off the kitchen.

The guest suite also contains its own bathroom and access door to a garden, while a built-in bed and shelving provide rest and storage.

Find out more about Canal house ›

Beijing apartment, China, by Rooi

Plywood units were inserted into this 1950s Beijing apartment to organize and provide more space in its tight interior, which was created during an influx of people moving to urban areas when apartments were often compact.

A linear volume inserted along the kitchen and dining room can be used for storage, as a tea-drinking room, or as guest accommodations with a mattress placed on the floor. A bubble in the ceiling also provides a relaxing space for feline roommates.

Find out more about Beijing apartment ›

Rounded Loft, Czech Republic, by AI Architects

An attic in Prague was converted into a two-storey apartment, with living spaces, a kitchen and primary bedrooms located on the first floor and a guest suite located in a mezzanine.

In the mezzanine, a bed sits at the end of a long hall, while a bathroom sits adjacent to the stairs. A terrace in between the two spaces and skylights lining the roof provide a connection to the outdoors.

Find out more about Rounded Loft ›

False Bay Writer's Cabin, USA, by Olson Kundig

This cabin in Washington doubles as a study for its owners, as well as a bedroom for visiting guests when a bed is folded out of the wall.

The space is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass, which is protected by doors that fold up and enclose the entire cabin and fold down to create multiple porches.

Find out more about False Bay Writer's Cabin ›

Workhome-Playhome, The Netherlands, by Lagado Architects

The founders of Lagado Architects revamped their own Rotterdam apartment by inserting a bright blue staircase and colourful storage units.

An open loft-style room sits on the second floor. This has minimal furniture so that it can be quickly turned into an exercise room or used as guest accommodations for visitors.

Find out more about Workhome-Playhome ›

Madrid apartment, Spain, by Leticia Saá

A wash area sits outside a guest bedroom in this Madrid apartment to physically and visually separate the space from the remaining house.

The guest area, which sits directly in front of the primary bed, also faces an interior courtyard which separates both sleeping areas from the living room and kitchen.

Find out more about Madrid apartment ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring brightly-framed windows, tactile and organic living rooms and mezzanines that maximise usable space. 

The post Eight creative guest rooms that accommodate visitors in style appeared first on Dezeen.

Shades of green, red and yellow run throughout this lookbook, which collects nine home interiors enlivened by colourful window frames.

Whether painted wood, plastic or metal, opting for colourful window frames is an easy way to brighten a residential interior.

The examples in this lookbook demonstrate how they can be used to create a focal point in a pared-back space, draw attention to a view or simply help establish a colour theme.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring organic modern interiors, eclectic hotels and flooring that enhances the connection between indoors and outdoors.

Camberwell Cork House, UK, by Delve Architects

A bright forest green paint lines the window frames at Camberwell Cork House, helping to draw focus to the lush planting outside.

The paint juxtaposes the deliberately simple, white-walled interiors of the house extension, while outside it pops from against walls of tactile cork cladding.

Find out more about Camberwell Cork House ›

House 669, Sweden, by HelgessonGonzaga Arkitekter

HelgessonGonzaga Arkitekter incorporated sunny yellow frames throughout House 669, a prefabricated home it created in Stockholm.

The irregularly placed windows help enliven the otherwise neutral finishes to the home while adding a sense of "individuality" to its uniform structure, the studio said.

Find out more about House 669 ›

Cork House, UK, by Nimtim Architects

Another studio to have married bright window frames with cork cladding is Nimtim Architects. At this extension in London, the studio punctured the cork-lined walls with Barbie pink timber frames, offering a contemporary counterpoint to the Victorian house to which it is attached.

The windows are complemented by more subtle pops of pink inside, including the kitchen splashback and metal legs of the dining chairs.

Find out more about Cork House ›

Bouça Family House, Portugal, by Fahr 021.3

Turquoise accents feature throughout this family home by Fahr 021.3 in Porto, including its window frames and doors.

The colour was intended to help liven up the interiors, which are finished with white walls, wooden floorboards and wall panelling, while also giving the home "an element of distinction", the studio said.

Find out more about Bouça Family House ›

Valetta House, UK, by Office S&M

Among the distinguishing features of the Valetta House loft extension in London are its yellow-framed arch windows, three of which feature in one of the bedrooms.

Office S&M modelled these on the arched sash windows found in neighbouring Victorian residences but gave them a vivid yellow finish to appeal to the client's children. The colour was based on a light fitting the client had picked for the kitchen.

Find out more about Valetta House ›

Dailly, Belgium, by Mamout

Slender sage-green frames trim the window openings in Dailly, a courtyard house nestled between two buildings in Belgium.

It is among the pastel tones that its architect Mamout has used to bring character to the home, in addition to an array of reclaimed materials sourced from a warehouse that previously occupied the site.

Find out more about Dailly ›

Ugly House, UK, by Lipton Plant Architects

Ugly House is a 1970s house in Berkshire that Lipton Plant Architects expanded with a contrasting two-storey extension.

A bright orange finish was chosen for the windows, including the large garden-facing opening in the kitchen that juxtaposes pastel-blue cabinetry and wooden floorboards.

Find out more about Ugly House ›

House in Ancede, Portugal, by Atelier Local

Large rectangular and circular windows bring light inside House in Ancede, which Atelier Local completed on a sloped site in a nature reserve near Porto.

The openings are outlined with bright red aluminium, brightening the cool-toned interiors that are defined by exposed blockwork and concrete to evoke brutalist architecture.

Find out more about House in Ancede ›

Yellow House, UK, by Nimtim Architects

Another project on the list by Nimtim Architects is Yellow House, named after the spectrum of yellow-green hues that run throughout its interior.

This includes the buttercup-coloured wooden frames of the rear picture window and three skylights in the living room, which stand out against a backdrop of white walls and neutral furnishings.

Find out more about Yellow House ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring tactile organic modern interiors, eclectic hotels and flooring that enhances the connection between indoors and outdoors. 

The post Nine home interiors brightened with colourful window frames appeared first on Dezeen.

In this lookbook, we collect eight kitchens that contrast rough and smooth textures, glossy and grainy surfaces, and a variety of colours for an overall eye-catching interior.

The kitchens in this roundup exemplify how a combination of seemingly clashing materials can create a rich and interesting palette.

Some opted for contrasting a number of cool-toned colours with warmer hues, while others made a striking impact by setting colours on opposite sides of the colour wheel side-by-side, like greens with pink or red.

Here are eight kitchens with eye-catching material palettes made up of contrasting colours and textures.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring eclectic hotel interiors, organic modern living rooms and homes where continuous flooring creates a connection between indoors and outdoors.

Brunswick apartment, Australia, by Murray Barker and Esther Stewart

Architect Murray Barker and artist Esther Stewart opted for colours and materials in keeping with mid-century interiors when updating this 1960s apartment in Melbourne's Brunswick neighbourhood.

The duo reconfigured the apartment layout, creating an L-shaped kitchen with pistachio green units set against red Rosa Alicante marble on the tabletop, worktops and backsplash.

Find out more about the Brunswick apartment ›

St John Street, UK, by Emil Eve Architects

In its renovation of a London warehouse apartment, local studio Emil Eve Architects aimed to add warmth and colour to the interior without losing its industrial character.

In the kitchen, the glossy and colourful surfaces of the dark green wall tiles and bright yellow pendant lights contrast with the rough textures of the exposed concrete structure and brick walls.

Find out more about the St John Street ›

Lovers Walk, Ireland, by Kingston Lafferty Design

Dublin studio Kingston Lafferty Design also used a red-toned stone in this family home in Cork, Ireland.

The kitchen was overhauled with red tones in various mix-matched materials, including ruby-hued timber cabinets with bright red trims and veiny red quartzite used in the island, splashback and countertops.

This was contrasted with cool tones in the polished floor and steel-blue-painted ceiling.

Find out more about Lovers Walk ›

Locke am Platz, Switzerland, by Sella Concept

Smooth, red cabinets are set against a blue-green marble back and worktop in this kitchenette, which is located in a studio apartment in the Locke am Platz hotel in Zurich.

London design studio Sella Concept used vibrant colours and an assortment of different materials throughout the hotel interior, with the aim of "juxtaposing modernism with a classic theatrical flair".

Find out more about Locke am Platz ›

Paris apartment, France, by Hauvette & Madani

Green and pink tiles create a contrasting wall pattern in the kitchen of this Haussman-era Parisian apartment, which was revamped by local design studio Hauvette & Madani.

Light pink wall cabinets and a bright green stove complement the wall pattern behind them, while a sculptural wooden table adds to the eclectic selection of mixed and matched furniture throughout the home.

Find out more about the Paris apartment ›

Dumbo Loft, USA, by Crystal Sinclair Designs

This loft apartment in Brooklyn's Dumbo neighbourhood was renovated by interiors studio Crystal Sinclair Designs, which aimed to add European flair to the industrial space.

The studio offset the cool tones of the steely appliances and grey-veined arabascato marble with a wooden farmhouse-style island and deep-red qashqai rug.

Find out more about Dumbo Loft ›

Budge Over Dover, Australia, YSG

Paired-back hues in the terracotta brick flooring and Marmorino plaster walls provide the backdrop to a rich material palette in the Budge Over Dover house in Sydney, which was revamped by interior design studio YSG.

The studio used a combination of raw and polished finishes in the open-plan kitchen and living room, with black-stained timber cabinetry and a kitchen island composed of a Black Panther marble worktop set atop an aged brass base.

Find out more about Budge Over Dover ›

Jewellery Box, UK, by Michael Collins Architects

Jewellery Box is a two-storey extension to a terraced house in London by Michael Collins Architects, which is characterised by vibrant interiors concealed by a subdued exterior.

The kitchen features bright blue units that contrast with shiny gold backsplashes and slender handles on the tall cabinets.

Find out more about Jewellery Box ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring eclectic hotel interiors, organic modern living rooms and homes where continuous flooring creates a connection between indoors and outdoors.

The post Eight kitchens with striking material palettes of contrasting colours and textures appeared first on Dezeen.

For our latest lookbook, we've collected eight living rooms from Denmark to Japan that have been decorated in an organic modern style, featuring natural wood and stone details.

The deceptively simple organic modern style combines modernist interior designs with natural materials and earthy colours.

Plenty of wood, in the form of flooring, panelling and furniture give these interiors an organic feel. Designers have also chosen stone to create the same effect, with stone floors, tables and sofa bases adding an elegant and natural touch.

All of these living rooms also have discrete and neutral colour palettes, with hues of brown, beige, tan and various white and cream shades creating restful environments.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring floors that connect the indoors and outdoors and interiors with mezzanines.

Heatherhill Beach House, Denmark, by Norm Architects

Danish studio Norm Architects designed the cedar-clad Heatherhill Beach House to resemble a traditional barn, with a material palette that leans heavily on wood and brick.

In the ocean-facing living room, the studio combined a brick floor and wooden wall with modernist furniture, including the slender graphic Valerie Objects Hanging Lamp by design studio Muller Van Severen.

Find out more about Heatherhill Beach House ›

The Maker's Barn, UK, by Hutch Design

Originally a concrete pig shed, Hutch Design transformed The Maker's Barn into a holiday rental using "natural and honest" materials.

Its living, dining and kitchen area features a concrete fireplace, bulbous soft furniture and a shaggy beige rug in front of floor-to-ceiling windows that underline the house's connection to the landscape.

Find out more about The Maker's Barn ›

Tribeca loft, US, by Timothy Godbold

This Tribeca loft inside a former textile factory has a dramatic double-height living room surrounded by large windows. To make the room feel more intimate, interior designer Timothy Godbold added sheer curtains and softly rounded furniture.

A discrete colour palette of cream and beige hues is offset with plenty of green plants, while a central stone table and stone sofa base add a rustic touch.

Find out more about Tribeca loft ›

Palm Springs, UK, by Will Gamble Architects

Named for the California desert town, the Palm Springs extension in London draws on the area's specific type of modernism. This is exemplified by the use of natural materials and floor-to-ceiling glazing.

The sandy hues in the living room also nod to the arid Palm Springs surroundings, with a sage green sofa adding more colour to the interior.

Find out more about Palm Springs ›

835 High Street, Australia, by Carr

The interiors of this flat in Melbourne form a softer contrast to its gridded concrete facade. A rounded sofa with undulating shapes is juxtaposed against branch-like side tables and designer Hans J Wegner's classic Flag Halyard chair.

Textile accents in the form of a patterned rug and a fur throw also help make the room feel cosier.

Find out more about 835 High Street ›

Amity Street Residence, US, by Selma Akkari and Rawan Muqaddas

The living room of Amity Street Residence in Brooklyn, New York, houses a collection of sculptural furniture pieces that give it an art-gallery feel.

Here, designer Isamu Noguchi's Akari rice lamp with its bamboo stem matches a wooden chair and plinth and contrasts with a green marble table.

"A warm colour palette was deployed to unify the spaces by way of gentle oak floors, cream-hued walls that contrasted with dark stone, and stained-wood inset bookshelves," said designer Selma Akkari.

Find out more about Amity Street Residence ›

Azabu Hills Residence, Japan, by Karimoku Case

Azabu Hills Residence (above and main image) sits on a hilltop in Tokyo and was designed to have a "calm and serene atmosphere". Local zelkova wood was used for its custom-made furniture, including an ovoid coffee table.

A clever use of materials enhances the organic modern interior, with a glossy, lacquered brown vase standing out against the textured rug and sofa.

Find out more about Azabu Hills Residence ›

Can Santacilia, Spain, by OHLAB

New and old meet inside the Can Santacilia apartment building in Palma de Mallorca's old town, parts of which are from the 12th or 13th century.

In the living room of one of the flats, architecture studio OHLAB used geometric-shaped rattan furniture and a rug to bring a natural colour palette into the all-white room.

Find out more about Can Santacilia ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring floors that connect the indoors and outdoors and interiors with mezzanine.

The post Eight living rooms with tactile organic modern interiors appeared first on Dezeen.

From guest rooms filled with fashion designer Christian Louboutin's personal antique collection to Ibiza's oldest hotel where handmade masks are mounted on the walls, our latest lookbook features eight eclectic hotel interiors.

Eclectic design brings together objects and styles from a range of sources – often mixing contemporary and vintage pieces.

While many hotels are characterised by uniform luxury, others celebrate unlikely combinations of furniture, colours and patterns.

Here are eight eclectic hotel interiors from around the world defined by contrasts and clashes.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring residential mezzanines, Mexican holiday homes and minimalist bathrooms.

Downtown LA Proper, USA, by Kelly Wearstler

American designer Kelly Wearstler has created the interiors for all four of the Proper Hotel Group's branches across North America.

The Downtown LA Proper is anchored by "bold and eclectic choices", including a chunky graphite reception desk and a hand-painted archway flanked by leaning column-like cacti in rustic pots.

Find out more about Downtown LA Proper ›

Montesol Experimental, Ibiza, by Dorothée Meilichzon

Dorothée Meilichzon of French interior design studio Chzon renovated Montesol – the oldest hotel in Ibiza, originally built in the 1930s.

Meilichzon transformed the renamed Montesol Experimental with "a bohemian overtone" that draws on the hotel's rich history. Among its interior elements are lumpy Playdough Stools by artist Diego Faivre, hand-crafted masks and an abundance of tassels.

Find out more about Montesol Experimental ›

Vermelho, Portugal, by Christian Louboutin and Madalena Caiado

Louboutin filled his first hospitality project with furniture and materials from his personal antique collection.

The fashion designer worked with architect Madalena Caiado to create the Vermelho boutique hotel in the Portuguese village of Melides. The guest rooms feature unexpected elements such as a rattan monkey-shaped side table and striking hand-painted frescoes.

Find out more about Vermelho ›

Palm Heights, Grand Cayman, by Gabriella Khalil

Collectible design pieces characterise Palm Heights in Grand Cayman, the island's first boutique hotel.

Creative director Gabriella Khalil sought to style the project like a 1970s Caribbean mansion, selecting sandy yellows and bold blue hues to complement the many original artworks that adorn the walls.

Find out more about Palm Heights ›

Austin Proper Hotel and Residences, USA, by Kelly Wearstler

Among the Proper Hotel Group's other locations is an Austin branch. Wearstler inserted a sculptural oak staircase into the lobby that doubles as a plinth for a varied collection of glazed earthenware pots and vases.

Locally sourced art and textiles characterise the hotel, which has cypress wood walls that were charred using the traditional Japanese technique of Shou Sugi Ban to create a tiger-striped effect.

Find out more about Austin Proper Hotel ›

Hôtel de la Boétie, France, by Beata Heuman

Swedish designer Beata Heuman created the Hôtel de la Boétie in Paris to be "a bit like a stage set".

Heuman chose contrasting elements for the colour-drenched interiors. Bedrooms feature a mixture of dark-hued woven headboards and pale pink sheets, while downstairs, the reception area's jumbo flower lamps balance the steely silver of the lounge walls.

Find out more about Hôtel de la Boétie ›

Château Royal, Germany, by Irina Kromayer

A series of eclectic spaces make up the Château Royal in Berlin, which references the heyday of the German capital at the turn of the 20th century.

Interior architect Irina Kromayer designed the hotel to be "authentic" rather than retro, choosing art noveau tiles and brass and nickel hardware in a nod to the finishes commonly found in Berlin's historic buildings.

Find out more about Château Royal ›

Esme Hotel, USA, by Jessica Schuster Design

Plush velvet flooring, textural tassels and plants in wicker pots come together at the Esme Hotel in Miami, renovated by New York studio Jessica Schuster Design.

The interiors draw on the "bohemian grandeur" of the hotel's 1920s history, with decadent alcoves clad with contrasting patterns.

Find out more about Esme Hotel ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring residential mezzanines, Mexican holiday homes and minimalist bathrooms.

The post Eight hotel interiors characterised by eclectic designs appeared first on Dezeen.

Our latest lookbook explores homes where flooring details and materials help to create the impression that a living space extends out beyond a house's exterior walls.

A range of different techniques can be used to create the sense of a continuous floor surface.

The most obvious is to use the same flooring material, or one that looks very similar, for both interior and exterior spaces.

However, this isn't always necessary. By combining level thresholds with floor-to-ceiling glazing, it's also possible to create that sense of continuation by simply maintaining a consistent surface.

Here, we look at 10 examples that use one or more of these methods to create different effects, ranging from a forest home in Mexico's Valle de Bravo to a waterside villa in Denmark.

Many of these examples use continuous floor surfaces to connect a living room with a garden or patio, but some explore other rooms where the effect can be applied.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring chocolate-brown interiors and minimalist bathrooms.

Casa Mola, Mexico, by Estudio Atemporal

Mexico City-based Estudio Atemporal designed this house in a densely forested area of Valle de Bravo with the aim of allowing residents to live "more organically".

The large-format flooring tiles inside the house give way to brickwork paving outside, but sliding glass doors with level thresholds create a clean junction that allows the two spaces to feel connected.

Find out more about Casa Mola ›

The Saddlery, UK, by Studio Octopi

Terrazzo flooring features both inside and outside this extension to a Georgian house in southeast London, designed by architecture office Studio Octopi.

Sourced from British manufacturer Diespeker, this material is speckled with colours that complement the mint-green tone of the building's metal walls.

Find out more about The Saddlery ›

Dulwich House, UK, by Proctor & Shaw

Kitchen and terrace become a single space divided only by levels in this extension to a home in Dulwich, London, designed by architecture studio Proctor & Shaw.

Glass doors slide open on two sides – with one disappearing into a wall – to completely open up the building's corner. The sliding mechanism is set into a continuous porcelain tile floor surface, resulting in a flush threshold.

Find out more about Dulwich House ›

Maison Hercourt, France, Studio Guma

Minimal glazing plays a key role in connecting the kitchen of this renovated stone farmhouse in Normandy with an adjoining patio.

Designed by Paris-based Studio Guma, the renovation involved installing the kitchen in a space that previously functioned as a cart shed. Although the floor surface changes from concrete to stone from inside to outside, the slender-framed glass doors help the two surfaces to be read as one.

Find out more about Maison Hercourt ›

Fjord Boat House, Denmark, by Norm Architects

Copenhagen-based Norm Architects chose handmade ceramic bricks for the flooring of this vacation house, built on the edge of a fjord just outside the city.

They form stairs that lead down from the main house to a terrace, then continue inside to give the interior living spaces a casual, rustic feel. At the main entrance, the linearity of the brickwork pattern acts to draw the eye.

Find out more about Fjord Boat House ›

Ederlezi, Mexico, Práctica Arquitectura

Using the same flooring surface for both indoors and outdoors can become costly, but this low-cost infill house in Monterrey offers a clever solution.

Designed by locally based Práctica Arquitectura, the house features a stepped living space with an adjoining courtyard.

Most of the courtyard is landscaped, but the edges are lined with the same square saltillo tiles that provide interior flooring. This helps to extend the living space outdoors without requiring quite as many tiles.

Find out more about Ederlezi ›

The Maker's Barn, UK, by Hutch Design

Full-height glazing features in many of the rooms of this rural holiday rental on the outskirts of London, a former pig shed renovated by Hutch Design. This results in a strong connection with the surrounding patio.

The effect is particularly effective in the primary bedroom, which features a bath set into the floor. Here, it's possible to observe the clean line running between the end-grain timber flooring inside and the paving tiles outside.

Find out more about The Maker's Barn ›

Mossy Point, Australia, by Edition Office

Melbourne-based Edition Office selected very different surfaces for the shower room of this house in Mossy Point, New South Wales, but they appear to merge thanks to the use of frameless glazing.

A similar effect can be found throughout the house, but the contrast between the wooden decking and the blue tiles of this room is the most striking.

Find out more about Mossy Point ›

Shift House, Spain, by Nomo Studio

Roughly polished white concrete flooring unites both the interior and exterior of this house on the island of Menorca, designed by Barcelona-based Nomo Studio.

This creates a feeling of continuity from the building's entrance, located on the uppermost storey, all the way across to a balcony terrace on the opposite side of the main living room.

Find out more about Shift House ›

A Modern Oasis, UK, by Richard Parr Associates

The level thresholds of this house in Oxfordshire, England, create a visual connection between the polished concrete flooring inside and the paving tiles outside.

Architecture office Richard Parr Associates carefully matched the colours of these two surfaces so that they appear to be made of the same material.

Find out more about A Modern Oasis ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring chocolate-brown interiors and minimalist bathrooms.

The post Ten homes where flooring enhances the connection between indoors and outdoors appeared first on Dezeen.

For our latest lookbook, we've rounded up eight home interiors that make clever use of mezzanines to optimise floorspace.

Mezzanines, which are used as an intermediate level between the lower floor and a ceiling, have the ability to increase gross internal floor area by capitalising on extra ceiling height.

These raised floors offer additional room to host a variety of spaces – including bedrooms, home offices and reading spaces, to name a few.

Ranging from compact apartment renovations to newly-built, split-level holiday homes, this diverse collection of home interiors showcases how mezzanines can be used as a creative solution to maximise floorspace and create dynamic home layouts.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring minimalist bathrooms with peaceful interiors, compact garden studios with neat storage solutions and homes lit by central courtyards.

Hickson Residence, Canada, by Ménard Dworkind

Located on the south shore of Montreal, this 1980s house was renovated by local studio Ménard Dworkind and features rounded plaster details and a terracotta fireplace.

The studio added a sculptural mezzanine to the 520-square-meter home, which hosts the bedrooms, bathrooms and an office overlooking the double-height living room below.

Find out more about Hickson Residence ›

Dumbo Loft, USA, by Crystal Sinclair Designs 

Crystal Sinclair Designs renovated this loft apartment in Brooklyn to include a mezzanine hosting a book collection, as well as a bedroom accessed via a ladder.

The studio retained the space's existing industrial look but complemented it by adding wooden furniture and white and grey marble.

Find out more about Dumbo Loft ›

105JON, Spain, by Vallribera Arquitectes

This renovation of a narrow terraced house in Spain by Vallribera Arquitectes saw the studio add a mezzanine level to increase the home's limited floor area.

Defined by its blue-painted steel and chipwood construction, the mezzanine level offers space for two children's bedrooms, along with a bathroom and a small study.

Find out more about 105JON ›

Kerr, Australia, by SSdH

Housed in a former chocolate factory, Kerr is a warehouse apartment in Melbourne designed by local studio SSdH to include a split-level layout.

A mezzanine-style level wrapped by a white steel-mesh balustrade occupies the upper floor and contains an open-plan living space and kitchen.

Find out more about Kerr ›

Horno de Pan, Ecuador, by ERDC Arquitectos

ERDC Arquitectos and Taller General used brick and glass to construct this arched roof home in Quito that features an open mezzanine level.

Split across three levels, the lowest level offers living and kitchen areas, while an entry, bathroom, bedrooms and studio are provided on the upper floors.

Find out more about Horno de Pan ›

Ferguson, Scotland, by Duncan Blackmore, Lee Ivett and Simon Harlow

Brightly coloured walls decorate this tiny apartment in Glasgow designed by Duncan Blackmore, Lee Ivett and Simon Harlow, which contains no freestanding furniture.

To maximise floor and height space within the 25-square-metre home, a small mezzanine level hosts a sleeping space that is accessed via built-in wooden steps.

Find out more about Ferguson ›

House in Rua Direita de Francos, Portugal, by WeStudio and Made

Mezzanine levels feature throughout the living and bedroom spaces within this gabled, stone house in Porto designed by We Studio and Made.

A staircase in the kitchen space leads up to a study on a mezzanine level, while ladders in the bedrooms lead up to mezzanines situated above en-suite bathrooms or storage cupboards.

Find out more about House in Rua Direita de Francos ›

Casa Alférez, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy

Situated in a Mexican pine forest, this brutalist holiday home by Ludwig Godefroy is defined by concrete walls, built-in furniture and wooden floors.

Composed of five half-levels organised around double-height spaces, the home's compact arrangement was strategically designed to prioritise height over width.

Find out more about Casa Alférez ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring minimalist bathrooms with peaceful interiors, compact garden studios with neat storage solutions and homes lit by central courtyards.

The post Eight home interiors where mezzanines maximise usable space appeared first on Dezeen.

In memoriam of the many chocolate eggs that will be consumed this Easter, our latest lookbook rounds up eight homes with tasteful cocoa-coloured interiors.

Chocolatey brown might be the unofficial colour of Easter as the biggest driver of chocolate sales – second only to Christmas.

But the rich, earthy hue is also proving increasingly popular among interior designers for its unique function as both a colour and a natural, able to bring a sense of warmth to otherwise minimalist spaces.

Below are eight mouth-watering examples to feast your eyes on, including a rammed-earth house in Brazil and the renovation of a Shigeru Ban loft conversion in New York.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring minimalist bathrooms, breakfast nooks and compact garden studios with neat storage solutions.

Shadow House, Australia, by Grotto Studio

Almost all of the surfaces in this Perth cottage extension by Grotto Studio are lined in sumptuous brown timber, from the walls and floors in the bedroom to the entire bathroom counter.

"The choice of dark timber for the interior was motivated by a desire to create a rich, intimate and immersive atmosphere," studio founder Craig Nener told Dezeen.

"The dark tones add depth and character to the spaces, creating a warm and inviting ambience."

Find out more about Shadow House ›

Chuzhi house, India, by Wallmakers

Soil, waste and debris were used to form the spiralling walls of Chuzhi house in Shoolagiri, India, giving the interiors a rustic, earthy feeling.

To keep the focus on the architecture, the rooms themselves are finished in matching colours with reclaimed timber floors complemented by woven and wooden furniture.

Find out more about Chuzhi house ›

Colonia Condesa house, Mexico, by Chloé Mason Gray

Interior designer Chloé Mason Gray sought to embrace the lack of natural light in this bachelor pad in Mexico City's Condesa neighbourhood, shaded by large trees from the avenue outside.

Embracing the dark and moody atmosphere, the designer chose colours and textures that would make the spaces feel "masculine, rich, and interesting" including leather, linen and textured chocolate-brown plaster.

Find out more about Colonia Condesa house ›

Mayfair pied-à-terre, UK, by Child Studio

Adolf Loos's modernist Villa Muller informed the dining area in this London mews house, where mahogany joinery is backed by veiny dark red marble.

Soft light filters into the space from a glass-brick partition, blocking out the kitchen and rounding off the intimate atmosphere created by Child Studio.

Find out more about this Mayfair pied-à-terre ›

Highbury House, UK, by Daytrip

A more pared-back take on the theme comes in the form of this vintage 1970s Gilda sofa by Michel Ducaroy, composed of multiple segments reminiscent of a Chocolate Orange.

It serves as a focal point in the otherwise muted living room of London's Highbury House, paired with a blackened oak armchair by EBBA Architects founder Benni Allan and one of David Horan's delicate Paper lights.

Find out more about Highbury House ›

Casa em Cunha, Brazil, by Arquipélago Arquitetos

The rammed-earth construction of this house in Brazil's mountainous Cunha region is left exposed on the interior, creating an organic striped finish across the walls.

Matching brown finishes feature heavily throughout the rest of the home, where ceilings are covered in wooden slats while the bathroom is defined by coppery hardware and tiles the colour of bitter chocolate.

Find out more about Casa em Cunha ›

Casa Los Tigres, Mexico, by César Béjar Studio and Fernando Sánchez Zepeda

Dark wood panelling helps to hide doors and storage inside the Casa Los Tigres beach house on Mexico's Pacific Coast, designed by César Béjar Studio and Fernando Sánchez Zepeda.

It encircles the lower portion of the living spaces and develops the bedrooms almost entirely, paired with pale stone flooring and pared-back accessories to create a calm refuge.

Find out more about Casa Los Tigres ›

Tribeca loft renovation, USA, by Timothy Godbold

New York interior designer Timothy Godbold was responsible for renovating this loft in a historic Tribeca textile factory, originally converted by Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning Japanese architect Shigeru Ban in 2019.

The former TV room now functions as a home office and bar, with a low-slung chestnut-brown sofa helping to warm up the otherwise neutral colour palette while wall reliefs informed by 1970s sci-fi spice up the walls.

Find out more about this Tribeca loft renovation ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring minimalist bathrooms, breakfast nooks and compact garden studios with neat storage solutions.

The post Eight chocolate-brown interiors that look good enough to eat appeared first on Dezeen.

For our latest lookbook, we have collected eight minimalist bathrooms that combine tactile materials and organic details to create a relaxing and tranquil environment.

Next to the bedroom, the bathroom is often the place in the home that is reserved for relaxation and pampering. Keeping interiors here free of unnecessary clutter while adding organic materials such as wood and stone can help to create a tranquil feel.

Below, we've showcased minimalist bathrooms in eight homes from around the world from Mexico to Belgium that show creative and beautiful solutions for this important room.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring Mexican holiday homes, interiors with dramatic full-length curtains and living spaces with swings.

Heatherhill Beach House, Denmark, by Norm Architects

This beach house on the Danish coast was created as "a getaway from everyday life in Copenhagen", according to its designers Norm Architects.

The home's two minimalist bathrooms were informed by Japanese traditions and feature simple wooden details and brick floors.

"The spaces are rather small and should still feel comfortable and spacious," architect Sophie Bak told Dezeen.

Find out more about Heatherhill Beach House ›

Sculptor's Apartment, Czech Republic, by Neuhäusl Hunal

Translucent glass panels were used throughout this apartment in Prague, designed by Czech architecture studio Neuhäusl Hunal as a workspace for a sculptor.

A centralised, curved bathroom features a walk-in shower that is raised on a small platform and clad in white ceramic tiles.

Find out more about Sculptor's Apartment ›

Cloister House, Australia, by MORQ

Architecture studio MORQ designed this rammed-concrete house in Perth, Australia, to surround a plant-filled courtyard.

The interiors also feature visible rammed concrete combined with red hardwood ceilings. In the bathroom, these materials create textural interest and are contrasted with steel fixtures and a wooden floor.

Find out more about Cloister House ›

Canyon House, UK, by Studio Hagen Hall

The minimalist bathroom in Canyon House was given a warm feel through the use of cork tiles, which clad both the floor and the bathtub.

Like the rest of the house, the interior was informed by 1970s California modernism. Pale lavender-coloured curtains and globe-shaped bathroom lamps add simple decorative touches to the space.

Find out more about Canyon House ›

Loma Residence, Mexico, by Esrawe Studio

Local firm Esrawe Studio wrapped the whole interior of this Mexico City apartment in an oak "skin" – save for the stone-clad bathroom.

Here, the all-stone walls and floor create a striking interior with their natural patterns, while an oval washbasin and built-in shower add interesting geometries.

Find out more about Loma Residence ›

Casolare Scarani, Italy, by Studio Andrew Trotter

This 19th-century school in Puglia, Italy, was turned into a home by architecture practice Studio Andrew Trotter, which aimed to "bring it back to life without destroying its essence".

In the bathroom, the studio kept the traditional stone flooring and added calming lime-plaster walls. Geometric glass lamps, a jute rug and a copper tap and soap holder give the minimalist bathroom a rustic touch.

Find out more about Casolare Scarani ›

Karper, Belgium, by Hé!

Clay plaster clads the walls of the bathroom in this Brussels home (above and main image) designed by Belgian studio Hé! While the colour palette was kept simple – held mostly in pale beige and white – plenty of green plants give the space life.

The apartment is located in a former industrial building on Karperstraat, to which the studio added a timber-framed rooftop extension.

Find out more about Karper ›

Nelson Terrace, UK, by Paolo Cossu Architects

This minimalist apartment in London, which local studio Paolo Cossu Architects designed "almost like a blank canvas", features an equally minimalist bathroom.

Here, a chunky white bathtub sits next to a geometric steel stool – a decorative piece that functions almost like an artwork in the pared-back space. A fabric shower curtain and wooded towel rack give the room a more organic feel.

Find out more about Nelson Terrace ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring Mexican holiday homes, interiors with dramatic full-length curtains and living spaces with swings.

The post Eight minimalist bathrooms with peaceful pared-back interiors appeared first on Dezeen.

From cantilevered shelves to customisable pegboards, our latest lookbook rounds up eight examples of garden studios with storage designed to make the most of limited space.

Garden studios are becoming increasingly popular in homes around the world, prompted largely by the evergrowing trend of remote work.

Often slotted into small spaces, these structures typically have compact footprints and require efficient storage solutions to keep them clutter-free.

The examples in this lookbook demonstrate some of the ways storage can be suitably integrated within a garden studio, helping save valuable space within their small footprints.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring Mexican holiday homes, full-length curtains and living spaces with swings.

Cork Study, UK, by Surman Weston

Birch shelves and twin desks cantilever from the walls of Cork Study, which Surman Weston created in the narrow garden of a home in north London.

The set-up was designed to help maximise space within the compact studio, which measures just 13 square metres and was created as a workspace for a musician and a seamstress.

The two desks, complete with their own cubby holes, are broken by a long vertical window in the rear wall, illuminating the workspaces with natural light.

Find out more about Cork Study ›

Nightlight, New Zealand, by Fabric

Green storage boxes on wheels slot neatly below the workbench of this outbuilding in New Zealand, which occupies the future garden of a home being developed on the site.

There are also slender slats mounted to the wooden framework of the 10-square-metre structure, forming minimalist shelves from which tools can be hung.

Find out more about Nightlight ›

The Garden Studio, Canada, by Six Four Five A

The founder of architecture studio Six Four Five A built storage into the wooden shell of his tiny studio, which he created in the garden of his Toronto home.

Exposed vertical studs double as supports for shelves and a large standing desk made from birch plywood along one side, preventing cluttering up the 9.3-square-metre space.

Find out more about The Garden Studio ›

Writer's Cottage, Norway, by Jarmund/Vigsnæs Architects

This cabin-like studio sits at the end of a garden in Oslo, where it acts as a compact and secluded workspace for the owner who is a writer.

Among its storage solutions is a plywood staircase that incorporates a shelving system beneath it, leading up to a mezzanine sleeping area that tucks beneath its pitched roof.

Find out more about Writer's Cottage ›

Writer's Shed, UK, by Surman Weston

Another project by Surman Weston on the list is the Writer's Shed, a shingle-clad garden studio designed as a writing retreat for an author.

Inside, a cluster of shelves has been built around the chimney of the wood-burning stove, which is used to heat the compact structure. While providing valuable storage space, they are also intended as "a centrepiece for the client to store his library of books", Surman Weston said.

Find out more about Writer's Shed ›

Terrazzo Studio, UK, by Sonn

In east London, architect Tim Robinson designed and built himself a little studio and workshop at the end of his garden.

The narrow workshop contains a line of storage units raised above the floor, alongside a large pegboard for storing tools. Next door in the studio space, a rear wall of cabinets incorporates a concealed fold-down bed, enabling the space to become a guest bedroom.

Find out more about Terrazzo Studio ›

My Room in the Garden, UK, by Boano Prišmontas

This modular pod is a prototype for a garden studio, developed by London studio Boano Prišmontas in response to an increase in people working from home prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Inside, the plywood structure can be fitted out with customisable elements including pegboards from which desks, shelves and storage can be hung.

"My Room in the Garden was created with comfort and customisability in mind," said the studio. "We wanted to allow people to be able to decide what their interior would look like or how much storage they would have, and we do that by creating a system of interchangeable elements."

Find out more about My Room in the Garden ›

Writer's Shed, Australia, by Matt Gibson

This deceptively spacious garden studio that architect Matt Gibson created in Melbourne is hidden behind ivy-covered walls.

An angular desk slots into one corner, with one side nestled below two generous high-level shelving units on the walls. Plywood was used across all of the surfaces, giving the interior a unified look that adds to the sense of spaciousness.

Find out more about Writer's Shed ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring Mexican holiday homes, full-length curtains and living spaces with swings.

The post Eight compact garden studios with neat storage solutions appeared first on Dezeen.

From a brutalist dwelling nestled in a pine forest to a beachy weekend retreat with a rooftop swimming pool, our latest lookbook features 10 holiday homes across Mexico.

While known for their often vibrant colours, Mexican interiors also include many examples of more muted designs. These earthy hues are often created through the use of natural and local materials, such as wood and stone.

Holiday homes are located all over the country, which has a varied landscape and is famous for its escapist destinations. Here are 10 Mexican holiday homes that combine pared-back colour palettes with getaway-style luxury.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring metal furniture, breakfast nooks and living spaces with swings.

Casa Alférez, Alférez, by Ludwig Godefroy

This holiday home is a brutalist dwelling clad in board-formed concrete and located in a pine forest in the country's Alférez region.

French architect Ludwig Godefroy, who is Mexico City-based, added a conversation pit to the cathedral-like living area, which features a spindly double-height fireplace.

Find out more about Casa Alférez ›

Holiday home, San Simón El Alto, by Estudio Atemporal

Local architecture office Estudio Atemporal designed a weekend retreat in San Simón El Alto village with an oversized gabled roof.

Inside, the studio created a statement brick wall in the angular, open-plan living space defined by timber and concrete accents. Generous glass doors lead to a covered outdoor patio.

Find out more about this holiday home ›

Villa Cava, Tulum, by Espacio 18 Arquitectura

Neutral tones and textures define this house in Tulum that was informed by cenotes – ancient sunken water-filled limestone pits and caves found across Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula.

Espacio 18 Arquitectura carved a circular window into one of the home's ceilings, which reveals a rooftop swimming pool. Blue-coloured light filters through the opening, emphasising the cavernous atmosphere.

Find out more about Villa Cava ›

La Extraviada, Mazunte, by Em-Estudio

Architecture firm Em-Estudio stepped a pair of concrete residential volumes down a rocky hillside overlooking the coastal town of Mazunte, Oaxaca.

Called La Extraviada, the holiday home includes an eclectic kitchen and dining space flanked by floor-to-ceiling timber shutters that open onto a terrace with a swimming pool.

Regional materials, including guapinol wood and local stone obtained from nearby quarries, feature throughout the earthy-hued project.

Find out more about La Extraviada ›

Casa Tres Árboles, Valle de Bravo, by Direccion

Architecture studio Direccion took cues from "monastic" sanctuaries when renovating this weekend retreat in Valle de Bravo.

The open-plan living space includes exposed warm-toned wooden ceiling beams, which contrast against dark-painted walls. A soft-red sofa adds a rare pop of colour to the otherwise muted interiors.

Find out more about Casa Tres Árboles ›

Los Terrenos, Monterrey, by Tatiana Bilbao

Mexican architect Tatiana Bilbao added a multifunctional ceramic screen to the interior of Los Terrenos – a holiday home in Monterrey with mirrored glass facades that reflect the surrounding wooded site.

"[The screen] works as solid and permeable floor, a screen partition, a structural wall, and as a semi-open wall that allows ventilation and sunlight to bathe the interior spaces," explained Bilbao's eponymous studio.

Find out more about Los Terrenos ›

Tonalli House, Jalisco, by Moises Sánchez 

This stucco-clad holiday home was punctuated with strategic openings and takes cues from architecture commonly found in Mexican villages, according to its designer Moises Sánchez.

Sánchez created an understated interior palette referencing the nearby architecture surrounding Lake Chapa, where the home is located. For example, the blocky terrazzo staircase doubles as a stepped plinth for sandy-coloured ornaments.

Find out more about Tonalli House ›

Casa Areca, Tulum, by CO-LAB Design Office

Local studio CO-LAB Design Office created Casa Areca to merge with its lush Tulum setting.

The open-plan ground floor includes pivot doors and retractable glass walls, which enable the social area to flow into the jungle-like garden. Creamy walls and polished concrete floors were paired with local tzalam wood, jute accents and ceramic vases filled with hand-selected wild grasses.

Find out more about Casa Areca ›

El Aguacate, El Barrial, by Práctica Arquitectura

El Aguacate – or "The Avocado" – is a holiday home in El Barrial village made almost entirely out of concrete.

Práctica Arquitectura topped the main living area with a tall pyramidal roof featuring a boxy skylight. The studio added a built-in fireplace and alter-like dining table to the space – also made from smooth concrete.

Find out more about El Aguacate ›

Casa Cova, Puerto Escondidio, by Anonimous

When designing Casa Cova in Puerto Escondido, Mexican studio Anonimous took cues from pre-colonial architecture.

Inside, the central living space is kept cool by a traditional thatched roof made of dried palm leaves, called a "palapa." Tiny square openings were also cut into some of the walls, creating "a dynamic light pattern from dusk till dawn".

Find out more about Casa Cova ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring metal furniture, breakfast nooks and living spaces with swings.

The post Ten Mexican holiday homes characterised by earthy hues appeared first on Dezeen.

From a glitzy Parisian apartment to a converted garage in Buffalo, New York, our latest lookbook collects eight residential interiors where floor-to-ceiling curtains inject a theatrical feel.

Curtains aren't just for covering windows. A set of statement drapes can be an easy way to significantly change the mood of a room, particularly in apartment renovations.

The selection below features curtains in stage-like living rooms, rough-edged bedrooms and cosy working nooks.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with statement carpets, furry walls and colourful bedrooms.

Ready-made Home, Spain, by Azab

Duck-egg blue curtains help to create a flexible open-plan layout at this apartment in Bilbao that was overhauled by architecture studio Azab, running the length of the living-dining-kitchen area to conceal storage space and a bathroom.

"The curtains have theatrical and playful connotations and invites the inhabitant to perform with it, to change the space and to play with the mysteries, contradictions and paradoxes that privacy offers us beyond morality," said the studio.

Find out more about Ready-made Home ›

Ruckers Hill House, Australia, by Studio Bright

In this extension to an Edwardian family home in Melbourne, architecture practice Studio Bright raised the sitting room on a curved plinth, giving it a stage-like quality.

Enhancing the effect is a heavy green curtain hung from the ceiling, which can be drawn across to turn the space into an impromptu theatre for the children to play in.

Find out more about Ruckers Hill House ›

Avenue Montaigne apartment, France, by Uchronia

Sheer, rainbow-effect curtains cover the balconies of this opulent Haussman-era Parisian apartment, renovated by local studio Uchronia.

Even the walls echo the curtains' gradations of colour, while the brightly toned furnishings are designed to resemble pieces of jewellery.

Find out more about this apartment ›

Gas-holder apartment, UK, by Roksanda Ilincic

Fashion designer Roksanda Ilincic brought her proclivity for bold colours and shapes to this London penthouse inside a former Victorian gas holder.

Pale pink Kvadrat curtains over the full-height windows cast a rose-tinted hue over the rooms, where the colour palette is kept mostly neutral apart from some pops of bright yellow.

Find out more about this apartment ›

Big Space, Little Space, USA, by Davidson Rafailidis

Peeling paintwork, uneven concrete floors and distressed wooden beams lend a distinctly rough-and-ready feel to this home-slash-workspace in Buffalo created out of a garage conversion by design studio Davidson Rafailidis.

For the most part, the space is minimally furnished, apart from a set of high and wide drapes that introduce a luxurious twist.

Find out more about Big Space, Little Space ›

Landscape House, Japan, by FORM/Kouichi Kimura Architects

Upon entering Landscape House in central Japan, designed by Japanese studio FORM/Kouichi Kimura Architects, one is greeted by a lengthy corridor lined entirely on one side by a full-length silver curtain.

The fabric echoes a raw concrete feature wall on the opposite side of the corridor, as well as referencing the extensive use of metal throughout the building.

Find out more about Landscape House ›

Pops, Poland, by Furora Studio

Furora Studio wanted the design of this holiday apartment in Kraków to be slightly more outrageous than the standard residential interior.

A velvety, salmon-pink curtain dresses an entire wall in the open-plan kitchen and living room, adding to a plethora of sugary colours and rounded edges.

Find out more about Pops ›

Maison-Boutique Coloniale, Canada, by Michael Godmer and Mathieu Turgeon

Most of the spaces inside Maison-Boutique Coloniale in Montreal – renovated by designers Michael Godmer and Mathieu Turgeon as their own residence and studio – are pared-back and neutral.

But in an office space on the basement level, plush orange curtains line the walls, combined with dim pendant lighting and a black table arrangement by Muuto and &tradition for an intimate effect.

Find out more about Maison-Boutique Coloniale ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with statement carpets, furry walls and colourful bedrooms.

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This lookbook compiles seven living spaces where swings show they have a place beyond children's playgrounds by providing a gleeful alternative to static seating.

Swings typically consist of a seat made from a flat piece of metal, plastic, wood or canvas, but can also be made from found materials such as tyres and sometimes feature a wraparound design for added safety.

This seat is then suspended by sturdy lengths of rope or chain from a frame, ceiling or tree.

Swings have been used for hundreds of years by cultures across the world for both leisure and ritual-related purposes, and are enjoyed by people of all ages, from children in play areas to older people who might have swinging benches in their gardens.

From basic playground swings transplanted into grown-up interiors to intricately crafted bench swing seats that look out over lush courtyards, read on to view a selection of interiors on Dezeen that feature suspended seating.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring interiors animated by indoor slides, living spaces featuring metal furniture and spaces with oversized windows.

Gujarat house, India, by Design ni Dukaan

A wooden swing seat covered in pillows is suspended from the concrete ceiling of this house in the Indian state of Gujarat.

The swing is situated in one of the house's covered walkways and was positioned to allow the sitter to enjoy views of its open-air courtyard.

Find out more about Gujarat house ›

Kenwood Lee House, UK, by Cousins & Cousins

A cantilevered floating stair anchors a swing inside the hallway of this house in north London by local studio Cousins & Cousins.

The wooden seat is suspended by softly frayed rope, creating a subtly rustic composition that compliments both the poured-concrete finish of the walls and the wood used on the ceiling, cabinets and front door.

Find out more about Kenwood Lee House ›

Karai, India, by Rain Studio

Local office Rain Studio hung a polished wooden swing seat overlooking a verdant courtyard in this house near the city of Chennai in southern India.

The seat is suspended from all four corners by ornately cast metal hooks and links, some of which feature animals such as elephants.

Find out more about Karai ›

Austin House, USA, by Melanie Raines

Rustic Californian barns provided reference points for this house in Austin, Texas, which features a lofty double-height living space complete with multiple seating options.

A metal-framed lounge chair flanked by integrated side tables is suspended from the ceiling's wooden rafters by two long lengths of rope, adding to the interior's whimsical atmosphere.

Find out more about Austin house ›

Thane apartment, India, by The Act of Quad

Rigid metal uprights, each threaded with a cobalt-blue sphere, tie this swing seat in with the rest of the apartment's blue-themed interior scheme, created by design studio Act of Quad.

The seat is softened by a slim cushioned pad and has been attached to the ceiling with metal hardware.

Find out more about Thane apartment ›

The Perch, USA, by Chadbourne + Doss

A pair of swings are strung up on the boundary between a covered entryway and a courtyard pond in this house in Seattle.

The seats themselves were made from sheets of walnut timber and intended to provide the sitter with the experience of floating above the water.

Find out more about The Perch ›

Parisian loft, France, by Isabelle Heilmann

Hooks, carabiners and thick, knotted ropes affix this swing to the tall ceilings of this Parisian apartment's living room.

The suspended seat slots in comfortably with the rest of the eclectically-chosen furniture, including a mid-century cantilevered chair and a slouchy, ribbed sofa.

Find out more about Parisian loft ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring interiors animated by indoor slides, living spaces featuring metal furniture and spaces with oversized windows.

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For our latest lookbook, we've collected eight interiors enhanced by aesthetic lamps including a 19th-century house in Stockholm and a retro-futuristic clothing store in Hangzhou.

There is a growing trend for unusually sculptural and innovative lighting designs that don't just light up an interior but also function as a piece of art.

The examples below show characterful lamps used in commercial, hospitality and cultural interiors. But the same principle can also be applied to residential interiors for a similarly striking effect.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring inviting breakfast nooks, homes with central courtyards and tranquil interiors with oversized windows.

Filips Van Marnix House, Belgium, by Koen Van Guijze

Belgian designer Koen Van Guijze showcased his characterful lighting designs inside the centuries-old Filips Van Marnix house in Antwerp.

The exhibition included his ribbon-like Circuit lamp, above, which was on show in the main staircase where its modern, graphic shape contrasted against a marble statue.

Find out more about Filips Van Marnix house ›

Audrey boutique, China, by Liang Architecture Studio

The Audrey boutique in Hangzhou, China, has an industrial interior made from steel and micro cement. But large pyramidal lights add a striking futuristic touch to the austere surroundings.

The lighting fixtures, which appear to pierce through the ceiling, are made from acrylic and change their colours regularly to light up the space, which Liang Architecture Studio designed to have a retro-futuristic feel.

Find out more about Audrey boutique ›

Soft Serve lamp, Sweden, by Crème Atelier

Stockholm design studio Crème Atelier created its Soft Serve lamp, which was shortlisted in the lighting design category of the Dezeen Awards last year, to resemble "swirly ice cream".

"We were very intrigued by the creamy organic shapes of meringue and soft serve ice cream," co-founder Jacqueline Kessidis told Dezeen.

The 3D-printed lamp comes in a variety of sorbet colours and is made from a bioplastic made from recycled food packaging.

Find out more about the Soft Serve lamp ›

Wine and Eggs, US, by Adi Goodrich

Located in the Atwater Village neighbourhood of Los Angeles, the Wine and Eggs grocery has an interior that nods to Parisian cafes and Italian tobacconists and features multiple fun and colourful details, such as a blue-and-green checkerboard floor.

Custom-made lamps by designer Adi Goodrich reference the name of the store.

"At the beginning of the project I knew I wanted the lights to look like a sunny-side-up egg," Goodrich told Dezeen. "After designing some wiggly shapes, I landed at the stacked circle."

Find out more about Wine and Eggs ›

Bakers House, Sweden, by Färg & Blanche

A residence built in 1889, which belongs to the family of one of the Färg & Blanche founders, formed the background for this exhibition by the Swedish studio.

Among the pieces showcased were bulbous lights that appear to be bound in brass strips. These were scattered over the home's patterned parquet floors, creating a well-lit path up a winding staircase.

Find out more about Bakers House ›

Cafe Mollien, France, by Mathieu Lehanneur

The cafe of the Louvre museum in Paris was given a renovation by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur, who decorated the interior with pink acrylic light fixtures.

The translucent lights create a modern contrast to the museum's historic halls and were designed by Lehanneur as "three large pale-pink eggs" floating in space.

Find out more about Cafe Mollien ›

The Sensory Society, Denmark, by Helle Mardahl

Bulbous glassware defines the work of Helle Mardahl, who started her career creating pastel-coloured glass objects.

Since then, the Danish designer has expanded into lighting design, creating candy-like aesthetic lamps that were first showcased during design festival 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen, where they lit up a warm red hallway.

Find out more about The Sensory Society ›

Knuckle light, Sweden, by David Taylor

Made by forcibly bending aluminium tubing, designer David Taylor's Knuckle light has an industrial frame that is juxtaposed with oversized round white lightbulbs.

"No two bends in the Knuckle series are alike," the designer said. "Coercing metal into a form that it is specifically designed to resist is challenging at best."

Find out more about Knuckle light ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring inviting breakfast nooks, homes with central courtyards and tranquil interiors with oversized windows.

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For our latest lookbook, we've rounded up eight kitchens with welcoming breakfast nooks of different shapes and sizes that provide a relaxed place to enjoy a meal.

Typically tucked into a corner in or near the kitchen, breakfast nooks offer compact dining spaces that are more casual than a formal dining room and cosier than an island bar.

They are usually characterised by banquette seating fixed to the wall with a freestanding table and chairs, but the examples in this lookbook show how the idea of a breakfast nook can be adapted to suit any size space.

From L-shaped benches in awkward kitchen corners to curved banquettes under bay windows, read on to see how a breakfast nook can be nestled into any home for the perfect morning coffee or casual meal.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring homes with oversized windows overlooking lush views, houses with closed staircases and interiors that embody the "bookshelf wealth" trend.

Teorema Milanese, Italy, by Marcante-Testa

Design studio Marcante-Testa overhauled an apartment in Milan with a rich mix of colours and materials, creating a clear separation between the kitchen and an adjoining breakfast nook with its choice of surfaces.

Geometric floor tiles in the nook contrast with the marble kitchen floor, but the two spaces are tied together with the sea-green colour of the tiles and kitchen cabinets.

Find out more about Teorema Milanese ›

Budge Over Dover, Australia, by YSG

This breakfast nook sits in the corner of an open-plan kitchen and living area, next to bi-folding doors that open onto a pool terrace.

Interior design studio YSG designed the nook's banquette seating to follow the curve of the wall and upholstered it in brown and green fabric to suit natural surfaces in the Sydney home, including terracotta floor tiles, dark wood accents and marble tabletops.

Find out more about Budge Over Dover ›

Zwaag home, Netherlands, by DAB Studio

Generous U-shaped banquette seating wraps the walls of the nook in this kitchen, situated in a home in Zwaag, the Netherlands, that was renovated by Dutch interior design practice DAB Studio.

The studio chose grey upholstery for the seating and placed an Arebescato Orobico marble table at the centre to balance the expansive use of wood on the floor, ceiling, walls and kitchen cabinets.

Find out more about the Zwaag home ›

Pacific House, Australia, by Alexander & Co

A circular skylight illuminates the curving breakfast nook in this oceanside home in Sydney, which architecture studio Alexander & Co renovated to make it more suited to family life.

Aiming to create a calm and contemplative space, oak built-in seating was tucked against a concave window that overlooks a swimming pool in the garden.

Find out more about Pacific House ›

Steele's Road House, UK, by Neiheiser Argyros

Steele's Road House is a Victorian terrace in London that was renovated and extended by local studio Neiheiser Argyros to increase natural light in the home.

A breakfast nook was added to the kitchen, with curved bench seating built below a bay window offering a more casual place to eat than the separate formal dining room.

Find out more about Steele's Road House ›

Nagatachō Apartment, Japan, by Adam Nathaniel Furman

Designer Adam Nathaniel Furman nestled an L-shaped breakfast nook in the kitchen of the 160-square-metre Nagatachō Apartment in Tokyo.

The tabletop adjoins the cabinets in the U-shaped kitchen and extends along a herringbone-tiled wall. Pink shelving was built over the nook to provide additional storage in the compact apartment.

Find out more about Nagatachō Apartment ›

Brunswick apartment, Australia, by Murray Barker and Esther Stewart

Architect Murray Barker and artist Esther Stewart created a breakfast nook in this 1960s Melbourne apartment by tucking an L-shaped fixed bench into the corner of the kitchen.

The kitchen was originally too small for a dining table, so the duo removed a wall that separated it from the living room and added the custom-made table and seating, which is lit from above by a square skylight.

Find out more about the Brunswick apartment ›

Casa Pulpo, Mexico, by Workshop Architects

Local architecture studio Workshop Architects added a breakfast nook when renovating a Spanish colonial house in Mérida, Mexico, aiming to add a sense of cosiness.

Seating was built in the corner of the kitchen between two archways that lead to the living room and a storage room. On the opposite side of the kitchen, glass doors give views of two purple concrete dwellings that were built in the garden.

Find out more about Casa Pulpo ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring homes with oversized windows overlooking lush views, houses with closed staircases and interiors that embody the "bookshelf wealth" trend.

The post Eight inviting breakfast nooks for easy-going mornings appeared first on Dezeen.

In this lookbook, we've collected eight homes from Vietnam to the USA that are kept ventilated and illuminated by central courtyards.

Courtyards have been used in ancient and contemporary architecture as a tool to trap and funnel breezes and natural light into the core of a building.

Most often, they are completely open to the elements and can extend upwards through multiple levels of a building, with some surrounded by balconies, loggias, or walkways.

Vegetation and water features placed at the centre of courtyards also help to cool the surrounding air, while seating or lounge areas provide a place to take it all in.

One or more courtyards were dispersed along the footprints of the eight homes below, for interiors that are relaxing, open and bright.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring tranquil interiors with oversized windows, enclosed staircases and metallic furnishings.

House for Young Families, Vietnam, H-H Studio

Designed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, this house in Vietnam features green spaces throughout its entirety so its owners could be connected to nature while working remotely.

Its interior was organised around three courtyard gardens that were dispersed along a linear plan, while the structure extends upwards around them in a series of stacked white volumes.

Find out more about House for Young Families ›

Quarry House, Australia, Winwood McKenzie

Australian studio Winwood McKenzie renovated the Quarry House by inserting a garden and internal courtyard through its narrow site, which split the residence into three distinct portions.

The house's newly built living, dining and kitchen border the courtyard on one side, while a multi-purpose room and study sits across the way.

Find out more about Quarry House ›

Casa Ederlezi, Mexico, Práctica Arquitectura

Práctica Arquitectura divided this narrow concrete infill house in Mexico into two distinct portions centred around a courtyard.

Hallways and staircases were oriented around the perimeter of the double-height space in plan and a living space and second floor bedrooms were placed on either side.

Find out more about Casa Ederlezi ›

Santa Monica Modern, USA, Walker Warner Architects

This L-shaped home in California encloses a spacious courtyard that features multiple seating areas, a ping-pong table, plantings and a concrete fire pit.

Walker Warner Architects designed the courtyard to be suitable for entertaining, as well as to take advantage of the southern California climate.

Find out more about Santa Monica Modern ›

Portugal house, Portugal, Bak Gordon Arquitectos 

Bak Gordon Aquitectos split this Portgual home into two portions by inserting a courtyard at its centre and populated the area with an interior garden, which is surrounded by windows and openings.

"The small functional patio allows for natural light and cross ventilation as well as a permanent natural garden presence," said Bak Gordon Arquitectos architect Nuno Tavares da Costa.

Find out more about Portugal house ›

Casa Vedia, Argentina, BHY Arquitectos

Two courtyards were inserted into the corners of Casa Vedia in Argentina, which the studio explained were employed to optimise interior spaces.

Each courtyard is double-height, with plantings tucked along its perimeter. Additionally, two terraces were placed on top of the structure's roof that sits in between them.

Find out more about Casa Vedia ›

Casa VO and Casa WO, Mexico, Ludwig Godefroy 

Located in Puerto Escondido, Casa VO and Casa Wo are a series of houses organised underneath two large, circular concrete openings that fan upwards from a central meeting point.

An entryway and garden sit under one such opening, while the remaining living spaces are tucked underneath the opposite across two levels.

Find out more about Casa VO and Casa WO ›

Tile House, Vietnam, Bloom Architects

Bloom Architects designed this home in Vietnam to stay cool despite the hot climate by creating a sloping, tiled roof that traps wind and pushes it into the interior of the house.

"[In the] sunny season, tiles surrounding the house prevent it from being radiated [with] heat. Combined with natural ventilation, the house is always cool," architect Dinh Anh Tuan told Dezeen.

Find out more about Tile House ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring tranquil interiors with oversized windows, enclosed staircases and metallic furnishings.

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This week's lookbook explores eight peaceful residential interiors that feature expansive glazing and floor-to-ceiling windows framing verdant views.

These eight projects all use oversized or unusually shaped windows in clever ways, creating interiors that embrace nature and forge welcome connections to the outdoors.

Among this list of projects is an urban home renovation in Sydney offering scenic views over a plant-filled roof terrace, a curvaceous home that wraps around mango trees in a forest near Mumbai, and a mid-century home renovation sat beside a hillside in California.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors that embody the "bookshelf wealth" design trend, living spaces that feature metal furniture and offbeat homes with indoor slides.

Casa Tres Árboles, Mexico, by Direccion

Neutral calming tones feature throughout this revamp of a weekend retreat in Valle de Bravo, completed by Mexican studio Direccion.

Designed to "convey a sense of refuge and retreat", lush courtyards at either end of the home serve as a backdrop to the calm interiors and are visible through floor-to-ceiling windows and French doors.

Find out more about Casa Tres Árboles ›

Hidden Garden House, Australia, by Sam Crawford Architects

Located within a conservation zone, this Sydney home was reconfigured by Sam Crawford Architects to transform the space into an urban "sanctuary".

A sloped terrace on the upper floor is filled with plants to create an "urban oasis" outside the house and offers a scenic yet private bathing experience for the residents.

Find out more about Hidden Garden House ›

12221 Benmore , US, by Ome Dezin

This mid-century home renovation in California by US studio Ome Dezin features a tonal colour palette and has oversized openings to maximise views of the lush hillside.

Originally constructed in 1960 by architects A Quincy Jones and Frederick Emmon, the renovation aimed to revive the home's original charm and its connection to the outdoors.

Find out more about 12221 Benmore ›

Nisarga Art Hub, India, by Wallmakers

Nisarga Art Hub, a family home located in Kerala, doubles as a community arts centre for hosting workshops and events, as well as musical performances that are held on the structure's innovative roof design.

A central space features earthy, natural interiors with built-in seating that is fronted by oversized windows looking out over the neighbouring paddy fields.

Find out more about Nisarga Art Hub ›

Poet's Corner House, UK, by Oliver Leech Architects

UK studio Oliver Leech Architects added a four-metre-wide skylight to this extension of a Victorian terrace house in south London.

Tasked with opening up the home's dark interiors, the extension offers views of a wildflower meadow roof along with views out to a rear courtyard.

Find out more about Poet's Corner House ›

Asmalay, India, by Blurring Boundaries

This curvaceous home near Mumbai completed by Indian studio Blurring Boundaries was designed to wrap around five of the surrounding forest's mango trees.

Large, oval-shaped windows line the home's interior and draw daylight in as well as provide views out towards the leafy forest.

Find out more about Asmalay ›

Well House, Belgium, by Memo Architectuur

Belgian studio Memo Architectuur renovated this dilapidated row house in Mortsel to accommodate a single-family home.

The home's bright, leafy interiors are lit by floor-to-ceiling rear openings that provide a picturesque backdrop to an open-plan kitchen and upper-floor balcony.

Find out more about Well House ›

House Dokka, Norway, by Snøhetta

Two stacked timber-clad volumes comprise this home designed to resemble a "floating treehouse" in Kongsberg, Norway, completed by Snøhetta and Tor Helge Dokka.

Optimising its location perched on a hillside, large windows finished with black frames look out onto the surrounding rocky landscape.

Find out more about House Dokka ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors that embody the "bookshelf wealth" design trend, living spaces that feature metal furniture and offbeat homes with indoor slides.

The post Eight tranquil interiors where oversized windows frame lush views appeared first on Dezeen.

For our latest lookbook, we've gathered eight stylish closed staircases, ranging from a winding wooden spiral staircase to a light-filled "stairway to heaven".

Closed staircases – stairs that have been framed so that the threads and risers aren't visible from the side – have become a popular search term on Dezeen's Pinterest board.

While they create heavier volumes in a room, when done well closed staircases can add a monumental, almost sculptural feel to an interior.

In the eight examples below, architects and interior designers used the style in different creative ways to turn staircases into statement pieces made from materials including steel, patterned wood and micro cement.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring "bookshelf-wealth" interiors, living spaces with metal furniture and interiors punctuated by structural columns.

Barn at the Ahof, the Netherlands, by Julia van Beuningen

Architectural designer Julia van Beuningen created a spiral staircase made from plywood for this barn conversion in the Netherlands. The beautifully patterned staircase sits at the heart of the floorplan and contrasts against the barn's rough-hewn wooden beams and pillars.

"It's something you either love or hate, but it's definitely a statement," Van Beuningen told Dezeen.

Find out more about Barn at the Ahof ›

Clermont House, India, by FADD Studio

This apartment inside a high-rise development in Bangalore comprises two flats that were fused, with an expressive closed staircase connecting them.

"It has a sculptural feel with the addition of multiple curves, carved into each riser's deep red marble," the studio said of the staircase, which was covered in white micro cement that has a soft sheen finish.

Find out more about Clermont House ›

Matryoshka House, the Netherlands, by Shift Architecture Urbanism

A steel-clad volume encases an electric-blue staircase and runs along the side of the living space in this Dutch house that has been converted into two apartments.

The volume conceals a toilet, storage space and kitchen equipment, creating a clean and simple kitchen interior to which the colour adds a playful feel.

Find out more about Matryoshka House ›

Paris apartment, France, by Johanna Amatoury

Gently curved plaster forms in soft white hues define this Parisian apartment, including the staircase in its entryway.

Interior designer Johanna Amatoury aimed to create a holiday-house feel in the home, which was designed as an homage to the architectural vernacular of Greek islands.

Find out more about the Paris apartment ›

Austin Proper Hotel, USA, by Kelly Wearstler

Interior designer Kelly Wearstler gave the Austin Proper Hotel in Texas her signature bohemian touch, as seen on the closed staircase she created as an eye-catching centrepiece.

Wearstler chose to work with white oak wood to create the striking staircase, which has a ziggurat design that lets it function as a display case for a collection of glazed earthenware pots and vases.

Find out more about the Austin Proper Hotel ›

Nithurst Farm, UK, by Adam Richards

Described as a "stairway to heaven", British architect Adam Richards created this staircase based on one in the film A Matter of Life and Death, in which a pilot gets a second chance at life after a crash.

It ends by facing a full-height window, creating a striking light effect that makes the staircase live up to its name.

Find out more about Nithurst Farm ›

Workhome-Playhome, The Netherlands, by Lagado Architects

This townhouse in Rotterdam was revamped by its owners, the founders of studio Lagado Architects, to create more versatile living spaces.

Called Workhome-Playhome, the home has a closed staircase in an eye-catching baby-blue colour that matches other touches of colour in the house, including its bright green kitchen chairs.

Find out more about Workhome-Playhome ›

Tommy Rand House, Denmark, by Tommy Rand

Perhaps the most monumental of the staircases in this roundup, the spiral staircase designed by architect Tommy Rand for his own house in Denmark was constructed from 630 pieces of CNC-cut plywood.

"It is very beautiful from all angles," said Rand. "It is like a snail house, which opens up more and more as you go up to the first floor."

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring "bookshelf-wealth" interiors, living spaces with metal furniture and interiors punctuated by structural columns.

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Dubbed the first major design trend of 2024, our latest lookbook collects cosy, lived-in interiors that embody the "bookshelf wealth" aesthetic movement taking over social media.

While using books for interior decoration is not a new idea, it has been brought back into focus by a now-viral TikTok video posted in December by San Diego-based interior designer Kailee Blalock.

In the video, Blalock explains that "bookshelf wealth" is not just about creating perfect book displays, but instead about capturing the warmth and homeliness of book collections to curate "a whole home vibe".

"Bookshelf wealth", which the Financial Times called this year's "first major design trend", suggests pairing bookshelves with mismatched interior patterns, cosy seating areas and layered, loosely organised art pieces to create a tastefully eclectic space for reading.

Despite their contemporary qualities, the projects in this list capture the intimate atmosphere of "bookshelf wealth", from colourful bookshelves that span an entire room to subtle reading nooks for deeply personal collections.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring spaces punctuated by structural columns, rooms embracing the "unexpected red theory" and playful homes integrating indoor slides.

East Village Apartment, USA, by GRT Architects

A wooden bookcase with sienna-coloured backing panels complements this warm New York apartment renovation by GRT Architects.

The bookcase spans the length of the living room behind patterned, textural furniture pieces and is lined with multicoloured books stacked in different directions against small sculptural objects.

Aiming to preserve the home's "turn-of-the-century disposition", GRT Architects concealed a TV behind a light pink panel at the centre of bookcase.

Find out more about East Village Apartment ›

Mayfair home, UK, by Child Studio

London-based Child Studio designed this entertainer's home in Mayfair with mid-century modern furniture and deep-toned material finishes, aiming to enhance the art deco atmosphere by carving bookshelves into dark mahogany walls.

"We worked closely with the client to create a space that reflected his personality and interests, encompassing art, design, literature and travel," Child Studio founders Che Huang and Alexy Kos told Dezeen.

"This approach made us think of Saint Laurent's salon – an eclectic interior where design objects and art pieces from different eras and parts of the world are assembled together, forming a highly personal environment."

Find out more about the Mayfair home ›

Santa Monica Proper Hotel, USA, by Kelly Wearstler

The Santa Monica Proper Hotel by American designer Kelly Wearstler includes reading niches with artwork and furniture by local artists and artisans.

A brimming bookcase flanks low-lying lounges and walls covered by misaligned artwork, with Wearstler explaining that the idea was to connect the original building's Spanish colonial revival style with the new contemporary building.

"Everything's connected to somebody that is local in the city," Wearstler explained. "We're so lucky to be in Los Angeles, the talent pool here is extraordinary."

Find out more about Santa Monica Proper Hotel ›

AdH House, Mexico, by Francesc Rifé Studio

Spanish practice Francesc Rifé Studio conceived this moody house in Mexico City with a eucalyptus floor-to-ceiling bookcase to display antique atlases.

The bespoke unit was finished with brass bookstands and embedded LED lighting to complement the tactile and neutral interior palette, capturing the luxurious undertones of "bookshelf wealth".

Find out more about AdH House ›

Whidbey Dogtrot, USA, by SHED

A dedicated reading nook punctures this bedroom suite for a compact home in the Pacific Northwest by US studio SHED.

Wrapping the bright white walls, stacked books and mismatched objects line dark metal shelf extrusions that are interrupted by a square window looking out to the surrounding landscape.

Find out more about Whidbey Dogtrot ›

Kew Residence, Australia, by John Wardle Architects

Remodelled by John Wardle Architects for the founder's own Melbourne home, Kew Residence leans into the informal and cocooning atmosphere of "bookshelf wealth" in its wood-clad first-floor study.

Built-in shelves made from Victorian Ash are the focal point of the room and have been densely filled with a collection of ceramic art and books. Next to the shelves, an inset window seat and a slim suspended desk were added, creating a practical and uniform interior.

Find out more about Kew Residence ›

Silver Lake home, USA, by Lovers Unite

As part of renovation works for a 1950s Los Angeles home, California studio Lovers Unite converted an unused balcony into a long, teal-upholstered window seat below a floating bookshelf.

Paired with contrasting embroidered cushions and vintage decor pieces, the book display adds colour, depth and a feeling of occupation to enliven the timber-clad interiors.

Find out more about Silver Lake home ›

St Vincents Place, Australia, by BE Architecture

Australian studio BE Architecture renovated this Victorian home to highlight the client's vast art collection, while also rejecting "stark minimalism" and embracing the interior's existing heritage features.

Large-format books form a centrepiece in the home's lounge area under transparent coffee table cubes, adding to the home's eclectic, richly textured and academic character.

Find out more about St Vincents Place ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with indoor slides, colourful home renovations and built around ruins. 

The post Eight interiors celebrating the curated clutter of "bookshelf wealth" appeared first on Dezeen.

Although more commonly associated with industrial applications, furnishings made of cool-toned steel, aluminium and chrome are infiltrating every room of the home. This lookbook rounds up eight living spaces that show how it's done.

In recent years, a growing cohort of young designers has been experimenting with humble, industrial metals – often using only one material, which is left raw and unfinished to promote recycling.

Among them are Paul Coenen, Annie Paxton and David Taylor, whose Knuckle light made of bent aluminium tubing was crowned lighting design of the year at the 2023 Dezeen Awards.

Contrasted against natural materials like timber and stone, these pieces can add a raw, industrial edge to interiors while still feeling refined.

Read on for eight living spaces from around the world that are toughened up with steely metal furnishings, including a Ukrainian log cabin, a flat in Antwerp's brutalist Riverside Tower, a Melbourne residence set in a former chocolate factory and two separate São Paulo apartments.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides curated visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more examples, see previous lookbooks featuring homes with slides, colourful renovations and New York City lofts.

Relogged House, Ukraine, by Balbek Bureau

Balbek Bureau set out to offer a modern interpretation of a traditional log cabin in this renovation, contrasting the building's warm timber panelling with an industrial palette of concrete and metal.

The Ukrainian studio created several custom furniture pieces for the cabin, including a trio of sleek stainless-steel consoles that frame the low-lying bed.

Find out more about Relogged House ›

Highbury House, UK, by Daytrip

A vintage zinc-plated lamp stands atop a brushed aluminium console by American sculptor Jane Manu in the hallway of this renovated Victorian terrace house in London.

The home was designed by interiors studio Daytrip and furnished by Sophie Pearce, founder of design gallery Béton Brut, to contrast a "gallery-like minimalism" with organic materials and forms.

Find out more about Highbury House ›

Frederic Chopin Apartment, Brazil, by Tria Arquitetura

Brazilian studio Tria Arquitetura went beyond furniture and enveloped an entire column in this São Paulo apartment in sheets of stainless steel to offer a cool, sharp-edged contrast to the wood and other warm tones in the living room.

The home belongs to an art-loving couple and was designed to accommodate their collection of art and collectible design.

"The main concept in the choice of finishes and architectural solutions was to bring comfort but still leave a big void so that the works could dress the house," said Tria Arquitetura.

Find out more about Frederic Chopin Apartment ›

Riverside Tower apartment, Belgium, by Studio Okami Architecten

Metals in different finishes meet inside this duplex apartment in Antwerp's brutalist Riverside Tower, where local firm Studio Okami Architecten exposed the building's original concrete structure.

Sleek metal surfaces provide a counterpoint to the rough finish of the walls, painted baby blue in one instance to form a spiral staircase and elsewhere left raw in the form of cabinets and a sculptural kitchen island.

Find out more about Riverside Tower apartment ›

Kerr Street, Australia, by SSdH

Eclectic metal furniture takes centre stage in Melbourne's Kerr Street apartment, which is housed in a former chocolate factory.

Among them are folded aluminium stools, a two-seater armchair with an undulating frame and a chainmail-fringed side table by local designer Annie Paxton.

Find out more about Kerr Street ›

Apartment A, Belgium, by Atelier Dialect

Apartment A in Antwerp delivers a more pared-back take on the theme, pairing a chromed metal floor lamp from Reggiani with a steel-bottomed velvet-upholstered daybed by Belgian designer Jonas Van Put.

In the bedroom, Belgian studio Atelier Dialect went a step further and installed a bathtub wrapped in panels of mirrored steel in the middle of the minty-green room.

Find out more about Apartment A ›

Canal Saint-Martin apartment, France, by Rodolphe Parente

Metal covers almost all of the surfaces in the kitchen of this Haussmann-era apartment in Paris, as well as spilling over into many of the other rooms.

In the living room, there is Axel Chay's unlacquered aluminium Septem stool, while the bathroom is brightened up by the Morgans chair – created by French designer Andrée Putman for Emeco – whose aluminium frame is polished to such a high shine it basically functions as a mirror.

Find out more about Canal Saint-Martin apartment ›

Gale Apartment, Brazil, by Memola Estudio

Part of the balcony in this São Paulo apartment was converted into a bar and lounge area as part of a renovation by local practice Memola Estudio.

The practice designed a custom metal bar for the space that matches the nearby kitchen cabinetry while adding an industrial edge to the seating area with its low-slung soft furnishings.

Find out more about Gale Apartment ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with slides, colourful renovations and New York City lofts.

The post Eight living spaces that go heavy on metal furniture appeared first on Dezeen.

From monolithic concrete pillars to ornately decorated columns, this lookbook collates ten living room interiors that embrace existing structural columns.

It is not always cost-effective or practical for designers and architects to remove preexisting columns from interiors, especially if they are load-bearing and thus vital to the structural integrity of the building.

In the past, the structural components of buildings were often concealed within walls; however, this changed with the increase in popularity of open-plan spaces over the course of the 20th century.

Columns are sometimes placed at irregular intervals, especially in older buildings, and consequently the interior design scheme must be adapted to fit around them.

Pillars can provide a strong focal point that can be enhanced by both the choice of interior finishes and the placement of furniture around them.

Depending on their materiality and style, they can also serve as an immovable reminder of the building's design style and the historical period in which it was built.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors animated by textural burl wood, multicoloured interior design schemes and contemporary interiors that make a feature of historic ruins.

Kerr, Australia, by SSdH

The industrial past of this mezzanine apartment in Melbourne is apparent thanks to the I-beams that crisscross the space and the pair of thick plastered columns in two corners of its living room.

The functional aesthetic of the pillars is complimented by the presence of streamlined metal furnishings and offset by floor-to-ceiling wooden panelling.

Find out more about Kerr ›

JJ16, Spain, by Lucas y Hernández-Gil

Situated in the Salamanca district of Madrid, local studio Lucas y Hernández-Gil created a playful interior for a high-ceilinged 19th-century apartment that combines pops of colour with original features.

A pair of elegant columns made from cast iron frame the entrance to the walk-through kitchen, contrasting the contemporary units with their fluted shafts and ornamented capitals.

Find out more about JJ16 ›

Curitiba apartment, Brazil, by Leandro Garcia and Amanda Dalla-Bona

Eclectic furniture and glossy herringbone flooring contrast the weathered concrete pillar that sits on the boundary between the living and dining spaces of this apartment in the Brazilian city of Curitiba.

It has a rectangular footprint and a characterfully rough surface, which are both echoed in a gnarled wooden stool sitting at its base.

Find out more about Curitiba apartment›

Tribeca Loft, USA, by Andrea Leung

Public and private zones have been delineated by a partially mirrored wall tucked behind a sequence of three original, intricately formed columns in this loft apartment in New York's Tribeca area.

The Corinthian-style iron pillars are characterised by gracefully fluted shafts topped by opulent capitals that feature acanthus leaves. The style was popular in ancient Greek and Roman architecture.

Find out more about Tribeca Loft ›

Mews house, UK, by Child Studio

A quartet of smooth, statuesque pillars blend in seamlessly against a backdrop of art deco and mid-century modern furnishings in the living area of this mews house in London's Mayfair area.

The thick, pale pillars bring a dramatic air to the space, which was designed for lounging as well as hosting, entertaining and dining.

Find out more about the mews house ›

Dumbo Loft, USA, by Crystal Sinclair Designs

Walls made from floor-to-ceiling glass panels and an opulent crystal chandelier create a sense of luxury in this Brooklyn apartment.

The living room is grounded by a double-height structural pillar, which has a bottom half clad in pale pink vertical, subway-style tiles.

Find out more about Dumbo Loft ›

Can Santacilia, Spain, by OHLAB

A pillar with a faceted stone shaft and an ornately carved and painted wooden capital is the focal point of this living area inside an apartment in Palma de Mallorca by local studio OHLAB.

The stately pillar and dramatic coffered ceiling are contrasted by the sleek modern kitchen, but united by the use of stone in both the column and kitchen island.

Find out more about Can Santacilia ›

Casa Nano, Japan, by Bosco Sodi

This modest home in Tokyo features slender struts made from wood that form part of the building's exposed structure.

Wooden seating, tables, cabinets and shelving create a harmonious interior scheme, which is dominated by both the skeletal wooden frame of the building and an open-tread staircase.

Find out more about Casa Nano ›

Casa Vasto, Spain, by Mesura

This apartment in Barcelona (above and main image) is studded with white-rendered columns dating from the 18th century, which anchor the unique vaulted ceiling to the expansive floor.

Low-slung furnishings provide a horizontal emphasis in the interior while the columns create a rhythm of upright pillars, which nod to the building's industrial heritage.

Find out more about Casa Vasto ›

Brutalist Chelsea townhouse, UK, by Pricegore

London-based architecture studio Pricegore refurbished the interior of this brutalist townhouse to celebrate its concrete materiality.

In the lofty, double-height living space, a cylindrical pillar stretches from floor to ceiling in front of the backdrop provided by the house's verdant garden.

Find out more about Brutalist Chelsea townhouse ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with textural burl wood, colourful interior design schemes and contemporary interiors that make a feature of existing historic ruins.

The post Ten inspiring living spaces punctuated by structural columns appeared first on Dezeen.

An interior design trend born out of a viral TikTok video, championing the addition of red "in places where it has no business", is the focus of our latest lookbook.

The "unexpected red theory" was coined by Brooklyn-based interior designer Taylor Migliazzo Simon in a video that has had over 900,000 views on TikTok.

Simon describes it as "adding anything that's red, big or small, to a room where it doesn't match at all" with the result that "it automatically looks better".

The theory suggests that red is as versatile as a neutral colour because it can work in almost any palette of colours and materials, either as an accent or complementary tone.

Here, we look at 10 home and hotel interiors that show how it's done, either in the form of architectural fittings and finishes like a balustrade or floor surface or in the form of statement furniture.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with indoor slides, colourful renovations and innovative New York City lofts.

Hotel Saint Vincent, USA, by Lambert McGuire Design

Red is paired with shades of grey and purple in the bedrooms of this hotel in New Orleans, designed by Lambert McGuire Design, which occupies a former 19th-century infant asylum.

The colour can be found on a range of elements, across furniture and textiles, with key pieces including the red velvet bed upholstery. The overall effect heightens the sinister atmosphere conjured by the building's history.

Find out more about Hotel Saint Vincent ›

Walled Garden, UK, by Nimtim Architects

A warm palette of natural materials characterises the interior of this London house extension designed by Nimtim Architects, with the exception of a statement dining table.

This table features four oversized columnar legs with a glossy red finish, providing a visual focal point for the room.

Find out more about Walled Garden ›

W Budapest, Hungary, by Bowler James Brindley and Bánáti + Hartvig

The W Hotel in Budapest is housed inside a grand neo-Renaissance palace, so interiors studios Bowler James Brindley and Bánáti + Hartvig chose most of the details based on the existing architecture.

This led them to combine cool shades of blue, turquoise and green with golden details. But they also added a series of curved red sofas and tables, which result in a more playful feel.

Find out more about W Budapest ›

House for Beth, USA, by Salmela Architect

With a series of timber-framed windows, the view takes centre stage in the living room of this rural Wisconsin home designed by Salmela Architect.

The room is otherwise very simple in its decor, but red-painted dining chairs prevent it from feeling too minimal.

Find out more about House for Beth ›

The Secret Garden Flat, UK, by Nic Howett Architect

Red floors and walls both feature in this renovated London home designed by Nic Howett Architect.

The colour provides a warm counterpoint to the dark blue flooring and curtains that also punctuate the exposed wood interior.

Find out more about The Secret Garden Flat ›

Trikoupi Apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme Architects

Red and green should never be seen together, or so the saying goes. Point Supreme Architects challenged that rule with this apartment interior in Athens.

Standing in front of a stained green plywood storage wall, a kitchen island topped with red Corian becomes the room's standout feature.

Find out more about Trikoupi Apartment ›

Maryland House, UK, by Remi Connolly-Taylor

London-based designer Remi Connolly-Taylor showed how red and gold can be paired in this design for her own London house and studio.

A folded, perforated staircase in red powder-coated steel provides a counterpoint to the golden kitchen cabinets, making a statement in the otherwise minimal, white interior.

Find out more about Maryland House ›

Cowley Manor Experimental, UK, by Dorothée Meilichzon

Designed by Dorothée Meilichzon of French interiors studio Chzon, this hotel in the Cotswolds shows one way of applying the unexpected red theory to a bathroom.

Building on a subtle Alice in Wonderland theme, some of the pink-walled guest bathrooms feature glossy red lacquered bathtubs.

Find out more about Cowley Manor Experimental ›

Redwood House, USA, by Studio Terpeluk

This bathroom, located in a Noe Valley home designed by Studio Terpeluk, shows how to apply the unexpected red theory with just one small piece of furniture.

A mid-century-style stool adds a vibrant accent to the muted pink tone of the walls.

Find out more about Redwood House ›

Casa Pousos, Portugal, by Bak Gordon Arquitectos

A courtyard divides the two concrete buildings that form this Lisbon home designed by Bak Gordon Arquitectos.

The space might have felt stark if it were not for the addition of two bright red lounge chairs.

Find out more about Casa Pousos ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with indoor slides, colourful renovations and innovative New York City lofts.

The post Ten rooms that make clever use of the "unexpected red theory" appeared first on Dezeen.

A slide that doubles as a bookshelf in a South Korean house and a swooping mirrored tunnel that descends the four levels of a New York apartment feature in our latest lookbook of homes with interior slides.

Typically designed for children, slides are smooth, sloped structures commonly found in playgrounds.

Architects and interior designers have borrowed the concept and placed the structures in homes to either replace or complement traditional staircases and incorporate a sense of fun for children and adults alike.

Here, we have collected eight projects on Dezeen that demonstrate ways in which slides can transform a living space.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring chequerboard flooring, immersive saunas and contemporary homes where ruins reveal layers of the past.

Walker, Canada, by Reflect Architecture

Local studio Reflect Architecture renovated this Toronto family house, called Walker, by twisting a sky-blue tunnelled slide through its centre.

Connecting the basement level to the ground floor, the slide was inserted to incorporate natural light and add a sense of playfulness to the lower level.

Find out more about Walker ›

Serra Residence, Brazil, by Marcelo Couto and Rodrigo Oliveira

This cantilevered Brazilian house in Fazenda da Grama, São Paulo, features two staircases with smooth wooden slides built adjacent to their steps.

The back-lit slides drop down to the home's underground level.

Find out more about Serra Residence ›

Kyiv apartment, Ukraine, by KI Design Studio

KI Design Studio added an undulating silver slide to this Kyiv apartment, designed to encourage fun in an otherwise conventional home.

Functioning as a replacement staircase, the slide descends from the top storey and winds through the neutral-hued kitchen, finishing in the living room.

Find out more about this Kyiv apartment ›

House in Nakameguro, Japan, by Level Architects

House in Nakameguro is a three-storey dwelling in Tokyo with a staircase that wraps it on one side and a slide that encircles the other.

The occupants can decide which way to descend the home, designed by Level Architects to include bright and smooth interiors that create intimate nooks.

Find out more about House in Nakameguro ›

Skyhouse by David Hotson and Ghislaine Viñas

Architect David Hotson and interior designer Ghislaine Viñas collaborated to design Skyhouse – a New York apartment through which a stainless steel slide snakes and plummets four storeys.

The structure is characterised by a striking mirrored surface, which creates a distinctive tubular sculpture as well as a mode of travelling downstairs.

Find out more about Skyhouse ›

Townhouse B14, Germany, by XTH-Berlin

Sloping pinewood floors act as slides in this angular Berlin townhouse designed by architecture studio XTH-Berlin.

Positioned next to chunky steps, the slides connect staggered floors throughout the building, which contains bedrooms housed in slanted concrete volumes on the first and third levels.

Find out more about Townhouse B14 ›

Panorama House, South Korea, by Moon Hoon

Seoul studio Moon Hoon slotted a timber slide into a combined staircase and bookshelf in this South Korean home.

Designed for a family in North Chungcheong Province, the different levels of Panorama House are dedicated to different residents. The ground floor belongs to the children and includes the playful wooden structure.

Find out more about Panorama House ›

MaHouse, France, by The Very Many

This narrow house in Strasbourg, France, is made up of stacked, slightly rotated irregular volumes.

Inside, New York studio The Very Many inserted a subtle, slim slide along the edge of the staircase between the ground and middle level to offer children an alternative way of moving around the property, which is characterised by a series of translucent glass walls.

Find out more about MaHouse ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring chequerboard flooring, immersive saunas and contemporary homes where ruins reveal layers of the past.

The post Eight offbeat homes with indoor slides appeared first on Dezeen.

From a bold blue apartment in Paris to an all-lilac kitchen in Stockholm, this lookbook rounds up renovations that cleverly use bright colours to update and refresh home interiors.

While neutral colour palettes are often chosen for a sense of serenity, embracing bold and bright colours can add a sense of fun to a home and reflect the owner's personal style.

The interiors in this lookbook show how even period buildings, from an Edwardian London townhouses to a 1950s Norwegian home, can be renovated to have colourful, modern and playful interiors.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring New York City lofts, living rooms with vintage furniture and interiors with burl wood surfaces.

Parisian apartment, France, by Uchronia

Local studio Uchronia coated walls in gradients of bright colours and added colourful geometric furniture to this Parisian apartment, which was designed for a pair of jewellery designers.

The bold tones sit against a backdrop of detailing including boiserie, mouldings and parquet flooring. These are original to the mid-century building the apartment is located in, which was designed as part of Georges-Eugène Haussmann's reconstruction of the French capital.

Find out more about the Parisian apartment ›

1980s Stockholm apartment, Sweden, by Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor

Lilac hues coat the walls, ceiling and floor of the kitchen in this apartment in Stockholm, which was renovated by local studio Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor.

Set in a 1980s prefabricated concrete building, the studio also created an all-yellow bedroom and added accents of burnt orange to the home's doors and bespoke furniture.

Find out more about the 1980s Stockholm apartment ›

Graphic House, UK, by Office S&M

Architecture studio Office S&M drew upon its clients' love for graphics to create the colourful and geometric renovation of Graphic House in London.

The studio added art deco forms in a variety of colours to the mid-terrace Edwardian home, including mint green walls and kitchen cupboards, yellow window and door frames, and a blue staircase.

Find out more about Graphic House ›

Retroscena, Italy, by La Macchina Studio

Swathes of primary colours feature throughout Retroscena, a 1950s apartment in Rome that was transformed by Italian architecture practice La Macchina Studio.

The practice aimed to create a "surreal" and "quasi-theatrical" interior with bright blue archways and zesty yellow curtains contrasting against white walls.

Find out more about Retroscena ›

Yellow House in the Apple Garden, Norway, by Familien Kvistad

With a name referencing the sunny hue of its monochrome exterior, Yellow House in the Apple Garden is a 1950s house in Oslo that local studio Familien Kvistad renovated to have a more modern feel.

Based on the client's favourite colours, the interior palette includes bold tones of mustard yellow in the kitchen tiling and shades of plum and forest green in the soft furnishings.

Find out more about Yellow House in the Apple Garden ›

East London townhouse, UK, by PL Studio

Interior design office PL Studio added shades of blue, green and yellow to this east London townhouse, informed by a Morrocan villa that was once the home of artist Jacques Majorelle.

Applying the colours in graphic shapes on the home's walls, PL Studio wanted to create a sense of character that reflected the clients' joyful and positive energy.

Find out more about the east London townhouse ›

Hudson Heights apartment, USA, by Ideas of Order

US architecture studio Ideas of Order updated this 1,000-square-foot residence in Manhattan with pops of colour in the style of French midcentury designers, such as Charlotte Perriand.

The studio gave each room in the apartment its own identity by using different colours. The kitchen was refreshed and made more suitable for entertainment with raspberry and periwinkle cabinets, a lime green storage wall was added to the bedroom, and pale pink cabinets were inserted in the entryway.

Find out more about Hudson Height apartment ›

Sunderland Road House, UK, by 2LG Studio

Sunderland Road House is an Edwardian home in London that local firm 2LG Studio renovated for a family of five, aiming to incorporate the clients' love for colour while respecting the period elements of the house.

Shades of pastel green cover the walls in the baby's room, the entry hall was coated in hues of pink, and the kitchen was fitted with sky-blue cabinets.

Find out more about Sunderland Road House ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring New York City lofts, living rooms with vintage furniture and interiors with burl wood surfaces.

The post Eight colourful renovations that use vibrant shades to transform the home appeared first on Dezeen.

For our latest lookbook, we explore ten loft conversions and renovations in New York City where designers have inserted partitions, storage and other elements to cleverly organise open space.

Characterised by spacious open floor plans, high ceilings and large windows, loft apartments are as synonymous with New York City as coffee and bagels – at least in popular culture.

Loft apartments are housed in converted commercial, manufacturing or warehouse buildings, which informs their overall industrial feel as well as their wide-open floor plans, which have acted as a blank canvas for creatives for decades.

In the New York lofts below, designers have organised and reorganised interiors by removing walls, reducing and adding mezzanines, inserting glass and wooden storage units or embracing original structures.

From a Brooklyn residence that can be converted into an event space to a SoHo loft that now houses a sculptural partition wall, read on for ten examples of cleverly organised New York lofts throughout the city.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring kitchens with floor-to-ceiling cabinets, well-designed sheds and outbuildings and interiors created on a budget.

Another Seedbed, Williamsburg, by Ignacio G Galán, Jesse McCormick and Future Projects

A team of architects have converted an industrial space in a 19th-century cast iron building, which once served as a hat factory, into a unique loft apartment that serves as a residence and event space.

To accommodate both the owner's residential needs as well as public events, volumes covered in plywood and clay were inserted into an open floor plan to enclose private areas, while movable furniture including a sofa on wheels can be easily pushed out of the way for performances.

Find out more about Another Seedbed ›

Dumbo Loft, Dumbo, by Crystal Sinclair Designs

Interiors studio Crystal Sinclair Designs inserted a library mezzanine and a large glass partition to divide space in this Dumbo loft.

The building's original 14-foot ceilings accommodated the addition of the mezzanine, while the floor-to-ceiling glass partition was used to enclose the bedroom from the apartment's remaining open floor plan.

Find out more about Dumbo Loft ›

The Urban Tree House, West Village, by No Architecture

No Architecture combined two units in a West Village skyscraper to create this double-height apartment, into which the studio inserted an extensive wooden structure with net beds that span over the living area.

"We combined two units by first, redrawing all rooms into a cohesive 'matrix plan' and second, inserting a 'garden folly' that relates the interior to the adjacent Hudson River Greenway," said New York-based No Architecture.

Find out more about the Urban Tree House ›

Tribeca Loft, Tribeca, by Andrea Leung 

Architect Andrea Leung gut-renovated this loft in Tribeca for herself, opting to remove a mezzanine level and neatly organising private spaces in a linear row along the length of the space.

Leung's fascination with secret spaces – informed by her grandmother's penthouse, which contained hidden rooms – prompted the architect to conceal all spaces but the living and dining room behind a mirrored wall.

Find out more about Tribeca Loft ›

Manhattan loft, West Village, by Tala Fustok Studio

A large glass and maple wood storage unit was used to divide the kitchen of this industrial West Village apartment from a living area, while a custom corten steel staircase leads to the second floor.

London practice Tala Fustok Studio organised the interior to emphasise the apartment's tall ceilings and oversized windows, as well as softening the space with limestone-washed walls.

Find out more about Manhattan loft ›

Broadway Loft, Madison Square North, by Worrell Yeung 

New York architecture studio Worrell Yeung reorganised this NoMad loft to welcome more light, storage and an additional bedroom and bathroom for a growing family, who had lived in the space for over a decade.

All of the apartment's walls were removed to reveal the building's structures and pipes while bookcase units and cabinetry were inserted to divide the space.

Find out more about Broadway Loft ›

Frame Loft, Financial District, by Light and Air

Located in a converted commercial building in the Financial District in Manhattan, this loft was cramped with internal walls before Brooklyn studio Light and Air removed the partitions to make the most of the generous floor area and large windows.

The studio reduced the footprint of the overhead storage loft to allow for taller ceilings while inserting light wood shelving storage units, seating, a desk and cabinetry throughout the space.

Find out more about Frame Loft ›

Brooklyn Loft, Clinton Hill, by Dean Works

A volume made of Baltic birch plywood was inserted into this Clinton Hill loft to create more storage and section off a private sleeping area, which was further enclosed behind a glass partition.

The adjusted floor plan places a living area towards the loft's generous windows, the kitchen at its centre and the bedroom towards the apartment's entrance.

Find out more about Brooklyn Loft ›

Soho Loft, Soho, by Julian King

To update this narrow apartment housed in a former silk warehouse, designer Julian King inserted a sculptural sleeping mezzanine at its centre, added a built-in bookcase and kept much of the remaining space completely open under its 13-foot ceilings.

The mezzanine, which hosts just a bed, is concealed behind a partial wall that's lined with integrated LED lighting.

Find out more about Soho Loft ›

Chelsea Loft, Chelsea, by Worrell Yeung 

Green paint covered the wood pillars of this Chelsea loft before Worrell Yeung updated the space, adding a large kitchen island and organising private areas towards the back of the apartment opposite its large windows.

"The organising design strategy of this renovation was to maintain contiguous public living zones and extend daylight as far as it can reach by minimising partitions and concentrating private rooms on the north side of the apartment," said the studio.

Find out more about Chelsea Loft ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring kitchens with floor-to-ceiling cabinets, well-designed sheds and outbuildings and interiors created on a budget.

The post Ten New York City loft interiors that make innovative use of open space appeared first on Dezeen.

Our latest lookbook features living rooms where vintage furniture and accessories add interest to contemporary interiors, including a concrete apartment in São Paulo and a home in the BBC's former London headquarters.

Vintage furniture can create cosy interiors and add a sense of timeless style to both modern new builds and historic homes.

Whether it's iconic pieces by well-known designers or artisanal accessories, these eight projects all feature eye-catching vintage furnishings and show how they can be used to create inspiring interiors.

This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring burl-wood interiors, homes where ruins reveal layers of the past and well-designed sheds and outbuildings.

Amagansett Beach House, US, by Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design

Located by the beach in the Hamptons village of Amagansett, the interior of this blackened wood home was filled with a mix of vintage and contemporary furniture.

In one corner of the living room, a modern wood desk has been complemented with a dark-wood vintage chair, while a wooden lamp and small sculpture add a decorative touch.

Find out more about Amagansett Beach House ›

Highbury apartment, UK, by Holloway Li

London studio Holloway Li designed this apartment for its co-founder Alex Holloway in a converted Victorian house.

The living room, unusually, holds a bathtub that was placed here to add an "alternative touch" to the flat. Next to it, a green vintage Eames office chair sits by a bespoke timber Holloway Li desk.

Find out more about Highbury apartment ›

Palace Gate apartment, UK, by Tala Fustok

Designed to be a "calm sanctuary," this apartment in a Victorian mansion block close to London's Hyde Park has a neutral cream, white and brown colour palette.

In the living room, a selection of carefully chosen artworks in organic shapes match the vintage furniture and antique mirror.

Find out more about the Palace Gate apartment ›

DN Apartment, Brazil, by BC Arquitetos

This 1970s São Paulo apartment (above and main image), renovated by Brazilian studio BC Arquitetos, features monolithic concrete panels and plenty of walnut panelling.

Vintage furniture pieces by Brazilian mid-century modern designers are found throughout the flat including in the living room, where a gleaming wooden Petalas table by Jorge Zalszupin has pride of place.

Find out more about DN Apartment ›

Chestnut Plantation, US, by John Pardey Architects

Local studio John Pardey Architects designed Chestnut Plantation as a simple backdrop to the client's vintage furniture.

The largely open-plan interior features a living room with floor-to-ceiling glazing and textured brick walls, which contrast nicely against the more ornate vintage chairs that were placed to have a view of the garden.

Find out more about Chestnut Plantation ›

Helios 710, UK, by Bella Freud and Maria Speake

The interior of this apartment, located inside the former BBC headquarters in west London, was designed to channel a 1970s vibe.

In the living room, a glass dining table is complemented by woven-cane dining chairs and burnt-orange sofas contrast against the emerald green floor. The pieces were chosen to evoke the "bold colour, eclecticism and glamour" of the seventies.

Find out more about Helios 710 ›

Haussmann apartment, France, by Rodolphe Parente

A yellow sculptural vintage sofa decorates the living room in this apartment in a 19th-century Haussmann building in Paris, which was given a contemporary overhaul by interior designer Rodolphe Parente.

Its colour was chosen among the other warm tones used in the apartment to "subtly enhance the classical heritage of the apartment and keep an enveloping atmosphere," the interior designer explained.

Find out more about the Haussmann apartment ›

Long Island Home, US, by Athena Calderone

New York designer Athena Calderone renovated her own mid-century home in Amagansett to brighten it up and make it feel warmer. Vintage furniture is a big part of the design as seen in the living room, which has two white vintage chairs in different designs.

"I would say probably 80 per cent of this home has vintage furniture," Calderone added. "I love what vintage does to the home. It adds an unknown history and a timeworn patina."

Find out more about the Long Island Home ›

This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring burl-wood interiors, homes where ruins reveal layers of the past and well-designed sheds and outbuildings.

The post Eight living rooms where vintage furniture adds an "unknown history" appeared first on Dezeen.

This week's lookbook rounds up eight interiors with furnishings and surfaces finished in burl-wood veneer, allowing its swirly, psychedelic graining to serve a decorative function.

Burl wood is a rare and expensive wood, often only available in thin sheets of veneer. That's because it is derived from the knobbly outgrowths of tree trunks and branches – also known as burls.

Like the botanical equivalent of a callous, these outgrowths form in response to different stress factors and grow unpredictably, creating complex unexpected grain patterns behind their gnarled bark.

Burl wood has been experiencing a renaissance over the last few years, with interior designers including Kelly Wearstler using it to evoke the bohemian flair of its 1970s heyday.

Mixed and matched with other patterns, the material is now used to communicate a kind of organic understated luxury, much like natural stone.

From a Michelin-starred restaurant to a home that was designed to resemble a boutique hotel, read on for eight examples of how burl wood can provide textural richness to a modern interior.

This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring rooms with net floors, interiors with furry walls and homes with mid-century modern furniture.

Botaniczna Apartment, Poland, by Agnieszka Owsiany Studio

This tranquil apartment in Poznań was designed by local firm Agnieszka Owsiany Studio to give the owners a reprise from their high-pressure medical jobs.

The interior combines a calming mix of pale marble and various kinds of wood, including oak cabinetry, chevron parquet flooring and a console and vanity, both finished in speckled burl.

"My clients asked for a high quality, almost hotel-like space, as they were in need of everyday comfort," founder Agnieszka Owsiany told Dezeen.

Find out more about Botaniczna Apartment ›

Ulla Johnson flagship, USA, by Kelly Wearstler

Burlwood brings "a touch of 1970s California nostalgia" to the Ulla Johnson flagship store in Los Angeles, courtesy of local designer Kelly Wearstler.

The unusual veneer was used liberally to cover walls, ceilings and shelves throughout the interior, rounding off the sandy-hued colour palette.

Find out more about the Ulla Johnson flagship ›

Koda hair salon, Australia, by Arent & Pyke

This hair salon in Sydney's Queen Victoria Building was designed by Australian studio Arent & Pyke to be "best appreciated from seated height".

Drawing attention away from the building's extra-tall ceilings, freestanding quartzite-rimmed mirrors are placed at angles in front of the styling chairs, framing a vintage hanging cabinet made from pale burl.

Find out more about the Koda hair salon ›

Opasly Tom restaurant, Poland, by Buck Studio

Buck Studio employed a limited palette of colours and materials to create visual continuity throughout Warsaw restaurant Opasly Tom, which occupies a split-level building that was broken up into a series of rooms of different sizes.

Coral-orange chair cushions mirror the hardware of the totem-like pendant lights, and several burl-clad cabinets are dotted throughout the eatery. These match the kaleidoscopically patterned panelling in the hallway and the private dining rooms.

"This contemporary, minimalistic design approach produces the impression of coherence while creating a powerful aesthetic impact," explained the Polish studio, which is headed up by Dominika Buck and Pawel Buck.

Find out more about the Opasly Tom restaurant ›

Warsaw apartment, Poland, by Mistovia

Elsewhere in Warsaw, Polish studio Mistovia designed an apartment for an art director and her pet dachshund to resemble an "elaborate puzzle" of contrasting patterns.

Walnut-burl cabinets dominate the kitchen, with their trippy swirling pattern offset against monochrome tiles, brushed-metal drawers and a terrazzo-legged breakfast bar.

Find out more about the Warsaw apartment ›

Imperfecto, USA, by OOAK Architects

Upon entering Michelin-starred restaurant Imperfecto in Washington DC, diners are greeted by a custom-made maître-d stand clad in panels of burl-wood veneer, creating a mirrored tortoiseshell pattern across its surface.

The interior, designed by Greek-Swedish studio OOAK Architects, sees neutral tones paired with splashes of blue and white that nod to the restaurant's Mediterranean menu.

"OOAK Architects has used varied, high-quality finishes and authentic materials including Greek and Italian marbles, as well as brass and wood from different parts of the world, creating contrasting textures across the space," the team said.

Find out more about Imperfecto ›

Black Diamond house, Australia, by YSG

Australian interiors studio YSG introduced a sumptuous mix of materials to this house in Sydney's Mosman suburb to evoke the feeling of staying in a luxury hotel.

This approach is evidenced by a number of custom furniture pieces dotted throughout the home, including a Tiberio marble vanity in the downstairs powder room and a poplar-burl cabinet with a bronzed mirror that looms over the nearby living room.

Find out more about Black Diamond house ›

Studio Frantzén, UK, by Joyn Studio

Restaurant Studio Frantzén in London's Harrods department store serves a fusion of Nordic and Asian food that is also reflected in its Japandi interiors – taking cues from both Scandinavian and Japanese design.

Interiors practice Joyn Studio leaned heavily on both cultures' penchant for wood, combining seating banquettes made from blocks of end-grain pine wood with gridded timber ceilings and seating booths framed by burl-wood wall panelling.

Find out more about Studio Frantzén ›

This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring rooms with net floors, interiors with furry walls and homes with mid-century modern furniture.

The post Eight interiors where burl wood provides natural texture appeared first on Dezeen.

In this lookbook, we feature nine residential projects that demonstrate unique ways of interacting with a site's history by weaving existing ruins into their designs.

Until recently, it has been common practice to hide away old structures during adaptive reuse projects.

However, the architects in this list embrace the past by stitching domestic spaces with the remains of former buildings, creating inventive encounters with preserved architectural remains.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring clever outbuilding interiors, homes with mid-century modern furniture and residential spaces with playful net floors.

Nickzy Apartment, Hungary, by Béres Architects

Carefully preserved stone walls are featured in this Hungarian guesthouse renovation by local studio Béres Architects.

20th-century plaster finishes have been stripped back to expose the 400-year-old apartment's original stonework, reestablishing its visual prominence against modern white-rendered walls.

Find out more about Nickzy Apartment ›

El Priorato, Spain, by Atienza Maure Arquitectos

The interiors of this 16th-century Spanish clergy house were restored by Atienza Maure Arquitectos to create ambiguity between the existing structure and new interventions.

Concrete vaults, white-painted walls and limited fixtures sit alongside heritage-protected arches to create minimal differentiation between the materials and spaces.

Find out more about El Priorato ›

Mediona 13, Spain, by Nua Arquitectures

In the historic centre of Tarragona, Spain, Nua Arquitectures reinforced this home's crumbling stone and timber structure with brightly coloured steel supporting elements.

According to the studio, the steel insertions add another layer to the home's visible "memory" and draw attention to the historic building fabric.

Find out more about Mediona 13 ›

Croft Lodge Studio, West Midlands, by David Connor Design and Kate Darby Architects

David Connor Design and Kate Darby Architects enclosed the decaying remains of a 300-year-old building under a steel-framed shell in England's West Midlands area.

The bold new studio maintains every aspect of the heritage-listed structure within the internal living spaces, including the rotting timber, dead ivy and old birds' nests.

Find out more about The Parchment Works ›

Cascina, Italy, by Jonathan Tuckey Design

For this farmstead restoration in Italy, British studio Jonathan Tuckey Design prioritised returning the 19th-century buildings to their original state with minimal alterations.

The existing beams and trusses of the distinctive barn roof had lost their structural integrity, leading the studio to layer a new roof atop the timber without disrupting the internal aesthetic.

Find out more about Cascina ›

Ardoch House, Scotland, by Moxon Architects

Moxon Architects expressed eye-catching details of 19th-century ruins within this outbuilding refurbishment in the Scottish Highlands.

Alongside new finishes of uniform clay plaster, pieces of the crumbling masonry were preserved within the guesthouse's renovated walls and doorways as subtle connections to the earlier building.

Find out more about Ardoch House ›

The Parchment Works, Northamptonshire, by Will Gamble Architects

The remains of a 17th-century parchment paper factory and cattle shed were brought into focus within this residential extension by Will Gamble Architects.

New interventions were intended to be discreet, exposing original structural elements internally, while configuring glazing to look out onto uncovered ruins from the ground floor.

Find out more about The Parchment Works ›

Redhill Barn, Devon, by TYPE

This 200-year-old English barn was in a state of disrepair before TYPE restored it into a modern family home.

Aiming to distinguish between old and new, the studio lined contemporary wall finishes and wood panelling against remnant stone walls, while using existing columns to dictate the house's layout.

Find out more about Redhill Barn ›

Cuddymoss, Scotland, by Ann Nisbet Studio

Scottish architecture practice Ann Nisbet Studio inserted a timber-framed home into a stone ruin in Scotland and defined new living spaces within the surviving forms.

To encourage layered encounters of the site, views of the landscape were also aligned with existing window apertures from the bedrooms.

Find out more about Cuddymoss ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with net floors, mid-century modern furniture and perforated brick walls. 

The post Nine contemporary homes where ruins reveal layers of the past appeared first on Dezeen.

This week's lookbook explores eight clever shed and outbuilding interiors, ranging from self-built renovations to finely crafted new builds.

By repurposing rundown sheds and garages or capitalising on extra garden space, these projects offer additional room for hobbies, workspaces, living quarters or simply respite for their owners.

Among this list of projects is a bold-coloured garage renovation hosting a work area and greenhouse in Norwich, UK, as well as a scenic timber outbuilding designed for recreation and socialising for a retired couple in Lillehammer, Norway.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes created on a budget, living rooms with industrial material palettes and airy and pared-back loft conversions.

The Orangery, UK, by McCloy and Muchemwa

Original blockwork walls were retained in this self-build renovation of a dilapidated garage by London-based studio McCloy and Muchemwa.

An orange, timber roof structure was matched with furniture in the same colour throughout the interior, which contains a storage area, hobby zone and workbench along with a well-lit greenhouse clad in polycarbonate.

Find out more about The Orangery ›

Grange Garage Studio, Scotland, by Konishi Gaffney

This 1950s garage conversion by Konishi Gaffney, adjacent to an existing Georgian property, houses an artist's music studio and features a rhythmic facade made from wooden battens.

The space has a calm and refined material palette, with dark-stained furniture used to match the wooden beams in the studio's interior.

Find out more about Grange Garage Studio ›

Shed-O-Vation, US, by Best Practice Architecture

Best Practice Architecture renovated this outbuilding in Seattle to host an office and small gym as an expansion of the property's main house.

Black synthetic rubber was used to cover the interior floor and one side of the room's walls, while the remaining walls were lined with birch plywood along with a boldly coloured workspace.

Find out more about Shed-O-Vation ›

The Light Shed, UK, by Richard John Andrews

The Light Shed is a 12-metre-square, multifunctional shed designed and built by architect Richard John Andrews and an assistant in just 21 days to house Andrews' architecture studio in his back garden.

The interior is lined with plywood providing shelving and desk space for two to three people. The studio also doubles as a space for hosting functions and gatherings.

Find out more about The Light Shed ›

Barn House, Norway, by Jon Danielsen Aarhus

Replacing an existing run-down outbuilding, Barn House in Lillehammer, Norway, was designed by Jon Danielsen Aarhus to create a space in which a retired couple can paint, garden and host friends.

An all-red entrance hall is followed by a timber interior. The building contains a brightly lit art studio upstairs and a gardening room and garages on the lower floor.

Find out more about Barn House ›

Eton Accessory Building, Canada, by Motiv Architects

Made from cross-laminated timber (CLT), Eton Accessory Building by Canadian studio Motiv Architects is a 30-square-metre workshop connected to the owners' home via a garden.

Hard-wearing flooring and evenly distributed skylights create an industrial-style workspace. A CLT mezzanine is used for additional storage.

Find out more about Eton Accessory Building ›

Cork Study, UK, by Surman Weston

This cork-covered studio designed by Surman Weston provides space for sewing and music-making in the back garden of a London home.

On the interior, birch plywood lines the walls, with the pale material also used to construct a central working space with built-in shelving and storage.

Find out more about Cork Study ›

Broadway, Australia, by Foomann

Replacing an old garage, this two-floor outbuilding hosts a gym, swimming pool and parking garage on the site of an Edwardian property in Melbourne.

A refined material palette of white walls set off by wood and dark flooring works to create a relaxing, beachy feel throughout the spaces.

Find out more about Broadway ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes created on a budget, living rooms with industrial material palettes and airy and pared-back loft conversions.

The post Eight well-designed sheds and outbuildings that extend the home appeared first on Dezeen.

Kitchens can often be difficult to keep tidy, but this lookbook demonstrates how floor-to-ceiling cabinets are an effective way to streamline and create clutter-free backdrops for food prep.

Traditionally, kitchens are designed with floor and wall cabinets dropped below the ceiling to ensure they are reachable. However, today many architects and interior designers are opting for full-height solutions instead to maximise storage space.

The examples in this lookbook show that floor-to-ceiling storage solutions are suited to kitchens of any size and style, and can be used to conceal clutter, appliances and even doorways.

A bonus is that these cupboards also minimise areas for dust to gather, requiring less time spent on cleaning and leaving more for cooking.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with net floors, mid-century modern furniture and perforated brick walls.

TS-H_01, Switzerland, by Tom Strala

This minimalist kitchen, belonging to a home near Bern, features floor-to-ceiling storage concealing not only clutter but also a doorway to a garage.

The white wall of cabinets is dotted by circular handles lined with smooth timber and forms a slick backdrop to the chunky prep counter, raw plaster walls and pale wooden floorboards.

Find out more about TS-H_01 ›

Churchtown, Ireland, by Scullion Architects

Oak-panelled cabinetry runs through the light-filled kitchen of Churchtown, a residential extension in Dublin informed by Victorian conservatories.

While maximising storage, the cupboards are designed to conceal appliances and a pantry. The warmth of the oak is complemented by cool-toned white terrazzo on the floor and worktops.

Find out more about Churchtown ›

Sacha, France, by SABO Project

Full-height birch plywood joinery is used to store the contents of this kitchen, designed by SABO Project within a Parisian apartment.

The cupboards are almost disguised as a solid block, with small arched cut-outs subtly demarcating each door. One of the panels features a larger arched opening, which opens into a cosy nook for the owner's cat.

Find out more about Sacha ›

The Amagansett Beach House, USA, by Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design

The floor-to-ceiling units in this kitchen help draw attention to more playful design details in the room, including a sculptural custom island animated by exaggerated forms.

Finished with wood and a lack of handles, the cabinets also blend into the floors and ceilings, disguising them as walls and creating a pared-back aesthetic for the room.

Find out more about The Amagansett Beach House ›

Barbican Apartment, UK, by John Pawson

Designer John Pawson used full-height storage in the compact kitchen of this London apartment to help achieve his signature minimalist aesthetic.

The abundance of storage ensures the space is uncluttered, while a lack of handles on the cabinetry allows them to blend into the background. The rest of the home, which is located in the brutalist Barbican Estate in London, is designed with the same pared-back aesthetic.

Find out more about Barbican Apartment ›

The Parchment Works, UK, by Will Gamble Architects

Matte-black cabinets with brass handles define the kitchen of The Parchment Works, which Will Gamble Architects created from the shell of an old cattle shed in Northamptonshire.

Stretching from floor to ceiling, the kitchen units slot in beneath rows of timber joists belonging to the original structure. Their dark colour ensures focus retains on the tactile wooden surfaces above, as well as the adjacent whitewashed masonry walls.

Find out more about The Parchment Works ›

Botaniczna Apartment, Poland, by Agnieszka Owsiany Studio

Polish studio Agnieszka Owsiany Studio married wood and marble throughout the interior of this apartment in Poznań.

In the kitchen, full-height oak cabinetry lines one wall, punctured by a marble-lined recess containing a stove. The cabinets are finished with long handles in matching oak.

Find out more about Botaniczna Apartment ›

Portage Bay Float Home, USA, by Studio DIAA

These storage units follow the gabled roofscape of The Portage Bay Float Home, which Studio DIAA co-founder Suzanne Stefan created for herself in Seattle.

The wooden cabinetry sits flush with a cooker hood above the stove, which is finished with juxtaposing stainless steel that has a brushed look.

Find out more about Portage Bay Float Home › 

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with net floors, mid-century modern furniture and perforated brick walls. 

The post Eight kitchens with floor-to-ceiling cabinets that cleverly conceal clutter appeared first on Dezeen.

In this lookbook, we collect 10 residential interiors where net floors provide an unusual place to sit, recline or jump about.

Nets can be a fun way to link two storeys in the home. Featured below are examples from a New York apartment, a skinny house in Rotterdam and a small family residence in rural Vietnam, among others.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with dividing lattice screens, split-level living areas and stylish children's bedrooms.

Haus L, Austria, by Dunkelschwarz

Timber-lined living spaces create a soothing atmosphere inside this house in the Austrian Alps, designed by local architecture studio Dunkelschwarz.

To encourage relaxation, a void above the dining area was covered with netting that can be used for lounging, while an adjacent walkway leads directly to a large balcony.

Find out more about Haus L ›

Primeriza House, Chile, by Stanaćev Granados

Chilean architecture studio Stanaćev Granados put two large cargo nets at the centre of this seaside house in Chorrillos overlooking the Pacific.

As well as providing an easily visible children's play space above the open-plan living area, the net allows for a subtle transition between the darker wood cladding of the ground floor and the white-painted timber of the upper level.

Find out more about Primeriza House ›

Urban Tree House, USA, by No Architecture

To make the vast living space of this apartment in New York's West Village feel less chasmic, No Architecture constructed two "treehouses" from a series of timber beams.

Black netting strung between the beams creates an elevated chill-out space, accessed by a spiral staircase whose balustrade is made of the same mesh material.

Find out more about Urban Tree House ›

HOUSE, Vietnam, by H&P Architects

In this house in Vietnam designed by H&P Architects, a net floor contributes to the humble aesthetic created by its compact, open-plan layout and rough-and-ready materials like exposed brick and corrugated metal.

The net allows air to move freely through the home, helps to instil a sense of spaciousness and creates additional usable floor space.

Find out more about HOUSE ›

Atrium Townhome, Canada, by Robitaille Curtis

Canadian studio Robitaille Curtis procured the expertise of famous circus company Cirque du Soleil to rig a trapeze-style net atop the high atrium inside this Montreal home.

The aim was to emphasise the drama of the space, with a tall bookcase accessed by a 5.5-metre ladder and vertical wooden slats also helping to direct the gaze upwards.

Find out more about Atrium Townhome ›

Casa Bosque Sereno, Mexico, by Fábrica de Espacios

At Casa Bosque Sereno, residents can use the net floor as a place to watch movies thanks to a projector mounted opposite a white-painted brick wall.

The net also contributes to the pared-back, open-plan design chosen for the house by architecture office Fábrica de Espacios.

Find out more about Casa Bosque Sereno ›

SkinnyScar, Netherlands, by Gwendolyn Huisman and Marijn Boterman

Dutch architects Gwendolyn Huisman and Marijn Boterman wanted to avoid "harsh boundaries" between living spaces in this skinny house in Rotterdam that they designed for themselves to live in.

To that end, they strung a modestly sized net next to a large window overlooking the garden, to act as a kind of static hammock next to the first-floor living room and above the dining room.

Find out more about SkinnyScar ›

MK5, Finland, by Ortraum Architects

This family house in a forest near Helsinki features a number of child-friendly elements including a climbing wall, gymnastic apparatus and, of course, a net floor.

Local studio Ortraum Architects placed the net in a cut-out next to the first-floor landing, allowing light to filter down into the basement stairwell.

Find out more about MK5 ›

King Bill, Australia, by Austin Maynard Architects

Austin Maynard Architects installed a netted platform with a view out of a large window and into the bathroom as part of its renovation of this formerly dilapidated stable in Melbourne.

The black mesh contrasts with the white corrugated metal of the window awning, the grey tiles of the bathroom and the orange carpet on the adjacent floor.

Find out more about King Bill ›

Saigon House, Vietnam, by a21studio

The large net in this Ho Chi Minh City house, designed by Vietnamese architecture office A21studio, is visible from almost everywhere in the four-storey building.

In addition to serving as a children's play area, it helps create an impression of the ground floor as an outdoor courtyard – particularly as a tree bursts through the textile.

Find out more about Saigon House ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with dividing lattice screens, split-level living areas and stylish children's bedrooms.

The post Ten homes with net floors for relaxation and play appeared first on Dezeen.

Pieces by designers Charles and Ray Eames and Isamu Noguchi are on show in this lookbook, which features homes with eye-catching mid-century modern furniture.

Mid-century furniture, which often has simple lines and a sculptural feel, adds a modernist touch to these homes, which range from period properties to newly built and renovated houses.

Among the interiors showcased in this lookbook are iconic architect Le Corbusier's own home and a residence in London's upmarket Mayfair area that has been filled with mid-century modern and art deco details.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring perforated brick-walls, budget home interiors and immersive saunas in peaceful settings.

Zero House, UK, by Ben Garrett and Rae Morris

Owners Ben Garrett and Rae Morris updated Zero House, which was informed by Californian Case Study Houses, themselves in a way that would honour its mid-century roots.

The living room features a striking floor-to-ceiling fireplace clad in tiles, as well as a number of furniture pieces in warm colours. Among them is a classic Eames office chair in a dark-brown leather colour that matches the wooden panelling that decorates the room.

Find out more about Zero House ›

Hudson Woods home, US, by Magdalena Keck

Located in upstate New York, this holiday home has an interior that fuses Danish and Japanese design. A dinner table and chairs by designer Finn Juhl are among the Danish pieces used in the house, where they look both functional and elegant.

A simple lamp with a gold-coloured shade above the table adds a decorative touch and matches the brass fastenings at the backs of the chairs.

Find out more about the Hudson Woods home ›

Radikal Klassisk, Spain, by Puntofilipino 

The interior of this Spanish apartment in a former bank building has a moody, interesting colour palette and features richly textured materials including terrazzo, clay-rendered walls and marble tiles.

In contrast, the furniture is streamlined and unfussy, including a sculptural lounge chair by Danish designer Hans J Wegner in the living room.

Find out more about the Radikal Klassisk ›

City Beach House, Australia, by Design Theory

American artist and designer Noguchi's iconic coffee table, made from a heavy glass tabletop that rests on two undulating wooden legs, has pride of place in the living room of City Beach House.

The interior, created by Australian studio Design Theory, responds to the design and natural material palette of the house itself, which is from the 1960s.

Find out more about City Beach House ›

Hallen, Sweden, by Åsa Hjort Architects

This newly built home in the southern Swedish region of Österlen has a blocky geometric design and large windows that provide views out across the Baltic Sea.

An Eames lounge chair adds a comfortable resting space in one of the rooms, where its dark hues contrast against sheer white curtains and pale wood flooring.

Find out more about Hallen ›

Moore House, US, by Woods + Dangaran

A pair of vintage globe-shaped pendants by Dutch designer Frank Ligtelijn light up the bathroom in this 1960s California home designed by architect Craig Ellwood.

The bathroom also features a dark Emperador marble countertop and a wall clad in Japanese porcelain tiles.

Find out more about Moore House ›

Mayfair residence, UK, by Child Studio

The "Pernilla" lounge chair by Swedish designer Bruno Mathsson is among the many mid-century modern furniture pieces on show in this London apartment.

Local practice Child Studio told Dezeen that the spacious lounge that houses the chair was informed by the grand salon in fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent's Paris home.

Find out more about the Mayfair residence ›

Studio apartment, France, by Le Corbusier

Le Corbusier's apartment in his Immeuble Molitor apartment building in Paris, where he lived for more than three decades, reopened to the public in 2018.

Visitors to the modernist flat can admire mid-century modern furniture pieces including a black leather edition of the designer's signature LC2 lounge chair, which sits next to a cowhide rug at the entrance of the apartment.

Find out more about Le Corbusier's apartment ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring perforated brick-walls, budget home interiors and immersive saunas in peaceful settings.

The post Eight homes where mid-century modern furniture adds a stylish touch appeared first on Dezeen.

Continuing our 2023 review, we revisit the most popular lookbooks of the year – from minimalist bedrooms and biophilic homes to marble-lined bathrooms and kitchens with tiled worktops.

This year, the most-read lookbooks included wood-panelled dining rooms, homes with space-saving pocket doors and rooms with beautiful and practical bookshelves.

Read on to discover 10 of our most popular lookbooks of 2023:

Eight homes with beautiful and practical bookshelves

This lookbook for booklovers was our most-read lookbook this year. It showcased homes where designers have created stylish bookshelves – both wall-mounted and built-in.

Among the projects on show is an apartment in Madrid, Spain, which was designed by Spanish studio Zooco Estudio and features white shelving units that span two floors and provide plenty of space to store reading materials.

See more homes with beautiful bookshelves ›

Eight kitchens with tiled worktops that are pretty but practical

There's plenty of kitchen inspiration to be found in this lookbook, which explored kitchens with tiled worktops.

Among the examples is a New York apartment that features a kitchen island covered in oxblood-coloured tiles (above), as well as a pastel-hued Belgian kitchen and a colourful Spanish kitchen in a former motorcycle workshop.

See more kitchens with tiled worktops ›

Eight calming bedrooms with minimalist interiors

The bedrooms in this lookbook range from a Mexican bedroom with a concrete bed to a cosy space in a former girls' school in Puglia, all in a colour palette that mainly features beige, gray, and warm brown hues.

To create soothing, calming bedroom spaces, walls were left bare and the amount of artworks and personal items were kept to a minimum in these projects.

See more calming bedroooms ›

Ten modern homes with interiors informed by biophilic design

Biophilic design, which aims to create spaces in which humans are more connected to nature, has been a trend this year and looks set to continue its ascent in 2024.

Homes with indoor trees, aquaponic systems with live fish, green roofs and verdant courtyards filled with plants are among the biophilic interior design examples in this lookbook.

See more homes with biophilic design ›

Ten residential interiors that make the most of narrow spaces

Narrow interior layouts can be hard to decorate, but this roundup gave plenty of examples of how to work with tight living areas, kitchens wedged into corridors and interiors in skinny Japanese houses.

Tips include adding split-level floors, using built-in furniture to add visual depth and using glass doors to allow more light to penetrate the house.

See more residential interiors with narrow spaces ›

Eight tidy kitchens with slick storage solutions

This lookbook presented eight well-organised kitchens, where smart storage solutions help to hide clutter and create a more pleasant cooking experience. The projects, which range from compact apartments to home extensions, use hooks, nooks, racks, shelves, cubby holes and display units to make the best use of space.

Featured kitchens include the above example from London, which uses multifunctional plywood partitions with arched openings and alcoves for storing belongings.

See more tidy kitchens ›

Ten earthy bedrooms that use natural colour to create a restful environment

Dreamy bedrooms from Mexico to Thailand were showcased in this lookbook, which gathers interiors that use earthy colour palettes and natural materials to evoke a sense of calm and tranquility.

Earthy browns, neutral beige and tan colours are complemented by terracotta and green hues to create bedrooms with a peaceful atmosphere, while materials include stone, timber, linen, clay accents and limewash finishes.

See more earthy bedrooms in neutral colours ›

Ten bathrooms where marble lines the walls

Carrera and Verde Aver marble, as well as similar natural stones such as travertine and quartzite, decorate these 10 bathrooms.

Whether it's a renovated 1920s Stockholm apartment clad in Swedish Ekeberg marble, or a bathroom in an art-deco building covered in green Verde Aver marble (above), this lookbook showcases how the durable material can be used to create elegant interiors.

See more marble-lined bathrooms ›

Ten homes with space-saving pocket doors that disappear into the walls

Pocket doors – sliding doors that are designed to slot into a wall cavity so they can stay hidden from view – were the subject of this lookbook, which was one of the most popular of last year.

The solution is especially useful for rooms where there isn't enough space for a door to open outwards and for locations where it makes sense for the door to integrate into surrounding joinery.

See more homes with pocket doors ›

Eight welcoming wood-panelled dining rooms

The cosiness of a wood-panelled dining room was the focus of this lookbook, which collected eight examples of homes where wood took centre stage.

Among the examples is this house in Chile, above, which features an open-plan kitchen and dining room with a vaulted ceiling that is clad in laminated pine.

See more wood-panelled dining rooms ›

2023 review

This article is part of Dezeen's roundup of the biggest and best news and projects in architecture, design, interior design and technology from 2023.

The post Dezeen's top 10 lookbooks of 2023 appeared first on Dezeen.

Dezeen's latest lookbook explores eight interiors – from bright, airy residential spaces to cool, open-plan offices – illuminated by perforated brick walls.

Perforated brick walls are often used as a cooling strategy in warmer climates. This lookbook highlights their effect on the lighting and shading of interior spaces and how they can be used to create a playful, light atmosphere.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with light-filled kitchens, sculptural wooden staircases and airy, pared-back loft conversions.

Studio by the Hill, India, by Mind Manifestation

This converted apartment in Pune, India – designed by architecture studio Mind Manifestation to house the studio's office – uses perforated bricks to create a well-lit and ventilated workspace.

Bricks was used extensively across the flooring and complemented by green lime plaster walls.

"The material palette has been tastefully chosen so as to match with the different shades of the hill throughout the year," Mind Manifestation explained.

Find out more about Studio by the Hill ›

Cuckoo House, Vietnam, by Tropical Space

Cuckoo House, designed by Tropical Space, is a two-storey home situated atop a cafe in Da Nang, Vietnam, encased by a shell made from local clay bricks.

Living spaces on the upper floor feature perforated brick for privacy and ventilation, with the design resulting in a playful chequered lighting pattern across the wooden and concrete interior.

Find out more about Cuckoo House ›

Wall House, Vietnam, by CTA

Square perforated bricks salvaged from nearby buildings sites are used on the exterior of CTA's Wall House in Bien Hoa, Vietnam.

Stacked in an irregular formation, the punctured bricks filter sunlight and air into the space, creating dotted shadows across the plant-filled double-height living room.

Find out more about Wall House ›

Gadi House, India, by PMA Madhushala

Gadi House in Maval, India, by PMA Madhushala is a compact arrangement of volumes and courtyards.

Dimly-lit courtyards and living spaces are illuminated by pockets of sunlight accessed through perforations in the brick and stone walls.

Find out more about Gadi House ›

Intermediate House, Paraguay, by Equipo de Arquitectura

The Intermediate House by Paraguay-based studio Equipo de Arquitectura is a narrow residence in Asunción organised around an open-air courtyard.

Manually pressed, unfired bricks form the perforated street-facing facade – drawing sunlight and air through the vaulted brick-roofed dining room and into adjacent spaces.

Find out more about Intermediate House ›

The Termitary House, Vietnam, by Tropical Space

Patterned shadows decorate the dimly-lit brick and wood interior of The Termitary House in Da Nang, Vietnam, designed by Tropical Space.

Inspired by earthen termite nests, the studio used perforated brick on the facade and internal walls to bring natural light into the interiors during the day and draw in artificial light at night.

Find out more about The Termitary House ›

Cloud House, Australia, by Dean Dyson Architects

Australian studio Dean Dyson Architects designed the Cloud House – a two-storey home in Malvern – using an exterior layer of grey, perforated brickwork.

Intended to create a "private oasis" for the clients, the perforated brick pours light into the interior living spaces, with passive ventilation enabled by operable windows.

Find out more about Cloud House ›

Tropical Shed, Brazil, by Laurent Troost Architectures

Located on a long, narrow plot in Manaus, Tropical Shed is a plant-filled office with a centralised courtyard designed by Brazilian studio Laurent Troost Architectures.

Interlocking bricks – repeated throughout the design – form a perforated wall in the double-height office to create a cool work environment decorated with playful shadows.

Find out more about Tropical Shed ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with light-filled kitchens, sculptural wooden staircases and airy, pared-back loft conversions.

The post Eight bright and airy interiors illuminated by perforated brick walls appeared first on Dezeen.

In this lookbook, we collect eight residential interiors that were put together with limited funds but still have a certain richness.

Featuring exposed structures, simple materials and sparing use of finishes, these budget interiors prove that adventurous design doesn't have to be reserved for the very wealthy.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors made with reclaimed materials, inviting entrance halls and industrial-but-cosy living rooms.

10K House, Spain, by Takk

Renovated on a material budget of only 10,000 euros, this Barcelona apartment takes raw, pared-back aesthetics to extremes.

Leaving traces of dismantled fixtures visible, Spanish studio Takk chose not to apply coatings to the floors and walls, while utilitarian medium-density fibreboard features throughout.

Find out more about 10K House ›

Binh Thuan House, Vietnam, by MIA Design Studio

Simple white curtains divide spaces inside the Binh Thuan House, designed by MIA Design Studio for a family of four using limited resources.

An exposed steel frame lends a distinctly industrial feel and is also an easily adaptable means of fitting windows, curtains, furniture and pictures.

Find out more about Binh Thuan House ›

Segal House, UK, by Fraher & Findlay

UK architecture studio Fraher & Findlay avoided using specialist trades and bespoke products to keep costs down in the renovation of this house in south London that was originally designed according to Walter Segal's self-build methods.

Extensive use of plywood meant there was no need to hire a plasterer, for example, while other materials and products were chosen for being widely available off the shelf.

Find out more about Segal House ›

Casa Nakasone, Mexico, by Escobedo Soliz

This small, simple house on the outskirts of Mexico City was designed by Escobedo Soliz for a retired teacher.

Cheap structural materials were left exposed in the interiors, such as brickwork walls, tiled floors and pale wooden beams on the ceilings.

Find out more about Casa Nakasone ›

Minimum House, Tokyo, by Nori Architects

Minimum House, in Tokyo, was designed by Nori Architects as a prototype for a low-cost, low-waste, adaptable model of urban housing.

Ductwork and wiring was left exposed with only simple light fittings, while the timber structure is left uncovered on the walls and used for kitchen and storage units.

Find out more about Minimum House ›

105JON, Spain, by Vallribera Arquitectes

Simple materials feature throughout this house in Vallès, Spain, modernised by Barcelona studio Vallribera Arquitectes.

Chunky chipboard is a recurring motif, contrasting with blue linoleum flooring in the bathroom and with exposed brick party walls in the living spaces.

Find out more about 105JON ›

Maison Pour Dodo, UK, by Studio Merlin

Studio Merlin incorporated an abundance of storage in its revamp of this Stoke Newington flat to ensure that the available space could be kept luxuriously serene and clutter-free.

Touches include a large floor-to-ceiling shelving unit in the living and dining area, and a wall of deep-set IKEA cabinets with smokey blue door fronts from Danish brand Reform in the kitchen.

Find out more about Maison Pour Dodo ›

UpHouse, Madrid, by CumuloLimbo Studio

Completed on a shoestring budget of $39,000, this extensive renovation of an apartment in Madrid by CumuloLimbo Studio prioritised using inexpensive materials such as salvaged plywood.

The kitchen area features a simple open shelving system with a black-tile backsplash, while the counter forms part of an unusual staircase leading up into a newly inserted mezzanine.

Find out more about UpHouse ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors made with reclaimed materials, inviting entrance halls and industrial-but-cosy living rooms.

The post Eight imaginative home interiors created on a budget appeared first on Dezeen.

A floating sauna and a cavernous coastal grotto feature in our latest lookbook, which collects eight sauna interiors that provide a warming antidote to colder months.

Usually contained within a single room, a sauna is a sealed place where visitors experience dry or wet heat produced through a variety of mechanisms that are designed to clean and refresh the body – a ritual that is reported to date back to as early as 4000 BC.

Saunas are typically made of wood due to the material's ability to absorb heat but remain cool to the touch. The following projects demonstrate how architects and designers have interpreted this longstanding practice in contemporary settings.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring cosy living rooms, retro eateries and dining rooms with built-in seating.

Big Branzino, Sweden, by Sandellsandberg 

The Big Branzino is a floating sauna by Swedish studio Sandellsandberg that was topped with a distinctive bow-shaped roof.

Designed to drift against the shifting backdrop of the Stockholm archipelago, the sauna features a red cedar-clad interior including a bespoke stove flanked by two-tiered seating.

Find out more about Big Branzino ›

Grotto, Canada, by Partisans

Canadian studio Partisans designed a cavernous cedar interior for a private burnt-timber sauna that was created to emulate a seaside grotto.

Situated on a craggy spot on the shore of Lake Huron, north of Toronto, the structure features skewed porthole windows and a curvy alternative to traditional geometric stepped sauna seating.

Find out more about Grotto ›

The Bands, Norway, by Oslo School of Architecture and Design students

A trio of staggered timber bands forms this student-designed sauna, which also functions as a picnic terrace and has a sunken hot tub on its exterior.

The building has three different gabled roof profiles, as well as glass and translucent polycarbonate plastic windows that illuminate the larch-clad interior.

Find out more about The Bands ›

Sauna, UK, by Haeckels

Skincare brand Haeckels took cues from traditional Victorian bathing machines – wooden carts that provided privacy for people to change clothes at the seaside – when creating this sauna on the beach of southeast England's Margate.

The brand used materials that were as close as possible to those that would have been used to design original bathing machines. A wood-burning stove features inside, while timber benches provide seating with a sea view framed by an external wax-cloth awning.

Find out more about this sauna ›

Tullin, Finland, by Studio Puisto

Finnish practice Studio Puisto paid tribute to the concept of the late nineteenth-century korttelisauna, or neighbourhood sauna, when designing this communal complex in the city of Tampere.

Throughout the complex, the interior is characterised by rough concrete finishes layered with warm local pine – a material used in saunas all over Finland.

Find out more about Tullin ›

Löyly, Switzerland, by Trolle Rudebeck Haar

Designer Trolle Rudebeck Haar built a prefabricated floating sauna on Lake Geneva while studying at the Lausanne University of Art and Design.

Created to explore the concept of micro-architecture, Löyly spans 2.2 square metres and features a Japanese sliding door – known as a shōji – made from ribbed translucent glass.

Find out more about Löyly ›

Gothenburg Public Sauna, Sweden, by Raumlabor

German studio Raumlabor worked with local residents in Gothenburg to design this public sauna, which is raised over the water in the Swedish city's Frihamnen port and accessed via a wooden bridge.

Thin larch strips line the interior and create texture across the curved and angular surfaces of the ceiling and walls.

Find out more about Gothenburg Public Sauna ›

Saunaravintola Kiulu, Findland, by Studio Puisto

Studio Puisto designed the Saunaravintola Kiulu wellness centre to combine a duo of saunas and a restaurant.

Characterised by dark wood cladding and red epoxy flooring, the smaller of the two saunas is contained within its own independent timber cabin.

Find out more about Saunaravintola Kiulu ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring cosy living rooms, retro eateries and dining rooms with built-in seating.

The post Eight immersive saunas in peaceful settings appeared first on Dezeen.

For our latest lookbook, we've chosen eight kitchens in contemporary homes where strategically placed windows and glazing create well-lit spaces for cooking and spending quality time with family and friends.

These light-filled kitchens feature different finishes, including marble, concrete, wood and glass, but are joined together by the sunlight that streams through their large windows, glazed doors or skylights.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with furry walls, sculptural wooden staircases and rustic Italian interiors.

Monroe Street House, USA, by TBo

New York studio TBo updated a 124-year-old townhouse in Brooklyn to meet the demands of a modern, multi-generational family's lifestyle.

Featuring a window that stretches from the worktop to the ceiling and glass doors that lead to an outdoor deck, the kitchen has maximised access to daylight and to the outdoors.

Find out more about Monroe Street House ›

Sydney bungalow extension, Australia, by Emily Sandstrom

Australian architect Emily Sandstorm restored this out-of-use 1930s bungalow in Sydney with reclaimed materials from the demolition of its small rear kitchen.

She sees the new kitchen, which features a kitchen island with a worktop of recycled Australian hardwood, as the centre of the home. A window wall creates views of an outdoor dining area and fills the room with light.

Find out more about the bungalow ›

Glazed house extension, UK, by DHaus

As part of the rear extension to a house in Hertfordshire, UK, London studio DHaus opened up the original dark and cramped kitchen with a material palette of concrete, glass and Douglas fir timber.

The studio lowered the kitchen floor by one metre and connected the interior to the garden, with glazing lining the entire end of the extension to create a bright, welcoming space.

Find out more about the glass extension ›

Quarry House, USA, by AB Design Studio and House of Honey

West Coast-based architecture practice AB Design Studio renovated the Quarry House in California, a 1954 house that had fallen into disrepair, in collaboration with House of Honey, which was responsible for the interior design.

The kitchen was renewed with textured marble surfaces and a kitchen island, as well as Crittall-style windows and doors.

Find out more about Quarry House ›

House MM, Slovenia, by A202 Arhitekti

A202 Arhitekti transformed the traditional gabled house in Slovenia by removing all non-structural interior elements and adding a timber extension inside while preserving the shell of the property.

The studio built the kitchen with light-coloured materials in a minimalist style, adding a large window with a comfortable window seat for reading or contemplation.

Find out more about House MM ›

House extension, UK, by ConForm

Designed by ConForm, the light-filled kitchen in this Hampstead home is covered with white marble panels.

The patterns of light grey veins on adjoining surfaces were unmatched to "encourage a natural and textural language", the studio said. Sliding doors open the room up to the garden.

Find out more about the Hampstead extension ›

10 Fold House, Australia, by Timmins + Whyte

Australian studio Timmins + Whyte added an extension with a folded roof that brings in extra natural light to this Melbourne home.

The kitchen included in the extended space was combined with the living room through a shared material palette of ribbed wood, marble and grey terrazzo.

Find out more about 10 Fold House ›

House C-DF, Belgium, by Graux & Baeyens Architecten

Belgian studio Graux & Baeyens Architecten was tasked to maximise the space in a narrow townhouse in Ghent that already had a rear kitchen extension.

The studio changed the gap between the old extension and the original house into a skylight and replaced the wall between the garden and the kitchen with a glass sliding door, which introduced additional light to the ground-floor kitchen.

Find out more about House C-DF ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with furry walls, sculptural wooden staircases and rustic Italian interiors.

The post Eight homes with light-filled kitchens from Australia to Slovenia appeared first on Dezeen.

Living rooms with tactile brick, concrete and wood surfaces feature in this lookbook, which shows that opting for industrial materials doesn't have to sacrifice cosiness.

Typically informed by old and unrefined factories, lofts and warehouses, industrial-style interiors are a go-to for many contemporary designers.

Homes of this style are often characterised by a combination of man-made and natural materials, including brick, wood, concrete and metal, and the exposure of details that are usually concealed, such as ductwork.

While, for some, the image of industrial spaces can conjure up feelings of being cold and unwelcome, this list of living rooms proves that with the right finishes, the style can actually be warm and inviting.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with furry walls, sculptural wooden staircases and rustic Italian interiors.

St John Street, UK, by Emil Eve Architects

Emil Eve Architects retained the raw aesthetic of this former warehouse while transforming it into a warm and inviting home.

In the living room, old brick walls, metal window frames and a rough concrete ceiling form a tactile backdrop to contemporary wooden furnishings and an abundance of tall plants.

Find out more about St John Street ›

Michigan Loft, USA, by Vladimir Radutny Architects

A suspended black-metal fireplace is the centrepiece of this lofty apartment, which is located in Chicago and dotted with floor furnishings including a Toga sofa.

The fireplace is complemented by exposed black ducting and hanging lights, which pop against the surrounding brick, warm wood and concrete elements.

Find out more about Michigan Loft ›

Gale Apartment, Brazil, by Memola Estudio

Exposed services, ducting and concrete help achieve an industrial look in this living room, which is located in a Brazilian apartment designed by Memola Estudio.

To add warmth to the space, these finishes are balanced with natural details including dark wooden floorboards and furniture, suede chairs and a textile wall tapestry.

Find out more about Gale Apartment ›

Relogged House, Ukraine, by Balbek Bureau

This living room belongs to a Ukrainian cabin, designed by Balbek Bureau with a utilitarian aesthetic that aims to challenge conventional cabin interiors.

Concrete is the predominant material, but stainless steel and wooden elements such as horizontally stacked logs also feature throughout. To add warmth, a giant fireplace takes centre stage and is positioned opposite a modular sofa on which visitors can cosy up.

Find out more about Relogged House ›

South 5th Residence, USA, by Alterstudio Architecture

In this lounge, the stripped-back material palette helps to draw attention to the "dramatic vistas" over a valley in Austin, Texas.

Rough-textured concrete forms the walls of the space, while polished concrete lines the floor. Window frames made of wood and steel add to the room's industrial look, and colour is introduced through furnishings including a tubular pink-metal armchair.

Find out more about South 5th Residence ›

A Forest House, Ecuador, by Aquiles Jarrín

Aquiles Jarrín married dark Chonta wood with black-steel beams and rough concrete for the design of this textural living room, found in A Forest House in Quito.

The wooden elements help break up the open-plan interior, carving out cosy nooks and storage spaces for the owner. The seating area is warmed by a cowhide rug and tan butterfly chairs.

Find out more about A Forest House ›

Analog House, USA, by Olson Kundig Architects

A tactile material palette of metal, concrete and glass tones was used for the living room of Analog House, a home in a Californian forest created by Olson Kundig Architects with the ​​founder of Faulkner Architects – the client for the project.

In the lounge, these materials are paired with light wooden floors and minimalist furnishings including hanging lights, a sleek black sofa and tubular chairs.

Find out more about Analog House ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with furry walls, sculptural wooden staircases and rustic Italian interiors.

The post Seven cosy living rooms with industrial material palettes appeared first on Dezeen.

Faux fur is liberated from the realm of fashion and used to cover entire walls in this lookbook, which rounds up five interior projects including an igloo-shaped children's room and a surreal Prada set by AMO.

Rendered in grabby colours, furry textiles are increasingly being used by interior designers to make retail environments feel more enticing, as seen below in the all-pink makeover of Balenciaga's London store and the monochrome grey fit-out of Chinese womenswear boutique SND.

But in colder climes – like the ski town of Aspen – fake fur can also serve a practical purpose by providing some much-needed cosiness.

Read on for five examples of interiors that are using this unconventional material on an architectural scale.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring subway-tiled bathrooms, chequerboard floors and rustic Italian interiors.

Sant Ambroeus Coffee Bar Aspen, US, by Giampiero Tagliaferri Studio

Cosy Alpine touches meet midcentury Italian glamour inside this coffee bar that designer Giampiero Tagliaferri has completed in the ski town of Aspen.

Here, the walls are clad in alternating panels of walnut wood, deep green Verde Alpi marble and faux fur that was designed to resemble shaggy Mongolian lamb wool.

Find out more about the Sant Ambroeus Coffee Bar Aspen ›

Mount Street store, UK, by Balenciaga

Every surface inside Balenciaga's London store – from the walls and floors to the columns and shelves – was wrapped in furry bright pink textile as part of a temporary installation last April.

The intervention was designed to celebrate the brand's popular Le Cagole bag and its maximalist spirit, with the materials used now set to be reused for future projects.

"We are currently researching the best way in which we can donate the faux fur, so that it can be reused in manufacturing toys for example," Balenciaga told Dezeen.

Find out more about the Mount Street store ›

Winter Bedroom (for a Big Grrl), Spain, by Takk

This winter-themed bedroom belongs to the young daughter of Spanish designers Mireia Luzárraga and Alejandro Muiño and is topped with a 3.5-metre-high dome designed to resemble an igloo.

Fuzzy white carpet clads almost every inch of the space to create the impression that the all-white interior is covered in a blanket of snow.

Find out more about Winter Bedroom (for a Big Grrl) ›

Prada AW21 2021 menswear show, Italy, by Rem Koolhaas and AMO

For Prada's Autumn Winter 2021 menswear presentation, research studio AMO created a sequence of four geometric rooms designed to create "the illusion of a never-ending route".

Each room inverts the material arrangements of the one that came before, with white marble walls and fluffy sky-blue carpet making way for glossy stone flooring and furry walls in a moody magenta colour.

Find out more about the Prada AW21 menswear show ›

SND boutique, China, by Various Associates

In the absence of colour, Chinese studio Various Associates relied on contrasting textures and dramatically slanted walls to provide aesthetic interest inside this womenswear store in Chongqing, China.

The interior combines furry changing-room pods will full-height mirrors to make the store feel more "visually magical and spacious".

Find out more about SND boutique ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring subway-tiled bathrooms, chequerboard floors and rustic Italian interiors.

The post Five interiors with furry walls that beg to be touched appeared first on Dezeen.

Our latest lookbook features eight sculptural staircases made of wood that make a statement and bring warmth to apartments from Hong Kong to Boston.

Often the organizing principle in the planning of any space, a staircase can either blend in or stand out.

The eight gathered in this lookbook lean into the latter – showcasing both the structural abilities of wood like larch, birch and plywood and demonstrating how circulation need not be boring.

From a completely pre-fabricated staircase in a Boston apartment to a plywood spiral staircase twisting from the loft of a renovated barn in the Netherlands, these sculptural stairs create a visually striking centrepiece, as well as a fun way to traverse a house.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring rustic Italian interiors, autumnal bedrooms and show-stealing dining room tables.

Hairpin House, USA, Studio J Jih and Figure

Located in Boston's South End neighbourhood, this historic townhouse renovation sees a four-storey interior plan wrapped around a white oak staircase that spirals around a 40-foot-high (12-metre-high) atrium.

"Aptly named Hairpin House, the project takes the tight, unpredictable, and ultimately poetic switchback turns of a mountain road as inspiration for the overall renovation – and in particular a new unravelling central stair," said the design team.

Find out more about Hairpin House ›

Cape Drive Residence, Hong Kong, Linehouse

Just a short walk from the beaches of Hong Kong's south side, this three-storey house channels "coastal essence" through natural materials and light, Chinese studio Linehouse told Dezeen.

An "easy flow" was also imbued into the design, created in part by a timber stairwell that's tucked to the side and – save for a white metallic screen – is open to the living spaces.

Find out more about Cape Drive Residence ›

Mass Timber House, USA, Schiller Projects

According to design studio Schiller Projects, this renovated carriage home in Brooklyn is the borough's first single-family residence that uses mass timber construction.

Besides repurposed wooden elements like timber panels and floorboards used for the project, the house features a pre-fabricated glue-laminated timber (glulam) staircase that can be completely disassembled.

Find out more about Mass Timber House ›

Barn at the Ahof, the Netherlands, Julia van Beuningen

Architectural designer Julia Van Beuningen converted this Gelderland barn into a holiday home complete with a spiral staircase made out of plywood at the heart of the floor plan, which contrasts the more rustic materials of the surrounding building.

"This is very different and very unusual in a barn like this," said Van Beuningen. "It's something you either love or hate, but it's definitely a statement."

Find out more about Barn at the Ahof ›

Carroll Gardens Townhouse, USA, Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design

New York studios Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design merged a two-family dwelling into one for the owner's growing family.

White oak running throughout the two units unifies the project, which includes the addition of a new wooden staircase covered by a slated screen made of the same material.

Find out more about Carroll Gardens Townhouse ›

Stoke Newington loft, UK, Whittaker Parsons

Architecture firm Whittaker Parsons was tasked with adding a loft to a house in Stoke Newington, London, as well as updating spaces throughout the lower floors.

With efficiency and quality in mind, the studio used prefabricated structural insulated panels (SIP) to construct the new loft. The space is accessed by a spiral staircase made of larch that's topped with a skylight.

Find out more about Stoke Newington loft ›

Dragon Flat, UK, Tsuruta Architects

A floating timber staircase features in this flat in London, which is outfitted with walls CNC-etched with images of peonies, dragons, bats and the Thames.

The central staircase allows light to filter into the kitchen and living room below, while solid timber bricks act as landings on either side.

Find out more about Dragon Flat ›

Elsternwick penthouse, Australia, Office Alex Nicholls

The timber staircases in this Melbourne house were integrated into its "library spine" an organizing corridor that contains the family's collection of books, art and artefacts.

"From a practical standpoint, it allowed everything to be easily accessible and displayed but it also helps to draw people through the apartment and celebrate the two staircases to the roof garden at either end," said Office Alex Nicholls founder Alex Nicholls.

Find out more about Elsternwick penthouse ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring rustic Italian interiors, autumnal bedrooms and show-stealing dining room tables.

The post Eight sculptural wooden staircases that bring warmth to the home appeared first on Dezeen.

This lookbook collects 10 interiors in Italy with a distinctly rustic feel, including homes and hotels replete with wooden beams, cool stone and other rich textures.

As well as being known for its contemporary furniture and lighting design, Italy is home to some of Europe's oldest buildings and has numerous historic cities and villages.

From a 17th-century house in Puglia to a hotel in a 1,000-year-old castle, below are 10 examples of projects that pay homage to the Mediterranean country's history while catering to modern tastes.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring chequerboard floors, lime plaster walls and Mediterranean-style interiors.

Monteverdi Hotel, Tuscany, by Ilaria Miani

Restoration specialist and interior designer Ilaria Miani helped transform several crumbling buildings in Val d'Orcia into a boutique hotel that aims to balance the history of the area with contemporary design influences from Milan and Rome.

In the bedroom suites, chunky exposed beams made from salvaged wood are complemented by natural colours and textures, while nearly all the furniture is handmade by local artisans.

Find out more about Monteverdi Hotel ›

Cascina, Piemonte, by Jonathan Tuckey Design

London-based Jonathan Tuckey Design was tasked with returning this 19th-century farmhouse in northern Italy to its original state following a heavy 1980s renovation.

Stone walls and wooden beams now feature prominently, with a cool chalky palette offset by brass lamps and chestnut panelling and furniture.

Find out more about Cascina ›

Casa Soleto, Puglia, by Studio Andrew Trotter and Marcelo Martínez

Parts of Casa Soleto in Puglia are more than 400 years old. Architecture firm Studio Andrew Trotter and its studio manager Marcelo Martínez renovated the building without making any structural changes, leaving the irregular walls in place.

To give the interiors an authentic, natural feel, the designers used lime plaster for the walls, linen fabrics for the sofas and curtains, jute rugs, terracotta ceramics and antique furniture.

Find out more about Casa Soleto ›

Monastero Arx Vivendi, Trentino-Alto Adige, by Network of Architecture

Network of Architecture applied rippled antique-effect plaster to the walls of this 17th-century ex-monastery near Lake Garda, which is now a hotel.

The plaster is complemented by pale wooden floors, black iron furniture and earth-toned fabrics, while the original doors have been retained and restored.

Find out more about Monastero Arx Vivendi ›

Casolare Scarani, Puglia, by Studio Andrew Potter

Casolare Scarani is a home created from the renovation of a long-abandoned girls' school built in the style of a traditional Puglian villa – but still modest in size.

The vaulted ceilings were kept intact and covered in lime plaster, while the rooms were finished with earthy tones and traditional stone flooring.

Find out more about Casolare Scarani ›

Hotel Castello di Reschio, Umbria, by Count Benedikt Bolza

Hotel Castello di Reschio occupies a 1,000-year-old castle in the Umbrian hills that was transformed by count Benedikt Bolza and his family.

Rooms have been decorated with terracotta-brick or wooden floors, hand-stitched linen curtains, Italian fabrics and locally crafted marble and brass vanities alongside portraits sourced from nearby antique markets in a reference to the building's rich history.

Find out more about Hotel Castello di Reschio ›

Brolettouno Apartment, Lombardy, by Archiplan

Located in a building in Mantua that dates back to the 15th century, this apartment was overhauled on a budget by local design studio Archiplan.

The studio decided to honour the interior's timeworn aesthetic by retaining the distressed floor tiles and faded frescos, combining these features with functional light-hued wooden furniture.

Find out more about Brolettouno Apartment ›

Casa Maiora, Puglia, by Studio Andrew Trotter

Another project from Studio Andrew Trotter, this villa is in fact a newly built project – but carries heavy rustic influences from traditional homes in the area.

Flagstone floors, lime-washed walls and locally sourced antiques combine to create a soothing, timeless feel.

Find out more about Casa Maiora ›

G-Rough, Lazio, by Gabriele Salini

Features showcasing the building's 400-year-old history were juxtaposed with contemporary art and mid-century furnishings at this boutique hotel in Rome, Italy's capital.

The imperfections of age, particularly on the patina walls, combine with furniture inspired by modernist Italian designers like Ico Parisi, Giò Ponti and Piero Fornasetti for a rough-yet-refined aesthetic.

Find out more about G-Rough ›

Palazzo Monti hotel, Lombardy, by Julie Cloos Mølsgaard and Vipp

A collaboration with Danish homeware brand Vipp saw interior designer Julie Cloos Mølsgaard create a pop-up hotel in a 13-century palazzo in Brescia.

To keep the focus on the building's many historic features, Mølsgaard took a minimalist approach to the furnishings, with mattresses sitting directly on the floor and artwork propped up against the walls.

Find out more about the Palazzo Monti hotel ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring chequerboard floors, lime plaster walls and Mediterranean-style interiors.

The post Ten rustic Italian interiors that evoke the history of the Mediterranean appeared first on Dezeen.

A jewel-toned red and blue shower room and a pink bathroom in a hotel designed for musician Pharrell Williams feature in this lookbook, which roundsup bathrooms lined with metro and subway tiles.

Dating back to the early 1900s when they were used in New York's first subway station, the rectangular subway tile has become an interior design staple across residential and commercial settings.

Traditionally measuring three-by-six inches, the tile has evolved into different size variations that still draw to mind its early twentieth-century station origins.

As they have grown in popularity as an affordable way to decorate interiors, people have become creative with different ways of laying the rectangular tiles, breaking away from the typical brick layout and orienting them vertically or stacked horizontally.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with chequerboard flooring, brightly coloured showers and autumnal bedrooms.

Minimal Fantasy, Spain, by Patricia Bustos Studio

Spanish interior design firm Praticia Bustos Studio overhauled the interior of the Minimal Fantasy rental apartment in Madrid with 12 shades of pink.

Vertically laid pink subway tiles provide the backdrop to the main bathroom, which was finished with pink sanitaryware, an arched mirror and a pink holographic shower curtain.

Find out more about Minimal Fantasy ›

The Hoxton Southwark, UK, by Ennismore

Hotelier Ennismore was informed by the industrial history of Southwark when designing the interiors of its hotel in the London borough.

The bathrooms feature green subway tiles laid in a brick format on the walls, complemented by brass accents in the lighting and tapware that add to the industrial feel.

Find out more about The Hoxton Southward ›

Pink House, Ireland, by Courtney McDonnell Studio

While this home is named Pink House for its light, rosy-hued rear extension, the shower room has a darker, moodier interior achieved by jewel-toned shades of red and blue.

Architect Luis Barragán split the shower room into two halves, creating a curved navy-tiled shower alcove on one side and a nook on the other side covered in elongated ruby-red subway tiles.

Find out more about Pink House ›

Apartment A, Belgium, by Atelier Dialect

White subway tiles were boarded by a row of black tiles running along the base of the walls in this bathroom, which is located in the open-plan bedroom of an Antwerp apartment.

Designed by Belgian studio Atelier Dialect, the tiled walls provide a graphic backdrop for a mirrored-steel, rectangular bathtub and sanded stainless steel basin.

Find out more about Apartment A ›

Edinburgh townhouse, UK, by Luke and Joanne McClelland

For their own apartment in Edinburgh, architects Luke and Joanne McClelland refreshed two adjoining Georgian townhouses with light-filled living spaces and updated bathrooms.

Dark green subway tiles were added to the side of the bathtub and wall splashback, complemented by a restored 1960s dark wood sideboard by Danish designer Ib Kofod Larsen used as the sink vanity.

Find out more about the Edinburgh townhouse ›

Santa Monica Proper, USA, by Kelly Wearstler

For this hotel in Santa Monica, interior designer Kelly Wearstler applied her signature laid-back Californian style with a choice of materials and colours that reference the nearby beach.

Sandy-coloured metro tiles laid in a brick pattern complement the warm-toned wood flooring in the bathroom, which was intended to bring to mind beach decking.

Find out more about Santa Monica Proper ›

Apartment in Born, Spain, by Colombo and Serboli Architecture

Local studio Colombo and Serboli Architecture made space for this pink bathroom when renovating Apartment in Born, which is set within a 13th-century building in Barcelona.

Square-shaped light pink tiles with pink grout cover the floor, while vertical subway tiles in a slightly darker shade cover the walls and shower area.

Find out more about Apartment in Born ›

Goodtime Hotel, USA, by Ken Fulk

Another pink-toned interior, this bathroom at the Goodtime Hotel in Miami Beach was created by American designer Ken Fulk for musician Williams.

Differentiation in tile shape and orientation creates subtle visual variation in the pastel-hued bathroom. White square tiles were applied to the floor, while vertical pink subway tiles along the top and bottom of the walls border tiles laid in a brick pattern.

Find out more about Goodtime Hotel ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with chequerboard flooring, brightly coloured showers and autumnal bedrooms.

The post Eight eye-catching bathrooms with striking subway-tiled surfaces appeared first on Dezeen.

Our latest lookbook explores homes where built-in benches or banquettes offer an inviting place to sit around the dining table, while also helping to save space.

Built-in seating is a popular solution in kitchens and dining rooms where the optimal position for a table is along a wall rather than in the centre of the space.

For homes where space is limited, a fixed bench can provide more seats than would otherwise be possible. It can also be a clever way of integrating extra storage, with concealed compartments under the seat.

The most straightforward approach is to build a fixed seat along one side of the table and then add dining chairs on the opposite side, although L-shaped or curved seating installations can also be possible, depending on the layout.

Whatever the design, the key to getting it right is ensuring that the table legs don't clash with the base of the bench, so that it's easy for people to get in and out.

Read on for 10 examples, ranging from a minimalist terrace in London to a warm and tactile family home in Melbourne.

This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, other recent lookbooks feature colourful shower rooms and kitchens with tiled worktops.

10 Fold House, Australia, by Timmins + Whyte

This extension to a family home in Melbourne, designed by architecture and design studio Timmins + Whyte, includes a casual dining space that slots into a corner between the kitchen counter and the end wall.

The L-shaped bench is topped with peach-toned cushions, which match the warm tone of the mid-century-style oak table. As well as providing comfort, they conceal storage areas underneath.

Find out more about 10 Fold House ›

Spruce House, UK, by Ao-ft

A bench seat forms an extension of the polished concrete floor in this cross-laminated timber-framed house in east London, designed by Ao-ft founders Liz Tatarintseva and Zach Fluker as their own home.

This is possible because the living space is slightly sunken. This means the concrete plinth, which actually sits at ground level, is the perfect height for sitting at the table.

Find out more about Spruce House ›

Karper, Belgium, by Hé!

This converted warehouse in Brussels was designed to serve as either a family home or a co-living building, so it features a range of different live and work spaces. One of these is a casual dining space located next to the kitchen on the second floor.

A custom-made bench anchors this space to the side wall. A matching table has a squashed circle shape, creating the feel of a round table while also aligning with the seating fixture.

Find out more about Karper ›

Frame House, UK, by Bureau de Change

When remodelling this south London terrace, architecture studio Bureau de Change added a three-tiered extension at the property's rear.

The stepped terrazzo floor was designed to incorporate casual seating areas, with one of them serving as a seating area for the adjacent dining table.

Find out more about Frame House ›

Steele's Road House, UK, by Neiheiser Argyros

If a kitchen has a window bay, this can be a good place to create a seating area. This is what London studio Neiheiser Argyros did in its renovation of a Victorian terrace in the west of the city.

A curved banquette wraps the base of the window, framing a fixed cafe-style round table.

Find out more about Steele's Road House ›

Girona Street Apartment, Spain, by Raúl Sanchez Architects

Barcelona studio Raúl Sanchez Architects employed colour-blocking to create the dining space for this renovated apartment in the city's Dreta de l'Eixample neighbourhood.

A seating bench and the wall behind it are both painted deep blue, in contrast with the white tones elsewhere, which gives the dining space an increased emphasis.

Find out more about Girona Street Apartment ›

Sunday, Australia, by Architecture Architecture

A kitchen island provides the backdrop to the dining table in this house in Melbourne designed by local studio Architecture Architecture.

Upholstered in a muted colour textile, the banquette has a cantilevered seat that slots neatly under a long, slender table, while traditional dining chairs are positioned on the opposite side.

Find out more about Sunday ›

Scalloped Concrete House, USA, by Laney LA

California-based studio Laney LA found another way to position a dining space beside a kitchen island for this home in Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles.

Instead of extending out, the bench seat is built into a recess within the wooden volume.

Find out more about Scalloped Concrete House ›

Kensington Place, UK, by O'Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects

In this extension of a mid-terrace property in London's Kensington, a built-in bench allowed O'Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects to fit a dining table into a narrow space.

Built from plywood, the bench incorporates storage. It is slightly recessed at the base, while a backboard makes it feel more integrated with the wall behind.

Find out more about Kensington Place ›

Nido House, Australia, by Angelucci Architects

The ground floor spaces of this family home in Melbourne wrap around a glazed courtyard, so an L-shaped seat was the best solution for fitting in a dining table.

Designed by Angelucci Architects, the space incorporates a green leather banquette and a dining table featuring a marble surface and a base wrapped in ceramic tiles.

Find out more about Nido House ›

The post Ten dining rooms where built-in seating provides extra space around the table appeared first on Dezeen.

A cannabis dispensary, a hotel gym and an office in a converted 1930s military warehouse feature in this lookbook, proving that chequered floors aren't just for kitchens.

Alternating squares of colour, a style hearkening back to the nostalgia of 1950s American diners and Victorian entryways, can provide a graphic backdrop to any room.

The examples below were realised using a range of materials, from tiles and stone slabs to wood parquet and paint, providing a clever way of bringing colour, pattern and texture into interiors.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring autumnal bedrooms, loft conversions and kitchen islands with sleek waterfall edges.

Cafe Banacado, Sweden, by ASKA

The sun-drenched bars of Cuba and the symmetry of Wes Anderson films informed the design of this all-day breakfast cafe in Stockholm.

This is reflected in its butter-yellow colour palette and the tonal squares painted onto the concrete floor, complemented by vintage touches including a vinyl player and a wall of Polaroid pictures.

Find out more about Cafe Banacado ›

Il Capri Hotel, Italy, by Graziella Buontempo and Arnaud Lacombe

When renovating this hotel in a 19th-century Venetian-style palazzo, husband-and-wife duo Graziella Buontempo and Arnaud Lacombe aimed to balance the building's old-school grandeur with a more pared-back contemporary elegance.

A classic black-and-white checked floor runs through all of the hotel's communal spaces and was paired with a mix of new and antique furniture pieces to create a homely, lived-in feel.

Find out more about Il Capri Hotel ›

Bonne Vie patisserie, USA, by Home Studios

Alternating slabs of red and white marble pave the Bonne Vie patisseries at The Grand America Hotel, which was designed to bring European cafe culture to Salt Lake City.

Matching crushed velvet chairs create a small seating area and are offset against duck-egg blue millwork and art deco-style opal globe lights mounted on brass fixtures.

Find out more about Laurel Brasserie and Bar ›

Rua Rodrigo da Fonseca apartment, Portugal, by Aboim Inglez Arquitectos

Portuguese studio Aboim Inglez Arquitectos stripped back the interior of this 1930s apartment in Lisbon to reveal its original parquet floors during a renovation.

Fulfilling much the same function as area rugs, the carefully restored patterns feature timber in different shades, laid into a subtle chequerboard pattern bordered by strips of light wood.

"We believe it was used to stress the independence of the rooms and circulation areas and at the same time acting as the element that unifies the whole house," architects Maria Ana and Ricardo Aboim Inglez told Dezeen.

Find out more about Rua Rodrigo da Fonseca apartment ›

Clay.Warsaw office, Poland, by Mateusz Baumiller

Tiled chequerboard floors are original to this former 1930s military warehouse in Warsaw, which now houses the joint offices of production companies Menu, Analog/Digital and Photoby.

To soften the building's industrial shell, architect Mateusz Baumiller furnished the office much like a residential interior, bringing in modern Polish art and a mix of contemporary and vintage design pieces from local brands and artisans.

Find out more about the Clay.Warsaw office ›

The Annex, Canada, by Superette

This cannabis dispensary in Toronto was modelled on an Italian delicatessen, complete with a deli counter that contains an array of pre-rolled joints and different strains and strengths of marijuana.

The kitschy nostalgic atmosphere was rounded off with green-and-white chequered flooring, while contrasting splashes of tomato red was used across stools and pendant lights.

Find out more about The Annex ›

Casa Cabanyal, Spain, by Viruta Lab

A mosaic of small navy blue and white tiles brings a subtle nautical feel to this home in Valencia's traditional fishing neighbourhood El Cabanyal.

Featured throughout all the rooms, from the bathroom to the sleeping quarters, they nod to the traditional azulejo tiled facades found across the city, which has been a prolific exporter of ceramics since the 15th century.

Find out more about Casa Cabanyal ›

Hotel Les Deux Gares, France, by Luke Edward Hall

Colours and patterns clash merrily inside this renovated hotel, designed by British designer Luke Edward Hall to have an "anti-modern" feel that hearkens back to the Paris of the past.

Even its gym has been reimagined with wooden equipment, graphic red-and-white flooring and mismatched floral wallpaper designed by Austrian architect Josef Frank.

"I really wanted this space to feel above all joyful and welcoming and alive, classic but a little bonkers at the same time," Hall told Dezeen.

Find out more about Hotel Les Deux Gares ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring autumnal bedrooms, loft conversions and kitchen islands with sleek waterfall edges.

The post Eight interiors where chequerboard flooring adds a sense of nostalgia appeared first on Dezeen.

Showers enclosed in dichroic glass and wrapped in speckled terrazzo are featured in our latest lookbook, which showcases eight unique showers that bring a touch of colour to the bathroom.

Bathtubs often hold the spotlight in a bathroom, but this round-up proves showers can be just as showstopping – and luxurious.

From an all-pink shower in Taiwan to a minty-green shower in an Antwerp apartment, these colourful showers add a bold touch to brighten up the surrounding space.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring pared-back loft conversions, lattice screens and outdoor showers.

Crosby Studios apartment, USA, Crosby Studios

Crosby Studios founder Harry Nuriev and partner Tyler Billinger outfitted their New York City apartment in a palette of purple and grey.

The bold colour scheme was carried into the bathroom, where the shower was clad in grey tile and enclosed with a purple shower screen.

Find out more about the Crosby Studios apartment ›

The Siren Hotel, USA, Quinn Evans Architects

The Siren Hotel in Detroit was originally built in 1926 by architect Robert Finn before being refreshed by design development firm ASH NYC with the help of Quinn Evans Architects in 2018.

The renovation included the addition of pastel hues and an assortment of rich textiles, while the hotel's showers were updated with red-speckled terrazzo and a glass-brick divider.

Find out more about The Siren Hotel ›

Unit 622, Canada, Rainville Sangaré 

Unit 622 by Rainville Sangaré is located inside architect Moshe Safdie's famous brutalist Habitat 67 in Montreal, Canada.

Sangaré updated the apartment to include walk-in showers enclosed in dichroic glass that appears to change colour when viewed from different angles.

Find out more about Unit 622 ›

Cats' Pink House, Taiwan, KC Design Studio

Not only does the Cats Pink House by KC Design Studio include an entire room dedicated to the owner's cats, but it also contains a spacious pink bathroom.

Large pink tiles cover the walls and floor of a walk-in shower, which is also outfitted with a stand-alone tub.

Find out more about Cat's Pink House ›

Spinmolenplein penthouse, Belgium, Jürgen Vandewalle

Located on the top floor of the tallest residential building in Ghent, Belgium, the 60-square-metre Spinmolenplein penthouse updated by Jürgen Vandewalle was designed to maximize space.

A bathroom unit clad in white wood panels opens to reveal a colourful shower stall finished with a micro-cement in a muted red.

Find out more about Spinmolenplein penthouse ›

Ready-made Home, Spain, Azab

Located in an apartment building in Spain built in the 1960s, the Ready-made Home by Azab features a colourful palette of soft pinks, blues and yellows.

A corner bathroom in the main bedroom is partitioned by a light blue curtain, while a deeper shade of blue was carried into the tiles that cover the floor and walls of the bathtub and shower.

Find out more about Ready-made Home ›

Apartment A, Belgium, Atelier Dialect 

While an en-suite shiny steel tub makes quite the statement in this Antwerp apartment updated by Belgian design studio Atelier Dialect, the shower is equally intriguing.

Contrasted by the stark white and black palette of the surrounding bedroom, the shower was wrapped in minty green, with a single shelf cut into the wall for toiletries and a bench installed opposite.

Find out more about Apartment A ›

Louisville Road house, England, 2LG Studio

Located in Tooting, south London, interior design studio 2LG overhauled a period home with blue tilework and coral-orange cabinetry.

The walk-in shower features baby blue floor tiles and matching hardware, as well as sky-blue bordering that surrounds the fluted-glass shower screen.

Find out more about Louisville Road house ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring basement apartments, mid-century homes and textural kitchens.

The post Eight bold showers that add a pop of colour to the bathroom appeared first on Dezeen.

In this lookbook, Dezeen has selected eight bedrooms that feature shades of green, yellow, orange, red and brown to create cosy environments with an autumnal feel.

As the northern hemisphere settles into the autumn season and the days get colder, this roundup showcases examples of how to create serene and restful bedrooms by using colours similar to the changing hues of leaves.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring airy loft conversions, kitchen islands with waterfall countertops and art-filled living rooms.

La Casa de los Olivos, Spain, by Balzar Arquitectos

Spanish studio Balzar Arquitectos designed a copper-toned home in rural Valencia with an interior colour palette informed by the colours of the surrounding landscape.

Taking cues from the leaves of the surrounding olive trees, green cupboard doors feature in the bedrooms and kitchen, while terracotta-toned flooring throughout the home mimics the colour of the reddish soil.

Find out more about La Casa de los Olivos ›

Zero House, UK, by Ben Garrett and Rae Morris

Informed by the mid-century period this London home was built in, recording artists Ben Garrett and Rae Morris renovated Zero House with a warm-toned material palette.

Timber ceilings were stained a dark red hue, while the walls were stained a lighter yellow tone.

A rusty red carpet covers the floor in the main bedroom, complementing the orange velvet upholstery on the dark wood bed frame.

Find out more about Zero House ›

Somers House, Australia, by Kennedy Nolan

Australian studio Kennedy Nolan finished the interior of Somer House in Victoria with shades of dark down and pops of red, mirroring the dark timber cladding and red-hued render used on the exterior.

A range of textures in the tactile flooring, curtains and wood-lined walls create variation in this deep-brown bedroom, which is accented by red bedding.

Find out more about Somers House ›

Canal Saint-Martin apartment, France, by Rodolphe Parente

A palette of warm neutrals was chosen to enhance the classical heritage of this 19th-century Parisian apartment, which French interior designer Rodolphe Parente renovated in a contemporary style.

Caramel-coloured walls and a leafy green throw in the bedroom create a warm and inviting environment, which is juxtaposed by a vivid purple rug and lavender-hued bed sheets.

Find out more about the Canal Saint-Martin apartment ›

Colonia Condesa house, Mexico, by Chloé Mason Gray

Local interiors studio Chloé Mason Gray renovated a mid-20th century house in Mexico City, embracing the lack of natural light in the home by flooding the walls with deep shades of brown and green.

The bedroom has a moody atmosphere, with brown textured plasterwork walls accompanied by a leather headboard and green linen bedding and curtains.

Find out more about the Colonia Condesa house ›

Hygge Studio, Brazil, by Melina Romano

Named after the Danish word describing a sense of cosiness and contentment, Hygge Studio is a São Paulo apartment designed by Brazilian designer Melina Romano.

Creamy brick walls, terracotta flooring and warm-toned accents feature throughout the home, including in the oversized upholstered headboard in the bedroom.

Romano also added nature-inspired elements to the bedroom in keeping with the cosy, bucolic feel of the home, including branches speckled with lichen and insect-shaped wall art.

Find out more about Hygge Studio ›

Hybrid House, India, by Sketch Design Studio

Architecture firm Sketch Design Studio used vernacular building techniques from both north and south India to create the three-bedroom Hybrid House.

The house was made from pink-toned rammed-earth walls, which were partly covered with lime plaster in the interior, and terracotta floors feature a kolam inlay created using rice flour.

Find out more about Hybrid House ›

Casa Tres Árboles, Mexico, by Direccion

Varying shades of brown define the interior of Casa Tres Árboles, a holiday home in Valle de Bravo designed by Mexican studio Direccion to be a "monastic sanctuary".

Darker, cool-toned shades were used for the bedrooms to create a tranquil atmosphere and counterpoint to the warmer tones in the exposed timber ceiling beams.

Find out more about Casa Tres Árboles ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring airy loft conversions, kitchen islands with waterfall countertops and art-filled living rooms.

The post Eight restful bedrooms decorated in the colours of autumn leaves appeared first on Dezeen.

Low-back sofas and armchairs play a key role in our latest lookbook, which explores how low-slung furniture can make living rooms feel more relaxed and less formal.

When lounge furniture sits low to the ground, it can make a big difference to the mood of the room.

Low-back seats are typically more generous in width, so the sitting position doesn't have to be as upright. This means sofas can sometimes feel more like beds.

This type of furniture works well in open-plan interiors, as it can divide up the space without making different areas feel too separate. But it can also be used to soften rooms that are heavily decorative.

Read on for eight examples, including a London loft renovation and a California home.

This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, other recent lookbooks feature colourful bedrooms and kitchens with tiled worktops.

St John Street, UK, by Emil Eve Architects

The aim behind this renovation of a former warehouse space in London's Clerkenwell neighbourhood was to make it feel more comfortable without losing its industrial character.

A low-slung, L-shaped sofa helps to create that mood in the living space. Other furniture elements are also set low, allowing the exposed brickwork walls to be the key focal point.

Find out more about St John Street ›

Casa Vasto, Spain, by Mesura

This converted factory apartment in Barcelona's El Poblenou neighbourhood doubles as a gallery, so it plays host to an ever-changing roster of collectable art and design pieces.

Low-lying furnishings help to enhance the apartment's high, vaulted ceilings, creating an optimal setting for display.

They include a modular sofa system that can be arranged in different ways and an equally low coffee table made out of construction waste.

Find out more about Casa Vasto ›

House by the Sea, UK, by Of Architecture

The open-plan ground floor of this seaside house in Cornwall includes two lounge spaces. One is designed as a snug, with a high-back sofa and a hearth, while the other has a more casual feel.

The sofa in this second space is a modular L-shaped piece, upholstered in beige marl fabric.

Its low back helps the space feel connected with the adjacent kitchen and allows views across to the expansive sliding windows, which offer a view of Newquay's picturesque Pentire Steps beach.

Find out more about House by the Sea ›

Sausalito Outlook, USA, by Feldman Architecture

The living room of this renovated 1970s house on San Francisco Bay features an iconic low-slung seating design that was launched around the same time.

Designed by Michel Ducaroy in 1973 and produced by Ligne Roset, the Togo chairs and sofas look like slouchy, oversized cushions, but their foam filling is surprisingly supportive.

Here, they create two seating areas that can be used for reading, watching television or looking out at the sea view.

Find out more about Sausalito Outlook ›

Twentieth, USA, by Woods + Dangaran

Generous, low furniture pieces are a recurring theme in this three-storey house in Santa Monica, which was designed to be practical for day-to-day life and able to host parties and gatherings.

The most striking example is a set of four club chairs with swivel bases, organised around a polished stone coffee table in one of two ground-floor living rooms.

Find out more about Twentieth ›

NZ10 Apartment, Spain, by Auba Studio

Low-back furniture can work well in rooms that connect indoors with outdoors, where the atmosphere is typically less formal. This apartment in Palma de Mallorca is a prime example.

Located in a converted bakery, the home features full-height sliding doors that connect a rear lounge space with patio terrace. The room is furnished with a casual, low sofa that extends all the way along one side.

Find out more about NZ10 Apartment ›

Apartment Canal Saint-Martin, France, by Rodolphe Parente

The living room of this renovated Haussmann-era apartment in Paris centres around a sculptural vintage sofa, upholstered in mustard-yellow velvet.

The piece has a formal, geometric shape that complements the building's period details, while its low shape offers a contemporary feel that is echoed by other playful artworks and furnishings in the room.

Find out more about Apartment Canal Saint-Martin ›

Sag Harbor 2, USA, by KOS+A

Sunset views were a priority for the owners of this waterfront house in the Hamptons, the popular retreat destination for New Yorkers.

The waterfront facade is largely glazed to maximise views, so it made sense to choose unobtrusive furniture. For the family lounge, this meant a low-slung L-shaped sofa and a curved club chair.

Find out more about Sag Harbor 2 ›

This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, other recent lookbooks feature colourful bedrooms and kitchens with tiled worktops.

The post Eight living rooms where low-slung furniture creates a casual lounge atmosphere appeared first on Dezeen.

A tactile Amsterdam apartment and a birch plywood-lined extension feature in our latest lookbook, which collects eight loft conversions created for maximum space.

Architects and designers often open out the room located directly under the roof of a house to create extra living areas or storage space.

Whether they were renovations of an existing room or conversions of unused attic space, the following loft conversions are united by their thoughtful use of space.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring basement apartments, mid-century homes and textural kitchens.

Amsterdam apartment, the Netherlands, by Firm Architects

Local studio Firm Architects renovated this loft apartment in the De Pijp district of Amsterdam, creating a striking horizontal line formed of zinc, mirror and brick elements.

The line, which runs around the walls of the loft, was designed to make the apartment look as if it has been "visibly cut through".

"Everything above the cross-section is a new interpretation, and everything below a reflection of the old," said the studio.

Find out more about this Amsterdam loft ›