The founders of Spanish studio Masquespacio have transformed a traditional Valencian farmhouse into their self-designed home and studio, with maximalist interiors that nod to the Memphis movement.

Creative and life partners Ana Milena Hernández Palacios and Christophe Penasse renovated the 1920s villa, which was once a farmhouse on the outskirts of Valencia, to create a hybrid home and studio that reflects their maximalist approach to interiors.

"Everything revolves around the concept of play," explained Hernández Palacios, who co-founded Masquespacio with Penasse in 2010.

"We've been influenced by many styles over the last decade, from New Memphis to art deco and futurism," Penasse added. "We can say that our private home is a mix of it all."

The duo maintained the building's original timber front door and white facade decorated with light-blue window frames and ornate grilles.

Inside, the ground floor was reserved for their studio, spread across several interconnected meeting rooms in the former farmstead, known locally as an alquería.

Here, Masquespacio restored the building's decoratively patterned hydraulic floor tiles alongside its traditional doors and windows.

Painted in bright hues, they help to colour-code the different office spaces, filled with the studio's characteristic chunky, lumpy and latticed furniture.

"As always, the project includes a mix of colours, textures and forms – one of the main aspects of all our designs, no matter what aesthetic we're working with," Penasse told Dezeen.

At the centre of the home is a double-height interior courtyard illuminated by skylights, with exposed-brick walls painted in lilac surrounded by wiggly flowerbeds with lush statement cheese plants.

From the courtyard, visitors can see up to an interior balcony on the first floor, which is accessed via a purple concrete staircase and contains the living spaces.

The balcony reveals two sculptural objects – a giant green dome that conceals the couple's bed and a curved hot-pink screen that hides a seating booth.

This immersive furniture – Penasse's favourite part of the project – creates a focal point that connects both levels of the house but also provides more private quarters for the couple despite the open nature of the overall plan.

"There are no wall partitions to hide our home [from downstairs] but it's kept private by the bed's form and a semi-transparent green curtain that allows us to take advantage of the natural light almost everywhere on the upper floor," explained Penasse.

The sleeping area is connected to the main living space via a tunnel-like corridor, which includes an all-yellow bathroom with triangular cabinets and walls clad with a mosaic of handmade ceramic tiles.

Opposite the bathroom is a colourful open-air terrace featuring circular windows and similar built-in seating to Bun Turin – an Italian burger joint designed by Masquespacio with boxy blue-tiled tables created to look like swimming pools.

"Geometry can be found all over our house," explained Hernández Palacios. "Everything is a game of circles and triangles."

The light blue kitchen includes large, triangular alcoves and cupboards finished in natural stone and aluminium, designed to conceal utilities.

There is also an island made from veiny marble and petite glazed tiles. Bespoke Masquespacio bar stools were wrapped in matching pale blue fabric.

Next to the open-plan kitchen, the living and dining spaces include more brightly coloured furniture from the studio's Mas Creations collection, which features the same twisted and angular shapes and soft upholstery as the pieces downstairs.

Floor-to-ceiling curtains form a backdrop for a snaking lime green sofa, while dark green dining chairs with pyramidal backrests were positioned around a jewel-like glass table.

"Ninety-five per cent of the furniture and objects in our house are part of our Mas Creations collection, locally designed and produced by our studio," said Penasse.

Similarly bold projects from Masquespacio include a restaurant in Milan, Italy, with interiors that take cues from futuristic spaceships and the first Mango Teen store in Barcelona featuring vivid graphic shapes.

The photography is courtesy of Masquespacio. 

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Pupils from The Piggott School in Reading, England, have won the Design Museum's Design Ventura competition with a card game that encourages children to learn about colours in their surroundings.

The Colour Countdown game came out on top in the competition, which invites secondary school students aged 13 to 16 to develop a product that can be sold in the Design Museum's gift shop.

This year's brief, set by south London textile designer Kangan Arora, called for responses to the theme of colour and community, challenging students to consider "the importance of community practices, supporting and learning from one another".

The game devised by The Piggott School pupils is based on classic card games I Spy and Uno. It aims to encourage children to put down their devices and engage with the world around them to promote positive mental health.

The playing cards feature coloured cellophane windows that can be overlapped to create a blend of colours, which players then have to search out in their environment.

"You can play anywhere at all," explained the students in their pitch to a judging panel that included Arora and Dezeen's editorial director Max Fraser. "You draw cards of different colours – red, blue, orange, green etc. – and you have to look around and find objects in that colour."

The cellophane is made from wood pulp and the cards use FSC-certified paper to lower the product's environmental footprint.

Also included in this year's judging panel were the Design Museum's senior buying manager Preena Patel and Christoph Woermann, chief marketing officer for Deutsche Bank's Corporate Bank division.

"The winning design was chosen as it responded clearly to the brief in a way which was creative, fun and appealing to a range of audiences," said the judges. "We didn't want to put the product down and we knew that customers in the Design Museum would feel the same."

Launched in 2010 by the Design Museum in partnership with Deutsche Bank, the Design Ventura contest aims to reinforce the importance of early design education and fill gaps in the current design and technology curriculum.

The contest offers pupils at UK state secondary schools the chance to respond to a real-world brief, supporting the development of skills and experiences that help them understand how to bring ideas to life.

This year's winning project by The Piggott School will now be developed with a professional agency before being manufactured and sold in the Design Museum shop, with money raised from the sales going to a charity of the pupil's choosing.

Previous winners include a portable knife designed to prevent "avocado hand" – an increasingly common injury where people cut themselves while trying to de-stone an avocado.

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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. 

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Google has returned to Milan design week with a kaleidoscopic installation by research studio Chromasonic, designed to simulate the experience of having synesthesia.

Stretching across 600 square metres inside a redeveloped industrial building near Porta Venezia, Making Sense of Color takes visitors on a "sensorial journey" through a maze of semi-transparent screens.

Changing patterns of coloured light are projected onto these screens, accompanied by sound in frequencies equivalent to the real wavelengths of the various shades.

Red light has the longest wavelengths and therefore generates the lowest sound while yellow, green and blue have progressively shorter wavelengths that result in higher-pitched sounds.

This effectively allows visitors to experience the colours through two different senses simultaneously, leading Chromasonic co-founder Johannes Girardoni to describe the experience as an "artificial state" of synesthesia – a perceptual phenomenon where people experience one sense through another, for example hearing colours.

"We make light audible and sound visible so it's this cross-pollination, this merging of the senses," he told Dezeen.

By augmenting people's natural sensory perception without relying on a device like AR goggles, Girardoni says the installation can help visitors feel more present and grounded in their bodies.

It approximates the experience of mindfulness meditation, which involves honing an awareness of feelings and bodily sensations in the here and now, rather than ruminating about the past or the future.

"It's a way to connect to your senses, but also just to connect to yourself and feel very present, which can be hard to find sometimes in a very busy and distracted world," said Chromasonic co-founder Harriet Girardoni. "It's a bit like a meditation practice, although it's sort of effortless."

The installation's three-metre-high fabric screens were arranged to form 21 volumes, each illuminated by a single LED square from above.

A matrix of 24 speakers were positioned to provide localised sound that changes based on the colour that is being projected in a given area at a given time.

"We algorithmically link light and sound so we can move them together through that space as a linked object," Johannes Girardoni said.

"So when you see colour moving, you also are hearing or feeling that colour in your body and in your ears," his partner added. "Because the sound is really a physical expression of the light."

To achieve this, the studio developed a "refrequencing" software that can take any waveform – whether light, sound or even the frequencies of our bodies – and translate it into another.

This technology also forms the basis of Chromasonic's permanent Satellite One installation in Venice, California. The studio is currently working on a study with a scientist from the University of Southern California (USC) to gain more concrete data about how the experience impacts visitors.

"We've had thousands of people through our site," Harriet Girardoni said. "And we know from the research that we've done that there are quote unquote benefits to this, everything from reducing stress and anxiety to just becoming more joyful."

"Participants feel a momentary sense of awe much like what happens out in nature when you're standing in front of a mountain range or on the ocean," Johannes Girardoni added. "It's these moments of awe that connect us to our own senses and our own sense of presence."

"You can get this through meditation, you can get this in nature but for a lot of people, these things are not so accessible."

The Making Sense of Color installation was co-created by Google's vice president of hardware design Ivy Ross and culminates in a series of rooms exploring how her design team uses colour to shape users' perceptions and experiences.

"Each color gives off a different vibration and has a biological and psychological effect on people," Ross said.

"We are conscious of always having a range of colours that feel right for the moment in time. For example this year we have a particular tone of blue in our products that is very calming."

Google is a regular figure on the Milan design week circuit, with previous contributions including giant water-covered speakers and a string of interiors designed using the principles of neuroaesthetics.

Making Sense of Color is on display at Garage 21 as part of Milan design week 2024. See our Milan design week 2024 guide on Dezeen Events Guide for information about the many other exhibitions, installations and talks taking place throughout the week.

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Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama collaborated with hundreds of craftspeople to create Purple Hibiscus, a handsewn installation of bespoke pink cloth covering the brutalist lakeside terrace of London's Barbican Centre.

Purple Hibiscus is Mahama's first bright-coloured installation, finished in pink to contrast with London's "grey weather".

"Why not pink?" he told Dezeen at the Barbican. "The building itself is grey and the Barbican is quite grey. And I have never made a work with this kind of colour before, so I thought why not use something quite strong."

"I've never had the courage to use colours like this in public on a large-scale work, but I've been collecting these materials for quite a long time," he added.

Purple Hibiscus, which opens today, is named after Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's 2003 debut novel of the same name, set in postcolonial Nigeria.

The site-specific installation consists of around 2,000 square metres of bespoke woven cloth, which was hand-stitched together by hundreds of local craftspeople – including students – across the pitch of the Alui Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale, Ghana.

Mahama and his team then transported the textiles to London, where they currently wrap the facade of the Barbican Centre's lakeside terrace.

"The basic idea was to see what happens when this soft material envelopes the Barbican," said the artist.

Embroidered into the cloth are around 130 colourful batakaris – traditional Northern Ghanaian robes worn by people ranging from royals to ordinary communities, passed down by families over generations.

The striking batakaris were sewn across the textiles like decorative polka dots, embellishing the work with "traditional materials that have histories," explained Mahama.

The artist acquired the robes over time from various people across Northern Ghana, through exchanges or bartering.

"Collecting the individual smocks from communities can be quite challenging, but also opens up a portal of new formal aesthetics," said Mahama.

Mahama's work is often compared to the late artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude, known for their site-specific installations sheathed in industrially produced fabrics.

While the duo has been a significant influence on Mahama for "the quality and the courage that they brought to art forms," the artist's key focus is the historical memories embedded in textiles, he explained.

"I'm more interested in the material history – I'm not interested in industrial machines. Everything is done by hand," said Mahama.

The Purple Hibiscus installation forms part of the Barbican Art Gallery's current exhibition Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art.

Last month, a group of artists and collectors pulled their work from the show following the Barbican's decision not to host a lecture series that would have included a talk about the Israel-Hamas conflict by the Indian novelist Pankaj Mishra, criticising the Barbican for "censorship".

Explaining the decision to go ahead with Purple Hibiscus, Mahama said, "I wasn't making the work for myself. It was being produced for the building."

"A lot of labour went into it," he continued, referencing the many weavers and makers in Ghana and the UK who collaborated on the project. "The work was made by a lot of hands."

"I'm coming from a place where we have nothing, and I have always relied on the residual capital of my work to be able to exercise justice in the spaces that I come from," he continued.

Rather than excluding himself from the conversation, Mahama said his interest lies in the contradictions found within art.

"For me, it's not that simple. I'm very interested in the continuation of art and the contradictions that are embedded within it and what it produces," he said.

"I've never really thought to exclude myself from something in order to make a statement. I've always thought to bury myself within it, and then through the contradictions, we can make further statements," the artist added.

"But certainly, I think that freedom of all kinds should be guaranteed everywhere across the world, whether you're from Ghana in a rural area where you don't have access to clean drinking water, or you're in a war-torn zone, where acts of genocide are committed."

Mahama was one of 16 artists who contributed an installation to the Force Majeure exhibition at last year's Venice Architecture Biennale. He was also a part of the Waste Age show at London's Design Museum, which explored how design has contributed to the rise of throwaway culture.

The photography is courtesy of the Barbican.

Purple Hibiscus will be installed at the Barbican from 10 April to 18 August 2024. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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Glossy walls, ruched curtains and oversized flower-shaped cushions characterise this eclectic 1970s-style Paris apartment, designed and owned by Uchronia founder Julien Sebban.

Called Univers Uchronia, the apartment is in the city's 18th arrondissement, close to the Uchronia office – a Parisian architecture and interiors studio known for its bold application of shape, colour and reflective surfaces.

Sebban designed the dwelling as his home, which he shares with his husband and Maison Royère artistic director Jonathan Wray.

The Uchronia founder created the apartment as an extension of his studio – "it's truly a manifesto of our universe," he told Dezeen.

Sebban worked with local studio Atelier Roma to create all the walls and ceilings, which are either lacquered and glossy or made of matte pigmented concrete, respectively reflecting or absorbing light throughout the day.

Finished in hues ranging from cloud-like pale blue to lemony yellow, the walls and ceilings complement the poured-in-place resin floor that spans the apartment and features a bold motif that "waves and moves in relation to the architecture".

The home is anchored by a predominantly pink living space, which includes Uchronia-designed pieces such as low-slung interlocking coffee tables made from walnut burl and orange resin.

Translucent and gathered pink curtains were paired with a geometric vintage bookshelf and a blocky but soft sofa finished in purple and orange.

"The apartment is very colourful with '60s and '70s inspirations and a mix of our contemporary pieces and vintage objects," said Sebban.

In the open-plan kitchen and dining room, a veiny Van Gogh onyx table was positioned next to a metallic kitchen island, illuminated by a blobby seaweed-shaped table lamp.

A portion of the otherwise orange wall was clad with tiny, mirrored tiles. Reflected in the gleaming ceiling, the tiles have the same effect as a shimmering disco ball.

Opposite the dining area is Sebban and Wray's home office, characterised by a bright orange, built-in day bed topped with silk flower-like cushions and a wave-shaped backrest.

Above the bed, ornamental jellyfish were suspended like planets against a constellation of gold stars, which decorate the ombre orange and yellow wall that nods to the colour-drenched interior of the city's Cafe Nuances – also designed by Uchronia.

The dwelling's bathrooms follow a similar design. Accents include dusty pink alcoves and ceramic tiles depicting underwater scenes, as well as a lily pad-shaped rug and a mirror resembling a cluster of clouds.

"The apartment defines the codes we have tried to develop at Uchronia over the last four years," concluded Sebban.

"It's a play on colours, textures and materials, and a love letter to French craft."

Uchronia was named emerging interior designer of the year at the Dezeen Awards 2023. The studio previously renovated a Haussmann-era apartment for a pair of jewellery designers with multifaceted furniture pieces created to mirror the appearance of precious stones.

Various architects have designed their own homes, such as John Pawson, who created this minimalist second home in the Cotswolds in the UK.

The photography is by Félix Dol Maillot. 

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Italian architecture office FDA has updated several guest rooms and suites at the family-friendly Hotel Haway on Italy's Adriatic coast, introducing bespoke furniture in colours that evoke the sea and mountains.

Fiorini D'Amico Architetti (FDA) was tasked with modernising the interiors of the 50-room hotel in Martinsicuro, a popular seaside resort in the Abruzzo region.

The first phase of the project involved refreshing rooms on the fifth floor of the 1980s building to make them more appealing for all sorts of families.

"The main goal we wanted to achieve with the design of the new rooms was to create a unique space where guests can discover a new way of feeling at home," said Alessio Fiorini, who founded FDA together with fellow architect Roberto D'Amico.

"The spaces emphasise the importance of being together, the joy of sharing happy moments and the refreshment that comes from a sense of community," he added.

The architects sought to inject a sense of creativity and surprise into the rooms by incorporating colourful bespoke elements such as bed frames, bunk beds and built-in furniture.

Hotel Haway has views of the sea as well as the nearby Apennines mountains, which led FDA to reference both of these features in its welcoming colour palette.

Colour blocking was used to create visual separation between different zones within the rooms, where walls, floors, ceilings and furniture are finished in shades of blue or green.

One of the custom-made elements in the sea-facing rooms is a double bed with a pull-out cot hidden underneath. A headboard that emerges from one side functions as a backrest so families can lounge together on the bed.

Some of the rooms feature bunk beds with curtains for privacy and guard rails incorporating playful tensioned bungee ropes in matching colours.

Other bespoke details include vertical lozenge-shaped mirrors fabricated by Polvanesi – an industrial carpentry workshop and regular FDA collaborator.

The lighting was designed to create different atmospheres throughout the day, with bright ambient lights for daytime play and more targeted task lighting for evening relaxation.

The en suite bathrooms are decorated with ceramic tiles featuring playful geometric patterns. High-quality fixtures and finishes including speckled Staron countertops bring these spaces up to modern standards.

According to FDA, the rest of the hotel is set to be refurbished in a similar style over the next four years. The project will include the ground floor areas including the lobby and breakfast room, as well as all outdoor spaces and two top-floor suites with private terraces.

Other Italian hotels that have recently been featured on Dezeen include a converted 12th-century monastery and a cliffside hotel that incorporates medieval stone defences.

The photography is by Carlo Oriente.

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Promotion: Spanish bathroom brand Roca and designer Inma Bermúdez have given taps a colourful makeover with their award-winning Nu collection influenced by Mediterranean architecture.

Vibrant green, blue and yellow are among the collection's six glossy colourways, chosen for their ability to stand out in a traditionally white bathroom, according to Roca.

"Our initial inspiration came from whitewashed Mediterranean houses with their blue, green, and red doors," Bermúdez explained.

Other references that influenced the design of the collection include the multicoloured mosaic floor tiles commonly found in Barcelona's Modernist apartments.

According to Bermúdez, the Nu collection was influenced by the "explosion of colour in interior design", which she says has taken hold since the pandemic.

Small red and blue dots to indicate hot and cold water are hidden below the faucet's handles and revealed only when the tap is opened, forming a smiley face together with the rim of the faucet's body.

"We tried to make the products come to life because we believe that objects have an essence," said Bermúdez.

"We wanted to make things easy and beautiful, and if we can evoke a smile in the process, then all the better."

Nu, which was crowned bathroom and kitchen product of the year at the 2023 Dezeen Awards as well as winning several other industry accolades, is available with three different handle options.

While the Dome handle has a playful bulbous shape, Pin is a thin elongated handle and Stripes has a cylindrical body with a ridged exterior reminiscent of the knobs on old stereos.

Combined with the range's extensive colour palette, which also includes more traditional chrome, black and white options, Roca says the collection is surprisingly adaptable to different spaces.

"Flashy without being garish, Nu's elegant colours add something quite iconic to Roca's faucet catalogue," the brand said.

"By the same token, Nu is a versatile collection, providing architects and interior designers with a choice to complement their personal style."

Designed to minimise water consumption, Roca has integrated an aerator into the top of the faucet that reduces the flow of water without reducing water pressure.

Similarly, the taps were designed to open on cold water as a default to help reduce emissions from heating water unnecessarily, says Roca.

According to Roca, taps from the Nu collection are made in Europe in a bid to cut down on the environmental impact of long-haul transport and packaged and shipped without single-use plastics.

For more information on the Nu collection, visit the Roca website.

The images are courtesy of Klunderbie.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for Roca as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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On the heels of a two-year research process, Dutch studio Raw Color has released an IKEA collection in which no item features less than two colours to explore how our perception of a hue can change based on its context.

Under the name Tesammans, which means together in a Swedish dialect, the range incorporates 15 different colours across 18 pieces of furniture, homeware and lighting.

This makes it the most colourful collection that IKEA creative leader Maria O'Brian has seen in nearly a decade of working at the Swedish furniture giant.

"It's really lovely, the way that Tesammans has combined colours in the same object," O'Brian told Dezeen. "I don't think there's anything that's uni-coloured in the collection and that's often how we've used colours historically."

By focusing primarily on smaller furniture pieces and homeware, Raw Color hopes to offer shoppers an easy and accessible way to "embrace colour instead of keeping everything black, white and grey".

"Somehow, people are quite afraid of colour," said Daniera ter Haar, who founded the studio together with Christoph Brach. "Not everyone, of course, but we're talking about the mainstream."

"I think people are not really taught anymore how they can use or bring colour into their home."

Raw Color's research-heavy approach involved a lengthy process of selecting 15 distinct shades for the collection. The studio then paired them in different ways for different products to create "surprising colour combinations".

The result is a collection of "not the most typical home objects", including a sculptural mobile and a gridded trolley that casts varying shadows depending on the position of the sun. It also features rugs and throws designed to create optical illusions.

Reminiscent of the studio's Temperature Textiles, these appear from afar to feature blocks of colour but in reality, they're composed of alternating lines of two different tones.

The two lamps in the collection have tiered metal shades finished in three different shades of the same colour, with the lightest at the base where the light is strongest.

Ceramic pots and vases are decorated with large strips of colour and can be rotated to foreground different shades depending on how they complement or contrast with a given plant.

Several of the objects consist of multiple parts that can be combined to different effects, among them a glass carafe with two different coloured cups that double as lids and gridded metal trays that produce different patterns when layered together.

This same layering technique was also used to form an abstract wall clock, composed of three concentric circles that spin independently to show the time and create shifting patterns throughout the day.

"People think oh, it's just a clock," ter Haar said. "But a clock is very difficult to make."

"I'm super happy that it's in the collection because we've already made some clocks during our career and most of them, in the end, we never managed to get as a working type that really got sold."

Raw Color was born in 2008, shortly after ter Haar and Brach graduated from the Design Academy Eindhoven.

Their work explores the nuances of how colour works and how it can be used to convey information, which the duo explored in a dedicated exhibition at Aram Gallery for the 2016 London Design Festival.

Despite the studio's affinity for colour, the Tesammans collection with its many different products proved a challenge due to the need to colour-match across various materials.

This was down to the fact that the same Pantone swatch will look very different as a yarn, a ceramic glaze or a metal powder coating, ter Haar explains.

"Colour makes everything more difficult," she said. "It can be this love-hate relationship at that moment. Like oh my god, why don't we do everything in black and white?"

"It's what we are and it's what we love to do but of course, sometimes it can give you a hard time."

The Tesammans collection is being launched as part of the IKEA+ exhibition at Paris Fashion Week today, alongside a photo series captured by the company's first-ever artist-in-residence Annie Leibovitz.

IKEA+ will take place on 28 Rue de Lappe, Paris, from 29 February to 3 March. For more worldwide events, exhibitions and talks in architecture and design, visit Dezeen Events Guide. 

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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.

Promotion: NCS Colour has released its latest colour report documenting its predicted colour trends in 2025 that highlight "a need to connect with nature".

The trends report spotlighted the need for colour variation and hues that "transcend traditional boundaries". According to NSC Colour, this includes a mixture of bold contrasting colours and ethereal pastel-coloured hues that have "an airier and lighter quality".

The brand outlined four collections called Gaia, On and Off, Inner, and Ethereal, each consisting of six trending colours.

The brand described Gaia as "a tribute to nature and water", which includes green and blue tones intending to add a calming presence to interior spaces.

Ethereal was designed to represent "light and fluid colours that bridge the physical and digital worlds", while On and Off features bold and contrasting shades that NCS Colour said were needed due to a desire to "stay connected in a divided world".

The fourth palette is Inner, which includes warm and earthy tones designed to represent "subtle yet enduring strength".

The brand said that these colour palettes represent the colours that will be trending in 2025. It believes that hues that evoke "warmth, comfort and joy" will be vital and predicts a departure from an era focused on neutral colours.

"For 2025, like the world, our colour preferences will differ quite dramatically, it is a year of big contrasts," said creative director at NCS Colour, Karl Johan Berclsson.

NCS Colour is an international provider of colour communication solutions. Its trends forecast was researched and developed by NCS colour experts and a team of colour trend forecasters and aims to give design professionals guidance on which colours to choose for their projects.

"Predicting colour trends in an ever-complicated world is challenging," said Elin Askfelt, CEO of NCS Colour. "We are proud to present the 2025+ trend forecast to inspire customers and offer insights into trend movements, enabling well-informed colour decisions and the creation of captivating colour harmonies across various industries."

To learn more about the report, visit NCS Colour's website.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for NCS Colour as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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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.

Two British materials companies, Sages and Osmose, have collaborated to dye sheets of mycelium with natural food waste, mimicking the appearance of tanned leather and suggesting a colourful future for the biomaterial.

Osmose is a company making a leather alternative from mycelium – the fibrous underground root network of mushrooms – while Sages makes natural dyes from food waste such as avocado pits, blueberries, red cabbages and onion skins, which are normally applied to textiles.

The two believe they've achieved a world first with their collaboration, combining two emerging areas of sustainable material development to colour mycelium without resorting to petroleum-based synthetic dyes, thereby keeping the product non-toxic and able to biodegrade safely in soil.

"There are lots of different types of vegan leather alternatives to traditional leather but the majority of them use either synthetic colourations or they use plasticisers, so they're non-biodegradable," said Sages CEO Emily Taylor.

"We wanted to explore an option where we could have a fully biodegradable leather that has also been coloured in a biodegradable and sustainable manner," she continued.

Companies that prioritise biodegradability have offered mycelium in its natural shades of white and brown or black, which Osmose CEO Aurelie Fontan says is much easier to achieve naturally.

"I think the challenge for mycelium leather was that the offering just wasn't there in terms of aesthetic," she said. "When you're presenting for brands and you're like 'we can only do brown', it's a little bit boring for them."

"The colour sector is somewhere where you can develop your USP, essentially, which is why working with Sages is so interesting," Fontan added.

Osmose and Sages have created tan-coloured mycelium sheets using avocado waste, which Sages sources from an importer and guacamole factory in Milton Keynes, where tens of tonnes of leftover pits and skins are produced each week.

It was a new area for both companies, as the food waste dye takes differently to mycelium leather than it does to the usually cellulose-based textiles that Sages has worked with.

The duo collaborated with materials science researchers at the UK's Cranfield University on the project, for which the researchers focused on how to transfer and fix the dye to the material using "green chemistry" – an area of chemistry that aims to cut out hazardous substances.

In this case, the researchers sought to replace the formic acid and fluorinated acids that are often used in tanning to dissolve the polymers of the leather so it can be infused with dye. Instead, the team developed a method, which they say is significantly less toxic.

After working with Cranfield University, Sages and Osmose expanded the experiment and trialled other waste streams such as blueberries and onion skins to see what colours they could get, producing mycelium swatches in shades of violet and bordeaux.

Taylor and Fontan say they are trying to develop a process for mycelium that is akin to leather tanning, where both colour and durability properties are added in one or two steps. Their equivalent, they say, would be to dye and waterproof the material at the same time.

Osmose's focus now is on developing a waterproof coating for their mycelium that, like the dye, is bio-based, non-toxic and able to biodegrade safely in soil. This is notoriously a challenge for plant-based leather alternatives, which almost always rely on a protective synthetic coating.

"It's really hard to design a solution that fits all materials, which is basically what everyone is struggling with," said Fontan. "Someone might have pineapple leather and they have their own coating but it doesn't mean it's going to work on mushroom and so on."

Unlike some companies, however, Osmose says it does not want to bring a product with a non-biodegradable coating to market.

"If you're doing a composite, it will not biodegrade at the end of life, which is compromising all the good work that you've been doing before that step," Fontan said.

Mycelium is one of the most popular emerging leather alternatives. It has already appeared in luxury goods such as a bag by Hermes, clothing by Stella McCartney and trainers by Adidas.

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Bright hues define the different interventions that New York architecture studio Ideas of Order has made in this apartment at the northern tip of Manhattan.

The 1,000-square-foot primary residence in Hudson Heights was partially renovated for a couple, who had been living in the space for several years before deciding to invest in making it better suited to their needs, rather than buying another apartment.

"Their sons had been sharing a room, but were beginning to need their own spaces," Ideas of Order told Dezeen.

"They also wanted a space that could be designed for flexibility for when their children left for college."

The kitchen also needed updating, to make it more suitable for entertaining, and more efficient storage space was required in the entryway.

So the architects reworked one side of the open living area, adding a bedroom on one side of the kitchen and refreshing the other areas.

The husband is French, and the couple spent several years living together in France.

During this period, they both became enamoured by the midcentury architecture and design in the country and wanted to apply this style to their own home.

"Inspired by their stories and the history of how colour was used by French midcentury designers like Charlotte Perriand, we suggested a series of polychrome millwork pieces inspired by Perriand's design language, but updated for a contemporary home," said Ideas of Order.

The different areas of the home were therefore given their own identities by applying bright hues.

Lime green is used in the bedroom across a full wall of built-ins that incorporate a single bed, a workstation and plenty of storage.

Sliding doors with fritted glass panels pull across to enclose the slightly raised room, while a porthole window with double shutters looks through the new wall that separates the kitchen.

This adjacent space is denoted by raspberry and periwinkle millwork, which surrounds a small preparation area with an aluminium backsplash and matching panels above.

The same metal also fronts the bar counter between an arched opening to the living area, which is topped with concrete.

Rubber flooring in the kitchen offers a practical alternative to the wood used through the rest of the apartment.

Finally, in the entryway – which is again raised slightly higher than the living area – an L-shaped cabinet system was constructed in a corner beside the door.

Pale pink is applied to the frames, while the doors and drawer fronts are finished in light grey and walnut is used for the trim. Choosing the right hues was a challenge that took many iterations to find the right balance, according to the architects.

"It was important that each pair of colours in the millwork work together, but that the colours also harmonise when viewed as a whole," they said. "We wanted the colours to be bright, but not overpowering. And we wanted the colour pairings to feel timeless and not too trendy."

Another challenge was the budget, which was modest by New York City standards and required some conscientious spending – particularly on small details that would make a big impact.

"We love the custom pulls for the millwork, the shutters for the circular window, and the rounded end to the partition between bedroom and kitchen, which reflects the rounded openings throughout the apartment," the architects said.

Ideas of Order was founded by Jacob Esocoff and Henry Ng, who are both Fosters + Partners and WORKac alumni.

Their renovation is one of the most colourful interiors we've featured in New York City of late, compared to a neutral show apartment inside the One Wall Street skyscraper and a loft in Dumbo with a subdued palette.

The photography is by Sean Davidson.

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Architecture studios Oficina de Diseño Colaborativo and Atelier TBD have created a cultural space that preserves the "self-built essence" of San Miguel de Allende.

Created in collaboration with interior studio Maye Colab, Santa Tere Espacio is a cultural space and office that will primarily serve to foster reading in the surrounding neighbourhoods.

"Santa Tere Espacio emerged from the idea of creating architecture through renovation, reuse, repair, and repurposing," said the team. 

"Based on the self-built essence of the neighbourhood, Office of Collaborative Design, TBD Atelier, and Maye Colab joined forces with a shared vision to propose a project that engages with the site's legacy."

According to the team, self-construction is a "common building practice in Latin America", a technique they sought to preserve by repurposing both the existing architecture and materials from the site, which was a former six-room, single-story dwelling.

For Santa Tere Espacio, the team distributed several meeting rooms, a kitchenette, a bathroom and a central courtyard along the structure's lateral plan with a second, detached bathroom tucked into a corner of the site. 

A long alleyway, marked with a curving concrete path, runs along the length of the exterior and provides access to each space.

"The intervention primarily involved demolitions to bring in light and allow ventilation of the spaces, and the incorporation of new elements such as doors, windows, and tile finishes that contrast with the pre-existing structure," said the team.

"Openings were created in the form of doors, windows, and domes, and some walls were demolished to make way for the central courtyard."

Colab worked with a palette of red, yellow and pink on the interior, based on hues found during construction.

"The idea of capturing the site's essence is also reflected in the project's colour palette, designed based on the colours found in the construction, with a contrasting colour being the blue of the ironwork."

Bright blue windows and doors were distributed across the space and finished with geometric handles.

Interior furnishings were finished primarily in red, with the kitchenette covered in bright red tile and desks throughout the space trimmed in the same shade.

In a desk at the front of the building, the stalk of a plant grows through an opening carved in its surface, while a silver of a triangular skylight sits above.

The project's landscape design incorporates both native plants and others commonly found around the neighbourhood's rooftops, patios and facades.

A spindly palo verde plant was planted in the courtyard to provide shade, a species considered sacred to the Aztecs and associated with the feathered serpent god, according to the team. 

Santa Tere Espacio will act as a co-working and cultural space and will host OCD, Maye Colab and the bookstore Una Boutique de Libros.

Programming will focus on "reading, feminism, design and diversity". 

Founded by Nadyeli Quiroz Radaelli, OCD and Maye Colab are design studios based in Mexico, while Atelier TBD, founded by Victor Wu, is an architecture office based between Brooklyn, Taipei and San Miguel.

Elsewhere in San Miguel de Allende, design studio Mestiz opened a studio to showcase its collaborations with local craftspeople.

The photography is by Leandro Bulzzano.

Project credits:

Architecture: Oficina de Diseño Colaborativo OCD, Atelier TBD
Interior design: Oficina de Diseño Colaborativo OCD, Atelier TBD, Maye Colab
Furniture and colorimetry: Maye Colab
Landscape architecture: Oficina de Diseño Colaborativo OCD, Atelier TBD
Principals: Maye Ruiz, Nadyeli Quiroz, Victor Wu
Design team: Alejandra Skinfield, Paola Bravo, Sara Lopez Farias
Structural consultant: Formula+, Yoyo Wu
Sources:
Steelwork: Crónica Estudio

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Interior design in 2024 will have a focus on individualism and see a backlash to the rise in AI design while colours will be informed by global warming, interior designers across the globe told Dezeen.

While the trend for locally sourced materials and sustainable biomaterials looks set to become more pronounced, designers also believe that interiors will move away from the earthy hues and soft shapes seen during the pandemic years.

However, the maximalist trend predicted by many to take off in 2023 appears to have given way to a more individualist take on interiors, with a focus on simplicity recalling the designs of US fashion pioneer Halston.

"I'm seeing a growing interest in post-industrial aesthetic and quiet refinement," said Becky Carter, founder of the eponymous US studio.

"Maximalism now seems out of touch," she added. "Even the womb-like softness of the 1970s inspiration we've seen so much of is starting to feel heavy and overdone."

"There's a refreshing air to Halston-esque modernity: simple, unfussy materials, elegantly arranged, detailed, but without excess."

"We foresee a shift in direction"

Yohei Terui and Hiromu Yuyama from Japanese studio I IN also believe we will see a move away from earthy hues in interiors.

"Over the past couple of years, the theme has revolved around earthy colour and simplicity through the use of natural materials," the duo told Dezeen.

"However, we foresee a shift in direction, trending towards a more 'decorative' approach, in contrast to the previous style," they added.

"We believe that this shift is driven by the prevailing desire of self-expression and individuality in today's culture."

New Delhi-based interior designer Iram Sultan echoed the preference for more individual designs, saying we will see: "Emotional design, personalized spaces, a fresh approach towards materials, finishes and textures, and interiors that are easy, warm, comfortable and sustainable."

Interiors to focus on "real places" rather than AI-generated designs

The rise in artificial intelligence (AI) in 2022 and 2023 was also on people's minds, with several designers mentioning a backlash against digital designs.

"Memorable and customised spaces that are not Pinterest- and AI-generated will be preferable, as the race against interior design and AI technology grows," said UK-based designer Tola Ojuolape.

In 2024, interior design will be more about creating tangible spaces, according to London-based Oskar Kohnen Studio.

"We want to see less digital dream houses of pandemic years, and go back to real places," studio founder Oskar Kohnen said. "Forward-thinking conceptual interiors that create long-term value rather than effects."

Julien Sebban of French studio Uchronia agreed, saying: "The biggest trend will be very textured materials, cosy and comforting such as shearling or thick wool. As people need an antidote to digital they need to feel the physical world."

2024 may see "resurgence of the arts and crafts style"

When it comes to material trends for 2024, designers are choosing to work with natural and local materials.

"For me, natural materials with a strong connection to their placement have a profound bond with today's design," said Pedro Ramírez de Aguilar, co-founder of Mexican studio RA!

"I believe materials such as wood and natural plasters play a crucial role in creating a sense of grounding."

Danish studio Spacon & X partner Malene Hvidt argued that the materials used also affect the colours chosen for interiors, saying: "We also try to use colours that emphasise the natural appearance of the material itself, such as treating wood with tinted linseed to preserve the pattern of the grain."

This sentiment was echoed by Tim Greer, director at Australian studio TZG. "I'm hoping that we will see more natural materials with fewer complex and unsustainable finishes," he said.

"I think the drive towards sustainability will see the use of more natural materials and a resurgence of the arts and crafts style," Sultan added.

"There is a genuine return to solid bold colours"

The colours of our interiors next year will range from pale fresh hues, such as pistachio, to stronger shades.

"Palette-wise, I feel there is a genuine return to solid bold colours – be it a punch of emerald green, mustard yellow or Yves Klein-blue to provoke the visual energy. The expression of materiality and tactility is also a key focus for my studio this coming year," said Hong Kong designer André Fu.

"Customers are thriving for experiences to express their own personality and values – this has led to a greater awareness for the role design plays in the realms of hospitality."

"I'm loving seeing light, lemon-lime yellow being utilized. I also think pistachio has yet to peak," said Carter, while Ojuolape believes in "rich, pigmented and plaster colours".

"The colour and material trends will be very warm colours and more specifically orange as we need joy and to warm things up," said Sebban. "With global warming more important than ever, that will be the colour we get used to."

"Embrace a bold departure from the ordinary as the world adopts warm, earthy tones inspired by landscapes and eclectic hues drawn from various cultural expressions, all crafted with sustainably sourced materials," added Nigeria-based designer Titi Ogufere.

Biophilia will continue to "be a staple"

The designers Dezeen spoke to all said they were taking the subject of sustainability seriously. There is a need to create "lasting design," said US-based designer Giancarlo Valle.

"Sustainability cannot be separated from the world of building," he argued. "The most sustainable thing one can do as a designer is to create something that someone will not want to take down after a short period of time."

Spacon & X's Hvidt added that customers are also increasingly demanding when it comes to sustainability.

"Sustainability is fast becoming a key consideration when it comes to interior design," she said.

"Studios such as ours are always looking for new ways to become increasingly responsible – this is also what clients are expecting as we collectively become more aware of our impact on the planet, especially for future generations."

This focus is seen in the use of plants and trees indoors as well as outdoors to create biophilic designs – interiors that are more connected to the natural environment.

"Biophilia will continue to be a staple in the design aesthetic as well as beautiful, natural and healthy surface finishes," said Ojuolape.

"The biophilic movement will remain strong," agreed Sultan.

"In the future, 'high-end' may mean local artisan work" 

Ogufere added that sustainable design will draw on local communities.

"Sustainability takes a global stage, with collaborative projects empowering local communities and embracing circular design principles, reflecting a collective commitment to environmentally conscious practices worldwide," she said.

"Personally, I believe that sustainability is about building with a local hand, using local materials to create a profound sense of community and reduce carbon emissions," agreed RA!'s Ramírez de Aguilar.

"Architects are becoming more aware of their immediate context and are losing the fear of only using 'high-end materials.' In the near future, 'high-end' may mean local artisan work."

Finally, designers were also planning to include technology in their interiors next year.

"Technology will be used to enhance the quality of living," said Sultan.

Terui and Yayama from I IN, who see textiles as a strong trend next year, said: "Collaboration between the interior design and fashion industries can contribute to the development of new technology which in turn allows innovative spaces to be created."

Fu believes this can also help make projects more sustainable, saying: "I think considerations for sustainability is an integral aspect of my design approach, it's all an organic and subconscious act – from the selection of materials to the integration of technology into the design without undermining the overall experience in mind."

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The post Maximalism to make way for "quiet refinement" in 2024 say interior designers appeared first on Dezeen.

Texas studio Method Architecture has completed an office for itself in Houston with maximalist design, vibrant colours and a mural at its centre.

The 8,612-square foot (800-square metre) studio was completed in 2023 with a reception area, open office plan, private and collaborative meeting spaces and staff lounges.

Located in the mixed-use East River development, designed by architecture studio Page, the office was designed to serve as an inspiration source for the studio's clients.

"Our approach was to pursue maximalism with the goal of creating an environment where our clients would feel safe expressing their bold and innovative ideas with us," Ashley Bettcher, Research and Design Specialist with Method Architecture told Dezeen.

"Creativity has no limits and great design doesn't necessarily need to cost more. Method's new Houston office perfectly encapsulates that mantra."

The "ego-free" focus of the design is a nearly 50-foot multi-wall mural by local artist David Maldonado, known for creating nearly 20 pieces of public artwork throughout Houston.

With pops of magenta, cobalt, and yellow, the mural features icons from the city and state like the skyline, a rocket for Johnson Space Center, a bluebonnet as the Texas state flower, and the neighbouring Buffalo Bayou.

The artwork also slips in custom motifs representing the studio, such as Method's rubber duck mascot.

"This feature piece of artwork helps set the tone for the remainder of the office including bold colors, geometric patterns and shapes and a secondary mural designed and installed by Maldanado featuring drip paint in mirroring colorways located at the back of the office," the team said.

The mural is complemented by a 3D-printed wall installation behind the reception desk composed of the studio's signature "M" logo and the raw ceiling with exposed mechanical lines all painted a vibrant shade of fuchsia.

Light grey flower-like acoustic baffles hang from the ceiling adding to the maximalist design. Light blue bicycles are mounted on one wall as another unique installation.

From the reception area lounge, clients pass through a half-arched portal – created with custom millwork and embedded lights – into the main office space which includes rows of desks over custom greyscale carpet.

Hotel desk stations accommodate hybrid work styles for both in-office and at-home work.

"Cozy architectural work booths are nestled amid the bustling breakroom and office areas, offering a quiet refuge for more private work, private conversations or meals with coworkers," the team said.

The workspace is flanked by six meeting rooms: a large creative conference space, three medium-sized conference rooms and two smaller huddle spaces.

The all-white conference room was left intentionally blank to showcase the client's material selections with tunable white lights to adjust the light temperature for each project.

An M-shaped window cutout opens the conference room to the rest of the office.

In the break room, bright blue suede fabric adorns the walls to provide an unexpected texture and pale blue lamp shades – reminiscent of the shape of inverted cupcake liners – serve as a geometric juxtaposition to the rounded banquette boxes.

"Plush, psychedelic-inspired fabrics in meeting booths and distinctive light fixtures keep the space feeling light and fun to inspire creative design," the studio said.

In addition to being designed for flexible workflows and teams, the space features multiple sustainable and WELL features like ample daylighting, repurposed materials and ergonomic furniture.

Other recently completed projects in Houston include Nelson Byrd Woltz's grassed park that bridges a six-lane highway and Modu's design for a wellness building with a self-cooling exterior.

The photography is by Ana Larranaga, Method Architecture.

Project credits:

Architecture: Method Architecture
MEP: Telios Engineering
General contractor: Burton Construction
Furniture: AGILE Interiors, MDI, OP,
Flooring: Interface, Shaw Contract
Tile: Trinity Surfaces, La Nova
Textiles: Knoll Textiles
Masonry: Upchurch Kimbrough
Demountable partitions: DIRTT
Countertops: CAMBRIA
Mural: David Maldonado
Lighting: Lighting Associates Inc.
Signage: ARIA Signs

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Interior design office PL Studio has transformed an east London townhouse using colours and graphics that take cues from the Jardin Majorelle in Marrakesh.

The three-storey, new-build house features similar shades of blue, green and yellow to the Morrocan villa that was once home to artist Jacques Majorelle.

Further green tones allude to the villa's verdant garden, while soft pink hues bring a sense of overall "warmth and joy" to the palette.

PL Studio designed the scheme for creative couple Tom Lalande and Julian-Pascal Saadi, who live in the house with their chihuahua puppy, Sasha-Lee.

The studio founders, couple Sabrina Panizza and Aude Lerin, felt the design should reflect their clients' love of colour.

"Although we admired the architecture and loved how the townhouse was beautifully filled with natural light, we felt that overall, the property was lacking character and positivity," said the pair.

"We wanted to create a home that reflected our clients' personalities and joyful spirit, a home filled with positive energy."

Lalande and Saadi had recently returned from a trip to Marrakesh, which led this to becoming the starting point for the design.

The reference is most evident in a reception room at the house's entrance, which features cobalt blue walls, a colour-block rug, plants and a Tom Dixon Etch pendant light in gold-toned brass.

The effect is heightened by paint graphics that include arched openings – both real and illusionary – and stepped blocks that create the suggestion of extra staircases.

As Saadi works as a psychologist, this room primarily serves as a waiting room for his clients.

The couple's main living space occupies the uppermost floor, where an L-shaped room gives the pair a combined kitchen, dining area and lounge.

Geometric wall graphics tie these three spaces together but also highlight the divides between them. The most striking of these is a triptych of picture-frame-style blocks that frame the dining table.

"Our clients didn't have a clear idea of what they wanted, but they had a strong desire to be surrounded by pieces of art, colours and objects that would give them good energy, which is so powerful," said Panizza and Lerin.

"They were not afraid of mixing different shades and colour combinations, so we went for bright, bold, and fearless!"

The main bedroom, located on the middle floor, uses subtly different shades of green to create colour depth. This is offset with monochrome stripes and pops of pink and blue.

Also on this floor is a guest bedroom that doubles as a dressing room, featuring a striped ceiling that looks like a market stall awning and a pink bathroom framed by black linear details.

Arches feature throughout these spaces, in the form of mirrors and wardrobes as well as wall graphics.

Saadi's ground-floor office takes the place of a third bedroom. This room has a different character from the rest of the house, with details inspired by surrealist art.

Key features include a sculptural table in the shape of a hand and ceiling wallpaper depicting a cloudy sky.

Panizza hopes the "kaleidoscopic" project can serve to inspire people who see London's new-build homes as characterless compared with the city's older properties.

"We want to show it is absolutely possible to create a home with lots of personality and character. It just takes a bit of courage," she told Dezeen.

The photography is by Taran Wilkhu unless otherwise indicated. Top image is by Aude Lerin

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Cake Architecture has renovated A Bar with Shapes for a Name, an east London cocktail bar featuring "utilitarian" interiors.

A Bar with Shapes for a Name owes its title to the yellow triangle, red square and blue circle that are emblazoned on its facade in a nod to the primary colours and understated geometry commonly associated with the Bauhaus.

When creating the bar's minimalist interiors, Dalston-based Cake Architecture took cues from the influential German art and design school that was established in 1919 and advocated for an emphasis on functionality, among other similar principles.

Located at 232 Kingsland Road in Hoxton, the cocktail bar was renovated by the studio to serve as a multipurpose venue.

Cake Architecture doubled the bar's capacity by adding a basement, which acts as a "kitchen-bar" room, and refurbished the ground floor's existing seating area as well as a classroom-style space that offers a location for rotating events or workshops.

"These spaces have specific functional requirements and we selected colours and materials to suit," studio director Hugh Scott Moncrieff told Dezeen.

Upon entering the bar, visitors are greeted by the main seating area or "showroom", which was designed to be warm and inviting.

Tall tubular chairs finished with neutral rattan were positioned around chunky geometric tables made from birch ply stained to a rich, reddish-brown hue.

The team also used the same timber to create the space's curving bar, which is illuminated by a squat, cordless table lamp by lighting brand Flos.

Opposite the bar, a glowing rectilinear light installation by photographer Steve Braiden was fitted to the wall underneath bench-style seating reminiscent of early Bauhaus furniture designs.

"We looked in particular at projects by the Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius," reflected Scott Moncrieff.

"Gropius is a master of this elegant zoning through the application of colour and form," he added.

Downstairs, the low-lit basement was created to house additional seating as well as "all of the crazy machinery they use to prepare the drinks," the designer said.

The basement is characterised by a bespoke central table by Cake Architecture and furniture designer Eddie Olin.

Consisting of a steel frame that "floats" over a central leg, the table was topped with a glass surface and its base was clad in phenolic-coated plywood to match the floor and walls.

"This new basement is predominantly a production space – so the palette reflects this with hardwearing, utilitarian and industrial materials," said Scott Moncrieff.

A thick, felt curtain in ultramarine adds a pop of colour to the otherwise pared-back space.

With its pale blue walls and Valchromat-topped, steel-framed tables, the ground-floor "classroom" pays homage to the Bauhaus as an educational institution.

Brighter blue vinyl covers the floors while a sculptural lamp featuring red, yellow and blue circles echoes the bar's logo.

A tall blackboard and overhead strip lighting add to the classroom feel of the space, which is used for various group events.

Cake Architecture worked closely with the bar's founders Remy Savage and Paul Lougrat when creating the interiors, which were primarily informed by the duo's way of working.

"The team has a conceptually driven ethos drawn from the theory and practice of Bauhaus embedded in everything they are doing. We found that incredibly exciting," explained Scott Moncrieff.

"The Bauhaus phrase 'party, work, play' was pertinent to some early ideas and this carried through all our design discussions," noted the designer.

"The space enables these three things. Separately as individual functions and simultaneously as a representation of the overall atmosphere of a bar!"

Cake Architecture previously worked with interior designer Max Radford to create a curtain-wrapped speakeasy in London's Soho. The studio also designed a workspace for London agency Ask Us For Ideas in the same part of the city.

The photography is by Felix Speller. 

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Bespoke scalloped edges and a Verner Panton S-Chair feature at the Pops holiday apartment in Kraków, which Furora Studio designed to be more playful than a permanent home.

Named Pops after lollipops, the dwelling was conceived by Diana Żurek and Gutek Girek of Polish firm Furora Studio.

"The project is a temporary apartment for anyone who wants to spend time in an attractive and very sugary interior," said the designers.

Spread across one level of a multi-storey building in central Kraków, the rental home includes an open-plan kitchen and living room.

This space was dressed with a velvety salmon-pink curtain, which stretches the length of one of two of the walls, and a central display cabinet finished in pistachio green and "crowned with frills".

Much of the furniture and other design elements were custom-made by Furora Studio and follow the same toy-like geometry as the cabinet – a combination of round and wavy motifs created in pastel pinks, greens and creams.

For example, a white and turquoise pendant light with scalloped edges was suspended above a circular dining table, while a ribbed half-moon alcove was created as a backdrop for the wall-mounted television.

"First and foremost, we aimed to find suitable forms," said Żurek, describing the studio's starting point for the project.

"Most of the elements were custom-made because we wanted to maintain the coherence of the interior while ensuring proper functional arrangement," she told Dezeen.

"Essentially, each element was its own small project. The selection of shapes, milling, small details, and perfecting the form – all of these were important considerations."

An olive-hued, L-shaped sofa was tucked into one corner of the living space and echoed by the kitchen splashback, finished in the same green colour.

Żurek described the apartment's double bedroom as "a pink box with a whimsical headboard and an abundance of pillows".

In one corner, a light green built-in desk was positioned in front of a sculptural Verner Panton chair.

The iconic S-shaped seating was originally designed by Panton in the early 1960s and recently influenced the furniture created for the Dreamhouse at the centre of the set design in this year's Barbie film.

"We rarely have the opportunity to be in interiors that evoke memories of earlier years, when as children, we had few responsibilities and sought joy and playfulness," noted Żurek.

"But this is not about returning to preschool or infantilising the space," stressed the designer.

"It's about positive energy. We sought solutions that would more literally create a colorful space, full of rounded patterns, light colours and a sense of relief," she added.

The bathroom is also awash with pattern, featuring a jumbo scalloped-edged cabinet and pink and brown terrazzo tiles.

Bulbous pendant lighting illuminates the space, which contains a walk-in shower.

Summarising the holiday apartment, Żurek called it a place to "have fun and cuddle".

"Certainly, there are many enthusiasts of such candy-like solutions, but this interior may not be for everyone, especially for long-term use, such as in the case of a private home," reflected the designer.

"For short-term rentals, I believe most people would be tempted to experience how it feels to be in such a vibrant interior," she added.

"These projects allow for the use of [design] solutions that might be somewhat tiring on a daily basis, but spending a brief moment in such a place opens us up to new experiences, feelings of peace and relaxation."

Elsewhere in Kraków, London-based office Studio Mills transformed an apartment at a converted monastery into a family home. Polish practice Projekt Praga created a bar with a self-service beer fountain within the taproom of a centuries-old brewery just outside of the city.

The photography is by ONI Studio. 

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The process of using bacteria to colour textiles has been brought to a commercial scale by British company Colorifix, which hopes to cut the fashion industry's use of toxic chemical dyes.

Shortlisted for a 2023 Dezeen Award, Colorifix has brought several pigments to market since its founding in 2016 including indigos, mauves, pastels and beiges – all made by bacteria that was genetically engineered to produce certain colour-making enzymes.

The company was started by two synthetic biologists, Orr Yarkoni and Jim Ajioka, after travelling to rural Nepal to develop biological sensors for monitoring heavy metal contamination in the local drinking water.

Appalled to learn that the pollution was caused by waste from the textile dying industry, which was leaking into the river, the two set out to see if they could create a non-toxic alternative to synthetic dyes using their knowledge of engineering microbes.

"We knew we could make colours in bacteria but it was [about] trying to figure out how you could get the colour onto textiles in an efficient manner and using biology to do so," Ajioka told Dezeen.

"When you look at any commodity product, you have to be very, very cost-efficient because otherwise, you're never going to enter the market."

Ajioka hopes to make the company's colouring process cost-competitive with ubiquitous petrochemical dyes.

"Sustainability isn't just about having a great idea," he said. "It's also whether you can scale it and make it into something that will be acceptable to the current market."

Bacterial dyeing makes use of processes, in which the organisms are naturally inclined to engage, according to Ajioka. He suggests looking to the bathroom for an example.

"You will see probably at some point some red stuff growing in your grout and your tiles in your shower," he said. "That's what we do. We engineer bacteria to make colours and they naturally will fix onto surfaces and secrete and deposit the colour onto the surface."

The colours made by Colorifix's bacteria, however, are not their own. Instead, the company uses a DNA database to identify which enzymes are responsible for the natural colour of different plants and animals.

Colorifix's scientists then modify the bacteria with those DNA sequences so they will produce the enzymes themselves.

The bacteria are left to multiply in a liquid culture in bioreactors – "basically fancy beer fermenters", according to Ajioka.

The contents of these tanks are then transferred to a standard dye machine where – given bacteria's preference for clinging to surfaces rather than floating in liquid – they will easily transfer to the yarn or fabric inside, spreading out to produce an even colour.

The bacteria is killed through the application of heat, which also helps to fix the colour.

According to Colorifix, its process eliminates some of the environmental issues associated with dyeing while significantly reducing others.

Compared to conventional dyeing, the process uses 80 per cent less chemicals, 77 per cent less water and produces 31 per cent fewer carbon dioxide emissions, the company claims.

Colorifix has seven pigments in its catalogue so far, with some capable of making multiple colours by tweaking the fermentation or dyeing process.

Pigment 01 can be found in and around geysers, but the team searched for an organism that could produce the same colour in non-extreme conditions and found a perfect underwater bacterium, whose DNA it used as a template. The company can make four different colours using this one pigment by tweaking the pH levels in the fermenters.

There is also Pigment 03, based on a red bacteria that grows on bread – and was thought in medieval times to signify a miracle – as well as the beige-ish Pigment 05, which is essentially melanin, and the lilac-toned Pigment 06, derived from a plant long used as a textile dye in Asia.

"Buying" a pigment is not straightforward, however. The colour a pigment produces on a piece of fabric is dependent on the process, feedstock and environment, so to offer a consistent product, Colorifix operates a hybrid model.

Dye houses license the technology and buy the company's specialised hardware and equipment. Colorifix currently licenses to three dye houses across Europe, which in turn supply fashion brands.

Fabrics dyed with Colorifix's pigments have already started being used by early adopters such as mega-retailer H&M and experimental clothing brand Vollebak, which used a colour based on the enzymes of the indigo plant to produce its DNA T-shirt.

However, Ajioka is keen to stress that even with wide adoption, Colorifix's innovations won't make the fashion industry environmentally friendly.

"The global fashion industry is unsustainable and technology alone will not fix the problem," said Ajioka. "We need a cultural shift towards being more thoughtful about what we wear, extending the life of our clothes and ultimately buying less."

The company has been shortlisted in the material innovation category of the Dezeen Awards, together with its partner the Mills Fabrica Investment Fund.

Bacterial dyeing is also being pioneered by the lifestyle brand Normal Phenomena of Life, which is entirely dedicated to bio-design. Others, such as Danish fashion brand Ganni, are using the organisms to grow an all-natural leather alternative known as bacterial cellulose.

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Promotion: colour communication brand NCS Colour has updated its NCS System with 100 low chromatic colours to offer users pale pastel colours and hues that aim to evoke the Nordic light.

The new Standard colour range is developed for interior, exterior and product design projects where these colours are frequently used, according to NCS Colour.

The colours have been divided into four groups, including White Delight, a collection of pastel colours. These are tinted colours that have a slight chromaticness – a combination of a colour's hue and saturation.

NCS Colour also launched the Blackish Elegance collection of "modern, dark colours" that it says can be used to emphasise lighter and more chromatic details, and Great Greys, which features toned-down greige nuances between beige and grey.

The final colour group, Nordic Midtones, aims to evoke "the famous Nordic light", the brand said.

It focuses on colours that NCS Colour says are frequently used in Nordic design and includes hues that are both a bit darker and more colourful than those in the other groups.

It is the first time in almost twenty years that the colour chart has been updated, taking the number of Standard colours from 1950 to 2050.

According to the company, the low chromatic colours are the most commonly used in NCS.

The newly added ones were created by NCS Colour together with an international community of designers and architects, and aim to offer more choices to users.

"The low chromatic colours are a constant in our top list regarding the most popular colours," NCS Colour product manager Ingela Koski-Vähälä said. "We have seen over the years how important these colours are."

"They are frequently used in our colour development projects with the decorative paint industry, kitchen brands, home appliance, automotive industry et cetera, and recurrently top the list of most requested colours by the design community," she added.

The company added low-chromatic colours to make the Natural Colour System more extensive and inspirational.

As well as adding new colours to its Standard colours, the company also updated its design tools that use colour samples from the NCS Standard range, including NCS Index, NCS Atlas, NCS Block, NCS Album and NCS Box.

"We take pride in constantly working to improve the Natural Colour System and its physical and digital representations," NCS Colour CEO Elin Askfelt said.

"Adding 100 new Standard colours is an important milestone for us."

To view more about NCS Colour, visit its website.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for NCS Colour as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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Interior designer Linda Bergroth has added colourful beams to the Amsterdam concept store for plastic-free paint brand Cover Story, which was designed to streamline the redecorating process for shoppers.

The "paint studio" is the second iteration of Cover Story outlets designed by Bergroth, who also created the interiors for the Finnish brand's flagship Helsinki store.

Shortlisted in the small retail interiors category of this year's Dezeen Awards, the paint shop features oversized colourful beams. These were informed by cranes in the port city, as well as the decorative vignettes that top many of Amsterdam buildings' facades, according to the brand.

"The design playfully explores the use of colour, incorporating three-dimensionality through roof bars and considering how light interacts with colour to influence perception," said Cover Story.

Following a similar format to the Helsinki outlet, the Amsterdam shop also serves as a showroom, office and events space, despite its small size.

A large colour chart made from hand-painted swatches in 47 different shades, designed to make choosing colours easier for customers, was attached to the wall.

Chunky painted plinths were positioned in the shop window, as well as smaller colourful blocks on a central silvery table, to emphasise the different ways in which light and shadow respond to various paint options.

Cover Story explained that Bergroth chose to highlight the old building's "unique characteristics", rather than introduce new furniture, including its sloping walls and the metal supports that adorn its structural pillars.

"Despite the significant influence that wall colour holds in shaping the atmosphere of a room and influencing interior design, paint is often perceived merely as a renovation accessory," said the brand.

"Cover Story's mission is to position paint as a design product, which is why the Amsterdam paint studio is strategically located on a bustling shopping street alongside other concept stores where interior design products are sold," it added.

"Every aspect is thoughtfully crafted to promote a sustainable and user-centric experience."

Founded in 2020 by Anssi Jokinen and Tommi Saarnio, the brand produces 100 per cent plastic-free paint, which is also odourless.

Finnish designer Bergroth has completed a number of colour-infused projects including Durat's Helsinki showroom and a blue pop-up restaurant in New York built from recycled food packaging.

The photography is by Paavo Lehtonen. 

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Gradated lava stone flooring and suspended planet-like orbs feature at the Cafe Nuances coffee shop in Paris, which was created by Dezeen Awards-nominated studio Uchronia.

Located on the city's Rue de la Tremoille, the coffee shop is the third Uchronia-designed branch for Parisian coffee roaster Cafe Nuances.

The one-room shop is fronted by a bright white facade in stark contrast to its vivid-hued interior.

Studio founder Julien Sebban was informed by the landscapes he experienced on a recent trip to Tunisia when creating the cafe's walls and lava stone flooring, which are decorated in ombre swathes of red, orange and blue.

"They reminded him of the sunsets in the Tunisian desert – a veritable ode to the gentleness of summer days," said the studio, known for its playfully eclectic designs and shortlisted in the emerging interior designer category at this year's upcoming Dezeen Awards.

The coffee shop's entrance is flanked by two bright red benches topped with metallic-effect fabric – one curved, and the other straight.

Low-slung interlocking tables, which can double as stools, can be reconfigured to suit customers' needs.

Uchronia placed a chunky stainless steel counter at the back of the intimate cafe, which is overlooked by deep orange lacquered shelving – a design element found in the other two Cafe Nuances outlets.

"This new address picks up on the codes present in the second shop, accentuating the [coffee] brand's colourful, futuristic retro universe," explained the studio.

A cluster of striking, spherical objects were finished in the same colours as the rest of the space and suspended from the reflective ceiling.

"Unlike [this branch's] two big sisters, whose interiors feature striated shapes, here, the poly mirror tiles are complemented by half-spheres in saturated colours, accentuating the dreamlike feel of the coffee shop," continued Uchronia.

"They create the illusion of floating balls, which could be mistaken for Saturn."

The studio previously livened up a Haussman-era Paris apartment for a pair of jewellery designers with furniture crafted to nod to the appearance of precious stones.

Elsewhere, Canadian design duo Julia Jamrozik and Coryn Kempster created a sky-blue coffee shop in a century-old house in Buffalo, New York, with an optical illusion staircase.

The photography is by Félix Dol Maillot.

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Vibrantly coloured tiles and textiles feature in this house renovation in Oslo, Norway, designed by locally based duo Familien Kvistad.

The Yellow House in the Apple Garden is a 1950s house in Oslo's Voldsløkka area, home to a family of four and their cat, "the rambunctious Caspian".

Familien Kvistad founders, married couple Astrid and Ziemowit Kvistad, have completely remodelled the interior using a palette that also includes solid ash joinery and lightly speckled terrazzo surfaces.

"When they bought the house, the family envisioned painting some walls, moving the kitchen and building two new bathrooms," the pair told Dezeen. "Over time, things naturally escalated, resulting in a complete change of layout, roof windows, new insulation, siding... absolutely everything was replaced."

The three-storey house has an enviable setting in a large garden filled with fruit trees. It was this that primarily attracted the owners, rather than the building itself.

"The house was relatively old, not architecturally distinctive and outdated inside on all levels," said the designers.

However, shortly after they bought the property, the council enforced new conservation zone restrictions that made it impossible to alter the building's exterior in any way.

The task for Astrid and Ziemowit was to modernise the house without changing or extending its structure.

"This is obviously a costly project; it would have been cheaper to build a new house," they explained.

"However, the outer structure had to remain."

The renovation removed many of the old internal partitions, creating a more open layout. This gives the ground floor a broken-plan feel, made up of various separate but connected living and dining spaces.

The old loft was also removed and replaced with small mezzanines, revealing the sloping roof beams and increasing the ceiling height in the first-floor bedrooms and bathroom to up to four metres.

The colour scheme was based on "earthy shades" of the owners' favourite colours.

On the ground floor, this resulted in a feature fireplace clad in mustard-yellow Kaufmann tiles, a lounge sofa upholstered in a plum-coloured Kvadrat textile and a storage bench topped by forest-green cushions.

An abundance of wood brings balance to this bold palette, with Douglas fir flooring from Dinesen and solid ash kitchen cabinets matching the exposed ceiling joists.

This level also includes a sunken conservatory featuring large plants, a terrazzo floor, an ochre-toned sofa and electric-blue cushions. On the wall, an expressive painting displays similar colours.

"During the renovation, the family sold most of what they already owned," said Astrid and Ziemowit. "This meant that all the furniture was purchased new."

"However, they did have some art from before," they added. "Much to our delight, they fit perfectly into both the colour palette and the style."

Upstairs, the primary bedroom features a pair of tufted wall carpets designed and made by Familien Kvistad, depicting abstract landscapes.

One of the two children's bedrooms features a playful storage unit that doubles as a staircase, while the other has a ladder to provide access to the mezzanine loft above.

The bathroom has a more mellow character, combining terrazzo sanitaryware with calming green tones. The basement floor mainly serves as a utility area, although it does include an extra bathroom and a living room that doubles as a guest bedroom.

Other recently completed homes in Norway include a "house of offcuts" by Kolman Boye Architects and a villa on piloti by Saunders Architecture.

The photography is by Magnus Berger Nordstrand.

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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.

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Saturated greens and blues contrast pale pink sheets and playful flower details at Hôtel de la Boétie in Paris, which Swedish designer Beata Heuman created to be "a bit like a stage set".

Set in a 19th-century building, the 40-room hotel in Paris' 8th arrondissement was designed with Heuman's signature colourful interior style.

While it was a renovation of an existing hotel, the designer was able to make large changes to the interior as the building had been altered numerous times since it was completed.

"The building didn't have any original features left and has been re-configured over the years," Heuman told Dezeen. "We spun off the simplicity of the bones that were there, working with strong, simple ideas."

Guests are met by a reception room with a vibrant, bright-red nook for the front-of-house staff and two lamps designed like winding red-and-yellow flowers. A dark-blue leather seat complements the room.

Next to the reception area, Heuman created an all-silver lounge that was designed to have a theatrical feel and is brightened by an orange velvet sofa and a forest-green coffee table.

The colour palette was very deliberately chosen by Heuman, who thought about the wider impact it would have on the space.

"It's about contrast and balance," the designer said. "When you work with rich colours my instinct is to off-set that using simpler materials around it to complement and enhance."

The bedrooms have a saturated colour scheme, with lower-level floors that feature dark blue walls, which change to shades of brown on the ascending floors.

The two top levels have pale, airy blue hues, with classic French cast-iron balconies providing views of central Paris from the top floor.

A grassy green carpet was used throughout the hotel to create a vibrant contrast to the blue and brown hues.

Some bedrooms have been decorated with oversized headboards that were woven as rugs and then upholstered, creating an unusual and eye-catching centrepiece.

These were informed by the inlaid marble floor of the Medici Chapel in Florence and sit above the solid-ash beds, which have been made with pale-pink satin sheets that add to the vibrant feel of the room.

In the bathrooms, Heuman used pale blue and green pastel hues juxtaposed with pink towels to give the rooms a luxurious retro feel, while checkerboard-patterned tiles in yellow and green add a fun touch.

The designer also used her own products to decorate the hotel, including her Dodo Egg Light – an egg-shaped light with green fittings designed to resemble planet leaves.

This decorates one of the ground floor lounge areas, which also features posters for art exhibitions by artists Pablo Picasso and Paul Klee.

The designer used mainly natural materials for the hotel, including wood and brass.

"The solid ash furniture used in all the rooms have a humble quality which anchors the more theatrical elements of the schemes such as the headboards, ensuring the expression stays true to the nature of the building," she said.

Heuman also created the branding for the hotel, which was made for French hotel group Touriste.

"A hotel is about having an experience for a day or two, which means that we have been able to explore a concept and a mood to a greater extent," Heuman said.

"We can treat it a bit like a stage set, which is not the approach I would take when it comes to someone's home."

The project fulfilled a long-time dream for the designer, who had previously never designed a hotel and works more on private home interiors.

"I’ve been wanting to do a hotel for ages and it has been a fantastic experience," Heuman said.  "I am drawn to the theatrical, although that is often not appropriate for a residential setting."

"A hotel is an experience for a few nights, therefore you can exaggerate and do more of a 'look'," she added. "In a residential project the design is centred around the personal preferences of an individual client."

Previous hotels by Touriste include Hotel Les Deux Gares in Paris, which has an interior that was created by British designer Luke Edward Hall. Also in Paris, local studio Uchronia created a colourful Haussmann-era apartment as a "chromatic jewellery box".

The photography is by Simon Brown.

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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.

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Swiss watch brand Rado has launched True Square Thinline Les Couleurs Le Corbusier, three limited-edition timepieces that use architect Le Corbusier's "naturally harmonious" colour palette.

Made from ceramic and sapphire crystal, the watches come in three different-coloured versions, each with a slim, square shape that combines Rado's True Square and True Thinline designs.

One watch is all black, while the other two feature a combination of different colours. One comes in grey-brown and cream-white, with the other two-tone watch combining iron-grey and "slightly greyed English green", the brand said.

The colours were chosen based on Le Corbusier's Architectural Polychromy colour theory, which was created in 1931 as a palette of 63 shades that the architect described as "architectural, naturally harmonious and able to be combined in every way". The palette was extended in 1959.

"Le Corbusier made a significant contribution to making shape and colour an essential element of architecture," Rado CEO Adrian Bosshard told Dezeen.

"Just as for Rado, shape and colour are essential elements of design," he added.

"That's why we decided to pay tribute to his visionary eye and to take on the challenge of reproducing some of the non-trivial colours of Le Corbusier's palette in ceramics."

The brand chose to create the all-black timepiece as it was the first ceramic colour that Rado launched and the hue has become associated with the brand.

Meanwhile, the two-tone versions were intended to illustrate the versatility of Le Corbusier's palette.

"The two two-tone products illustrate that in Le Corbusier's colour system all colours can be combined," Brosshard explained. "We came to this choice after much experimentation."

Each of the timepieces comes in a limited edition of 999 and the watches were created together with Le Couleurs Suisse, which licenses the colours for the Le Corbusier Foundation.

The watches also feature the Le Corbusier colour strips, as well as the words Le Corbusier signature Polychromie Architecturale and "Limited Edition one of 999" on the sapphire crystal.

In another celebration of the architect, the launch of the three new models took place at Paris architecture museum Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine.

Here, visitors could admire a real-size model of one of the flats inside Le Corbusier's iconic Unite d'Habitation apartment block in Marseilles, which featured many of the vivid colours seen in his Architectural Polychromy palette.

As well as launching the True Square Thinline Les Couleurs Le Corbusier, Rado also introduced a collectors' box featuring the black True Square Thinline Les Couleurs Le Corbusier watch, together with eight of the round Thinline Les Couleurs Le Corbusier watches from the existing collection.

Other watches designed by or informed by well-known architects include a square timepiece designed by Pritzker prize-winning architect Álvaro Siza. Rado also recently released an updated DiaStar watch by designer Alfredo Häberli.

The images are courtesy of Rado.

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German practice Studio Besau-Marguerre has overhauled the entrance hall of Hamburg's MK&G design museum, using colours to guide visitors through the space.

The brief was to create new zoning in the foyer for better wayfinding and orientation while setting the tone for the rest of the museum with a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

"We wanted to create a place that allows visitors to relax and draws them into a world of art and design with a new colour scheme and improved acoustics," Studio Besau-Marguerre told Dezeen.

"We wanted it to be a place of tranquillity and warmth, in contrast to the hustle and bustle outside the museum."

The Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, or MK&G for short, was built in the late 19th century and previously had a plain white foyer with the ticket office and cloakrooms hidden away out of sight, leading to confusion amongst visitors.

"Due to the architectural details, the huge emptiness and the reverberant acoustics, the space looked like a large railway station hall and had no quality of stay," the studio said.

In order to improve visitor flow and create an inviting atmosphere, the area was reorganised in collaboration with German firm SWP-Architekten, resulting in a straightforward and intuitive guidance system.

The new interior concept is marked by the use of contrasting, bold colours – a signature feature of Studio Besau-Marguerre's work.

For this project, the studio developed a unique colour scheme that structures the space using three main tones: vibrant blue, bright yellow and shades of terracotta.

MK&G visitors are now greeted by two bright blue ticket desks upon entry – with the surrounding walls painted in a matching shade for emphasis – while the rest of the room is finished in white.

"Here, visitors first arrive, catch their breath and get their bearings," the studio said.

From there, museumgoers are intuitively led into the two adjoining lounges and cloakrooms, where walls are painted in progressively darker shades of terracotta to draw visitors into the rooms.

Yellow acts as an accent colour found across curtains, acoustic elements and storage lockers, while blue reappears to highlight the seating areas.

"For the colour concept, we were inspired by the historic colour scheme of the coffered ceiling in the vestibule that visitors notice before they enter the main foyer," the studio said.

"We thought it would be nice to reference the historical colours and interpret them in a contemporary way. In this way, we refer to the history of the building and the colours feel natural."

A selection of soft, warm and tactile materials – including wood, wool and hand-tufted carpets – complements the colourful interiors while improving the acoustics of the open space.

Studio Besau-Marguerre designed a number of custom furniture pieces for the space, including the checkout counters, but was also keen to source pieces from up-and-coming German designers.

"It was important for us to use furniture from young manufacturers and designers who work sustainably and with high-quality materials," the studio said.

This includes the cobalt-blue sofas and matching pouffes in the lounges, which were made by Berlin design brand Objekte unserer Tage.

"The sofas harmonise wonderfully with the round arches of the architecture and are a perfect mix of artistic object and inviting, cosy seating landscape," said Studio Besau-Marguerre.

In the media lounge, where books and magazines are on display for the reading pleasure of visitors, the oblong table and matching stools are by Frankfurt furniture brand Stattmann.

"The surface of the tables and stools is treated with a wax that creates a wonderful feel and is very durable," said Studio Besau-Marguerre.

"All the furniture plays with the rounded and soft design language, as well as warm, natural materials, thus contributing to a harmonious, cosy atmosphere."

Not every detail of MK&G's original interior was scrapped. The studio also retained the huge glass chandelier in the centre of the foyer that British artist Stuart Haygarth designed specifically for the space in 2018.

"It was clear from the start that the luminaire had to stay and would fit in wonderfully with our concept," the studio said. "It is very exciting to see how it benefits from the new interior design."

Studio Besau-Marguerre, which was founded by Eva Marguerre and Marcel Besau in 2011, was also responsible for designing the interiors of another key cultural building in Hamburg – Herzog & de Meuron's £163-million Elbphilharmonie concert hall.

Elsewhere, the duo created the exhibition design for Christien Meindertsma's solo show Beyond the Surface at the Vitra Design Museum in Basel, conceived to illustrate the designer's approach to material research.

The photography is by Brita Sönnichsen.

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Dezeen Showroom: this roundup presents red, blue and yellow furniture, lighting and products designed to energise interiors with splashes of vivid colours.

The primary colours in design are red, blue and yellow. The most commonly used shades when talking about primary colours are solid, bright versions of these, rather than pastel, darker or other muted variations.

The colours are a popular choice when designing children's toys, making the colours innately synonymous with playfulness and energy.

The selection below includes seating, lights, tables and rugs that come in one or more of the above colours, which add bold statements to interiors.

These pieces include a flat-pack red chair by Italian brand One to One, a blue lamp based on the shape of pasta by US design studio Jumbo for French brand Petite Friture and a yellow rug that is designed to look like a net full of lemons by Australian brand Derlot.

Read on to see our selection of blue, yellow and red furniture, accessories and lighting listed on Dezeen Showroom:

Soda coffee table by Yiannis Ghikas for Miniforms

Murano glass is the only material present in this rounded table created by Greek designer Yiannis Ghikas for Italian furniture brand Miniforms.

The Soda coffee table is available in two shapes and heights and four colours of glass, including a denim-hued blue that is animated by the light that passes through it.

Find out more about Soda ›

Fender chairs by Francesco Favaretto for True Design

Italian designer Francesco Favaretto worked with True Design to add three upright chairs to extend the existing Fender range, which contains sofas and loveseats.

Fender chairs include a swivel base to encourage dialogue and movement, which is topped by a foam-covered seat that can be upholstered in a range of colours, including bright fire-engine red.

Find out more about Fender ›

Nod lamp by Tiptoe

French furniture brand Tiptoe has designed a table lamp that has an adjustable tilting head as well as two base options – a conventional stand or a clip-on fixture.

The Nod lamp comes in a spectrum of colours, including recently added primary shades called Majorelle Blue and Naples Yellow.

Find out more about Nod ›

Blue Neotenic lamp by Jumbo for Petite Friture

French design brand Petite Friture has released a new hue for its distinctive Neotenic table lamp designed by US-based studio Jumbo.

The Blue Neotenic lamp retains the original's hand-blown orb-like shade and inflated, coiling shape rendered in a saturated blue colour.

Find out more about Blue Neotenic ›

OTO chair by Alessandro Stabile and Martinelli Venezia for One to One

Sustainable Italian furniture brand One to One collaborated with designers Alessandro Stabile and Martinelli Venezia on a chair made from recycled plastic that is assembled by the user.

The flat-pack OTO chair aims to limit its impact on the environment from the manufacturing stage through to delivery and comes in six hues including Coral, a red-orange shade.

Find out more about OTO ›

Citrus outdoor rugs by Jorge Garaje for Gan

Design company Gan, together with Spanish designer Jorge Garaje, created a rug collection called Citrus that mimics the shape of various fruits bagged up in netting.

The range includes rugs that feature oranges and limes as well as zesty yellow lemons overlaid with a matching yellow pattern reminiscent of a mesh bag.

Find out more about Citrus ›

Twill chair by Gibson Karlo for Designbythem

A chair that takes cues from the appearance of plasticine is the latest design by Australian studio Gibson Karlo for Designbythem.

The Twill chair comes in vivid Ultra Blue among other finishes, which enhances its playfully rounded frame mimicking the appearance of clay that has just been removed from its packet.

Find out more about Twill ›

Zero Lighting expands Compose collection with four lights by Jens Fager

Designer Jens Fager has extended lighting brand Zero Lighting's Compose range with the addition of a standing, desk and wall lamp.

Lights in the Compose collection come in black and white as well as both yellow and red, all sharing a minimally designed conical metal shade.

Find out more about Compose ›

Mass table by Alexander Lotersztain for Derlot

Furniture brand Derlot collaborated with Australian designer Alexander Lotersztain to elevate the design of a typical picnic bench.

The Mass table can be specified for both indoor and outdoor use, and is made from powder-coated steel and aluminium that comes in a sunny yellow finish.

Find out more about Mass ›

Dezeen Showroom

Dezeen Showroom offers an affordable space for brands to launch new products and showcase their designers and projects to Dezeen's huge global audience. For more details email showroom@dezeen.com.

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Dutch design studio Loop Loop has pioneered a process of adding colour to aluminium using pigments made from plants rather than petroleum.

Odin Visser and Charles Gateau, founders of the Rotterdam-based studio, claim to have created the "world's first plant-based aluminium dying process".

They have produced four bio-based pigment solutions that can be applied to aluminium through anodising, a surface treatment process that typically uses petroleum-based pigments.

Visser told Dezeen it was "the most complex issue" that Loop Loop had ever tackled.

"Natural pigments are being used more and more, but most of them are absolutely ineffective in the context of anodising," he explained.

"We had to take a deep dive into chemistry, using resources from research papers to AI chatbots in order to understand the underlying principles that decide if a pigment is going to work or not."

Visser and Gateau are on a mission to make the process of aluminium anodising more accessible to designers, makers and small-scale manufacturers. Currently, it is largely only used in mass production.

The long-term aim is to make their designs and recipes open source, so anyone could set up a production facility.

Their journey began with the Magic Colour Machine, unveiled during Milan design week in 2022. This mobile, custom-built machine was designed to allow anyone to apply colour gradients to aluminium components, wherever they are.

This new project, titled Local Colours, explores how the process could be made more sustainable.

"To find a way to produce the pigments for our Magic Colour Machine ourselves in a plant-based way helps us to further close the loop," said Visser.

The four dyes developed so far include a warm purple derived from dyer's alkanet flowers, a mustard yellow created with dyer's rocket flowers, a deep pink made using madder root and a bright gold produced with red onion.

Loop Loop has explored different techniques for applying these colours to metal with different effects.

As well as smooth gradients, the pigments can be used to create textural finishes.

"The finish depends on how the pigments are applied," explained Gateau, a Design Academy Eindhoven tutor with a background in material science.

"We can follow the standard practice of anodising and dip our pieces in a dye to obtain a uniform colour finish. In that sense, it is impossible to distinguish it from the industrial pigments," he told Dezeen.

"It is also possible to press plant parts directly onto the surface we wish to dye; all sorts of patterns can emerge."

The anodising process involves using an electric current to oxidise the aluminium, creating a porous surface that is able to absorb colour before being dipped into a water-based pigment solution.

Loop Loop's tests suggest that plant-based anodising finishes behave much the same as petroleum-based finishes, meaning they can be just as easily removed as added.

The main difference is that the colours react when exposed to direct sunlight.

"This is due to the molecular structure of the dyes, which is way more complex and diverse in the case of natural-based substances," said Gateau. "The colours have a life of their own."

Visser and Gateau have been growing their own plants for the dyes, supporting their commitment to localised production.

Once the recipes are made open source, they hope to encourage others to do the same. The ambition is to launch a platform that makes this possible in 2024.

"It's still at an early stage, but we envision an ecosystem of designers, researchers and makers sharing the outcomes of work in the field of circular products and service systems," added Visser.

Other designers exploring the possibilities of plant-based pigments include Nienke Hoogvliet, who has launched a brand working with seaweed-based textile dyes, and Studio Agne, which has created textile dye from biowaste.

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Ornately corniced ceilings were preserved and painted pastel inside this detached Edwardian house in southeast London, which local firm 2LG Studio has renovated for a returning client.

Set in the leafy residential area of Forest Hill, the house on Sunderland Road belongs to a couple who needed space for their three young children to grow and play.

"Having designed this couple's previous home, we had a strong sense of their tastes and wanted to evolve that for them in this house," 2LG Studio founders Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead told Dezeen.

"We wanted to bring out their characters by emboldening their love of colour and finding ways to build pattern and joy into the materiality of the home," the duo added.

"The intent here was to respect the period elements of the building, whilst reflecting the modern style of the family who live there."

Throughout the house, playful elements are in balance with a more serious aesthetic.

Instead of treating the home's elaborate ceiling mouldings separately – as tradition dictates – 2LG Studio applied a colour-block philosophy and painted them in the same pastel tones used across the upper walls and ceilings.

The studio drew on a range of references for the interior, from 1980s colours to Italian design elements such as marble and Murano glass lighting, all the way to the Scandinavian influences seen in the natural materials and minimalist approach to furnishing.

Creating impact in the entrance hall is a hand-printed wallpaper, designed by 2LG Studio with long-term collaborator Custhom Studio and used here in a bespoke calamine-pink colourway that's repeated in the connecting spaces throughout the house, as well as in the rear living area.

"It creates a welcoming, human feel as soon as you enter," the design team said.

This ballet-slipper colour is paired with a brighter candy pink, bringing calm and warmth to the overall scheme.

Pink-heavy palettes have become a signature for 2LG, also reflected in the natural pink undertones of the extra-wide Douglas fir floorboards that feature throughout the house alongside a grey poured-resin floor in the kitchen.

"The floorboards set the tone with a nod to Scandi minimalism, adding a natural soul throughout that unites the bolder elements," said 2LG Studio.

In the kitchen, sky-blue cabinetry is used alongside marble countertops and splashbacks, with arched forms uniting the two finishes while pink elements such as bar stools pop against this calm backdrop.

"The colours are a key part of the atmosphere and identity of this house," said 2LG. "The blues gets deeper and bolder as you move upstairs into the study and the family bathroom."

"Primary red details give structure to the colour palette in the living room. Pastel green in the baby's room is serene and fresh, warmed up with a mix of wood tones and creams."

The project features bespoke joinery including a playhouse on stilts in one of the kids' rooms alongside existing 2LG pieces such as the Luca bedhead in the loft bedroom and the Tilda sofa, both designed for London furniture company Love Your Home and upholstered here in Kvadrat x Raf Simons fabric.

"The fitted elements of the furniture give a sense of coherent design and function to the spaces whilst the classic design pieces bring a curated gallery feel, not unlike a contemporary luxury fashion store," said 2LG Studio.

Various recycled materials provide textural interest throughout the house, among them the recycled plastic wall lights in the living room by Spark and Bell.

2LG Studio also added a pink Foresso top made using waste wood chips and resin to the dining table, while the bespoke bathroom cabinet was made using leftover Douglas fir floorboards with recycled plastic details by UK company Smile Plastics.

Since Cluroe and Whitehead founded their design practice in 2014 under the name 2 Lovely Gays, the studio has completed a number of residential projects in the British capital.

Among them is the couple's own home and office – to which they recently added a garden pavilion with a "touch of Beetlejuice" – and an equally colour-led renovation of a period property in the Heaver Estate conservation area.

The photography is by Megan Taylor.

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As the upcoming Barbie film has created a shortage of pink colour and launched a real-life dollhouse in Malibu, we gathered eight pink interiors to exemplify the Barbiecore aesthetic for this lookbook.

The pink hues that are usually associated with Barbie, a children's toy first launched by manufacturer Mattel in 1959, are influencing both clothes and interiors ahead of Great Gerwig's live-action Barbie film.

The style, which has become known as Barbiecore, can add a joyful touch of colour to otherwise pared-back interiors, or be used as a hyper-bright nod to 1980s opulence.

Here, we have gathered eight interiors where pink was used to give interiors additional warmth and a touch of whimsy.

This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring rustic interiors, Wes Anderson-style interiors and welcoming wood-panelled dining rooms.

Minimal Fantasy, Spain, by Patricia Bustos Studio

The Minimal Fantasy apartment is anything but minimalist – instead, Patricia Bustos Studio aimed to create an "aesthetic madness" for the interior of this Madrid rental in a 1950s residential building.

The holiday home features 12 different shades of pink, with the entire living room covered in a pastel bubblegum pink.

"Pink vindicates the fall of stereotypes – everything is possible, nothing is planned or established and that's the beauty of it," the studio told Dezeen.

Find out more about Minimal Fantasy ›

San Francisco house, US, by Jamie Bush

A more discrete take on adding pink to an interior can be found in this San Francisco house by architect Jamie Bush, who gave it an overhaul using an eclectic array of furniture.

Bush added pink walls to the dining room, where they contrast against dark-wood vintage furniture and white details including a lamp and sheer curtains to create a playful, yet elegant atmosphere.

Find out more about San Francisco House ›

Barbie's Malibu Dreamhouse, US, by Ken

The most Barbiecore interior of them all can naturally be found in the Barbie Malibu Dreamhouse, which is being rented out by the doll's boyfriend Ken on Airbnb.

Inside the California mansion, located beachside in Malibu, guests can enjoy pink rooms including the bright-fuchsia bedroom that has been decorated with cowboy hats, boots and cowhide rugs to add more "Kenergy".

Find out more about Barbie's Malibu Dreamhouse ›

Mixtape apartment, Spain, by Azab

A dusky baby-pink kitchen decorates the Mixtape apartment in Bilbao, which was designed by architecture studio Azab.

The white and pink cupboards are boarded by light timber strips, and the appliances in the room have also been painted pink. A multicoloured floor with pale green and yellow as well as darker red herringbone tiles give the space a vibrant feel.

Find out more about Mixtape apartment ›

130-square-metre-house, UK, by Studiomama

"London's smallest house", a conceptual design by Studiomama, features an abundance of pink details throughout, including in its plywood-clad kitchen.

Here, the clever fold-out seating has been decorated with blush-pink cushions and pillows, with a pink cushion also forming a cosy backrest.

Find out more about 130-square-metre house ›

Moco Barcelona, Spain, by Isern Serra

A computer-generated image was transformed into a real-life interior for the Moco Barcelona store, a rose-coloured shop inside the city's Moco Museum.

Designer Isern Serra used pink micro-cement to achieve the same uniform, ultra-smooth surfaces as those of the computer-generated image, creating a dream-like interior filled with rounded corners and arches.

Find out more about Moco Barcelona ›

Pigment House, UK, by Unknown Works

London studio Unknown Works went all in on the pink for Pigment House, a Hampstead home that was renovated to add a pink-toned patio area.

While not technically part of the interior, it adds a splash of colour to the ground floor area, and is used for indoor-outdoor living in the summer months. The choice of pink was a reference to the colourful buildings of Mexican architect Luiz Barragán.

Find out more about Pigment House ›

Cats' Pink House, Taiwan, by KC Design Studio

This holiday home in Taiwan got its name, Cats' Pink House, as it includes cat ladders, a rotating carousel-shaped climbing frame and a fluffy pink cat swing.

KC Design Studio used a mineral-based paint to create the pink walls throughout the home, which also features a pink bathroom – with a pink cat litter box.

Find out more about Cats' Pink House ›

This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring rustic interiors, Wes Anderson-style interiors and welcoming wood-panelled dining rooms.

The post Eight interiors where Barbiecore pink adds a playful touch of colour appeared first on Dezeen.

Following the news that Airbnb has created a life-sized Dreamhouse in Malibu, we've rounded up 10 buildings that prove pink facades aren't just for dollhouses – from a Chinese church to a garden pavilion in Somaliland.

Much like Greta Gerwig's upcoming Barbie movie aims to reframe how we think about the world's most popular doll, the projects featured below bring Barbie's favourite colour into unexpected contexts to subvert expectations.

In Fuzhou, an all-pink extension was designed to make a 1930s church feel more youthful while in Beirut, architect Nathalie Harb used a stereotypically loud hue to paint a pavilion meant for quiet contemplation.

Elsewhere, on the British Isles, a number of residential projects nodded to the colourful architecture of Mexico and the Mediterranean in the hopes of approximating their sunny atmosphere.

Read on for ten examples of nonconformist pink buildings from across the globe.

Seabreeze, UK, by RX Architects

The location of this holiday home in a designated conservation area on Camber Sands beach in East Sussex prevented RX Architects from experimenting with its scale and massing.

Instead, the British studio set out to create a sense of fun – and soften the building's overall visual impact – by adding pink pigments to its concrete finish.

"The pink is reminiscent of traditional Mediterranean beach houses with their natural pink plastered elevations," founder Rob Pollard told Dezeen.

Find out more about Seabreeze ›

Glossier Los Angeles, USA, by Glossier design team

One of the most well-known brands behind the millennial-pink frenzy of the mid-2o1os, Glossier recently opened a new store on Melrose Avenue following the closure of its previous Los Angeles outpost during the coronavirus pandemic.

The company's signature rosey colour palette extends across the entire shopfront, all the way down to the dramatically oversized signage embedded into the facade, which the team described as "the Glossier version of the Hollywood sign".

Find out more about Glossier Los Angeles ›

His House and Her House, China, by Wutopia Lab

This installation, created by Wutopia Lab for the Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture in Shenzhen, explores themes around gender expression and gender roles.

As part of the event, the Chinese studio painted a pair of houses in contrasting pink and blue, filling one with meat and the other with flowers in a bid to question binary concepts of femininity and masculinity.

Find out more about His House and Her House ›

Huaxiang Church hall, China, by Inuce

Architecture studio Inuce set out to reflect the increasingly younger demographic of this church in Fuzhou when designing a new addition to the original 1930s building to house its growing congregation.

In this spirit, the fresh-faced extension (top and above) features a zigzagging roofline – with an amphitheatre for open-air services nestled amongst its inverted gables – while the walls are finished in pink pebbledash.

"This energetic and youthful colour complements the well-aged gravity of the old church's granite blocks and expresses the generational change in the congregation's development," Inuce principal Dirk U Moench told Dezeen.

Find out more about Huaxiang Church ›

Enrico Fermi School, Italy, by BDR Bureau

A pink-painted steel frame extends from the exterior facade of this renovated 1960s school building in Turin to accommodate a number of plant-filled open-air classrooms.

Adobe plaster in the same pastel hue was also applied to the existing building as part of a makeover by local firm BDR Bureau that also included the addition of a gym, auditorium and library.

Find out more about Enrico Fermi School ›

Silent Room, Lebanon, by Nathalie Harb and BÜF

Lebanese designer Nathalie Harb hoped to subvert expectations around pink being a loud colour when designing the Silent Room pavilion for Beirut Design Week.

The painted wooden structure provided a quiet place that visitors could access alone and for free, for up to 30 minutes at a time, acknowledging that silence in urban environments is often a privilege of the wealthy.

"The colour pink is a soothing colour," Harb told Dezeen. "Its hue is the closest to the skin or images of the embryo."

"And it is somehow a colour unexpected for silence, usually associated with more austere colours."

Find out more about Silent Room ›

Courtyard Pavilion, Somaliland, by Rashid Ali Architects

A "miniature botanical garden" filled with native plants is sheltered at the centre of this pavilion in Hargeisa, whose concrete canopy is tinged in the same hue as the region's reddish-pink sands.

Local studio Rashid Ali Architects conceived the structure as a homage to the civic role of trees in Somaliland, as "a space where stories are shared, ceremonies are held and disputes are settled".

Find out more about Courtyard Pavilion ›

Pink House, Vietnam, by 23o5studio

Two sisters cohabit inside this house in the Vietnamese city of Long Xuyen. The duo was also responsible for choosing the subtle pink hue of the pebble-wash walls, which feature on both the inside and outside of the building.

The home's connection to the outdoors is further reinforced via a series of planted patios and geometric openings, such as the circular void on top of the private swimming pool.

Find out more about Pink House ›

Pink House, Ireland, by Courtney McDonnell Studio

Clad in a pink sand-and-cement render, this extension to a 1930s suburban home belonging to a pair of travel lovers in Dublin was designed to embody the colourful approach of late Mexican architect Luis Barragán.

"We loved the idea of adding a coloured tone to the extension that would be unexpected and playful, but also add welcomed warmth against the typical grey Irish sky," architect Courtney McDonnell told Dezeen.

Find out more about Pink House ›

Quinta Amores, Mexico, by Ian Pablo Amores

The distinctive blush pink shade of this boutique hotel in San Miguel de Allende was custom-made and mixed on-site to match both the region's sunny climate and its Spanish colonial buildings.

"I made around 15 samples of colour and I saw that this type of pink was very special with the natural light of the site," architect Ian Pablo Amores told Dezeen.

Find out more about Quinta Amores ›

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Brightly coloured volumes and sweeping curves create a playful atmosphere in the Haikou Jiangdong Huandao Experimental School, which Trace Architecture Office has added to the Chinese island of Hainan.

Designed as part of a wider development alongside a kindergarten and student accommodation, the secondary school was created to encourage a retreat from traditional forms of education, with uniquely shaped forms adding a sense of creativity to the campus.

"We aimed to create a nurturing environment that celebrates creativity and interaction rather than examination-oriented learning cultures,” the studio told Dezeen.

"The spaces created stimulate imagination and surprise, instead of simply following the rules and regulations."

The school sits on a playfully sloped site in the coastal city of Haikou and comprises a series of curved volumes and rectilinear forms that intersect under a concrete roof.

Aiming to create spaces that stimulate creativity, Beijing-based studio Trace Architecture Office arranged the school across brightly coloured spaces designed to echo children's playfulness.

"The colour breaks from the white standard, giving the space character. It also has the role of zoning, as in such a huge volume, pure white space is easy to get lost in," said principal architect Hua Li.

Between the classrooms and raised walkways, a range of outdoor spaces shaded by the large roof offer comfortable outdoor spaces in the city's subtropical climate.

"Haikou's climate is subtropical, with very mild or pleasantly warm winters and hot, humid and rainy summers," said Li.

"The design creates plenty of semi-exterior spaces and platforms which actively respond to the local tropical climate, providing shading and protection against intense heat as well as strong wind and rains."

Inside, walkways and ramps bordered by walls finished in vibrant colours run between a series of white-painted classrooms.

Towards the other side of the main building, a triple-height gymnasium is lit by a roof perforated with a grid of skylights punctuated by a series of beams.

Other spaces on the campus include a double-height canteen where voids between intersecting levels create a curved skylight.

Walkways raised on white columns wrap around the room and connect the space to the rest of the school.

Connected to the main school building, a dormitory block features accommodation units wrapped around a bright courtyard spread across several curved layers.

Additional semi-outdoor spaces are created between cantilevered volumes and angled pillars, which the studio hopes will act as informal spaces for learning.

"The ways students utilise campus are not only confined to the use of traditional classrooms, but also the inhabitation of undefined public spaces, which contributes to a huge part of education," said Li.

"As students spend years at school, including the period of adolescence, the architecture of the school has a long-term influence on them. We hope the spaces will stimulate imagination and surprise, instead of simply following the rules and regulations," it continued.

Other schools recently completed by the studio include an elementary school spread across huts with a range of roof forms and a school with zigzagging walkways designed to encourage play.

The photography is by Chen Hao.

The post Intersecting coloured blocks "celebrate creativity" in Chinese school appeared first on Dezeen.

Our latest lookbook compiles residential living rooms that have been given an air of playfulness through their use of the three primary colours.

In design, the primary colours are yellow, blue and red. They usually appear in this context as strong cobalt blues, vivid sunshine yellows and intense fire-engine reds.

This trio of colours is prevalent throughout design history and can be seen in paintings by Dutch artist Piet Mondrian and suspended mobiles by American sculptor Alexander Calder.

They are often used when designing products for children due to the visually stimulating nature of their bright, dense hues.

In interior design, they have a similarly invigorating effect, whether applied directly to structural elements such as walls and columns or found in soft furnishings and accessories.

They primary colours help to bring energy into living areas both when used in isolation and when appearing in tandem with one another.

This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring four-poster beds, split-level living areas and colourful bathrooms.

Retroscena apartment, Italy, by La Macchina Studio

Vibrant pops of blue, yellow and red are set against a neutral backdrop of white walls and terrazzo stone floors in the living room of this mid-century one-bedroom apartment in Rome.

The space represents the distilled interior scheme devised by Italian architecture practice La Macchina Studio that characterises the apartment, which is also home to floor-to-ceiling citrus-toned curtains and bright blue doorways.

Find out more about Retroscena ›

House in Sant Antoni de Vilamajor, Spain, by Arquitectura-G

A monochromatic red colour scheme dominates both the exterior and interior of this rural house near Barcelona designed by Spanish design studio Arquitectura-G.

The split-level living space features a rhythm of striking red-painted columns and ceiling-height cupboard doors combined with rosy clay tiles.

Find out more about House in Sant Antoni de Vilamajor ›

Red House, UK, by David Kohn Architects

Red House in Dorset, England, was given its name by David Kohn Architects in reference to its red brick facade, however, splashes of the colour also appear throughout its eclectic interior.

Primary coloured furnishings – including a blue rug and footstool, red wall hanging and yellow upholstered armchair – are dotted around the living space, offset by white-painted cinderblock walls and warm wooden accents.

Find out more about Red House ›

Out of the Blue, India, by The Act of Quad

Renovated by Mumbai-based studio The Act of Quad, this apartment in the Indian city of Thane is defined by its consistent use of cobalt blue in an otherwise neutral interior.

Soothing splashes of the colour appear in pieces of bespoke furniture – including hemispherical and spherical inclusions on light fittings and tables – and line the inside of a wall-mounted drinks cabinet.

Find out more about Out of the Blue ›

Apartment renovation, Sweden, by Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor

The full trio of primary colours is used across this apartment in Stockholm by local practice Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor.

Blue, yellow and red are seen in both full saturation and muted hues on walls, ceilings, soft furnishings and furniture, creating a colourful yet cohesive interior.

Find out more about apartment renovation ›

Apartment renovation, Spain, by Arquitectura-G

Spanish studio Arquitectura-G used a colour palette governed by shades of yellow in its refurbishment of this apartment in Barcelona.

The living space contains a sunny yellow modular sofa and matching kitchenette, with the spaces united by a backdrop of small golden wall tiles, a honey-coloured wooden floor and white plasterwork.

Find out more about this apartment renovation ›

Fàng Sōng, Germany, by Crossboundaries

Beijing-based architecture practice Crossboundaries reconfigured the interior of a houseboat moored in Berlin, which features modular furniture and storage solutions all finished in either red or yellow in reference to the Chinese imperial colours.

An adaptable living area onboard contains a lemon-yellow sofa that folds away to support a double bed, as well as a cantilevered desk integrated into a wall panel that can be stowed away when not in use.

Find out more about Fàng Sōng ›

Ilioupoli Apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme

Graphic primary-coloured details are scattered around this 56-square-metre subterranean apartment in Athens renovated by local architecture studio Point Supreme.

The rough concrete walls and ceilings of the small living area are contrasted by red items – including a bench and window panes – as well as a trio of deep blue flags suspended in the entryway.

Find out more about Ilioupoli Apartment ›

Function Walls, Sweden, by Lookofsky Architecture

This apartment in Stockholm, which was renovated by local studio Lookofsky Architecture, is designed around a multifunctional wall that snakes through the interior.

In the living area, the zesty yellow structure contains a sofa snuggled inside an extruded frame, accompanied by integrated shelving and matching golden upholstery.

Find out more about Function Walls ›

Polychrome House, Australia, by Amber Road and Lymesmith

Australian design studio Amber Road worked with colour consultants Lymesmith on this house in suburban Sydney, which is charactertised by its excessive use of colour.

The aptly named Polychrome House is finished in a kaleidoscopic spectrum of colours, including in its living room where a wall mural of abstract shapes featuring red, blue and yellow is echoed by red and blue seating.

Find out more about Polychrome House ›

This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring four-poster beds, split-level living areas and colourful bathrooms.

The post Ten living spaces that are punctuated by saturated primary colours appeared first on Dezeen.

In this video produced by Dezeen, US material manufacturer 3form unveils its latest colour palette for its partitions and architectural features, adding muted colours informed by the changing seasons.

The 2023 Color Collection contains 10 pastel colours, including warm yellows, cool blues and subtle lavenders, offering a softer alternative to the brand's typical saturated tones.

 

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Each colour was selected to emulate one of the four seasons and to explore the feelings and emotions that each hue evokes.

"Colour is at the core of what we do," said 3form chief creative officer Ryan Smith. "This collection allowed us to be more introspective about the meaning of colour in our lives."

"We see colour as a main ingredient in creating welcoming gathering spaces," he continued.

The tones include a light blue named Comet, which was designed to evoke the feeling of a winter day, as well as a pastel purple called Lavish, which was designed to echo the vitality of spring.

"This palette sets the design tone for 2023, but its timeless, classic hues are relevant beyond the calendar year," Smith said.

"We take that into deep consideration when creating any palette."

3form's translucent partitions, which can be used for interior features and installations, are available in glass or resin.

Due to the semi-transparent quality of the material, each colour interacts with natural light differently depending on its environment, creating different moods throughout the day.

Partnership content

This video was produced by Dezeen for 3form as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen's partnership content here.

More information on 3form's collection can be found on the brand's website.

The post 3form reveals its latest pastel-toned colour collection appeared first on Dezeen.

An all-lilac kitchen and bright geometric storage solutions feature in this colourful Stockholm apartment renovation by local studio Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor.

The two-bedroom apartment, which is housed within a 1980s prefabricated concrete building in southern Stockholm, was transformed by the architecture studio for a family with four-year-old twins.

As part of the renovation, Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor created a number of space-saving storage solutions. For example, the original floor plan featured an enclosed storage space in the middle of the apartment.

The studio converted this into a trio of smaller storage units for the living room, the kitchen and the pantry. This was achieved by decreasing the size of the hallway but maintaining a corridor to the open-plan living room and home office.

"The original floor plan was robust and quite deep, with a load-bearing wall separating the living room and bedrooms into two halves," studio co-founder Jesper Westblom told Dezeen.

"We didn't want to close off the spaces by making tiny enclosed rooms, but rather make light additions. The aim was to use small adjustments to make the rooms more defined spatially."

A palette of hues created from a mix of the three primary colours – red, blue and yellow – features throughout the home, with the colours offset by white-painted flooring.

Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor also chose a combination of pine wood and red medium-density fibreboard to create bespoke joinery and furniture.

The kitchen was finished in a floor-to-ceiling shade of bluey lilac that also characterises a built-in geometric bench next to the dining table and a tall cupboard concealed behind a "secret door".

A large bookshelf divider decorated with organically shaped vases creates a partition between the open-plan living room and office area, with a burnt-orange shelving system providing extra storage.

The office area can also be cordoned off with a curtain to create extra peace and quiet.

The architecture studio's Elephant sideboard – a chunky blue table that owes its name to its sturdiness and colour – was also included in the living space.

The family's twins share one bedroom, which can be entered through two tall and narrow doors, adding a playful touch to the apartment.

Small windows were also added above these doors to increase the natural light in the home.

Inside the twins' bedroom is a sleeping zone and a play area, which are separated by a low wall to create a clear delineation between the two spaces.

"One of the biggest – and most fun – challenges was to make every single space useful and effective and make room for both play and recovery," reflected Westblom.

Westblom and Robin Krasse founded their eponymous Stockholm-based studio in January 2021.

The firm previously completed the interiors for a local hair salon, which takes cues from architect Carlo Scarpa's geometric designs and the muted colours of 1920s swimming baths.

The photography is by Jesper Westblom.

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Japanese fashion brand Anrealage has presented a colour-changing collection at Paris Fashion Week that was activated by suspended moving UV lights.

The Autumn Winter 2023 presentation took place at Théâtre de la Madeleine in central Paris and saw models walk on stage wearing 1950s-inspired shapes and silhouettes that first appeared in crisp, all-white fabrics.

A procession of models assigned in pairs entered and exited the theatre stage-cum-runway and presented what the audience began to assume was an all-white collection.

As the fourth set of models came onto the stage, they were joined by two light strips that slowly lowered from the ceiling in front of them.

A beam of UV light began sweeping up and down the length of their bodies to reveal brightly coloured and boldly patterned finishes across the formerly all-white, now colourful looks.

This colour-changing technique was achieved by constructing garments using photochromic fabrics and materials that change colour when exposed to sunlight and proximity of UV rays.

"With a collection blending classic 50s-inspired shapes and futuristic materials that change color when exposed to natural sunlight, Anrealage expands its portfolio of experimental photochromic materials produced in-house, adding faux fur, velvet, lace, knit, jacquard and satin," explained Anrealage in its show notes.

After around three minutes, the garments returned to their original colour, once the photochromatic areas were no longer exposed to UV rays.

The colours that appear on the garments will constantly shift and evolve, as the weather and shifting seasons affect the intensity of the sunlight and UV rays, explained the brand.

"As the intensity of natural sunlight is ever-changing, the colors are constantly shifting," it said.

"Pristine white looks... shift into another tonal range, thanks to photosensitive colors that are designed to evolve through the days and seasons, coexisting with nature and the environment."

The collection included satin dresses with oversized crochet collars, faux fur garments and cocoon-shaped coats constructed with no front or back, that transformed to reveal colourful patterns in checkerboard, plaid and polka dots.

Anrealage is a Japanese fashion brand that was founded by Kunihiko Morinaga. Morinaga graduated from Waseda University, Faculty of Social Sciences before starting Anrealage in 2003.

Last year, Coperni debuted its Spring Summer 2023 collection, which saw it collaborate with Fabrican to spray a liquid fibre dress onto the body of Bella Hadid.

Dior also presented its Autumn Winter 2023 collection during Paris Fashion Week, which incorporated a 24-metre-long installation by artist Joana Vasconcelos that was made from fabrics and textiles from the collection.

The photography is by Koji Hirano.

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For our latest lookbook, we've gathered eight bathrooms where the sanitary ware adds a splash of colour, ranging from a green Portuguese "shower tower" to a bathroom with pink marble washbasins.

Although white toilets and basins are still the default choice, increasingly interior designers are experimenting with adding colourful sanitary ware to bathrooms.

Among the designs in this lookbook are stylish black toilets that add a graphic touch to the bathroom, as well as basins in a range of pastel hues including pale blue and avocado green.

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 split-level living areas, mix-and-match flooring and homes with cleverly hidden lifts.

Les Deux Gares, France, by Luke Edward Hall

British designer Luke Edward Hall's design for this Parisian hotel features plenty of patterns, bright colours and printed furnishings.

This can also be seen in the bathroom, where a green toilet and matching green sink stand out against the mustard-yellow wall and zigzag floor tiles. Above the sink, a mirror in a darker green hue complements the interior.

Find out more about Les Deux Gares ›

Annabel's, UK, by Martin Brudnizki

The bathroom at London members' club Annabel's is an explosion of pink, from the pink marble sinks to the pale-pink flowers that line the ceiling.

"It's really about fantasy – this is a club, you don't come here for reality, you come to be transported somewhere else," studio founder Martin Brudnizki told Dezeen.

Find out more about Annabel's ›

Hygge Studio, Brazil, by Melina Romano

Terracotta tiles decorate this apartment in Brazil and were used in the bathroom alongside red bricks that were formed to create a vanity.

Next to it, a black toilet adds a dramatic contrast against the forest-green wall, while green plants and tan towels match the interior.

Find out more about Hygge Studio ›

House Recast, UK, by Studio Ben Allen

House Recast, a refurbished Victorian terraced home in north London, was finished with coloured concrete throughout.

In the bright green bathroom, the colour is contrasted with brass details, which were used for the tap and temperature controls by the small, circular sink.

Find out more about House Recast ›

VS House, India, by Sārānsh

A black toilet almost blends into the veiny green marble backdrop in the bathroom of VS House in India, which was designed to focus on "the nature of the materials used to finish the insides".

Grey Kota stone, a variety of limestone that is quarried in Rajasthan in the north of India, was used on the floor and walls.

Find out more about VS House ›

Nagatachō Apartment, Japan, by Adam Nathaniel Furman

Colour is everywhere in the Nagatachō Apartment by designer Adam Nathaniel Furman, which is located in Tokyo and has a dreamy pastel bathroom.

In the bathroom a pink toilet sits next to a baby blue sink unit contrasted with a bright, sunny yellow tap.

Find out more about Nagatachō Apartment ›

Small House with a Monumental Shower, Portugal, by Fala Atelier

Architecture studio Fala Atelier created a "shower tower" to house the bathroom and shower in this home in Amarante, Portugal.

Inside the tower, minty green tiles clad the walls while a matching sink surround in a pale green marble hue adds material interest.

Find out more about Small House with a Monumental Shower ›

Unit 622 in Habitat 67, Canada, by Rainville Sangaré

Design studio Rainville Sangaré's design for an apartment in architect Moshe Safdie's brutalist Habitat 67 building mostly features discrete colours, but in the bathroom, colourful sinks and a matching mirror break up the monochrome surroundings.

The washbasins have black Corian tops and the smaller of the two is used to wash calligraphy brushes.

Find out more about Unit 622 ›

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 split-level living areas, mix-and-match flooring and homes with cleverly hidden lifts.

The post Eight bathrooms with colourful toilets and sinks appeared first on Dezeen.

Researchers from the University of Chicago have invented a cladding material that changes colour to help with heating or cooling and could be retrofitted to improve buildings' energy efficiency.

The composite material consists of several different layers including copper foil, plastic and graphene, and based on the outside temperature can change its infrared colour – the colour it appears under thermal imaging.

At the same time, it also changes the amount of infrared heat it absorbs or emits from the building. On hot days, the material appears yellow under thermal imaging, indicating that it is emitting more heat, while on cold days it appears purple because it is retaining that heat.

When used on a facade – for example in the form of shingles – the material could potentially reduce the need for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and lower a building's overall energy consumption.

"We've essentially figured out a low-energy way to treat a building like a person; you add a layer when you're cold and take off a layer when you're hot," said materials engineer Po-Chun Hsu from the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, who led the research.

"This kind of smart material lets us maintain the temperature in a building without huge amounts of energy."

Cladding responds to temperature like a chameleon

The University of Chicago describes the material as "chameleon-like" because it can change its colour in response to the outside temperature.

At a chosen trigger temperature, the material uses a tiny amount of electricity to either deposit copper onto a thin film or strip it away.

This chemical reaction effectively transforms the material's central layer – a water-based electrolyte solution – into solid copper. The low-emitting copper helps to retain heat and warm the interior of a building, while the high-emitting aqueous layer keeps a building cool.

The layer of water-based electrolytes also helps to make the material non-flammable, and the researchers describe the switching process from metal to liquid and back again as "stable, non-volatile, efficient and mechanically flexible".

"Once you switch between states, you don't need to apply any more energy to stay in either state," said Hsu. "So for buildings where you don't need to switch between these states very frequently, it's really using a very negligible amount of electricity."

Material could reduce energy consumption by eight per cent

As part of their study, published in the journal Nature Sustainability, the researchers also created models to test the energy savings that could be achieved by applying their material to buildings in 15 US cities, representing 15 climate zones.

In areas that experienced a high variation in weather, they found the material could save 8.4 per cent of a building's annual HVAC energy consumption on average. At the same time, the material relied on just 0.2 per cent of the building's total electricity for its operation.

As it stands, building construction and operations account for nearly 37 per cent of global carbon emissions, most of which is attributed to building operations including lighting, heating and cooling.

To slash these emissions, the material could be used to retrofit poorly insulated or historic buildings and improve their energy efficiency, as the researchers suggest it would be more convenient to install than insulation.

However, several of its components – including the monolayer graphene and gold microgrid used as transparent conductive layers – are currently still expensive and complicated to manufacture.

The researchers have so far created only six-centimetre-wide patches of the material but imagine assembling them like shingles to form larger sheets.

With the watery layer active, the material is a dark white colour, which turns a coppery brown when the copper layer is active.

But the material could also be tweaked to show different colours by adding a layer of pigments behind the transparent watery layer.

Another approach to keeping buildings cool is to paint them white. For this purpose, researchers at Purdue University recently developed the "whitest paint on record", which reflects 98 per cent of sunlight.

Images courtesy of Hsu Group.

The post "Chameleon-like" facade material could help to heat and cool buildings appeared first on Dezeen.

Following Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama's latest collaboration with fashion brand Louis Vuitton, we have collected eight projects and collaborations featuring her trademark colourful polka dots.

At almost 94 years old, Kusama is widely considered to be one of the world's most successful living artists, with a portfolio ranging from installations, sculptures and performance art to fashion, painting and video.

For decades, she has placed repetitive dots at the centre of her projects, which often refer to the hallucinations and visions that she has experienced since her youth.

From garments and design products to installations that have travelled around the world, here are eight of Kusama's key projects:

Louis Vuitton collaboration

Louis Vuitton marked the launch of a capsule collection designed together with Kusama this month with various bold installations at Louis Vuitton stores across the globe, which have been redecorated to reflect the artist's signature bold style.

An inflatable replica of Kusama was placed peering over the roof of Paris' polka-dot-clad Champs-Élysées store, while a large-scale sculpture of the artist was positioned next to oversized mirrored balls at a pop-up outlet in Tokyo.

A life-like animatronic robot of Kusama was inserted into a New York shop window on Fifth Avenue, which playfully paints her famous spots onto the glass for onlookers to see.

Find out more about the latest Louis Vuitton collaboration ›

Kusama: Cosmic Nature

A park-wide exhibition at the New York Botanical Garden featured trees wrapped in spotty red and white polyester, which were tightly held together by bungee cords and metal staples.

Dancing Pumpkin (main image) is an abstract-shaped bronze sculpture characterised by black and yellow polka dots that was placed on a walkway for visitors to interact with.

The artist also poured 1,400 mirrored steel balls into a pond, which forms part of Narcissus Garden – an ongoing project that began in 1966.

Find out more about Cosmic Nature ›

The Dots Skateboards

The artist applied her iconic spots to a series of hand-painted skateboard decks, which she sold at the MoMA Design Store in New York in collaboration with the museum.

Available in two colourways – red and white and black and yellow – the wooded decks were painted on their undersides by Kusama, who alternated between small and larger polka dots for the designs.

Find out more about The Dots Skateboards ›

Dots Obsession – Alive, Seeking for Eternal Hope

The late architect Philip Johnson's self-designed 1940s home, Glass House, features a rectilinear structure and glass walls that are commonly associated with modernist residences.

Kusama completed a month-long intervention at the home, which is now a museum and gallery. The artist stuck hundreds of red dots on the building's facade, based on the idea that the project would allow visitors to "see the world through the eyes" of Kusama and Johnson simultaneously.

An iteration of Narcissus Garden was also installed at the site.

Find out more about Dots Obsession – Alive, Seeking for Eternal Hope ›

Louis Vuitton collaboration

Giant perforated lamps formed the backdrop for this concept store at Selfridges, which displayed the first garment and accessory collection by Kusama and Louis Vuitton in 2012.

To design the collection, the fashion brand drew inspiration from a recent Tate Modern exhibition of Kusama's work. Various bags and clothing, such as a plastic trench coat, were covered with colourful arrangements of the artist's iconic polka-dots.

Find out more about the first Louis Vuitton collaboration ›

Pumpkin sculpture

Simply titled Pumpkin, this sculpture stood on the end of a pier at the Benesse Art Site on Naoshima Island in Kusama's native Japan, before it was swept into the sea following a typhoon last August.

The black and yellow polka-dotted pumpkin is widely considered to be one of the country's most recognisable artworks. It was fractured into pieces following the tropical storm and is currently in the process of being repaired.

Narcissus Garden on Rockaway Peninsula

In 2018, Kusama transported her Narcissus Garden project to a hurricane-damaged train garage on New York's Rockaway Peninsula where 1,500 mirrored balls formed a dramatic installation.

The orb-like sculptures contrasted with the derelict site, which had been left to ruin and then suffered further decay after Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

Find out more about Narcissus Garden on Rockaway Peninsula ›

Infinity Mirror Rooms

Like Narcissus Garden, the artist's Infinity Mirror Rooms is an interactive project by Kusama with various iterations that have been installed in locations around the world, including The Broad in Los Angeles.

The Rooms are small boxes flanked by mirrors that extend to the floors and ceilings, which reflect hundreds of LED lights to create visual trickery.

While on display at The Broad, the museum imposed a 30-second "selfie rule" on visitors to avoid people spending too long photographing the installation and causing queues.

The post Eight key collaborations and projects by contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama appeared first on Dezeen.

Plush velvet upholstery, Moroccan rugs and chinoiserie-style ottomans feature in this lookbook of hotel interiors that use saturated jewel colours to bridge the gap between cosiness and luxury.

Shades of ruby red, cobalt blue and emerald can help to create interiors that are rich in depth and dimension, especially when accompanied by tactile materials such as silk or leather.

Read on for eight hotel interiors that demonstrate how to translate this palette into modern interiors without it feeling stuffy.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring 70s-style interiors, biophilic homes and innovative stone furniture.

The Chloe, USA, by Sara Ruffin Costello

Interior designer Sara Ruffin Costello set out to emphasise the grand Southern Victorian architecture of this 1800s family mansion in New Orleans when converting it into The Chloe hotel (top and above).

Cobalt blue walls and matching chinoiserie ottomans help to complement the building's original tall ceilings and dark wooden floors, as well as the burnt umber tiles that encircle the fireplace in the reception room.

"The Chloe is moody with dark, antique furniture, with an emphasis on Orientalism but updated and made culturally relevant through a very special art collection," Costello told Dezeen.

Find out more about The Chloe ›

Nobu Hotel Barcelona, Spain, by Rockwell Group

This Barcelona hotel by restaurant-turned-hospitality chain Nobu introduces elements of Japanese craft and design into the Catalan capital, with nods to traditional ink paintings, shoji screens and the gold-lacquer mending technique of kintsugi.

In the hotel's moody suites, this is realised in the form of inky blue carpets and built-in millwork finished in saturated lacquer colours, while bathrooms feature traditional ofuro soaking tubs.

Find out more about Nobu Hotel Barcelona ›

Esme Hotel, USA, by Jessica Schuster Design

Interior designer Jessica Schuster worked with the Historic Preservation Board of Miami to revive the Mediterranean revival "grandeur" of this 1920s hotel in Miami, making liberal use of plaster and travertine. Pecky cypress, a type of cypress wood containing small holes, was used on the ceilings.

These are complemented by decadent furnishings, vibrantly clashing patterns and saturated colours, with bedrooms finished in either a rose quartz or emerald green colour scheme.

Find out more about Esme Hotel ›

Hotel Kinsley, USA, by Studio Robert McKinley

Interior designer Robert McKinley wanted to steer clear of the typical upstate New York aesthetic of "antlers or plaid" when designing Hotel Kinsley in the Hudson Valley.

Set over four historic buildings – including a former bank – the hotel instead draws on an unexpected material palette of boiled wool, intricate garnet-red Moroccan rugs and velvet upholstery in shades of mustard yellow and topaz.

Find out more about Hotel Kinsley ›

Maison De La Luz, USA, by Atelier Ace and Studio Shamshiri

Housed inside the former annex to New Orleans' town hall, this 67-room guest house offers a modern take on Southern hospitality by integrating furnishings and artworks that draw on the city's uniquely multicultural heritage.

Among them are references to New Orleans as the home of America's first pirate, alongside quirky details such as the sapphire-blue concierge desk, where guests can collect their tasselled keys.

Find out more about Maison De La Luz ›

Chief Chicago, USA, by AvroKO

Although not technically a hotel, this members' club in Chicago features a lobby in which every surface down to the service ducts is painted a rich shade of green, with matching tiles laid across the floor.

This serves to set the backdrop for a mix of eclectic furnishings and abstract artworks, which design firm AvroKO chose to provide an alternative interpretation of traditional old-world luxury.

"Saturated walls are intentionally bold, balanced by the warmth of plush upholstery and broken-in leather, creating approachability with an overall style that is fresh and enduring," the studio said.

Find out more about Chief Chicago ›

Hotel Torni, Finland, by Fyra

Originally built in 1931, Helsinki's Hotel Torni once served as a meeting place for spies during world war two and was later favoured by artists, journalists and other cultural figures, including Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.

Now, local studio Fyra has renovated the building while preserving its "bohemian ambience", sticking to a moody emerald-green colour palette and layering different styles of furniture, including modern pieces by Swedish designer Gustaf Westman alongside tubular steel seats that were typical of the time.

Find out more about Hotel Torni ›

The Hoxton Poblenou, Spain, by Aime Studios

The Hoxton's outpost in Barcelona proves that jewel tones can also work in sunnier climates, drawing on a slightly more muted palette of rust red, mustard yellow and aquamarine.

The scheme was informed by the distinctive colours and forms used by Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill, whose studio was located nearby.

Find out more about The Hoxton Poblenou ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring 70s-style interiors, biophilic homes and innovative stone furniture.

The post Eight hotel interiors enriched by decadent jewel tones appeared first on Dezeen.

Interiors will get weirder in 2023 with bolder colours, mushroom materials and less birch plywood, designers have told Dezeen.

As the new year begins, Dezeen asked 12 interior designers and architects about their predictions for the interior design trends that will dominate in 2023.

Interiors to feature maximalism and weirdness

British interior designers Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead of 2LG Studio believe interior design this year will be wilder and weirder.

"It's a violent time we are living in," the duo told Dezeen. "There is anger in the world and design needs to reflect that dynamism and not shy away from it. The deco period has been important to design for several years and we are now looking to expressionism and cubism for bold inspiration."

"Weirdness has always been there and we've always been here for it. Think Haas Brothers. But now it feels like we are in such a wild historical moment that weird is becoming the norm. See Nicolas Devlin and Charlotte Kingsnorth."

"When the world gets too weird to comprehend, the designs of the moment reflect that. Let's all get weird and express our wonderfulness."

One of the overarching design trends this year looks to be maximalism, as the world gradually moves on from the more pared-back interior designs that have been popular over the past two years.

"Last year saw a shift towards maximalism, experimenting with patterns and rich colour schemes," Sanchit Arora of New Delhi studio Renesa told Dezeen.

"This year will continue this trend with a fresher fervour. There will be bold and forward designs that give increased personality to the space. For both commercial and residential areas, clients are opting for customized patterns and colours rather than going for conformable products that suit just any space but compromise on standing out."

Bolder colours and prints will take centre stage

While interiors last year often bore a discrete, natural colour palette – as evidenced by the homes in our list of top 10 home interiors of 2022 – 2023 looks set to be colour-drenched.

"I think I am seeing, after a few years of mostly conservative approach to colour, a more fresh and daring use of colour," Raúl Sánchez, founder of Barcelona studio Raúl Sánchez Architects, told Dezeen.

"We are leaving the haven of neutrals and stepping into a rainbow!" added interior designer Pallavi Dean of Roar.

"The safe beige, grey and white walls are on their way out and we are experimenting with bold hues and darker tones to add depth to the space," she added.

"Tread with caution when you choose your shade; it can impact your mood and change your perception of the size of your space."

Spatial designer Adi Goodrich thinks the use of colour will be especially prominent in kitchen interiors.

"I think people are finally embracing colour and will choose to redesign their kitchens in a wash of colour," she told Dezeen.

According to interior designer Kelly Hoppen, neutrals will still be going strong but will be increasingly complemented by bold prints.

"The way we use our homes has evolved over the last few years as we appreciate the comfort and warmth of our own spaces, especially as many people are still in part working remotely or hybrid working," she told Dezeen.

"This will continue to reflect our colour choices and so for multifunctional yet homey rooms, calming neutrals will be favoured including cosy greys to classic beiges and taupes," Hoppen added.

"That said, bold prints are making a resurgence and the asymmetrical feel in rooms is going to be huge. Wallpaper, which is also having a comeback, will be used through 2023 decor. For example – textural walls being used as a backdrop for artwork or asymmetrical wallpaper borders being used to add contrast."

Rich and tactile materials to dominate

Tactile, rich materials will be especially popular in the coming year, according to the designers.

"We are craving a 'multi-sensory palette'," said Dean.

"The recent pandemic deprived us of one of our most 'human' senses: touch. In response to that, I feel it will become increasingly important for designers to make use of materials that bring tactility to the interior scheme and to devise spaces that provoke an emotion in its users."

"In the post-pandemic space, the wellbeing of the end user is considered more than ever," agreed interior designer Tola Ojuolape.

"Humble materials and finishes that give rise to a relaxed sophistication will continue to dominate the interiors landscape. Lime plaster walls and finish, brick, natural wool will be visible."

Meanwhile, an increasing appetite for bold designs could lead to some currently popular materials falling out of favour.

"I think the era of birch plywood might be coming to an end," Goodrich said. "I believe richer woods like walnut, cherry and red oak will be seen more in interiors moving forward."

"Bold, colourful marbles balanced with neutrals will be particularly trendy," predicted Hoppen. "People will be eating in a lot more in 2023, so table tops (especially marble) and dining spaces will make a huge comeback–perfect for those looking to entertain."

Studios are also open to working with new materials this year as they strive for more sustainable designs.

"Materiality excites us as a studio," 2LG said. "Mushrooms are going to become more important. Brands like Mylo Unleather are making waves and getting us excited about the possibilities mushrooms offer as an ethical and sustainable alternative to animal skin."

Interior designer Kelly Wearstler agreed, saying: "Sustainability will continue to live at the forefront of all design conversations and innovations. I have been very interested in the rise of mushroom leather."

"This fabric innovation has already been revolutionary for the fashion industry, offering a sustainable alternative," she added. "I expect we will continue to see its presence grow within interiors and design."

Sustainability becoming a "necessity"

Designers are also more focused on sustainability than ever before and wary of greenwashing.

"Sustainability is an evolving subject in the interiors space; this will continue in 2023," Ojuolape predicted.

"Designers will continue to find ways to ensure it is considered and adapted into the life cycle of an interiors project from the onset."

"Intentional and deliberate education will continue to ensure resourceful materials selections, upcycling and reuse of furniture and smart reduction of plastics and waste," she added.

"As we confront ourselves with the ever-increasing issues of energy consumption and global warming, interior design projects will be greatly affected in many aspects," Japanese designer Keiji Ashizawa predicted.

"I believe projects that trace the context of sustainability will become a necessity, and it will no longer be something that is merely spoken about as an idealized concept," he added.

"I think it's safe to say we are all sensitised to greenwashing," Dean said.

"Designers and clients are both better educated about the impact their work will have on the environment and are steering clear from box-ticking certification goals. Instead, the focus is on long-term strategies – waste disposal, efficient MEP systems and better construction methodologies."

Human connection important after pandemic

The importance of working together as a community was also highlighted by many of the designers Dezeen spoke to.

"Due to the pandemic we have all been more or less isolated – so what we see is a longing for truly connecting and interacting with the world around us again," said Norm Architects partner Frederik Werner.

"Translate that into the field of interior design – and we see how we as humans seek tactility, sensibility and natural materials in the constant pursuit of wellbeing."

Australia-based designer Danielle Brustman agreed, saying: "There seems to be a sculptural and more organic design trend growing in interior design. There is a return to the soft curve and using more organic materials. We have all been rocked by the Covid pandemic and I think people are in need of some nurturing."

This theme of community will also play out in the production of design projects, predicts Ashizawa.

"After experiencing the Covid-19 pandemic, I believe that there will be more opportunity to reflect on the community – along with the cost of import and logistics leading to a slower progression of projects," he said.

"This would spur the expansion of community-based projects that focus on cultural values of local production for local consumption."

Similarly, Alex Mok of interior design studio Linehouse believes the difficulty of the past year will enhance the need for collaboration.

"2022 was a difficult year for many countries and cultures so we look towards 2023 with a focus to human connection, authenticity and social interaction," she told Dezeen.

"We're seeing a greater consideration on the use and purpose of spaces beyond form and instead activating communities. We hope to see more projects that revitalise existing buildings or connection to local crafts."

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Experimental clothing brand Vollebak and biomaterials company Living Ink have teamed up to create a T-shirt using black dye made from algae instead of petroleum, in what they say marks a major breakthrough for sustainable fashion.

The dye, developed over five years of research and development, is made by taking waste spirulina algae from the natural food colouring industry and heat treating it to create a blackened char.

This process helps to lock away the carbon that was absorbed by the algae over the course of its life, making the resulting dye carbon negative according to Living Ink.

That means it could offer a more sustainable alternative to traditional black dye made from carbon black – a pigment derived from non-renewable fossil fuels that generates emissions through its extraction and refinement.

"I think it's a huge breakthrough for the fashion industry," Vollebak co-founder Steve Tidball told Dezeen. "We've now got a sustainable alternative to dyeing clothing using traditional carbon black-based dyes."

"Every black thing we own is likely to contain carbon black, from our phones to our cars to the ink in our pens," he added. "Vast tracts of lands called tar sands are stripped of all life and vegetation to extract the heavy petroleum, while the production process creates significant greenhouse gas emissions."

Earlier experiments in replacing carbon black saw Vollebak and Living Ink collaborate to screen-print a T-shirts using ink made from the same spirulina algae.

This proved easier than creating a dye, as the pigment particles in dye need to be microscopically small so that they can be absorbed by the fibres rather than just resting on top like an ink.

To create the dye, Living Ink had to develop a proprietary technology that is capable of grinding the resulting pigments down to a size of just one micron. The average human hair, for comparison, has a diameter of around 70 microns.

These pigments were then mixed with a water-based binder, added to industrial dyeing vats and used to create what the company says is "the first piece of clothing ever to be coloured using dye made from black algae".

For this fashion industry first, Vollebak used a T-shirt made from 80 per cent cotton and 20 per cent SeaCell – a blend of pulped eucalyptus and seaweed.

Although cotton is a lot more water-intensive than some of Vollebak's other materials such as linen or lyocell, the company says this trade-off was necessary to ensure the colour saturation of the T-shirt.

"Black algae dye doesn't behave like traditional chemical dyes, so we spent around six months testing different combinations of materials to find the optimum mix for this product," Steve Tidball said.

"Our lab tests showed that this specific combination of cotton, eucalyptus and seaweed absorbed the black algae dye best out of all the materials we trialled."

The colour of the final T-shirt still resembles more of a faded black or slate grey. But the two companies are currently working on reducing the since of the particles even further to create a more intense black.

"Ultimately it should be possible to match the colour that carbon black can produce," explained Vollebak's other co-founder Nick Tidball.

"There's a clear pathway for upscaling, too," Steve Tidball added. "It's about integrating more tech into existing systems for producing algae for food use, rather than building completely new systems from scratch."

But Living Ink says the industry where black algae pigments will ultimately have the most impact is in tyre and rubber manufacturing, which account for 90 per cent of all carbon black production.

"Clothing is a great place to start but larger volume is in the more industrial sectors," founder Scott Fulbright explained.

As the fashion industry tries to move away from petroleum-based synthetic dyes, designers and material researchers are increasingly looking to harness the colours produced by living organisms.

Dutch brand Zeefier recently launched to provide seaweed dyes for the fashion industry while biofabrication designer Natsai Audrey Chieza uses bacteria to colour fabrics in a process that uses up to 500 times less water.

The post Vollebak releases "first piece of clothing ever" coloured with black algae dye appeared first on Dezeen.

Clashing colours, statement furnishings and mismatched patterns feature in this lookbook, which rounds up ten flamboyant interiors that embody the maximalist aesthetic.

Maximalism is a style of art and design that rejects the rules of minimalism. Instead, exuberance is celebrated and anarchic use of pattern, colour and texture are encouraged.

According to Claire Bingham, author of the book More is More, the style can be attributed to the Memphis Group – the 1980s design and architecture collective known for their bold postmodern creations.

However, as demonstrated by this roundup, maximalism continues to make its mark today, as designers apply the aesthetic to the interiors of our homes as well as to public spaces.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing brutalist interiors, walk-in wardrobes and colourful living rooms.

Hotel Les Deux Gares, France, by Luke Edward Hall

Contemporary pea-green walls stand in stark contrast to chintzy wallpaper and soft velvet sofas in the rooms of the Hotel Les Deux Gares in Paris.

According to its designer Luke Edward Hall, the aesthetic is intended to be "anti-modern" – harking back to a Paris of the past.

Find out more about Hotel Les Deux Gares ›

Casa TEC 205, Mexico, by Moneo Brock

The bright-coloured works of Mexican architect Luis Barragán informed the look of this maximalist-style home in Monterrey, designed by architecture studio Moneo Brock.

Inside, striking wallpaper prints are juxtaposed with geometric tiling and colour-blocked walls, such as in the kitchen and dining room where a large floral mural takes centre stage.

Find out more about Casa TEC 205 ›

Rookies, Germany, by Stephanie Thatenhorst

Designer Stephanie Thatenhorst challenged the conventional look of healthcare facilities when designing this kid-friendly optician in Munich.

Intended as a "noisy, wild and unique paradise for children", it marries a bright blue carpet with geometric wall tiles, U-shaped neon lights and display areas covered in apricot-coloured fabric.

Find out more about Rookies ›

Schiphol airport lounge, Netherlands, by Marcel Wanders

The flamboyant rooms of the Schiphol airport lounge were all given a distinct look when renovated by Marcel Wanders, a creative best known for his uninhibited maximalist style.

Among them is an animated seating area that references canal houses in Amsterdam. Its finishes include wall panels resembling giant stained-glass windows and a cartoonish lamp that mimics a street light.

Find out more about Schiphol airport lounge ›

Austin Proper Hotel and Residences, USA, by Kelly Wearstler

Interior designer Kelly Wearstler teamed local art and textiles with one-off vintage details when creating the eclectic interior for Austin Proper Hotel and Residences.

This includes the hotel's drinking establishment, which occupies a room with high ceilings covered in decorative wallpaper. Below, a cobalt blue-painted bar sits against low stuffed armchairs, chunky wooden tables and stone plinths.

Find out more about Austin Proper Hotel and Residences ›

Annabel's, UK, by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio

This dim hallway features in London members' club Annabel's, which was recently overhauled by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio to make visitors feel as though they have been "transported somewhere else".

Similarly to the rest of the building, the corridor features clashing animal prints across all its surfaces and is overlooked by a sculpture of a gorilla on a seat – just one of the fanciful features hidden inside.

Find out more about Annabel's ›

Mondrian hotel, Qatar, by Marcel Wanders

Marcel Wanders also applied his signature maximalist style to the interior of the Mondrian hotel in Doha, which is filled with mismatched patterns and oversized furnishings.

Among its standout spaces is the swimming pool on the 27th floor. Crowned by a floral-patterned stained-glass dome, it features bulbous white seating, a tactile grass-like bridge and monochrome tiling.

Find out more about Mondrian hotel ›

Studio Job office, Belgium, by Studio Job

Studio Jobs' founder Job Smeet describes his maximal self-designed home and office in Antwerp as being "like a visual assault".

Encased by an exposed concrete shell, it comprises a central gallery space, kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms – one of which clashes paint-splattered walls with shark-patterned wallpaper, a maze-like rug and spaghetti-print bed sheets.

Find out more about Studio Job office ›

Esme Hotel, USA, by Jessica Schuster Design

In an overhaul of the boutique Esme Hotel in Miami, New York studio Jessica Schuster Design opted for saturated tones and sculptural furnishings to "create an artful collage of bohemian grandeur".

Among its decadent spaces is a mahogany cocktail bar that is encircled by fringed stools and sculptural pendant lighting, set against a checkered floor and a wooden ceiling.

Find out more about Esme Hotel ›

Polychrome House, Australia, by Amber Road and Lymesmith

Pops of bright primary colours feature in every room of this 1960s house in Sydney, which was recently renovated by studio Amber Road and colour consultant Lymesmith.

When extending the ground floor, the team introduced an open-plan living space with graphic paved floors modelled on aerial photographs of the surrounding terrain, which contrasts with white-painted brick walls that are partly covered by an abstract mural.

Find out more about Polychrome House ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing brutalist interiors, walk-in wardrobes and colourful living rooms.

The post Ten maximalist interiors that are saturated with colours and patterns appeared first on Dezeen.

Flamingo pink walls in a Greek seaside apartment and a living space in Italy defined by primary colours feature in our latest lookbook, which collects colourful living rooms that are designed to stand out.

From the pastel colour palette used in a Tokyo dwelling to the clash of reds and greens seen in an Athens apartment, these 10 living rooms from across the world are defined by their colourful interiors.

While using strong colours in a living room can seem like an intimidating prospect, these examples show how even just a few splashes of colour can create a warmer atmosphere and work as a contrast against traditional white walls.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing brutalist interiors, terrazzo eateries and residential atriums.

Polychrome House, Australia, by Amber Road and Lymesmith

Pops of colour feature in every room of Polychrome House, a 1960s property in Sydney that was renovated by architecture studio Amber Road and colour consultants Lymesmith.

"Bright primary colours, which were layered throughout the interior, became the heartbeat of the joyful experience we were all committed to creating," Amber Road co-director Yasmine Ghoniem told Dezeen.

Find out more about Polychrome House ›

Waterfront Nikis Apartment, Greece, by Stamatios Giannikis

Flamingo pink walls and accents take centre stage in the living room of Waterfront Nikis Apartment, a Greek seaside dwelling set within a 1937 listed art deco building.

Architect Stamatios Giannikis paired a neon-pink hammock with a soft fluffy rug and rosy plant pots in the living room that overlooks the sea.

Find out more about Waterfront Nikis Apartment ›

Nagatachō Apartment, Japan, by Adam Nathaniel Furman

Designer Adam Nathaniel Furman used a sugar-sweet colour palette to liven up a Tokyo apartment he renovated for a retired expat couple.

Located opposite the open-plan kitchen, the combined living space and dining area features a plush lilac carpet that was chosen to contrast a bold green and blue chair and footrest, which Furman said "has the feel of sponge cake and looks like icing".

Find out more about Nagatachō Apartment ›

Connecticut house, USA, by Hendricks Churchill

American firm Hendricks Churchill sought to combine the aesthetic of a traditional farmhouse with more contemporary details at this Connecticut house.

Dusty blue cabinetry meets reddy orange furniture in the home's living room while a textured blue rug was placed on neutral wooden floorboards.

Find out more about this Connecticut house ›

Trevi House, Italy, by Studio Venturoni

Thick bands of terracotta and sand-coloured paint wrap around the walls of Trevi House, a one-bedroom apartment in Rome that is defined by warm, earthy hues.

The living room includes a contrasting rectilinear blue and cream rug, which is positioned underneath a statement oversized sculpture, reminiscent of traditional marble statues.

Find out more about Trevi House ›

The Karine Vilas Boas Apartment, Brazil, by Studio Julliana Camargo

A large rug with a bright geometric pattern by Portuguese brand Punto e Filo features in the living space of this large apartment in downtown São Paulo.

Studio Julliana Camargo placed a crescent-shaped pink sofa and vivid green armchairs around the rug, emphasising its bold, technicolour appearance.

Find out more about the Karine Vilas Boas Apartment ›

Trikoui apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme Architects

Local firm Point Supreme Architects designed this vibrant Athens apartment to include a single open-plan space combining the living, dining and kitchen areas.

To make up for the absence of partition walls, the apartment includes colourful built-in custom furniture to help delineate spaces, including a stained-green plywood storage wall and a table with a bright red top.

Find out more about this Trikoui apartment ›

House for Booklovers and Cats, USA, by BFDO Architects

American studio BFDO Architects added splashes of pink, orange and blue to the living room of House for Booklovers and Cats, a Brooklyn home designed to include various nooks for a pair of shy cats to retreat to.

A higgledypiggledy bookshelf featuring brightly painted alcoves was built into one of the room's walls, which was designed to house the owners' extensive reading collection.

Find out more about House for Booklovers and Cats ›

Retroscena, Italy, by La Macchina Studio

Retroscena is a distinctive 1950s apartment renovation in Rome, completed by Italian architecture office La Macchina Studio to reveal the home's original terrazzo floors.

Primary colours were celebrated in the interior design, where the living room can be screened off by a yellow curtain and is decorated with a circular red wall hanging and a squidgy blue sofa.

Find out more about Retroscena ›

Madrid apartment, Spain, by Husos Arquitectos

Playful lime green deck chairs and bold yellow and orange accents feature in the large living room of this Madrid apartment by Spanish studio Husos Arquitectos.

While its plywood-board cabinetry and pinewood floors mean that natural hues dominate in the room, the studio painted some of the shelves in vibrant colours to brighten up the wood.

Find out more about this Madrid apartment ›

This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen's image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing green bedrooms, gardens with swimming pools and homes with glass extensions.

The post Ten colourful living rooms that make a statement with bold hues appeared first on Dezeen.

For our latest lookbook, we've curated 10 interiors decked out in Wild Wonder after paint brand Dulux named the pale yellow hue as its Colour of the Year for 2023.

Dulux describes Wild Wonder as a "soft gold with hints of green" that speaks to people's desire for a closer connection to nature and better mental health in light of the recent period of upheaval.

"As people search for support, connection, inspiration and balance in the world today, they're diving into the wonders of the natural world to find it," the brand explained.

"Wild Wonder is a positive, natural tone that, by connecting us with the natural world, can help us feel better in our homes."

The optimistic hue, reminiscent of "fresh seed pods and harvest grain", is particularly suited to brightening up living spaces – as seen below in an all-yellow Barcelona duplex and a renovated 19th-century apartment in Stockholm by Note Design Studio.

But the colour can also be used to give a homely feel to commercial interiors, from a floating spa to a church-turned-coworking space, where it is often contrasted against shades of dusty pink or deep red.

This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen's image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing residential atriums, floating staircases and kitchens with polished granite surfaces.

Hidden Tints, Sweden, by Note Design Studio

Set in a 19th-century building in Stockholm, this kitchen envisioned by Swedish practice Note Design Studio is entirely enveloped in buttery yellow paint – covering everything from the walls and mouldings to the window frames.

"Colour helps to emphasise the splendour in the detailing of the architecture," interior architect Sanna Wåhlin told Dezeen. "In fact, the approach to colour in architecture in the old days was much braver than we see today. It deserves its place again!"

Find out more about Hidden Tints ›

Cubitts Belgravia, UK, by Child Studio

Child Studio reinstated many of the Georgian design features found in this 19th-century Belgravian townhouse when turning it into a shop for eyewear brand Cubitts.

The London design firm painted its walls in a chalky yellow hue that was typical of the period and uncovered the original floorboards to create an "intimate and domestic atmosphere", complete with a cast iron fireplace installed in the front room.

Find out more about Cubitts Belgravia ›

Duplex in Sant Gervais, Spain, by Arquitectura-G

To make this duplex apartment in Barcelona with its convoluted floor plan and shadowy living spaces feel more bright and spacious, local practice Arquitectura-G introduced an all-yellow colour scheme that features throughout the home.

It was even chosen for the metal grating used to form shelving in the kitchen, which was designed to provide storage without obstructing sunlight from reaching every corner of the space.

Find out more about Duplex in Sant Gervais ›

Cafe Banacado, Sweden, by ASKA

Swedish architecture firm ASKA aimed to create a warm and peaceful atmosphere inside this all-day breakfast cafe, using sunny hues across its nostalgic checkerboard floors, storage walls and custom-made tables with integrated cutlery holders.

"In order to create an environment that feels harmonious, we work with subtle layering and tone-in-tone methods," said ASKA co-founder Madeleine Klingspor. "The same yellow is used on the walls, lamps, tables and floor but in different scales and intensity."

Find out more about Cafe Banacado ›

Villa Noailles gift shop, France, by Pierre Yovanovitch

When overhauling the gift shop of the Villa Noailles arts centre in Provence, French designer Pierre Yovanovitch created a series of colour-block alcoves to "dramatise" the presentation of the products on offer.

The mellow yellow backdrop of these wall niches stands in stark contrast to the salmon-pink walls and cobalt blue trims, nodding to the villa's "cubist" garden designed by Armenian architect Gabriel Guevrekian.

Find out more about the Villa Noailles gift shop ›

Origin spa, Switzerland, by Bureau

Blocks of pastel-toned tiles overlap across the different surfaces of this float spa in Geneva. The colour-blocking was specifically designed to evoke the vague spots and flashes of colour that can sometimes be seen behind closed eyes after looking at a light source.

The interior was designed to reflect the visuals that guests experience in the spa's sensory deprivation tanks, which are filled with warm salt water but completely devoid of light to create the feeling of floating weightlessly in space.

Find out more about Origin ›

13 Square Metre House, UK, by Studiomama

Custom-made plywood furniture fringes this tiny 13-square-metre home set in a former mini cab office, which "might be London's smallest house," according to architect Studiomama.

Beyond providing crucial storage, the light wooden elements help to create a cohesive interior, while functional zones such as integrated sliding doors are highlighted in swatches of soft yellow, pink and blue.

Find out more about 13 Square Metre House ›

Maria Nila salon, Sweden, by ASKA

Undulating shelves of hair products wind their way around the perimeter of this salon by Swedish haircare brand Maria Nila in Stockholm to evoke dripping shampoo.

The storage is rendered in pastel gradient colours informed by the brand's packaging, which fade from ballet-slipper pink to a pale coffee colour and finally a washed-out yellow.

Find out more about the Maria Nila salon ›

Imarika boutique, Italy, by Marcante-Testa

Another interior that showcases the perfect match between yellow and pink is this boutique in Milan, designed by Italian studio Marcante-Testa.

Here, an understated daffodil-colour covers the walls, while pink clay was used to render partitions and rose-gold rails hold up the glass shelves displaying accessories.

Find out more about Imarika boutique ›

The Ruby Street, USA, by Francesca de la Fuente and Working Holiday Studio

An abstract wall mural by Los Angeles artist Dakota Solt ties together the baby blue, pink and tan furnishings in this co-working space with the pale yellow of the wood-panelled walls and the rattan pendant light.

Called The Ruby Street, the shared office and events space is set in a former church in the city's Highland Park neighbourhood, whose stained-glass windows were retained and paired with simple, contemporary furnishings.

Find out more about The Ruby Street ›

This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen's image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing residential atriums, floating staircases and kitchens with polished granite surfaces.

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Estudio Santa Rita has completed a compact and efficient building with colourful storage units and a saw-tooth roof that houses the offices and workshops of a creative couple in Mérida, Mexico.

Estudios MF is for a couple, a fashion designer and a painter, who commissioned Estudio Santa Rita to design and build their workspace.

The overlapping yet distinct requirements of the artist's vocations meant each needed their own studio space.

The tight footprint of the plot led local architecture outfit Estudio Santa Rita to design a narrow building with spaces laid out in a linear sequence. The structure's floorplan is 115 square metres and was completed in 2021.

"A linear composition of workspaces and facilities are alternated and sequenced to adapt to the narrowness and length of the plot of land," said Estudio Santa Rita.

Two main strategies helped the architecture studio maximize the space. First, communal areas such as small courtyards and storage are shared by both artisans.

For instance, a small outdoor space in the centre of the volume separates the two studios. This is also where the architecture studio included the bathroom, which is accessed through the courtyard.

Estudio Santa Rita also sought to eliminate unnecessary corridors, in favour of circulation through the studios themselves.

"A sequential organization of open and closed spaces achieves functional connections and integrates areas with vegetation that offer air and light to the interiors," said the architecture studio.

In addition to the central courtyard, the two artists also have an outdoor space at the rear of the building, which can be seen through floor-to-ceiling windows in one of the studios.

To contrast the structure's concrete palette, the architects chose bright, colourful finishes for the shared amenities, such as the bathroom and a storage volume at the back of the property.

"Smaller compact volumes intersect the composition with lively colors to indicate function and to create contrast," the architecture studio explained.

The building's roofline has a distinctive saw-tooth profile, which allows natural light to enter every workspace.

"Inclined slabs in the form of serrated teeth allow the large, orthogonal studios to receive direct sunlight and the cool wind from the northeast, said Estudio Santa Rita.

These angled structures also support solar panels. According to the architects, the angle of the skylights was chosen to optimise their electricity generation, which helps to offset the building's overall energy use.

"The angle to which the slabs are inclined corresponds to the optimal angle and orientation to the sun that is necessary to generate energy through the use of solar panels," said the studio.

The Yucatán Peninsula has seen several new projects in recent years, particularly around the rapidly growing city of Tulum, a popular tourist destination.

Other projects in the area include an apartment complex in Cancún intended to be used by local workers and tourists alike and a bamboo-woven yoga pavilion by CO-Lab Design Office.

The photography is by Sergio Rios.

Project credits:

Arq. Mauricio A. Pérez León, Arq. Marcos Torres Cocom

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