Markus Andrews

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    YSG draws on beach clubs of Ibiza and Cancun for redesign of Sydney coastal home

    Australian interiors studio YSG has updated a holiday home in Sydney’s Palm Beach suburb, layering it with a maximalist mix of colours, patterns and textures.

    The 400-square-metre house belongs to a young family who wanted a place to escape during the holidays while still providing space for remote working.
    YSG renovated a holiday home in Sydney’s Palm BeachThe home’s original furnishings were included in the sale but the clients were less than enthused by the nautical colour palette, seashells and model yachts.
    “The weathered features and cliched seaside tropes, amongst other things, deterred their visits,” said Yasmine Ghoniem, founder and director of YSG.
    Its living and dining area are separated by a small stepYSG took cues from the rustic beach clubs of Ibiza and Cancun for the revamp, with a touch of French Riviera refinement to create “a palpably playful mood for entertaining”.

    The house was given a full overhaul, with worn floorboards sanded back to reveal warmer timber accents while windows and doors were replaced with more slimline versions.
    Details from a painting in the lounge were carried over onto the wallsIn the sunroom, tongue-and-groove panelling was removed for a more contemporary look while a mirrored wall was taken out because it caused the room to overheat.
    A new rose-tinted marble floor extends to skirting height, amplifying the sense of space while helping to keep the room cool. In the kitchen, YSG added a stone island “that recalls the ombre shades of a freshly poured tequila sunrise”.
    Chequerboard tiles surround the poolThe couple also asked for a second master suite, so that they could each have their own retreat while working remotely.
    “We designed integrated marble and timber desks, enabling both to simultaneously work privately from their rooms whilst enjoying views from the upper level,” Ghoniem said.

    YSG designs playful Sydney penthouse for empty nesters

    For the all-important exterior areas, which wrap around the house on each level, YSG provided a material refresh by removing the old heavy paving and weathered grey timber as they distracted from the views.
    The pool area now features a chequerboard pattern of tumbled marble cobblestones while the dark blue pool tiles were replaced with a lighter finish and the chrome fence posts were powder-coated in a soft white tone to prevent glaring reflections.
    The home’s stone kitchen island is made from thickly veined stoneYSG added a playful painting in the living room that acted as a starting point for the home’s entire interior scheme, including the colour palette of ochres, yellows, and reds.
    Its motifs such as palm trees and fruit are repeated throughout the house across prints and cushions, as well as being hand-painted onto walls and doors.
    The home also has a second lounge areaEven the painting’s chequered top border is continued as a hand-painted datum line across the living room to enliven the otherwise plain walls.
    Ghoniem also repeated the same device on the side of the raised step that lead to the dining area, “artistically acknowledging a trip hazard”.
    The bedrooms were designed to provide space for remote workingIn the sunroom, hand-painted swirls soften the beams while in one of the master bedrooms, the vertical red lines of a nude painting were playfully continued onto the wall above the artwork.
    The rich material palette features many types of marble, including Giallo, Toledo and Tiberio along with honed travertine and French wash walls, while the textiles include linen and kimono silk.
    Chequerboard tiling also features in some of the bathroomsYSG has completed a number of projects across Sydney, including another house in a coastal suburb with tactile finishes and a penthouse for a couple of empty nesters.
    The photography is by Prue Ruscoe.

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    Nina+Co uses salvaged materials and biotextiles for Big Beauty’s first store

    Design studio Nina+Co has used materials informed by the ingredients used in natural skincare products for Big Beauty’s first store in Hackney, London.

    For its first retail space, Big Beauty founder Lisa Targett Bolding wanted to create a space that was an extension of the brand’s ethos. She worked closely with Nina+Co, which chose to incorporate waste materials and biomaterials like mycelium into the design.
    According to Nina+Co founder Nina Woodcroft, every material choice was aimed at minimising waste or reviving waste products.
    The Big Beauty shop was designed by Nina+Co”Lisa was determined to push the boundaries of material use and circularity and is willing to take risks, which is necessary when experimenting with materials and processes that are new,” she told Dezeen.
    “There are many great materials and solutions that we desperately need to become mainstream, but making them commercially viable can be a slow and long-winded process,” she continued.

    “The goal at Nina+Co is to bridge this gap, to show how beautiful and useful these materials and processes can be, and to work on changing attitudes towards waste and considering end-of-use.”
    The project features salvaged and biomaterialsRaw stone edges, metal patination, and earthy tones were blended with soft, oversized, rounded forms to create a calming effect throughout the space where, besides the retail area, there is a private treatment room for massages and facials.
    The main space was designed to be flexible and host events, with seating arranged around a large travertine stone table, which was sourced 50 per cent from salvage and 50 per cent from offcuts.
    Salvaged travertine stone was used for the central table with only minimal shaping to some edgesThe travertine used for the central table was kept in the large slabs in which it was found, with only minimal shaping to some edges, in a bid to reduce wastage and retain integrity for future applications.
    As well as the reclaimed natural stone, Nina+Co used expanded cork blocks that were shaped into storage units and salvaged steel, which has been re-worked into shelving.
    Expanded cork blocks are used to create storage unitsMany of the materials chosen were informed by the minerals and ingredients used in natural skincare such as clay, seaweed and mushroom extracts.
    Mycelium was grown to form plinths and legs using the reishi species. Reishi mushroom and clay were also used to pigment curtains of a seaweed biotextile, which have tiny trapped air bubbles to look like sea foam or bath bubbles.
    The seaweed biotextile, along with hemp fabric, was hung as a backdrop for the window display that shades the interior.
    Seaweed biotextile panels feature tiny trapped air bubblesWhen asked about the challenges of working with mycelium, Woodcroft said “every project has its hiccups. Mycelium needs precise conditions to grow and contamination is tricky to avoid without serious lab facilities.”
    “We inoculate organic waste with mushroom spores then the fungus digests the substrate and binds together with tiny hyphae threads into a homogenous form within a mould; when gently dried, the mycelium becomes inert and we are left with strong, organic pieces of furniture that are ultimately compostable,” she explained.
    “There’s so much more to explore with mycelium and I intend to.”
    A glass block wall encloses a private treatment room.Also as part of the renovation, the studio removed the existing timber floor and underlay, which were both sold locally with proceeds going to charity.
    The grey concrete beneath was then stained to a warmer brown using iron sulphate, a common grass fertiliser. Cork tiles with a natural hard wax finish were used for the kitchen and toilet. The walls and ceiling were coated with a limewash paint made from clay, minerals and natural pigments.
    Mycelium and Reishi mushroom species were used to create plinths and legs for the displaysAccording to Woodcroft, each area of the shop tells a story of material exploration and experimentation.
    The space offers – as the brand puts it – “a sense of provenance, connection and reverence” for the natural components of the skincare products on the shelves.
    Big Beauty’s windows feature panels of mycelium biotextileNina+Co has previous experience working with ancient and pioneering materials like mushroom mycelium, algae and bioplastics. The design studio worked on the fit-out of Silo, a zero-waste restaurant in the London suburb of Hackney Wick, and more recently the MONC eyewear store also in the British capital.
    The photography is by Anna Batchelor

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    Kim Kardashian brings poolside vibes to SKIMS swimwear pop-up at Selfridges

    A three-tiered diving board stands next to a metallic palm tree inside this pop-up shop that designer Willo Perron has created for Kim Kardashian’s lingerie brand SKIMS in London.

    The brand’s first physical retail space in the UK, at the Selfridges department store in London, follows the same formula as its debut shop in Paris. Here, surfaces were coated in panels of glossy plastic with gentle thermoformed curves to suggest the shape of the human body.
    SKIMS has opened a swimwear pop-up in SelfridgesBut for this temporary summertime pop-up, Perron abandoned the brand’s typical fleshy colour palette in favour of a pale blue hue reminiscent of a heavily chlorinated swimming pool.
    The resulting plastic panels are so glossy they look almost wet as they form everything from mirror frames and bench seats to wall panels and the shop’s monolithic till counter, which is embossed with the SKIMS logo.
    A three-tiered diving board sculpture forms the centrepiece of the storeA huge replica of a three-levelled diving board stands at the heart of the store, with a stepped base and springboards formed from lengths of the same baby-blue plastic.

    Shiny chrome tubes act as handrails and are repeated throughout the store in the form of gridded partitions and clothing rails, curving around the columns of the Grade II-listed department store.

    Kim Kardashian launches first pop-up SKIMS store in Paris

    Rounding off the poolside atmosphere is a matching metal palm tree sculpture, integrated into the long bench set that runs along the shopfront.
    To display stacks of rolled-up nude-coloured SKIMS towels, Perron also added two smaller freestanding platforms with the same steps and chrome handrails as the diving platform but minus the springboards.
    Thermoformed plastic panels in glossy blue glad most of the interiorTaking over Selfridges’ ground-floor pop-up space The Corner Shop until 8 July 2023, the shop will offer the brand’s core collection of swimsuits and bikinis alongside limited editions and seasonal colourways.
    Customers will also be able to buy ice cream to match their swimwear, stored in baby-blue freezers courtesy of London gelato company Chin Chin Labs.
    A metallic palm tree decorates the store”I’m thrilled to bring SKIMS Swim to London for the first-time ever and take over The Corner Shop at Selfridges with our most conceptual pop-up experience to date,” said SKIMS co-founder and creative director Kim Kardashian.
    “We have followers all over the world,” she added. “As we enter the next phase of SKIMS retail, I look forward to connecting with these customers through innovative shopping experiences on a global scale.”
    A metallic palm tree completes the poolside atmosphereReturning for its second year, SKIMS’s swimwear offering is pitched towards providing various levels of coverage for different body types and modesty requirements.
    This is an extension of the brand’s drive to create inclusive underwear and shapewear that works for people of different sizes and abilities, following the launch of its Adaptive Collection last year.
    Over the next three years, the brand is planning to open a roster of freestanding stores across the UK and EU.

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    Yoonede exhibition brings together emerging and established designers

    Chair-shaped sculptures and a doughnut-shaped paper lantern were among objects displayed inside a Copenhagen apartment during 3 Days of Design.

    Yoonede – derived from the word “unity” – was a group exhibition featuring the work of 20 artists, designers and brands.
    Yoonede took place in an apartment on Gammel MøntThe idea behind the show was to promote collaboration, with everyone’s work displayed together. Some designers also teamed up with other participants on their exhibits.
    Objects were displayed in the rooms and courtyard of an apartment on Gammel Mønt, a street in the heart of the Danish capital.
    Works included a chair-like sculpture by Maria Brunn and Anne Dorthe VesyterLine Øhlenschlæger, one of the three founders of Yoonede, told Dezeen: “The only stipulation we made to the artists, designers and brands involved was that they should be willing to combine with others who may or may not be on the same level.”

    “Normally when you do a group exhibition, you have one designer in one corner and one designer in another corner, but the idea here was to lift everyone together,” she said.
    Tables by Line Øhlenschlæger displayed objects by other participating designersØhlenschlæger, who works as an art director, put together the exhibition in partnership with product designer Sofie Østerby and interior architect Maaria Repo.
    The trio, who are former colleagues, had long wanted to work together on an exhibition and decided to invite other creatives that they admired to join.
    They only expected a few of them to say yes, so were shocked to see the list reach 20 participants.
    Øhlenschlæger’s contribution to the exhibition is a series of circular tables, supported by three-pronged volumes made from either steel or aluminium.
    Anne Brandhøj and Signe Fensholt created totems that combine skills in wood and ceramicØsterby created a sculptural coffee table using wenge, an African hardwood, while Repo exhibited a bowl with a distinctive streaky glaze finish.
    MBADV – an ongoing collaboration between designers Maria Brunn and Anne Dorthe Vesyter – was behind the chair-shaped sculptures, one made from oak and the other from stone.
    Atelier Madirazza presented a grand marble-framed mirrorThe paper lantern, by lighting designer Laura Fiig, was suspended above a bench made by Studio Oro using both epoxy resin and travertine.
    Designers Anne Brandhøj and Signe Fensholt combined skills in wood and ceramic to create a series of totem-like sculptures, while Atelier Madirazza presented a grand marble-framed mirror.
    A woven textile by Bettina Nelson hung from the wallCabinet-maker Antrei Hartikainen contributed a slender, curved shelving unit as well as mouth-blown glass vases.
    Other key pieces included a minimal chandelier by Kasper Kjeldgaard and a woven textile by Bettina Nelson.
    Sofie Østerby created a sculptural coffee table using an African hardwoodBrands on show included Kusiner, which presented wool carpets, and Danish audio brand Iril, which showed its minimal speakers.
    The exhibition continued outside, where terracotta plant pots by heritage brand Bergs Potter sat alongside sculptures by artist Josefine Winding.
    Objects by Bergs Potter and Josefine Winding were shown in the courtyardThe founders plan to run Yoonede as an exhibition platform, so that it can continue beyond this 3 Days of Design debut.
    “The exhibition is built around the wish of bringing creatives together, learning from each other’s differences and sharing a passion for design, art, and objects,” said Østerby.
    The name, Yoonede, is derived from the word “unity””We’re showcasing inspiring individualism while letting a strong and curated cohesiveness stand out,” added Repo.
    The photography is courtesy of Yoonede.
    Yoonede was on show from 7 to 9 June 2023 as part of 3 Days of Design. See Dezeen Events Guide for information, plus a list of other architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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    Oltre Terra exhibition calls for “constructive relationship” between humans and sheep

    Design duo Formafantasma has unveiled an exhibition at Oslo’s National Museum of Norway about the history and future of wool production, featuring a 1,700-year-old tunic and a carpet made from waste fibres.

    Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin of Formafantasma created the Oltre Terra exhibition, curated by Hannah Eide, to unravel humanity’s past and present relationship with sheep and, by extension, the production of wool.
    Oltre Terra includes a carpet made from discarded wool fibresThe exhibition features archival and contemporary objects, including life-size replicas of seven different breeds of sheep and tools for shearing, arranged across a diorama-style set within a single gallery at Norway’s national museum.
    Among the first animals to be domesticated by humans, sheep were first culled by hunter-gatherers around 11,000 years ago.
    Tools for shearing also feature in the exhibitionThis marked the start of a complex relationship, according to Formafantasma.

    “The National Museum of Norway [which commissioned Oltre Terra] was interested in us developing a body of work that relates to the local community in Oslo, because wool was an extremely important material in Norwegian culture before the development of the industry connected to oil and farming,” Trimarchi and Farresin told Dezeen.
    The exhibition design nods to dioramasOltre Terra aimed to combine artefacts typically seen in natural history museums with ones more commonly exhibited at art and design galleries, in order to highlight the interdependency between biological evolution and production processes.
    Among the pieces on show are a cream carpet by CC-Tapis made of four different wool fibres extracted from 12 Italian sheep breeds.
    This wool was left over from production and would usually be discarded for its coarseness, but the carpet intends to illustrate how these rougher fibres can still be used to make products that are not in direct contact with skin.
    The exhibition shows artifacts typically seen in natural history museums and art galleriesAlso on display is a 1,700-year-old woollen tunic, which was found preserved under a mountain ice patch 200 miles northwest of Oslo in 2011, and woollen sails that were used for Viking Age boats.
    At the centre of the installation sits a video that Formafantasma created with artist Joanna Piotrowska. Called Tactile Afferents, the film focusses on the sense of touch and explores the ways in which humans have interacted with sheep over time.
    Pieces range from contemporary to historical artefactsThe exhibition also features replicas of notable examples of the species, such as Shrek, the Merino sheep from New Zealand who – like many others – was discovered in the wild with an overgrown coat in 2004 after he escaped his domestic flock six years prior.
    This is an example of when sheep need humans, according to Formafantasma.
    “Many people are against animal farming, which, when it is intensive farming, we also think is extremely problematic,” said the designers.
    “But sheep at the moment are not like their wild ancestors, Mouflons – they do not naturally lose hair. They need humans to shear them.”
    A 1,700-year-old woollen tunic features in the exhibitionThe show’s exhibition design nods to the concept of the diorama – miniature or largescale models found in museums that are encased in glass and typically display three-dimensional figures.
    For Oltre Terra, the diorama was “exploded” into sections and left open, rather than covered in glass, to allow visitors to feel more connected to the pieces and to question the boundary between art and science.

    PETA launches $1 million design competition to create vegan wool

    “For us, it’s about unifying narratives and showing how these are complex ecologies that should be displayed together,” said Trimarchi and Farresin of the installation.
    “The scope of the exhibition is to explore this very intimate yet intricate relationship between humans and animals, in which the boundaries between tamer and domesticated fade,” continued the designers.
    Tactile Afferents is a film presented in the centre of the dioramaTrimarchi and Farresin explained that one of the exhibition’s overarching aims was to promote mutual dependence and respect between humans and sheep, especially when it comes to farming practices.
    “The relationship between humans and sheep is much more complicated and complex,” they added.
    “As with human relationships, there are abusive relationships, and there are just relationships and constructive relationships. What we’re doing now [with livestock] is, in some cases, extremely abusive, but this does not mean that sheep and animals and humans cannot live in a process of symbiosis.”
    Formafantasma created numerous sheep replicas for the exhibitionThe show took its name from the etymology of the word “transhumance”, which is formed by the combination of the Latin words trans (across, ‘oltre’ in Italian) and humus (grounds, ‘terra’) and refers to the practice of migrating livestock from one grazing ground to another.
    Founded by Trimarchi and Farresin in 2009, Formafantasma has previously presented other shows that investigate materials, including an exhibition on timber with furniture brand Artek that was held at Helsinki’s Design Museum last year. The studio also redesigned its website to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
    The photography is by Ina Wesenberg. 
    Project credits:
    Formafantasma team: Sara Barilli, Alessandro Celli and Gregorio GonellaCurator: Hannah Eide
    Oltre Terra is on display at the National Museum of Norway from 26 May to 1 October 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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    Dezeen launches China edition of Dezeen Awards in partnership with Bentley

    Dezeen has launched a new edition of Dezeen Awards to celebrate the best architecture, interiors and design in China. Start your entry today!

    Dezeen Awards China is the first regional edition of Dezeen Awards, which has grown rapidly to become one of the most entered awards programmes on the planet and is a benchmark for international design excellence.
    Dezeen Awards China to spotlight Chinese design talent
    Launched in partnership with Bentley Motors, Dezeen Awards China will shine a spotlight on the best Chinese architecture, interiors and design, providing international recognition from around the globe.
    Dezeen Awards China will be a celebration of Chinese design talent. It is therefore for architects, designers and studios based in China, rather than for projects by international firms that are built in China.

    Multinational firms that have an office in China are free to enter, as long as the majority of the work on the project was completed by the Chinese office.
    Just like the international edition, Dezeen Awards China is open to studios large and small and will celebrate both established names and emerging studios working in China today.
    Judges include Rossana Hu, Alex Mok and Michael Young
    Dezeen Awards China will be judged by a stellar jury made up of the top Chinese architects and designers, as well as high-profile international names with experience working in China.
    Judges confirmed so far include architect Rossana Hu, interior designer Alex Mok and designer Michael Young. More names will be announced in the coming weeks.
    Seventeen categories spanning architecture, interiors and design
    There are 17 project categories to enter across architecture, interiors and design. The winners of these project categories will go head to head for the chance to be crowned one of three project of the year winners across architecture, interiors and design.
    In addition, six China Designers of the Year awards will celebrate the leading emerging and established names working in China across architecture, interiors and design.
    However, these awards are nomination-only and our judges will shortlist names – it is not possible to enter these awards.
    Dezeen Awards China is open for entries now until 24 August 2023, but studios can save money on their entry if they enter before 13 July 2023.
    Scan the code above using WeChat to download entry formsGo to dezeen.com/awards/china to find out more about Dezeen Awards China, including how to enter and information on the categories and entry prices and deadlines.
    Or, scan the code above using WeChat to access the WeChat mini app for all the information about Dezeen Awards China in Chinese and to download entry forms.
    Dezeen Awards China launches in partnership with Bentley
    Dezeen Awards China launched in partnership with Bentley, as part of a wider three-year collaboration that also includes headline sponsorship of the international edition of Dezeen Awards, which closed for entries last week, and a design competition to redefine the future of luxury retail that launched last month.
    “We are thrilled to be working with Bentley to launch Dezeen Awards China, our first regional awards programme,” said head of Dezeen Awards Claire Barrett.
    “We are looking forward to discovering a wealth of design talent and promoting it both locally and on a global stage, showcasing the country’s rising position as a design powerhouse.”
    “We are delighted to be working with Dezeen to deliver a new global platform that will celebrate both new Chinese design talent and established names,” added Steven De Ploey, Bentley’s global head of marketing.
    “Partnering with Dezeen in this way enables us to reward and support cutting-edge innovators in the design industry who strive to deliver transformational experiences and best solve the design challenges of our age.”
    Winners to be announced in December 2023
    Dezeen Awards China is open for entries until 24 August 2023
    Shortlists will be announced in October and the winners will be revealed at a ceremony in December 2023.
    Sign up to our Dezeen Awards China newsletter
    Join our mailing list to get updates about Dezeen Awards China 2023! Subscribe here.
    Questions?
    If you have any questions about Dezeen Awards China, please email [email protected] or send a message to our WeChat account DezeenCN and someone from the team will get back to you.
    Good luck with your entries!

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    FADD Studio models Bangalore duplex apartment on caterpillar curvatures

    Indian practice FADD Studio has fused two separate apartments inside a high-rise development in Bangalore to create a multigenerational family home.

    The neighbouring four-bedroom apartments, stacked one on top of the other in the SNN Clermont residential tower, were transformed into a six-bedroom duplex for a cosmopolitan couple, their parents and two young children.
    FADD Studio has fused two apartments in Bangalore’s SNN Clermont towerFADD Studio’s interventions were driven by the owners’ desire for something new and unique.
    “Our clients wanted this home to be contemporary and free of the fuss of their previous home, which was more old-fashioned with traditional elements from the previous generation,” the studio told Dezeen.
    “They didn’t want a run-of-the-mill place that looked like any other home with straight lines and contemporary anonymity. They wanted character and they were open to exploring the language of curves and most certainly wanted something out of the box.”

    A sweeping staircase now connects the two flatsThe practice gave careful thought to how best to open up and link the two apartments before deciding on two connection points – a staircase near the entrance on the lower level and a double-height section in the adjacent living area for visual interest and ease of communication between family members.
    Knowing the clients wanted to avoid straight lines, FADD Studio carefully considered the form of these linking elements.
    “We began our usual process of looking to nature for inspiration, from shell exoskeletons to caterpillar curvatures, from topographical maps of different landscapes to fish scales and from sand dunes to waves,” the practice said.
    A “zebra border” on the floor helps to define different zonesThis research formed the basis for the curving statement staircase that sweeps into the living area.
    “It has a sculptural feel with the addition of multiple curves, carved into each riser’s deep red marble,” the studio said.
    The narrow double-height section in the living room is framed by an arched cutout in the ceiling, enveloped in white micro-cement with a soft sheen finish.
    A small double-height space was carved out in the living roomLinking the two levels, the double-height back wall is fluted in an irregular pattern, mimicking the soft ripples and waves that can be found across the ceiling in the neighbouring entrance hall.
    “It hides all the conducting and allows a smooth transition between the different ceiling heights within the apartment,” FADD Studio said.

    The Act of Quad designs multi-generational Mumbai apartment with its own temple

    The firm’s approach to the flooring was similarly inventive. In the main living space, a “zebra border” of black-and-white stones swoops and crisscrosses in seemingly abstract patterns across the floor, helping to bring definition to the different zones.
    The spaces in between are filled by a selection of heavily-veined peach-pink marbles.
    “We created an inlay pattern much like repeating fish scales or groups of overlapping wild mushrooms but more abstract,” said FADD Studio.
    The upstairs living room is organised around a circular slab of marble flooringIn the upstairs living room, the furniture is grouped around a central circle of linear-veined marble surrounded, which is inlaid into the floor and surrounded by another black-and-white border.
    “The flooring is dramatic, something bold and thoughtful, contributing to the strong visual and spatial language of the space,” the studio said.
    “The ceilings and floor defy the mundane and give us and the apartment’s inhabitants pure joy to see the lines and curves continue infinitely.”
    A black-and-white border cuts across the floorThe peach, black and white of the floor ties into the colour scheme throughout the apartment.
    “This colour palette is unusual for an Indian home,” FADD Studio said. “These colours, along with the nature-inspired curvatures and rounded forms resulted in a minimal-futuristic vibe.”
    With so many ideas at work within the space itself, the furniture has taken on a supporting role.
    The duplex now has six bedroomsThe colour palette was chosen to tie in with the walls so that the sculptural shapes and curving forms become the focal point, while boucle and textural cotton bring interest in terms of tactility.
    Another Indian studio known for its unconventional apartment interiors is The Act of Quad, which has recently completed a home with cobalt-blue accents in Thane and a Mumbai apartment with its own temple.
    The photography is by Gokul Rao Kadam.

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    Oak panels and slatted screens adorn Carroll Gardens Townhouse in Brooklyn

    New York studios Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design have renovated a Brooklyn townhouse for a young family, combining two units into a single home and unifying them through the use of white oak.

    The Carroll Gardens Townhouse was previously laid out as a two-family dwelling, but the owners needed more room for their growing kids, so decided to connect the units.
    White oak acts as a unifying element throughout the renovated townhouseStarling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design were initially briefed to convert and cosmetically upgrade the townhouse, and add spaces such as a mud room, work-from-home and living areas, and a large dining room.
    Once the project was underway, the scope expanded to include a complete overhaul of the layout, a new staircase, an extensive millwork package, and the replacement of the furniture and artwork.
    A large dining area was created to accommodate group gatherings”Aside from giving everyone a little more space to work, live and grow, we also quickly focused on bringing in more light and connection between the various levels,” said Starling Architecture founder Ian Starling.

    Spanning five storeys, the building has a total living area of 3,700 square feet (344 square metres), with four bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms.
    Oak millwork continues in the kitchen, which was relocated from the centre of the houseRearranging the program involved moving the second-floor kitchen from the centre of the plan to the south facade, where it received much more light.
    The dining room occupies the adjacent space, enveloped in European white oak panels that extend from a long built-in bench seat, across the ceiling, and down to a slatted screen in front of the stairs.
    Cool hues offset the warm oak flooring throughout the home, including in the lounge areaA walnut table with rounded corners provides enough space for hosting friends and extended family.
    White oak is continued on the staircase across all levels and the flooring throughout, to a corridor and the mudroom, powder room, office and wet bar at garden level.
    Oak panels define a corridor at garden level”All wood for the house was sourced from the same mill in Belgium, where they custom fabricated and finished it to our exact specifications,” said Starling.
    “All of the panels were CNC cut, so we were able to specify exact panel sizes based on as-built dimensions and each panel was divided into equal veneer widths.”
    A mud room was created as part of the renovation scopeThe earthy tones of the wood helped to guide the remaining decor choices, which include cool blue undertones offset by family-friendly materials like purple slate and clay brick.
    Cork lines the office space, while the children’s playroom in the cellar features brighter colours without feeling too juvenile.

    Studio Vural reinterprets Japanese interiors for Warren Street Townhouse

    “With a new layout overall, the clients were in an ‘out with old in with the new’ mentality, going forward with some bold splashes of color along the way,” said Starling.
    “There is a purity about much of the palette, working with organic texture and form rather than applied pattern,” added Lindberg.
    Cork covers the walls in a room used as an officeStarling Architecture is based in Brooklyn, while Emily Lindberg Design has a presence in both New York City and Providence, Rhode Island.
    The two studios previously collaborated on a similar project for friends of the Carroll Gardens Townhouse owners, who recommended them for this job.
    Brighter colours are introduced in the children’s playroom, located in the cellarBrooklyn’s townhouses are in high demand, and new owners waste no time in renovating these historic buildings to meet their needs.
    Recently completed examples include a property on Warren Street, for which Studio Vural used Kyoto merchant houses as a reference point, and a home in Park Slope that was designed to meet Passive House standards.
    The photography is by Eric Petschek.
    Project credits:
    Architecture: Starling ArchitectureInterior design: Emily Lindberg DesignContractor: Euro Art ConstructionWood surfaces: Madera Surfaces

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