Markus Andrews

More stories

  • 125 Shares119 Views

    in Rooms

    Six interior designers style rooms at Artemest’s L’Appartamento in Milan

    Six interior design studios, including Kingston Lafferty Design and T.ZED Architects, have overhauled a room at the 1930s L’Appartamento for commerce platform Artemest at Milan design week.

    The designers each used furniture, lighting and art from the brands, designers and artists represented on the Artemest platform to showcase their own style in a room at the apartment in Milan’s 5Vie district for the L’Appartamento exhibition.
    “We wanted to bring this stunning apartment back to life and show how different interior design studios, each with its own style and design approach, can work with Artemest to create inspiring and surprising interiors that celebrate authentic Italian beauty,” said Artemest founder Ippolita Rostagno.
    T.ZED Architects designed the entrance space at Artemest’s L’AppartamentoIn the entryway, Dubai-based studio T.ZED Architects aimed “to set the tone for what is yet to come” by preserving the character of the room and adding selected pieces.
    The studio choose a mix of furniture in off-white, cream and brown, including copper and leather finishes that plays off the green tones of the richly patterned, period wallpaper.

    Mirrors – including a Sybilla mirror with console by Ettore Sottsass for Glas Italia, and an Itaca floor mirror by Atlasproject – were placed to illuminate and enlarge the space, while amplifying the period details.
    Kingston Lafferty Design placed a golden block in the living roomIn the adjoining room, Dublin-based studio Kingston Lafferty Design aimed to “challenge visitors’ sense of what a living room should be” by placing a sculptural monolithic block seems to glow with a soft golden sheen in the centre of the space.
    The block splits the room into two distinct spaces and contains a mirrored space described by the studio as “a gallery of lights”.
    The golden block divides the space into twoOn one side of the block is an informal living room that evokes a sense of playfulness through the use of oversized furniture in bright colours, including the Osaka Blue Sofa by Pierre Paulin for La Cividina.
    The other side has a rich palette of jewel-tones to creates a more decadent atmosphere.
    Moniomi aimed to create a room on the terraceLeading from the living room a large terrace was reworked by Miami-based studio Moniomi, which aimed to create an outside room that felt like an interior space.
    The studio used a combination of large-scale upholstered pieces, gridline patterns and graphic blacks and whites, softened by lush greens to reference the outdoor location.
    The design language here features saturated colours and layered patterns – including the Nuovola 01 dining table by Mario Cucinella for Officine Tamborrino, which represent the studio’s Hispanic roots.
    Nina Magon designed the apartment’s dining spaceAnother US-based designer, Nina Magon, created the L’Appartamento dining room, playing with monochromatic hues to enhance the authenticity of the original finishes here.
    Sculptural furniture, such as the Trompe-l’oeil Trois dining table by DelMondo Studio, topped with a cluster of Flow[t] pendant lamps by Nao Tamura for WonderGlass was added to the space.
    The bedroom was designed by Styled HabitatIn the bedroom, Dubai-based studio, Styled Habitat, delved into the history of the 1930s to translate the romance of that era into the modern day and evoke a sense of timeless glamour.
    To capture the experimental and avant-garde trends of European modernism, Styled Habitat juxtaposed new and old, with a Czech Chair by Hermann Czech for Gebrüder Thonet Vienna, alongside pieces like the Calle Pinzi Murano Glass Chandelier by Luci Italia.

    Paola Navone to give away hundreds of objects at Take It or Leave It exhibition

    Finally, for L’Appartamento’s hallway and the studio, Paris-based interior designer Anne-Sophie Pailleret was informed by her first reaction to seeing the apartment.
    The long, narrow hall, has been covered with the textural Tra 1100 Wallpaper hand-crafted by La Scala Milano Wallcovering, contrasting with geometric Alfabeto Tiles by Margherita Rui for Ninefifty, on the floor.
    Anne-Sophie Pailleret styled the corridorThe walls are further decorated with Ninfea wall lamps by Giovanni Botticelli in collaboration with Paola Paronetto, functioning as a gallery-style grouping of lights.
    For the studio room, Pailleret created a mix of warm colours and graphic patterns, with comfortable and curvaceous furniture.
    The photography is courtesy of Artemest.
    L’Appartamento takes place from 17 to 23 April 2023 at Via Cesare Correnti 14, 20123 Milan, Italy. See our Milan design week 2023 guide on Dezeen Events Guide for information about the many other exhibitions, installations and talks taking place throughout the week.

    Read more: More

  • 113 Shares99 Views

    in Rooms

    Plantea Estudio creates cosy cave-like room within bar Gota

    A red “cave” hides behind the main dining space of this wine and small plates bar in Madrid designed by interiors studio Plantea Estudio.

    Located on the ground floor of a neoclassical building in Madrid’s buzzy Justicia neighbourhood, Plantea Estudio designed Gota to appear “dark, stony and secluded”.
    Gota sits on the ground floor of a neoclassical building in the Justicia neighbourhoodGuests ring a bell to enter the 70-square-metre bar, and are then welcomed into a dining room enclosed by thickset granite ashlar walls. While some of the walls were left exposed, others have been smoothly plastered over and washed with grey lime paint.
    The floor was overlaid with black volcanic stone tiles that the studio thought were suggestive of a “newly discovered terrain”.
    A counter in the first dining space is inbuilt with a record playerA bench seat runs down the left-hand side of the bar, accompanied by lustrous aluminium tables and square birchwood stools from Danish design brand Frama.

    Guests can alternatively perch on high stools at the peripheries of the room, where lies a slender stone ledge for drinks to be set down on.
    Shelving displays wine bottles, vinyls, and other objectsMore seating was created around a bespoke chestnut counter at the room’s centre; its surfacetop has an in-built turntable on which the Gota team plays a curated selection of music.
    Behind the counter is a storage wall where wine bottles, vintage vinyl records and other music-related paraphernalia are displayed.
    A cave-like dining room hides at the bar’s rearAn open doorway takes guests down a short corridor to a secondary cave-like dining space, which boasts a dramatic vaulted ceiling and craggy brick walls. It has been almost entirely painted red.
    “It’s relatively common to find this kind of vaulted brick space in the basements of old buildings in Madrid – this case was special because it’s on the ground floor with small openings to a garden,” the studio told Dezeen.

    Plantea Estudio casts minimalist Madrid restaurant in shades of beige

    “It was perfect for a more quiet and private area of the bar,” it continued.
    “The red colour is an abstract reference to the brick of which the cave is really made, and also a reference to wine.”
    The space is arranged around a huge granite tableAt the room’s heart is a huge 10-centimetre-thick granite table that’s meant to look as if it has “been there forever”, surrounded by aluminium chairs also from Frama. Smaller birch tables and chairs custom-designed by the studio have been tucked into the rooms corners.
    To enhance the cosy, intimate feel of the bar, lighting has been kept to a minimum – there are a handful of candles, reclaimed sconces and an alabaster lamp by Spanish brand Santa & Cole.
    Red paint covers the space’s vaulted ceiling and brick wallsEstablished in 2008, Plantea Estudio is responsible for a number of hospitality projects in Madrid.
    Others include Hermosilla, a Mediterranean restaurant decked out in earthy tones, and Sala Equis, a multi-purpose entertainment space that occupies a former erotic cinema.
    The photography is by Salva López.

    Read more: More

  • 150 Shares169 Views

    in Rooms

    Ringo Studio completes colourful cookware store for Our Place in Los Angeles

    Brooklyn-based Ringo Studio designed a store for kitchenware brand Our Place that features colourful tile displays and expressive drapery that hangs from the ceiling.

    The Our Place Melrose store is the brand’s second location in Los Angeles, following the inaugural shop in Venice, and is situated in West Hollywood’s busy shopping district.
    The Our Place store is designed to showcase the brand’s colourful cookwareThe interiors by Ringo Studio are based on the identifiable colour palette of Our Place cookware sets, which are known for in a variety of pastel, neutral and jewel-toned hues.
    “It retains the warmth and intricacy of Our Place’s first store in Venice, concepted by Mythology, while also taking Our Place’s design ethos into new and unique expressions,” said the team.
    Many of the surfaces are covered in long rectangular tiles laid in a straight stack patternElements derived from classical architecture were included, from fluted columns that support a wavy-topped table to arches that curve over shelving units and form punctured openings for showcasing small items.

    Storage cabinets have rounded corners, as do the doors that front them, and many of the built-in elements also feature filleted edges.
    At the back is a space coloured entirely terracotta, which features a table displaying the brand’s productsLong rectangular tiles laid in straight stack patterns cover several of the walls and display stands.
    Each tiled block or surface is a different colour, with large panels including terracotta, lilac and cream, and smaller sections in pale blue and green.

    Bala’s SoHo store by Ringo Studio features oversized fitness equipment

    An area towards the back is decorated entirely in terracotta, which covers the floor and walls, as well as matching strips of fabric hung in rows from the ceiling.
    There’s also a side room where Our Place products are laid out on a dining table with mirrors on three sides, creating infinite reflections intended to “welcome everyone to have a seat at the table”.
    A side room features mirrors on three sides to create infinite reflections of a dining table setupCovered in mosaic tiles and with an undulating front, the table is accompanied by a pair of purple velvet chairs, and from the ceiling hangs purple drapery.
    “Infused with the cozy feeling of home, the streamlined suite of products are artfully displayed throughout the store, making them feel like chic, sculptural objects,” said the Our Place team.
    Our Place Melrose is located in West Hollywood’s busy shopping district and is the brand’s second location in LARingo Studio was founded by architectural designer Madelynn Ringo, who has created retail experiences for companies such as Glossier, Studs and Funny Face Bakery.
    Last year, the studio completed a store for fitness brand Bala in New York City, which includes scaled-up versions of its products.
    The photography is by Jenna Peffley.

    Read more: More

  • 88 Shares179 Views

    in Rooms

    Eight Milanese interiors with eye-catching material palettes

    In the lead-up to Milan design week, we have rounded up eight residential and hotel interiors in the Italian city that are united by their use of muted colours and diverse materials.

    As the Salone del Mobile furniture fair is set to kick off next week, alongside its surrounding Fuorisalone events programme, these interiors provide a glimpse into some of the city’s design-led apartments, homes and hotels.
    Among the featured projects in Italy’s industrial capital is a hybrid home and office space in a former dental studio, a home set within a 200-year-old palazzo and a nunnery-turned-hotel.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring accent walls, bookshelves and terracotta tiles.
    Photo is by Carola RipamontiTeorema Milanese, Italy, by Marcante-Testa

    With the exception of removing a partition wall to create an open-plan living and dining area, Italian design studio Marcante-Testa looked to maintain the classic layout of this apartment in a 1960s building on Corso Sempione during its renovation.
    The studio decorated the apartment in muted colours and used pale grey cipollino tirreno marble as a “carpet” across the sitting area. Elsewhere, a pale lemon-hued cabinet functions as a partition while the bathroom is clad in a maroon-streaked salomè marble.
    Find out more about Teorema Milanese ›

    Out of the Blue, Italy, by AIM
    Italian design studio AIM made liberal use of the colour grey when renovating the interior of this 150-square-metre home in Milan. The concealed staircase that forms the centre of the renovation is framed in the distinctive bluey-grey hue.
    And in the dining area, the home’s wooden flooring was decorated with a painted rectangle that aims to visually zone and separate the space from its surroundings. Brass fixtures complement its grey hue, which can also be found across light fixings and ornaments.
    Find out more about Out of the Blue ›
    Photo is by Giovanni Emilio GalanelloPrivate apartment, Italy, by Untitled Architecture
    A cylindrical staircase and metal structural elements are the focal features of this small apartment, designed by local studio Untitled Architecture.
    The apartment has a minimal paired-back aesthetic, with white-painted walls and bleached wood elements contrasted against tiny pops of colour introduced through blue-hued grouting and balustrades.
    Find out more about the private apartment ›
    Photo is by Michele FilippiCPR Apartment, Italy, by +R Piuerre
    Housed in a former dental studio, this hybrid home and office belongs to a young remote-working couple and was designed to combine Milanese modernism with Nordic design.
    Two areas of the apartment were colour-coded according to their function, with the bedroom, office and entryway covered in tones of grey while the living area and kitchen are marked by a bright yellow hue. The spaces are connected by a white-painted staircase constructed from sheets of folded metal.
    Find out more about CPR Apartment ›

    Room Mate Giulia, Italy, by Patricia Urquiola
    Pistachio green was used to colour the dado wall panelling and soft furnishings inside this suite in Milan’s Room Mate Giulia hotel decorated by Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola. Meanwhile, the upper half of the walls and the ceilings are covered in white wallpaper with a geometric grid pattern.
    Industrial materials and furnishings, including a galvanised metal shelving unit, were repurposed as boutique storage solutions and room partitions.
    Find out more about Room Mate Hotels ›

    Casa Salvatori, Italy, by Elissa Ossino Studio
    This home, designed by Milanese architecture practice Elissa Ossino Studio for the head of Italian stone company Salvatori, brings together marble furnishings and flecked terrazzo floors to link the interior with Salvatori’s stone manufacturing history.
    Dulled hues of blue, peach, green and yellow were carried through the interior of the home, which is set within a 200-year-old palazzo in the city’s Brera district.
    Find out more about Casa Salvatori ›
    Photo is by Giovanna SilvaHouse with an iron staircase, Italy, by Roberto Murgia and Valentina Ravara
    An iron staircase with a zig-zagging framework reminiscent of structural trusses was installed along one wall of this apartment in the Isola district, designed by Italian architects Roberto Murgia and Valentina Ravara.
    The floor of the main living space features a geometric design, achieved through the use of hexagonal cement tiles. Each of the tiles is handmade and coloured in shades of light blue and white to provide tonal variation.
    Find out more about House with an iron staircase ›
    Photo is by Alberto StradaThe Sister Hotel, Italy, by Quincoces-Dragò
    Housed in a former 16th-century nunnery in Milan’s city centre, The Sister Hotel features decadent yet eclectic interiors by architecture studio Quincoces-Dragò.
    The studio looked to grandiose private townhouses when designing the interiors, opting for moody shades of navy blue and deep green within the bedrooms. Furnishings introduce brighter colours into the suites, including a velvet-upholstered orange sofa.
    Find out more about The Sister Hotel ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring accent walls, bookshelves and terracotta tiles.

    Read more: More

  • 163 Shares139 Views

    in Rooms

    Elly Ward designs own restaurant Edit using salvaged terracotta tiles and reclaimed materials

    Architect and restauranteur Elly Ward has opened the low-impact restaurant Edit in London, drawing inspiration from its vegan, minimal-waste menu to create an interior filled with reused and recycled materials.

    Ward collaborated with her husband Joe Morris of architecture studio Morris + Company on the project, which was designed using low-intervention methods.
    “It’s been designed to be as circular as possible, which is the whole philosophy of the restaurant,” she told Dezeen.
    The Edit restaurant features exposed brick wallsEdit is located in a former factory and warehouse building in east London and connected to the adjacent Morris + Company architecture office.
    Visitors to the restaurant can view the studio’s models through a large glass door, adding a decorative touch to the space.

    This door and a window into the office were two of the main changes Ward made to the existing space, which she has transformed using recycled and reclaimed materials.
    A window connects the interior with the adjacent architecture studioThe building’s brick walls – including a former exterior wall that still features old advertising text – were retained alongside the warehouse’s cast-iron columns and beams, forming the structural fabric of the 197-square-metre restaurant.
    Ward added lightweight screen partitions that slot between the existing structures, including a wall made from wood and recycled polycarbonate that divides the main dining area from a smaller private dining room.
    A polycarbonate screen with wood shelving divides the spaceA warm red floor, made from screed topped with a water-based resin, matches the floor in the architecture office next door and contrasts the textured brick wall that Ward and Morris painstakingly unveiled from underneath layers of paint.
    At the rear of the space, the duo clad a wall in salvaged maroon terracotta tiles, which merge into the bar counter. These were among the many recycled materials that Ward used for the project.
    “I call them my wonky tiles because they’re like the wonky fruit and wonky veg of the industry that gets thrown away because it’s not a perfect carrot,” she said.
    Elly Ward filled the restaurant with vintage furnitureThe architect also reused the copper from an existing bar in the restaurant, which now clads the sinks in the bathroom.
    “It’s all about diverting waste from waste streams,” Ward said.

    Morris + Company combines energy hub and nursery in block that is “part elephant and part castle”

    “When you’re building something new, you have to get things,” she added. “If you can’t buy recycled or reclaimed, you have to look for renewable materials, things that would have otherwise gone to waste but you’ve made into something else.”
    “It’s almost a checklist of ‘how circular can you be?'”
    A red floor creates a warm atmosphereWard also sourced vintage Scandinavian school chairs to provide seating in the restaurant and complemented them with her grandparents’ wooden chairs and vintage Ercol seats.
    The accompanying tables have tops made by British company Foresso using waste wood chips set in a plant-based resin, creating an effect similar to wooden terrazzo and adding textural interest to the room.
    The tabletops are made from recycled wood and resinThe lighting in the space was handmade by British artist Peter Lanyon using wood salvaged from trees that were trimmed back in a local woodland in Devon. Pieces include a “chandelier” made from a piece of hazelwood with hanging lampshades made from cherrywood veneer.
    Throughout the restaurant, the colour palette adds a sense of warmth. While the main room has a red hue, Ward chose a calming green colour for the smaller private dining room.
    Lamps made from wood decorate the private dining room”We started with the red; it’s obviously such a strong colour,” Ward said. “I’m somebody who’s quite into colour and I’m not really afraid of it but I didn’t want it to be a ‘pop’ kind of place.”
    In the bathroom, the red hue is tempered by the decorative natural cork that clads the walls in both the main space and the toilet cubicles.
    “It’s all waterproof and actually really good for humid, damp environments and you can wipe it clean,” Ward said.
    Restaurant guests can admire architectural models while they eatTo Ward, there’s a connection between the food and architecture industries that she wanted to underline in Edit’s design.
    “I did a deep dive into the food industry and found out a lot of stuff about provenance and how a lot of the things we’re looking at in the architecture world about circularity and sustainability are kind of echoed in the food industry,” she said.
    “I wanted the design to match that philosophy.”
    Other vegan restaurants with decorative interiors include Humble Pizza by Child Studios in London and Sydney vegan cafe Gumbuya.
    The photography is by Jack Hobhouse.

    Read more: More

  • 150 Shares169 Views

    in Rooms

    Sheft Farrace renovates loft in Los Angeles' art deco Eastern Columbia building

    Architecture studio Sheft Farrace has renovated a loft apartment in Los Angeles’ iconic Eastern Columbia building, subtly incorporating colours from the art deco exterior into the minimalist interiors.

    The studio renovated the loft while drawing details from the exterior of the 13-storey building in Downtown Los Angeles, known for its highly detailed turquoise facade and clock tower, which was designed by Claud Beelman and completed in 1930.
    Sheft Farrace chose to divide up the loft, yet retain visual connections through framed openingsIt was converted into lofts in 2006, and local studio Sheft Farrace was recently tasked with renovating one of the condos for a young creative from Kazakhstan.
    “Uninspired by the unit’s original 2006 layout and interiors, the owner wanted it to feel like a brand new space — so Sheft Farrace approached it as a blank canvas,” said the studio, led by Alex Sheft and John Farrace.
    The pared-down decor contrasts the building’s colourful exteriorThe apartment has tall ceilings, and their height is accentuated by the building’s long narrow windows and floor-to-ceiling drapery.

    Rather than keep the open floor plan, the studio chose to divide up the space to help define areas for different functions.
    The ceiling height is accentuated by tall windows and floor-to-ceiling draperyHowever, the visual connections between the kitchen and dining room, and the living room and bedroom, are retained by large framed openings used in place of doors.
    “Every space has its own character, based on what time of day it is and how the natural light comes in through the full-height windows,” said Sheft Farrace.

    OWIU Studio brings Japanese style to Biscuit Loft apartment in Los Angeles

    For the most part, the home is decorated in a much more pared-down style than the building’s opulent exterior, primarily with soft neutral hues and sparse furnishings.
    Certain material choices in the kitchen and bathroom tie much more closely to the colourful facades, including white oak, Verde Aver marble, and Florida Brush quartzite to echo the orange, green and blue exterior tiles.
    Materials like white oak and Florida Brush quartzite in the kitchen nod to the art deco exteriorThe curved corners of the kitchen counters and elongated cabinet hardware also evoke 1930s design.
    “Upon first glance, it’s stylistically in stark contrast with the historical building that it’s within, but throughout the space are subtle nods to the art deco exterior and ultimately, it feels like it belongs,” Sheft Farrace said. “We felt honored to have contributed a small chapter to the long and storied history of a Los Angeles landmark.”
    In the bathroom, Verde Aver marble was also chosen to reference the historic tiled facadesDowntown Los Angeles has dramatically transformed from a no-go zone to a popular and thriving neighbourhood over the past 20 years.
    This shift is partially thanks to the opening of cultural institutions like Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall and Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s The Broad museum, as well as a spate of high-end hotels.
    The photography is by Yoshihiro Makino.

    Read more: More

  • 125 Shares179 Views

    in Rooms

    Ten living spaces that are punctuated by saturated primary colours

    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.
    Photo by Paolo FuscoRetroscena 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 ›
    Photo by José HeviaHouse 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 ›
    Photo by Will PryceRed 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 ›
    Photo by The Fishy ProjectOut 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 ›
    Photo by Jesper WestblomApartment 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 ›
    Photo is by José HeviaApartment 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 ›
    Photo by Johanna LinkFàng 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 ›
    Photo by Yiannis Hadjiaslanis and Point SupremeIlioupoli 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 ›
    Photo by Mattias HamrénFunction 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 ›
    Photo by Prue RuscoePolychrome 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.

    Read more: More

  • 113 Shares199 Views

    in Rooms

    Emma Martí celebrates Menorca's architectural heritage in Hevresac Hotel

    Spanish architect Emma Martí has converted an 18th-century townhouse on the Balearic island of Menorca into the intimate eight-bedroom Hevresac Hotel, taking over all of its five floors from basement to attic.

    The building, which originally belonged to a local merchant and privateer, is set in the historic centre of Mahón – a former trade hub that still bears traces of French and English culture after spending many years under colonial rule.
    Emma Martí has converted a five-storey townhouse into the Hevresac HotelHevresac owners Ignasi Truyol and Stephanie Mahé brought Martí on board for the renovation in part because she was an old friend, who they thought could be trusted to conserve and enhance the spirit and character of the building.
    Martí’s aim for the project was to fill the building with light and life while preserving its wealth of existing architectural elements, from wooden beams and mosaic flooring to stucco walls and staircases.
    “The aim of the project was to create a fresh and inspiring hotel that values the beauty of the existing architecture,” said the hotel’s owners.

    Original details such as parquet floors were retained throughoutHevresac’s original floors, covered variously in wooden parquet and encaustic cement tiles, were carefully preserved.
    In areas where it was not possible to retain the original elements, Martí chose a new design language using modern equivalents of these original materials, including micro-cement.
    Hevresac Hotel has only eight guest roomsThe renovation process revealed both the stucco on the walls and the original paintwork on the beams, uncovering part of the building’s hidden history.
    The original wrought iron columns in the living room are now a celebrated feature. Less noticeable but equally interesting is the Masonic symbolism on the wrought-iron railing of the marble staircase at the entrance.
    Solid timber was used to frame private bathrooms in each of the bedroomsMartí also wanted to preserve the original room structure of the townhouse.
    To allow for this, she added private bathrooms within each of the existing bedrooms using a lightweight timber framing system made of solid Flanders pine, while three-ply spruce boards form partitions, headboards and wardrobes in each bedroom.
    “Martí’s intention is for the new materials to coexist and harmonise with the originals, providing a new language, lightness and contemporaneity,” the owners said.

    Artchimboldi Menorca is a work retreat inside an abandoned girls’ school

    A new staircase – also utilising spruce ply – now coexists with the original staircase, providing an alternative route through the Hevresac Hotel.
    The material is key to the contemporary language of the new insertions, which sit clearly differentiated alongside layers of the building’s past.
    “I like to work with an honest and frank attitude towards the island’s architectural heritage,” Martí told Dezeen. “I wanted it to be clear what our intervention was, not to highlight it but to highlight the value of what existed in the building.”
    Three-ply spruce boards form partitions and wardrobes in each of the bedroomsTo fill the spaces with natural light, several skylights were added on the upper floor, with one above the main stairwell as well as three new openings in the facade.
    In the basement, the vaulted ceiling made of local marés stone required an intervention to lighten the space.
    Martí’s response was to remove a bay of the existing vault and install a new, more comfortable staircase to link the ground floor with the basement and flood the space with light.
    Martí also added a new spruce ply staircaseHevresac’s choice of furnishings reflects Mahón’s cosmopolitan history, including an eclectic assembly of antique, vintage and contemporary pieces from all over Europe.
    Among them are Nanimarquina rugs, Achille Castiglioni lights and some of Marcel Breuer’s Cesca chairs, as well as items from Menorcan antique dealers including Alcolea & Kraus and Antics Antigüedades.
    “It’s a kind of synergy,” the owners said. “Together, the components project a warm, creative and personal composition, which is more than the algebraical sum of those individual pieces.”
    The hotel has a small terraceMartí, who founded her self-titled studio Emma Martí Arquitectura in Menorca in 2013, has since completed a number of projects on the island.
    Among them is a work retreat inside an abandoned girls’ school, with design-driven spaces where businesses can host meetings or team-building sessions.
    The photography is by Pol Viladoms

    Read more: More