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    Atelier Échelle reimagines Montreal dental clinic with residential vibe

    Canadian studio Atelier Échelle has overhauled an orthodontic clinic in Montreal to create a “warm and inviting, residential atmosphere” with medical equipment positioned among light wood features.

    Clinique Monkland occupies the parlour level of a century-old building in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighbourhood.
    The reception area at Clinique Monkland is designed to resemble a living roomThe 90-square-metre space was reimagined by local firm Atelier Échelle to make it feel less sterile and more homely.
    “[The project] reimagines the typical orthodontic clinic experience as a warm and inviting domestic environment,” said the studio.
    A compact walnut desk features a ridged front and curved cornersIn the reception area, a compact walnut desk with a ridged front and rounded corners is positioned in front of a white-painted brick fireplace.

    Millwork surrounds the brick, covering the full wall with storage and display space for styling books and artwork.
    Green velvet benches are provided for waiting patientsOn either side of the room are green velvet benches – one straight, and another that angles to fit within a large bay window – for waiting patients.
    “The reception was conceived as a living room by preserving an existing brick fireplace and adding long, custom velvet benches along the side walls,” said Atelier Échelle.
    Fluted glass panels provide privacy for the consultation roomsFluted glass provides privacy for the adjacent consultation room, which is accessed through a doorway that connects to the remaining spaces.
    “A corridor echoes the original layout of the building, distributing the technical apparatus on one side and consultation rooms on the other,” the studio said.
    Pale mint green cabinets and leather chairs add to the contemporary aestheticThe consultation rooms are warmed using white oak flooring and trim, as well as a coffered ceiling that hides electromechanical and dental equipment above.
    “This bespoke design also offers something for the reclined patients to observe as they receive dental care,” said Atelier Échelle.

    Appareil Architecture designs Montreal dental clinic to feel like “someone’s home”

    Cabinets are coloured pale mint green and the patient chairs are upholstered in brown leather, adding to the contemporary feel throughout the clinic.
    “The nuanced minimalism of the place blends period accents with comforting wood tones and domestic touches, transforming the orthodontic clinic experience through heightened design details,” Atelier Échelle said.
    A coffered ceiling hides mechanical and dental equipment aboveSeveral designers have rethought the experience of visiting a dental clinic by creating interiors more akin to residential or hospitality spaces.
    Also in Montreal, Appareil Architecture took a similar approach at the Maxillo Tandem clinic to help patients and employees feel relaxed, while Studio Author modelled Toronto’s Paste Dental on a hotel lounge.
    The bespoke ceiling provides a view for reclined patients during consultationsClinique Monkland is longlisted in the health and well-being interior category of Dezeen Awards 2024, along with 15 other projects around the world.
    These include a massage parlour in Shanghai, a dermatology clinic in Tokyo, and a spa and hammam in Dubai.
    The photography is by Maxime Brouillet.
    Project credits:
    Architect: Table ArchitectureInterior designer: Atelier ÉchelleMillwork and furniture: Mesure, Arrebeuri, Foutu Tissu

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    Eight living rooms decorated with autumnal hints of red and orange

    As autumn draws near in the northern hemisphere, our latest lookbook showcases different ways to add cosy shades of red and orange to living rooms.

    Lounge chairs, coffee tables, artwork and even window frames are some of the ways the living rooms featured below introduce pops of autumnal colour to the interior.
    Ranging from rich, deep reds to rusty terracottas and burnt oranges, the colours help add a sense of warmth to cosy lounge areas as the temperature in the northern hemisphere cools.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring living rooms with sculptural coffee tables, luxurious members’ club interiors and homes with pull-out furniture.
    Photo by Alice MesguichCollectors Home, the Netherlands, by DAB Studio

    In this 1920s home in Amsterdam, which was renovated by interiors firm DAB Studio, colour and warmth were injected into the living room with a deep red Gubi chaise lounge placed in front of a marbled mahogany feature wall.
    Set in an otherwise neutral-toned room, the chaise lounge sits across from a sculptural coffee table and a Wassily Chair by Bauhaus designer Marcel Breuer.
    Find out more about Collectors Home ›
    Photo courtesy of Note Design StudioHabitat 100, Sweden, by Note Design Studio
    Habitat 100 is a 1920s flat in Stockholm that was overhauled by local firm Note Design Studio with custom-made furniture and mouldings informed by the eaves of the building.
    A sculptural 1940s coffee table by Swedish designer Erik Johansson, made up of black lacquered spheres wedged between two orange-toned mahogany veneer disks, acts as the centrepiece in the living room.
    Find out more about Habitat 100 ›
    Photo by Michael SinclairHelios 710, UK, by Bella Freud and Maria Speake
    Helios 710 is a London apartment located inside the former BBC Television Centre, designed by architect Piercy & Company with interiors by creative duo Bella Freud and Maria Speake.
    The eclecticism of the 1970s informed the designers, who added glossy black sofas with burnt orange seat cushions to the green-carpeted living room.
    Find out more about Helios 710 ›
    Photo by Jack LovelShadow House, Australia, by Grotto Studio
    A rusty red-toned painting hangs on a double-height wall in the neutral living area at Shadow House, an early 1900s cottage in Perth that was refurbished and extended by Australian practice Grotto Studio.
    The practice created an open-plan living, kitchen and dining room in the extension, with light wood panels lining the walls and angular roof.
    Find out more about Shadow House ›
    Photo by Ivan JonesStock Orchard Street, UK, by Sarah Wigglesworth
    Designed by architect Sarah Wigglesworth in 2001 and retrofitted in 2020, Stock Orchard Street is a home in north London with straw-bale insulation and walls made from sandbags, recycled concrete and railways sleepers.
    Window frames were finished in different colours throughout the home. In the living room, red window frames complement rust-toned seating and cushions.
    Find out more about Stock Orchard Street ›
    Photo courtesy of Färg & BlancheThe Baker’s House, Sweden, by Färg & Blanche
    For its exhibition at Stockholm Design Week in 2019, Swedish design studio Färg & Blanche displayed furniture and lighting in an 1889 home that belonged to the family of its co-founder, Julius Westerdahl.
    In the sitting room of the historic home, bright red side tables were placed next to an existing red-brown velvet sofa.
    Find out more about The Baker’s House ›

    Courtyard House, US, by No Architecture
    A faceted glazed garden punctures this home in Oregon’s Willamette Valley wine country, which was designed by New York firm No Architecture.
    The open-plan kitchen, dining room and lounge was arranged around the courtyard, with a large orange rug providing a contrast to the leafy backdrop.
    Find out more about Courtyard House ›
    Photo by Sean DavidsonWest Village apartment, US, by Olivier Garcé
    Interior designer Olivier Garcé transformed his New York home into a showcase of collectible furniture, experimental ceramics, decorative lighting and original artworks by his friends and colleagues.
    In front of the brick fireplace is a coffee table with a pink-glazed lava stone tabletop, a terracotta-toned upholstered chair and a floor lamp with a fire engine red light shade.
    Find out more about West Village apartment ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring living rooms with sculptural coffee tables, luxurious members’ club interiors and homes with pull-out furniture.

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    Trahan Architects restores Superdome to be “microcosm” of New Orleans

    Local studio Trahan Architects has finished an interior renovation of the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, completing a series of renovations launched after Hurricane Katrina that it claims will extend the stadium’s life by 25 years.

    Trahan Architects’ work on the interior is the latest upgrade since the studio was engaged on the Superdome restoration in 2005, after it was damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The building sheltered as many as 20,000 thousand people fleeing the storm.
    The Superdome was originally completed in 1975 by Curtis and Davis Associated and featured a dome and concave cylindrical facade clad with aluminium panels.
    Trahan Architects has completed the renovation of the Superdome stadium in New OrleansAfter Hurricane Katrina, Trahan Architects implemented an overhaul of the exterior, replacing all the panels with a rainscreen system made from anodized aluminium metal panels.
    The current phase of the renovation, which was completed in time for its first game of the NFL season, included the removal of the ramp circulation system on the concourse.

    This allowed for concessions to be pushed to the outside of the structure, as well as for the installation of atriums in the entry programs and for lounges to be installed.
    In total, the renovation opened up more than 100,000 square feet (9,290 square metres), according to the studio.
    It is the latest in a series of renovations undertaken after the stadium was damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005The removal of the ramps allowed for more shared spaces and circulation, according to the studio, which modelled the concessions and circulation on the community-oriented streetscapes of New Orleans.
    “With this interior overhaul, we wanted the building to feel like a microcosm of our city,” Trahan Architects founding principal Trey Trahan told Dezeen.
    “We thought of the design as a series of stacked neighborhoods or ‘faubourgs’ as we call them, all connected by generous circulation spaces that served them – aka ‘the street’.”
    Also important to the renovation was bringing the materiality used for the original facade inside.
    Both Trahan and studio partner Brad McWhirter told Dezeen that the original innovativeness of Superdome, structurally and materially, was important throughout the redesign process.
    Anodized aluminium similar to that found on the exterior was used to clad the atriums”The rich material language they worked with, having the exterior skin of anodized aluminum which ages beautifully over time, along with its elegant form, made us see it as a sculpture that needed to be expressed both inside and out,” said McWhirter.
    “Before, you never got to experience the shape of the building from the interior – they were treated as two completely separate elements.”
    This move is most obvious in the atriums placed at three corners of the structure, which are the most visually apparent interventions.
    Here, express elevators move up through the voids. The voids have walls clad with anodized aluminium rods and are crossed by thick metal-clad beams that reveal the structure.
    Trahan Architects removed the circulation ramps and added additional seating and concessionsPlanning for resiliency and bringing the structure to compliance with codes around ventilation and accessibility were also important in the redesign process.
    Trahan Architects worked with engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti to ensure the building could stand up to high winds – it was during this 3D modelling process that the voids covered by the circulation ramps were discovered, which led to their removal.

    Intuit Dome basketball stadium set to open its doors in Los Angeles

    “You would walk up the ramps from floor to floor with an eight-foot (2.4 metre) ceiling height, to small, cramped concourses until you finally got to your seat for some relief,” said Trahan.
    “With the model, we could see the full breadth of the voids and wasted space that could be more useful for the public, building operations, and for incorporating new mechanical systems.”
    These processes all happened while keeping the stadium in use for the American football season. The studio also had to install accessible decks for movement-impaired people, all while making sure that new mechanical systems did not interfere too much with the aesthetic of the exterior.
    “This, and from a design standpoint, implementing universal accessibility within a 50-year-old building was very difficult.  We had to make up for a lot of lost time to bring the building up to today’s standards and go the extra mile to prepare for the future,” added Trahan.
    Escalators and elevators now provide the primary circulation to the upper levelsThese future-looking improvements included the aforementioned facade replacement and the inclusion of new emergency generators, as the loss of power during Hurricane Katrina created harsh conditions for those sheltering inside.
    The architects also lauded some of the original features of the structure, which were maintained.
    Accessibility decks were also added as part of the renovation”For instance, the ‘gutter tubs’ of the roof, hidden behind the lip of the facade at the top, manage stormwater such that draining a 10-acre roof doesn’t overload the city’s system,” said McWhirter.
    “This continues to work very well to this day – even with the incredible amount of development that’s occurred since the building first opened.”
    According to the studio, the total of the renovations since 2005 will drastically extend the lifespan of the stadium.
    “This comprehensive renovation is expected to extend the building’s lifespan by 25 years, allowing future generations to enjoy the same sense of community and excitement the New Orleans landmark has fostered for nearly half a century,” it said.
    Other restorations of iconic buildings include Foster + Partners’ interior overhaul of the Transamerica Pyramid skyscraper in San Francisco.
    Meanwhile, natural disasters worsened by climate change continue to be an impetus to design buildings better. In light of that, Dezeen launched a series last year called Designing for Disaster to highlight the different problems and solutions architects and designers face in the face of extreme weather events.
    The photography is by Tim Hursley.

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    Iosa Ghini Associati clads Fiandre office in “decorative skin” of ceramic surfaces

    Promotion: architecture practice Iosa Ghini Associati has renovated the 1980s headquarters of Italian surfacing manufacturer Fiandre in Castellarano, using ceramic to cover almost the entire interior from the walls and floors to the custom furnishings.

    Set across three floors and 2,400 square metres, the office was originally designed by architect Quintilio Prodi in 1989 and is described by Fiandre as “vaguely post-modern”.
    Iosa Ghini Associati has renovated the Fiandre officeIosa Ghini Associati has revamped and reorganised the interiors by designer Carlo Cattani to prioritise the wellbeing of employees and encourage their return to the office post-pandemic.
    With this aim, the architectural studio, with offices in Milan and Bologna, introduced novelties including a hangout area in the basement complete with a football table, a “take one, leave one” bookshelf and rocking chairs overlooking the garden.
    The basement houses hangout areas including a football table, and a space with music and books to be sharedOffice space and meeting rooms are spread across all three floors of the building, separated by glass partitions that allow daylight to filter into the core of the building while still providing acoustic privacy.

    Different areas are also distinguished by their use of different Fiandre ceramics, which architect Massimo Iosa Ghini used across almost all available surfaces.
    Ceramic surfaces define different areas”Ceramic surfaces were applied like a changing, decorative skin to floors and walls, at times adorned with precious triangular and herringbone cuts to embellish the spaces without ever overdoing it,” Fiandre said.
    Fiandre’s ceramic surfacing was used to cover floors across all three storeys, as well as various walls, washbasins and custom desks, meeting tables, bar counters and coffee tables designed bespoke for the office.
    The ceramics can resemble marbleTo improve indoor air quality and hygiene, Fiandre chose Active Surfaces – ceramic slabs developed by Fiandre’s parent organisation Iris Ceramica Group. The photocatalytic properties of these “eco-active ceramic surfaces use light energy to trigger chemical reactions that eliminate bacteria, viruses and pollutants, converting them into harmless substances”, the company said.
    In total, the building uses 5,058 square metres of ceramic slabs, which together with the LED lights help to purify over 10,000 cubic metres of air from odours and volatile organic compounds per day, according to calculations from researchers at the University of Milan.
    In the lobby, the floor is finished in a herringbone pattern formed from alternating matte and glossy slabs of the marbled Premium White Maximum porcelain.
    The reception desk is flanked by two waiting areas, underscored in Pietra Grey Maxium and enveloped by two curving walls clad in fluted ceramic slabs made using the 4D Ceramics technology pioneered by Fiandre’s parent company Iris Ceramica Group and distributed by Sapiestone brand.
    Pietra Grey also features in the basement, combined with terrazzo-like Seminato Beige.
    Meeting rooms feature touch panels integrated directly into the stone tabletopsThe executive offices on the first floor feature walls adorned in striking blue Amazonite Maximum, while the 70-square-metre CEO office is equipped with a mini-bar and a private bathroom that features Fiandre’s highly polished Glint finish, which reflects light around the room.
    The first floor also features a huge 18-by-3-metre mural by digital artist Becha, printed on ceramic slabs using the company’s Design Your Slabs (DYS) technology and reused from Iris Ceramica Group’s exhibition space at international ceramics fair Cersaie in Bologna in 2023.
    Ridged table bases are created using 4D Ceramic technologyMeeting rooms scattered around the rest of the building can accommodate between eight and 20 people and feature tables with ridged and fluted bases made using the 4D Ceramic technology.
    The lighting and polarised windows in the meeting rooms can be controlled with touch ceramic surfaces integrated directly into the stone surface, eliminating the need for unsightly external cover plates and switches.
    Marsala Red decorates the meeting roomsAnd walls are decorated in Marsala Red with a tessellated pattern cut into the surface to provide subtle decoration.
    “The colour of the furnishings and finishes adds personality, making the spaces feel more creative and more like home, while adding a sense of timeless elegance,” the architect specifies,” Iosa Ghini said.
    Fiandre is part of Iris Ceramica Group. For more information on Fiandre, visit the company’s website.
    Partnership content
    This article was written by Dezeen for Fiandre as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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    Claves evokes classic Parisian bistro interiors at cafe Le Cornichon

    French design studio Claves has transformed the interior of a Paris cafe, introducing bespoke retro-style decor that mirrors the architecture of local bars and tobacconists from the 1930s to the present day.

    Claves founders Laure Gravier and Soizic Fougeront were assigned to craft a space fuelled by nostalgia and French tradition for the reopening of Le Cornichon, a contemporary neighbourhood cafe, bar and restaurant owned by Bertrand Chauveau and Paul Henri.
    Claves has redesigned a contemporary neighbourhood cafe to evoke Parisian bistros”As the owners’ aim was to create a place where people from all backgrounds could come and go from morning to night, every day of the week, the decor had to lend itself to all kinds of scenes”, the design studio told Dezeen.
    “The morning coffee while reading the paper, the business lunch, the aperitif with friends, the romantic dinner, the evening out.”
    The interior of Le Cornichon incorporates nostalgic chrome fittings and laminate detailsLe Cornichon is positioned on a corner site, its facade and architecture designed to be indistinguishable from that of a local Parisian bar or tobacconist.

    “These are highly identifiable but timeless places, which don’t refer to any particular period, or rather which cross the eras by adjusting as they go along”, said Claves.
    Touches of different period styles are reflected in the cafe’s decor. Its interior was completely redone from floor to ceiling, and Claves also redesigned the bay windows and blinds for its facade.
    A glossy lacquered wave ceiling is highlighted by painted walls with textured plasterClaves designed the cafe’s speckled mosaic flooring to reflect the typical architecture of the 1930s, while the creation of a glossy lacquered wave ceiling was a nod to 1950s Italy.
    Textured plaster was applied to painted walls to create contrast and highlight the ceiling.
    “We used the classic palette of Parisian bistros, including Bordeaux red, bottle green, cream and chrome details”, said the design studio.

    El Fant Café and Bar celebrates both traditional and contemporary Finnish design

    The counter and waiter station of the bar are covered in laminate travertine effect panels in matt red, with walnut effect worktops in gloss black.
    Le Cornichon’s bar was clad in laminate fittings reminiscent of Formica, a material invented at the beginning of the 20th century and used in many post-war bars and tobacconists.
    Neon green bar lights pay homage to the space-age design style of the 1960s”We wanted customers to feel comfortable and at home very quickly, that there would be ‘regulars’,” said Claves. “That’s why we’ve taken the codes that everyone knows and built a space that’s rhythmic, harmonious and punctuated with amusing details.”
    1980s-style mirrors and chrome rod strips, inside and on the facade, add shine and give rhythm to the space. The studio also added neon-green lights to evoke the space-age design style of the 1960s and lend a party atmosphere to the cafe.
    A decorative ‘smoke’ frieze aligns the velvet-padded banquette seating area”We also wanted to create a very cinematic space, like in Cédric Klapisch’s film Un air de famille,” explained the design studio. “This is reflected in strong markers such as the painted ‘smoke’ frieze and the fresco in the toilets.”
    The decorative frieze, which evokes wisps of smoke, was created by decorative painter Mauro Ferreira.
    Le Cornichon’s toilet displays a fresco mural paintingAccompanying laminate tables are green banquettes padded in thick velvet, which were custom-designed and produced by a Parisian workshop in the style of typical comfortable cafe bench seating.
    Wave-shaped backrests echo the ceiling design and the wisps of smoke in the frieze. Chromed steel and black artificial-leather chairs were also custom-designed and made by another local workshop.
    Numerous items were hunted down by the design studio to add a patina element to the interior, including the washbasin, mirror and bar lights.
    “The pinball machine was hired from a vintage arcade game enthusiast and the postcard holder was bought from a specialist website,” said Claves.
    Before founding Claves in 2022, Gravier and Fougeront gained experience working together over several years for French interior designer Pierre Yovanovitch.
    Other retro cafe, bar and restaurant interiors that have recently been featured in Dezeen include the Fika restaurant in Almaty, Kazakhstan, by NAAW Studio and the Sant Ambroeus Coffee Bar Aspen in Aspen, Colorado, by Giampiero Tagliaferri Studio.
    The photography is by Matteo Verzini.

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    True Joy named Dulux Colour of the Year 2025

    Paint brand Dulux has revealed an “uplifting” bright yellow colour called True Joy as its Colour of the Year for 2025.

    True Joy was chosen for its bold and sunny disposition that adds a sense of cheerfulness to interiors, according to Dulux.
    Dulux has announced a bright yellow named True Joy for its Colour of the Year 2025″Dulux Colour of the Year 2025 True Joy is an uplifting yellow – a bright and positive colour that brings optimism, pride and imagination to homes and commercial spaces,” the brand’s senior colour designer Dawn Scott told Dezeen.
    “It was chosen to inspire people to leap out of their comfort zone, to just go for it and feel confident.”
    The sunny colour aims to evoke optimism and creativityDulux worked with trend forecast researchers ColourFutures to choose the 2025 Colour of the Year. The company’s analysis across design, architecture, journalism and technology found three trends to base the colour selection on.

    “This year, our global trend forecast highlighted three major trends: the excitement of making a joyful leap into the unknown, the celebration of handmade craftsmanship and the re-embrace of heritage,” said Scott.
    “These themes have informed our choice of True Joy, along with the colour yellow more generally, creating a collection that helps you design spaces where people can feel inspired to pursue new horizons, connect with human creativity and feel rooted in their identities.”
    Dulux collaborated with ColourFutures to chose the colourScott hopes the sunny hue will provoke feelings of human connection and motivate people to make bolder colour choices.
    “True Joy will likely define the year by resonating deeply with our collective desire for change and reconnection,” she said.
    Three colour palettes incorporating True Joy were created”As we move into an era dominated by technology and AI, this colour will inspire us to embrace new frontiers, encouraging spaces that are both adventurous and spontaneous,” Scott added.
    “It will also reflect our growing appreciation for human creativity and craftsmanship, grounding us in environments filled with earthy, handmade touches that reconnect us with our humanity.”

    Soft pink Sweet Embrace named Dulux Colour of the Year 2024

    Three complementary colour palettes were also revealed alongside True Joy to offer suggested colour pairings for interiors.
    The Bold Colour Story palette contrasts True Joy with bright blues and oranges, designed to be used in education and office interiors to encourage creativity.
    Dulux suggested pairing the bright yellow with neutral shades from the Human Colour StoryThe Human Colour Story features more neutral shades of wood and clay, aiming to reflect raw materials in artisanal craftsmanship and add warmth to education and healthcare settings.
    Deep tones of brown and green characterise the Proud Colour Story palette, which was created for hospitality and residential spaces to create a welcoming atmosphere.
    The Proud Colour Story combines True Joy with deep huesDulux’s Colour of the Year for 2023 was a pale yellow named Wild Wonder and for 2024, the brand chose a soft pink colour called Sweet Embrace.
    Scott described True Joy as a striking and exciting contrast to the subtler hues that came before it.
    The rich tones of the Proud Colour Story aim to create a welcoming interior”Where Sweet Embrace provided warmth and comfort, creating spaces that made people feel at ease during uncertain times, the yellow of this year encourages a joyful leap into new horizons,” Scott explained.
    “It’s a bold and uplifting colour that reflects a shift from seeking simplicity and calm to embracing adventure and creativity.”
    The photography is courtesy of Dulux.

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    Gold-leaf wall divides renovated Barcelona apartment by Raúl Sánchez Architects

    Architect Raúl Sánchez has renovated a flat in a typical Barcelona apartment building, adding built-in cabinetry and furnishings in hues that echo the original mosaic flooring.

    The 85-square-metre flat was created following the subdivision of a larger apartment with aspects towards the Carrer d’Enric Granados on one side and a large internal courtyard on the other.
    Raúl Sánchez Architects has renovated a Barcelona apartmentSánchez’s studio was tasked with making the most of the available space, which is just six metres wide and needed to incorporate two bedrooms and two bathrooms along with a generous living area.
    Following the partitioning of the original apartment, this smaller flat was left with an entrance set within the building’s interior at one end and a gallery-like room overlooking the courtyard at the other.
    A wall covered in gold leaf separates the living area from the gallerySánchez chose to leave the main living area and gallery open to enhance the sense of space and connection with the view.

    The rest of the interior comprises private functions that are arranged along a hallway leading from the entrance to the living space.
    The gallery houses the dining room and overlooks the courtyard”I wanted to maximise the light throughout the apartment and make something special of the corridor that was necessary given the situation of entering at one end,” the architect told Dezeen.
    “Even though the apartment is small, there are different space situations like differences in height, materials, dimension or colour, which create a very rich experience inside the flat.”
    The kitchen features a pink marble splashbackThe hallway is lined with full-height cabinetry, incorporating doors that lead to the bedrooms on either side. Each bedroom receives natural light and ventilation from a window that opens onto an internal courtyard.
    Small annexes that serve as dressing rooms connect the bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, one of which is also accessible from the hallway. These spaces feature cabinets, shelves and handles made from water-resistant varnished MDF.
    The flat is styled with modern design pieces including a sofa from KragelundThe walls lining the hall feature a rose-gold finish, only interrupted by a pair of dark blue lacquered bookshelves roughly halfway along.
    Sánchez explained that the colour choices derive directly from the intricate mosaic floors, which were preserved and treated to restore them to their original condition.

    Red accents enliven social housing block on triangular plot in Barcelona

    Rooms where the mosaic had previously been removed now feature off-white micro cement floors.
    “Everything inside the apartment has a bit of that brownish-reddish-beige hue of the tiles,” he pointed out. “Even the blue of the shelves, which may seem a big contrast, can also be found in the tiles.”
    Full-height cabinetry lines the hallway of the flatThe hallway’s walls form a datum that extends through into the living space, where the original exposed ceiling beams create a differentiation in height that is emphasised by a subtle change in colour.
    The rose-gold hue used for the cabinets is echoed by a pink Portuguese marble splashback in the kitchen that was assembled from unmatched salvaged slabs.
    Small annexes connect the bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms from the hallwayAn existing structural wall separating the living area from the gallery space was covered with gold leaf in order to lighten its appearance and conceal its load-bearing purpose.
    “This imparts a more symbolic and abstract presence, serving as a connection element with the exterior, reflecting the light that falls upon it from the backyard,” said Sánchez.
    The flat’s furnishings echo the mosaic flooring of the original apartment designThe property is owned by a client based in Dubai, who will use it as a pied-a-terre as well as renting it out some of the time.
    It was styled with modern design pieces including a sofa from Kragelund, a chaise longue by Sancal and a cork stool from Vitra.
    Dark-blue lacquered bookshelves coexist side-by-side with the rose-gold cabinetryLocal gallery Víctor Lope Arte Contemporáneo provided the various artworks.
    Raúl Sánchez has lived and worked in Barcelona since 2005, where his studio takes on global projects across architecture, interiors, urbanism and design.
    The office was named emerging interior design studio of the year at Dezeen Awards 2022 and has previously completed projects including a townhouse with a four-storey spiral staircase and an apartment featuring a shiny brass wardrobe.

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    Bureau Tempo applies subtle tones and textures to renovated Brooklyn loft

    Canadian studio Bureau Tempo has completed a “gentle redesign” of a loft space in Brooklyn, New York, which features a subtle pale green kitchen and fritted glass partition walls.

    The home faces the busy Atlantic Avenue thoroughfare that runs through the Brooklyn Heights neighbourhood and enjoys tall ceilings and large windows at either end.
    A mural depicting Prospect Park is painted above the loft’s den areaMeasuring 1,600 square feet (150 square metres), the loft is roughly divided into three sections.
    At the front are the primary bedroom – painted in a colour called Dead Salmon by Farrow & Ball – and an office space that is equipped with a foldaway Murphy bed that can be deployed for guests.
    The dining room features a large black table and matching Windsor chairsThis multifunctional space is separated from the living area by a partition of wood and fritted glass panels.

    Folding doors open to connect with the lounge and dining area, but the light can still reach these central spaces when closed thanks to the glass.
    The lounge is furnished with comfy sofas and armchairs, plus an oxblood-coloured coffee table”The addition of an operable wood and fluted-glass wall between the primary space and the Atlantic Avenue end of the home allows for an open office by day and an inviting and private quarters when hosting guests,” said Bureau Tempo.
    The lounge is furnished with comfy sofas and armchairs, plus an oxblood-coloured coffee table, all placed atop a rug by Armadillo.
    The office space can be opened up to the rest of the apartment with folding panelsBeyond is the dining area, where a large black table is accompanied by six Windsor chairs and a pair of stretched-fabric pendant lights that hang overhead.
    The final portion of the loft is raised up two steps, and contains a den area with more soft seating and the kitchen.
    A retractable Murphy bed allows the office to double as a guest roomAbove a section of bead-board panelling where the TV is mounted, a mural by artist and friend of the loft’s owners Melody Lockerman depicts nearby Prospect Park.
    “Painted in tones that compliment choices throughout, the mural adds a welcome touch of levity,” Bureau Tempo said.

    General Assembly exposes wooden beams inside revamped Brooklyn loft

    In the kitchen opposite, textured four-by-four-inch ceramic tiles create a subtle checkerboard pattern of pale pink and white across the floor.
    Millwork on the central island and lower cabinets was painted a very light shade of green and is accented with brass hardware.
    Fritted glass panels allow light from the front window to penetrate deeper into the apartment”These rooms share a direct connection with the intimate yet spacious and light-filled north facing terrace, which dramatically extends the perception of the home’s size,” the team said.
    The majority of the walls throughout the apartment are covered in a textured lime plaster finish by Bauwerk Colour, complementing exposed wooden ceiling beams in each room.
    The primary bedroom is painted in Dead Salmon by Farrow & Ball to contrast the lime plaster in other spacesMany of Brooklyn’s former industrial buildings now house chic apartments and lofts, many of which maintain nods to their past.
    At a residence in Gowanus, wooden structural elements were uncovered and retreated during renovations by General Assembly, while a home inside a former chocolate factory in Bedford-Stuyvesant has ductwork and services are left exposed.
    The photography is by Alex Lesage.

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