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    Bethany Williams: Alternative Systems opens at the Design Museum

    An exhibition highlighting London-based designer Bethany Williams’ waste-combating, social-driven vision for the fashion industry has opened at the Design Museum.

    Exhibited in the atrium of London’s Design Museum, Bethany Williams: Alternative Systems is a celebration of Williams’ work which explores and responds to social issues through the use of community-led enrichment initiatives.
    Bethany Williams: Alternative Systems is a free display in the atrium of the Design MuseumA number of key works by the designer were exhibited across the four walls of the atrium’s balcony gallery, which is free to entry.
    Mannequins are displayed among textiles samples, photography and raw waste materials in efforts to highlight the studio’s commitment to sustainable fashion.
    The display was chosen to be shown in a free entry space in the museum”I decided to organise the display thematically rather than by collection,” said Design Museum’s head of curatorial and interpretation Priya Khanchandani.

    “It opens with a section about the studio specifically and then there’s a part about creative process, intellectual references and the way in which they propose alternative infrastructures of working, followed by a section about reuse and another about community collaborations,” she told Dezeen.
    “Bethany’s work not only tackles the question of the environmental impact of design, but it also has an amazing social purpose.”
    The exhibition design was completed by EditWilliams is a fashion designer, humanitarian and artist. She graduated from Brighton University with a degree in Critical Fine Art before receiving a master’s from the London College of Fashion in Menswear.
    She launched her namesake brand in 2017 and has strived to spotlight and respond to social and environmental issues, her works see her partnering with local grassroots programs and manufacturing collections using waste materials.
    Garments are exhibited alongside research, drawings and materialsA section of the display exhibits Willliams’ work as part of the Emergency Designer Network. The initiative is a collaboration between herself and designers Phoebe English, Cozette McCreery and Holly Fulton.
    The group of creatives, with their textile manufacturing knowledge and teams of volunteers, produced 12,000 scrubs, 100,000 masks and 4,000 gowns for frontline healthcare workers during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Waste crisis a “design-made mess” says Design Museum show curator

    Waste from packaging tape sourced from Rimini, Italy was handwoven and constructed into functional items and garments as part of Williams’s Autumn Winter 2018 collection, which was on display.
    “I felt it was very important to show not just the finished garments, which you would see in a retail fashion context; being a museum display I wanted to add other layers of information,” explained Khanchandani.
    Williams’ work merges streetwear and craft”There are process materials like drawings and sketches, and also source material,” said Khanchandani. “For instance, a jacket made of waste newspaper is shown alongside some of the waste material, the Liverpool Echo, which is dangling next to the garment.”
    “You’re able to see the journey of the objects from inception, to finished product.”
    Williams has collaborated with San Patrignano, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation programmeEach season, the fashion studio collaborates with different local charities and grassroots programs and donates a percentage of its profits to its causes.
    “With our work, we hope to continue to reach new audiences, encourage inclusivity and positive change for the fashion industry,” said Williams. “The Design Museum continues to be aligned with this via the exhibitions curated, including their Waste Age exhibition, which we featured in last year.”
    “We are so proud to showcase our new exhibition: Bethany Williams: Alternative Systems, a celebration of the new way of working proposed for the fashion industry by the studio’s work.”
    Dresses and corsetry feature boning constructed from waste materialsThe opening of Bethany Williams: Alternative Systems was timed to coincide with Williams’ Autumn Winter 2022 collection, titled The Hands that Heal Us, which was presented at the museum.
    The collection included a cactus leather jacket, and garments made from recycled and organic-based denim with detachable metal hardware that aid the recycling process at the end of its life.
    A skeleton suit was informed by a 19th-century children’s playsuitIn 2016, Williams graduated from London College of Fashion and showed her MA graduate collection in the university’s show as part of London Fashion Week.
    Last year’s Waste Age exhibition at the Design Museum, which featured Williams’ work, explored how design has contributed to the increasing throwaway culture and how people can create an alternative circular economy that doesn’t exploit the planet.
    Photography is by Felix Speller.
    Bethany Williams: Alternative Systems is on display at the Design Museum from 22 February 2022. See Dezeen Events Guide for all the latest architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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    Small Accent Storage Cabinets, Consoles, Sideboards (Sources + Organizing Inspiration)

    Accent cabinets can be placed throughout a home to provide storage and style. I’m always rearranging furniture to figure out what works best for us, so accent cabinets have been a versatile solution for us in every home. Plus they give you another surface to use for a lamp or seasonal decor!
    They help you to get organized and work well as a place to tuck away useful/decorative/seasonal items that tend to end up as clutter on counters or tables when not in use. I love them for so many reasons! I’ll share some tips and ideas below.
    In this post you’ll find sources for several cabinets my girls and I have in our homes as well as other suggestions.
    A few ideas for how to use accent cabinets:

    In a dining room for entertaining supplies – use little bins or baskets inside to store things like napkins and napkin rings, shelves for wine glasses etc…or for dish storage
    In a living room or bathroom to store extra pillows or throws (also great spot to put a table lamp to warm up a dark corner)
    Entryway – use a drawer or containers on shelves (store gloves, dog leashes etc), shoes, reusable grocery store bags, etc
    Kids’ toys
    In a bathroom for towels, bath supplies, toiletries
    In an office as a printer stand and/or to store office supplies

    Here are accent cabinets in our homes, and graphics with lots of sources linked below!

    Click here for Accent Cabinet Source // See post on Kylee’s Entry Cabinet Hack That Saved Her $1500

    Click here for Accent Cabinet Source

    Click here for Shutter Cabinet Source. We use this for storing entertaining supplies, pitchers, glassware and cloth napkins!

    Click here for Shutter Cabinet Source

    Click here for Shutter Cabinet Source

    Click here for the same cabinet (and see how Courtney lined the shelves of this cabinet here)

    This exact cabinet in Courtney’s apartment is out of stock, but HERE is one from the same line, and here is another similar cabinet. Take a tour of Courtney’s apartment here.

    Click here for the same cabinet (this is technically a media cabinet with space for cords to come out the back, but works great as a buffet cabinet too!) — See more of this room in this post: Kylee’s House (Sharing Some Hand-Me-Downs)

    Similar herringbone cabinet source // Click here for a post on how we made this freestanding cabinet into an entry command center!

    Click for herringbone wood and white accent cabinet source

    Click here for whitewashed wood accent cabinet (similar style to my gold one above)

    Click here for post on Kylee’s old townhouse entry

    Here are sources for more cabinets:

    Sources for Above (scroll and click images or links below):

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    1. Accent Cabinet with 2 Doors (multiple colors)
    2. White Entryway Cabinet with Glass Doors and Drawers (multiple color options)
    3. White 2 Door Floor Cabinet with Glass X Panels and Shelves
    4. Two Door Glass Storage Cabinet
    5. Wide White Storage Cabinet with Glass Pane Doors
    6. Blue 2 Door Accent Cabinet with Glass Doors (multiple color options)
    7. White 2 Door Floor Cabinet with Glass
    8. Tall 2 Door Gray Glass Pane Cabinet
    9. Freestanding Bathroom Cabinet
    10. Entryway Cabinet with Glass Doors and Drawers (multiple color options)
    11. Distressed White Tall Sliding Door Cabinet with Windowpane Glass Doors
    12. White Server Cabinet with Geometric Mirrored Doors

    Sources for Above (scroll and click images or links below):

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    1. Rattan Woven 2 Door Cabinet
    2. Gray Pattern Cabinet
    3. Handcarved Cabinet
    4. Whitewashed Wood 2 Door Cabinet with Geometric Pattern
    5. Wood and Metal Cabinet
    6. Cane Wood 2 Door Cabinet with Mid Century Legs (multiple color options)
    7. Navy Linen 2 Door Cabinet with Nailhead Trim
    8. Whitewashed Wood Storage Cabinet
    9. Rattan 2 Door Wood Accent Cabinet
    10. Wood and Herringbone Cabinet
    11. Antique Grey 2 Door Chest
    12. Navy Handcarved Wood 2 Door Cabinet
    Click HERE for more cabinet sources (and follow our new Instagram The Inspired Room Style for daily decor finds in stories!)

    My Organizing Books:
    Simple Organizing: 50 Ways to Clear the Clutter (my book available on Amazon or your preferred retailer)
    Make Room for What You Love: Your Essential Guide to Organizing and Simplifying (my book available on Amazon or your preferred retailer)
    Related Inspiration on The Inspired Room:
    Storage Cabinets for Linens and Things
    Kitchen Canisters and Sources
    9 Clever Organizers to Tidy Your House
    Six Simple Secrets for a Less Cluttered Home
    Organizing With Baskets and Containers
    Lovely Bathroom Storage Solutions
    Linen Closet Organization Ideas
    12 Lovely Accessories to Organize Your Home
    Small Space Solutions: Furniture Ideas More

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    Toronto beach house by Odami resolves “contradictory” context between waterfront and city

    Canadian studio Odami has completed the interiors of a split-level home in Toronto, using light tones that nod to the nearby beaches of Lake Ontario.

    The Beaches House was completed for a client living near the city’s waterfront, which is lined with long stretches of sandy beaches.
    Odami’s design for the interiors drew inspiration from typical beach homes, while also offering a contemporary living environment in Canada’s largest city.
    The Beaches House takes cues from typical beach homes”Toronto’s Beaches neighbourhood presents a peculiar condition within the city,” said the studio, led by Aránzazu González Bernardo and Michael Norman Fohring.
    “To experience the area is to seamlessly transition between a natural and calm landscape, and an urban and lively atmosphere,” they added.

    The split-level home is located in TorontoOdami’s interior palette features typical beach-inspired finishes, such as textured wall panels of varying widths, sand-hued countertops, and plenty of tropical plants throughout the home.
    Throughout the living space, light wooden floors and creamy tones offer a tranquil environment.
    A skylight illuminates the steel-and-wood staircase”Responsible for the interior design, our goal was to create a home which would reflect this contradictory context: a house which would belong as much to the city as it would to a beach far removed from it,” Odami explained.
    At the centre of the house, a skylight illuminates the steel-and-wood staircase, helping to brighten the interiors and draw visitors upstairs as they move through the home.

    Oak staircase links split levels of Canadian house by Omar Gandhi

    “The central staircase, which winds its way up through the split levels of the house, was detailed with thin steel pickets and floating treads, continuing the rhythmic language of the paneling,” said the designers.
    This calmer palette contrasts some darker materials that were used in circulation spaces, such as a grey stone in the entrance hallway, and a bathroom where the walls and floors are lined with a dark terrazzo.
    Odami added dark terrazzo elements to the bathroom”In the bedrooms and bathrooms of the last floor, the sequence comes to rest, as light, repetitive elements give way to moments of stillness, calm, and dense materiality,” the studio explained.
    Odami was founded in 2017 in Toronto. Other projects from the Canadian studio include a collection of wooden furniture that was crafted from the same dying tree, and a restaurant where the walls are lined with roughly troweled plaster.
    The darker tones contrast with the home’s lighter elementsAlso in Toronto, the Winter Stations design competition recently unveiled the pavilions for its 2022 edition.
    The photography is by Doublespace Photography.

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    Ten well-organised bedrooms with clever storage solutions

    For our latest lookbook, we have rounded up 10 bedrooms from the Dezeen archive that make use of smart storage solutions, including custom-made headboards and floor-to-ceiling wall units.

    From basement one-bedroom apartments that use bookshelves as room partitions, to a plywood insertion in a children’s bedroom that combines work, play and sleep, these interiors all feature clever storage.
    Small cupboards inserted into headboards, below stairs and even within bed frames are also used to provide discreet additions to traditional storage units.
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing interiors by Ukranian designers, coastal hotel interiors and self-designed homes by architects and designers.
    Photo is by Yiannis Hadjiaslanis and Point SupremeAthens apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme

    Greek architecture firm Point Supreme transformed a basement storage space in a suburban neighbourhood in Athens into a one-bedroom home.
    The 56-square-metre sunken space only receives light from above on one side. In order to make the space to feel as bright and big as possible, Point Supreme used curtains, sliding doors and open shelving units as wall partitions.
    The studio also added smart shelving below the ceiling of the bedroom, making full use of the height of the room.
    Find out more about Athens apartment ›
    Photo is by French+TyeTwo and a Half Storey House, UK, by Bradley Van Der Straeten
    Bradley Van Der Straecten Architects added a half-storey extension to this home in London’s Stoke Newington.
    The studio lined the interior of the extension in plywood and incorporated built-in wardrobes, bookshelves and a platform bed frame to maximise the space in this children’s bedroom.
    Find out more about Two and a Half Storey House ›
    Photo is by Draper WhiteGammel Dam, US, by CCY Architects
    This holiday home in Colorado by CCY Architects features floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the hilly terrain.
    The interiors are lined in pale wood and include clever storage solutions throughout. Wooden cupboards were built into the bed frames to maximise the use of the space, while keeping the minimalist feel of the interior.
    Find out more about Gammel Dam ›
    Photo is by Rafael SoldiWhidbey Dogtrot, US, by SHED
    Named after its location on Whidbey Island, which is just north of Seattle, this single-storey home was designed by American firm SHED for a couple that is soon to retire.
    In the bedroom, a large reading nook, fitted with rows of shelving, opens to the sleeping area and offers views across the serene landscape. Fixtures and architectural elements were painted black and provide a striking contrast against the white walls.
    Find out more about Whidbey Dogtrot ›
    Photo is by Ståle Eriksen.London apartment, UK, by Jonathan Tuckey Design
    Architecture studio Jonathan Tuckey Design overhauled this Marylebone apartment in London, adding pastel storage walls that curve and dip between each room.
    Instead of standard shelving, the studio opted to use built-in furniture throughout the space in the form of MDF storage walls.
    The primary bedroom was divided in two by storage walls to house a walk-in closet and sleeping area, which is now accessed through a pistachio-hued arch.
    Find out more about London apartment ›
    Photo is by Michael SinclairA Room for Two, UK, by Studio Ben Allen
    Studio Ben Allen built a wooden structure inside a London flat to create a shared bedroom for two children.
    The structure, which was constructed using pale birch plywood, features arched openings, steps fitted with shelving beneath, a fold-down desk and a desk-cum-platform.
    The plywood insertion provides the children with a place for sleep, work and play, without compromising on tidy storage.
    Find out more about A Room for Two ›
    Photo is by Shannon McGrathCentral Park Road Residence, Australia, by Studio Four
    Australian practice Studio Four used dark surfaces and large storage volumes throughout this Melbourne family home.
    In the primary bedroom, a full-height storage unit doubles as a headboard and includes a horizontal opening that serves as a shelf for a single row of books.
    The dark-painted volume, which was placed in the centre of the room, conceals a walk-in wardrobe as well as an ensuite bathroom.
    Find out more about Central Park Road Residence ›

    Smolenka Apartment, Russia, by Peter Kostelov
    Russian architect Peter Kostelov renovated this apartment in Moscow, adding a raised living room in a wooden capsule as well as built-in furniture units.
    The bedroom was finished in oak and divided into sections that have smooth, rounded passages between the ceiling, floor and walls forming shelves, closets and a bed. A television was neatly tucked into the wall unit opposite the bed.
    Find out more about Smolenka Apartment ›
    Photo is by Lisbeth GrosmannFlinders Lane Apartment, Australia, by Clare Cousins
    Clare Cousins Architects inserted a timber box and mezzanine platform into this one-bedroom apartment in Melbourne to create three additional sleeping areas.
    The 75-square-metre flat includes a hoop-pine plywood volume that houses two small bedrooms – each the length of a bed.
    Inside the volume, recesses in the walls form shallow shelves for small items, while hooks are spread across the panels for hanging clothes and personal items.
    Find out more about Flinders Lane Apartment ›
    Photo is by João Morgado.Musico Iturbi, Spain, by Roberto Di Donato
    London-practice Robert Di Donato used a large pair of wooden storage units in this Valencian apartment to complement the aged and weathered interiors.
    One wooden unit divides the bedroom from the main living area and extends to the full height of the space. It features sliding doors that can be closed to provide the sleeping area with complete privacy.
    Find out more about Musico Iturbi ›
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing modernist living rooms, interiors by Ukranian designers and homes designed by architects and designers.

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    Swedish forest retreat by Norm Architects is “designed for a simple life”

    Norm Architects has converted a traditional timber cabin, hidden away amongst pine trees in a forest in Sweden, into a pared-back holiday home for families.

    The Copenhagen-based studio took a “back-to-basics” approach when it came to remodelling the two-floor building, which is positioned on top of a ridge.
    Norm Architects has converted a traditional cabin into a minimalist holiday home”Creating homes is often an exercise in restraint,” explained Norm Architects co-founder Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen.
    “And while the creation of a simple, authentic and welcoming space might seem effortless and natural once completed, the journey to simplicity and the exercise of finding essence is often rather complex and not an easy task.”
    The ground floor houses an open-plan living and dining areaOn the home’s ground floor, a cosy sitting room is dressed with a couple of plump greige sofas and a sheepskin-covered lounge chair, created by the practice in collaboration with Danish furniture brand Menu.

    One corner of the room is occupied by a wood burner in the same off-white colour as the walls, which were coated in dolomite plaster.
    Oakwood was used to craft the flooring and cabinetryOn the other side of the ground floor lies a dining area, anchored by a large timber table. Just behind is the kitchen, housing a series of handleless low-lying cupboards crafted from oakwood.
    Oak was also used to form the flooring and all of the doors throughout the cabin, which were designed by Norm Architects to act more like slender cabinet fronts so they don’t take up too much space.
    The doors are finished with circular brass knobs and extend all the way up to the ceiling, in a bid to make the rooms appear loftier.

    Norm Architects conceives Xiamen’s Basao tea parlour as an oasis of calm

    A number of new windows were inserted into the cabin’s facade to allow more natural light into the interiors and reveal views of the towering pine trees outdoors.
    Distributed across the rest of the holiday cabin are enough bedrooms and wash facilities to accommodate two families, as well as a small sauna.
    Slim oak doors lead through to the bedroomsFor larger groups, the project also saw Norm Architects build a new self-contained annexe that can house a third family.
    Here, a raised daybed-cum-window seat was set up directly next to a vast wall of glazing, providing occupants with a place to recline and take in the scenery.
    “Designed for a simple life during both summer and winter months, the cabin is rustic yet refined, only equipped with the necessities when opting for a slow living,” the studio said.
    A large window with an integrated daybed provides views of the forestSweden’s lush natural landscape makes it a popular location for holiday homes.
    Dezeen has previously featured a number of other cabins in the country including Sommarhus T by Johan Sundberg, which takes cues from traditional Japanese architecture, and a seaside villa by Studio Holmber with serene plywood-lined living spaces.
    The photography is by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm Architects.

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    Ten escapist holiday homes with peaceful interiors

    Cavernous summer houses in Santorini, a minimalist Canadian ski chalet and a Cape Town clifftop dwelling are among the tranquil holiday homes we have collected for our latest lookbook.

    Holiday houses are designed to provide a relaxing getaway and often located in remote settings, such as peaceful countryside villages or coastal locations.
    These 10 examples highlight how designers have tried to reflect the relaxing nature of the homes’ locations within their interiors, incorporating details such as retractable walls that flood sunlight into living spaces and soothing Japandi-style furniture.
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing retro eateries, modernist living rooms and decorative parquet wooden flooring.

    Naia I and Naia II, Costa Rica, by Studio Saxe

    Architecture firm Studio Saxe designed a pair of beach houses in Costa Rica with rustic wooden screens and overhanging roofs, which intend to integrate the surrounding jungle into the homes’ interiors.
    Called Naia I and Naia II, the latter house features a double-height living space that is left mostly open to the elements, except for a minimal kitchen tucked within a geometric alcove.
    Find out more about Naia I and Naia II ›

    Falcon House, UK, by Koto
    British studio and prefab specialists Koto created this black timber-clad Cotswolds holiday home formed from twisted and stacked volumes that result in cantilevering canopies.
    Falcon House’s upper storey is a single, open space with a wood-burning stove in one corner, which also includes a delicate, olive-green sofa framed by exposed cross-laminated timber walls that integrate the home with its peaceful outside views.
    Find out more about Falcon House ›

    Bundeena House, Australia, by Tribe Studio Architects 
    Retractable walls were inserted into this New South Wales weekend beach retreat to connect its U-shaped rectilinear volumes with the outdoors.
    The founder of Tribe Studio Architects took cues from the area’s modernist fisherman cottages when designing Bundeena House for herself, using “durable and honest” finishes.
    Open-plan interiors include a mixture of materials, such as structural plywood and statement colourful chairs. Concrete flooring was purposefully left unpolished to allow for post-beach wet and sandy footprints.
    Find out more about Bundeena House ›

    La Fraternelle, Canada, by Atelier Pierre Thibault
    La Fraternelle – or The Brotherly – was designed by Quebec City-based Atelier Pierre Thibault as a shared weekend house for two brothers in Charlevoix, a popular Canadian ski destination.
    The architecture firm chose a palette of minimalist, built-in or custom furniture, which was subtly inserted into the project in order to draw more attention to the surrounding landscape than the interiors.
    “The large glazed openings and restrained interior furnishings facilitate contemplation,” explained Atelier Pierre Thibault.
    Find out more about La Fraternelle ›

    Summer houses, Greece, by Kapsimalis Architects
    Two underground caves of an old property in Santorini were converted into summer houses by smoothing out and finishing their interiors in earthy tones that contrast with the houses’ bright white facades.
    Kapsimalis Architects added elegant furniture made by local craftsmen to the cavernous rooms, which also feature minimalist light fittings and built-in storage framed by vaulted ceilings and arched doorways.
    Find out more about these summer houses ›

    La Extraviada, Mexico, by Em-Estudio
    Mexico City-based firm Em-Estudio chose “materials thought of as elements that blend with the mountain” for La Extraviada, a holiday home made up of volumes that perch on a steep hillside in Oaxaca.
    Inside, a dining and living space designed by Gala Sánchez-Renero is flanked by sliding doors that open out onto a patio, while black rattan pendant lights are suspended over a low-slung wooden dining table.
    Find out more about La Extraviada ›

    Bowen Island House, Canada, by Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects + Designers
    Described as a “contemporary cabin in the woods” by Vancouver studio Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects, Bowen Island House is a black-stained cedar and glass holiday home in British Columbia.
    Hemlock wooden floors match the ceilings, which frame open-plan living spaces with floor-to-ceiling windows that are designed to allow the dwelling to recede into the surrounding rainforest.
    “The house is made from a palette of local materials primarily, all chosen for their inherent beauty, toughness and refinement,” said project leader Steve McFarlane.
    Find out more about Bowen Island House ›

    Archipelago House, Sweden, by Norm Architects
    Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetics blend together in Archipelago House on the coast of Sweden, an interior trend known as Japandi design.
    Danish studio Norm Architects and Japanese brand Karimoku Case Study dressed the home’s double-height lounge with minimal furniture that adheres to the style, including a pebble-grey sofa, curvy cream armchairs and a muted stone-topped coffee table.
    Find out more about Archipelago House ›

    Rural House, Portugal, by HBG Architects
    A staircase with steps that double as a bench, table and fireplace takes centre stage in a converted granite community oven turned into a holiday home in Portugal, which is located in the village of Aldeia de João Pires.
    Inside, HBG Architects left the dwelling’s granite walls exposed to maintain the house’s history and contrast with the space’s more contemporary interiors. The home is defined by a material palette of concrete and timber and was described by the studio as “loft-like”.
    Find out more about Rural House ›

    Icaria House, South Africa, by Antonio Zaninovic Architecture Studio and Tara Bean
    Icaria House is a four-storey holiday home on a clifftop in Cape Town, which was renovated by local office Antonio Zaninovic Architecture Studio and interior designer Tara Bean.
    Originally built in the 1960s, the house’s interiors fuse eclectic elements such as a red Berber rug from Morocco with soothing white walls and large windows that provide views of the surrounding sea.
    Find out more about Icaria House ›
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing coastal hotel rooms, kitchen extensions and homes centred around interior courtyards.

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    Inferences/Inferencias exhibition aims to “arouse curiosity towards contemporary design”

    Barcelona-based gallery Il-lacions has opened an exhibition at Madrid Design Festival that features over 70 furnishings, sculptures and design pieces in an effort to explore contemporary design.

    The theme of the exhibition is centred around its name, Inferences/Inferencias, which Il-lacions described as “the action and effect of inferring one thing from another, a link between ideas, the consequence of something.”
    Inferences/Inferencias is a group exhibition that was exhibited as part of Madrid Design FestivalThe gallery selected one piece of work by each of the artists it represents, who were then asked to become co-curators of the exhibition and invite a designer, maker or artist whom they admired to also exhibit a piece of work.
    The resulting 74 sculptures and furniture pieces displayed in the exhibition were arranged on and around a large angular display table that was finished to mimic concrete.
    A wooden stool by Sanna Völker is a tribute to architect Louis KahnAll of the works in the show focus on one or more topics specified by the gallery, such as research and development in new materials, object functionality, sustainability and production processes.

    “We would like to arouse curiosity towards contemporary design, visitors can read about the pieces and even touch them with care,” Il-lacions founder Xavier Franquesa told Dezeen. “We would like them to learn about materials, functionality and ingenuity in design.”
    A light installation titled Ignoring Helena by Michael Roschach is placed nearby Burned Ode Chair by Sizar Alexis”We hope people understand the amount of work behind each piece, there’s a lot of research and experimentation,” said Franquesa.
    “These are inspirational objects that contribute to giving interiors something more than just a function, they are emotional and unique,” it added.

    Antoni Arola creates architecture “from light” for Madrid Design Festival

    “We would like to stimulate new views on design and thinking to shape contemporary values, and together with the creators to generate a cultural heritage that reflects this time and this place,” he said.
    Among the pieces on display is Joel Blanco’s Shiba-Inu dog sculpture with a built-in ASIC cryptocurrency miner. This uses the exhibition space’s electricity to mine Dogecoin and is a commentary on financial freedom and an anarcho-capitalist future, according to the designer.
    Also exhibited is a Jesmonite and fibreglass chair by Six N. Five, embedded with an authentication chip built on Blockchain technology that allows the piece to be minted as an NFT.
    Objects, fixtures and furnishings were hung from walls and placed throughout the gallery spaceA number of the works on show also feature reused and recycled materials.
    “Josep Vila Capdevila is reusing pieces from old factories (fluorescents, cables, a pulley) and he mixes it with noble materials such as marble to create the Suspended Lamp exhibited – he classifies this piece as ‘Random Luxury’,” said Franquesa.
    “The ‘Aluminium Block’ side table by Toni Pallejà is reinterpreting industrial materials, transforming them into elements that convey luxury and fashion.”
    The exhibition features 74 objects, furnishings and sculptures that discuss contemporary designIl-lacions was founded in 2011 by Xavier Franquesa. Inferences/Inferencias forms part of the fifth edition of Madrid Design Festival, a month-long event that transforms the city into a design hub.
    Also exhibited at this year’s edition is a light installation by Antoni Arola that forms architecture from light. Previous editions saw Jorge Penadés invite 14 designers to showcase “bold ideas in small boxes”.
    The photography is by Asier Rua.
    Inferences/Inferencias is on display at the Cultural Centre of Villa Fernán-Gómez as part of Madrid Design Festival, which takes place from 15 February to 13 March 2022. See Dezeen Events Guide for all the latest architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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    Studio Nor scatters chunky stucco walls throughout Qinhuangdao hotpot restaurant

    Thickset stucco walls hide unsightly structural panels inside this branch of restaurant chain Jin Sheng Long, which Studio Nor has designed in Qinhuangdao, China.

    Jin Sheng Long is a historic eatery known for serving hotpots and baodu – a traditional tripe dish. Since opening its first outpost in Beijing in the late 19th century, the restaurant has expanded into a chain with a number of outlets nationwide.
    Structural panels found throughout Jin Sheng Long are now enclosed by stucco wallsIts latest outpost in the port city of Qinhuangdao occupies a trio of former retail units on the ground floor of a residential tower.
    As a result, the interior is plagued by a number of awkwardly placed structural panels, which Chinese practice Studio Nor chose to retain and turn into key design features by encasing them within chunkier stucco-coated walls.
    The walls demarcate cosy dining nooksThese walls now form a labyrinth of cosy dining nooks that diners can explore, mimicking what Studio Nor describes as the “intricate and meandering” arrangement of stalls in a Chinese food market.

    Even the restaurant’s wooden tables and benches were chosen to resemble the furniture found in these markets.
    The restaurant’s tables and chairs resemble those found in a food market”We got inspiration from Jin Sheng Long’s history,” the studio said.
    “Back in the late Qing Dynasty, the founder of the restaurant started his business by setting up street stalls in Beijing’s famous old Dong’an Market – a then-popular destination full of dazzling attractions and bustling with life and activities.”
    The structural panels located in the centre of the room also serve a decorative function, with their enclosing walls set at unexpected angles and finished with curved niches for displaying bonsai trees, vases and other ornaments.

    BLUE Architecture Studio erects rocky columns inside Zolaism cafe in Aranya

    A bar is located towards the rear of Jin Sheng Long’s Qinhuangdao restaurant, in the only part of the room that is uninterrupted by structural panels.
    This area is anchored by an eight-metre-long counter, which is raised up on a stage-like brick plinth to highlight the theatricality of the drinks preparation process.
    Walls at the centre of the restaurant feature curved nichesStudio Nor expanded the restaurant’s windows to bring in more natural light and lined their inner frames with copper in a nod to the traditional cookware used to serve hotpot.
    Artificial lighting, on the other hand, was kept to a minimum in a bid to draw attention to the few illuminated areas that pop up throughout the interior.
    A brick plinth raises up the bar counterElsewhere in Qinhuangdao, BLUE Architecture Studio found another clever way of concealing unattractive structural elements when designing the Zolaism cafe.
    Here, the studio disguised the building’s support columns as huge craggy boulders.
    The photography is by Songkai Liu.
    Project credits:
    Architecture firm: Studio NORLead architects: Boyuan Jiang, Jingwen WangDesign team: Zhongyuan Liu, Wenxuan Xu, Yiming Lu, Shuo YangLighting consultant: Chloe ZhangConstruction team: QX GroupConstruction documents consultant: Shanghai C-Yuspace Design

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