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    Merooficina carves up former fisherman's house into two bright apartments

    Porto architecture practice Merooficina has converted a former fisherman’s house in Aveiro, Portugal, into two apartments that blend original features with new interventions.Casa da Beiramar is located in the historic neighbourhood of Beira-Mar with its colourful terraced houses. These have long, narrow floor plans and an adobe structure, meaning they are built from bricks made of earth and other organic materials.

    Above: Casa da Beiramar is situated in Aveiro’s Beira-Mar neighbourhood. Top image: the ground-floor flat now opens up onto a patio
    Clad in traditional azulejos tiles and decorated with green ceramic flowerpots, the houses were originally built for the local fishing community.
    “This part of the city has been witnessing an interesting fusion between the old dwellers and more recent inhabitants,” explained Merooficina founders Catarina Ribeiro and Vitório Leite.

    The downstairs kitchen features yellow tiles and marble countertops

    The studio was commissioned by one of these new residents to restore a two-storey, 150-square-metre adobe house, which sits on a corner plot with two street-facing facades.
    The client asked Merooficina to create a flexible design that would allow the building to be used in multiple different ways – initially as two apartments but with a longterm view of converting it back into a single house or an office for the owner’s new psychology practice.

    The stairwell leading up to the first-floor apartment is painted blue
    “We understand flexibility as a way to enrich ageing buildings,” said the studio. “It’s a matter of adding and layering possibilities on a specific place, so the new occupation can be multiple and transformative.”
    Using the house’s two existing entrances, the studio was able to create two separate apartments – one on each floor of the building. The first-floor apartment can be reached via a bright blue stairwell, while the ground-floor apartment is accessed directly from the street.

    Palma Hideaway in Mallorca is obscured from the street by a tiny tiled garden

    A door that connects the two apartments at the bottom of the stairwell has been temporarily closed off but yellow panes of glass help to funnel light into the stairwell.
    The studio restored and reinforced the existing adobe walls and floors to improve the apartments’ thermal and acoustic insulation. Original windows, doors and other structural and ornamental elements were retained as much as possible.

    A new balcony juts out over the patio
    The biggest intervention was the addition of a new steel structure, which allowed the back of the building to be opened up. Here, the previous owners had added a haphazard extension using ceramic bricks and steel sheets, covering what used to be a patio.
    This structure was demolished to return the space to its former use, while pivot windows were added to open up the ground floor apartment to the outdoor space.
    The patio walls are clad in a gradient of yellow tiles that were painted by a local artist, in a homage to Aveiro’s long history of tile production.

    The yellow tiles from the kitchen are matched on the patio
    The patio connects to an open-plan living and dining area and a kitchen, which features matching yellow tiles, marble countertops and birch plywood cupboards.
    From the kitchen, a mirrored door leads to the bathroom, bedroom and kitchen.
    A glazed balcony was added above the new patio on the first floor, which houses a bathroom and a bathtub enrobed in a white curtain to create a barrier between the bather and the busy street.

    The bathtub is hidden from view through a white curtain
    “We wanted to mix and match the ambiences of both apartments using the tiles and other details, but they are quite different,” Ribeiro told Dezeen.
    “In the upstairs apartment, we tried to retain all of the existing features, such as the windows and wood detailing – adding only the glazed balcony in the bathroom and a new kitchen. Downstairs, however, was in a very bad state when we began the project. So here we used a cleaner, more minimal design language and organisation.”

    Pinewood flooring runs through the first-floor apartment
    In the upstairs kitchen, the architects restored the original tiles, brown rose plaster and marble as well as replacing the pinewood flooring.
    Whenever the owners want to convert the property back into a single dwelling, the apartments can easily be connected via the door at the bottom of the stairwell while the kitchen on the first floor could be converted into an additional bedroom.

    Yellow glass panes separate the two apartments
    Alternatively, the downstairs entrance, bathroom and bedroom could be closed off from the kitchen and living room and turned into an office for the owner’s work as a psychologist.
    “The mixture between the new interventions and the existing, recovered features is a liquid blend between two ways of building,” explained the architects. “One more universal – related to the new habits and comfort demands of the new inhabitants – and the other more vernacular, related to the place, the existing building and the local culture.”
    In Spain, Iterare Arquitectos used traditional construction techniques and local materials to update a 100-year-old home in a former fisherman’s neighbourhood in Valencia. The minimalist interior is designed to blend in with its historical surroundings.
    Photography is by Tiago Casanova.

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    Australia's dramatic landscape and sunsets inform design of Hong Kong cafe

    The terracotta colour scheme and semi-circular forms used throughout this Hong Kong cafe by architecture firms Studio Etain Ho and Absence from Island pay homage to Uluru and Australia’s spectacular sunsets.Located on a street corner in Hong Kong’s Sai Ying Pun district, the 30-square-metre cafe sits at the bottom of an old apartment building.

    Above: Today is Long features semi-circular windows and murals. Top image: It is located at the bottom of an old apartment block. Photo is courtesy of Dypiem
    It has a generous facade and a tight, triangular plan into which the architects have managed to squeeze a compact kitchen and bar area with a serving counter, as well as an area of bench seating and two toilets.
    Called Today is Long, the cafe is owned by a barista and a public-relations manager, who bonded over their shared love of coffee and the fact they’d both spent time studying and working in Australia.

    The lower part of the cafe’s facade is wrapped in terracotta-coloured tiles. Photo is courtesy of Liz Eatery

    “The cafe is a place to house their fond memories of Australia and the good coffee that makes their life,” explained Etain Ho, who also runs Absence from Island alongside its founder Chi Chun Tang.
    “They would very much like to share the coffee with local residents and to make the cafe into a social hub.”

    Puddle completes concrete coffee shop at Hong Kong’s Star Ferry terminal

    The owners’ love for Australia has been translated into the design in the form a warm orange palette informed by the colours of dusk and the country’s famous natural landmark Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, which is a sandstone monolith in the Northern Territory.
    As well as the colour scheme, the hemispherical shape of a setting sun has been incorporated into the cafe’s walls and windows,  forming a distinctive geometrical facade that distinguishes the cafe from its grey concrete surroundings.

    A tunnel above the entrance houses potted plants
    One of the semi-circular windows is recessed above the cafe’s entrance, creating a sheltered, terracotta-coloured tunnel for housing potted plants.
    A similar shape is carved into the wall below the take-away counter window and rotated sideways to create the rounded rectangle that acts as Today is Long’s largest window.

    Bench seating runs along the window
    A strip of fired ceramic tiles that recall the texture of Uluru’s sunbaked sandstone wraps the lower portion of the cafe’s exterior, extending the warm orange colour scheme to the street.
    Inside, the generous windows, white walls and terrazzo floor create a light and open space. A corner of casual, stepped bench seating topped with terracotta tiles is dotted with potted plants and framed by a semi-circular mural.

    Greenery is integrated liberally into the design. Photo is courtesy of Liz Eatery
    “Australia has always been blessed with abundant amounts of sunlight, so a lot of white has been used together with the large windows to enhance the bright and airy atmosphere,” explained Etain Ho.
    “Spaces have been reserved under the entrance arch, seating area and the overhead storage for plants in order to create a green, lush and natural environment. Coffee grains used in the cafe will also be recycled as fertiliser for the plants.”

    The sign bearing the cafe’s acronym hangs above the door
    Studio Etain Ho and Absence from Island are not the first design studio to use sunset colours to brighten up a grey urban context.
    In Tokyo, local designer Yota Kakuda enlivened a cheese tart shop with a transparent acrylic counter coloured in a gradient of bright pink, orange, yellow and lime.
    All photography is by Fo Visuals unless otherwise stated.

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    Ten welcoming living rooms where the fireplace takes centre stage

    With spring still a few months away in the northern hemisphere, this is the season to snuggle up in front of an open fire. For our latest lookbook, we’ve rounded up ten cosy living rooms where the fireplace is at the heart of the interior design.This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbook series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous articles in the series showcased living rooms with calm interiors, peaceful bedrooms, Japandi interiors and domestic bathrooms designed by architects.

    116 Sorauren and 118 Sorauren, Canada, by Ancerl Studio
    The living room of 116 Sorauren Street in Toronto, one of a pair of twin townhouses designed by Ancerl Studio, has been made cosy through the use of natural materials and plenty of textiles.
    A black steel fireplace sits on a cast concrete plinth against the back wall. The plinth extends to create a comfortable nook has where the owners or their guests can warm themselves.
    Find out more about 116 and 118 Sorauren ›

    Three Chimney House, US, by T W Ryan Architecture
    This modernist white-brick house in Virginia (above and top image) has three white chimneys that define its external form. Inside, one of them opens up into this starkly elegant, brick-clad fireplace in the living room.
    Here, tall white walls and ceilings create a contrast with the more traditional upholstered furniture. Warm colours ranging from pale aubergine purple to a mustard yellow were used on the seating by the fireplace, which is practical during cold winter months as well as being a decorative feature all year round.
    Find out more about Three Chimney House ›

    Pound Ridge House, US, by Tsao & McKown
    Tsao & McKown drew on Japanese architectural principles when designing Pound Ridge House. The influence that can be seen in the pared-back fireplace built onto a square stone hearth that sits between the living room and the dining room.
    The design references an irori, a traditional Japanese sunken hearth which is often square in form and set in the middle of a room.
    Smoke is extracted by a bronze flue in the form of a truncated pyramid that hangs from the ceiling of the lounge, which is filled with wood detailing and cream-coloured textiles. A generous skylight lets the light in during the daytime.
    Find out more about Pound Ridge House ›

    Teton House, US, by Olson Kundig
    With views like the ones from Teton House (above and top) in the mountainous terrain of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, you don’t need art on the walls. Olson Kundig used floor-to-ceiling windows to take advantage of the vistas. But the view is almost upstaged by a substantial black fireplace in the centre of the glazing.
    The simple form of the fireplace is complemented by leather chairs in warm brown hues as well as wood surfaces and woven textiles, creating an inviting, relaxing atmosphere.
    Find out more about Teton House ›

    House for Grandparents, US, by Dash Marshall
    The renovation of this California farmhouse was informed by the state’s Spanish missions, and its geometric forms and spartan material use reference these religious structures. But there is nothing ascetic about the house’s comfortable living room, where a broad brick fireplace sits on one wall.
    A colourful painting and rug add vibrancy to the room, while two cylindrical metal coffee tables pick up the warm glow of the fire.
    Find out more about House for Grandparents ›

    Smith Residence, Canada, by MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple
    Inside this holiday home on the Nova Scotia peninsula, a massive fireplace keeps the living room toasty. Made from granite that was sourced from a nearby quarry, the fireplace features one aperture for the fire and one for storing logs.
    Its sits underneath the black steel trusses that support the exposed roof. In front of the fire, a soft high-pile rug and two brown leather sofas complete the design of the living room.
    Find out more about Smith Residence ›

    Wasatch House, US, by Olson Kundig
    An enormous bronze flue dominates the library in this Utah home by Olson Kundig, which has the feel of a living room thanks to a wide leather sofa and two cognac-coloured leather chairs. These sit in front of the unusual portrait-shaped fireplace, which is set in the monolithic flue and fronted by double doors.
    A colour palette of dark browns and greys create a pleasantly laid-back atmosphere in the capacious room while ceiling-height bookcases flank the fireplace.
    Find out more about Wasatch House ›

    Lincoln, Belgium, by Notan Office
    Modernist architect and designer Alvar Aalto inspired the design for this fireplace, set in a rooftop extension in Brussels by Notan Office.
    It wraps around a corner and was built from concrete and ceramic construction blocks in warm orange and pale grey hues. “A fireplace is a kind of artifactual element in a house,” architect Frédéric Karam told Dezeen. “I wanted to express a sense of organic and rough feeling for such a function,”
    Find out more about Lincoln ›

    Little Peek, US, by Berman Horn Studio
    Little Peek is a holiday home in Vinalhaven off the coast of Maine, designed by the Berman Horn Studio founders for themselves.
    Designed to be used in all seasons, the house nevertheless has a summer feel thanks to its light interior and many generous windows, as well as an enclosed patio.
    But in the open-plan kitchen and living room, a built-in fireplace set in a narrow stonework flue helps keep the room warm during cold New England winters.
    Find out more about Little Peek ›

    Casa Prè de Sura, Italy, by Casati
    A freestanding fireplace in the form of a trapezoidal prism decorates this living room in Italy, set in a gabled house by Austrian architects Casati that has rough limestone interior walls.
    The white fireplace functions as a decorative piece as well as a heat source. It has been cleverly designed with a side ledge on which the owners can stack wood. Beige and cream hues were used for the colour palette, matching both the fireplace and the limestone walls.
    Find out more about Casa Prè de Sura ›
    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 peaceful bedrooms, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.

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    The Dezeen guide to wood in architecture, interiors and design

    Thinking of using timber in your architecture or design project? Our guide to 15 of the most popular types of wood and wood products has links to hundreds of examples for inspiration.

    Ash
    Ash is a deciduous hardwood that produces a beautiful pale timber with a grain similar to oak. Versatile, shock-resistant and with no odour, it is widely used for furniture and objects.
    Architect R2 Studio used solid ash to create a staircase with a perforated plywood bannister in a London domestic extension while Hannah clad an off-grid cabin in upstate New York with infested ash wood. In Valencia, Francesc Rifé Studio used ash throughout the interiors of a facial and dental clinic named Swiss Concept (above).
    See projects featuring ash ›

    Bamboo
    Bamboo is a type of grass rather than a tree but its fast-growing canes are widely used in architecture and design both in their natural state and processed into wood-like lumber and fibres.
    Bamboo canes are used for the structure, walls and doors of this clothing factory in Colombia by Ruta 4 (above), while designer David Trubridge has reissued his Cloud lighting collection using bamboo strips instead of plastic.
    See projects featuring bamboo ›

    Beech
    Native to Europe, beech is a hard, heavy, fine-textured hardwood widely used in furniture making and as a flooring material. It is also commonly used as a veneer and the timber is suitable for steam bending. Beech wood ranges from creamy white to pink or red in colour.
    Designer David Ericsson created the Madonna chair from solid beech for Swedish brand Gärsnäs while Peca designed cylindrical furniture with beech wood dowels (above.)
    See projects featuring beech ›

    Cedar
    This coniferous softwood is weather-resistant, making it suitable for cladding including shingles as well as outdoor furniture. It has a fragrant aroma and insect-repelling qualities.
    The wood comes from a handful of species of genuine cedar trees that grow at high altitudes including Lebanon cedar and Cyprus cedar.
    Additionally, there is a range of American conifers that are commonly described as cedars, including western red cedar and Atlantic white cedar, which are technically different species.
    Cedar-clad buildings are particularly common in America. Bates Masi Architects used oversized cedar shingles for the cladding of this home in the Hamptons (above and top) while HGA Architects and Engineers covered these Vermont dwellings in cedar boards.
    See projects featuring cedar ›

    Cherry
    The wood of the cherry tree has a warm reddish colour that darkens with age. It is fine-grained and easy to work, making it a popular choice for furniture and homewares as gives a rich tone to interiors.
    Azman Architects used cherry wood to create partitions in a London apartment while John Pawson paired the timber with limestone for his Jil Sander store in Tokyo (above.)
    See projects featuring cherry ›

    Chestnut
    The sweet chestnut tree produces timber with a brown or reddish-brown colour and a coarse texture. It is suitable for outdoor uses including cladding, shingles, decking and outdoor furniture, as well as for indoor furnishings and objects.
    Architect K-Studio used chestnut wood for the lattice of a Greek holiday home, (above,) while designer Mikyia Kobayashi built an electric mobility scooter from the timber.
    See projects featuring chestnut ›

    Cork
    The bark of the cork oak tree has come into favour in recent years as a material for both architecture and design projects. As well as having a pleasantly musty smell it has good insulation properties and is fire resistant, making it appropriate for internal and external cladding.
    Its noise reduction properties, sponginess and durability make it suitable for flooring as well while the sustainable way cork is harvested without damaging the tree gives it good environmental credentials. On top of this, cork can be recycled.
    Architect Matthew Barnett Howland demonstrated the versatility of cork by building a recyclable house from the material, (above,) while Jasper Morrison is one of the designers who has used cork conglomerate to make furniture.
    See projects featuring cork ›

    Douglas fir
    Native to western North America, Douglas fir is an evergreen conifer. A softwood, it is a type of pine rather than a true fir and is commonly grown as a Christmas tree. Its timber is pinkish to red in colour.
    Douglas fir, which is also known as Oregon pine, is widely used in construction. Architectural uses include the cladding on this barn-like house in England (above) by Elliott Architects and the exposed structure of this cabin in the Netherlands by Crafted Works.
    See projects featuring Douglas fir ›

    Larch
    Larch is a deciduous conifer that grows throughout the northern hemisphere. The heartwood is usually red or brown in colour. Tough and durable with waterproof qualities, larch is widely used outdoors for fencing and cladding as well as boat-building.
    Projects using larch include Arklab’s twin houses in Germany that are clad in untreated larch and a house in Scotland by Mary Arnold-Forster Architects that is clad in burnt larch (above.)
    See projects featuring larch ›

    Maple
    There are around 200 species of maple, ranging from shrubs to large trees identifiable by their pairs of winged seeds and five-lobed leaves.
    This deciduous hardwood is widely harvested for timber, which has a fine grain and ranges in colour from white to golden or red. The wood is used for a variety of indoor purposes including furniture and objects and is particularly prized as a flooring material for sports halls and dance venues.
    Designer Thomas Heatherwick created a modular desk with wooden planter legs made from maple (above), while architect Naturehumaine clad a staircase in angular panels of solid timber as part of a renovation of a Montreal apartment.
    See projects featuring maple ›

    Oak
    There are around 500 different species of oak tree, many of which produce hard, durable, versatile timber that can be used structurally, for external and internal cladding, for doors and windows and furniture and flooring.
    Architect Thomas-McBrien used oak to clad the interior of this kitchen extension in London (above), while this off-grid cabin by Out of the Valley has a structure of oak beams constructed using traditional joinery techniques.
    Oak furniture includes Cecilie Manz’s Workshop table for Muuto, which has a solid oak frame and an oak veneer top.
    See projects featuring oak ›

    Pine
    There are dozens of species of pine. It is a coniferous softwood, often with a yellow or reddish colour and containing many small knots that give pine objects and interiors a rustic look, plus a distinctive sharp scent.
    Many types of pine trees grow quickly, making their wood cheaper than other timbers. This partly explains pine’s widespread use in construction and joinery. More hardwearing than other softwoods, pine is also widely used for flooring and staircases.
    Architectural uses include the slatted cladding on this beach house in Chile by LAND Arquitectos (above), and this Swedish lakeside house by Dive Architects, while design projects that use pine include a furniture collection by Studio Sløyd that attempts to revive interest in a type of timber that has fallen out of fashion in recent years.
    See projects featuring pine ›

    Spruce
    Spruce is a genus of evergreen coniferous tree native to the northern hemisphere. One of the most widely used of all timbers, spruce wood is often confused with pine but is generally lighter and softer with a creamy white, pale yellow or red-brown colour.
    A softwood, spruce is easy to work with and is used extensively in construction, including structural elements and internal and external cladding, in the production of plywood and in carpentry.
    Architectural uses include the cave-like interior of this suite at a luxury resort in Greece designed by Tenon Architecture and the panelled interior of Kvadrat’s design studio in Copenhagen (above) by Caruso St John.
    See projects featuring spruce ›

    Sycamore
    Sycamore is the name given to a range of deciduous hardwood trees including the European sycamore, maple sycamore and American plane. It is often confused with maple and has similar-shaped leaves and winged seeds.
    The timber is white to light brown with a fine grain, sometimes featuring a speckled pattern.
    Susceptible to rot if it gets wet, the timber is not generally used for construction or outdoor purposes but as it has no odour and does not stain it is widely used for kitchen implements as well as furniture and objects.
    Designer Faye Toogood used sycamore for a range of furniture while architect Giles Reid used the timber for a bar in a Japanese restaurant in London (above).
    See projects featuring sycamore ›

    Walnut
    Walnut is a dense hardwood that polishes well and often has an attractive colour and an intricately patterned grain. It is particularly suitable for carving and furniture making while walnut veneers are prized by luxury car brands and cabinet makers.
    Popular varieties include European (also known as English) walnut and black walnut, which is native to the USA.
    Furniture that makes use of walnut includes the 50th-anniversary edition of Arne Jacobsen’s Lily Chair, which is finished in a walnut veneer, while architect Scott Whitby Studio designed a bedroom that features bespoke walnut furniture (above.)
    See projects featuring walnut ›

    Numerous material products are made from wood and there are many ways of treating wood to change its appearance and performance. Here are some of the best-known.
    Blackened wood
    Blackened wood is increasingly popular as a way of finishing natural timber, particularly for cladding and furniture. The surface of the timber is blackened by singeing it.
    Cross-laminated timber
    Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is an engineered construction product made of strips of wood bonded together with their grains at right angles to each other for rigidity. It can be used for small buildings like the woodland cabin by Otraum Architects (above), and is strong enough to use structurally, including for tall buildings such as the proposed 13-storey Dock Mill tower by Urban Agency.
    Plywood
    Plywood is made of thin veneers of wood glued together with crisscrossing grains to produce sheets that can be used for internal cladding, structures and even for external use when protected from the weather adequately, plus a wide range of products.
    Birch plywood is particularly prized due to its fine grain and silky appearance.

    Architects Diana Salvador and Javier Mera used plywood to build a cabin in Equador for themselves beside a river in Puerto Quito (above), while Toledano + Architects used steam-bent plywood to create a sinuous partition in this Paris apartment.
    Steam-bent timber
    Some types of wood can be formed into curves by subjecting them to steam, which softens the material and allows it to be bent in a mould. Steam-bent timber is widely used to produce furniture as well as cladding and features such as bannisters.
    Chipboard
    Chipboard, also known as particle board, is a cheaper engineered product consisting of small pieces of wood bonded together into boards and can be used for larger architectural projects like this house in Alicante, Spain (below).
    Oriented strand board
    Oriented strand board (OSB) is made of larger strands of wood arranged so their grains run in different directions and then compressed and bonded.

    Recent popular wooden projects on Dezeen include a cork and cross-laminated timber extension to a traditional Catalan house, a pair of timber-clad cabins on a coastal hillside in Chile, a cosy woodland cabin in Finland and a wooden tofu factory in the mountains of eastern China.

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    Noiascape brings variety and maturity to co-living with High Street House

    Architects and developers Tom and James Teatum have launched a co-living building in west London where no two homes are the same, and residents can access spaces for working, learning and socialising.The brothers, who run both property company Noiascape and architecture studio Teatum+Teatum, designed High Street House in Shepherd’s Bush to offer flexible and sociable living to residents of all ages, not just young people.

    Every home in High Street House is different
    In line with the co-living model, the homes are small in size, but residents also have access to additional, shared facilities.
    These shared spaces include a co-working lounge that doubles as an events space, a spacious kitchen and dining room, a laundry, and a staircase that functions as a communal library.

    Skylights help to maximise natural light

    Meanwhile the homes – a mix of studios and micro-apartments – are designed to offer both quality and variety. They come in both single- and double-storey arrangements, and several have private outdoor terraces.
    Each one is also fitted out with custom-designed furniture elements, including a bed platform and a mobile storage closet, to ensure they are both space-efficient and high quality.

    Some units are arranged over two levels
    James Teatum told Dezeen that their residents include a mix of singles and couples, both pre- and post-family. What they usually have in common is that that are looking for an attractive place to live, but not a forever home.
    “Our members are typically coming to London for a specific period of three to twelve months, to work or learn,” he said.
    “They are able to work remotely and are very engaged in the cultural and social opportunities that cities provide. They want to live in modern spaces that are highly serviced, furnished and allow them to focus on living.”

    Each home features a Douglas fir kitchen and a mobile storage closet made from perforated metal
    The design for High Street House developed in response to learnings from previous rental homes that Noiascape has built and letted, including the smaller-scale Garden House and Hidden House.
    The founders observed that residents were increasingly looking to work from home – a trend that has only amplified following the Covid-19 pandemic – meaning that dedicated workspaces were becoming essential to residents.
    This led them to create the co-working lounge at ground level. It gives residents a regular workspace, but also a space that can host workshops, exhibitions, talks and other pop-up events that engage the local community.

    Beds are designed as multi-use platforms with surfaces and storage
    Another learning was that that the bed is no longer merely a place for sleeping, and is now used for relaxing and working too. Hence the bed in each High Street House home is a multi-use platform, integrating surfaces and storage.
    Likewise, the architects have created other multi-purpose furniture, including integrated benches and window seats.

    Spacious bathrooms are lined with geometric tiles
    “Flexible work patterns have changed the way members use spaces and what they need from the spaces where they live,” said James.
    “Lots of uses happen in parallel – working, cooking, reading, chatting, exercising – it all can happen in the same space. This was happening pre-Covid, but lockdown has amplified this transition. Therefore, we have simply expanded on the idea of home as a place not only to live, but to work, learn and socialise, all from one location.”

    A co-working lounge doubles as an events space
    The design aesthetic throughout is for bold colours, quality materials and simple, modern detailing.
    Floors are pigmented concrete in bright green and red shades, concrete and brick walls are left exposed, the bespoke kitchens and beds are built from Douglas fir, and the spacious bathrooms are lined in geometric tiles.
    There are also a number of furniture pieces created in collaboration with British designers.

    The main staircase also functions as a communal library
    “Modern urban renters want to turn up and start living straight away,” said James. “If we can provide fully integrated interiors with furniture it removes the need to buy flat pack furniture which is often then thrown out after a year.”
    “We will continue to invest in designing and making furniture with young British makers, it gives a clear identity to the interiors and allows us to work with emerging talent.”

    A large kitchen and dining room can be used by everyone
    The first High Street House residents moved in late 2020, and they include an 18-year-old music student and a couple in their 70s.
    As a result of Covid-19 restrictions, the building’s shared spaces haven’t yet been able to function as intended. But Noiascape plans to curate a diverse programme of events for them as soon as possible.

    Noiascape’s west London co-living space targets home-avoiding millennials

    One they do, Tom and James believes the building could become a model for how co-living developments can engage and contribute to their local communities, in a concept they call “hyper-local”.

    The aim is for High Street House to engage with the local community
    “Where higher local daily densities have been created during lockdown, we have seen some positive impact on local areas,” added James.
    “Co-living as a typology could be the catalyst to create this new density while providing the shared spaces to host a new type of public engagement.”
    Photography is by Nicholas Worley.

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    Krøyer & Gatten celebrates the 1960s and 70s in design for Aarhus restaurant Substans

    Michelin-starred Aarhus restaurant Substans has moved to a new harbour-side location, designed by local studio Krøyer & Gatten to feel like a Danish home from 50 years ago.The new Substans, which opened in mid-2019, is located on the 11th floor of a new block in the docklands area of Aarhus, Denmark.

    Substans is a Michelin-starred restaurant in Aarhus
    The restaurant, owned by chef René Mammen and his wife Louise, serves Nordic-style cuisine. But there is no à la carte menu – diners are instead served tasting menus filled with highly technical dishes.
    Krøyer & Gatten, which specialises in both architecture and carpentry,  designed the interior of the new space with a similar approach, aiming to celebrate Danish design heritage but to give it a contemporary twist.

    The design takes its cues from residential interiors of the 1960s and 70s

    Studio co-founder Kristian Gatten said they did this by referencing interior design from the 1960s and 70s.
    “The idea behind the interior was to create a cosy intimate space,” he told Dezeen, “with inspiration from architects such as Friis and Moltke, Alvar Aalto and Jørgen Bækmark.”

    The simple materials palette includes oak, bricks and ceramic tiles
    Gatten and partner Philip Krøyer chose materials that are both retro and humble, with distinct references to traditional home interiors. For example, the kitchen features simple brown tiles, while the terrazzo-topped bar is made from white-painted brickwork.
    The dining room is designed to feel simple but homely, with oak flooring, pale curtains and wooden furniture.

    The aim was to create the right atmosphere to accompany the food
    “Visiting a Michelin restaurant should be a holistic experience,” said Gatten, “an experience with great food and wine, but also a great atmosphere and interior/spatial experience.”
    The key to achieving this, he said, was in “creating small stories and spatial experiences within the restaurant”.

    A shelving grid creates the feeling of a pantry in one area
    This meant that the dining space was divided into four zones, each with its own domestic-inspired design concept: the entrance, the pantry, the kitchen and the dining room.
    The entrance space is designed to feel welcoming, with the oak door and slatted wall offering a distinct change in material from the raw concrete of the lobby before it.

    Shelves are dotted with jars of food, wine glasses and plants
    The pantry, which forms the first section of the dining room, is flanked by a large wooden shelving grid, dotted with jars of dried and preserved food, wine glasses and plants.

    Moody interiors of Le Pristine restaurant by Space Copenhagen take cues from the Old Masters

    The kitchen area, which includes the bar and the tables in front, has an open and casual feel, because diners are able to see their food and drinks being prepared. By contrast, the dining room at the rear is more secluded.

    Krøyer & Gatten designed and built most of the solid oak furniture pieces
    Krøyer & Gatten designed and built many of the Substans furniture pieces, including round tables covered with blue linoleum, simple bench seats and curve-backed chairs.
    These solid oak pieces all have visible fixings, so that they could be easily repaired or disassembled in the future.

    Visible fixings allow these pieces to be easily repaired or disassembled
    These are complemented by classic pieces, including pendant lights designed by Poul Henningsen in the 1950s and a set of chairs designed by JL Møllers Møbelfabrik in 1962, which were manufactured locally.
    Photography is by Martin Gravgaard.

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    in Organization

    Storage Cabinets for Linens and Things

    After yesterday’s post about linen closet organization ideas, I got inspired to hunt for some freestanding cabinets that would work well for linens, bathroom storage, and so much more. Enjoy!
    Sources:
    Gray Cabinet
    Rustic Wood Linen Cabinet
    White Wash Wood Linen Cabinet
    Classic Linen Closet
    Shutter Door Armoire
    Two Door Accent Cabinet
    Natural Wood Curved Armoire
    Reclaimed Wood Accent Cabinet
    White Armoire
    Farmhouse Armoire
    White Wood Linen Tower
    Reclaimed Wood Floor Storage
    Cane Wood Two Door Armoire
    Glass Door Floor Storage Cabinet
    Freestanding Bathroom Linen Cabinet with Shutter Doors
    Tall Wood Linen Cabinet Shelf
    Get inspired by linen cabinet organization inspiration here!
    Click the thumbnails below for more cabinets I love:

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    in Rooms

    Echlin uses broken-plan layout to create spacious interiors within London mews house

    A nearly six-metre-high green wall and a basement floor with a walk-on skylight are among the additions made by design and development firm Echlin to this remodelled mews house in Knightsbridge.The resulting design is described by the local firm as a “reinterpretation” of a classic London mews house, with plenty of useable and flexible space, an abundance of natural light and a strong connection to nature.

    The ground floor living space, top image, is separated from the dining area via an open shelving system, above
    Located on a quiet mews in easy reach of Hyde Park, the 225-square-metre family home is arranged across three floors and connected by a helical oak staircase, which was handmade in East Sussex.
    Entered through an oversized bronze door, the ground floor features an entrance hall cast in grey Pietra marble. This is separated from a generous living space, dining area and study via a sliding partition wall.

    The basement level features a sunken seating area and a kitchen

    The newly created basement level accommodates a large, split-level kitchen and living area while the first floor is occupied by three bedrooms, each with its own en-suite bathroom.
    A 5.5-metre-high living wall stretches between the lower ground and ground floors.

    The ground floor dining area features banquette seating
    Each floor follows a “broken-plan” layout, in which built-in furniture and level changes help to loosely demarcate different areas.
    “The vision was to transform a small mews with compromised rooms into a contemporary home with a great feeling of space,” explained Steve Clinch, Head Architect at Echlin. “This has been achieved by opening up the plan and providing views into other spaces, allowing the full width and length of the house to be experienced.”

    The ground floor also accommodates a small study
    Wide, sliding and pocket doors create views through the different spaces, as does bespoke joinery such as the open shelving that divides the dining, study and living areas on the first floor.
    On the lower ground floor, which was added in by the firm, a sunken seating area is located beyond the kitchen and dining area. The level change is intended to create a visual separation while allowing the spaces to remain connected to each other.

    The kitchen is made from walnut wood
    The walnut kitchen has been designed by Echlin so that all utilities can be concealed behind pivoting pocket doors when the owners are entertaining.
    A walk-on skylight on the ground floor terrace is located directly above the sunken seating area to maximise the amount of daylight in the basement. This is also helped by the fully-retractable, floor-to-ceiling glass door that leads out onto a small terrace and frames the view of the green wall.

    The basement’s ceiling is a walk-on skylight
    Three bedrooms are located on the first floor, where pitched ceilings create a feeling of spaciousness while skylights ensure the spaces get plenty of daylight.The sliding doors in the master bedroom create a visual connection all the way through from the dressing area into the en-suite.

    Sliding doors lead into the master bathroom
    Much of the furniture in the house is designed by Echlin and made in collaboration with a network of skilled craftsmen. Bespoke pieces include the pale timber table on the lower ground floor, which was handmade in Brighton, while the sofas on the lower ground and ground floors come from Oxfordshire.
    According to the studio, the home’s “sense of calm and tranquillity” was created through the use of natural materials, organic textures and a gentle colour palette informed by the nearby park. Meanwhile, the use of metallic surfaces and heritage colours nod to the home’s historic location.

    Ten mews houses that take advantage of London’s backstreets

    “The current climate has placed an even greater emphasis of the importance of how our homes are designed, how we use them and its impact on our moods,” said Sam McNally, who co-founded Echlin in 2011 with Mark O’Callaghan.
    “We recognise that mood, wellbeing and happiness are all shaped by what surrounds us and we are committed to making these spaces as stylish but also as user-friendly as we can.”

    A helical staircase connects the three floors
    In a thought piece written for Dezeen last year, design writer and TV presenter Michelle Ogundehin outlined 11 ways in which the pandemic will impact the home.
    As well as predicting a return to practical kitchens and more intimate room layouts, she believes there will be a desire for more human-centric homes, where natural materials are used to benefit the occupier’s wellbeing.
    Photography is by Taran Wilkhu.

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