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    Modektura adds sand terrazzo flooring to Kyiv apartment

    A balcony-turned-conservatory features in an apartment renovated by architecture and interior studio Modektura in Kyiv, Ukraine.

    Kyiv-based Modektura designed the interior to reflect the history of the apartment block, which was initially constructed in 1900.
    The one-bedroom apartment was renovated by Modektura”We wanted to tie it back to the house itself,” Modektura founder Maksym Dietkovskyi told Dezeen.
    “Colours and textures were chosen to create an interior that feels like it has a history – one that has been waiting for its owner for a long time.”
    The studio added sand to the terrazzo flooringThe studio refurbished the flooring of the apartment incorporating sand into the terrazzo as part of several material experiments undertaken by the studio during this project.

    Additionally, marble chips were embedded within the mineral plaster on the walls.

    Monolithic green marble forms “majestic wall” in Milan apartment

    “The idea to experiment with materials was inspired by old decorative techniques, blending them with a modern approach” Dietkovskyi explained.
    “Using sand and marble chips not only combined their decorative properties but also created a unique, aesthetically pleasing effect.”
    The open archways feature an inner wooden frameToned-oak, marble, stainless-steel and brass was used throughout the rest of the apartment.
    The material palette was chosen to “cultivate a sense of stability and tranquility”.
    Doors were swapped for open archways that feature a decorative moulding with an inner wooden frame.
    A balcony was turned into a conservatoryA corridor, described by the architect as a “central artery”, extends through the entire length of the flat leading from the kitchen to the bedroom and living area.
    A balcony attached to the kitchen was turned into a conservatory. The studio added underfloor heating to ensure a comfortable temperature for the plants.
    Paintings and sculptures are displayed throughout the apartmentTo accommodate the client’s art collection, the space includes a library and pedestals for displaying art pieces.
    Artworks on display include sculptures by Ukrainian artist Dmytro Hrek, paintings by Kristina Otchych-Cherniak and a diptych by Rostyslav Zavhorodniy.
    A pair of Cassina tilting back chairs are placed in the living roomThe studio, working with the owners, decided to keep the building’s classical elements, notably the decorative cornices.
    Mid-century design pieces such as Cassina tilting back chairs, Louis Poulsen glass pendants and Snoopy table lamps from Flos were selected to “collectively evoke a nostalgic retro atmosphere.”
    The living room includes a small library areaModektura completed the project during the ongoing war in Ukraine. The team described having to deal with unforeseen circumstances due to the wartime context.
    The reduced number of workers necessitated more extensive supervision and power supply issues and obstacles related to the conflict “significantly complicated the project implementation process,” the studio told Dezeen.
    Other projects in Kyiv recently featured on Dezeen include a fitness studio lined with curtains, a laser clinic with futuristic interiors and a holistic healing centre by Ukranian designer Olga Fradina.
    The photography is by Yevhenii Avramenko.

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    Alarquitectos lines Lisbon apartment with colour-blocked walls and pine wood

    Portuguese studio Alarquitectos has used walls of pink and blue to brighten São Sebastião 123, an apartment converted from a 20th-century office in Lisbon.

    Tasked with revitalising the old workspace’s dark and poorly ventilated interiors, Alarquitectos opened it up by removing the existing partitions and adding a courtyard.
    Along with an existing outdoor space that has been reorganised, this courtyard doubles as a lightwell for the 167-metre-square apartment.
    Walls of pink and blue decorate the São Sebastião 123 apartmentSão Sebastião 123 is organised with a series of “fluid” living spaces at its front and more private spaces, including the bedrooms, at the rear.
    Narrow corridors brightened by the colour-blocked walls lead into the airy, open-plan living area that is illuminated by a window and full-height opening connected to a slim balcony.

    In the living area, a shelving unit runs the length of the room and is paired with pine flooring and grey-toned furnishings.
    A sliding door connects the living space to the kitchenA sliding door leads from the living space into a kitchen “box”, which is enclosed on both sides by deep-blue cabinets topped with metal counters, and complemented by terrazzo flooring.
    Bronze detailing is used for lighting fixtures, mirrors and door knobs throughout the home.
    The kitchen features deep-blue cabinets and terrazzo flooring”We envisioned the kitchen as a vibrant focal point, hence the striking colour of the kitchen box,” studio co-founder Mafalda Ambrósio told Dezeen.
    “We sought cool colours that contrast with the warm tones of the pine wood,” she continued.
    “This colour palette was inspired by the aggregates in the kitchen terrazzo, resulting in a deep blue with green pigments and a light pink.”
    There is a dining room with an oak table and three pendant lightsAdjacent to the kitchen is a dining area with an oak dining table and three pendant lights. Further counter space and shelving are provided along one side.
    To the back of the dining area, a full-height door opens up to the new enclosed courtyard, which is lined with ceramic-tiled walls and terrazzo flooring and decorated with black-steel furniture and leafy plants.

    H3O creates “unpredictable” zigzagging interiors for lightning-struck home

    A glazed opening onto the courtyard draws light into a bedroom, while a smaller circular opening illuminates the adjacent corridor – operating as a “physical bridge between the interior and exterior”.
    “We extended our focus to the exterior space, not merely as a source of natural light and ventilation but also as an extension of the living experience,” Ambrósio said. “The materials for the patios were meticulously chosen to create a sense of refinement and tranquillity.”
    Ceramic-tiled walls and terrazzo flooring features in the courtyardSão Sebastião 123 is complete with two small workspaces beside the living area and a shared bathroom lined with ceramic tiles and terrazzo flooring matching the external courtyard.
    Other recent projects defined by colourful interiors include a playful seaside hotel that uses colour blocking to distinguish different areas and a residential conversion with jagged walls that reference a lightning bolt.
    The photography is by Do mal o menos.

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    The #1 Fashion Tip That Will Help You Dress Better

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    Do you have a clothes closet filled with beautiful clothes that you never wear only because you’re not sure how to coordinate and style the clothes to come up with new outfits or ways to wear each item so that you look your best?

    If so, I have the best how to dress better fashion coordination tip for you that will help you get better at styling your clothes. It is so simple, yet will eliminate “the getting dressed struggle” of putting separate items and accessories together into stylish outfits.

    If you want to get better at styling your clothes, consider adding a fashion coordination idea board right in your closet. It is the best place, better than in notebook or on an online app.

    By placing it in your closet right where you need it every day when you are getting dressed you won’t forget an idea as they will all be right there front and center in your view. Seeing them will not only inspire you, but also help you remember the looks and outfit combinations you liked.

    How to Organize Your Fashion Coordinating Ideas Board

    You can make your fashion idea board any size and organize it the best way for you. When you like the way an outfit is coordinated in photos in magazines, online and on social media, clip or print the ideas and start creating a fashion coordinating ideas or inspiration board.

    I have had the scarf tying book since college. It has many ideas that I always seem to forget. Having it handy makes it easy to come up with a new way to tie a scarf as I am getting dressed.

    Where to Put a Fashion Coordination Idea Board In Your Clothes Closet

    A fashion coordination idea board can be hung on the wall in a walk-in closet or on the back of the door in a small closet.

    Once Your Board is in Place Add a Valet Hook

    To help me coordinate my favorite pieces when creating new outfit combinations, I have a “Valet Hook” on the outside of my closet door.

    The hook comes in handy to simply hang clothes I plan to wear.

    I also have what I call my “fashion coordinating hanger.”

    When I worked in retail display I oftentimes had to coordinate separate items of clothing into stylish outfits to display on the end caps of the clothes racks to help shoppers see the coordinating potential of the clothes on the rack.

    I tied one end of a 12″- long piece of ribbon to the hook part of the hanger with a loop to fall at the end of the ribbon. This loop was to hang a second hanger for a skirt of pair of pants. This way a skirt/pants could be seen just as they would when worn.

    Doing this helps me have outfits for parties, vacations or my workday ready to go.

    How to Make a Fashion Idea Board for Your Closet

    The easiest way to add a fashion coordination idea board is to simply purchase a large memo board at an office supply store, hang it up and start pinning clippings and ideas to it.

    If you are like me and would like to make the board look more like a piece of wall art, you can add a bit of decorative style to a memo board with a large frame, a piece of foam board and fabric following the step-by-step instructions below.

    supplies needed:

    fabric

    frame

    (2) dollar store foam boards

    scissors

    straight edge ruler

    spray adhesive

    clear duct tape

    1. Measure opening on the back of the frame and cut two pieces of foam board to this size. Leave a 1/8″ short all around so when you add fabric, the foam will still fit snugly into the frame.  You need two pieces of foam for thickness and stability.

    2. Use spray glue to attach the two foam boards together to create one thick board.

    3. Lay fabric face down on work surface. If there is a pattern on your fabric, make sure it is centered before cutting. Center foam board on top. Cut fabric so you have enough to wrap around to the back of the board on all sides.

    4. Wrap fabric around board and secure with duct tape to the back of the board. Repeat on all sides making sure to pull the fabric taut as you tape it to the back.

    5. Use no-damage picture hanging strips to hang your style inspiration board to the inside of a closet door or wall.

    By making and hanging a fashion coordination outfit idea board in your closet will make coordinating your clothes much easier. Expect to start hearing…. “Ooooh…la…la you are looking stylish today”.

    More Fashion and Closet Organizing Ideas:

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    Klymax nightclub by OMA was designed as a “sonic sweet spot”

    Architecture studio OMA has collaborated with DJ Harvey on a nightclub at the Potato Head resort in Seminyak, Bali, where optimised acoustics and a sprung dance floor elevate the experience for partygoers.

    After completing the resort itself in 2020, OMA returned to work with the Potato Head Design Studio on the interiors for Klymax, which are acoustically treated to turn the entire dance floor into a “sonic sweet spot”.
    OMA has completed the Klymax nightclub in Bali’s Potato Head resortEnglish DJ Harvey Bassett, known as DJ Harvey, also contributed his knowledge gained from four decades of experience working in nightclubs.
    He aimed to distil “the most unique and significant elements of the world’s foremost parties and venues — past and present — into what he considers the most rewarding nightclub experience imaginable”, the design team explained.
    “At Klymax, the sound comes first,” the team continued. “It just so happens that when constructing a room to present the music in the best possible way, the design is visually appealing.”

    Built-in leather seats on one side of the dance floor match the warm brown tones of the wood panellingThe walls and ceilings of the club are panelled in teak veneer, perforated with over 2.6 million holes that help to “tame errant frequencies” by preventing the sound waves from reflecting and altering the audio.
    The panels are fitted on top of equally perforated plywood sheets and a layer of Rockwool insulation, creating a buffer in front of the 20-centimetre-thick concrete exterior walls.
    A disco ball measuring one metre in diameter hangs over the sprung dance floorA 208-square-metre sprung dance floor, similar to the one at London’s Ministry of Sound, is designed to reduce fatigue and stress on dancers’ joints.
    Also found in ballrooms and basketball courts, the technology comprises four layers of a wooden lattice structure with 50 millimetres of foam between each intersection.
    The speakers are mounted on concrete pads that absorb vibrationsKlymax’s audio engineer George Stavro worked with fellow engineer Richard Long, who was responsible for the sound at legendary Manhattan venues Studio 54 and Paradise Garage.
    “It’s a classic disco nightclub system based on a blueprint established in 1970s New York clubs,” the team said.

    OMA completes Potato Head Studios resort in Bali

    To absorb vibrations, the speakers sit on 11-centimetre-thick concrete padding that is also engineered to be separated from the sprung floor to avoid rattling.
    “Rich, finely poised and immaculately detailed, the system creates a vast sonic sweet spot, presenting the music exactly as it was intended to be heard with every nuance intact – perfectly pitched to optimise the audio experience,” said the team.
    Lighting was devised in collaboration with Tokyo’s Real Rock DesignA floating DJ booth is sound-isolated from the dance floor so that the music doesn’t bleed in, while a reflective pond on the Klymax roof also prevents noise from leaking through the roof.
    Lighting was devised in collaboration with Tokyo’s Real Rock Design, the same studio behind Japan’s Rainbow Disco Club festival.
    Staircases illuminated in red lead down to the dance floorA raised lounge area with leather seating is located on one side of the room, while a disco ball measuring one metre in diameter hangs from the ceiling in the centre.
    The club also has a “muted bar”, at which cocktails are served on tap to avoid the noise of shakers and bottles.
    The building has 20-centimetre-thick concrete exterior wallsThroughout May 2024, DJ Harvey will partake in a month-long artist residency at Potato Head, which will encompass several all-night sets at Klymax as well as a curated programme of movie screenings, surfing and mindfulness sessions.
    A line-up of international residents and DJs including HAAi, Dave Clarke, Sophie McAlister and Jonathan Kusuma is also planned for the nightclub.
    The club is accessed via a bunker-like entranceOMA completed the Potato Head Studios resort in 2020 as part of the Desa Potato Head village in Balinese beach town Seminyak.
    The firm has previously lent its expertise in nightclub design to a pop-up venue for fashion brand Miu Miu via its research arm AMO.  And in 2017, the studio revealed its design for a shapeshifting new venue for Ministry Of Sound, which won a competition in 2015 but was scrapped shortly after.
    The photography is by Tommaso Riva.

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    Lanterns dangle through hole between floors in “UK’s most expensive steak” restaurant

    Interiors studio Rosendale Design used paper pendants to illuminate hand-painted red-and-gold walls in the first overseas outpost of Japanese steakhouse Aragawa in London.

    Set across two floors in a Mayfair townhouse, the restaurant is widely credited as serving the “UK’s most expensive steak” – a £900 cut of wagyu beef from Shiga prefecture.
    Rosendale Design created the interiors for a Japanese steakhouse in MayfairCharacterised by a rich palette of deep reds, golds and dark woods, the interior of the steakhouse was “heavily influenced by traditional Japanese architecture and design”, Rosendale Design founder Dale Atkinson told Dezeen.
    “We gave it a contemporary twist in a subtle way so it didn’t become kitsch,” he said.
    Pendant lights dangle through a void between the ground floor and basementUpon entering Aragawa, visitors pass through an archway that frames a wood-panelled reception area painted in pale green.

    From here, a corridor leads past a wine display cabinet that wraps around the back wall with skylights providing natural illumination.
    A private dining room with seats for 12 guests is accessed through glass and wood doors, with a slatted wooden screen partially obstructing the view into the space.
    A Japanese kiln is surrounded by blue tiles in the kitchenPendant lamps that take cues from traditional Japanese paper lanterns hang through a mirror-lined void between the ground floor and the basement, providing views of the main restaurant below.
    “The lanterns are one of the key features that are first experienced at ground level but drop down through the opening in the floor and are then a prevalent feature in the main dining room,” said Atkinson.
    “We looked at traditional Japanese lanterns and gave it a bit of a contemporary twist.”
    More lanterns hang from the latticed ceiling in the dining roomStairs lead down to the restaurant past an open kitchen, divided from the seating area via an uplit rough-textured counter.
    Cornflower-blue tiles clad the walls in the kitchen, where Rosendale Design installed a Japanese kiln.

    Child Studio transforms 60s London post office into Maido sushi restaurant

    Used to prepare Aragawa’s speciality, Japanese Kobe beef, the kiln was modelled on the model found in the original Aragawa restaurant in Tokyo, which opened in 1967 and became known as one of the priciest steak houses in the world.
    “The feature kiln is the main connection between the restaurants in Tokyo and London,” said Atkinson.
    “We worked with a local manufacturer to copy as best we could the kiln in Tokyo but dress it in a way that matches the London design ethos.”
    Hand-painted red-and-gold panels line the walls of the dining spaceMore lanterns are suspended from the dark wood lattice ceiling in the primary dining space.
    “The feature ceiling is referencing traditional Japanese castles,” explained Atkinson.
    Soft lighting illuminates the red-and-gold panels that line the walls of the dining area, hand-painted with patterns derived from Nishijin silk kimonos.
    Rosendale Design opted for crimson-red velvet-lined seatingThe red colour palette is continued in the red velvet-lined seating, contrasting against white tablecloths.
    “We made sure to play with the saturation of colours to make it more dramatic and romantic,” said Atkinson.
    Other Japanese restaurants recently featured on Dezeen include a noodle restaurant in a century-old townhouse in Kyoto and a restaurant in Alberta that combines Japanese psychedelia and cabins.
    The photography is by Justin De Souza.

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    Gubi opens first UK showroom in London townhouse takeover

    A Georgian townhouse filled with period details is now Gubi House London, the first dedicated showroom that the furniture brand has opened outside Denmark.

    Gubi partnered with Danish surface design studio File Under Pop to reimagine the listed building as a showspace for its collection, which includes furniture by designers such as GamFratesi and Space Copenhagen.
    Gubi House London occupies a listed Georgian townhouseA curated colour palette combines with material finishes including Spanish clay tiles and Italian lava stone to create four floors of rooms with a contemporary feel.
    “To be in a townhouse is a unique opportunity,” explained Marie Kristine Schmidt, chief brand officer for Gubi.
    Furniture is on display across four different floors”We could create something very domestic in feel. We have smaller rooms where we can create different experiences and we can tell different stories on each floor,” she told Dezeen.

    The showroom is located on Charterhouse Square, a garden square framed by cobbled streets, and will be open by appointment.
    Danish surface design studio File Under Pop oversaw the colour and material paletteGubi was founded in 1967 by furniture designers Lisbeth and Gubi Olsen, who later handed it down to their sons, Jacob and Sebastian Gubi Olsen. Jacob is still a shareholder and a member of the board.
    The London expansion was first mooted in 2020, not long after the once family-owned company was acquired by Nordic private equity group Axcel and the Augustinus Foundation.
    Furniture on show includes the Croissant Sofa designed by Ilum Wikkelsø in 1962Schmidt said the UK is a key market for the brand as it looks to expand its intentional profile.
    “London is a melting pot right now, particularly in the hotel and restaurant scene, so for us, it is a really important city to be in,” she said during a tour of the building.
    “I think there is a lot of untapped potential for us here.”
    A ground-floor dining room features hand-painted forest-green wallpaperEach floor of Gubi House London has its own character, drawing on different influences reflected in the materials and fabrics that feature in across the product collection.
    The ground floor, described as “boutique chic”, features a trio of spaces designed to emulate the sense of comfort and luxury of a boutique hotel.
    Also on the ground floor, a blue fireplace sits behind the Moon dining tableKey details include a fireplace colour-blocked in a deep inky shade of blue, which serves as a backdrop to the brand’s Moon dining table and Bat dining chairs.
    Also on display here are several reissued 20th-century lamps, including designs by Finnish designer Paavo Tynell, Danish architect Louis Weisdorf and Swedish designer Greta M Grossman.
    The first-floor rooms take cues from the 1970sTowards the rear, a room with hand-painted forest-green wallpaper serves as a dining space.
    The first floor takes cues from the 1970s, with an earthy colour palette.

    &Tradition designs entire apartment in takeover of Copenhagen townhouse

    Key pieces here include the Pacha lounge chair, a 1975 design by the late French designer Pierre Paulin, upholstered in a striped fabric and a cascading arrangement of the Semi Pendant lamps, designed in 1968 by Danish design duo Claus Bonderup and Torsten Thorup.
    This floor also includes a bar, which serves as a centrepiece in the smaller of the two rooms.
    The second floor was envisioned as a co-working environmentThe second floor was envisioned as a co-working environment, with furniture that emulates a contemporary bistro, while the uppermost level offers a more bohemian feel.
    “We wanted to create a space that is inspiring,” said Schmidt. “It wouldn’t be right for our brand to go into a commercial space.”
    Gubi House London is located at 12 Charterhouse SquareThe experience is different from the warehouse feel of Gubi’s Copenhagen headquarters, which occupies a former tobacco factory in the waterside Nordhavn area.
    “This is how we see Gubi in the context of the UK,” added Schmidt.
    “It was fun to play with a building that is so pleasant and give it a very fresh, modern, contemporary look.”
    In Copenhagen, Danish brand &Tradition took over a townhouse during design festival 3 Days of Design, while fellow Danish brand Hay unveiled its renovated Copenhagen townhouse in 2021.
    The photography is by Michael Sinclair.

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    Studio Aisslinger completes “nature-loving” renovation of Hotel Seegarten

    Designer Werner Aisslinger has renovated a lakeside hotel in Germany’s Sauerland region, adding hydroponics and locally sourced materials including wood and terrazzo to craft interiors informed by the surrounding nature.

    Hotel Seegarten is owned and operated by TV chef Olaf Baumeister, who took over the traditional inn from his parents in 1992 and has overseen its transformation into modern boutique accommodation.
    Werner Aisslinger has renovated a boutique hotel in the SauerlandWerner Aisslinger’s studio was influenced by the hotel’s location overlooking the Sorpesee lake when developing its “nature-loving” concept for the guest rooms and public areas.
    This includes Baumeister’s Seegarten restaurant, where hydroponic shelves are used to grow ingredients for the kitchen.
    Terrazzo and wood feature throughout the interior”The overall atmosphere is friendly and close to nature, as all materials are processed in their purest form and can be felt,” said the design team, adding that further inspiration came from Baumeister’s passion for using local produce in his cooking.

    The studio described the hotel’s setting as an “oasis in the Sauerland”, which informed a design that is casual, modern and focused on promoting wellbeing.
    The two main materials used throughout the scheme are terrazzo and wood, which are intended to evoke the pebble beaches of the nearby lake and the trees of the surrounding forest.
    Stones from a nearby quarry were incorporated into the grey terrazzoOther elements such as curtains, carpets, plants and rattan screens were chosen to complement these two cornerstone materials, as well as adding different tactile surfaces to the interior.
    Stones from a nearby quarry were incorporated into the grey terrazzo, which was processed by a local firm and is used throughout the bathrooms.
    As well as referencing the natural surroundings, the use of local materials and regional manufacturers helps to minimise the project’s carbon footprint by reducing shipping requirements.

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    The bedrooms feature bespoke shelves housing planters filled with herbs, along with equipment that guests can use to brew their own tea.
    In the bathrooms, Studio Aisslinger commissioned custom-made towel rails shaped like swimming pool ladders that attach to the bathtubs.
    Traditional wood panelling features in the Seegarten restaurant, providing a contrast with the metal hydroponic troughs and their bright LED grow lights.
    Furniture designs by Aisslinger include the Wood Bikini chairThe hotel’s wellness area features flat and curved rattan screens that are suspended from the ceiling and can be adjusted in height to provide privacy if required.
    Furniture created by Aisslinger for various design brands is used throughout the hotel, including the Geometrics pouf for Cappellini and the Wood Bikini chair for Moroso.
    The public areas also feature the solid oak Cep tables, the geometric Urban Jungle rugs and the Addit sofas designed for German furnituremaker Rolf Benz in collaboration with Studio Aisslinger’s design director Tina Bunyaprasit.
    Curved rattan screens and sheer curtains feature in the hotel’s wellness areaAisslinger founded his studio in Berlin in 1993, adding a Singapore office in 2008.
    The studio’s previous projects include the transformation of a famous Berlin squat into a photography museum and the design of a futuristic exhibition exploring topics from urban farming to robotics.
    The photography is by Nicoló Lanfranchi for Studio Aisslinger.

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    Eight compact micro interiors that make the most of their small space

    For our latest lookbook, we’ve collected eight micro apartments and micro homes that use clever solutions to fit the most into a single room, which often functions as both the living room and the bedroom.

    A “sleeping cocoon” and built-in space-saving furniture are among the solutions used to create comfortable living and sleeping spaces in these projects.
    The interiors, which range from a home in Taipei to a small apartment in Beirut, feature a number of innovative designs that allow their owners and tenants to stretch out – even in spaces that are as small as 15 square metres.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring minimalist kitchens and homes with pyramidal ceilings.
    Photo by Pierce ScourfieldFerguson, Scotland, by Lee Ivett, Simon Harlow and Duncan Blackmore

    Colour decorates the walls in this 25-square-metre apartment in Glasgow, which doesn’t contain any freestanding furniture. Instead, a fixed bench and a shelf that functions as a desk create a living room and workspace.
    The bed can be found on a mezzanine that sits above a compact shower room and is reached via wooden steps. Custom-made sinks ensure that the white goods don’t take up too much space in the flat, which the owner uses as a temporary base in the city.
    Find out more about Ferguson ›

    Corten steel micro home, Lithuania, by IM Interior
    This micro home located inside a former garage in Lithuania shows “how little a person needs,” said designer Indrė Mylytė-Sinkevičienė, founder of IM Interior.
    The home measures 21 square metres and has warm birch wood lining. Its bed is positioned like a window seat beneath one of its two narrow windows and surrounded by concealed storage. A slim, built-in shelf functions as both a desk and a dining table.
    Find out more about the Corten steel home ›
    Photo is by Hey! CheeseMicro-flat, Taiwan, by A Little Design
    Local studio A Little Design used built-in, space-saving furniture for this Taipei apartment, which measures just 17.6 square metres.
    Built-in cabinets provide storage next to a staircase that leads up to a mezzanine bed, while a foldable table can be used as a desk or dining space.
    Find out more about the micro-flat ›
    Photo is by Peter BennettsMicroloft, Melbourne, by Studio Edwards
    Chipboard was used to create much of the furniture in this 24-square-metre apartment in Melbourne, including storage units, a sofa and a bed.
    The designers also customised IKEA furniture for the home, wrapping a bedside stool in recycled aluminium to help with the acoustics and using aluminium legs to extend the same stools to create seats for dining.
    Find out more about Microloft ›
    Photo by Ståle EriksenShoji Apartment, UK, by Proctor & Shaw
    A translucent “sleeping cocoon” wrapped in panels that reference Japanese shoji screens gave this flat its name. Designed by London studio Proctor & Shaw, it measures 29 square metres and has a design that takes advantage of its high ceilings.
    “This apartment renovation project is conceived as a prototype for micro-living in existing housing stock with constrained floor areas but traditionally generous ceiling heights,” explained the studio.
    Find out more about Shoji Apartment ›
    Photo by Marwan HarmouchShoe Box, Lebanon, by Eliemetni
    This compact Beirut apartment, located on the roof of an old building, has just 15 square metres of floor space but manages to fit everything into one room.
    The floor was coated in white epoxy to maximise the light in the small space, which has lots of under-bed and under-seating storage in its custom-built space-saving furniture. Matching white walls add an airy feel to the space.
    Find out more about Shoe Box ›
    Photo by Koji Fujii Nacasa and PartnersLove2 House, Japan, by Takeshi Hosaka
    This Tokyo micro home, which measures 19 square metres, receives plenty of natural light from its two large skylights.
    Architect Takeshi Hosaka built it for himself and his wife, designing the compact home with seven partitions that extend out from the reinforced concrete walls to define the dining, kitchen and sleeping zones.
    A large sliding door opens the home up to the street, creating additional space in the warm months.
    Find out more about Love2 House ›
    Photo by JAG StudioDoméstico, Ecuador, by Juan Alberto Andrade and María José Váscones
    Located inside the Qorner building in Quito, Ecuador, this micro apartment measures 27.5 square metres and features a floor-to-ceiling unit that the designers described as a “habitable artifact”.
    It contains storage space as well as a bed and desk, both of which fold up. A door in the corner leads to a bathroom with a sink, shower and toilet.
    Find out more about Doméstico ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring minimalist kitchens and homes with pyramidal ceilings.

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