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    Sabine Marcelis creates colour-blocked scenography for VitraHaus loft

    A mint-green lounge pit and custard-yellow home office are among several colourful set pieces installed by designer Sabine Marcelis on the top floor of Vitra’s Herzog & de Meuron-designed flagship store in Weil am Rhein, Germany.

    Marcelis, who is known for her work exploring colour, translucency and reflection, was invited to create a series of domestic scenes within the VitraHaus loft that feature some of the furniture company’s most iconic products.
    The scenography immerses visitors in a world of colour, with the various spaces providing a vision of domestic life that aims to be both practical and imaginative.
    Sabine Marcelis has transformed the VitraHaus loft showroom in Germany”The philosophy behind the design closely mirrors how we created our family home,” said Marcelis, who organised Vitra Design Museum’s archive into a colour-coordinated exhibition called Colour Rush in 2022.
    “It features a large open space divided into functional zones, delineated by colour. We then blended my creations with those of other designers, artists and, of course, Vitra furniture to create a cohesive whole.”

    A series of domestic scenes showcases colour-blocked furnitureMarcelis worked closely with Vitra to transform the loft of the flagship store on the Vitra Campus, also home to Zaha Hadid’s dynamic Fire Station and Frank Gehry’s swirling museum building.
    The loft, with its gabled openings framing views of the surrounding countryside, has a domestic scale that is accentuated through the choice of furnishings and the layering of colour and materials.
    Marcelis is known for her experiments with translucency”The VitraHaus loft is the perfect canvas to display the diversity of Vitra furniture,” said Till Weber, the company’s creative director of interiors and scenography. “It provides a collage where we can mix and match furniture for the characters that live within it.”
    “The tones and hues Sabine has used are recognisable from the natural, organic world and they have a rich interaction with the various spaces – things are connected but do not all perfectly match,” he continued.
    Limited edition food-inspired colours of the Panton Chair are displayed throughoutVisitors arriving via a lift enter a cool-green living area featuring a large lounge pit created using Jasper Morrison’s Soft Modular Sofa. The sofa is complemented by a green rug and Marcelis’s floor-standing Curve Light.
    “The original sofa system is generally used to create L shapes and we’ve just merged it all to form this enveloping pit,” the designer said.
    “I think it’s so important to have a good lounge. It can be really fun – I have a lounge pit at home as well and it’s the core of the house. It’s so good to just jump in there.”
    Reflective surfaces are another hallmark of Marcelis’s workThe lounge space is one of seven distinct areas, each designed to celebrate a different colour. These include a soft-pink bathroom with a custom onyx tub, sink and vanity.
    Other zones include a small seating area with caramel-coloured carpeting that matches the leather upholstery on a pair of George Nelson’s Coconut Chairs, as well as a minimalist kitchen with shelving and stools in a plum hue.
    A custard-yellow home office is also among the colour-blocked set pieces”The colours used in the VitraHaus Loft are personal favourites,” Marcelis said.
    “I like these colours and never tire of them, which makes them timeless for me. I think this attitude is important for anyone creating their own home.”
    The bathroom features a soft-pink onyx tub and vanity unitIncorporated within the scenography are iconic pieces from Vitra’s archive including two of Verner Panton’s midcentury furniture designs, which Marcelis has updated in seven new colours.
    The limited edition versions of the Panton Chair Classic and the Visiona Stool are produced in food-inspired hues including bubble gum, butter, honeydew and plum that match the colour scheme used in the VitraHaus Loft.
    Along with upholstery in the seven new colours, Marcelis specified different types of finishes for the cylindrical Visiona pouf, including faux fur and untreated leather.
    Also on show are Marcelis’s own designs including the Candy Cube side tableThe designer also selected artworks by friends and collaborators that help to create a homely feel throughout the spaces.
    Pieces by Maria Pratts, Johnny Mae Hauser and Carolijn Jacobs feature alongside printed bedsheets by Ehsan Morshed, which were created for the VitraHaus Loft and are available to purchase at the VitraHaus.
    Caramel-coloured carpeting matches Coconut Chairs in one seating areaMarcelis has worked on numerous projects in recent years that display her innovative take on colour and materiality.
    Most recently, she created colourful plinths for the match balls of the Euro 2024 football tournament and designed a conceptual version of the Renault Twingo car featuring a semi-transparent exterior and raspberry-coloured interior.
    The photography is by Clemens Poloczek.

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    “I don’t think we should put celebrity designers on a pedestal” says Bobby Berk

    Queer Eye star Bobby Berk recently quit the hit show to run his interior design studio full-time. In this exclusive interview, he discusses how his TV experiences have shaped his approach.

    Having announced in November 2023 that he would be leaving his role as the Netflix reality series’ interior design expert after eight seasons, Berk has since leaned full-time into work through his eponymous studio – as well as being a Dezeen Awards judge.
    “I think the show really did make me more confident in using colour”
    “Designing for TV is very different from designing for a ‘real world’ project,” Berk told Dezeen. “The timeline is so much quicker [in TV], and you’re also creating a space that has to work in person and translate on screen.”
    Berk described how his work on Queer Eye – which sees the five expert presenters make positive changes to an ordinary person’s lifestyle – required him to adapt his usual design style in order to satisfy the needs of the show’s makeover subjects.

    “Design-wise, my work on Queer Eye often featured much more colour and pattern than I typically use,” he explained. “I wanted to reflect the personalities and desires of the inhabitants, and that often meant going bold.”
    Berk appeared in eight seasons of Netflix’s hit reality show Queer EyeIn contrast, Berk describes his personal style as a “mix of organic, modern, classic, Spanish, and minimal with a mostly neutral colour palette” that leans towards working with natural materials and geometric shapes.
    He cites his LA-based studio, in a recently renovated 1970s Spanish-style home, as the project that most accurately reflects his own style.
    Rooms filled with a palette dominated by black, white, marble and wood detailing house the designer’s headquarters and various home products.
    Nevertheless, he reports that Queer Eye has opened him up to experimenting with bolder tones and patterns.
    “I believe we should let the work speak for itself”
    “I’ve brought in hits of colour in a handful of projects since then, and I think the show really did make me more confident in using colour – especially in wallpaper, unique paint treatments, and murals,” he said.
    Berk argues that his style isn’t definable in a single term or phrase – but acknowledges that certain aspects of his taste were cemented by moving from New York to California, after a childhood spent in the Bible Belt.
    “It really all developed over time, there wasn’t an exact moment my style all came together,” he said. “Rather, I feel all my past experiences and influences blended into a more discernible look and feel when I moved to California.”
    The interior designer says working on TV pushed him to be more confident in experimenting with colourLos Angeles continues to have the greatest influence on his work, ahead of the various locations Queer Eye filmed – including Atlanta, Philadelphia, New Orleans and a spin-off season in Japan – or Portugal, where the designer now lives part-time.
    “Of all the places I’ve lived and travelled, Los Angeles is the city that continues to drive my creativity and help me to see through fresh eyes,” he said.
    “It’s a very inspiring place on many different levels, and there is such a legacy of incredible architecture and design.”

    Five key projects by interior designer and Dezeen Awards judge Bobby Berk

    Design as a tool for improving well-being has remained at the centre of Berk’s work before, during and after Queer Eye, and he explored the theme further in his book Right at Home: How Good Design Is Good For The Mind, published last year.
    “From the very beginning of my career, I’ve known the power that design can have to change your life,” he said.
    “That will always be the throughline of my work, to use design as not just a way to make a beautiful room, but as an invaluable tool for improving wellness and mental health.”
    Berk’s LA office exemplifies his “organic” and “minimal” styleWhile he admits being in the spotlight can be both “challenging” and “flattering”, Berk is keen for his design work to be judged on its own merits.
    “Being cast on a television show has obviously changed my life in incredible ways and afforded me so many amazing opportunities,” he said. “Part of that also means being a public figure and having people be interested in more than just your design work.”
    “Sometimes it’s challenging, sometimes it’s flattering, but it’s what I signed up for,” he added. “I also don’t think we should put celebrity designers on a pedestal or value their work above other working designers who may not have had the same exposure.”
    “I believe we should let the work speak for itself, and give space to anyone that is talented and creating compelling design.”
    The photography is by Sara Ligorria Tramp.
    Dezeen In DepthIf you enjoy reading Dezeen’s interviews, opinions and features, subscribe to Dezeen In Depth. Sent on the last Friday of each month, this newsletter provides a single place to read about the design and architecture stories behind the headlines.

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    Feature in Dezeen’s digital guide for London Design Festival 2024

    London Design Festival is on the horizon. Make sure you don’t miss out on featuring in this year’s Dezeen Events Guide’s digital guide for the festival, which takes place from 14 to 22 September.

    The nine-day festival hosts a series of events across 11 districts, including exhibitions, open showrooms, talks, tours, product launches, pop-up shops and parties.
    This year marks London Design Festival’s 22nd edition, with hundreds of events expected to take place across the city attracting hundreds of thousands of attendees.
    Get listed in Dezeen’s digital guide to London Design Festival
    Get in touch with the Dezeen Events Guide team at [email protected] to book in your listing or to discuss a wider partnership with Dezeen. There are three types of listings:

    There are three types of listings:
    Standard listings cost £125 and include the event name, date and location details plus a website link. These listings will also feature up to 50 words of text about the event.
    Enhanced listings cost £175 and include all of the above plus an image at the top of the listing’s page and an image in the listing preview on the Dezeen Events Guide homepage. These listings will also feature up to 100 words of text about the event.
    Featured listings cost £350 and include all elements of an enhanced listing plus a post on Dezeen’s Threads channel, inclusion in the featured events carousel on the right hand of the homepage for up to two weeks and 150 words of text about the event. This text can include commercial information such as ticket prices and offers and can feature additional links to website pages such as ticket sales, newsletter signups etc.
    About Dezeen Events Guide
    Dezeen Events Guide is our guide to the best architecture and design events taking place across the world each year.
    The guide is updated weekly and includes virtual events, conferences, trade fairs, major exhibitions and design weeks.
    For more details on inclusion in Dezeen Events Guide, including in our guide to London Design Festival, email [email protected].
    The illustration is by Justyna Green.

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    Isern Serra designs Barcelona modelling agency as a “landscape” for taking photos

    Pale walls, sculptural furnishings and sunken plant features provide a striking backdrop to photoshoots taking place inside this Barcelona modelling agency, devised by Spanish studio Isern Serra.

    The Blow Models office occupies the ground floor of a 1920s building and its adjoining warehouse in Barcelona’s Sant Martí neighbourhood.
    Isern Serra designed its pared-back interior as “a landscape where the models can take pictures”.
    The Blow Models office centres around conversation pits and a sunken plant featureThe studio began by knocking through the building’s false ceiling and most of the partition walls to make the interior appear more open and airy.
    A long, rectangular skylight was carved out of the ceiling to allow for more natural lighting, and all surfaces were painted in a pale buttermilk hue.

    A long concrete desk accommodates staff computersAs the building doesn’t sit above a basement or car park, the studio took the opportunity to dig down into the site’s foundations.
    At the heart of the office, the floor is now punctuated by three holes. Two of these were turned into cushioned conversation pits while the third overflows with leafy tropical plants.
    “Light and vegetation becomes the centre from which the project is structured,” explained the studio. “[The] unusual and beautiful background is intended to encourage photography.”
    Steel stools were placed around another concrete tableTwo large concrete tables were placed on either side of the office – one functioning as a communal work desk while the other can be used for general staff gatherings, surrounded by steel stools.
    Steel was also used to create a sculptural prep counter in the office’s kitchen.
    The counter in the staff kitchen is also made from steelThe only rooms that are closed off are those used for meetings or by the accounting department.
    Plain white curtains were installed around their perimeter so that they, too, can serve as spaces to photograph models if necessary.
    Formal meeting rooms are closed off from the rest of the floor planTo maintain the office’s open plan, the toilets were tucked away beside the building’s stairwell. Here, an expansive picture window overlooks the street, bisected by a chunky concrete washbasin.
    There’s also a floor-to-ceiling mirror where visiting models can do their makeup.
    Picture windows in the toilets offer views of the streetThis isn’t the only workspace that Isern Serra has devised in Barcelona. Earlier this year, the studio designed a calming, minimalist office for eyewear brand Gigi.
    Back in 2023 the studio also created an office for digital artist Andres Reisinger, finishing its interior with quartz and stainless steel details.
    The photography is by Salva López.

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    Electric Bowery renovates Big Sur house overlooking California’s coastline

    The co-founder of California studio Electric Bowery has renovated a redwood-clad house in Big Sur for her family, preserving its iconic features and adding custom furniture.

    The house, originally designed by well-known local architect Mickey Muennig, is perched high up on a bluff overlooking the dramatic coastline – famous for the scenic Route 1 that runs along it.
    The house was built in 1993 by renowned local architect Mickey MuennigCommissioned in 1993, the building features a curved copper roof and redwood exterior cladding that Electric Bowery co-founder Cayley Lambur and director of interiors Stephanie Luk used as the foundation for the remodel.
    After speaking to her neighbour, the original owner, Lambur delved into Muennig’s legacy and the property’s history for clues to approach the project.
    Electric Bowery co-founder Cayley Lambur’s updates to the property included reconfiguring the compact kitchen”Inspired by this connection, Lambur began to breathe new life into the residence while honouring its organic architectural roots,” said the studio.

    The house benefits from large windows and expanses of glazing that capitalise on the views across the landscape to the ocean.
    Custom furniture in the living room includes a curved sofa designed to “hug views into the canyon”Keeping these vistas top of mind, the renovation involved reconfiguring the internal spaces, and respectfully upgrading some of the outdated decor and fixtures.
    An entirely new custom kitchen was added within the tight existing space, designed to maximise counter space and celebrate the views of the garden and ocean.
    Vintage leather chairs surround an impressive stone hearthThe redwood millwork was created in collaboration with American furniture company Henrybuilt to blend with the rest of the interiors, while raw steel, warm-stained concrete floors and leathered natural quartzite complete the contemporary look.
    Where the roof slopes to its lowest point, the living room is furnished with custom pieces such as a curved channel-tufted sofa that “hugs views into the canyon” and an oversized claro walnut coffee table by Dusk.
    Redwood panelling continues in the bedrooms, with are decorated with a warm and earthy paletteBehind, an impressive stone hearth is accompanied by vintage black-leather armchairs and a variety of textured rugs and pillows.
    The redwood panelling continues in the bedrooms and bathrooms, where it’s complemented by custom beds dressed in deep red and green textiles.

    Electric Bowery arranges steel and wood cabins for Hudson Valley hotel

    “The consistent use of redwood paneling throughout the home offers the experience of bringing the outside inwards, contrasted and complemented by the incorporation of colour through art, tile and textiles,” said Electric Bowery.
    “A warm and earthy palette is carried through the home, layering textures and natural materials, old and new.”
    One of the bathrooms is tiled entirely in thin, straight-stacked, teal-glazed tilesOne of the bathrooms is tiled entirely in thin, straight-stacked teal glazed tiles, while another features a shower lined with square tiles in tones of blue.
    Also as part of the scope, a trailer on the property was restored and renovated for use as additional guest accommodation and an office for remote work.
    The house overlooks the dramatic Northern California coastline from its lofty perchLambur founded Electric Bowery with fellow architect Lucia Bartholomew in 2013, and the studio is based between Venice, Big Sur and Santa Barbara in California, and New York City.
    Other projects by the studio include the Wildflower Farms resort in Upstate New York, where a series of wood or Corten steel-clad cabins are nestled among meadows and woodland, and a house in Venice Beach that features an askew pitched roof.
    The photography is by Chris Mottalini.

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    Eight dining rooms dominated by dark-wood furniture

    Our latest lookbook rounds up eight elegant dining rooms where dark-wood furniture, including tables, chairs and shelving, takes centre stage.

    The dining room furniture pieces featured in this lookbook make an impact with their dark tones, which are often evocative of vintage interiors.
    Whether made from teak, walnut or rosewood, the rich colours and grains of the natural materials make for a luxurious addition to dining spaces and offer a contrasting option to light-toned woods popular in minimalist and Scandi-inspired interiors.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring stylish hallways, green-toned bathrooms and interiors decorated with zellige tiles.
    Photo by Read McKendreeSag Harbor 2, US, by Kevin O’Sullivan + Associates

    New York practice Kevin O’Sullivan + Associates used dark wood throughout the Sag Harbor 2 home in the Hamptons to contrast light-toned stone and concrete surfaces and create a calming material palette.
    The dining room features a sculptural dark-wood dining table with a chunky surrounded by mid-century teak dining chairs designed by British designer Victor Wilkins.
    Find out more about Sag Harbor 2 ›
    Photo by Felix Speller and Child StudioMayfair home, UK, by Child Studio
    This home in London by local practice Child Studio also features mid-century modern furniture, including dining chairs by French architect Charlotte Perriand.
    Child Studio designed a circular wooden table and built-in cabinets lined with mahogany and marble to complement the chairs and unify the dining area.
    Find out more about the Mayfair home ›
    Photo by Fabian MartinezColonia Condesa house, Mexico, by Chloé Mason Gray
    Deep, moody tones characterise the interior of this home in Mexico City, which was renovated by local interiors studio Chloé Mason Gray to embrace its lack of natural light.
    The dining room is anchored by its dark furniture, which includes a quartzite table surrounded by wooden chairs with T-shaped backs.
    Find out more about the Colonia Condesa house ›
    Photo by Max Hart NibbrigBolívar House, Spain, by Juan Gurrea Rumeu
    Spanish architect Juan Gurrea Rumeu opted for warm-toned textural materials for the interior of Bolívar House in Barcelona, adding wood accents to the concrete structure.
    In the open-plan kitchen and dining room, dark-wood vintage dining chairs were paired with an even darker wooden bench that was built along the wall.
    Find out more about Bolívar House ›
    Photo by Fabian MartinezMérida house, Mexico, by Marc Perrotta
    A large wooden table forms the centrepiece of this dining room-cum-office, which is complemented by dark-wood U-shaped shelves that wrap the walls.
    It was designed by architect Marc Perrotta in his renovation of a traditional 19th-century house in Mérida. Perrotta also expanded the home with a courtyard extension.
    Find out more about the Mérida house ›
    Photo by Eric PetschekCarroll Gardens Townhouse, US, by Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design
    New York studios Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design placed a walnut table with rounded corners as the centrepiece of a white oak-clad dining room.
    Located in a renovated Brooklyn townhouse, the table contrasts with the light-toned room and provides a space for friends and family to gravitate around.
    Find out more about Carroll Gardens Townhouse ›
    Photo by Denilson MachadoDN Apartment, Brazil, by BC Arquitetos
    Walnut-lined walls with built-in shelves form the backdrop of this dining room, located in a 1970s São Paulo apartment that was renovated by Brazilian studio BC Arquitetos.
    Mid-century furniture was collected for the apartment, including a rosewood table by Brazilian designer Sergio Rodrigues and original red leather chairs by Polish-Brazilian designer Jorge Zalszupin.
    Find out more about DN Apartment ›
    Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Mérida, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
    Informed by Mayan traditions and culture, architect Ludwig Godefroy designed a fragmented concrete home in Mérida with interiors decorated with wooden furnishings.
    In an open-plan kitchen and dining room, a table and chairs in matching dark wood provide ample space to gather and eat, and wooden doors open onto outdoor spaces.
    Find out more about Casa Mérida ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring stylish hallways, green-toned bathrooms and interiors decorated with zellige tiles.

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    Ten bathroom design ideas from Dezeen

    Designing your dream bathroom? From tips for tiles to suggestions for sinks and baths, here are 10 bathroom design ideas taken from Dezeen’s archive of lookbooks.

    Since 2020, Dezeen has published more than 300 lookbooks providing visual inspiration for all kinds of interiors based on the stories we publish.
    Below, we organise 10 recent lookbooks into a useful guide that captures several of the key contemporary trends in bathroom design.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring stylish hallways, green-toned bathrooms and interiors decorated with zellige tiles.
    Photo by Jack LovelGo big on colour and patterns

    Who says bathrooms need to be boring? Add some maximalist fun by pairing bold colours with striking patterned surfaces.
    Included in our lookbook of bathrooms that combine colours and patterns are examples that use ceramic tiles, wallpaper, marble and paint to striking effect.
    Pictured is City Beach Residence in Perth, where Design Theory contrasted mosaic tiles in the bathtub with mint green on the walls.
    See more bathrooms that combine colour and patterns ›
    Photo by Tim Van de VeldeKeep it minimal(ist)
    If maximalism isn’t for you, a more minimalist approach can make the bathroom a serene affair.
    Our lookbook of minimalist bathrooms collects examples where an absence of clutter is combined with tactile, organic materials to create a tranquil space for cleansing.
    The project pictured is Karper, an apartment in Brussels designed by Belgian studio Hé.
    See more minimalist bathrooms ›
    Photo by Zac and ZacSelect subway tiles
    Using subway tiles is a bathroom design idea that can be applied to almost any project.
    These rectangular ceramics first appeared in New York City’s earliest subway station shortly after the turn of the 20th century and have since become an interior design staple thanks to their timelessness and affordability.
    Our lookbook of bathrooms lined with metro and subway tiles showcases their versatility and surprising variety. Pictured is a Georgian townhouse in Edinburgh renovated by Luke and Joanne McClelland.
    See more bathrooms with subway tiles ›
    Photo courtesy of Note Design StudioLine it in marble…
    If you’re keen to give your bathroom a luxurious feel, marble is hard to beat.
    A range of marbles feature in our lookbook of marble bathrooms, as well as similar natural stones such as travertine and quartzite.
    Shown above is Note Design Studio’s Habitat 100 apartment in Stockholm.
    See more marble bathrooms ›
    Photo by Givlio Aristide…or concrete…
    Brutalism fans may prefer the brooding, rugged aesthetic of concrete in the bathroom.
    Our lookbook of concrete bathrooms collects examples that use the material to differing degrees, from wall-to-wall coverage to concrete bathtubs and showers.
    Pictured is the bathroom of Cloister House in Australia by MORQ, where thick rammed-concrete walls were left exposed.
    See more concrete bathrooms ›
    Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson…or timber!
    For a warmer, more welcoming feel in the bathroom, look no further than timber cladding.
    Ten sauna-like spaces are collected in our lookbook of timber-clad bathrooms, using woods such as cypress, spruce and cork.
    Shown above is Japan’s first Ace Hotel in Kyoto, designed by Kengo Kuma and Los Angeles design studio Commune.
    See more timber-clad bathrooms ›
    Photo by Megan TaylorFit two sinks
    If you have space to play with, a double sink is a fail-safe way to elevate the bathroom.
    As our lookbook on bathrooms with double sinks shows, it’s also a good way to introduce a unique focal point.
    A textbook example can be found in the bathroom of the London apartment designed by 2LG Studio, shown above.
    See more bathrooms with double sinks ›
    Photo by Andrey AvdeenkoAdd a sunken bath
    For those with less room to work with, sunken baths can help to save space while lending a spa-like atmosphere.
    Our lookbook of bathrooms with sunken baths collects examples in a wide range of settings.
    Pictured is a Japanese-influenced apartment in Kyiv designed by Sergey Makhno.
    See more bathrooms with sunken baths ›
    Photo by Benoit LineroOpt for statement sanitary ware
    Bathroom design doesn’t have to be all about surfaces. Installing a bright sink or toilet can instantly add a splash of fun.
    Pink, green, black and blue all feature in our lookbook of bathrooms with colourful sanitary ware.
    The image above shows a bathroom in Les Deux Gares, a Parisian hotel designed by Luke Edward Hall.
    See more bathrooms with colourful sanitary ware ›
    Photo by Hey! CheeseWhat’s wrong with white?
    White is the classic choice for the bathroom – but with a little imagination, yours can still stand out from the crowd.
    Our lookbook of white bathrooms shows how tiles, texture and plants can be used to ensure that simplicity doesn’t equal sterility.
    Pictured is Phoebe Sayswow Architects’ XS House in Taiwan.
    See more white bathrooms ›
    Dezeen’s lookbooks series provides visual inspiration from our archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring stylish hallways, green-toned bathrooms and interiors decorated with zellige tiles. Or, check out our kitchen design ideas.

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    Dawid Konieczny designs Warsaw apartment to have “the ease of a good hotel room”

    Polish architect Dawid Konieczny has added mid-century modern elements to this Warsaw studio apartment, conceived to echo the compact size and sophistication of a hotel room.

    Set within an early 20th-century building clad in terracotta bricks, the apartment’s petite perimeter formed the basis for its interior design.
    Dawid Konieczny designed the apartment to mimic a hotel room”We’re talking about 30 square metres, so it’s kind of the size of a hotel room,” Konieczny told Dezeen.
    “I wanted to combine the ease of a good hotel room with the idea of a chic mid-century modern apartment.”
    The hallway features oak-panelled wallsThe hallway features sinuous walls covered in smooth oak panels, concealing subtle storage compartments that make the most of the apartment’s high ceilings.

    This entrance gives way to a single room that holds both private and public spaces and maintains the building’s original herringbone flooring.
    Veiny quartzite was applied to the kitchen countertopA boxy, stained oak and steel shelving cabinet separates the low-slung double bed from the dining area, where a bespoke rounded table is surrounded by a set of vintage Casala cantilever chairs upholstered in pinstriped fabric.
    “I hoped to express the soul of the 1970s,” explained Konieczny, who also placed a small abstract painting by Polish artist Tomek Opaliński above the dining table.
    Konieczny selected vintage cantilever chairs for the dining spaceOn the other side of the room is an open-plan kitchen with a caramel-hued countertop finished in veiny Palomino quartzite, illuminated by antique mid-century sconces Konieczny sourced specifically for the project.
    A sleek oven is tucked into one of the oak-panelled, space-saving walls.
    Pistachio-coloured tiles line the bathroomOpposite the bed, a pair of dusty mauve armchairs frame a squat coffee table, forming a small living space.
    “Thanks to quality materials and vintage furniture selections, the apartment has a timeless character,” said Konieczny.

    K916 and K907 are a pair of pared-back holiday apartments in Warsaw

    Pistachio-coloured tiles line the bathroom, which is separate from the main space. Monochrome, basketweave flooring was chosen to complement the room’s retro standalone sink and built-in bathtub.
    “The idea was to create a warm and comfortable feeling for the apartment but with a classy vibe,” added the architect, who designed the home for a duo of Paris-based fashion photographers seeking a “cosy shelter in Warsaw” in between frequent travel.
    The apartment was designed for a pair of fashion photographersElsewhere in the Polish capital, interiors studio Mistovia incorporated walnut burl and terrazzo accents to another apartment while Noke Architects created a two-tone interior for an Italian bar.
    The photography is by Oni Studio.

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