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    Eight living rooms where low-slung furniture creates a casual lounge atmosphere

    Low-back sofas and armchairs play a key role in our latest lookbook, which explores how low-slung furniture can make living rooms feel more relaxed and less formal.

    When lounge furniture sits low to the ground, it can make a big difference to the mood of the room.
    Low-back seats are typically more generous in width, so the sitting position doesn’t have to be as upright. This means sofas can sometimes feel more like beds.
    This type of furniture works well in open-plan interiors, as it can divide up the space without making different areas feel too separate. But it can also be used to soften rooms that are heavily decorative.
    Read on for eight examples, including a London loft renovation and a California home.

    This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, other recent lookbooks feature colourful bedrooms and kitchens with tiled worktops.
    Photo is by Mariell Lind HansenSt John Street, UK, by Emil Eve Architects
    The aim behind this renovation of a former warehouse space in London’s Clerkenwell neighbourhood was to make it feel more comfortable without losing its industrial character.
    A low-slung, L-shaped sofa helps to create that mood in the living space. Other furniture elements are also set low, allowing the exposed brickwork walls to be the key focal point.
    Find out more about St John Street ›
    Photo is by Salva LópezCasa Vasto, Spain, by Mesura
    This converted factory apartment in Barcelona’s El Poblenou neighbourhood doubles as a gallery, so it plays host to an ever-changing roster of collectable art and design pieces.
    Low-lying furnishings help to enhance the apartment’s high, vaulted ceilings, creating an optimal setting for display.
    They include a modular sofa system that can be arranged in different ways and an equally low coffee table made out of construction waste.
    Find out more about Casa Vasto ›
    Photo is by Lorenzo ZandriHouse by the Sea, UK, by Of Architecture
    The open-plan ground floor of this seaside house in Cornwall includes two lounge spaces. One is designed as a snug, with a high-back sofa and a hearth, while the other has a more casual feel.
    The sofa in this second space is a modular L-shaped piece, upholstered in beige marl fabric.
    Its low back helps the space feel connected with the adjacent kitchen and allows views across to the expansive sliding windows, which offer a view of Newquay’s picturesque Pentire Steps beach.
    Find out more about House by the Sea ›
    Photo is by Joe FletcherSausalito Outlook, USA, by Feldman Architecture
    The living room of this renovated 1970s house on San Francisco Bay features an iconic low-slung seating design that was launched around the same time.
    Designed by Michel Ducaroy in 1973 and produced by Ligne Roset, the Togo chairs and sofas look like slouchy, oversized cushions, but their foam filling is surprisingly supportive.
    Here, they create two seating areas that can be used for reading, watching television or looking out at the sea view.
    Find out more about Sausalito Outlook ›
    Photo is by Joe FletcherTwentieth, USA, by Woods + Dangaran
    Generous, low furniture pieces are a recurring theme in this three-storey house in Santa Monica, which was designed to be practical for day-to-day life and able to host parties and gatherings.
    The most striking example is a set of four club chairs with swivel bases, organised around a polished stone coffee table in one of two ground-floor living rooms.
    Find out more about Twentieth ›
    Photo is by José HeviaNZ10 Apartment, Spain, by Auba Studio
    Low-back furniture can work well in rooms that connect indoors with outdoors, where the atmosphere is typically less formal. This apartment in Palma de Mallorca is a prime example.
    Located in a converted bakery, the home features full-height sliding doors that connect a rear lounge space with patio terrace. The room is furnished with a casual, low sofa that extends all the way along one side.
    Find out more about NZ10 Apartment ›
    Photo is by Giulio GhirardiApartment Canal Saint-Martin, France, by Rodolphe Parente
    The living room of this renovated Haussmann-era apartment in Paris centres around a sculptural vintage sofa, upholstered in mustard-yellow velvet.
    The piece has a formal, geometric shape that complements the building’s period details, while its low shape offers a contemporary feel that is echoed by other playful artworks and furnishings in the room.
    Find out more about Apartment Canal Saint-Martin ›
    Photo is by Read McKendreeSag Harbor 2, USA, by KOS+A
    Sunset views were a priority for the owners of this waterfront house in the Hamptons, the popular retreat destination for New Yorkers.
    The waterfront facade is largely glazed to maximise views, so it made sense to choose unobtrusive furniture. For the family lounge, this meant a low-slung L-shaped sofa and a curved club chair.
    Find out more about Sag Harbor 2 ›
    This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, other recent lookbooks feature colourful bedrooms and kitchens with tiled worktops.

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    Dion & Arles creates “salon in which you can dine” for Il Gattopardo restaurant

    French design and interiors studio Dion & Arles drew on the work of 20th-century Italian designers Carlo Mollino and Gio Ponti for the interior of Mayfair restaurant Il Gattopardo in London.

    “We envisioned Il Gattopardo to be a salon in which you can dine – not just a restaurant,” the designers told Dezeen.
    The studio looked to Mollino’s apartment in Turin for its balance between modernity and heritage.
    The inner dining room has curved crushed-velvet seating and a large fireplace”Modernity, heritage and sophistication are the three elements we think together define the Italian sensibility, which we tried to translate into the interiors,” Dion & Arles said.
    Il Gattopardo – which is Italian for leopard – is located in Mayfair in central London and aims to “celebrate the golden era of mid-century Italian design in an intimate setting” across five dining spaces, the studio said.

    The main dining room and crudo bar lead through to an inner dining area and second bar, which in turn reveals the intimate “salon”, or living room, which seats 10 people in soft-upholstered armchairs.
    Banquette seating is complemented by groupings of tables and chairsThere is a separate private dining room on the lower ground level.
    The salon room is characterised by crushed-velvet curved seating and a substantial fireplace featuring a bas-relief on its canopy.
    Tables are topped with sepia drawings after artist Piero Fornasetti, which complement the muted amber seating.
    Blue panthers feature on the walls in the entrance spaceIn the main dining room, banquette seating has been kept to a minimum, with tables and chairs otherwise arranged in close groupings.
    A signature leopard print motif appears on rugs, cushions and artworks in various tones ranging from amber to blue.
    “Each project should belong to its specific location,” the studio said.
    “We do not believe in cloning, as it gives the feeling of being everywhere, anywhere. We are trying to make people feel they are in a unique space that cannot be found anywhere else; ‘somewhere’ that belongs to ‘someone.”
    An Italian stone crudo bar sits in the corner of the dining roomThe spaces are decorated with an eclectic mix of free-form sculptures, objets, lamps, picture frames and carpets in vibrant colours.
    These “speak to the influence of the master of Italian flair, the interior designer and architect Gio Ponti,” the studio said.
    A striped fabric informed by the linings of Italian tailoring covers the ceiling. Panelled walls are intended to mimic the dashboard of a vintage Fiat coupé and, in the corner, Italian stone tops the crudo bar.

    Fettle revamps San Carlo restaurant with interiors informed by Milanese villas and gardens

    Informed by the eclectic, mix’n’match style of Mollino’s apartment, the private dining room – which features a leopard-print carpet from French interior designer Madeleine Castaing – was designed to feel like a secret refuge.
    “We see patterns as a variation of colour which add density to the palette,” the designers said. “We generally prefer to work with a small-scale pattern, which is less intrusive.”
    The private dining room has soft lighting diffused through fabricClassical sepia frescoes run around the wall of the private dining room above rich navy blue, textured fabric panels.
    Soft lighting is diffused through fabric resting between the ceiling beams, which was designed to mimic a sunset. An illuminated onyx bar adds to the warm lighting scheme.
    The crudo bar has a polished wood-panelled ceilingDesigning the interiors of Il Gattopardo was “a dream commission” the studio said, as it gave it the opportunity to work in a style the designers love.
    “We are always referring to earlier periods when every house and family inherited antique furniture and juxtaposed it with futuristic pieces,” the studio said.
    Reference points for the space also included project by interior designer David Hicks and movies by director Stanley Kubrick.
    “We don’t have rules and we like to take inspiration from great painters, as in most recent compositions by Peter Doig, or the way [Pedro] Almodóvar approaches colour in his films,” the studio added.
    “Everything can go together; bad or good taste is merely a place of refuge for under-confidence. Walking along the borders of taste is more exciting to us.”
    Other restaurant interiors recently featured on Dezeen include GRT Architects’ “vacation Italian” restaurant in New York and Lorenzo Botero and Martín Mendoza’s conversion of a Bogotá residence into a brick-lined restaurant.
    The photography is by James McDonald.

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    Estudio Estudio unveils “hidden architectural treasures” in Mexico City house

    Arched doorways and a rooftop studio feature in the Y.27 House, which has been overhauled by architecture firm Estudio Estudio in a way that honours the historic building’s original character.

    Located on a 195-square-metre site in Mexico City’s Hipódromo Condesa neighbourhood, the project serves as a full-time residence for a client who is a social entrepreneur and collector of Mexican craftwork.
    The house been overhauled to honour the historic building’s original characterOriginally built in the 1930s, the stucco-clad dwelling had endured years of neglect, said local firm Estudio Estudio.
    The design team set out to revamp the home’s interior, aiming to restore its original charm while enhancing its functionality.
    Estudio Estudio set out to revamp the home’s interiorThe project involved removing walls, reconfiguring the layout and making structural improvements, in addition to adding new finishes. Moreover, a small storage room on the roof was replaced with a 43-square-metre studio building.

    “The main goal was to unveil the hidden architectural treasures beneath layers of past modifications, meticulously restoring them to their original state to reveal the essence of the time,” the team said.
    In the rear, one finds a kitchen”Architectural interventions aimed to preserve the authentic character of the house, rejuvenating ornamental elements while avoiding unnecessary embellishments.”
    Rectangular in plan, the home has a mix of communal and private spaces spread across three levels. Curves and arches – many of them original – create a “harmonious flow”.
    Curves and arches create a “harmonious flow”On the ground level, the layout “seamlessly integrates daily living requirements”. The front portion holds an entry hall, garage and office, while in the rear, one finds a kitchen, dining area, service rooms and a patio.
    At the heart of the ground floor is an airy living room with a 5.9-metre-high ceiling. A tall shelving system with a metal-and-wood ladder acts as a focal point.
    A tall shelving system acts as a focal point in the airy living roomA gently curved, skylit staircase leads to the first floor, where the team placed a primary bedroom, two bedrooms and a family room.
    Atop the building is the new studio, which was constructed using pine. In addition to the studio, the building contains an onsen room with a barn-style door.
    The building contains an onsen room with a barn-style doorThe studio opens onto a terrace with terracotta flooring. Rainwater is collected on the roof and channelled to a reservoir below.
    “The roof terrace serves as a space to gather but also works as a rainwater collector, where rain travels throughout the house into a water reservoir and filter system beneath the back patio,” the team said.

    Taller David Dana stacks concrete house on Mexico City hillside

    Throughout the home, the team used earthy materials and neutral colours. The lighting design – created in collaboration with lighting expert Luca Salas – is meant to balance “ambiance, functionality and aesthetics”.
    Notable finishes include oak parquet flooring and closets faced with cotton-canvas. Oak was used for window frames, kitchen cabinets and other elements.
    Pisos de pasta flooring features in the kitchenIn the kitchen, the team took a sample of existing checkered tiles, made of pigmented concrete, to a local craftsman, who then replicated them.
    This style of flooring – called pisos de pasta – is very common in older homes in Mexico City and southwest Mexico, said Estudio Estudio.
    The stucco-clad dwelling had endured years of neglectOverall, the house is meant to balance historic elements with a contemporary lifestyle.
    “This house proudly stands as a harmonious blend of past and present, inviting residents to embark on a captivating journey of refined and simple ways of living,” the team said.
    Other projects in Mexico City’s Condesa district include a renovated house by Chloé Mason Gray that embraces its lack of natural light, and an apartment block covered in small, wooden squares that were inspired by vegetable crates.
    The photography is by Zaickz Moz Studio.

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    Alp Bozkurt creates “calming” interior for Brooklyn tattoo parlour

    Arched niches provide stations for tattoo artists at Atelier Eva, located in a former Brooklyn hardware store transformed by designer Alp Bozkurt.

    The Atelier Eva Grand Street parlour is the second in Brooklyn run by tattoo artist Eva Karabuda, who is renowned for her detailed, micro-realism tattoos.
    Polycarbonate panels punctured by arched niches line the interior of Atelier Eva’s Grand Street studio”Created with an ambitious vision to reimagine tattoo culture following Eva’s own experiences feeling uncomfortable and unsafe as a woman in her early work environments, Atelier Eva offers a new kind of tattooing experience with the goal of providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all people,” said the studio.
    While her first location on Havemeyer Street was designed in house, Karabudak turned to Alp Bozkurt for the Grand Street space – which at 3,000 square feet (280 square metres) is almost twice the size.
    The arches reveal details of the original building, which was formerly a hardware storeThe building dates back to 1895 and was originally constructed as a hardware store, occupying a single story space that extends 115 feet back from the street facade.

    Original features such as large roof trusses, skylights and brick walls were all restored and highlighted during the renovation work.
    A pink-concrete table used for tattoo consultations is shrouded by a sheer curtainThe trusses are painted black, drawing the eye up to the ceiling, while the remaining structural elements are whitewashed for a clean look.
    “A distilled material palette is deployed to create a warm and calming environment from otherwise industrial materials retaining the building’s original ethos,” said Bozkurt.
    In the main space, the arched niches provide areas for the tattoo artists to store their equipmentWrapping the perimeter of the interior are translucent polycarbonate panels that sit a few inches in front of the brickwork, unifying the sequence of spaces.
    All the way around, arches puncture the panels to frame original corbeling, and reveal other historic elements.
    A planter is positioned in the centre of the otherwise sparsely populated spaceIn the front of the studio, beside the floor-to-ceiling glass facade, one arch provides a backdrop for a seating area with boucle-covered chairs, and pendant lights by Apparatus above.
    Behind a pink-concrete reception counter is a consultation area, shrouded by a sheer curtain suspended from a curved metal track.

    Williamsburg tattoo parlour Atelier Eva is designed to feel like a spa

    “Visitors are offered glimpses of activity in the studio flooded by natural light while the artists and their clients maintain privacy,” Bozkurt said.
    The group of artists offering a range of tattoo styles and piercings work in the large space beyond, where each is allocated a station aligned with an arch.
    Pink concrete is also used for the reception counter and other furnitureFoldable padded tables for clients to lay on, stools for the artists and cabinets for storing equipment all tuck neatly into these niches when not in use.
    The open space – which also hosts creative gatherings and events – is sparsely populated, other than a central pink-concrete planter that matches the consultation table and the counter.
    The location on Grand Street is Atelier Eva’s second in BrooklynTogether, Bozkurt’s interventions create “a carefully choreographed sequence of experiences through varying degrees of transparency offered by various design elements”.
    Other tattoo parlours with unconventional interiors include a minimalist space in Kyiv with holes slashed through its walls, a stark monochromatic space in New York and a studio in Paris featuring curtains printed with Hieronymus Bosch paintings.
    The photography is by Atticus Radley.

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    Eight airy and pared-back loft conversions

    A tactile Amsterdam apartment and a birch plywood-lined extension feature in our latest lookbook, which collects eight loft conversions created for maximum space.

    Architects and designers often open out the room located directly under the roof of a house to create extra living areas or storage space.
    Whether they were renovations of an existing room or conversions of unused attic space, the following loft conversions are united by their thoughtful use of space.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring basement apartments, mid-century homes and textural kitchens.
    Photo is by Studio de NooyerAmsterdam apartment, the Netherlands, by Firm Architects

    Local studio Firm Architects renovated this loft apartment in the De Pijp district of Amsterdam, creating a striking horizontal line formed of zinc, mirror and brick elements.
    The line, which runs around the walls of the loft, was designed to make the apartment look as if it has been “visibly cut through”.
    “Everything above the cross-section is a new interpretation, and everything below a reflection of the old,” said the studio.
    Find out more about this Amsterdam loft ›
    Photo is by Anna PositanoHouse for a Sea Dog, Italy, by Dodi Moss
    House for a Sea Dog was designed for a naval engineer who is used to long periods in confined spaces and wanted their home to be as open as possible.
    Contained within a 300-year-old Geona building, the multi-level loft features a mezzanine floor, which serves as a bed deck. Architecture studio Dodi Moss slotted a slender bathroom underneath to make use of the high ceilings.
    Find out more about House for a Sea Dog ›
    Photo is by Jochen VerghoteAntwerp attic, Belgium, by Van Staeyen Interieur Architecten
    The formerly dark and dusty attic inside this Antwerp home was converted into a multi-functional living space characterised by bright yellow accents, arched portals and curvy built-in furniture.
    Van Staeyen Interieur Architecten designed the renovation to serve as both a guest room and a zone for the clients’ daughters to play and socialise in as they grow up.
    Find out more about this Antwerp apartment ›
    Photo is by Edmund SumnerLeaf House, UK, by Szczepaniak Astridge
    Szczepaniak Astridge added a rooftop extension to Leaf House – a terraced property in south London that is home to photographer Edmund Sumner and writer Yuki Sumner.
    The architecture studio designed the space to be uncharacteristically sparse for a loft conversion and positioned a wooden bathtub and double bed next to a floor-to-ceiling window with views of Lettsom Gardens.
    Find out more about Leaf House ›
    Photo is by Jim StephensonProject Escape (to the Roof), UK, by A Small Studio
    An exposed brick wall and a curved rocking chair are one of many features within three loft spaces created by A Small Studio for this southeast London home.
    The firm converted the building’s existing roof space into a trio of new rooms with zinc-clad dormer windows that offer views of the leafy back garden.
    Find out more about Project Escape (to the Roof) ›
    Photo is by Brigida GonzálezR11, Germany, by Pool Leber Architekten
    Pool Leber Architekten removed the reinforced concrete upper floor of this 1980s housing block in Munich to make way for two lighter cross-laminated timber structures.
    The updated loft features prominent wooden features on its interior including walls, ceilings, floors and sculptural joinery.
    Find out more about Project Escape (to the Roof) ›

    Photo is by Jim StephensonBrighton house, UK, by Studiotwentysix
    Architect Dan Gray and his wife Isabella, who are co-owners of Studiotwentysix, renovated their Brighton family home to include an angled loft extension lined with birch plywood.
    The project created an additional 55 square metres of living space, which is accessed via a new staircase. A triangular snug carved into the eaves of the gable end adds a playful and cosy space for the couple’s two daughters.
    Find out more about this Brighton house ›
    Photo is by Mariell Lind HansenLondon apartment, UK, by Emil Eve
    London practice Emil Eve decked out this Hackney loft extension in a pale pink hue to evoke “a sense of calm”.
    The renovation created a sanctuary-style bedroom featuring slatted panelling with an integrated bedhead and understated storage.
    Find out more about this London apartment ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring basement apartments, mid-century homes and textural kitchens.

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    Productora and Esrawe Studio outfit Mexico hotel with planes of green tile

    Local architecture studios Productora and Esrawe Studio have outfitted a Mexico hotel with planes of green tile suspended from the lobby ceiling.

    Located on a hilly site in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, the Albor Hotel is part of Hilton’s Tapestry Collection.
    Productora and Esrawe Studio have wrapped a hotel in Mexico with local red stoneCompleted in 2022, the 6,038 square metre project contains a lobby, restaurant, bar, gym, multipurpose room, and a pool area with a grill.
    Productora and Esrawe Studio pulled from the mountainous surroundings for the design.
    The stone is carried into the building’s lobby and lower levels”The hotel emerges naturally from the terrain, framing a beautiful view of the valley,” said the team.

    “The hotel’s stone base is inspired by the mountain’s interior, featuring a textured and colourful appearance.”
    Planes of green tile are suspended from the ceilingA natural red, textured stone was wrapped around the building’s first two levels, which steps up the hill on the site.
    The top three levels contain the hotel’s private rooms and have an exterior clad in a simple white material, which contrasts the base.
    The tile features a graphic pattern by artist Omar BarquetThe lower levels, which contain the lobby, restaurant, bar and garden, run perpendicular to the site’s cobble-stone street, while the upper-floor volume runs parallel.
    Guests enter into the hotel’s spacious lobby, where the same red stone was carried onto the floors, walls and bar elements.
    The hotel contains a multi-leveled terrace and restaurantThe lobby’s double-height space is divided by planes of sea-foam green ceramic tile, which feature a leaf-like pattern by Mexican artist Omar Barquet.
    Crafted by tile manufacturer Latitude, they cover dividing walls, ceiling planes and panels that are suspended from the ceiling.

    Productora designs Casa Bautista on beach in Tulum nature preserve

    The space is outfitted with wide, blocky wooden tables and chairs by Roberto González. Wood was also used for a large bookshelf that spans the length of the interior lobby.
    A mixture of gray, green and red cushions were used to cover the seating, with the same red tone used to frame a series of sliding glass doors that lead onto the hotel’s sprawling patio.
    A natural red tone was carried throughout the hotel’s lower and upper levelsRectangular volumes cantilever over the back patio, reflecting the same rectangular panels used to divide the lobby.
    The patio sprawls across several levels, with large square planting beds installed with cacti and other local plants by PLANTA Botanical Design.
    The hotel’s private rooms were kept minimalist, with the same wooden furniture echoed in seating areas, cabinetry and a bed frame.
    “The rooms feature a natural colour palette and materials such as mineral clay, local crafts, wooden furniture and natural fabrics, providing a cosy and inviting atmosphere for guests,” said the team. 
    An earthen red tone was also carried into the private bathrooms.
    Productora recently completed a bright blue co-housing complex in Denver, Colorado, while Esrawe Studio renovated an apartment in Mexico City with an oak “skin”.
    The photography is by César Béjar.

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    Pascali Semerdjian creates Aurora Apartment to hold “two universes” in Brazil

    Gut-renovating this São Paulo apartment has allowed Brazilian studio Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos to incorporate the personalities of it occupants, particularly in the bedrooms of the family’s two children.

    The Aurora Apartment is home to a family of four, and sits on a private street in the Alto de Pinheiros neighbourhood to the west of the city.
    Renovating the Aurora Apartment involved opening up the living spacesA total overhaul of the residence was needed to open up its spaces, bring in more light, and incorporate new materials and decor that reflect the owners’ tastes.
    Without complete structural plans of the apartment or building, the demolition process revealed multiple hidden elements.
    The dining room is sometimes used for business meetings and dinnersOnly when the apartment had been fully stripped back to its bare bones was Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos able to design the floor plan to work around the structure.

    “When we saw the remaining columns and slabs, we were able to continue sketching the client’s necessities as well as our ideas onto paper,” said the studio.
    A wall panel opens to reveal a hidden home barOnce the layout was “settled”, the architects began to examine the walls and space volumetrically to discover ways to add interesting design moments that would reveal more about the family.
    “One of the most important things about this project is how every single space, both social and private, has the family personality, with a unique design that results in harmony with the whole,” said Pascali Semerdjian Architects.
    Close to the entrance, a gridded cabinet houses a coat closetThe apartment is divided into a large, open social space that’s occasionally used for hosting business meeting and dinners, and a private area that contains the bedrooms and bathrooms.
    “We wanted to create two universes in the same apartment: an intimate and cozy one, and another minimalist and social,” the studio said.
    Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos has played with volumes and materials throughout the apartmentDark wood panelling lines the entryway, concealing a storage area for keys and shoes, and the same floor-to-ceiling wood panels are used in the corner of the dining room. Here, a hidden door swings open to reveal a bar, and a brass container built into a plastered counter serves as a cooler for bottles.
    Stone flooring in the living area is laid in thin planks to match the pattern of the wooden boards that run through the private spaces.
    Designed during the pandemic, the apartment contains several multifunctional spacesSeveral classic midcentury designs were chosen for the living space, including Jean Prouvé dining chairs and a pair of salmon-coloured Ondine armchairs by Jorge Zalszupin.
    These are mixed in with contemporary furnishings like the Thin Black side tables by Nendo and a leather chaise by Studiopepe.

    Pascali Semerdjian exposes concrete ceiling for São Paulo apartment overhaul

    A variety of furniture and lighting pieces custom-designed by Pascali Semerdjian also feature in the apartment, such as the main sofa, the office chairs, and the bar sconces.
    There’s also a coat closet housed within a gridded cabinet, which is affixed to a mirror and features a cluster of square lights in its top right corner.
    In the home’s private section, the primary bedroom is minimally decoratedIn the private quarters, the primary suite is minimally finished in white and wood surfaces, while the children’s rooms are much more expressive.
    For example, the younger son’s room is designed to resemble a small house, formed from wood panelling that covers the walls and is pitched on the ceiling.
    Natural light floods the primary bedroom when its sliding wooden doors are openedHis bed and a sofa are raised to create space for a “hide-and-seek” tunnel underneath, while the older daughter’s room includes arched white closets.
    “We seek to bring originality to all rooms, with special attention to the children’s room, where we’ve pursued solutions that are close to playful, without exaggeration,” Pascali Semerdjian said.
    The bedroom of the family’s younger son is designed like a houseThe renovation work began during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, so special attention was paid to creating multifunctional spaces.
    “The project seeks to balance and bring fluidity between the different possible uses of a house, allowing residents to experience moments together as well as the possibility of having privacy, including the couple,” said the architects.
    The son’s bed and a sofa are raised to accommodate a hide-and-seek tunnel underneathPascali Semerdjian Arquitetos was founded by Domingos Pascali and Sarkis Semerdjian in 2010, and the studio has renovated many apartments across São Paulo.
    They include a residence imbued with a “deeply Brazilian and vividly cosmopolitan” flavour and a home organised around a semi-circular wooden library.
    The photography is by Fran Parente.
    Project credits:
    Project and interiors: Pascali Semerdjian ArchitectsTeam: Sarkis Semerdjian, Domingos Pascali, Ana Luisa Cunha, Fernando SpnolaProduction: VC ArtworkExecution: S Macedo Engenharia

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    Eight kitchens islands that have sleek waterfall edges

    For our latest lookbook, we spotlight eight contemporary kitchens that centre on islands with waterfall countertops made from concrete, stone and chunky terrazzo.

    As its name suggests, a waterfall edge is a style of kitchen island or cabinet where the countertop appears to flow seamlessly from the surface to the ground.
    The feature, also known as a mitred end, is popular in contemporary kitchens as it is an easy way to create a focal point while retaining a sleek, pared-back aesthetic.
    As revealed by this lookbook, they are particularly impactful when made from materials such as marble and concrete, which give rise to sculptural, monolithic centrepieces.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring living rooms with striking art pieces, colourful bedrooms and living rooms with cowhide rugs.

    Photo is by Pion StudioBotaniczna Apartment, Poland, by Agnieszka Owsiany Studio
    Agnieszka Owsiany Studio draped travertine over a series of oak cupboards to form this kitchen island. The wood helps accentuate the warm tones of the stone, which the studio chose because of its soothing and timeless qualities.
    “I really wanted to create something timeless, hence the idea to use materials such as wood and travertine which age beautifully and hopefully won’t be replaced within many years,” said the studio’s founder Agnieszka Owsiany.
    Find out more about Botaniczna Apartment ›
    Photo by Megan TaylorSunderland Road, UK, by 2LG Studio
    Sky-blue cabinetry offers a calm backdrop to the bold waterfall countertop in this kitchen, designed by 2LG Studio.
    Made of white marble with grey veins, it extends over both ends of a wood-clad kitchen island and incorporates a hob for cooking. The countertop was paired with pink bar stools and is illuminated by a Cherry Pendant light by designer duo Daniel-Emma.
    Find out more about Sunderland Road ›
    Photo by Mike SchwartzLake Geneva Residence, USA, by Collective Office
    Concrete was used to form the mitred end of this kitchen island, creating a centrepiece that juxtaposes the light and natural look of its wood-lined surroundings.
    It is complemented by matching concrete countertops on the adjacent wooden cabinets and incorporates a sink within its surface.
    Find out more about Lake Geneva Residence ›
    Photo by Danny BrightMontauk House, USA, by Desciencelab
    A black countertop overrides the wood-lined base of this central unit, found in the kitchen of a gabled house in Montauk, recently overhauled by Desciencelab.
    Standing out against the surrounding wooden cupboards, it helps to demarcate the food preparation area within the open-plan room, which also contains the dining and living areas.
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    Photo by José HeviaPaseo Mallorca 15 Apartments, Spain, by OHLAB
    This clean-cut stone island is located in the light and airy interior of an apartment in a housing block in Mallorca.
    Its minimalist aesthetic was paired with a more tactile material palette of rough plaster, dark wood and rustic fittings in the rest of the home, which OHLAB chose as a reflection of its Mediterranean setting.
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    Photo by Daniëlle SiobhánFamily Home Zwaag, Netherlands, by DAB Studio
    The sculptural waterfall countertops in this kitchen are formed from striking Arebescato Orobico marble.
    Its earthy brown and grey tones are enhanced by the warm colours of the surrounding Afromosia wood joinery and oak ceilings and floors, which form part of DAB Studio’s wider “calm yet soulful” material palette.
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    Photo courtesy of Yellow Cloud StudioGlyn House, UK, by Yellow Cloud Studio
    Oversized chunks of colourful aggregate were used to create the terrazzo finish of this statement kitchen unit, which is located in Glyn House by Yellow Cloud Studio in London.
    Its waterfall edge conceals a series of black-painted drawers with silver handles and helps to “intensify the experience of raw, handmade surfaces” throughout the interior, the studio said.
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    Photo by Fabián MartinezLoma Residence, Mexico, by Esrawe Studio
    Curved sides and mitred ends soften the look of this monolithic kitchen island, which Esrawe Studio created as part of its remodelling of an apartment in Mexico City.
    The unit sits in the centre of the home’s kitchen and was formed from a striking green-toned granite that pops out against its neutral surroundings.
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    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring living rooms with striking art pieces, colourful bedrooms and living rooms with cowhide rugs.

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