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    Chipboard and recycled denim define spaces inside Microloft in Melbourne

    Australian architecture practice Studio Edwards has completed an exercise in contemporary small-space living with this 24-square-metre micro apartment in Melbourne’s Fitzroy district.

    The clients, a young couple, approached Studio Edwards to remodel the tiny studio apartment on the top floor of a 1980s apartment block.
    Microloft is a 24-square-metre apartment in Melbourne”They asked for a home that felt unified and clutter-free, with ample storage, an efficient kitchen with space for cooking and dining, a comfortable lounge and quiet sleeping zones,” founder Ben Edwards told Dezeen.
    “Microloft provides a solution for inner-city living that navigates the constraints of limited space and ageing housing stock through an interior that provides the clients with a functional and coherent dwelling.”
    Aluminium was used to form kitchen counters and shelvesRather than using partitions or walls, spaces are defined by custom furniture pieces that provide visual connections.

    A horizontal raw aluminium surface forms angled countertops in both the kitchen and dining area before extending through an existing double archway into the sleeping area beyond.
    Chipboard forms several other storage units throughout Micoloft”Angled elements act in a similar way to room dividers, nothing extends higher than the datum line, helping the space to remain open,” said Edwards.
    “The kitchen melds seamlessly into a dining space via the angled countertop, while triangular storage shelves make use of the corners of the room.”

    Studio Edwards conceals “jewel-like” eyewear store behind perforated aluminium facade

    The angular wedge shape of the aluminium counters is mirrored in a wall-mounted console and a custom-made sofa with bookshelves integrated into its base, both made from oriented strand board (OSB).
    Above the datum line, one wall is clad in grey mirrored panels to make the apartment appear larger while creating a visual link to the grey-painted exposed brick walls and the heavily patinated concrete floor.
    The bed sits on a raised chipboard plinth to maximise bedroom storage, while the sliding door of the wardrobe, as well as the apartment’s front door, are wrapped in recycled denim to provide further textural interest as well as acoustic softening.
    Among them is the wardrobe in the bedroom”Use of raw aluminium surfaces, along with the OSB plinth that elevates the bed, provide creative storage solutions while delivering refined aesthetic appeal,” said Edwards.
    Simple IKEA stools were customised to fit in with the apartment, with a bedside stool wrapped in recycled denim to further soften the acoustics in this space.
    In the dining area, the same stools were extended with aluminium legs to create high seats for bench-top dining.
    A recycled denim panel forms the wardrobe’s sliding doorMicro homes are among a number of solutions being explored by architects and interior designers in response to Melbourne’s worsening housing crisis, as the city saw record rent increases last year.
    Others have explored creating multi-generational homes where family members can split both spaces and costs, as seen in this house on a narrow infill site by Matt Gibson and this adaptable suburban home by Austin Maynard Architects.
    Maynard also recently self-funded the construction of an “ethical housing” block in inner-city Melbourne, accommodating 20 low-cost, eco-conscious apartments with enough room for young families.
    The photography is by Peter Bennetts.

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    Jenny Bukovec draws on “soulful” local heritage for Kentucky hotel

    American designer Jenny Bukovec has looked to Kentucky’s heritage for the interiors of a hotel in Lexington, a city famed for bourbon production and horse racing.

    Described by the hotel team as “the first high-end hotel in the horse and bourbon capital of the world,” The Manchester sits on the site of the historic Ashland Distillery – the city’s first registered bourbon producer, which was established in 1865.
    The lobby bar at The Manchester hotel features vaulted ceilings and eclectic lounge furnitureIts location in the heart of Manchester Street’s historic Distillery District places guests within close proximity to a host of bourbon distilleries, breweries, bars, restaurants and event spaces.
    Hoteliers Nik Feldman and Hank Morris tapped New York City-based Bukovec to design “soulful” interiors for the public areas and 125 guest rooms that draw upon the region’s heritage.
    The equestrian-themed main restaurant, Granddam, is designed with walnut wainscoting and green accentsIn the lobby, a wall of hit-and-miss brickwork is modelled on the neighbourhood’s historic rickhouses – structures used for storing and distilling spirits.

    Corbelled arches within the brick wall lead through to a bar with vaulted plaster ceilings, eclectic lounge furniture, and details that include handmade bejmat tiles and amber-toned fluted glass.
    Geometric patterned tiles and wicker furniture decorate the Lost Palm rooftop barThe hotel’s main restaurant is named Granddam “after a wise, figurative matriarch racing horse” and serves a contemporary take on traditional Appalachian cuisine.
    Seating 140 covers, the space is encircled by square-panelled walnut wainscoting, huge floor-to-ceiling windows and teal-hued leather banquette seating.
    The rich hues in the guest rooms evoke those associated with Kentucky’s Bluegrass music tiesGreen floor tiles and cushions match the ceiling colour and complement the taupe tones of the walls and furniture upholstery.
    “The 140-seat dining room follows the hotel’s equestrian aesthetic and is designed as a modern reinterpretation of nearby stables, featuring rich walnut walls and horse saddle-inspired woven leather seating,” said the hotel team.
    Among the room categories are five with wooden bunk beds that sleep four guestsA very different aesthetic was chosen for Lost Palm, a rooftop bar and lounge that takes cues from art deco nostalgia while repeating the same arched forms found in the lobby.
    Bukovec combined wicker furniture, rattan panels, geometric patterned floor tiles and tropical planting as a nod to 1960s South Florida and its horse racing culture – for which Lexington is also famed.

    Fettle returns The Georgian hotel in Santa Monica to its 1930s “glory”

    The dark woods and rich hues used in the guest rooms evoke those commonly associated with Bluegrass music, another regional specialty.
    Room categories range from standard kings and double queens up to one- and two-bedroom penthouse suites with clawfoot tubs, as well as five bunk-bed rooms that each sleep four guests.
    The 7th-floor gym is kitted out with tanned leather equipmentA gym located on the 7th floor features herringbone parquet flooring and tanned leather equipment.
    The Manchester also offers a variety of guest experiences, including distillery tours, bourbon tastings, fly fishing, polo lessons and trail riding.
    The hotel occupies a brick building on the site of a historic bourbon distilleryMany visitors to Kentucky come for its whisky heritage and industry, which has ties to several big-name architecture firms.
    In 2018, Shigeru Ban unveiled a proposal to build a trio of mass timber pyramids for the Kentucky Owl distillery, and more recently, RSHP unveiled its design for Horse Soldier Bourbon’s new home in the state.
    The photography is by Matt Kisiday.

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    Eight airy interiors that draw on Mediterranean living

    With summer in full flow, we have gathered eight residential and hotel interiors for our latest lookbook that each has a breezy and cooling Mediterranean style.

    Mediterranean interiors can often be defined by their minimal, paired back aesthetic that focuses on creating bright, airy and cool living spaces that offer an escape from the heat of the sun.
    White-washed walls, exposed brick and stone or terracotta floors typically serve as the basis for these interiors with furniture made from natural materials.
    From hotels in Greece built into caves to a home in a former ruin in France, here are eight interiors that are influenced by the Mediterranean.
    This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring Barbie-pink interiors, rustic interiors and Wes Anderson-style interiors.

    Photo is by Simone BossiMA House, France, by Timothee Mercier
    Architect Timothee Mercier of Studio XM converted this former ruined farm building in Vacluse, France into a home that aimed to honour the original features of the building.
    The interior of the home was blanketed in white, covering its walls and exposed stone surfaces. The space was sparsely decorated with light wood furnishings and natural materials to give the interior a Mediterranean feel.
    Find out more about MA House ›
    Photo is by César BéjarCasa A690, Mexico, by Delfino Lozano
    Named Casa A690, this three-storey building dates back to the 1970s. It was renovated by Mexican architect Delfino Lozano who looked to combine Mediterranean and Mexican aesthetics.
    “We use the term Mexiterraneo to describe the materials and feeling we try to give our projects, in which we interpret the Mediterranean architecture – simple, pure materials – and mix it with our Mexican traditional architecture,” said Lozano.
    Find out more about Casa A690 ›
    Photo is by Karolina BąkBerlin summer loft, Germany, by Loft Szczecin
    Polish studio Loft Szczecin looked to historic Mediterranean architecture when overhauling the interior of this apartment in the suburbs of Berlin.
    The brick walls of the home were painted white while the floors of the interior were finished with old bricks that were sourced from industrial demolitions across Poland. Throughout the apartment, doors were removed to create more of an open-plan interior.
    Find out more about Berlin summer loft, ›
    Photo is by Fernando GuerraPura Comporta, Portugal, by Falcão de Campos
    In Portugal, Lisbon studio Falcão de Campos implemented a Mediterranean-informed interior scheme throughout this triple-pitched roof beach house.
    White walls were paired with minimal architectural detailing and finishes to achieve a Mediterranean look. A natural-toned rug was used to zone the living area, while a 10-person wooden table occupies the dining area of the home.
    Find out more about Pura Comporta ›
    Photo is by Giorgos SfakianakisSaint Hotel, Greece, by Kapsimalis Architects
    Greek architecture studio Kapsimalis Architects transformed a series of former homes, barns and cellars on the island of Santorini into a hotel with rooms in caves.
    The interior was designed to match the all-white exterior of the hotel. Each of the rooms features an almost all-white finish with the exception of their poured concrete floors and furnishings.
    Find out more about Saint Hotel ›

    Summer house, Greece, by Kapsimalis Architects
    Large arched openings add character to the open-plan interior of these Santorini apartments, which were designed by Kapsimalis Architects.
    Throughout the space, small, wood-framed windows pierce the walls and furniture was organised sparsely.
    Find out more about summer house›
    Photo is by José HeviaLas 3 Marías, Spain, by Bajet Giramé and Nicolas Burckhardt
    Terracotta tile floors, large arched openings and bi-folding glass doors blend the boundaries of the interior and exterior at this Spanish holiday home, which was designed by Bajet Giramé and Nicolas Burckhardt.
    Much like homes found across the Mediterranean, white stucco covers its walls and Valencian terracotta tiles run through both the interior and exterior.
    Find out more about Las 3 Marías ›
    Photo is by Prue RuscoeWoorak House, Australia, by CM Studio
    CM Studio looked to bring a coastal, Mediterranean feel to the interior of this home in Australia through the use of a paired back interior palette and natural materials such as wood, stone and paper.
    In the dining room, a wooden table, chairs and bench were placed beside a glazed corner of the home beneath exposed beams that run through the home.
    Find out more about Woorak House ›
    This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring Barbie-pink interiors, rustic interiors and Wes Anderson-style interiors.

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    Blobby sculpture functions as cash desk inside Rains’ Aarhus boutique

    Rainwear brand Rains has juxtaposed minimalist restraint with free-form contemporary artworks inside its revamped flagship store in Aarhus, Denmark.

    The brand’s first-ever store, originally opened in 2016, was updated with the introduction of industrial touches such as graffiti and stainless steel hardware alongside custom works by local artists.
    “We want to tickle the customers’ curiosity,” Rains’ in-house design team told Dezeen.
    A blobby sculpture envelops the cash desk of this Rains storeAt the centre of the store, Danish artist Jacob Egebjerg played with the convention of the cash desk by creating a vast sculptural element to envelop this functional area.
    Carved from polystyrene foam, the sculpture resembles a cascade of liquid caught mid-splash, which tumbles from the recessed, illuminated ceiling down to the concrete floor in a nod to the brand’s waterproof rainwear.

    The sculpture was created by Danish artist Jacob Egebjerg”The store was the first Rains store ever and we really wanted to manifest that with an extraordinary installation,” the design team explained. “Egeberg was tasked with creating a work of art with an integrated desk that would attract the attention of passers-by.”
    “It brings a contrast to the clean shapes and surfaces of our point of sale,” the team added. “Our products are very clean, so to add contrasts to our stores, we use shapes and surfaces to create this duality.”
    It was carved from polystyrene foamAllowing Egebjerg’s sculpture to take centre stage, the rest of the store is an exercise in cool, restrained minimalism.
    Display cases are formed from industrial materials such as stainless steel and glass, chosen for its transparent qualities.
    “Your eye can see the full room and isn’t blocked by a non-see-through material,” the team explained. “The products are just floating in the room.”

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    Echoing the qualities of the glass and steel, the Rains team used large-format concrete tiles for the floor, creating a “modern, refined but still simple base for the sculpture”.
    Downstairs, in a rare concession to softness, the design team opted for a custom black carpet with a distressed patina effect – another nod to the industrial.
    “The carpet was chosen to give the white room a contrast and some more depth, while also providing some great acoustic benefits,” the design team explained. “The raw ‘scratchy’ print has been chosen to match the raw expression in the walls and ceiling.”
    Graffiti by Peter Birk covers the staircaseOn this level, a futuristic black display plinth was carved from the same polystyrene foam as the sculpture on the ground floor.
    Against a palette of greys and whites, colour leaps out in the form of another site-specific artwork: a graffiti-inspired piece that decorates the staircase, designed by Rains and realised by local artist Peter Birk.
    “When we work with external artists, we also let them express themselves so their personal style shines through,” the brand explained.
    Another styrofoam sculpture forms a display stand in the basementOther sculptural shop interiors featured on Dezeen include a swimwear pop-up by SKIMS with a three-tiered diving board at its heart and an “otherworldly” moss-covered installation at a luxury bag store in Putrajaya, Malaysia.
    The photography is by Rains.

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    Smith Hanes Studio brings “a sense of calm” to Carmel restaurant in Atlanta

    Atlanta-based Smith Hanes Studio has used a palette of natural colours and materials to help diners at this restaurant imagine they’re beside a beach.

    A laid-back, coastal vibe was the goal for the Carmel restaurant, located on a cobblestone street in Atlanta’s Buckhead Village.
    The U-shaped bar at the entrance to Carmel is wrapped in rattanFounder Tal Baum of Oliva Restaurant Group wanted to create a space that would transport guests to the casual seaside ambience, so she tasked Smith Hanes Studio with designing an environment that draws upon a variety of beachside communities.
    “[Baum] wanted us to bring a sense of calm and expansiveness to Carmel, like you’d experience on the Mediterranean coast,” said studio founder Smith Hanes. “Our interior designer Janine MacKenzie accomplished that with a beautiful warm palette of naturals that coax us to remember the balmy indoor-outdoor breezes of Tulum or Puerto Escondido beach.”
    Lime plaster covers the walls to evoke a coastal aestheticA variety of local artists and craftspeople were brought on to achieve the desired effect. Lime plaster was hand-applied to surfaces by Super Delicious Walls and custom fibre installations by Sonya Yong James were added as accents.

    Meanwhile, upholstery and millwork were crafted by fabricators Hancock Surface Studio, Onemost Studio and Bjork Studio.
    In the dining room, woven pendant lights emit a warm sunset-like glowUpon entering the establishment, a U-shaped bar is wrapped in rattan, matching a light fixture suspended above that follows the same shape.
    Folding back a large wooden window opens the bar area to the street, where additional seating is built into the facade to serve cafe tables.
    Contributions from local artisans include custom fibre installations by Sonya Yong JamesThe back bar is set against a wall of textured, square white tiles, and framed by an arch with curved pillars covered in similar but smaller reddish tiles.
    “The rattan-wrapped bar, amber-tiled barback, glowing drink rail and sculptural lighting evokes a world of cabanas and parts of the Mediterranean where handwoven basketry is commonplace,” said the restaurant team.

    Floral installations decorate Atrium bar in Atlanta by Smith Hanes Studio

    Past the bar area, a deep arched opening leads into the 1,600-square-foot (149-square-metre) dining room.
    Mossy green banquettes, wooden four-top tables and chairs, and sheer curtains are all washed in a warm glow, “as if the sun is setting low on the ocean’s horizon” according to the team.
    Booth seating is set into niches carved from the wallsThe pendant lamps above the tables are woven from elephant grass and feature matte porcelain bulbs.
    More tilework, this time in sage green, clads the area around the kitchen passover window, which is flanked by niches for booth seating on either side.
    A large window opens to additional seating along the restaurant’s exteriorHanes founded his eponymous studio in 2004, and also opened an office in New York in 2020.
    Focusing on hospitality interiors, the team has previously completed a bar and restaurant in Atlanta that’s decorated with floral installations, and the ground-floor eateries within a renovated hotel in Portland, Oregon.
    The photography is by Tim Lenz.

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    Eight interiors that embrace the principles of wabi-sabi

    In this lookbook, we collect eight interiors informed by the Japanese design philosophy of wabi-sabi, which celebrates imperfection and impermanence.

    Notoriously difficult to define, wabi-sabi is a concept rooted in Zen Buddhism that author Beth Kempton describes as helping us “to see beauty in imperfection, appreciate simplicity and accept the transient nature of all things”.
    In interiors, it is often associated with the blending of rustic and minimalist elements as well as natural, earthy tones and raw surfaces. Below are eight interpretations of the aesthetic from around the world.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring Japandi living rooms, bedrooms with earthy colour palettes and calming organic-modern interiors.
    Photo by Roberto RuizPalau apartment, Spain, by Colombo and Serboli Architecture

    Barcelona studio Colombo and Serboli Architecture sought to highlight the “imperfect” features of this apartment in a renovation project.
    Rough-textured wooden beams were left exposed, with the contemporary elements prioritising sturdy, simple shapes like circles and squares.
    Find out more about Palau apartment ›
    Photo by Harold De PuymorinImperfect Residence, Hong Kong, by NC Design & Architecture
    Grainy wood and veiny marble come together as symbols of nature’s flaws at Imperfect Residence in Hong Kong.
    NC Design & Architecture also introduced finishes such as oxidised bronze and textured plaster to heighten the feeling of a sanctuary in the city.
    Find out more about Imperfect Residence ›
    Photo by Andrey AvdeenkoKyiv apartment, Ukraine, by Sergey Makhno
    Ukrainian architect Sergey Makhno is among the key European practitioners of the contemporary wabi-sabi style.
    He applied the concept at his own apartment in Kyiv (top and above), installing oak beams in the living room alongside furniture specifically designed for the home to complement his collection of ancient Eastern European ceramics.
    Find out more about this Kyiv apartment ›
    Photo by Koji Fujii/TOREAL, Takashi YasuiC4L House, Japan, by Cubo Design Architects
    Traditional Japanese materials sit alongside contemporary finishes at this house in  Tokyo designed by Cubo Design Architects.
    “We believe houses that are rooted in an understanding of Japan’s cultural context and a respect for the skills and innovations of our ancestors, which can nevertheless be passed onto future generations, are the kind of houses we should be building in Japan today,” said founder Hitoshi Saruta.
    Find out more about C4L House ›
    Photo by Daniel MulheranButterfly House, Australia, by Dane Taylor Design
    This home on the coast of New South Wales was designed to have a therapeutic effect for its owner, who lives with multiple sclerosis.
    Dane Taylor Design interpreted accessible design principles through a wabi-sabi lens, using a warm material palette and understated furniture pieces.
    Find out more about Butterfly House ›
    Photo courtesy of Tilden HotelTilden Hotel, USA, by Studio Tack
    Brooklyn design firm Studio Tack decided to evoke wabi-sabi in its revival of this art-deco hotel in San Francisco.
    In a subtle nod to the philosophy, clean lines were mixed with organic textures throughout the distinctly modernist interior.
    Find out more about Tilden Hotel ›
    Photo by Soar Design StudioWabi-Sabi House, Taiwan, by Soar Design Studio and Chen-Tien Chu
    Taiwanese practice Soar Design Studio and architect Chen-Tien Chu created an open-plan layout when renovating this house in Taichung, allowing all the spaces to have a connection to the outdoors via a series of garden terraces.
    In the lounge area, the wooden deck extends from the outside into the room, enhancing the feeling of nature being invited in.
    Find out more about Wabi-Sabi House ›
    Photo by Piet Albert GoethalsSilo apartment, Belgium, by Arjaan De Feyter
    Belgian interior architect Arjaan De Feyter is another prominent proponent of wabi-sabi design, as seen in his renovation of this apartment that occupies the former silos of a distillery outside Antwerp.
    Here, he left the structure’s curving concrete walls exposed and applied a micro-topping surface to the floors while installing bespoke oak furniture designed in collaboration with Tim Vranken.
    Find out more about Silo apartment ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring Japandi living rooms, bedrooms with earthy colour palettes and calming organic-modern interiors.

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    Design Theory updates mid-century coastal home in Perth

    In the City Beach suburb of Perth in Western Australia, interiors studio Design Theory has updated a tired house from the 1960s while remaining true to the rich palette of natural materials in the original design.

    The young client wanted a home where she could entertain friends and live with her dogs in a durable, easy-to-clean, pet-proof home with a reworked plan making space for three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
    Design Theory has renovated a 1960s house in Perth”The brief was, on the surface, simple: to update the home while keeping its considerable mid-century charm,” said Design Theory.
    “While its strengths lay in its architectural form and south-facing windows, our innovative approach to the project was essential in bringing contemporary functionality and sustainability to the fore,” the studio added.
    “By specifying with our client’s lifestyle in mind and considering every detail, she feels relaxed to use the house the way she wants to.”

    Carpet tiles bring tactility into the sunken loungeOnce the project was underway, Design Theory quickly discovered that the structure was largely rotten and had suffered significant termite damage, so extensive restoration work was required.
    “We established an early rationale to restore base-building elements in keeping with the original architecture and interior elements,” the studio said.
    “Joinery, finishes and furniture would be new, informed by mid-century design. This allowed the home to evolve yet respect the heritage of this special building.”
    Yellow mosaic tiles feature across the kitchen counterOtherwise, the house only needed sensitive restoration and a light touch to bring it up to date, according to the studio, due to its prescient emphasis on natural light, fresh air and modern, unpretentious living.
    “Our design cues were taken from the era of the house’s original design, a time of humbler, honest materials and restrained detailing,” said Design Theory co-founder Lisa Reeves.
    “Where cabinetry needed restoration, it was updated in respectful ways, always with a nod to what may have come before us.”
    Design Theory introduced Blackbutt timber details to the interiorThe material palette celebrates warm, earthy materials: exposed brick in terracotta tones, native Blackbutt timber and a cork-like Forbo Marmoleum on the floors.
    In the sunken lounge area, carpet tiles bring an added element of comfort and a distinctive gridded visual effect.
    The heavy use of richly toned timber and brick is balanced by the white of the painted wall sections, the grid-like window frames and low-hanging pendant lighting.

    Ten timeless mid-century modern interiors

    For the kitchen counters and the bathrooms, simple mosaic tiles continue the textural theme, while referencing the home’s early-60s origins.
    “We embraced a quintessentially West Australia landscape-inspired palette of Eucalyptus greens, warm timbers and sunset oranges,” the studio said.
    Forbo Marmoleum flooring was added for textural interestIn the kitchen, subtle detailing on the cabinetry such as the full-width handles adds visual interest without grabbing undue attention, while an orange range cooker adds a retro touch.
    The client acquired several pieces of vintage furniture along with the house, which Design Theory was keen to retain and restore.
    Mint green tiles feature throughout one of the two bathroomsAs a counterpoint to these mid-century elements, contemporary furniture in gently curving forms softens the rigorous lines of the original architecture and prevents the interiors from feeling like a period pastiche.
    Key pieces of hardware such as original door furniture and pendant lighting were also refurbished and reinstated, “lending an authenticity to the home’s new life”, according to the studio.
    The built-in bathtub is also made from multicoloured mosaic tilesOther residential projects in Perth that have been featured on Dezeen include a family home formed from arched panels of precast concrete and a wood-and-brick extension for a couple of empty nesters.
    The photography is by Jack Lovel.

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    2LG Studio brings colour and personality into London family home

    Ornately corniced ceilings were preserved and painted pastel inside this detached Edwardian house in southeast London, which local firm 2LG Studio has renovated for a returning client.

    Set in the leafy residential area of Forest Hill, the house on Sunderland Road belongs to a couple who needed space for their three young children to grow and play.
    2LG has completed Sunderland Road house in Forest Hill”Having designed this couple’s previous home, we had a strong sense of their tastes and wanted to evolve that for them in this house,” 2LG Studio founders Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead told Dezeen.
    “We wanted to bring out their characters by emboldening their love of colour and finding ways to build pattern and joy into the materiality of the home,” the duo added.
    “The intent here was to respect the period elements of the building, whilst reflecting the modern style of the family who live there.”

    Hand-printed wallpaper by Custhom Studio features in the lounge and hallwayThroughout the house, playful elements are in balance with a more serious aesthetic.
    Instead of treating the home’s elaborate ceiling mouldings separately – as tradition dictates – 2LG Studio applied a colour-block philosophy and painted them in the same pastel tones used across the upper walls and ceilings.
    The studio drew on a range of references for the interior, from 1980s colours to Italian design elements such as marble and Murano glass lighting, all the way to the Scandinavian influences seen in the natural materials and minimalist approach to furnishing.
    The kitchen is defined by sky-blue cabinetry and marble countertopsCreating impact in the entrance hall is a hand-printed wallpaper, designed by 2LG Studio with long-term collaborator Custhom Studio and used here in a bespoke calamine-pink colourway that’s repeated in the connecting spaces throughout the house, as well as in the rear living area.
    “It creates a welcoming, human feel as soon as you enter,” the design team said.
    This ballet-slipper colour is paired with a brighter candy pink, bringing calm and warmth to the overall scheme.
    2LG painted ceilings, mouldings and upper walls in pastel coloursPink-heavy palettes have become a signature for 2LG, also reflected in the natural pink undertones of the extra-wide Douglas fir floorboards that feature throughout the house alongside a grey poured-resin floor in the kitchen.
    “The floorboards set the tone with a nod to Scandi minimalism, adding a natural soul throughout that unites the bolder elements,” said 2LG Studio.

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    In the kitchen, sky-blue cabinetry is used alongside marble countertops and splashbacks, with arched forms uniting the two finishes while pink elements such as bar stools pop against this calm backdrop.
    “The colours are a key part of the atmosphere and identity of this house,” said 2LG. “The blues gets deeper and bolder as you move upstairs into the study and the family bathroom.”
    “Primary red details give structure to the colour palette in the living room. Pastel green in the baby’s room is serene and fresh, warmed up with a mix of wood tones and creams.”
    Pink details feature throughout the home’s interiorsThe project features bespoke joinery including a playhouse on stilts in one of the kids’ rooms alongside existing 2LG pieces such as the Luca bedhead in the loft bedroom and the Tilda sofa, both designed for London furniture company Love Your Home and upholstered here in Kvadrat x Raf Simons fabric.
    “The fitted elements of the furniture give a sense of coherent design and function to the spaces whilst the classic design pieces bring a curated gallery feel, not unlike a contemporary luxury fashion store,” said 2LG Studio.
    2LG designed custom joinery including a stilted playhouseVarious recycled materials provide textural interest throughout the house, among them the recycled plastic wall lights in the living room by Spark and Bell.
    2LG Studio also added a pink Foresso top made using waste wood chips and resin to the dining table, while the bespoke bathroom cabinet was made using leftover Douglas fir floorboards with recycled plastic details by UK company Smile Plastics.
    Pastel green was used to finish the baby’s roomSince Cluroe and Whitehead founded their design practice in 2014 under the name 2 Lovely Gays, the studio has completed a number of residential projects in the British capital.
    Among them is the couple’s own home and office – to which they recently added a garden pavilion with a “touch of Beetlejuice” – and an equally colour-led renovation of a period property in the Heaver Estate conservation area.
    The photography is by Megan Taylor.

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