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      Ten homes that make a feature of their corridors

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      Our latest lookbook showcases 10 homes that prove that with the right use of elements such as colour, unusual flooring or feature walls, internal corridors can be much more than a necessary evil.

      Corridors are sometimes frowned upon, with contemporary architects often preferring to create open-plan layouts that avoid any potentially cramped passageways.
      But in some cases, corridors are unavoidable, and they can even become a space to enjoy in their own right.
      Below are 10 examples of the various ways in which architects and designers have sought to celebrate corridors in residential interiors.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring compact bedrooms, interiors that use room dividers and homes with built-in furniture.

      Photo is by Ståle EriksenUpper Wimpole Street apartment, UK, by Jonathan Tuckey Design
      This elliptical corridor leads from the living room of this flat in a Regency-era London townhouse into an antechamber next to the master bedroom.
      Architecture studio Jonathan Tuckey Design used pastel pink for the walls and striking black and white triangular floor tiles that contrast with the palette of the adjacent room, defining it as its own space while conveying a sense of intrigue about what lies beyond.
      Find out more about this Upper Wimpole Street apartment ›
      Photo is by Jeremie WarshafskyCandy Loft, Canada, by StudioAC
      Toronto firm StudioAC gave this loft conversion apartment in a former factory a more intimate feel by creating white, arched corridors with pale Douglas fir floors from Dinesen skirted by warm inlaid LED lights.
      “The upward glow of the lighting highlights the curve overhead as you move through the extruded thresholds,” the studio said.
      Find out more about Candy Loft ›
      Photo is by Stijn BollaertWeekend House, Belgium, by Bovenbouw Architectuur
      Antwerp studio Bovenbouw Architectuur designed this bungalow to make visitors feel like they are walking up a path by opening the front door onto a curving hallway of wooden steps leading up through the house.
      “We liked the idea to see the house as a walk up the slope, a path,” practice founder Dirk Somers said. “When you walk up the ‘path’, the corridor, you look into the trees in the back of the garden.”
      Find out more about Weekend House ›
      Photo is by Nick GlimenakisRiverside Apartment, USA, by Format Architecture Office
      A translucent glass portion is set into the pale hardwood wall of this corridor in a compact New York apartment renovated by Format Architecture Office.
      The glass allows light to pass through to avoid making the space feel cramped, while the millwork contains cupboards for storage, with the corridor itself serving to create a clear distinction between different areas in the home.
      Find out more about Riverside Apartment ›
      Photo is by Pol ViladomsMontcada house, Spain, by Hiha Studio
      Slicing through this long, narrow dwelling near Barcelona renovated by Hiha Studio is a corridor defined by an inward-curving wall bearing full-height doors, designed to break up the linear layout of the space.
      To accentuate the curve, the rooms behind the doors have a slightly lower ceiling that continues beyond the corridor and cuts diagonally across the adjacent living area, carrying with it the same light-grey colour.
      Find out more about this Montcada house ›
      Photo is by Maxime BrouilletMB House, Canada, by Jean Verville Architectes
      Jean Verville Architectes filled this house in Montreal with recesses and passageways to delineate the space in a sculptural manner.
      Like nearly all the surfaces in the home, the corridor running from the front door is made of plywood, producing a minimalist, functional aesthetic while also concealing storage spaces.
      Find out more about MB House ›
      Photo is by Brian FerryBed-Stuy Townhouse, USA, by Civilian
      Brooklyn studio Civilian actually created a new corridor in this renovated historic townhouse by adding a full-height maple millwork block to divide two spaces while also providing storage.
      The small corridor section itself, which connects the kitchen to the living room, is lined with aluminium laminate and framed by parquet-styled American oak flooring.
      Find out more about Bed-Stuy Townhouse ›
      Photo is by Yannis DrakoulidisTrikoupi Apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme Architects
      The flooring plays a crucial role in creating a different kind of corridor in this Athens apartment reworked by local studio Point Supreme Architects.
      A long strip of oak parquet running perpendicular to the entrance hall creates a notional walkway from the dining area out to the balcony, acting as the clear central spine of the interior despite its open-plan layout.
      Find out more about Trikoupi Apartment ›
      Photo is by Luis Diaz DiazInner Home, Spain, by Azab
      Architecture studio Azab had only a very tight budget to refresh the interiors of this 1970s flat in Bilbao and was unable to make any major structural changes.
      Instead, it chose to liven up a long corridor through the centre with bold bubblegum-pink paint and a matching carpet, with a gabled glazed doorframe fitting into the pitched ceiling at one end.
      Find out more about Inner Home ›
      Photo is by Gonzalo ViramonteCasa Genaro, Argentina, by S_estudio
      This residence in Córdoba was designed by Argentine firm S_estudio for a family with a son who uses a wheelchair, so contains numerous elements of accessible design.
      Among them is a wide, central entrance hallway that extends to provide direct access to every room in the house, illuminated by generous skylights.
      Find out more about Casa Genaro ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring compact bedrooms, interiors that use room dividers and homes with built-in furniture.

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      Nwankpa Design creates compact, colourful sanctuary for working mom in LA

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      California studio Nwankpa Design has transformed a room in a family house into a colourful, private space for a mother to work, breastfeed and exercise.

      The project, called Cumberland Hideaway, was designed by local firm Nwankpa Design for a creative director and mother of two. Totalling 200 square feet (18.5 square metres), the slender, rectangular room is located within a suburban, ranch-style home in Los Angeles.
      Cumberland Hideaway was designed by local firm Nwankpa DesignThe space formerly held a storage area, and before that, it served as a garage.
      The client desired a “sanctuary” where she could work, nurse and ride a fitness bike, in addition to having storage space. The design needed to be as efficient as possible because of the room’s limited size.
      “The programme packs a lot into the small footprint,” the studio said.

      The room was designed for a mother to breastfeed, work and exerciseThe team opted for blocks of colour, streamlined cabinetry and contemporary decor. The combined elements create variety without making the space feel too crowded.
      A skylight and slit windows bring in daylight while also offering privacy. Extra illumination is provided by globe-shaped Carina Maxi pendants from Nuevo Living, a Restoration Hardware chandelier and sconces by Brooklyn studio In Common With.
      Nwankpa Design added colourful accents to the spaceWalls are sheathed in a light-grey wallpaper from Fayce. Bush-hammered porcelain tile was used for the flooring.
      Furnishings include a wooden treadmill desk, a Blu Dot table and a peach sofa from Interior Define. A bold, striped rug by Ralph Lauren helps delineate the lounge area.
      Furnishings include a wooden work deskCustom medium-density fibreboard cabinets – in shades of pale pink, baby blue and white – were staggered to fit a Peloton exercise bike. Brass was selected for knobs and handles. A mini fridge was incorporated into cabinetry along one wall.
      A range of potted plants helps to round out the space.

      The Wing Williamsburg is a black and beige co-working space

      Studio founder Susan Nwankpa Gillespie said the project brief resonated with her, being a working mom herself.
      “It’s about all of the things we need, without compromising what we want,” she said.
      “We need a space to decompress – somewhere we can focus and get work done, whatever kind of work that is,” she added. “We also want it to feel special, to uplift us.”
      Nwankpa Design scattered potted plants around the roomOther spaces for working moms include Big and Tiny, a co-working facility with on-site childcare that features wooden decor and a blue-and-pink colour palette, and a variety of outposts for The Wing, a women-focused, co-working company.
      The photography is by Madeline Tolle.
      Project credits:
      Design studio: Nwankpa DesignTeam: Susan Nwankpa Gillespie (lead designer), Lillian Nguyen (designer)

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      Jennifer Morden creates “aspirational” mid-century house with sinister dungeon for Fresh

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      Production designer Jennifer Morden created a mid-century house to reflect the personality of the flamboyant and misogynistic antagonist in comedy-thriller film Fresh.

      Morden and her team built two individual sets in a studio to represent the house for the film, which was directed by Mimi Cave and shot in Canada’s British Columbia.
      Fresh features a mid-century house that belongs to cannibal SteveThe sets were designed to portray the main floor and basement of a lavish mid-century house that forms a secluded lair for Steve – a seemingly-charming man who seduces women into dating him, after which he traps them in his basement and reveals that he is actually a psychopathic butcher of human meat.
      “We wanted to make as much as we could so we could customise it,” Morden told Dezeen in a video call from Canada, explaining the decision not to use a real house for the project.
      The dining room is positioned at the highest level on the main floorFresh tells the story of Steve’s relationship with Noa, who he briefly dates and subsequently lures to his house. The characters are played by actors Sebastian Stan and Daisy Edgar-Jones respectively.

      “The choice to go with a mid-century style house was partly because right now it’s really popular,” said Morden.
      “People love mid-century houses and they’ve had a big resurgence in modern design. It was also about Steve looking aspirational.”
      Dark wooden cabinetry was included in the kitchenOn-screen, the rooms on the house’s main floor are presented at subtly different levels from each other in what Morden called a “hierarchy of spaces”.
      A dining room is seen on the highest level, a kitchen slightly lower down, and then a living room and finally Steve’s bedroom.
      Plush furniture such as 1970s Camaleonda sofas by Mario Bellini and Eames-like armchairs decorated these spaces and were set against harsher accents including dark wooden cabinetry and built-in concrete seating.
      A curved basement informed by fallopian tubes holds women captiveThe other set representing the basement featured a concrete floating staircase dug out of rock, which leads to dungeon-like, teak-lined hallways that descend to cells with sunken beds where women are held captive.
      Steve’s operating room forms the basement’s lowest level, where he harvests the imprisoned women’s meat and body parts.
      “Wherever we see Steve in relation to his victims, he’s always at a higher level to them,” explained the production designer.
      Steve’s operating room is located at the bottom of the basementSteve’s house intends to reflect his complex and powerful persona, which quickly transforms from outwardly normal to sinister as the drama unfolds, according to Morden.
      “I was like, okay, everything we do needs to involve body parts, in some capacity. Every piece of artwork, every piece of furniture and the way the hallways are designed.”
      Imagery of body parts is repeated throughout the filmTo illustrate this idea, the production designer and her team placed a Michel Ducaroy “body chair” in Steve’s bedroom and created faux herringbone flooring from pieces of painted, hand-laid plywood, which Morden said she “really wanted to feel like ribs”.
      The curved, cave-like basement was informed by fallopian tubes and designed to be a grand auditorium for Steve – a “crazy” idea that Morden pitched in her interview for the project.
      An abstract painting conceals items belonging to Steve’s victimsAn abstract painting was placed on the living room wall, which actually included hair, teeth and nails on closer inspection. In an early scene, upon arriving at the house before she is drugged and trapped, Noa studies the artwork.
      It is later revealed that Steve hides personal items belonging to the captured women behind this painting in boxy cubby holes that mirror the basement cells below.
      Wooden and concrete accents feature on the main floor and in the basement”Mimi wanted to use the piece of artwork as a little Easter egg [a term for hidden messages in a film] for later because it’s the first thing Noa sees and she’s drawn towards it,” reflected Morden.
      “The idea was that if we can draw everything back to body parts then we can start to create the story’s subliminal messaging and foreshadow what’s to come as much as we can.”

      Seven houses that play a starring role in films including Parasite and The Power of the Dog

      The production designer said that it was important to visually connect the main floor to the basement, which was partly achieved by adding wooden elements to the mainly concrete basement and concrete elements to the largely wooden main floor.
      Eventually, Cave and cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski had the idea to add vivid and humorous sunset murals to the walls of the women’s cells.
      The decision to incorporate colourful carpets became natural after this, linking the basement to Steve’s opulent quarters above, according to Morden.
      Kitschy holiday-like murals were added to the cells to reflect Steve’s obnoxious nature”The idea was, what if we made the basement this space that Steve thought he was gifting to these people?” she explained, referencing Steve’s obnoxious and flamboyant character.
      “What if we use the idea that this misogynistic and unaware male was like, ‘I’m going to create a room that’s going to feel so nice for my victims?’ What would he put in there?”
      Each of the women’s rooms has a different coloured carpetCinematographically, Fresh also has a warm and fleshy colour palette of reds and oranges throughout, which nods to its graphic storyline.
      “I think for me, the biggest thing is just telling people to find all the Easter eggs in the film. There’s so much repeated imagery, especially around body parts,” concluded Morden.
      Other recent film and TV productions that feature architecturally-centred set design include Oscar-winning The Power of the Dog and BBC drama The Girl Before.
      The images are courtesy of Jennifer Morden.
      Project credits:
      Director: Mimi CaveWriter: Lauryn KahnProduction designer: Jennifer MordenSet decorator: Stephanie AjmeriaSet designers: Peter Stratford and Amanda De CastroCinematographer: Pawel Pogorzelski

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      Tristan Auer designs Blade Runner-inspired bathroom for Axor

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      Promotion: drawing on the aesthetic of the film Blade Runner, architect Tristan Auer has designed a neon-lit bathroom concept for Axor to suit an imagined male client.

      Auer created the concept as part of the German brand’s Distinctive project, which tasks some of the world’s leading architects with creating highly individual bathrooms.
      Auer was free to design whatever he wanted, but had his imagination sparked by a suggestion in the brief that the bathroom sit in a high-rise apartment in Hong Kong.
      Tristan Auer’s bathroom concept was partly inspired by the aesthetic of Blade Runner”You know Blade Runner from Ridley Scott? Hong Kong is like that — something that is building on top of itself. Different layers,” he said.
      “You have the crowd on the street level, and then, as you elevate, it’s more and more futuristic. It’s why I combine old antiques pieces with very modern textures.”

      From this starting point, Auer developed a dark bathroom that combines reflective stainless steel elements with neon lighting and a mix of different travertine stones.
      He wanted to give the bathroom a masculine feel with ’80s touchesAxor’s Edge faucets, designed by Jean-Marie Massaud, further fuelled his worldbuilding around the design, as he says their diamond-cut pyramidal pattern reminds him of an 80s icon, the ST Dupont lighter.
      “I don’t smoke, but I like to touch. So that sets the stage — Dupont, those colors, those ambiances,” he said, explaining that, in combination with the “masculine” travertine, it helped him to build a picture of his imagined client.
      “It’s for a man. Definitely selfish. The guy is only thinking about himself. He likes to collect. He’s a hedonist.”
      The pattern on the Axor Edge faucets fuelled Auer’s imaginationAs well as the Axor Edge washbasin faucet and freestanding bath faucet, Auer’s bathroom features the Axor ShowerHeaven and Axor Edge thermostat in the shower and Philippe Starck’s ultramodern Axor Universal rectangular accessories.
      They all have a polished gold optic finish, which adds to the bold and moodily space-age look of the bathroom.
      “Axor Edge is great, and not only because Jean-Marie is a good friend,” said Auer. “I would have liked to have designed it before him!”
      The Axor Edge tapware is by Jean-Marie MassaudAuer describes himself as an “interior and emotion” architect, because of how he reads and interprets his clients’ wishes, drawing inspiration from them rather than imposing his own style.
      He started his career with French interior designer and architect Christian Liaigre, who worked wholly bespoke at the time, and says he learned to design everything down to the door handle.
      Auer mixed layers of modern elements and antique pieces in the bathroom concept”I know the artisans,” he said. “I know the process. And individualisation is very interesting because, for me, that’s luxury, to have something made for you.”
      Individualisation of living spaces is the focus of Axor’s Distinctive project, for which Auer and fellow architects Sarah Poniatowski and Hadi Teherani have all designed highly personalised bathrooms.
      Axor sees individualisation as a growing trend, with people seeking more personal expressions of style following decades of globalisation and standardisation.
      To view more of Axor’s products, visit its website.
      Partnership content
      This article was written by Dezeen for Axor as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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      Attitude of “permanent renewal” drives retail success says Colette co-founder Sarah Andelman in Liganova talk

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      Promotion: Sarah Andelman, co-founder of Parisian concept store Colette, has discussed the unexpected approaches needed to succeed in the future retail landscape in a talk hosted by Dezeen and brand retail experts Liganova during Milan design week.

      Andelman was in conversation with Dezeen’s chief content officer Benedict Hobson at brand and retail experience company Liganova’s Salone Club, a live event held in a lounge overlooking the rooftops of Milan.
      The event explored the topic of the future of retail and how brands can create relevant and meaningful experiences in stores through curation and collaboration, with Andelman drawing on her decades of experience helming Colette alongside her mother, Colette Roussaux.
      The talk included Mathias Ullrich, Ben Hobson and Sarah AndelmanThe Paris boutique – opened in 1997 and widely considered one of the most influential stores in the world – brought together fashion, streetwear and beauty products. The space also included a gallery, bookshop, cafe and “water bar” serving more than 100 varieties of bottled water.
      Mother and daughter kept things fresh by changing the windows and displays every week, and Andelman said that it was the fact that they would always “renew ourselves” that meant people would come back to see what’s new.

      “We would always push and try to introduce things we haven’t seen yet, and this permanent renewal,” she said. “It was a mix of brands and mix of events. I think this energy helped create what Colette was.”
      Andelman is the co-founder of Parisian concept store ColetteColette closed in late 2017 when it was almost at the height of its popularity and Andelman says going out on a high when the time felt right was “the best decision we took”.
      The next year she founded her consulting agency, Just an Idea, which has worked with brands including Valentino and Nike to produce unique and tailored retail experiences.
      Andelman considers collaboration one of the keys to current and future retail success but says it has become harder than ever to make an impression in the space.
      Sarah Andelman was in conversation with Ben Hobson at Liganova’s Salone Club at Milan design week 2022″Now there are so many unexpected collaborations that you’re not surprised anymore,” she said. “It’s really everywhere.”
      “We had so many collaborations of brands with artists, brands with brands, I think now maybe we’ll talk to writers, to architects, to hospitality, to find new ways of developing a new format of collaboration to bring a new dimension to the classic collaboration,” she continued.
      Curation is also key according to Andelman, who urges curators to embrace their idiosyncracies without fear. It is something she and Roussaux were known for at Colette, which presented high-end labels alongside undiscovered emerging designers.
      Andelman spoke in front of an audience of Liganova partners, clients and friends”For a good curator I think you need knowledge, you need to know what exists, you need to be super curious, to have to go to multiple trade shows, showrooms, anything,” she said. “You hear, you read, you follow information, you really just follow your instinct, to not try to duplicate something you have seen somewhere else.”
      In the future, she believes the real world and metaverse will come to intersect in the retail space, requiring continuity of approach from brands.
      At the same time, there will continue to be a place for bricks-and-mortar stores, especially “retail experiences” that capture the senses and are almost museum-like in their approach.
      The live talk took place in a rooftop lounge looking out over Milan”I think bricks and mortar are here to stay if there is this extra touch to make it the opposite of the internet, this human service, maybe a drink, this extra service that you won’t find online,” she said.
      “I think it’s fantastic for brands like Jacquemus to have a concept like its pop-up at Selfridges,” she said. “It’s a focus on one bag. You feel the water, you hear the sound.”
      “In an experience, I think you need all of these: the sound, the smell, the touch and the fact that it’s not a system that they will duplicate in Tokyo, New York, but they really take the time to design something different for each market,” she continued. “The challenge is to keep it short and to renew and do something completely different next time.”
      To learn more about Liganova, visit its website.
      Milan design week 2022
      Salone Club took place on 8 June as part of Milan design week 2022. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
      Partnership content
      This article was written by Dezeen for Liganova as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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      Tala Fustok Studio layers different metals to create calm ambience in Manhattan loft apartment

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      Tala Fustok Studio used different mineral textures and materials to soften the hard edges of this industrial apartment in New York’s West Village.

      Designed for a single female occupant, the apartment is located on a five-block stretch on Bleecker Street within a restored late 1800s building that was originally designed to house the Schumacher and Ettlinger lithographic printing business.
      A corten steel staircase connects two floorsThe 348-square-metre three-bedroom apartment is split over two floors connected by a corten steel staircase.
      The client asked London designers Tala Fustok Studio to create a calm, contemporary space using artisanal and mineral materials inspired by the city.
      Oversized windows let in natural sunlightThe designers reorganised the space to emphasise the apartment’s tall ceilings, oversized windows and natural sunlight.

      To create better clarity in the space, the staircase that connects the two floors was also designed to separate the kitchen from the living room.
      This monolithic piece is wrapped in a patchwork of welded corten steel produced by Brooklyn-based metal fabricator Gabrielle Shelton.

      Tala Fustok designs Ninja Theory office to entice employees back into workplace

      The studio also added a maple and glass wall that houses a Patagonia stone workspace and a display cabinet that showcases the client’s vase and vintage crockery collection.
      Patagonia stone was also used in the kitchen, while the apartment’s walls were rendered in limestone and textured glass was chosen to dapple the natural light, creating a serene and calm ambience.
      A display cabinet holds vintage crockeryIt was important to the studio and the client to work with local artisans like Shelton. Other locally-made pieces include the liquid metal bespoke bathtub and living area walls by New York-based atelier Courbet.
      The reclaimed walnut flooring was sourced locally and an array of different metals in the kitchen, such as the blackened steel cabinets and brass cooker hood, were all handcrafted by local artisans.
      The kitchen has decoratove Patagonia stoneThe London studio previously created an office with a blood-red bar and all-blue cinema room for a BAFTA-winning game developer in Cambridge.
      The photography is by Isabel Parra.

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      OWIU creates tranquil environment in renovated LA home

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      California studio OWIU has revamped the interior of a 1950s home, adding elements that were inspired by traditional Japanese inns to create a peaceful environment.

      The 1,516-square-foot (141-square-metre) house, called Palmero, sits within the San Rafael Hills in LA’s Mount Washington neighbourhood.
      On the exterior, OWIU applied smooth, tan stuccoThe single-storey residence was bought as an investment property by actor Kane Lim and was sold last month following a renovation by local studio OWIU, which stands for The Only Way Is Up.
      Originally built in 1955, the dwelling looks toward the city skyline in the distance.
      OWIU designed the home, which overlooks the city skyline”We were drawn to the home’s seclusion from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles,” said Joel Wong, who leads OWIU with Amanda Gunawan.

      When the designers embarked on the mid-century renovation project, the house was in rough shape, with soiled carpets, degraded flooring and broken windows, among other issues.
      It is a mid-century renovation projectThe designers aimed to transform the neglected home into “a refuge of calm” by drawing upon the landscape and using neutral elements that would help quiet the mind.
      “If you go in strong with design, it energizes you quickly and then promptly dies out,” said Gunawan.
      Palmero takes cues from traditional Japanese inns”Much of our design leans toward the ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, enabling us to achieve a visceral effect,” she added.
      On the exterior, the designers applied smooth, tan stucco. To create a more open atmosphere within, they removed several non-load-bearing walls and false ceilings and reconfigured part of the layout to create a main bedroom suite.
      Earthy colours give the home an organic feelEarthy colours like terracotta and beige – and materials such as light-toned oak flooring – give the home an organic feel.
      In certain rooms, walls are clad in Venetian plaster. The designers said that this material “brings the delicate texture of the surrounding mountains into the home”.
      Original wooden beams and panels were sanded down, revealing the natural colour.
      The kitchen has quartzite countertopsIn the kitchen, one finds quartzite countertops and oak cabinets, along with an island made of glass blocks. The same material was used for a partition separating the living area from a bathroom, creating privacy without obstructing flow.
      The designers noted that the glass bricks – which are structurally strong while still enabling the passage of light – are often associated with “a period of garish flash from the ’80s”.
      Retro glass bricks feature in the interior design”OWIU sought to restore the material to its original glamour and refigure what might otherwise be considered obsolete,” the team said.
      To furnish the house, the designers worked with the vintage collector Jullie Nguyen of LA’s Ban Ban Studio.
      Vintage collector Jullie Nguyen assisted on the projectNotable pieces include a modular sofa by Vladimir Kagan and a 1980s Hexa coffee table by Bernard Vuarnesson, both of which date to the 1980s.
      Lighting fixtures include three lamps by Isamu Noguchi and several George Nelson pendants.

      Heusch restores Beverly Hills home to honour original design

      “These pieces brought a distinctly modern-yet-practical touch to the home while remaining in harmony with the existing architecture and new design elements,” the team said.
      Beyond the interior, the studio reimagined the backyard by creating a sculptural, poured-concrete terrace and a custom bench around a fire pit.
      A small wooden desk takes cues from a platform in a Zen gardenMoreover, the studio added a small wooden deck off the main bedroom that is meant to evoke a platform in a Zen garden. It also takes cues from tea ceremony rooms found in ryokans.
      “The step down leads, almost imperceptibly, into the garden, easing the home dweller into the natural space,” the designers said, noting that the yard features bonsai and maple trees.
      “The action is so unassuming that one might forget this step after the routine of living, but this is precisely the goal: a ritualized transition into calming spaces.”
      Japanese ryokans informed the design of Palmero houseOther projects by OWIU include a renovated apartment in an old factory in downtown LA, which features Japanese design elements that encourage “a mindful lifestyle”.
      The photography is by Justin Chung.
      Project credits:
      Designer and builder: OWIUDesign team: Joel Wong, Amanda Gunawan, Claudia Wainer, Nathan Lin, Bonnie Wong and Leo Yang

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      Luchetti Krelle creates eclectic bar Jane inside former butcher shop

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      Seventies decor, French bistros and indigenous flowers are some of the references design studio Luchetti Krelle has mixed inside this bar in Sydney, Australia, which occupies a converted butcher.

      Serving local wines and small plates, Jane is meant to be the more casual counterpart to Arthur – a nearby restaurant offering only five-course tasting menus.
      The bar retains the butcher’s original facadeBoth venues are run by chef Tristan Rosier and are named after his late grandparents.
      The building now housing Jane originally served as a butcher but was subsequently reincarnated as various eateries, which made it in desperate need of a revamp, according to Luchetti Krelle.
      A cosy group seating area was created by the entranceThe studio made some minor tweaks to the building’s tiled facade, restoring the brass framework and replacing its tinted windows and door panes with clear glass to allow passersby to look inside.

      A section of the butcher’s original gold-leaf signage was also carefully preserved.
      The seating area features a marble table and vintage chandelierThe interior’s 70-square-metre footprint only allowed Luchetti Krelle to make minimal structural alterations.
      A cosy dining area fit for eight guests was created beside the entrance, featuring a curved seating booth and a Rosso Levanto marble table with a built-in Lazy Susan. Overhead dangles a vintage chandelier, its ornate design reflected in the mirror-clad walls.
      Natural red fibres were sprayed across the ceilingA banquette runs the length of the bar on the right-hand side, its backrest upholstered in caramel-coloured corduroy as a subtle tribute to the 70s-style interiors found in the former home of Rosier’s grandparents.
      The banquette is accompanied by a series of bespoke wooden tables with slanted corners so that even when the bar is busy and guests are in closer proximity, they can’t bump into any sharp corners.

      Four Pillars Laboratory in Sydney is a “sanctuary” for gin enthusiasts

      On the opposite side of the room is a brass-edged drinks bar finished with a Carrara marble countertop.
      High stools upholstered in butter-yellow leather stand in front of the bar, framed by a tiled floral splashback that’s meant to be loosely reminiscent of a Parisian bistro floor.
      A corduroy banquette nods to the 70sPrior to Luchetti Krelle’s intervention, the interior featured a “cold” black-and-white paint scheme. So the studio was keen to introduce some bolder colours – particularly those synonymous with the Australian bush.
      The existing concrete floor was coated in eucalyptus-green paint while the ceiling was finished with a natural red fibre that’s similar in hue to the indigenous Waratah flower.
      Just beneath the ceiling is a sequence of custom shelves, just high enough to fit a typical wine bottle.
      Brass ribboning runs around the base and countertop of the barCorduroy seating and Rosso Levanto tables were installed in Jane’s narrower rear dining room to create an aesthetic connection to the rest of the bar.
      From here, diners can access the bar’s private courtyard and the toilets, which take over the butcher’s former salting room.
      A new skylight brings light to the windowless dining area at the rearThis space was previously accessed via a short flight of steps. But the floor was raised to meet the level of the front room and further enhance the sense of continuity.
      A new skylight and glazed panel in the back door help illuminate the space, while a false ceiling was knocked through to make the walls appear taller.
      This room was also fitted with corduroy-lined furnitureLuchetti Krelle was established in 2008 and is led by Rachel Luchetti and Stuart Krell.
      Jane joins a multitude of bars and restaurants in Sydney, which is known for its vibrant dining scene.
      Other examples include moody gin bar Four Pillars Laboratory and Glorietta, an airy Italian restaurant decked out with timber and rattan furnishings.
      The photography is by Anson Smart.

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