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      Eight stylish living rooms where board-marked concrete adds character

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      For our latest lookbook, we’ve collected eight living rooms from Dezeen’s archive where architects have used board-marked concrete walls and ceilings to add textural interest.

      As its name suggests, board-marked concrete, or board-formed concrete, is concrete that has been created using timber boards in its casting.
      This imprints the pattern of the wood onto the concrete, giving it a more organic look and making it feel less industrial than smoother concrete.
      As seen in the eight interiors below, board-marked concrete can add tactile interest and function as a stylish backdrop to living rooms across the globe.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring kitchens brightened by skylights, exposed structural ceiling beams and clerestory windows.

      Photo by Francisco NogueiraCasa Meco, Portugal, by Atelier Rua
      A large living room with windows on three sides is at the heart of this Portuguese holiday home designed by Atelier Rua.
      Its walls and ceiling were made from board-marked concrete, which is contrasted by a stone floor. Furniture and textiles in earthy hues add to the room’s natural feel.
      Find out more about Casa Meco ›
      Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Alférez, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
      Mexico City-based architect Ludwig Godefroy created this brutalist holiday home entirely from board-formed concrete, with the material taking centre stage throughout the house.
      In the living room, it was used to create a double-height living space that surrounds a cosy green conversation pit.
      Find out more about Casa Alférez ›
      Photo by Edmund SumnerPedro Reyes House, Mexico, by Pedro Reyes
      A staircase and library were rendered in coarse concrete for the living room in this Mexico City home.
      Designed by architect Pedro Reyes for himself, his wife and their children, the house also features an irregularly paved stone floor and plenty of green plants.
      Find out more about Pedro Reyes House ›
      Photo by Tomaz GregoricVilla Eternal Way, Slovenia, by OFIS Arhitekti
      The entire entrance floor of this Slovenian house is one large living room, with walls and ceiling made from board-formed concrete.
      Local studio OFIS Arhitekti contrasted the grey concrete with floor-to-ceiling black cupboards and added tactile details in the form of a boucle sofa and leather dining chairs.
      Find out more about Villa Eternal Way ›
      Photo by Ooki JinguBuilding Frame of the House, Japan, by IGArchitects
      Designed for both living and working, Japanese studio IGArchitects conceived Building Frame of the House as “one big room” that would let its clients work anywhere.
      The home’s exposed board-marked concrete walls hold stepped mezzanine levels, creating overlapping spaces that the owners can configure into different rooms as needed.
      Find out more about Building Frame of the House ›
      Photo by Onnis LuqueAT House, Mexico, by Laurent Herbiet
      Architect Laurent Herbiet designed the AT House in Oaxtepec, Mexico, as 10 glazed sections divided by board-marked concrete walls.
      The concrete was left visible in the living room, which has a muted yet warm colour palette. Wooden furniture adds to the cosy atmosphere.
      Find out more about AT House ›
      Photo by Ishita Sitwala, The Fishy ProjectGujarat house, India, by Design ni Dukaan
      This “citadel-like” house in India was designed to wrap around a central courtyard space, creating an indoor-outdoor feel.
      In its formal living and dining room next to the courtyard, a tactile ceiling made from board-formed concrete sits above a glossy, polished floor, with a sculptural wood-and-marble coffee table completing the room.
      Find out more about Gujarat house ›
      Photo by Daniela Mac AddenCasa Golf, Argentina, by Luciano Kruk
      A pale grey colour palette dominates the living room of this stacked-volume holiday home in a seaside resort in Argentina.
      Board-marked concrete was used for its ceiling and walls and matched with a polished stone floor. A delicate Isamu Noguchi coffee table and wooden Eames chairs lend the room an air of mid-century modern elegance.
      Find out more about Casa Golf ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring kitchens brightened by skylights, exposed structural ceiling beams and clerestory windows.

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      Niceworkshop applies artificial wood grain texture to Seoul cafe interior

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      South Korean studio Niceworkshop has designed a pared-back interior for a cafe in Seoul, where concrete walls and stainless-steel furnishings are finished to mimic wood.

      Set in the city’s multicultural Itaewon district, HaHouse Cafe operates alongside an exhibition space on the floor above, designed by Niceworkshop founder Hyunseog Oh in 2022.
      Niceworkshop has given Seoul’s HaHouse Cafe a pared-back makeoverThe initial demolition phase revealed a pair of concrete walls that informed the spatial arrangement of both the gallery and the cafe, as well as influencing the raw material palette applied across both interiors.
      Oh used concrete, metal and wood to reference the project’s urban setting, adding natural textures to the manmade materials to create a sense of visual cohesion.
      The studio etched a wood grain pattern onto stainless-steel furnishings”The wood inside HaHouse Cafe serves as the basis for the texture that expresses nature,” the designer explained. “It bridges the modern urban environment with nature, symbolising their coexistence.”

      The interior applies the same principles as Oh’s Neo-Naturalism furniture series, which features a wood grain pattern etched onto geometric stainless-steel seats and tables.
      Hand-sanded doors with opaque framing lead to a storage area and restroomThe use of concrete for the walls and ceiling was informed by the two existing walls that delineate the space. Concrete applied to the surfaces was stamped with wood to create a natural texture.
      The serving counter and utility spaces along one wall are clad in aluminium with a subtly reflective satin finish.

      Teki Design creates Kyoto cafe as hub to “learn about the future of coffee”

      A pair of doors leading to a storage area and restroom feature reflective surfaces that Oh sanded by hand to create an opaque frame around the edges.
      “Through the opaque reflective surface, I wanted to show both the artificial nature inside the space and the real nature outside the window,” he told Dezeen.
      Individual NN stools combine to create a larger bench with a concave seatMuch of the furniture used in the cafe was created especially to complement the interior’s pared-back material palette.
      Expanding on the Neo-Naturalism furniture series from 2023, the chairs and lights were engraved using a Dremel tool to create a wood grain pattern.
      The tactile Neo-Naturalism tables are made from solid ash and red oakThe NN tables are made from solid ash and red oak, bringing warmth and tactility to the otherwise austere space. The legs and tops are joined at the corners using simple nuts and bolts.
      Other furniture items include the NN stools, which are informed by standard-sawn timber logs. Four of the 20-by-20 centimetre sections are combined to create a stool with a concave seat.
      Niceworkshop also created a series of custom lights for the cafeAccording to Oh, the main objective with the HaHouse project was to create a cultural space that appeals to a variety of people and provides them with a new spatial experience.
      Previous experimental projects from Niceworkshop include a furniture collection made using skyscraper formwork salvaged from construction sites that was presented at this year’s Milan design week.
      Oh founded his studio in 2021 after completing a bachelor’s degree in interior architecture at Soongsil University. He works alongside Sangmyeong Yoo, who manages the office’s business affairs.
      The photography is courtesy of HaHouse Cafe.

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      Touch Architect shapes French patisserie like “the curve of a croissant”

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      Bangkok studio Touch Architect has created French Kitsch III, a patisserie in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, with a design that references French cathedrals and pastries.

      The 360-square-metre board-marked concrete building was informed by an idea of Frenchness that drew on many different sources, including religious architecture.
      French Kitsch III is located in Nakhon Ratchasima”French cathedrals have an architectural identity dating back to ancient times; they are merely one of the initial inspirations when thinking of Frenchness, aligned with the concept of the ‘French Kitsch’ brand,” Touch Architect co-founder Parpis Leelaniramol told Dezeen.
      In addition to cathedrals, the studio also looked to another French icon when designing the patisserie – the croissant.
      Touch Architect referenced different French symbols for its designThe studio used the shape of a croissant to create French Kitsch III’s interior, which features a number of arches with slightly uneven shapes.

      “The architectural space is formed by rhythmic arches, with the shape of four different arches created by the curve of a croissant in cross-sectional cut,” Leelaniramol said.
      “Moreover, the board-formed concrete material used throughout the building serves as a metaphor for the croissant stripes,” she added.
      Its interior has arches modelled on the shape of a croissantTouch Architect also used concrete for the structure to add to the “concept of imperfection”.
      “Not only croissant stripes, using concrete as the material also strengthens the concept of perfection of imperfection where the wall is not completely smooth, but it reflects the authenticity of the material, which can be beautiful by itself,” Leelaniramol said.
      The board-marked concrete was intended to resemble a croissant’s stripesSome of French Kitsch III’s curved forms double as solar shades, helping cool the building in Nakhon Ratchasima’s hot climate, which can reach 37 degrees in spring.
      “Thick walls and the inverted curves on the upper floor act as shading devices and reduce heat from direct sunlight,” Leelaniramol explained.

      Baobab tree grows through curving cafe in Thailand by IDIN Architects

      Inside, the arched concrete walls are lit by slender LED lights that emphasise their shape, while arched windows provide views of the exterior.
      “When light passes through the arched window, it creates reflections on the floor, similar to that of cathedral glass,” the studio said.
      LED lights illuminate the interior and emphasise its shapeA long counter is placed along one wall on the ground floor and can be seen from the second floor. Here, the studio carved voids into the concrete to let in more light.
      Touch Architect also added spaces for greenery inside, creating contrasts against the grey concrete.
      “Due to the limited size of the site, the building needs to maximise space to accommodate all functional requirements, leaving no room for an outdoor landscape,” Leelaniramol said. “Therefore, green areas are integrated inside the architecture.”
      Green plants and pink dogs feature inside the French Kitsch III patisserieDecorative pink bulldogs, the symbol for the French Kitsch brand, have been placed throughout the cafe.
      “A local sculptor created the pink bulldog sculpture based on our design, which analysed and integrated its placement into each space to create a livable atmosphere and truly connect with customers,” Leelaniramol concluded.
      Other recent Thai projects on Dezeen include a community building formed of rammed earth and a curving cafe with a Baobab tree growing inside.
      The photography is by Metipat Prommomate and Anan Naruphantawat.
      Project credits: 
      Architect: Touch ArchitectOwner: Chanon Jeimsakultip and Anuchit VongjonPrincipal architect: Setthakarn Y and Parpis LDesign team: Pitchaya T, Tanita P, Matucha K and Nutchapol ChInterior: Thanunya DCivil engineer: Chittinat WongmaneeprateepM&E engineer: Yodchai Kornsiriwipha x Isarapap RattanabumrungContractor: Samma Construction Part., Ltd.Narrator: Methawadee Pathomrattanapiban

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      Eight cosy living rooms illuminated by paper lamps

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      From simple spherical hanging lights to lighting sculptures by designers Isamu Noguchi and Ingo Maurer, this lookbook rounds up living rooms enhanced by the organic texture and warm glow of paper lamps.

      The versatile appearance of paper lights, which come in various geometric shapes and often have neutral warm-toned shades, makes them a popular choice for creating cosy living rooms.
      Drawing upon traditional Japanese rice paper lanterns, some of the rooms in this roundup use paper lamps to evoke the serenity of minimalist Japanese interiors.
      Other lounge spaces featured below use modernised paper lamp designs in angular shapes, popularised by Noguchi in the 1950s, to complement mid-century modern furnishings.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring contemporary kitchens with skylights, interiors with exposed ceiling beams and interiors with clerestory windows.

      Photo by Eric PetschekAmagansett Beach House, US, by Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design
      US studios Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design suspended a large spherical paper lamp over a double-height living room for the Amagansett Beach House in the Hamptons.
      Illuminated by the warm light, the home’s exposed glue-laminated Douglas fir timber structure and white oak surfaces contrast the dark timber exterior, which was treated with the Japanese blackening technique Shou Sugi Ban.
      Find out more about Amagansett Beach House ›
      Photo by Felix Speller and Child StudioMayfair home, UK, Child Studio
      Two Lampampe table lamps by industrial designer Maurer were placed on marble plinths in the living room of this London Mayfair home, which was designed by local practice Child Studio to have a mix of mid-century modern and custom-made decor.
      Designed by Maurer between the late 1970s and early 1980s, the lamps have the shape of traditional lampshades, but their entire form is crafted from slightly creased Japanese paper.
      Find out more about the Mayfair home ›
      Photo by Justin ChungBiscuit Loft, US, by OWIU Studio
      Architecture and design studio OWIU Studio added Japanese elements to the industrial interior of the Biscuit Loft apartment, located in a former factory in Downtown Los Angeles.
      Informed by ryokans, traditional Japanese inns, a living space-cum-guest-bedroom features a spherical and an elliptical paper lamp suspended over an area intended for tea ceremonies.
      Find out more about Biscuit Loft ›
      Photo by Roberto RuizPalau apartment, Spain, by Colombo and Serboli Architecture
      This apartment in Barcelona was renovated by local studio Colombo and Serboli Architecture to highlight some of its “imperfect” original features, informed by the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi.
      A round paper lamp hangs from the ceiling beams in the corner of a built-in sitting area, which extends from the micro-cement base of the staircase.
      Find out more about the Palau apartment ›

      Photo by Mikkel MortensenVilla Wienberg, Denmark, by Wienberg Architects
      Architects Mette and Martin Wienberg overhauled this 1940s cottage in Denmark, lining the living areas with oil-treated oak boards and adding cosy furnishings.
      A paper light hangs above built-in seating that wraps the main living room and adds textural variety to the timber interior, along with fabric cushions and a furry throw.
      Find out more about Villa Wienberg ›
      Photo by Leslie Schwartz and Joshua WhiteEames House, US, by Charles and Ray Eames
      A more traditional-looking Japanese paper lantern is one of the hanging lamps that illuminate the living room in Eames House, a modernist Californian residence completed by US designers Charles and Ray Eames in 1949.
      Maintained by the nonprofit Eames Foundation, the home’s mid-century modern decor closely matches the way the Eames lived in it until their deaths.
      Find out more about Eames House ›
      Photo courtesy of Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenArchipelago House, Sweden, by Norm Architects
      A conical paper lamp hangs above the lounge space in Archipelago House, a holiday home on the coast of Sweden designed by Danish studio Norm Architects.
      Aiming to embody both Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetics, the home was dressed with furniture designed by the studio in collaboration with Japanese manufacturer Karimoku Case Study.
      Find out more about Archipelago House ›
      Photo by Jake Curtis and Elliot SheppardPowerscroft Road townhouse, UK, by Daytrip
      Perched atop a wood burner in the living room of this London home is the 27N lamp from Noguchi’s Akari range, a series of handmade lighting sculptures made from washi paper and bamboo frames.
      Design studio Daytrip renovated and extended the home and loosely lime-washed the walls, aiming to create a calm and serene interior that showcased craftsmanship.
      Find out more about Powerscroft Road townhouse ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring contemporary kitchens with skylights, interiors with exposed ceiling beams and interiors with clerestory windows.

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      James Shaw’s light-filled London home is almost entirely underground

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      Lumpy recycled plastic furniture and circular skylights characterise this sunken London house, which designer James Shaw concealed on a 60-square-metre plot for himself and his family.

      Located in a conservation area in east London, the two-storey dwelling was constructed by Shaw and his friend, architect Nicholas Ashby.
      James Shaw built himself a sunken but light-filled homeThe neighbourhood’s planning restrictions required the pair to build all but 2.7 metres of the building out of sight from the street level, resulting in a sunken home with a large basement invisible from the outside.
      An open-plan kitchen, living and dining area feature in this underground space, which has exposed concrete walls interrupted by large, floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open onto a small terrace with a dinky plunge pool.
      The designer squeezed a bespoke sofa into one of the irregular cornersShaw and his writer-curator wife Lou Stoppard chose eclectic interiors for the home they share with their baby daughter – a collaboration that began with the duo’s 2022 London Design Festival installation of clashing furniture, created to poke fun at the tensions that arise when couples move in together for the first time.

      Made by Shaw, the pear-shaped walnut table from the installation features in the living area, surrounded by spindly stacking chairs first designed by furniture brand Blå Station founder Börge Lindau in 1986.
      Veneered MDF defines the kitchen cabinetsA custom aluminium bookshelf stretches across the wall opposite the table, built by Shaw to fit the unusual space. The designer also squeezed a bespoke burnt orange sofa into one of the irregular corners, illuminated by a large circular skylight.
      Known for his Plastic Baroque furniture made from recycled and extruded HDPE, Shaw placed a lumpy two-tone blue lounge chair next to the sofa – another piece that featured in his previous installation.
      The bathroom features Anni Albers-style mosaic flooringOpposite the living and dining area, the rectilinear kitchen cabinets were finished in veneered MDF, while the fridge was also fitted with a knobbly plastic handle.
      Stainless steel and pale blue HIMACS make up the worktops – one of which is on wheels to allow for flexibility when hosting.
      Squiggly pear-shaped sculptures top the bedpostsAcross the basement, a combination of oak finger parquet and raised-access metal tiles were used to create contrasting flooring. The silver-hued tiles can be lifted to reveal extra storage.
      Also underground, the bathroom was designed with a playfully patterned mosaic floor informed by the work of Bauhaus artist Anni Albers, including an abstract illustration of the couple’s cat, Rupert.
      The mirrored bathtub reflects and enhances the intricate flooring, while another rounded skylight adds natural light to the space.

      WillemsenU submerges house under the ground in the Netherlands

      An extruded blue plastic bannister snakes up the staircase to the bedroom – the only street-level room in the house.
      The Shaw-designed oak and brass bed features bedposts topped with squiggly pear-shaped sculptures, while the thin timber wardrobe was hand-painted with decorative panels by artist Marie Jacotey, who completed the project on-site.
      The bedroom is the only street-level roomStoppard’s vast art collection features throughout the sunken home, including delicate paintings by emerging artists Lydia Blakely and Mary Stephenson and antique artefacts from various travels.
      Elsewhere in London, Shaw’s trademark plastic furniture has also been used for retail projects. Footwear brand Camper’s Regent Street store includes bumpy yellow shelving by the designer, and a Traid charity clothes shop in Shepherd’s Bush has a wiggly bench upholstered in unsold clothes salvaged from the Traid warehouse.
      The photography is courtesy of James Shaw and Lou Stoppard. 

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      Sam Jacob gives “soft brutalist” University of Kent building a modern makeover

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      Architecture studio Sam Jacob Studio has refurbished a 1960s building at the University of Kent in Canterbury, England, using playful architectural references and bright colours to add layers of “wit and delight” to the existing interiors.

      The project provides teaching spaces for the university’s School of Architecture, Design and Planning, which is part of a campus designed by William Holford that opened in 1965.
      Sam Jacob Studio has refurbished the interiors of a 1960s University of Kent buildingSam Jacob Studio (SJS) looked to retain what it described as the “soft brutalist” character of the brick and concrete Marlowe Building when reorganising the existing interior.
      The Marlowe building originally housed the university’s physics department, which featured a series of cellular offices on the ground floor and a top-lit lab space above.
      The studio wanted to retain the building’s “soft brutalist” feelingFollowing a detailed consultation with faculty and students, Jacob and his team defined a strategy that balances areas dedicated to specific year groups and subjects with the ability to transform and open up the spaces.

      The team at SJS said it was interested in “what happens between the logic of architecture and the happenstance of creative working”.
      They based their design on a variety of famous creative spaces including the Bauhaus school and Paul Rudolph’s brutalist Yale Art and Architecture Building, as well as The Factory created by artist Andy Warhol in New York City.
      Large sliding doors were used to separate spacesThe architects gutted the existing interior to expose the concrete ceiling alongside the building’s structure and services, which were retained as the backdrop for a series of minimal interventions targeted at fulfilling the space’s new role.
      “This is a project that reveals the intrinsic qualities of the 1960s building, while also contrasting a more fluid contemporary character,” the studio said.
      “It is an architecture that invites inhabitation rather than imposing order, that recognises character, wit and delight as part of an essential role of architecture.”
      Polycarbonate portholes allow light to pass through the spacesSJS worked as much as possible with the existing spatial layout, adding just one wall to the ground floor and two on the first floor so that the interiors can evolve to meet different future requirements.
      Rather than functioning merely as static partitions, the walls are activated by incorporating moving components that can be used to adapt the layout of the studios.
      Large sliding doors with polycarbonate portholes allow some of the spaces to be separated, while pivoting wall sections can be opened or closed depending on the desired layout.

      Cannon Design draws on “essence of Michigan forests” for university building

      The partition walls incorporate full-height pinboards for displaying work. These surfaces were given a more dynamic appearance by cutting the boards diagonally from corner to corner.
      The standard-height pinboards are topped with a shelf, onto which adjustable lights are clamped to allow illumination of the students’ work. Mirrored panels above the shelf create the illusion of a continual space.
      Pinboards feature clamped adjustable lights to illuminate student’s workThe studio can be customised further to suit different working modes by rearranging freestanding elements including drawing boards, easels, screens and moveable storage units built using standard warehouse shelves.
      Existing furniture was reused wherever possible, while doors salvaged during the strip-out were converted into desks, with yellow laminate pieces added to fill in holes where the locks and vision panels were once located.
      Pivoting wall sections can be opened or closed depending on the desired layoutThe interior incorporates several explicit architectural references, according to SJS, including a colour palette based on Le Corbusier’s 1959 paint system.
      “A series of columns used to define thresholds act as 1:1 models of, variously, Canterbury Cathedral, Brancusi and James Stirling, like a library of other architectures inhabiting the school,” the team explained.
      To prevent sunlight from overheating the studios, a series of coloured window blinds was added along with moveable perforated pinboard panels that help to control privacy. This creates a changing topography that animates the building’s exterior.
      Moveable perforated pinboard panels provide privacy and shadingSam Jacob established his eponymous studio in 2014, having previously worked as part of the radical architecture collective FAT for over 20 years.
      Previous projects by SJS include a new entrance at London’s V&A museum made from hundreds of glass tubes and a brightly coloured studio and office for designer Yinka Ilori.
      The photography is by Timothy Soar.

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      Mirzoyan Studio models Bursa Bar in Kyiv on musical instrument

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      This hotel bar in the centre of Kyiv, Ukraine, was designed by Mirzoyan Studio to have plywood panelled walls and a green latticed ceiling to improve acoustics.

      Bursa Bar opened earlier this year in the city’s historic Podil neighbourhood, on the first floor of the boutique Bursa Hotel.
      Bursa Bar was designed to look like the inside of a speaker or musical instrumentThe 55-square-metre cocktail bar was designed by Mirzoyan Studio founder Nastia Mirzoyan as a place for music lovers, hoping to attract “vinyl record enthusiasts and live-set lovers every weekend”.
      “The architect’s idea was to create a space reminiscent of a musical instrument, where every visitor would feel like they’re inside a giant music speaker or guitar, surrounded by a cosy atmosphere of plywood,” said the team.
      The space is lined with dark-stained plywood as a nod to contemporary Japanese designThe interior is lined with dark-stained plywood as a nod to contemporary Japanese design.

      The material forms evenly spaced wall panelling, simple bench seating and shelves for displaying liquor bottles and vinyl records.
      The space includes a DJ booth and an extensive vinyl record collectionA grid of wooden boards creates a coffered ceiling that helps to dampen echoes and improve acoustics in the space, as well as preventing the sound from travelling to guest rooms above.
      This results in a lower ceiling height but allows lighting and ventilation systems to be hidden inside while creating a more intimate atmosphere within the bar.
      Plywood is also used for built-in seating, accompanied by furniture with stainless steel legs”In our design, we aimed to subtly implement the features of Eastern style: orthogonal lines, clean shapes, horizontal orientation of objects, vertical rhythm of walls, and orthogonal ceiling,” Mirzoyan said.
      Furniture with stainless steel legs is pushed to the edges of the rectangular room, with the bar and accompanying stools on one side, and a row of small high-top tables along the built-in bench on the other.
      The bar counter front is clad in ochre, white and dark green relief tilesStraight in front of the entry door is a DJ booth, also crafted from plywood, behind which the extensive vinyl record collection is stored.
      The centre of the space is left empty as a dance floor, where guests can move freely to sounds from the Ojas speakers.

      Dubrovska Studio uses “leftovers” in Kyiv to furnish local dance studio

      The front of the bar counter is clad using relief tiles in ochre, white and a dark forest green hue that matches the ceiling and the Flowerpot lamps by Verner Panton, which illuminate some of the tables.
      Extra seating is provided at stainless steel counters installed in the window niches on either side of the door.
      Additional seating is provided at stainless steel counters installed in window nichesThe lighting scheme is fully adjustable to create different atmospheres in different areas of the room.
      “We combined accent lighting for guest seating areas, creating small bright spots, and used soft linear lighting to emphasize vinyl shelves and exquisite drinks,” said Mirzoyan. “This way, every guest feels special.”
      Sound from Ojas speakers is improved thanks to the coffered ceilingDespite Ukraine’s ongoing war with Russia, several projects have completed in Kyiv – from a laser clinic with futuristic interiors to a dance studio outfitted with custom furniture made from materials sourced in the face of wartime shortages.
      Other spots for drinking and dancing in the city include the Virgin Izakaya Bar in a former arsenal building, which was shortlisted in the restaurant and bar interior category of Dezeen Awards 2021.
      The photography is by Yevhenii Avramenko.

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      Sullivan’s Fish Camp designed so “guests can’t be sure if it’s 1982 or 2024”

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      South Carolina-based studios SDCO and Basic Projects have overhauled a seaside restaurant in Charleston with a nostalgic design that extends across everything from interiors to memorabilia.

      Contemporary details feature throughout the redesigned Sullivan’s Fish Camp, but are interwoven with retro elements to create an aesthetic that respects the restaurant’s long history.
      Sullivan’s Fish Camp is a family-owned diner that first opened in 1988Located on Sullivan’s Island, at the entrance to Charleston Harbor, the family-owned diner has been serving cold beers and seafood to locals and beachgoers for over 35 years.
      Amy Pastre and Courtney Rowson of brand strategy studio SDCO worked closely with Kate and Ben Towill of interiors studio Basic Projects to bring a cohesive visual identity throughout.
      Large hand-painted letters boldly spell out the restaurant’s nameBold typography, cartoon-style illustrations, vintage art and furniture, and playful messaging all feature in the reimagined restaurant experience.

      “The design intent was to create a world that conjures the delight and affection that generations of beachgoers had for the original, family-owned restaurant,” said Pastre and Rowson.
      “Some details feel modern, some nostalgic. Experienced together, guests can’t be sure if it’s 1982 or 2024.”
      The graphic design identity includes drawings of the building’s exteriorOn the outside, Sullivan’s Fish Camp is spelt out in large hand-painted letters across a projecting red roof canopy, identifying the restaurant as a local landmark.
      Other graphic-design identifiers include drawings of the building’s exterior and two hand-drawn characters: a “cheery flounder” and Captain Sully, a “salty sea captain-meets-fish”.
      Both vintage and contemporary artworks cover the wallsThe restaurant’s interior walls are covered in artworks that continue the seaside and maritime themes, from a stitched portrait of a fisherman to a lobster painting by local artist Katherine Dunlap.
      Commissioned works include fish illustrations by “Carolina legend” Duane Raver, whose work also features on the placemats, and a large sculpture of a marlin fish.

      “Talented people are flocking” to Charleston for creative opportunities at a slower pace

      “It was important to preserve what felt inherently right for the story and space,” said Pastre and Rowson.
      “We wanted to pay homage to seaside fish camps while bringing modernity to the brand and experience,” they said. “No corner was left untouched.”
      Artworks include a stitched portrait of a fishermanThe designers commissioned a local joiner to build furniture elements, including tables, seating banquettes, and a counter that frames the merchandise display and walk-up ice cream window.
      Basic Projects sourced many of the other furniture and lighting elements from antique markets, as well as from Ebay and Etsy. A stained glass pendant lamp is one of the most striking finds.
      “My background is in film set design, so I loved every bit of the sourcing,” said Kate Towill.
      A counter frames the merchandise display and a walk-up ice cream windowDurability was an important consideration; heavy rain and high tides can cause the restaurant to flood, while beachgoers bring plenty of sand in on their feet.
      “We welcome sandy and salty beachgoers,” said Towill.
      “The floors are VCT (vinyl composition tiles) and all the wood is pressure-treated and sealed with marine-grade sealer.”
      Illustrations by “Carolina legend” Duane Raver feature on the placematsSDCO designed an extensive range of merchandise, including key chains, hats, tote bags, sweatshirts, T-shirts, bottle openers and bumper stickers.
      Custom design also extends to the tableware.
      Cups are emblazoned with the Sullivan’s Fish Camp branding, while plates feature scalloped seashell illustrations that reference the border of the original 1988 menu.
      T-shirts feature Captain Sully, a “salty sea captain-meets-fish””The result is a feel-good space that quite literally takes you on a journey through food, drink, design, nostalgia and souvenirs that create indelible memories,” added Pastre and Rowson.
      Sullivan’s Fish Camp is the latest in a series of notable design projects in Charleston, a town that has seen an influx of creatives over the past decade.
      Others include boutique hotel Post House, also designed by Basic Projects, and the newly opened International African American Museum, designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and Moody Nolan.

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