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      Isabelle Heilmann converts Parisian textile workshop into loft apartment

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      Interior designer Isabelle Heilmann has used glazing and level changes to turn a former textile workshop in Paris into an open-plan apartment with a dedicated home office.

      The owners of the property on Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud asked Heilmann’s studio Epicène to rationalise the interior and create a space for home working while maintaining the apartment’s quirky layout.
      Isabelle Heilmann has completed the Timbaud apartmentThe existing loft featured several impractical and dilapidated spaces including a cramped bedroom and three mezzanines with low ceilings that were once used for storing rolls of fabric.
      Heilmann removed some of the existing structures and introduced changes in floor height to delineate the new spaces while adding internal windows that retain a visual connection between the rooms.
      A raised platform houses the home office”Using differences in level and glass partitions allows you to demarcate the different living spaces while allowing light to circulate,” the designer told Dezeen.

      “Now, from the moment you enter, you have a global vision of the volume of the apartment,” she added. “It’s a way to have a very open plan without the disadvantages of the loft.”
      A bright green door in the dining space conceals a WCThe partitions enclosing the existing bedroom were removed and a platform built in their place now contains a home office housing two workstations and a wall of library shelving.
      Two of the mezzanines were also demolished, leaving just one beside the entrance that was transformed into a room for gaming and accommodating overnight guests.
      Throughout the interior, Heilmann sought to preserve the spirit of the old workshop that had attracted the owners to this space. The raised platform recalls the height changes of the old mezzanines, while geometric sculptural elements evoke the original layout.
      The kitchen and living room are separated by a glass partition”The partitions and interlocking shapes of the old workshop have been simplified, but we find this play of asymmetrical cubes in the shape of the headboard or the glass partition between bedroom and living room,” she explained.
      “The industrial spirit is also suggested in the choice of lighting fixtures or the sobriety of the bathroom tiling.”
      Examples of the recurring geometric motif include a series of cubic volumes containing cupboards and storage niches on either side of the steps leading up to the platform.

      Uchronia conceives Haussmann-era Paris apartment as “chromatic jewellery box”

      An asymmetric window creates a bold feature that connects the living room with the new bedroom, where a stepped headboard creates shelf space for books, paintings and objects.
      The kitchen is located opposite the office platform and features a simple L-shaped layout that slots in underneath the mezzanine and windows.
      A swing in the living room capitalises on the apartment’s tall ceilingsThe cupboard units have birch plywood doors and a marbled Corian worktop that complements the minimal, industrial look of the interior.
      A full-height glass-and-steel wall that was part of the original workshop was carefully preserved and now separates the living room on one side from the kitchen and dining area on the other.
      A door in the central glass partition leads into the living area, where a swing suspended from the ceiling makes the most of the room’s height.
      The owners wanted a blank canvas for showcasing their collection of vintage objects, so walls and floors throughout the apartment are painted white to provide a muted, minimal backdrop.
      A green bedspread catches the eye in the bedroomThe scheme also aims to create a playful, relaxed and creative atmosphere evocative of 1960s modernism, with classic pieces such as Achille Castiglioni’s Snoopy lamp and an Enzo Mari print providing pops of colour.
      In the bedroom, a yellow-painted door and green bedspread catch the eye, while a bright green door in the dining space conceals a WC with a sink set against punchy pink cement tiles.
      The bedroom features a large dressing area with cupboards made from birch plywood, which is housed in a space previously occupied by a bathroom.
      Curved tiles by Pop Corn clad the sinkThe main bathroom offers a playful take on the geometric theme used elsewhere in the apartment, with its geometric sink clad in rounded tiles from French firm Pop Corn.
      Isabelle Heilmann studied at the École Boulle in Paris before founding her agency Epicène in 2018. The studio designs public and residential spaces that combine a minimalistic sensibility with a love of colour and characterful statement pieces.
      Other Parisian home interiors that have recently been featured on Dezeen include an apartment with a wine-red kitchen and another that was designed to resemble a “chromatic jewellery box”.
      The photography is by BCDF studio.

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      Ten New York City loft interiors that make innovative use of open space

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      For our latest lookbook, we explore ten loft conversions and renovations in New York City where designers have inserted partitions, storage and other elements to cleverly organise open space.

      Characterised by spacious open floor plans, high ceilings and large windows, loft apartments are as synonymous with New York City as coffee and bagels – at least in popular culture.
      Loft apartments are housed in converted commercial, manufacturing or warehouse buildings, which informs their overall industrial feel as well as their wide-open floor plans, which have acted as a blank canvas for creatives for decades.
      In the New York lofts below, designers have organised and reorganised interiors by removing walls, reducing and adding mezzanines, inserting glass and wooden storage units or embracing original structures.
      From a Brooklyn residence that can be converted into an event space to a SoHo loft that now houses a sculptural partition wall, read on for ten examples of cleverly organised New York lofts throughout the city.

      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring kitchens with floor-to-ceiling cabinets, well-designed sheds and outbuildings and interiors created on a budget.
      Photo is courtesy of Future ProjectsAnother Seedbed, Williamsburg, by Future Projects
      Architects from New York studio Future Projects have converted an industrial space in a 19th-century cast iron building, which once served as a hat factory, into a unique loft apartment that serves as a residence and event space.
      To accommodate both the owner’s residential needs as well as public events, volumes covered in plywood and clay were inserted into an open floor plan to enclose private areas, while movable furniture including a sofa on wheels can be easily pushed out of the way for performances.
      Find out more about Another Seedbed ›
      Photo is by Seth CaplanDumbo Loft, Dumbo, by Crystal Sinclair Designs
      Interiors studio Crystal Sinclair Designs inserted a library mezzanine and a large glass partition to divide space in this Dumbo loft.
      The building’s original 14-foot ceilings accommodated the addition of the mezzanine, while the floor-to-ceiling glass partition was used to enclose the bedroom from the apartment’s remaining open floor plan.
      Find out more about Dumbo Loft ›
      Photo is courtesy of No ArchitectureThe Urban Tree House, West Village, by No Architecture
      No Architecture combined two units in a West Village skyscraper to create this double-height apartment, into which the studio inserted an extensive wooden structure with net beds that span over the living area.
      “We combined two units by first, redrawing all rooms into a cohesive ‘matrix plan’ and second, inserting a ‘garden folly’ that relates the interior to the adjacent Hudson River Greenway,” said New York-based No Architecture.
      Find out more about the Urban Tree House ›
      Photo is by Sarah ElliottTribeca Loft, Tribeca, by Andrea Leung 
      Architect Andrea Leung gut-renovated this loft in Tribeca for herself, opting to remove a mezzanine level and neatly organising private spaces in a linear row along the length of the space.
      Leung’s fascination with secret spaces – informed by her grandmother’s penthouse, which contained hidden rooms – prompted the architect to conceal all spaces but the living and dining room behind a mirrored wall.
      Find out more about Tribeca Loft ›
      Photo is by Isabel ParraManhattan loft, West Village, by Tala Fustok Studio
      A large glass and maple wood storage unit was used to divide the kitchen of this industrial West Village apartment from a living area, while a custom corten steel staircase leads to the second floor.
      London practice Tala Fustok Studio organised the interior to emphasise the apartment’s tall ceilings and oversized windows, as well as softening the space with limestone-washed walls.
      Find out more about Manhattan loft ›
      Photo is by Alan TanseyBroadway Loft, Madison Square North, by Worrell Yeung 
      New York architecture studio Worrell Yeung reorganised this NoMad loft to welcome more light, storage and an additional bedroom and bathroom for a growing family, who had lived in the space for over a decade.
      All of the apartment’s walls were removed to reveal the building’s structures and pipes while bookcase units and cabinetry were inserted to divide the space.
      Find out more about Broadway Loft ›
      Photo by Kevin KunstadtFrame Loft, Financial District, by Light and Air
      Located in a converted commercial building in the Financial District in Manhattan, this loft was cramped with internal walls before Brooklyn studio Light and Air removed the partitions to make the most of the generous floor area and large windows.
      The studio reduced the footprint of the overhead storage loft to allow for taller ceilings while inserting light wood shelving storage units, seating, a desk and cabinetry throughout the space.
      Find out more about Frame Loft ›
      Photo is by Daniel SalemiBrooklyn Loft, Clinton Hill, by Dean Works
      A volume made of Baltic birch plywood was inserted into this Clinton Hill loft to create more storage and section off a private sleeping area, which was further enclosed behind a glass partition.
      The adjusted floor plan places a living area towards the loft’s generous windows, the kitchen at its centre and the bedroom towards the apartment’s entrance.
      Find out more about Brooklyn Loft ›
      Photo is by Michael MoranSoho Loft, Soho, by Julian King
      To update this narrow apartment housed in a former silk warehouse, designer Julian King inserted a sculptural sleeping mezzanine at its centre, added a built-in bookcase and kept much of the remaining space completely open under its 13-foot ceilings.
      The mezzanine, which hosts just a bed, is concealed behind a partial wall that’s lined with integrated LED lighting.
      Find out more about Soho Loft ›
      Photo is by Eric PetschekChelsea Loft, Chelsea, by Worrell Yeung 
      Green paint covered the wood pillars of this Chelsea loft before Worrell Yeung updated the space, adding a large kitchen island and organising private areas towards the back of the apartment opposite its large windows.
      “The organising design strategy of this renovation was to maintain contiguous public living zones and extend daylight as far as it can reach by minimising partitions and concentrating private rooms on the north side of the apartment,” said the studio.
      Find out more about Chelsea Loft ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring kitchens with floor-to-ceiling cabinets, well-designed sheds and outbuildings and interiors created on a budget.

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      Plus One Architects uncovers original paintwork of 100-year-old Czech apartment

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      Prague studio Plus One Architects has restored the “original splendour” of this 1902 apartment in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, by reinstating some of its original features.

      Located in a turn-of-the-century apartment block, the two-bedroom flat was renovated by Plus One Architects, who exposed the original paintwork present on the walls and ceilings.
      The Karlovy Vary Apartment features minimal furnishingsThe studio also streamlined the circulation inside the apartment by removing doors to open up pathways, as well as undoing dated additions that had been installed over the top of the original walls and floors.
      “We think the first renovation was probably done in the late 70s,” architect Kateřina Průchová told Dezeen. “It was full of wooden cladding on the walls, a lot of doors and carpet that covered the original floors.”
      Transom windows let light flood through the roomsThe revamped interior has a bright, airy atmosphere, as natural sunlight comes in through the large unobstructed windows and continues deeper into the rooms thanks to the addition of transom windows on some of the interior walls.

      Remnants of colourful mottled paintwork appear on the walls and ceilings alongside brown and beige sections of plaster.
      Mottled blue and yellow paintwork decorates the primary bedroomNeutral-coloured paint and plasterwork feature in the kitchen and living room, where Plus One Architects retained the apartment’s original masonry heater clad in glossy brown tiles.
      Painted details are also apparent on the ceiling, with concentric bands of red, blue and yellow delineating the perimeter of the room.
      Doors were removed to improve the flow between spacesPink paint appears in the corridor and smaller bedroom while blue paintwork can be seen in the primary bedroom, complementing the restored wooden floorboards.
      In the bathroom, white tiling lines the walls, interspersed with iridescent tiles and sections of exposed paintwork.

      Uchronia conceives Haussmann-era Paris apartment as “chromatic jewellery box”

      The rooms are sparingly furnished, allowing the paintwork to be the interior’s focal point.
      Plus One Architects brought in furniture with minimalist forms by Czech design studio Janský & Dunděra alongside decorative pieces from local design brand Todus.
      The bathroom is fitted with white flooring, tiling and fixtures”I hope we managed to return the apartment to the original splendour of the period, in which the house was built,” said Průchová.
      “You can feel how the building looks from the outside – it is an old house in the historic part of a spa town.”
      The kitchen and dining room overlook neighbouring rooftopsKateřina Průchová and Petra Ciencialová founded Plus One Architects in 2019. The studio is based in Prague and works on projects across the Czech Republic.
      Other apartment interiors that have recently been featured on Dezeen include a home in Milan centred around a monolithic green marble partition wall and a pastel-decorated apartment in Kraków.
      The photography is by Radek Úlehla.

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      Ideas of Order selects bright colours for New York apartment renovation

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      Bright hues define the different interventions that New York architecture studio Ideas of Order has made in this apartment at the northern tip of Manhattan.

      The 1,000-square-foot primary residence in Hudson Heights was partially renovated for a couple, who had been living in the space for several years before deciding to invest in making it better suited to their needs, rather than buying another apartment.
      One side of this Manhattan apartment was overhauled by Ideas of Order to make it function better for its owners”Their sons had been sharing a room, but were beginning to need their own spaces,” Ideas of Order told Dezeen.
      “They also wanted a space that could be designed for flexibility for when their children left for college.”
      In the newly created bedroom, a lime green built-in houses a bed, a desk and storageThe kitchen also needed updating, to make it more suitable for entertaining, and more efficient storage space was required in the entryway.

      So the architects reworked one side of the open living area, adding a bedroom on one side of the kitchen and refreshing the other areas.
      A new wall divides the bedroom from the kitchenThe husband is French, and the couple spent several years living together in France.
      During this period, they both became enamoured by the midcentury architecture and design in the country and wanted to apply this style to their own home.
      Raspberry and periwinkle cabinets surround the cooking area, which also features aluminium panels”Inspired by their stories and the history of how colour was used by French midcentury designers like Charlotte Perriand, we suggested a series of polychrome millwork pieces inspired by Perriand’s design language, but updated for a contemporary home,” said Ideas of Order.
      The different areas of the home were therefore given their own identities by applying bright hues.
      A porthole looks through from the bedroom into the kitchen, which has rubber flooringLime green is used in the bedroom across a full wall of built-ins that incorporate a single bed, a workstation and plenty of storage.
      Sliding doors with fritted glass panels pull across to enclose the slightly raised room, while a porthole window with double shutters looks through the new wall that separates the kitchen.
      Storage in the entryway was made more efficient by new pink and grey built-insThis adjacent space is denoted by raspberry and periwinkle millwork, which surrounds a small preparation area with an aluminium backsplash and matching panels above.
      The same metal also fronts the bar counter between an arched opening to the living area, which is topped with concrete.
      Archways between spaces throughout the apartment have curved cornersRubber flooring in the kitchen offers a practical alternative to the wood used through the rest of the apartment.
      Finally, in the entryway – which is again raised slightly higher than the living area – an L-shaped cabinet system was constructed in a corner beside the door.

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      Pale pink is applied to the frames, while the doors and drawer fronts are finished in light grey and walnut is used for the trim. Choosing the right hues was a challenge that took many iterations to find the right balance, according to the architects.
      “It was important that each pair of colours in the millwork work together, but that the colours also harmonise when viewed as a whole,” they said. “We wanted the colours to be bright, but not overpowering. And we wanted the colour pairings to feel timeless and not too trendy.”
      The architects went through many iterations to find the right balance of coloursAnother challenge was the budget, which was modest by New York City standards and required some conscientious spending – particularly on small details that would make a big impact.
      “We love the custom pulls for the millwork, the shutters for the circular window, and the rounded end to the partition between bedroom and kitchen, which reflects the rounded openings throughout the apartment,” the architects said.
      The couple had been living in the space for several years before deciding to invest in making it better suited to their needsIdeas of Order was founded by Jacob Esocoff and Henry Ng, who are both Fosters + Partners and WORKac alumni.
      Their renovation is one of the most colourful interiors we’ve featured in New York City of late, compared to a neutral show apartment inside the One Wall Street skyscraper and a loft in Dumbo with a subdued palette.
      The photography is by Sean Davidson.

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      Monolithic green marble forms “majestic wall” in Milan apartment

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      Italian studio AIM has designed a compact, multi-level apartment interior in Milan organised around a floor-to-ceiling Verde Alpi marble partition.

      Created in collaboration with local marble artisans Bianco67, AIM Studio used the wall to divide the various functions of Green Nest, aiming to create an elegant backdrop for a dynamic domestic experience.
      Monolithic green marble carves apartment interior by AIM Studio in Milan”The design challenge [for] Green Nest was to combine the compact size of the dwelling with the desire to create inviting, functional and representative spaces pleasant to live in at all times of the day,” AIM Studio told Dezeen.
      “We were looking for a single gesture to characterise the apartment [and were] inspired by the idea of a majestic wall [running] through the heart of the house,” the studio continued. “This massive element, both because of its solid presence and its intrinsic beauty, is the focal point on which the entire design revolves.”
      The fluid living spaces can be divided by an operable ribbed glass doorThe marble partition was constructed as a permeable threshold between the apartment’s lower level living spaces and a staircase leading to the habitable roof terrace above.

      Designed as a single, fluid area, the main living room and bedroom can be separated by full-height ribbed glass doors. 
      The studio used the marble wall system to host functional storage and compartment spacesAIM Studio sought to meet the practical requirements of small-footprint living by using the Alpi marble to conceal a series of deep storage compartments.
      “More than a monolith, the volume is an inhabited wall whose thickness is continuously perforated, crossed and interrupted to host the different functions of living,” AIM Studio said.
      “[It] was designed as a precious shell but [leaves] nothing to chance in terms of containment and management of the space. Every compartment, every opening, has been designed [for utility].”

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      Behind the marble partition, the staircase to the rooftop terrace was completed with a central lightwell to draw natural light into the space below.
      The studio also integrated large windows into the main living area to encourage an interplay of light on the reflective marble surface and to evoke a chiaroscuro-like effect.
      The compact kitchen was formed by suspended travertine joineryTucked into a corner of the living room, the kitchen was demarcated by suspended travertine joinery and an embossed mirror feature wall.
      Neutral-toned fixtures and restrained furniture pieces were selected to balance the apartment’s modern aesthetic and emphasise the drama of the green marble.
      An embossed mirror feature wall was connected to the kitchen nook”We conceived this project as a search for authenticity; a minimal but at the same time welcoming and functional design created through natural, precious [and] timeless materials.”
      “We hope that this search for authenticity will be perceived by those who will inhabit these spaces and that it will translate into family atmospheres and elegant, but convivial, environments.”
      The studio selected a neutral material palette to emphasise the green marble gestureFounded in 2012 by Claudio Tognacca in Milan, AIM Studio has projects spanning across architecture, interior design and product development both in Italy and internationally.
      Other recently completed projects in Italy include Antonino Cardillo’s design for “a miniature palazzo” residence near Lake Garda and Humbert & Poyet’s interior conversion of a 16th-century Milanese chapel into a Beefbar restaurant.
      The photography is by Simone Bossi

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      Ductus coats blocky apartment complex with red plaster in Switzerland

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      Architecture studio Ductus has designed an apartment complex coated with a monochrome red plaster facade into a sloping site in Schwarzenburg, Switzerland.

      Located on the outskirts of the village of Schwarzenburg in eastern Switzerland, the complex was designed by Ductus to have the appearance of a series of intersecting blocks of various heights that protrude and recede throughout the design.
      The red plaster-covered block was has a blocky appearanceAccommodating 16 apartments, the complex comprises two buildings sat perpendicular to one another that are connected by a shared garden.
      Balconies constructed from pressure-impregnated white fir and green columns contrast with the red plaster facade and overlook the garden and neighbouring buildings.
      Adjoining balconies are constructed from pressure-impregnated white fir, which contrast with the red facadeFlat roofs lined with untreated copper top the apartment complex, which distinguishing it from the surrounding more traditional pitched-roof buildings.

      On the exterior, untreated copper was also used for downpipes, while red-toned window frames and mechanical shutters match the plaster’s colour.

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      Within the apartments, textured white walls were set off by wooden flooring, while stylish bathrooms were characterised by red-toned fittings and decorative tiles to match the facade.
      Bright living spaces are lit by floor-to-ceiling doors that also provide access to the adjacent balconies.
      The complex contains 16 apartments split across two buildings”All 17 apartments were designed as condominiums,” Ductus partner Marcel Hauert told Dezeen.
      “The client’s desire was for all buyers to determine the interior finishes themselves. We provided a basic concept that could be adapted virtually without restrictions.”
      Red-toned fittings and tiles feature in the bathroomDuctus is an architecture studio operating between Sweden and Switzerland.
      Elsewhere in Switzerland, BE Architektur recently used intersecting sculptural blocks to form a barn-like house and Enrico Sassi has transformed a wood store into a micro home.
      The photography is by Rasmus Norlander.

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      Furora Studio designs Kraków rental apartment Pops with “very sugary interior”

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      Bespoke scalloped edges and a Verner Panton S-Chair feature at the Pops holiday apartment in Kraków, which Furora Studio designed to be more playful than a permanent home.

      Named Pops after lollipops, the dwelling was conceived by Diana Żurek and Gutek Girek of Polish firm Furora Studio.
      “The project is a temporary apartment for anyone who wants to spend time in an attractive and very sugary interior,” said the designers.
      Pops is a holiday apartment in central KrakówSpread across one level of a multi-storey building in central Kraków, the rental home includes an open-plan kitchen and living room.
      This space was dressed with a velvety salmon-pink curtain, which stretches the length of one of two of the walls, and a central display cabinet finished in pistachio green and “crowned with frills”.

      Furniture including a decorative display cabinet was custom-made by Furora StudioMuch of the furniture and other design elements were custom-made by Furora Studio and follow the same toy-like geometry as the cabinet – a combination of round and wavy motifs created in pastel pinks, greens and creams.
      For example, a white and turquoise pendant light with scalloped edges was suspended above a circular dining table, while a ribbed half-moon alcove was created as a backdrop for the wall-mounted television.
      Pastel hues define the apartment”First and foremost, we aimed to find suitable forms,” said Żurek, describing the studio’s starting point for the project.
      “Most of the elements were custom-made because we wanted to maintain the coherence of the interior while ensuring proper functional arrangement,” she told Dezeen.
      “Essentially, each element was its own small project. The selection of shapes, milling, small details, and perfecting the form – all of these were important considerations.”
      A ribbed, half-moon alcove was created as a backdrop for the televisionAn olive-hued, L-shaped sofa was tucked into one corner of the living space and echoed by the kitchen splashback, finished in the same green colour.
      Żurek described the apartment’s double bedroom as “a pink box with a whimsical headboard and an abundance of pillows”.
      Designer Diana Żurek described the bedroom as “a pink box”In one corner, a light green built-in desk was positioned in front of a sculptural Verner Panton chair.
      The iconic S-shaped seating was originally designed by Panton in the early 1960s and recently influenced the furniture created for the Dreamhouse at the centre of the set design in this year’s Barbie film.
      “We rarely have the opportunity to be in interiors that evoke memories of earlier years, when as children, we had few responsibilities and sought joy and playfulness,” noted Żurek.
      “But this is not about returning to preschool or infantilising the space,” stressed the designer.
      “It’s about positive energy. We sought solutions that would more literally create a colorful space, full of rounded patterns, light colours and a sense of relief,” she added.
      The studio added a Verner Panton chair to the apartmentThe bathroom is also awash with pattern, featuring a jumbo scalloped-edged cabinet and pink and brown terrazzo tiles.
      Bulbous pendant lighting illuminates the space, which contains a walk-in shower.
      Summarising the holiday apartment, Żurek called it a place to “have fun and cuddle”.

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      “Certainly, there are many enthusiasts of such candy-like solutions, but this interior may not be for everyone, especially for long-term use, such as in the case of a private home,” reflected the designer.
      “For short-term rentals, I believe most people would be tempted to experience how it feels to be in such a vibrant interior,” she added.
      “These projects allow for the use of [design] solutions that might be somewhat tiring on a daily basis, but spending a brief moment in such a place opens us up to new experiences, feelings of peace and relaxation.”
      A jumbo scalloped-edged cabinet features in the bathroomElsewhere in Kraków, London-based office Studio Mills transformed an apartment at a converted monastery into a family home. Polish practice Projekt Praga created a bar with a self-service beer fountain within the taproom of a centuries-old brewery just outside of the city.
      The photography is by ONI Studio. 

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

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

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

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

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

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