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      Seven cosy living rooms with industrial material palettes

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      Living rooms with tactile brick, concrete and wood surfaces feature in this lookbook, which shows that opting for industrial materials doesn’t have to sacrifice cosiness.

      Typically informed by old and unrefined factories, lofts and warehouses, industrial-style interiors are a go-to for many contemporary designers.
      Homes of this style are often characterised by a combination of man-made and natural materials, including brick, wood, concrete and metal, and the exposure of details that are usually concealed, such as ductwork.
      While, for some, the image of industrial spaces can conjure up feelings of being cold and unwelcome, this list of living rooms proves that with the right finishes, the style can actually be warm and inviting.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with furry walls, sculptural wooden staircases and rustic Italian interiors.

      Photo by Mariell Lind HansenSt John Street, UK, by Emil Eve Architects
      Emil Eve Architects retained the raw aesthetic of this former warehouse while transforming it into a warm and inviting home.
      In the living room, old brick walls, metal window frames and a rough concrete ceiling form a tactile backdrop to contemporary wooden furnishings and an abundance of tall plants.
      Find out more about St John Street ›
      Photo by Mike SchwartzMichigan Loft, USA, by Vladimir Radutny Architects
      A suspended black-metal fireplace is the centrepiece of this lofty apartment, which is located in Chicago and dotted with floor furnishings including a Toga sofa.
      The fireplace is complemented by exposed black ducting and hanging lights, which pop against the surrounding brick, warm wood and concrete elements.
      Find out more about Michigan Loft ›
      Photo by Fran ParenteGale Apartment, Brazil, by Memola Estudio
      Exposed services, ducting and concrete help achieve an industrial look in this living room, which is located in a Brazilian apartment designed by Memola Estudio.
      To add warmth to the space, these finishes are balanced with natural details including dark wooden floorboards and furniture, suede chairs and a textile wall tapestry.
      Find out more about Gale Apartment ›
      Photo by Andrey Bezuglov and Maryan BereshRelogged House, Ukraine, by Balbek Bureau
      This living room belongs to a Ukrainian cabin, designed by Balbek Bureau with a utilitarian aesthetic that aims to challenge conventional cabin interiors.
      Concrete is the predominant material, but stainless steel and wooden elements such as horizontally stacked logs also feature throughout. To add warmth, a giant fireplace takes centre stage and is positioned opposite a modular sofa on which visitors can cosy up.
      Find out more about Relogged House ›
      Photo by Casey DunnSouth 5th Residence, USA, by Alterstudio Architecture
      In this lounge, the stripped-back material palette helps to draw attention to the “dramatic vistas” over a valley in Austin, Texas.
      Rough-textured concrete forms the walls of the space, while polished concrete lines the floor. Window frames made of wood and steel add to the room’s industrial look, and colour is introduced through furnishings including a tubular pink-metal armchair.
      Find out more about South 5th Residence ›
      Photo by JAG studioA Forest House, Ecuador, by Aquiles Jarrín
      Aquiles Jarrín married dark Chonta wood with black-steel beams and rough concrete for the design of this textural living room, found in A Forest House in Quito.
      The wooden elements help break up the open-plan interior, carving out cosy nooks and storage spaces for the owner. The seating area is warmed by a cowhide rug and tan butterfly chairs.
      Find out more about A Forest House ›
      Photo by Joe FletcherAnalog House, USA, by Olson Kundig Architects
      A tactile material palette of metal, concrete and glass tones was used for the living room of Analog House, a home in a Californian forest created by Olson Kundig Architects with the ​​founder of Faulkner Architects – the client for the project.
      In the lounge, these materials are paired with light wooden floors and minimalist furnishings including hanging lights, a sleek black sofa and tubular chairs.
      Find out more about Analog House ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with furry walls, sculptural wooden staircases and rustic Italian interiors.

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      Eight concrete kitchens with raw and tactile surfaces

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      Kitchens with exposed concrete surfaces take centre stage in this lookbook, which includes homes in Mexico, Japan and Ireland.

      Concrete is a ubiquitous material in architecture, but it is less commonly used in interiors – particularly in residential spaces such as kitchens.
      However, its durability and impermeability make it an ideal surface material for cooking and food preparation, while its raw aesthetic can create a striking backdrop for dining and entertaining.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. Other recent editions showcase airy balconies, marble bathrooms and gallery interiors.
      Photo by Toshiyuki YanoHouse in Jiyugaoka, Japan, by Airhouse Design Office

      Airhouse Design Office created this kitchen as part of its renovation of an apartment for a fashion fanatic in Nagoya, Japan.
      Like the rest of the home, the kitchen’s walls, floor and ceiling have been stripped back to expose the concrete beneath. While some areas were left with chipped edges and plaster, others have been polished for a smooth finish.
      Find out more about House in Jiyugaoka ›
      Photo by Daniela Mac AddenCasa H3, Argentina, by Luciano Kruk
      This open-plan kitchen and dining room sits on the ground floor of a holiday home by architect Luciano Kruk in Mar Azul.
      Blending seamlessly into the home’s concrete structure, it features geometric shelving and kitchen counters that extend from the walls and floor. Its industrial look is complemented by an enamel pendant light and a pair of wireframe chairs.
      Find out more about Casa H3 ›
      Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Alférez, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
      In a pine forest in Mexico, architect Ludwig Godefroy created a brutalist cube-shaped home that is built from concrete cast in situ.
      This includes its kitchen, where the shelving and worktops are also all cast from concrete. Here, their raw finishes are juxtaposed with delicate ceramics and Danish designer Hans Wegner’s Wishbone chairs, visually softening the space.
      Find out more about Casa Alférez ›
      Photo by João FerrandFlower House, Portugal, by Ezzo
      The concrete worktops of this sunken kitchen double up as a smooth floor for the dining room at Flower House, a renovated dwelling in Porto.
      Wood-fronted cabinets slot in beneath the flooring, which was hand-poured on site and has been covered with a waterproof coating to give it a polished look.
      Find out more about Flower House ›
      Photo by Onnis Luque and Fabian MartinezToad’s House, Mexico, by Espacio 18 Arquitectura
      Throughout the minimalist Toad’s House on Zapotengo Beach in Oaxaca, architecture studio Espacio 18 has left the concrete structure unfinished and exposed.
      In the bar-style kitchen, the board-marked walls are teamed with glass ornaments and woven baskets, while a central island has been topped with a wooden countertop.
      Find out more about Toad’s House ›
      Photo by Toshiyuki YanoHouse T, Japan, by Suppose Design Office
      This concrete kitchen is among the purposely dark and cave-like living spaces in the monolithic home that Suppose Design Office designed for its founder in Tokyo.
      Its concrete walls and worktops have tactile finishes, which stand against a backdrop of large stone floor tiles and wooden furnishings.
      Find out more about ›
      Photo by Aisling McCoyHollybrook Road, Ireland, by TOB Architect
      Irish studio TOB Architect designed this concrete kitchen extension to evoke the feeling of “being a child under a very robust table”.
      It was cast in situ as one geometric form with the goal of creating a seamless and cavernous look inside. The architect chose an otherwise restrained material palette of terrazzo, walnut and Accoya wood in an effort to retain focus on the texture of the concrete.
      Find out more about Hollybrook Road ›
      Photo by Daniela Mac AddenCasa Golf, Argentina, by Luciano Kruk
      Another concrete kitchen by architect Luciano Kruk is found in Casa Golf, a holiday home on the Argentinian coastline.
      Paired with black cabinets and extractor ducting, its dark-grey surfaces add texture to the space without distracting from the outward views framed by the variety of windows that line the space.
      Find out more about Casa Golf ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. Other recent editions showcase airy balconies, marble bathrooms and gallery interiors.

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      Eight brutalist Mexican interiors that prove concrete doesn’t have to feel cold

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      Raw concrete surfaces are softened by timber and plenty of daylight inside these Mexican houses, rounded up here as part of our latest lookbook.

      Many of these brutalist interiors leave their concrete shells exposed and their cavernous rooms largely unadorned.
      But freed of the constraints posed by frigid temperatures, they also create a greater connection to the outside, whether overlooking Puerto Escondido’s wave-swept beaches or nestled in the bustling metropolis of Mexico City.
      Here, concrete surfaces help to create a sense of seamlessness between indoor and outdoor spaces – often separated only by removable partitions – while unfinished natural materials, such as wood or stone, are brought into the interior.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with exposed services, primary-coloured living spaces and houses with outdoor showers.

      Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Alférez, Cañada De Alferes, by Ludwig Godefroy
      Tucked away in the forest outside Cañada De Alferes near Mexico City, this brutalist holiday home has a board-formed concrete shell.
      This is left on display throughout its entire interior, all the way down to the bedrooms (top image) and the double-height lounge (above).
      To bring a sense of homeliness to its otherwise spartan living spaces, architect Ludwig Godefroy added warm wooden floors and lush pops of green – as seen across upholstery and lighting fixtures.
      Find out more about Casa Alférez ›
      Photo by Onnis Luque and Fabian MartinezLa Casa del Sapo, Playa Zapotengo, by Espacio 18 Arquitectura
      The kitchen of this seafront home – set right on Oaxaca’s Zapotengo beach – can be merged with its neighbouring patio using a wide wooden folding door.
      All-around concrete helps to underline this fusion, while also serving a practical function in the form of a kitchen island and matching shelves.
      Find out more about La Casa del Sapo ›
      Photo by César BéjarThe Hill in Front of the Glen, Morelia, by HW Studio
      Reminiscent of the Hobbit houses in JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, this sunken home is nestled into a hillside in the forests of Michoacán in central Mexico.
      The building’s interiors are defined by its concrete vaulted ceilings, which can be seen in every room, while log benches and full-height glazing provide a visual link to the woodland outside.
      Find out more about The Hill in Front of the Glen ›
      Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Mérida, Mérida, by Ludwig Godefroy
      Mayan architecture and craftsmanship informed the design of this otherwise brutalist house in Yucatán state, which is considered the capital of the indigenous civilisation.
      The home’s perimeter walls, for example, have joints covered in stone splinters that take cues from the design of Mayan pyramids and temples. These are left exposed on the interior alongside the concrete ceilings, creating a rich medley of architectural references.
      Find out more about Casa Mérida ›
      Photo by Rafael GamoPachuca Apartments, Mexico City, by PPAA
      Concrete slabs pave both the patio and living spaces in this Mexico City house to create a sense of continuity, only separated by a full-height glass wall that can be completely pushed open.
      On the interior, the rough concrete finishes are contrasted with details in American white oak, among them a long dining table as well as a staircase with treads that slot into a huge bookshelf.
      Find out more about Pachuca Apartments ›
      Photo by Dane Alonso and Mariano Renteria GarnicaCasa UC, Morelia, by Daniela Bucio Sistos
      Neutral colours and tactile materials are found throughout this home in the city of Morelia, including raw concrete ceilings and floors finished in a honey-toned tropical timber called caobilla.
      In the library, the same wood was also used to form integrated shelves and a huge porthole window that can be pivoted open and closed like a door.
      Find out more about Casa UC ›
      Photo by Sandra PereznietoCasa Aguacates, Valle de Bravo, by Francisco Pardo
      Mexican architect Francisco Pardo repurposed the pinewood formwork used in the process of constructing this concrete house to form a series of partition walls throughout the home.
      The resulting interior layout is simple and fluid and centres on an open-plan kitchen, dining area and living room that open up onto a sunken garden.
      Find out more about Casa Aguacates ›
      Photo by Rory GardinerZicatela, Puerto Escondido, by Emmanuel Picault and Ludwig Godefroy
      Set in the small surf town of Puerto Escondido, this weekend home accommodates its main living areas inside a covered patio and is made almost entirely of concrete.
      The only exceptions are the doors and sliding louvred wood screens that can be used to open the space up to the gardens on either side, as well as a few sparse furnishings such as the low-slung dining table, which is made from a cross-sectioned tree trunk.
      Find out more about Zicatela ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with exposed services, primary-coloured living spaces and houses with outdoor showers.

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      Eight practical and beautiful concrete bathrooms around the world

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      Our latest lookbook explores eight bathrooms with striking concrete interiors, ranging from a Mexico City bathroom that also features a rough-hewn stone bathtub to a UK bathroom built around a “concrete sculpture”.

      Concrete is a practical choice for bathroom interiors since the material is water-resistant, hardwearing and easy to clean. It can also be a decorative option – the material has a rugged, industrial look that gives bathroom interiors a brutalist feel.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors that prove beige doesn’t have to be boring, tidy kitchens with slick storage solutions and save-saving pocket doors.
      Photo by Nicholas WorleyUntitled House, UK, by Szczepaniak Astridge
      This residential extension in south London was designed around a “concrete sculpture”, a concrete-walled void that travels through the house from the kitchen up to the bathroom.

      Here, concrete was poured in situ to form the foundations, floors, walls and ceilings. A monolithic bathtub, also made from concrete, adds to the brutalist feel of the bathroom.
      Find out more about Untitled House ›
      Photo by Givlio AristideCloister House, Australia, by MORQ
      The almost-windowless Cloister House in Perth surrounds a plant-filled courtyard and was designed to have a sense of privacy.
      Made from thick concrete, its interior walls only have thin, arrow-slit openings. In the home’s bathroom, the rammed-concrete finish of the walls was left exposed and softened with a floor made from wooden slats and a red hardwood ceiling.
      Find out more about Cloister House ›
      Photo by Radu PalicicaSunken Bath, UK, by Studio 304
      Sunken Bath is a glazed bathroom that local studio Studio 304 designed for a London flat to create space for Japanese ritual bathing – a relaxation practice.
      The shower and toilet are separated from the concrete bathtub, which is enclosed by glass walls and a glass roof and offers views of the peaceful bamboo-filled garden.
      Find out more about Sunken Bath ›
      Photo by Gilbert McCarragherHouse and Studio Lambeth, UK, by Carmody Groarke
      Architecture office Carmody Groarke designed House and Studio Lambeth to slot inside the fabric of an old warehouse. Its design combines a brick “skin” with a smooth concrete interior.
      A concrete bathroom unit finished with a large shadow gap underneath the ceiling divides one of the home’s four bedrooms. This is contrasted with a decorative marble sink and copper-hued taps and details.
      Find out more about House and Studio Lambeth ›
      Photo by Maxime BrouilletUnit 622, Canada, by Rainville Sangaré
      Moshe Safdie’s famous brutalist Habitat 67 in Montreal is home to this apartment, which is one of 158 homes in 354 stacked, prefabricated concrete “boxes”.
      Its bathroom features a shower fronted by dichroic glass that changes colour depending on which angle it’s viewed from. Vertical concrete wall tiles were designed in a nod to the brutalist building’s structure.
      Find out more about Unit 622 ›
      Photo by Edmund SumnerPedro Reyes House, Mexico, by Pedro Reyes and Carla Fernandez
      This Mexico City home was made primarily from concrete, applied in varying degrees of coarseness, and was designed for and by a Mexican sculptor and fashion designer.
      In the bathroom, the sink was moulded into a shape that resembles pottery and the bathtub is made from stone to look like a rock pool. The rough-hewn shapes match the rough feel of the concrete walls and ceiling.
      Find out more about Pedro Reyes House ›
      Photo by BoysPlayNiceArt Villa, Costa Rica, by Formafatal and Refuel Works
      The Art Villa is nestled into the Costa Rican jungle and was designed to reference the tropical landscape and buildings by architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha, which are known for their monolithic concrete forms.
      The concrete walls and ceilings in its bathroom match the large stone bathtub and contrast the wood used for the floor. Large floor-to-ceiling windows offer views of the verdant countryside.
      Find out more about Art Villa ›
      Photo by Amy Barkow S-M-L Loft, US, by BC–OA
      Located in a cast-iron building dating from 1880 in New York’s Soho district, the S-M-L Loft draws on its past as a warehouse.
      The functional, industrial vibe of the flat can also be seen in the bathroom, which has solid walnut millwork paired with raw concrete panels and white porcelain tiles.
      Find out more about S-M-L Loft ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors that prove beige doesn’t have to be boring, tidy kitchens with slick storage solutions and save-saving pocket doors.

      Read more: More

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      Isern Serra creates pared-back office “with seemingly surreal details” for Andrés Reisinger

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      Spanish architecture and interior design studio Isern Serra kept to a material palette of concrete, quartz and stainless steel to create this pared-back office for Reisinger Studio

      Located in the Poblenou neighbourhood in Barcelona, digital artist Andrés Reisinger’s studio is surrounded by several other creative’s offices and is designed to reflect the artist’s minimalist, dreamlike style.
      The Studio Reisinger office is designed to reflect the artist’s minimalist aesthetic”The concept behind the interiors of my studio was to create a space that complements and doesn’t compete with the uplifting spirit of my work,” Reisinger told Dezeen.
      “I wanted the studio to be like a canvas, with a kind of identity that I could play with,” he added. “The space is inspired by my work’s aesthetic, with seemingly surreal details amidst the light and bright studio.”
      Isern Serra left its raw concrete pillars intactPurchased as an empty shell, the Barcelona-based team decided to leave parts of the original space intact such as the concrete pillars while the ceiling was left exposed.

      Natural tones and textures were introduced through paint and flooring to create an airy and monochromatic yet soothing feel.
      A stainless steel kitchen is on the ground floor”First the colour and texture of the walls were chosen,” Isern Serra told Dezeen. “They are finished with a quartz-based paint in the form of a paste,” he added.
      “A natural finishing of micro-cement for the flooring was chosen to have the same tone and textured effect,” Serra said.
      A concrete table can be used for dining and workingThe team then went about filling the space with office equipment and furnishings, paying close attention to sourcing locally made items that reflect the sculptural work of Reisinger Studio.
      A large concrete table, which functions as a workspace and dining table was made on-site and stands in the middle of the studio.
      It was produced in a hue that sits between millennial pink and beige – a colour that has become synonymous with Reisinger’s work. A similar shade can be seen throughtout Reisinger and architect Alba de la Fuente’s virtual residence Winter House.

      Barcelona’s Orvay bar takes design cues from winemaking

      Around the table is a set of chrome metal stools custom-made by designer Julia Esque that complement the stainless steel staircase which curls up the floor above.
      Also in the area below the mezzanine, is a kitchen made entirely of stainless steel that features an integrated hydraulic push-to-open storage system.
      A millennial pink colour palette was used throughoutOn the upper floor, which is fronted by glass, Andrés Reisinger has a private office with a wooden desk for meetings. Plush pink seating here adds a touch of warmth. A separate shower and toilet are also situated on this floor.
      “The goal was to create a space that would inspire, rather than distract, from the work being produced,” explained Reisinger.
      “I imagined the studio as a blank canvas, a place where my team and I could come to experiment, evolve and grow our ideas and projects.”
      The office has a separate meeting roomArgentinian designer Andrés Reisinger founded Reisinger Studio in 2018. The artist is best known for the Hortensia chair, a bulbous pink armchair made with CGI that went viral on Instagram.
      He also made headlines for his collection of “impossible” virtual furniture, which sold for $450,000 at auction.
      The photos are courtesy of Reisinger Studio.

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      Reflecting pool centres XC273 fashion boutique in former Shanghai towel factory

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      Chinese studio Dongqi Design has turned a disused factory in Shanghai into a multi-brand fashion and lifestyle store, adding glossy marble and metal surfaces to offset its exposed concrete shell.

      Set across three floors, the XC273 retail space houses designer showrooms and pop-ups alongside a small cafe, as well as providing spaces for temporary exhibitions and events.
      Dongqi Design has turned a former factory into a fashion boutiqueFormerly a state-owned towel factory, the building had already been changed several times before the latest round of renovations.
      Dongqi Design strived to preserve and emphasise these different layers of history, which are contrasted against shiny new finishes to create a kind of “nostalgic futurism”.
      “All the differences of the space were kept as part of the building’s history so that people walking in could feel that the boundaries between the past and the present are blurred, as if they had walked into a timeless space,” the studio explained.

      The XC273 store houses a cafe alongside designer showrooms and pop-upsThe building is organised around three voids, which now form the basis of the store’s circulation routes.
      The largest of these voids consists of a double-height space at the core of the building, where Dongqi Design added a small reflecting pool surrounded by a collonade.
      Glossy surfaces are contrasted against the building’s raw concrete shellThe collonade’s raw concrete columns are left exposed where they face the pond, while their other three sides are wrapped with either marble, wood or metal.
      This approach is replicated across the store’s display fixtures to create a sense of spatial continuity. It can also be seen on the first floor, where new paving was added to enhance the existing geometric flooring.

      Offhand Practice designs second-hand bookshop in Shanghai to mimic greengrocer

      A sound tunnel that provides visitors with an experimental music experience was placed near the cafe on the ground floor.
      The second floor is accessed via a metal staircase, which is suspended above the reflecting pool and winds its way up through a small hole in the ceiling.
      A reflecting pool was installed at the core of the building”The key element connecting all the spaces is the stairs,” the studio explained.
      “The stairs are designed in their purest metallic form, further enhanced by the details of the balustrade where the fence becomes a simple element sliding into the structural beam at the bottom while having a profile on the top to allow visitors to grab the handrail comfortably.”
      Concrete paving was added to complement the geometric flooring on the first floorOn the second floor, Dongqi Design selected a bright white finish to emphasise the old wooden structure of the building’s pitched roof. A series of square windows let light into the space and offer views out across the city and toward the sky.
      To balance out the otherwise all-white interior, the VIP room is finished in a darker palette. During spring and summer, these darker shades also contrast with the colour of the trees outside.
      Dongqi Design gave the second floor a bright white finishXC273 has been shortlisted in the large retail interior category of this year’s Dezeen Awards.
      Other projects in the running include a second-hand bookshop in Shanghai that uses supermarket-style crates to display its wares and a reusable sales showroom with fabric walls.
      The photography is by Raitt Liu.

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      Mixed Seats aims to show “what a chair could be”

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      Designer Ali Shah Gallefoss invited 15 creatives to design their own interpretation of a chair that is suitable for a public space, all of which were presented as a recent exhibition in Oslo, Norway.

      Called Mixed Seats, the exhibition was curated by Shah Gallefoss and exhibition platform Pyton.
      Mixed Seats featured a series of concrete chairs including one by Henrik ØdegaardIt featured an installation of concrete chairs from Norwegian creatives including designers Henrik Ødegaard and Maja Pauline Bang Haugsgjerd, which were arranged in a cluster outside at a square next to Oslobukta shopping centre.
      The project stemmed from Pyton inviting the participants to a dinner party for which they were asked to design and bring their own chairs.
      Tron Meyer designed a blue chair while Jonas Løland made a stoolArchitect, designer and artist Tron Meyer created a textured blue seat with a chunky backrest while architect Jonas Løland offered a sandy-hued stool with three-pronged legs.

      “The chairs are individual suggestions for what a chair could be,” Shah Gallefoss told Dezeen.
      “They’re fun, bold, weird, serious, and playful, just like the group of individuals that made them.”
      Maja Pauline Bang Haugsgjerd created a swirling stoolWhile the creatives were free to add additional materials to their chairs, they were instructed to use concrete as their base material. The furniture was made at a collective workshop held in Drammen.
      Some of the offerings feature colour while others were kept simple, such as an ambiguous, rough concrete stool in the shape of a star or flower by designer Christoph Boulmer.
      Spindly wooden legs make up Kevin Kurang’s abstract stool”The variation in shapes and sizes made an appealing composition,” reflected Shah Gallefoss.
      “When they arrived at the square at Oslobukta they looked like small ants, with the huge Munch museum in the background.”
      Christoph Boulmer designed a flower-shaped chairShah Gallefoss himself contributed a chair design to the exhibition with a squat concrete seat attached to a sculptural metal backrest.
      After the exhibition was dismantled, the curator explained that each of the chairs has travelled to a new location to be repurposed in various ways.
      Shah Gallefoss contributed his own design to the exhibitionIndustrial designer Falke Svatun created seating made from two abstract cylindrical concrete components that has now been placed in Oslo’s Sentralen restaurant while product designer Bjørn van de Berg’s stool featured at Stockholm Design Week.
      “It is [often said] that Norwegians don’t like to sit next to another person on the bus,” joked Shah Gallefoss.
      “But the majority of outdoor furniture [created] is benches that invite people to sit down and disturb your peace and quiet. That made me think about personal space in a public setting.”

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      As well as exploring suitable seating for public spaces, another key objective of Mixed Seats was to showcase and encourage multidisciplinary creativity across Norway, according to Shah Gallefoss.
      “I hope that by introducing fifteen creatives [to each other], the exhibition will plant a seed that will grow and strengthen collaborative efforts between the different disciplines, and in the end, build a stronger design industry,” he concluded.
      Two cylindrical components make up Falke Svatun’s chairOther recent chair designs include a chubby furniture collection by Holloway Li and Uma Objects that was presented at London Design Festival and a chair made of plastic rubbish by design studio Space Available and DJ Peggy Gou.
      Mixed Seats was on display as part of Oslo Runway in Norway, which took place from 23 to 28 August in Oslo, Norway. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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      Ten beautiful brutalist interiors with a surprisingly welcoming feel

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      For our latest lookbook, we’ve collected 10 brutalist interiors from the UK to Brazil and Indonesia that show how textiles, plants and colours can be used to soften monolithic concrete spaces and create a cosy atmosphere.

      Brutalism as an architectural style often makes use of concrete to create large, sculptural buildings. These interiors in brutalist buildings feature plenty of concrete and hard angles but still manage to feel both warm and welcoming.
      Colourful tiling, wooden details and tactile textiles as well as an abundance of green plants were used to create inviting living rooms, bathrooms and even workspaces in these brutalist buildings, which include the Barbican in London and Riverside Tower in Antwerp.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring granite kitchens, terrazzo eateries and atriums that brighten up residential spaces.
      Photo is by Tommaso RivaA Brutalist Tropical Home, Indonesia, by Patisandhika and Dan Mitchell

      Designer Dan Mitchell worked with architecture studio Patisandhika to create this brutalist home in Bali, which features a double-height living room filled with books, records and green plants.
      The house has a split-level design that was modelled on modernist architect Ray Kappe’s Kappe Residence. Inside, colourful objects, textiles and furniture draw on the work of Clifford Still, Ellsworth Kelly and the Bauhaus movement to make the house feel homely.
      Find out more about A Brutalist Tropical Home ›
      Photo is by Niveditaa GuptaHouse of Concrete Experiments, India, by Samira Rathod
      As the name suggests, House of Concrete Experiments features sculptural concrete walls. Warm wood detailing offsets the grey hues, while the concrete floor has been inlaid with black stones to create an interesting pattern.
      Large windows and geometric skylights help make the room feel bright and inviting.
      Find out more about House of Concrete Experiments ›
      Photo is by Olmo PeetersRiverside Tower Apartment, Belgium, by Studio Okami Architecten
      Studio Okami Architecten stripped the walls of this flat in Antwerp’s Riverside Tower to let its original structure take centre stage.
      Colourful details such as a turquoise table and baby-blue spiral staircase and a playful, sculptural lamp make the home feel contemporary, while plenty of green plants give more life to the otherwise grey interior.
      Find out more about Riverside Tower Apartment ›
      Photo is by PhotographixBeton Brut, India, by The Grid Architects
      Designed as a “neo-brutalist” house, Beton Brut in India has a number of dramatic features, including a skylit atrium that extends through the home.
      The Grid Architects described the home as “typified by bare concrete, geometric shapes, a monochrome palette and a monolithic appearance”. Wooden flooring and furniture and plenty of textiles soften the house’s brutalist interior and potentially stern appearance.
      Find out more about Beton Brut ›
      Photo is by Anton GorlenkoBarbican flat, UK, by Takero Shimakazi Architects
      This flat in the Shakespeare Tower of London’s brutalist Barbican estate was overhauled by Takero Shimakazi Architects in a nod to the client’s strong ties to Japan.
      Details such as gridded timber panels and timber joinery were added throughout the flat, which also features Japan-informed details including an area lined with tatami mats.
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      Photo is by Joana FrançaConcrete home, Brazil, by Debaixo do Bloco Arquitetura
      Debaixo do Bloco’s design for this sculptural house in Brazil is divided into three sections to provide a clear distinction between the various programmes.
      Inside, the interior has a mid-century modern feel, with gleaming wood parquet flooring and a glass PH table lamp by Danish designer Louis Poulsen decorating a side table.
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      Photo is by Lorenzo ZandriSmithson Tower office, UK, by ConForm
      The brutalist Smithson Tower in Mayfair is the location for this “homely” office designed by ConForm Architects. The studio split the space into eight zones defined by the strong structural grid of the existing building, and added low-level joinery.
      The result is a design that softens the stark office spaces and makes the rooms feel more intimate.
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      Photo is courtesy of The StandardThe Standard London, UK, by Shawn Hausman
      Designer Shawn Hausman created the colour-drenched interior of hotel The Standard in London, which is located in a brutalist building, to contrast “the greyness of London”.
      “I would say with this property we were a bit more colourful than usual, and I think part of that is acting in contrast to the brutalist building that the hotel’s in,” explained Hausman.
      In the bathrooms, stripy pink-and-black tiled walls and pops of pale mint green give the room a fun, playful feel.
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      Photo is by Casey DunnPreston Hollow, US, by Specht Architects
      The long corrugated concrete volumes of Preston Hollow in Dallas were designed to reference brutalist Texan architecture from the 1950s and 60s, but the house was built to wrap around courtyards, creating a lively, open impression.
      Inside the low-slung buildings, mid-century modern-style furniture nods to the home’s architectural references but the interior is brought up-to-date with the addition of modern art.
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      Photo is by Gilbert McCarragherBarbican apartment, UK, by John Pawson
      British architect John Pawson created this flat in London’s Barbican building using his signature minimalist aesthetic.
      The flat, which overlooks central London and has a small concrete balcony, has been kept almost empty with just a smattering of furnishings and pale wooden surfaces. Three artworks, a Buddha sculpture and a grandfather clock are the only decorative elements in the space.
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      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring granite kitchens, terrazzo eateries and atriums that brighten up residential spaces.

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