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      Colombian designers transform Bogotá townhouse for furniture exhibition

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      Gallery NC Diseño has renovated a townhouse in Bogotá, commissioning 10 Colombian designers to redesign its bedrooms, kitchen and other spaces in different styles for an inaugural exhibition.

      NC Diseño features five floors, two of which contain previously uninhabited apartments renovated over three months for the opening Design House Colombia exhibit. It is located down the street from sister institution NC Arte studio in Bogotá.
      NC Diseño has opened an inaugural exhibit of collectible design in BogotáFor the exhibition, curator Mónica Barreneche commissioned 10 local designers and studios to select a room within the apartments to furnish with collectible design pieces, prompting each studio to design a space informed by personal experience.
      “For the first edition of Design House Colombia, the ten participating design studios were invited to delve into the typological significance that represents the space in which each one intervened,” said Barreneche.
      Martín Mendoza created a wood and steel studio clad informed by his father’s own officeThe brief was for the designers to connect personal experiences with the different spaces in the home.

      “As a result, each of them left an emotional imprint of what it means to connect with space,” said Barreneche.
      NC Diseño director Estefania Neme also added locally created art pieces to each space.
      Julián Molina of Refugio Arquitectura created a minimal kitchen with a custom illusionary tiled floorArchitect Martín Mendoza outfitted an office in chocolate-coloured wooden cladding by Woodbox Colombia and steel bookshelves by Guarida, illuminating the space with lighting by Alta Estudio and La Nuit as an homage to his father’s studio.
      “When I observe a studio, my mind immediately goes to the memory of my father’s studio. That space, for me, embodies the authentic meaning of intimacy and privacy. It’s a completely personal refuge,” said the designer.
      Mendoza filled the space with furniture of leather, steel and wood. A metallic-legged daybed topped with a woven leather cushion by his studio MM & Co was centred, while a steel desk by designer Daniela Duarte sat in a corner.
      Artwork by Julian Burgoss and charred-wood figures in the shape of books as well as stools by designer Camilo Andres Rodriguez Márquez complete the space.
      Estefania Neme centred a teddy bear wrapped in the Ikea Stockholm rug for a nurseryArchitect Julián Molina of Refugio Arquitectura outfitted a kitchen for the project, which will be the one permanent space in NC Diseño.
      The designer centred a large wood-and-steel island and placed an illuminated yellow shelving unit by design studio Octubre just above it.
      Jotaele Arquitectura created an “infinite” dining room with original wood panelingThe floor was clad in a custom black-and-white tile pattern by artist Ramon Laserna, which creates an optical illusion.
      Medellín-based designer David Del Valle created a minimal living room informed by his warm, plant-filled city, taking advantage of the views from the three arched windows in the room.
      Camila Buitrago Estudio and Granada Gárces Aquitectos created a bedroom cast in greyTwo scooped metal armchairs, placed at the centre of the room face the terrace and an amoeba-shaped bronze table was placed in between them.
      The El Secreto table was designed exclusively for the exhibit to pay homage to a Colombian national park.
      Moblar created a therapist’s office with a daybed at its centre and steel bookshelves”This table represents Colombia’s best-kept anthropological and territorial treasure; Chibiriquete National Natural Park. From its natural form to all the meaning it holds, this table narrates the mystique of this natural gem,” said Del Valle.
      Upstairs, a room curated by Neme brought together a number of designers for a nursery.
      Cruz de la Pava played created a “man cave” with a light that dims when visitors sit in a central armchairA rug created by Cosí and NC Diseño and informed by tatami mats consists of off-white patches sewn together with a colourful crocheted web.
      A crib by artists Colectivo Mangle was made of wooden slats that fan out from connection points on either end with geometric, yellow chairs by Jimena Londoño y José David del Portillo placed beside it.
      Basalto Studio filled a room with interchangeable totems and concentric chandeliersA giant teddy bear wrapped and emerging from Ikea’s popular Stockholm rug by artist Ivan Castiblanco was placed on the wall.
      “When children are surrounded by a friendly, creative, imaginative and happy environment, their behaviour is undoubtedly different, and they learn to take care of their environment and value themselves,” said Neme.

      Design House in Mexico City showcases local designers in mid-century home

      Jotaele Arquitectura created an “infinite” dining room, which included original wood panelling and chairs by Jaime Gutiérrez Lega upholstered in wool, and Cruz de la Pava played on the idea of a “man cave” where lights dim when visitors sit in a central armchair.
      Finally, Moblar created a therapist’s office, including a daybed and steel bookcases with curved profiles by the studio.
      Pedro Bermudez created a courtyard with a green metal screen and clay pots informed by the layers of Colombian soilOther spaces throughout the exhibition include a bedroom cast in an all-grey hue, including the floors, by Camila Buitrago Estudio and Granada Gárces Aquitectos; a room filled with interchangeable totems and concentric chandeliers by Basalto Studio; and terraces by designers Pedro Bermudez, Terreno Paisajismo and Menguante.
      Similarly, designers in Mexico City outfitted a whole house with custom interiors and furniture for Design Week Mexico.
      Elsewhere in Bogotá, Lorenzo Botero and Martín Mendoza created a brick-lined restaurant and Alsar Atelier and Oscar Zamora created a translucent fog catcher.
      The photography is by Monica Barreneche
      Design House Colombia is on show from November to 14 March in Bogotá. For more events, exhibitions and talks in architecture and design visit the Dezeen Events Guide. 

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      Ten highlights from Design Doha exhibition Arab Design Now

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      A disaster-proof chandelier from Lebanon and a towering sand dune-style stone installation feature in Arab Design Now, the main exhibition at the inaugural Design Doha biennial.

      Arab Design Now was curated by Rana Beiruti to capture the spirit of contemporary design across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the curator told Dezeen ahead of the opening of the first Design Doha.
      Set within the Qatari capital’s M7 building, the design biennial draws together a range of collectible design and installations.
      Selected works from 74 participants paid homage to the MENA region’s “extremely harsh and unique geography” and investigated the “use of materials as a guiding principle,” explained Beiruti.
      Here are 10 of Dezeen’s highlights from Arab Design Now, which is on display in Doha until early August.

      Sites – New Sites by Studio Anne Holtrop
      Bahrain- and Amsterdam-based architect Anne Holtrop has designed a cluster of large-scale mobiles made from vast slabs of lumpy resin.
      Holtrop took casts of a series of manmade and natural sites that he found across Qatar to create the textured pieces, which hang from bearing mechanisms and can be manually rotated by visitors to produce continuously moving formations.

      Constellations 2.0: Object. Light. Consciousness by Abeer Seikaly
      Over 5,000 pieces of Murano glass were woven together by Jordanian-Palestinian designer Abeer Seikaly to create this chandelier, which combines Bedouin weaving practices from Jordan with traditional Venetian glassmaking techniques.
      Brass and stainless steel were also integrated into the lighting, made flexible by the glass mesh.
      Once illuminated, the sculptural piece creates dramatic light patterns that nod to a starry night sky seen from the Badia desert, according to Seikaly.

      House Between a Jujube Tree and a Palm Tree by Civil Architecture
      Kuwait and Bahrain-based office Civil Architecture has designed a looming fibreglass roof proposal for a majlis – the traditional term for an Arabic gathering space.
      “It’s a 1:1 model of a roof of an actual house that we designed in Bahrain,” studio co-founder Hamed Bukhamseen told Deezen.
      Supported by steel and suspended from tension cables, the majlis features openings designed to accommodate tall trees and was created to explore the “symbiotic but blurred” relationship between indoor and outdoor settings.
      Photo courtesy of Design DohaNubia, Hathor and Gros Guillaume Stool by Omar Chakil
      French-Egyptian-Lebanese designer Omar Chakil was informed by his father’s homeland of Egypt when he chose alabaster onyx to create this monolithic shelving, a bulbous coffee table and a stool that glides across the floor on wheels.
      Taking cues from ancient practices, Chakil carved the rounded furniture from raw blocks of the material, which was sanded down over time using water rather than covered in varnish – something that the designer said had became common in Egypt, especially when making “cheap” souvenirs.
      “The whole idea of the collection was to use Egyptian alabaster, which was a healing stone,” Chakil told Dezeen.
      “The pharaohs used [the material], then it transformed it over time. It lost its soul. So I tried to put it in the contemporary context by using the shapes that healing emotions would take – so they are round and soft, even though they are very heavy,” he added.
      “I see that people are afraid to, but I want them to touch the furniture.”

      Tiamat by AAU Anastas
      Palestinian architecture office AAU Anastas is presenting Tiamat, a dune-shaped installation that forms part of the studio’s ongoing project, Stone Matters, which explores the potential of combining historical stone building techniques with modern technologies to encourage the use of structural stone.
      Positioned for visitors to walk through, the installation is a towering structure made of stone sourced from Bethlehem and informed by the Gothic-style architecture found across Palestine, Syria and Lebanon.
      According to AAU Anastas, the light, sound reverberations and climate control within Tiamat’s internal space is unique to stone construction.

      Clay in Context by Sama El Saket
      Jordan-born architect and ceramicist Sama El Saket took cues from her native landscape when creating this “taxonomy of Jordanian clays”.
      The result is a set of spindle bottle-style vessels, each made of a different natural clay found across Jordan. This gives the pieces their distinctive colours, textures and character.
      “These are all natural clays with no pigments added,” El Saket told Dezeen. “The colours are attributed to the different minerals that are found within the region. Some are sandier, some are rockier.”
      The designer noted that while Jordan features an abundance of clay deposits and a rich history of ceramic production, today most Jordanian clay is imported.
      Photo by Sabine SaadehLight Impact by Fabraca Studios
      Lebanese industrial design brand Fabraca Studios has created Light Impact, a solid aluminium lighting fixture that was designed as an alternative chandelier, resembling durable ropes.
      The piece was made to replace a glass chandelier that shattered in the aftermath of the 2020 Beiruit explosion, which destroyed a large part of Lebanon’s capital city.
      Light Impact is defined by “flexible characteristics designed to withstand another disaster,” studio founder Samer Saadeh told Dezeen. He added that the piece, which includes internal brass components, was designed as an ode to Beirut’s adaptability and resilience.

      Eleven by Sahel Alhiyari
      Eleven is a cluster of tall fluted terracotta columns by Jordanian architect Sahel Alhiyari that were made through moulding and forming rather than traditional cutting and carving.
      The architect handcrafted the segments, which are vertically stacked, using a similar technique to pottery-making,
      “As you twist and turn the material, it creates all of this stuff,” Alhiyari told Dezeen. The designer explained that the columns were deliberately created to celebrate imperfections, despite referencing classical architecture.

      Sediments by Talin Hazbar
      UAE-based Syrian designer Talin Hazbar is featuring her Sediments project, which previously gained recognition at Dubai Design Week.
      The work consists of blocky seating made from fishing ropes and fishing cage ropes extracted from the Persian Gulf with the assistance of the Dubai Voluntary Diving Team.
      Also made up of recycled rubber grains, the heavily textured seating was created to serve as a reminder of how we might attempt to clean up damaged coastlines, according to Hazbar.

      Whispers from the Deep by T Sakhi
      Lebanese-Polish sisters Tessa and Tara El Sakhi of the studio T Sakhi combined discarded metal salvaged from factories in Veneto, Italy, with Murano glass to create amorphous glassware that takes cues from underwater sea creatures.
      These pieces were arranged atop dramatic shelving inside the elevator connecting the first and second floors of the Arab Design Now exhibition.
      The result is a playful installation that draws together the Venetian lagoon and Lebanese glassblowing traditions.
      The photography is by Edmund Sumner unless stated otherwise.
      Arab Design Now takes place at Design Doha from 24 to 5 August 2024 in Doha, Qatar. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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      Folkform installs The Museum of Masonite at Stockholm Furniture Fair

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      Swedish design duo Folkform has presented a series of furniture pieces made using Masonite hardboard sourced from a factory that closed down over a decade ago.

      On show at Stockholm Furniture Fair, The Museum of Masonite centres around a patented type of engineered wood board that is made by steam-cooking and pressure-moulding wood fibres.
      Folkform founders Anna Holmquist and Chandra Ahlsell first started experimenting with this material 15 years ago, in collaboration with Sweden’s last remaining Masonite producer in Rundvik.
      The Museum of Masonite features furniture made from a patented type of wood boardWhen the factory closed in 2011, the pair took all the remaining stock.
      “I felt a responsibility to tell the story of what happened to this material,” explained Holmquist, who has since completed a PHD exploring the cultural significance of Masonite.

      “It created the Swedish welfare state in the 1930s, 40s and 50s,” she told Dezeen.
      “It was made from leftover wood from the Swedish sawmills so it became bigger here than anywhere else. Everyone was using it, for everything from boats and caravans to houses.”
      Works on show include the Masonite Chair, a collaboration with Åke AxelssonThe Museum of Masonite follows the release of the Production Novellas, a book published by Folkform detailing the results of Holmquist’s PHD research.
      Folkform is showcasing this book alongside some of their favourite Masonite designs created over the years.

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      Works on display include the Masonite Chair, a 2021 collaboration with Åke Axelsson based on an experimental design the Swedish interior architect produced in 1978.
      Older pieces include a chest of drawers and a bedside cabinet, both created in 2012, which feature different material samples arranged in geometric collages.
      “We combined materials with different ages, with this idea that the furniture becomes an archive,” said Holmquist.
      The exhibition follows the release of the book Production NovellasThe most recent designs in the show explore a more minimalist approach, suggesting how the material can create the suggestion of solid blocks.
      “I feel like the compositions will be never-ending because we still have more of this board,” added Holmquist.
      The works are presented alongside photographs, illustrations and artefacts that tell the story of the factory.
      The exhibition includes photos from the factory. Image by Amy FrearsonLater in the year, the exhibition will move to the Laurel Museum of Art in Mississippi, the city where Masonite was patented in 1924 by William H Mason.
      Masonite is distinct from other engineered wood fibre boards, such as MDF, because it is made without glue. Holmquist believes the material could have a future in manufacturing.
      Masonite is made from pressure-moulded wood fibres. Image by Amy Frearson”It’s a beautiful material and it’s very sustainable,” she concluded.
      “We are already seeing a shift in food, where people increasingly care where the things they eat come from, so maybe it will also happen for furniture and objects.”
      At Stockholm Furniture Fair this year, visitors could also enjoy the Wekino With exhibition by South Korean furniture designers and British designer Faye Toogood’s collaboration with Finnish company Vaarnii.
      The photography is by Erik Lefvander unless otherwise stated.
      The Museum of Masonite is on show at Stockholm Furniture Fair, which is open to the public from 7 to 11 February 2024. See Dezeen Events Guide for more Stockholm Dezeen Week exhibitions in our dedicated event guide.

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      Karimoku Case lines minimalist Tokyo apartment with local wood

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      Japanese brand Karimoku Case has redesigned an apartment on a hilltop in Tokyo, using wood and a neutral colour palette to create a “calm and serene atmosphere”.

      Named Azabu Hills Residence, the project was designed by Karimoku Case – a studio developed by Karimoku Furniture in collaboration with design studios Keiji Ashizawa and Norm Architects.
      The studio used the project as an opportunity to optimise the use of local zelkova wood which is increasingly underutilised.
      The apartment features furniture made from zelkova wood”We sympathized with the story of how zelkova used to be a common material in Japan, but is now being chipped and discarded, and wished to explore the possibilities of zelkova through this project,” lead designer Keiji Ashizawa told Dezeen.
      “When I first saw the sample of it, I felt that its gentle reddish hue, along with its story, was a good match for the project,” he continued.

      “We decided to create the interior using zelkova that would come in harmony with the gentle light from the north side.”
      A neutral material palette creates a “calm and serene atmosphere”The 226-metre-square apartment was centred around a spacious, open-plan living area and dining room illuminated by floor-to-ceiling windows.
      A small workspace nestled behind a wall in the living space makes use of the spacious interior, and is furnished with a desk, chair and shelving made from zelkova wood.
      White plaster walls and wooden floors define the living spacesThe minimalist interior is defined by textured white walls and wood used for flooring, window frames and fittings, which are tied together by cream furnishings, paper lighting fixtures and decorative artwork.
      In the living space, lattice wooden screens were used to separate programmes as well as provide cross ventilation through the space to create airy interiors.

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      “With the residence being located in the middle of a large city like Tokyo, it was important to have a home-like atmosphere that makes you feel at ease,” Ashizawa said.
      “We were conscious of the calmness and tranquility needed to achieve this, and designed the interior with well-curated furniture, lighting, and art to create an environment for this purpose.”
      Wooden, lattice screens allow ventilation through the homeA counter made from zelkova wood divides the living space and adjacent kitchen, while also serving as an additional seating and dining space.
      Within the kitchen, cabinets built from gridded wooden frames were finished with concrete countertops, complemented by tiled terrazzo flooring that also features in the home’s entryway.
      Furnishings, paper lighting fixtures and pieces of artwork tie the interior togetherGridded wooden frames are repeated for both storage in the living area and a wall in the main bedroom where the home transitions into a cosy-feel with carpet flooring.
      A circular chair and marbled table sit in front of the bedroom’s floor-to-ceiling windows, with a study desk nestled into the corner.
      Gridded wooden frames feature in the kitchen, living space and bedroomOther recently completed projects with minimalist interiors include a dental clinic in Montreal designed to feel like “someone’s home” and a London pub converted into a pared-back jewellery showroom.
      The photography is by Tomooki Kengaku. 
      Project credits:
      Architect: Keiji Ashizawa DesignProject architect: Keiji Ashizawa / Ryota MaruyamaClient: reBITA / NTT Urban Development Coperation TokyoConstruction: TamarixFurniture collaboration: Norm ArchitectsFurniture: Karimoku CaseLighting: Kojima Shoten / Saito ShomeiLighting plan: AURORA / Yoshiki IchikawaInterior styling: Yumi Nakata

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      Moooi furnishings “tell a different story on every floor” of Lisbon hotel says Rebelo de Andrade

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      Father and son architect duo Luís and Tiago Rebelo de Andrade explain how they furnished Lisbon’s Art Legacy Hotel entirely with Moooi products in this video produced by Dezeen for the Dutch furniture brand.

      Lisbon practice Rebelo De Andrade designed the interiors of the five star Art Legacy Hotel, located in the Baixa-Chiado district in the city’s centre.
      The hotel is notable for its exclusive use of Moooi products and rooms with bold primary colour schemes.
      Art Legacy Hotel is a five star hotel in Lisbon”Hospitality is always about image and stories,” said Luís Rebelo De Andrade, founder of the studio, in the exclusive Dezeen video interview. “We wanted the guests, when they come to this hotel, to have a completely unexpected experience.”
      “So, we proposed to our client that we make a hotel with only Moooi products, to give it a very strong identity.”

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      Moooi’s products were used throughout the hotel, including carpets, furniture, lighting, wall coverings and art pieces.
      “Moooi is everywhere in the building,” said Tiago Rebelo De Andrade, who is partner and principal architect at the studio and Luís Rebelo De Andrade’s son. “When you enter the hotel, all the colours, all the textures, all the furniture from Moooi helps us to tell a different story in every floor.
      Rebelo De Andrade furnished the Art Legacy Hotel entirely with Moooi productsThe project is a renovation of a historical office building. Alongside overhauling the hotel’s interior, Rebelo De Andrade also redesigned its facade.
      According to Tiago Rebelo De Andrade, Moooi’s blend of modernity and classical references suited the studio’s approach to designing the hotel’s interiors.
      “Moooi is classic but in a way that can also be modern,” he said. “It’s a modern-classic building.”
      Art Legacy Hotel is a renovation of a historic building in Lisbon’s centreLuís Rebelo De Andrade decided to partner with Moooi on the hotel’s interiors after visiting the brand’s Museum of Extinct Animals exhibition at Milan design week in 2018.
      Each room in the Art Legacy Hotel has either a blue, red, yellow or green colour scheme, with matching wall coverings, furniture and tiling in the bathrooms.
      “When I first met Moooi’s products, I felt that it uses a lot of primary colours,” he said. “So I used primary colours in a very strong way in the hotel. They are colours that provoke you.”
      Moooi’s lighting, furniture, wall coverings and carpets are used throughout Art Legacy HotelIn the video interview, the duo also discussed their working relationship.
      “My son, he provokes me,” said Luís Rebelo De Andrade. “We had to educate ourselves on how to work together.”
      “I offer my experience, he offers his youth in projects,” he continued. “So I think it’s a good mix.”
      Rebelo De Andrade used primary colour schemes in Art Legacy Hotel’s rooms”It’s difficult because it’s a father and son relationship,” added Tiago Rebelo De Andrade. “We are always arguing, but at the end of the day, we drink a bottle of wine so that we can make peace with each other.”
      Other recent projects from Moooi include the IDEO-designed Pallana suspension lamp, made up of adjustable ring lights, and the rope-like Knitty Chair designed by Nika Zupanc.
      The photography is by João Guimarães.
      Partnership content
      This video was produced by Dezeen for Moooi as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen’s partnership content here.

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      Eight living rooms where vintage furniture adds an “unknown history”

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      Our latest lookbook features living rooms where vintage furniture and accessories add interest to contemporary interiors, including a concrete apartment in São Paulo and a home in the BBC’s former London headquarters.

      Vintage furniture can create cosy interiors and add a sense of timeless style to both modern new builds and historic homes.
      Whether it’s iconic pieces by well-known designers or artisanal accessories, these eight projects all feature eye-catching vintage furnishings and show how they can be used to create inspiring interiors.
      This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring burl-wood interiors, homes where ruins reveal layers of the past and well-designed sheds and outbuildings.
      Photo by Eric PetschekAmagansett Beach House, US, by Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design

      Located by the beach in the Hamptons village of Amagansett, the interior of this blackened wood home was filled with a mix of vintage and contemporary furniture.
      In one corner of the living room, a modern wood desk has been complemented with a dark-wood vintage chair, while a wooden lamp and small sculpture add a decorative touch.
      Find out more about Amagansett Beach House ›
      Photo by Edmund DabneyHighbury apartment, UK, by Holloway Li
      London studio Holloway Li designed this apartment for its co-founder Alex Holloway in a converted Victorian house.
      The living room, unusually, holds a bathtub that was placed here to add an “alternative touch” to the flat. Next to it, a green vintage Eames office chair sits by a bespoke timber Holloway Li desk.
      Find out more about Highbury apartment ›
      Photo by Michael SinclairPalace Gate apartment, UK, by Tala Fustok
      Designed to be a “calm sanctuary,” this apartment in a Victorian mansion block close to London’s Hyde Park has a neutral cream, white and brown colour palette.
      In the living room, a selection of carefully chosen artworks in organic shapes match the vintage furniture and antique mirror.
      Find out more about the Palace Gate apartment ›
      Photo by Denilson MachadoDN Apartment, Brazil, by BC Arquitetos
      This 1970s São Paulo apartment (above and main image), renovated by Brazilian studio BC Arquitetos, features monolithic concrete panels and plenty of walnut panelling.
      Vintage furniture pieces by Brazilian mid-century modern designers are found throughout the flat including in the living room, where a gleaming wooden Petalas table by Jorge Zalszupin has pride of place.
      Find out more about DN Apartment ›
      Photo by Brotherton LockChestnut Plantation, US, by John Pardey Architects
      Local studio John Pardey Architects designed Chestnut Plantation as a simple backdrop to the client’s vintage furniture.
      The largely open-plan interior features a living room with floor-to-ceiling glazing and textured brick walls, which contrast nicely against the more ornate vintage chairs that were placed to have a view of the garden.
      Find out more about Chestnut Plantation ›
      Photo by Michael SinclairHelios 710, UK, by Bella Freud and Maria Speake
      The interior of this apartment, located inside the former BBC headquarters in west London, was designed to channel a 1970s vibe.
      In the living room, a glass dining table is complemented by woven-cane dining chairs and burnt-orange sofas contrast against the emerald green floor. The pieces were chosen to evoke the “bold colour, eclecticism and glamour” of the seventies.
      Find out more about Helios 710 ›
      Photo by Giulio GhirardiHaussmann apartment, France, by Rodolphe Parente
      A yellow sculptural vintage sofa decorates the living room in this apartment in a 19th-century Haussmann building in Paris, which was given a contemporary overhaul by interior designer Rodolphe Parente.
      Its colour was chosen among the other warm tones used in the apartment to “subtly enhance the classical heritage of the apartment and keep an enveloping atmosphere,” the interior designer explained.
      Find out more about the Haussmann apartment ›
      Photo by Nicole FranzenLong Island Home, US, by Athena Calderone
      New York designer Athena Calderone renovated her own mid-century home in Amagansett to brighten it up and make it feel warmer. Vintage furniture is a big part of the design as seen in the living room, which has two white vintage chairs in different designs.
      “I would say probably 80 per cent of this home has vintage furniture,” Calderone added. “I love what vintage does to the home. It adds an unknown history and a timeworn patina.”
      Find out more about the Long Island Home ›
      This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring burl-wood interiors, homes where ruins reveal layers of the past and well-designed sheds and outbuildings.

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      San Francisco exhibition features “off-center” Bay Area furniture design

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      Stools from local designer Caleb Ferris and design firm Prowl Studio were among the works displayed at a San Francisco exhibition centred around contemporary Bay Area design.

      The Works in Progress show displayed stools, chairs and other furniture from local designers to highlight the diversity in methods and backgrounds of an evolving Bay Area design scene.
      The recent Works in Progress exhibition held in San Francisco highlighted Bay Area designers”As the Bay Area creative scene evolves in real-time, there are boundless possibilities for how it might bloom,” said curators and designers Kate Greenberg, Kelley Perumbeti, and Sahra Jajarmikhayat in a statement. 
      “For now, we are here to acknowledge its depth and say: it’s a work in progress.”
      Caleb Ferris showed a duck-footed poplar stoolThe team distributed the exhibition’s pieces across metallic platforms supported by foundations of bricks.

      Pieces ranged from a curvacious, duck-footed poplar wood stool marked with paint and silver leaf by Caleb Ferris, to Prowl Studio’s cubic stainless steel stool wrapped in a 3D knit cover.
      Prowl Studio wrapped a stainless steel stool in a 3D knit cover”Across a range of materials, forms, and functions, the participants have found a groove in the original, the introspective, and the off-center,” said the team. 
      Designer Ido Yoshimoto displayed a sculptural side table made of old-growth redwood and finished in a dark red textured hue. The table consists of a geometric, curved corner that runs into a darkened raw edge.
      Designer Ido Yoshimoto showed a sculptural old-growth redwood side table with a raw edgeStudio Ahead created a fuzzy Merino wool stool informed by northern California rock formations, which contrasted with the smooth surface of a glass stool by curators Jajarmikhayat and Greenberg.
      Other works included a baltic plywood side table with grooved sides and small, chunky sky blue legs by NJ Roseti and a white oak chair topped with a wild fleece and suede cushion by Rafi Ajl of studio Long Confidence.

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      Office of Tangible Space showed a flat-legged chair designed in collaboration with CNC design studio Thirdkind Studio, while Duncan Oja of Oja Design displayed a charred white oak stool with an organic, rough-sawn profile.
      Fyrn Studio showed a charcoal-black hardwood stool with aluminium hardware created with replaceable parts and studio Medium Small and designer Yvonne Mouser both displayed chairs made of ash, one blackened and the other not, supported by bases of elegant, simple lines.
      Studio Ahead and Kate Greenberg and Sahra Jajarmikhayat made stools with rock-like forms”As simple as it sounds, the soul of this exhibition is in the representation of physical craft and the people behind it. It’s important to shine a light on this vibrant slice of the Bay Area that is not always as visible amidst a city focused on the digital realm,” said Perumbeti.
      “There’s something really exciting brewing in this community that is just beginning to get teased out,” said Greenberg.
      NJ Roseti created a baltic plywood side table supported by light blue cubic legsWorks in Progress was part of the wider San Francisco Art Week, which highlights art and design from the city and took place from 13-21 January.
      Other recent furniture exhibitions that highlighted California designers include INTRO/LA with pieces by Adi Goodrich and Sam Klemick and the first Miami edition from Milan-based design exhibition Alcova held in a motel during Miami’s art week.
      Works in Progress took place at the American Industrial Center in San Francisco from 18 to 23 January 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.
      The photography is by Sahra Jajarmikhayat unless otherwise stated. 

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      Eight interiors where burl wood provides natural texture

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      This week’s lookbook rounds up eight interiors with furnishings and surfaces finished in burl-wood veneer, allowing its swirly, psychedelic graining to serve a decorative function.

      Burl wood is a rare and expensive wood, often only available in thin sheets of veneer. That’s because it is derived from the knobbly outgrowths of tree trunks and branches – also known as burls.
      Like the botanical equivalent of a callous, these outgrowths form in response to different stress factors and grow unpredictably, creating complex unexpected grain patterns behind their gnarled bark.
      Burl wood has been experiencing a renaissance over the last few years, with interior designers including Kelly Wearstler using it to evoke the bohemian flair of its 1970s heyday.
      Mixed and matched with other patterns, the material is now used to communicate a kind of organic understated luxury, much like natural stone.

      From a Michelin-starred restaurant to a home that was designed to resemble a boutique hotel, read on for eight examples of how burl wood can provide textural richness to a modern interior.
      This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring rooms with net floors, interiors with furry walls and homes with mid-century modern furniture.
      Photo by Pion StudioBotaniczna Apartment, Poland, by Agnieszka Owsiany Studio
      This tranquil apartment in Poznań was designed by local firm Agnieszka Owsiany Studio to give the owners a reprise from their high-pressure medical jobs.
      The interior combines a calming mix of pale marble and various kinds of wood, including oak cabinetry, chevron parquet flooring and a console and vanity, both finished in speckled burl.
      “My clients asked for a high quality, almost hotel-like space, as they were in need of everyday comfort,” founder Agnieszka Owsiany told Dezeen.
      Find out more about Botaniczna Apartment ›
      Photo by Adrian GautUlla Johnson flagship, USA, by Kelly Wearstler
      Burlwood brings “a touch of 1970s California nostalgia” to the Ulla Johnson flagship store in Los Angeles, courtesy of local designer Kelly Wearstler.
      The unusual veneer was used liberally to cover walls, ceilings and shelves, as well as forming a statement display cabinet where the material’s natural wavy surface texture provides an added element of tactility (top image).
      Find out more about the Ulla Johnson flagship ›
      Photo by Prue RuscoeKoda hair salon, Australia, by Arent & Pyke
      This hair salon in Sydney’s Queen Victoria Building was designed by Australian studio Arent & Pyke to be “best appreciated from seated height”.
      Drawing attention away from the building’s extra-tall ceilings, freestanding quartzite-rimmed mirrors are placed at angles in front of the styling chairs, framing a vintage hanging cabinet made from pale burl.
      Find out more about the Koda hair salon ›
      Photo by Pion StudioOpasly Tom restaurant, Poland, by Buck Studio
      Buck Studio employed a limited palette of colours and materials to create visual continuity throughout Warsaw restaurant Opasly Tom, which occupies a split-level building that was broken up into a series of rooms of different sizes.
      Coral-orange chair cushions mirror the hardware of the totem-like pendant lights, and several burl-clad cabinets are dotted throughout the eatery. These match the kaleidoscopically patterned panelling in the hallway and the private dining rooms.
      “This contemporary, minimalistic design approach produces the impression of coherence while creating a powerful aesthetic impact,” explained the Polish studio, which is headed up by Dominika Buck and Pawel Buck.
      Find out more about the Opasly Tom restaurant ›
      Photo by Oni StudioWarsaw apartment, Poland, by Mistovia
      Elsewhere in Warsaw, Polish studio Mistovia designed an apartment for an art director and her pet dachshund to resemble an “elaborate puzzle” of contrasting patterns.
      Walnut-burl cabinets dominate the kitchen, with their trippy swirling pattern offset against monochrome tiles, brushed-metal drawers and a terrazzo-legged breakfast bar.
      Find out more about the Warsaw apartment ›
      Photo by Jennifer Chase and Yorgos EfthymiadisImperfecto, USA, by OOAK Architects
      Upon entering Michelin-starred restaurant Imperfecto in Washington DC, diners are greeted by a custom-made maître-d stand clad in panels of burl-wood veneer, creating a mirrored tortoiseshell pattern across its surface.
      The interior, designed by Greek-Swedish studio OOAK Architects, sees neutral tones paired with splashes of blue and white that nod to the restaurant’s Mediterranean menu.
      “OOAK Architects has used varied, high-quality finishes and authentic materials including Greek and Italian marbles, as well as brass and wood from different parts of the world, creating contrasting textures across the space,” the team said.
      Find out more about Imperfecto ›
      Photo by Anson SmartBlack Diamond house, Australia, by YSG
      Australian interiors studio YSG introduced a sumptuous mix of materials to this house in Sydney’s Mosman suburb to evoke the feeling of staying in a luxury hotel.
      This approach is evidenced by a number of custom furniture pieces dotted throughout the home, including a Tiberio marble vanity in the downstairs powder room and a poplar-burl cabinet with a bronzed mirror that looms over the nearby living room.
      Find out more about Black Diamond house ›
      Photo by Åsa LiffnerStudio Frantzén, UK, by Joyn Studio
      Restaurant Studio Frantzén in London’s Harrods department store serves a fusion of Nordic and Asian food that is also reflected in its Japandi interiors – taking cues from both Scandinavian and Japanese design.
      Interiors practice Joyn Studio leaned heavily on both cultures’ penchant for wood, combining seating banquettes made from blocks of end-grain pine wood with gridded timber ceilings and seating booths framed by burl-wood wall panelling.
      Find out more about Studio Frantzén ›
      This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring rooms with net floors, interiors with furry walls and homes with mid-century modern furniture.

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