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Architecture studio Brown & Brown and interior designer Sam Buckley have completed a house in southern Scotland, comprising stacked geometric volumes with large openings that look out onto tidal flats. More
Paris-based Atelier du Pont has teamed up with Menorca-based Aru Arquitectura to convert a pair of dilapidated old farm buildings into a summer house with a surprising mix of colours and textures. More
A historic neo-gothic rectory in New York’s Harlem has been given new life by Brooklyn-based GRT Architects, through highlighting the building’s arched windows and lining spaces with reeded oak panelling. More
Local firm Child Studio drew on the designs of modernist European villas when creating the interior for a townhouse in London’s Belgravia area. More
A Bamboo Sanctuary has been named Dezeen Awards China 2024 interiors project of the year following the announcement of all seven interior winners at this evening’s ceremony in Shanghai. More
Plasterwork influenced by Mallorcan villas lines the walls of this home in Los Angeles that designer Rob Diaz custom built himself. More
Mid-century modern and traditional Japanese influences blend inside this Los Angeles home, which the principals of design studio OWIU have reimagined for themselves. More
Montreal architect Diandra Maselli has overhauled a century-old house in the city for herself and her family, modernising the residence while retaining some historic character.
The founder of Diandra Maselli Architect acquired the property a week before the Covid-19 pandemic caused global lockdowns, and faced an uphill battle during the renovation of the historic structure.
The 100-year-old home was fully modernised inside, including a new kitchen”The house had its fair share of obstacles – including structural decay, carpenter ants, mice, water infiltration, foundation holes, and asbestos abatement,” said Maselli.
“However, amidst these challenges, there was a silver lining – the extensive demolition and incorporation of a steel structure paved the way for a tailor-made renovation, envisioned to meet modern needs and newly unfolding realities.”
Architect Diandra Maselli played with boundaries and thresholds throughout the homeWith the structural work on the 3,512-square-foot (326 square metres) building complete, the architect was able to tailor the interiors to her family’s needs.
For example, they needed two home offices – one on each floor – that could also transition into family areas during evenings and weekends.
A variety of custom doors were added, including a glass and steel design between the living area and home officeThe old building’s compartmentalised layout was restrictive, so Maselli explored playing with the public and private boundaries.
She did this by introducing a variety of custom doors, using different designs and materials so that “each threshold assumes a distinctive purpose”.
Although contemporary furniture was inserted, details like the fireplace mantles and bay windows were restoredA glass and steel door separates the ground-floor home office from the kitchen and living area, allowing light and views to pass between the two spaces.
To conceal the laundry room from the kitchen, a nine-foot-tall (2.7 metres), flush-mounted door was installed, while a large sliding partition was added to open the kitchen to an outdoor patio.
“By bestowing unique characteristics upon these transitions, the house’s dynamics shift responsively,” Maselli said.
Built-in furniture made from white oak is found throughout the houseUniting the majority of the spaces is the use of white oak for millwork, built-in furniture and other details, providing visual consistency throughout the home.
The most expansive application of the material is in the kitchen, forming a front for the cabinetry, a central island and a coffee station opposite.
Atelier L’Abri renovates trio of apartments for a family in Montreal
White oak also wraps walls and closets in the primary bedroom, where it is detailed with rounded corners and almost invisible door pulls.
A half-height partition divides the sleeping and dressing areas, providing a view through mirrored double swing doors to the second-floor office.
Upstairs, the primary bedroom separated from a dressing area by a half-height partitionThe renovation also provided the opportunity to modernise the home’s heating, ventilation and electrical systems.
This included repurposing the original cast-iron radiators to support a dual-energy heating system.
White oak millwork is used for the closets and features rounded cornersAll of the window shades, lighting and under-floor heating are automated to sync with the family’s daily routines.
“The essence of the project is to blend the legacy of a century-old house with the needs of today, ensuring that its historic charm is retained while seamlessly integrating modern functionalities that respond to our new unfolding realities,” said the architect.
The red-brick home in Montreal also received a full exterior restorationMaselli founded her eponymous studio in 2020 and has since also completed a single-family house in Lasalle, Quebec.
Other recently renovated Montreal homes include a mid-century dwelling overhauled by Atelier Chardonnat and Salem Architecture, and a triplex residence reimagined by Atelier L’Abri.
The photography is by Maxime Brouillet.
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Our latest lookbook collects eight houses from around the world that feature kitchens with tactile brick floors, including a mid-century home in the USA and a coastal dwelling in Denmark.
Widely used for their durability and low maintenance, bricks are a long-time favourite material across the fields of architecture, interiors and design.
They are most commonly used on walls and patios, but also popular as internal flooring because of their ability to add rich, earthy tones and tactile qualities to an interior.
While brick flooring may conjure up images of old rustic farmhouses, this roundup shows how they can also be adapted to suit contemporary homes around the world.
The examples below include those that have been arranged in herringbone format, used as a backdrop to oak cabinetry or designed to connect homes to their matching patios outside.
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring conversation pits, autumnal living rooms and lavish members’ clubs.
Photo by Carlos NaudeHacienda Granada, USA, by Working Holiday Studio
Working Holiday Studio sought to create a “hacienda vibe” for this mid-century home that it overhauled in Los Angeles.
Among the alterations was a revamp of the kitchen, which involved adding a floor of warm terracotta bricks handmade in Tijuana, Mexico, arranged in a herringbone format.
They contribute to a warm and earthy aesthetic in the room, which is enhanced by dark green plaster walls and wooden joinery and furniture.
Find out more about Hacienda Granada ›
Photo by Agnese SanvitoGallery House, UK, by Neil Dusheiko
Chunky reclaimed bricks extend down from the lower half of the walls of this kitchen and continue out across its floor.
Designed by architect Neil Dusheiko for his father-in-law, the terracotta lining forms a backdrop to a wall of storage built from oak that displays ceramics, glassware and framed pictures.
Find out more about Gallery House ›
Photo by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm ArchitectsFjord Boat House, Denmark, by Norm Architects
Handmade ceramic bricks are inlaid across the floor of this kitchen, which Danish studio Norm Architects created at the Fjord Boat House in Denmark.
Married with warm oak finishes and a custom washi-paper pendant lamp, the textured flooring is intended to contribute to a warm and cosy atmosphere.
“A refined abundance of warm textures and hues are used throughout, creating a deep sense of cosiness and comfort,” said Norm Architects.
Find out more about Fjord Boat House ›
Photo by David SouthwoodArklow Villa III, South Africa, by Douglas & Company
During their renovation of a century-old house in Cape Town, architects Liani and Jan Douglas revamped the kitchen with a tactile material palette that includes brick flooring.
The terracotta floor continues onto the adjoining patio and is teamed with a structure of exposed South African pine and bespoke wooden units finished with green marble counters.
Find out more about Arklow Villa III ›
Photo by Chris WhartonVinyl House, UK, by Benjamin Wilkes
Elongated bricks are arranged in a herringbone formation across the floor of the Vinyl House extension, recently completed by British studio Benjamin Wilkes in London.
Designed to help connect its kitchen area to the matching patio outside, the earthy flooring is complemented by warm wooden cabinetry and off-white terrazzo countertops.
Find out more about Vinyl House ›
Photo by Prue RuscoeBudge Over Dover, Australia, by YSG
Terracotta brick was teamed with aged brass and tactile plaster across the interior of Budge Over Dover, a house in Australia renovated by YSG.
Bricks line much of the ground floor, including its textured kitchen that is complete with a chunky prep counter made with a veiny marble countertop.
Find out more about Budge Over Dover ›
Photo by Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenHeatherhill Beach House, Denmark, by Norm Architects
Norm Architects also opted for brick flooring in the kitchen of Heatherhill Beach House, a wooden holiday home on the Danish coast. It was designed as a contemporary twist on the traditional brick flooring found in Denmark.
“The bricks are placed side by side instead of in the traditional pattern and have minimal cuts – instead, the grout size changes minimally to achieve a homogenous and harmonious look,” the studio explained.
Find out more about Heatherhill Beach House ›
Photo by Fred HowarthCamberwell Cork House, UK, by Delve Architects
A floor that acts as a continuation of the brick paving outside features in the open-plan kitchen of Camberwell Cork House, conceived by Delve Architects in London.
Its design formed part of a wider strategy for the home that sought to better connect it to its garden. This is also achieved by introducing large green-framed windows that enhance sight lines and maximise natural light.
Find out more about Camberwell Cork House ›
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring conversation pits, autumnal living rooms and lavish members’ clubs.
Read more: More
