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      Oak panels and slatted screens adorn Carroll Gardens Townhouse in Brooklyn

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      New York studios Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design have renovated a Brooklyn townhouse for a young family, combining two units into a single home and unifying them through the use of white oak.

      The Carroll Gardens Townhouse was previously laid out as a two-family dwelling, but the owners needed more room for their growing kids, so decided to connect the units.
      White oak acts as a unifying element throughout the renovated townhouseStarling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design were initially briefed to convert and cosmetically upgrade the townhouse, and add spaces such as a mud room, work-from-home and living areas, and a large dining room.
      Once the project was underway, the scope expanded to include a complete overhaul of the layout, a new staircase, an extensive millwork package, and the replacement of the furniture and artwork.
      A large dining area was created to accommodate group gatherings”Aside from giving everyone a little more space to work, live and grow, we also quickly focused on bringing in more light and connection between the various levels,” said Starling Architecture founder Ian Starling.

      Spanning five storeys, the building has a total living area of 3,700 square feet (344 square metres), with four bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms.
      Oak millwork continues in the kitchen, which was relocated from the centre of the houseRearranging the program involved moving the second-floor kitchen from the centre of the plan to the south facade, where it received much more light.
      The dining room occupies the adjacent space, enveloped in European white oak panels that extend from a long built-in bench seat, across the ceiling, and down to a slatted screen in front of the stairs.
      Cool hues offset the warm oak flooring throughout the home, including in the lounge areaA walnut table with rounded corners provides enough space for hosting friends and extended family.
      White oak is continued on the staircase across all levels and the flooring throughout, to a corridor and the mudroom, powder room, office and wet bar at garden level.
      Oak panels define a corridor at garden level”All wood for the house was sourced from the same mill in Belgium, where they custom fabricated and finished it to our exact specifications,” said Starling.
      “All of the panels were CNC cut, so we were able to specify exact panel sizes based on as-built dimensions and each panel was divided into equal veneer widths.”
      A mud room was created as part of the renovation scopeThe earthy tones of the wood helped to guide the remaining decor choices, which include cool blue undertones offset by family-friendly materials like purple slate and clay brick.
      Cork lines the office space, while the children’s playroom in the cellar features brighter colours without feeling too juvenile.

      Studio Vural reinterprets Japanese interiors for Warren Street Townhouse

      “With a new layout overall, the clients were in an ‘out with old in with the new’ mentality, going forward with some bold splashes of color along the way,” said Starling.
      “There is a purity about much of the palette, working with organic texture and form rather than applied pattern,” added Lindberg.
      Cork covers the walls in a room used as an officeStarling Architecture is based in Brooklyn, while Emily Lindberg Design has a presence in both New York City and Providence, Rhode Island.
      The two studios previously collaborated on a similar project for friends of the Carroll Gardens Townhouse owners, who recommended them for this job.
      Brighter colours are introduced in the children’s playroom, located in the cellarBrooklyn’s townhouses are in high demand, and new owners waste no time in renovating these historic buildings to meet their needs.
      Recently completed examples include a property on Warren Street, for which Studio Vural used Kyoto merchant houses as a reference point, and a home in Park Slope that was designed to meet Passive House standards.
      The photography is by Eric Petschek.
      Project credits:
      Architecture: Starling ArchitectureInterior design: Emily Lindberg DesignContractor: Euro Art ConstructionWood surfaces: Madera Surfaces

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      Daytrip creates calm broken-plan interior for Edwardian home in west London

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      Warm, tactile materials and rich colours are balanced with a newfound sense of openness in this early 20th-century house that architecture studio Daytrip has renovated and extended in London.

      Queen’s Park House is a double-fronted Edwardian property – set in the titular west London neighbourhood – which Daytrip has taken from a series of run-down and characterless bedsits to a calm, contemporary home for a TV producer and his family.
      An understated foyer leads into Queen’s Park HouseAs the house had lost many of its Edwardian features, the studio devised contemporary takes on these details.
      Among them are the cherry wood “portals” by London carpenter Studio Manolo, which have replaced the architraves that once surrounded doors throughout the house.
      Daytrip extended the home with a bold new double-height volume to the rear, accommodating a hybrid kitchen-dining-living space and an open gallery housing a small study. In addition, the studio created a new principal bedroom suite at loft level.

      Steps lead down into the bespoke kitchen designed by Edward CollinsonDaytrip’s approach to the layout focused on maximising the feeling of space by opening up the connection points between previously discrete rooms.
      Stepping away from the traditional idea of a central corridor, the studio shifted the main route through the house to take in each room in turn.
      The spaces are differentiated by a drop in levels, as part of the semi-open broken-plan layout devised by Daytrip.
      A clerestory window provides views out from the living roomWhile these spaces retain their own individual functions and character, there is now a closer relationship between the individual rooms.
      “Traditional homes are full of dead ends where rooms feel secluded and separated,” Daytrip told Dezeen. “We wanted to create more connections.
      “It felt appropriate for a modern family lifestyle to create an easy and accessible route, from arrival down through the social spaces.”
      The living area also opens out onto a small gardenThe “arrival room” with its central table by local furniture maker Edward Collinson was designed to create a sense of calm to reframe the family’s mindset as they return home.
      On a practical level, this room also provides storage for all of the family’s coats, shoes and bags, concealed behind panelling that’s an inverted version of the typical period panelling found in Edwardian homes.
      Throughout the house, cherry timber was used in combination with the darker tones of the fumed oak floors.
      A gallery-level study sits above the kitchen”We enjoy the smoky effect of the fumed oak and used the warmer tones of the cherry as a counterpoint to that,” the practice said. “We like to use timber to create a tonal background, as it brings more depth to a room than paint alone.”
      From the foyer, steps descend into a more intimate snug, which is lined with umber-toned textured wallpaper and cherry timber shelving. This creates a darker, more cosy atmosphere that contrasts with the previous space.
      More steps link the snug to the newly extended kitchen, dining and living room.

      Daytrip transforms east London terrace house into understated apartments

      Here, floor-to-ceiling glass doors open the space up to the minimalist courtyard garden beyond – designed by regular Daytrip collaborator Tyler Gold Finch Gardens.
      Above this area, a clerestory window creates a dual-aspect outlook and frames views of the surrounding tree canopy.
      The kitchen, also made by Edward Collinson, features cherry wood panelling and Fior Di Pesco marble splashbacks, while the island is topped with a solid piece of lava stone in a glazed finish.
      The study is furnished with an Ekstrem chair by Terje Ekstrøm”We build palettes that reflect the mood and character of the property, often introducing both harmony and contrast,” Daytrip said.
      A poured concrete floor that was polished to a soft sheen continues out into the garden, creating a sense of seamlessness between the two spaces.
      Above the kitchen floats an open gallery, decorated in shades of russet with a rust-coloured carpet by Swedish brand Kasthall.
      Bathrooms provide an unexpected splash of colourFor the home’s colour palette, Daytrip referenced its red brick front and the greenery of the nearby park with an earthy mix of rusty-reddish tones, balanced by shades of bronze and bright mossy green.
      Beyond the study, the first floor is family-focused with children’s bedrooms and bathrooms, while the principal bedroom suite resides at the top of the house, benefitting from views of the London skyline.
      The bedroom was designed as a comfortable retreat, enveloped by tactile grasscloth wallpaper, in a warm amber tone. There’s an emphasis on softness here, with an off-white pure wool carpet as well as floor-to-ceiling diaphanous linen curtains.
      The principal bedroom was designed as a calming retreatLondon design consultancy Monument Store was chosen to furnish and style the house.
      “We liked Monument Store’s contrast of abstract and brutalist sculptural objét alongside post-modernist pieces such as the cult iconic Ekstrem chair in the gallery space, or the Tito Agnoli cane chairs in the kitchen-lounge,” Daytrip said.
      Linen curtains hide views of the London skylineThe studio has completed a number of London home extensions in recent years.
      Among them are two properties in east London’s Clapton – a townhouse with a newly excavated basement level and a Victorian terrace, which is now home to three separate apartments.
      The photography is by Pierce Scourfield.

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      Studio Vaaro reconfigures House M using built-in storage volumes

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      For the renovation of a house in Toronto’s West End, local firm Studio Vaaro added minimally detailed millwork to form kitchen cabinetry, the staircase and a feature bookcase in the living room.

      Studio Vaaro’s overhaul of House M, a three-storey detached property that had been renovated and extended multiple times over the years, involved reconfiguring the layout to remove the awkward subdivided spaces.
      The ground floor of House M is partitioned by storage volumes laid out in a diamond formation”Our clients were a professional couple with two young children, who were looking for flexible and resilient spaces that could accommodate their home offices, overnight guests, and the changing needs of their growing children,” said the studio.
      “We, therefore, developed a spatial concept based on ‘functional volumes’, in which well-proportioned spaces are partitioned by blocks of storage and service functions.”
      The pale blue-grey volumes provide additional storage space for the kitchenThese built-in storage blocks partially partition four rooms on the ground floor while keeping an open flow between them.

      Laid out in a diamond formation, all are coloured pale blue-grey to highlight their function against the otherwise white walls.
      In the kitchen, oak cabinetry contrasts with the marble countertops”The large amount of built-in storage ensures the rooms themselves are free of clutter and ready for use,” said Studio Vaaro. “In line with the family’s personalities, colour and playful details abound.”
      In the entryway is a coat closet that hides the view of the living room behind, where an oak bookcase sat atop a teal powder-coated fireplace covers almost an entire wall.
      Bleachers are built into the oak staircase, offering a display area or extra seatingA powder room is placed between this space and the kitchen, also forming additional cabinet and counter space within its volume.
      Further kitchen storage sits in front of the dining room, and another closet is tucked under the doglegging staircase.
      On the first floor, the bedrooms are accessed through deep portal doorways”A ‘mixing bowl’ at the centre of the plan, at the base of the stairs, visually and physically connects all four spaces,” the studio said.
      Both the entry and the dining room volumes are pulled away from the home’s exterior walls, allowing additional views between rooms.
      The portals are coloured dusty pink and the kids rooms are also colourfulThe remaining built-in furniture is oak to match the flooring that runs throughout, including kitchen millwork and the staircase, which incorporates oversized bleachers for displaying kids’ artwork or creating extra seating during a party.
      A white metal “picket” guardrail, softened with rounded details, allows light to pass down from the upper levels.

      Long wooden cabinet runs through slender Borden house by StudioAC

      On the first floor, two parallel volumes separate the children’s rooms at the front of the house and the primary suite at the back from the central corridor.
      These create both storage for the rooms, and deep doorway portals that are highlighted in dusty pink.
      Skylights in the stepped angled roofs bring extra light into rooms at the rear, including the primary bathroomCarefully considered details include recesses for the door handles, allowing the doors to open the full 90 degrees without banging into the wall.
      Work and study spaces in the attic are minimally furnished, though feature built-in desks that step up to form shelves behind.
      Study spaces in the attic also feature built-in furnitureSkylights in the stepped, angled roof planes on all three floors bring extra light into the dining room, primary bathroom, and the stairwell.
      Other Toronto homes that have undergone extensive renovations to make them better suited for their occupants include a 14-foot-wide house where pale woodwork forms storage to make more space, and another “disguised as a gallery” – both designed by StudioAC.
      The photography is by Scott Norsworthy.
      Project credits:
      Team: Aleris Rodgers, Francesco Valente-Gorjup, Shengjie Qiu.

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      Of Architecture builds beachside home for surfer-and-artist couple in Cornwall

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      London practice Of Architecture has used a fuss-free colour and material palette to create this understated home for a young couple in the town of Newquay in Cornwall.

      House by the Sea belongs to an artist and a surfer, who told Of Architecture that they wanted a home without extravagant finishes, instead preferring a living space that appears “simple, robust and utilitarian”.
      Of Architecture has designed House by the Sea for a couple in CornwallThough the brief was relatively straightforward, erecting the home proved tricky for the practice.
      “The house is located by the cliff side of Pentire peninsula and has a very steep driveway, so transporting material was a big challenge for everyone on site,” the Of Architecture co-founder James Mak told Dezeen.
      “We had to work with materials that could be carried by a small vehicle or by hand.”

      One of the sitting areas has uninterrupted views of Pentire Steps beachOnce the framework was in place, the house was finished with a “monolithic and modest” lime plaster facade.
      Key rooms were dispersed across the home’s open-plan first floor, where walls are almost exclusively painted an off-white shade.
      Prefabricated steps grant access to a cosy mezzanineIn one corner is the kitchen, which features black melamine plywood cabinetry and a large breakfast island topped with stainless steel.
      Overhead hangs a couple of industrial-style pendant lamps.
      The space is filled with artworks and other trinketsAdjacently lies a sitting area that directly overlooks Newquay’s picturesque Pentire Steps beach.
      Fronted by expansive sliding windows, the space is dressed with a classic Eames lounge chair and an L-shaped sofa upholstered in beige marl fabric.

      Jubilee Pool in Penzance reinvented as UK’s first geothermal seawater lido

      Another sitting area lies towards the rear of the first floor, facing a concrete blockwork wall.
      Backed against the wall is a wood burner with a tall slender flue that stretches up to meet the four-metre-high ceiling.
      A skylight in the beam-lined roof helps brighten the mezzaninePrefabricated plywood steps lead up to a mezzanine level tucked beneath the home’s sloping roof, which is held up by steel beams.
      Intended to serve as a cosy retreat, the space is illuminated by a single skylight while artworks are casually leaned up against its walls and books are showcased on a wrap-around gridded shelf.
      The minimalist aesthetic of the first floor then carries over onto the home’s ground floor, which accommodates two guest bedrooms – complete with their own en suites – a cloakroom and a utility room.
      Rooms on the home’s ground floor are also pared backA number of other architecturally striking homes can be found along the British coast.
      Examples include RX Architects’ Seabreeze in East Sussex, which is coated in smooth pink concrete, and Mole Architects’ Marsh Hill House in Suffolk, which is shaped like a seagull’s wing.
      The photography is by Lorenzo Zandri.

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      Energy-saving 10K House in Barcelona is a “labyrinth that multiplies perspectives”

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      Spanish studio Takk took cues from snugly stacked Russian dolls for the interior renovation of this Barcelona apartment, which features rooms nestled inside each other to maximise insulation.

      Called 10K House, the 50-square-metre apartment was renovated by Takk using a material budget of only 10,000 euros with the aim of updating the home to be as sustainable as possible.
      10K House is a residential interior design projectThe project was informed by concerns about climate change as well as the global energy crisis faced by homeowners and renters.
      Arranged across one open level, rooms were built “inside one another” in a formation that mimics the layers of an onion and places the rooms that require the most heat at the centre of the apartment, according to Takk.
      The bedroom is raised on recycled white table legs”This causes the heat emitted by us, our pets or our appliances to have to go through more walls to reach the outside,” principal architects Mireia Luzárraga and Alejandro Muiño told Dezeen.

      “If we place the spaces that need more heat – for example, the room where we sleep – in the centre of the Matryoshka [a Russian doll] we realise that we need to heat it less because the configuration of the house itself helps to maintain the temperature.”
      “The result is a kind of labyrinth that multiplies perspectives,” explained the architects, who designed the project for a single client.
      MDF was used throughout the apartmentRecycled table legs were used to elevate these constructed rooms to allow the free passage of water pipes and electrical fittings without having to create wall grooves, reducing the overall cost.
      For example, the raised central bedroom is clad in gridded frames of medium-density fibreboard (MDF) that are enveloped by slabs of local sheep’s wool – utilitarian and inexpensive materials that feature throughout the interior.
      “Despite being a small apartment, it is very complex to ensure that you never get bored of the space,” said Luzárraga and Muiño.
      The remnants of previous partitions were left exposedAfter demolishing the apartment’s existing internal layout, Takk chose not to apply costly and carbon-intensive coatings to the floors and walls.
      Rather, the architects scrubbed the space clean and left traces of the previous partitions and dismantled light fixtures visible, giving the apartment a raw appearance and maintaining a reminder of the original floor plan.
      The kitchen features a metallic sink and low-slung cabinetsThe kitchen is located in the most open part of 10K House, which includes timber geometric cabinetry and an exposed metallic sink.
      According to the architects, the open kitchen intends to act as a facility “without associated gender” and address stereotypes typically attached to housework.

      Energy savings from home insulation “vanishing” after four years

      “Traditionally, the kitchen has been understood as a space to be used mainly by women, whether they own the house or do domestic work,” reflected Luzárraga and Muiño.
      “This has meant that [historically] this space has been relegated to secondary areas of the house, poorly lit and poorly ventilated, especially in small homes.”
      “One way to combat this is by placing the kitchen in better and open spaces, so that everyone, regardless of their gender, is challenged to take charge of this type of task,” they added.
      10K House was constructed using CNC-milled componentThe dwelling was constructed using CNC-milled components that were cut prior to arriving on-site and assembled using standard screws.
      Takk chose this method to encourage DIY when building a home, and armed the client with a small instruction manual that allowed them to assemble aspects of the apartment themselves “as if [the apartment] were a piece of furniture”.
      Takk was informed by soaring energy prices when designing the project10K House is based on a previous project by the architecture studio called The Day After House, which features similar “unprejudiced” design principles, according to Luzárraga and Muiño.
      The architects – who are also a couple – created a winter-themed bedroom for their young daughter by inserting a self-contained igloo-like structure within their home in Barcelona.
      The photography is by José Hevia.

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      Eight inviting entrance halls that set the tone for the rest of the home

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      In this lookbook, we’ve rounded up eight home interiors featuring entrance halls including a home in Devon with clay walls and a double-height entry space in Mexico.

      Entrance halls can be described as the space that is located directly inside of the main entry point into the home.
      These spaces are often hallways that lead to multiple different rooms in the home. They are typically where first impressions are made and can set the tone for the rest of the home.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring bathrooms with colourful features, homes with cross-laminated timber and mix-and-match flooring.
      Photo is by Markus LinderothTimjan, Sweden, by Johan Sundberg Arkitektur

      At this home in an apple orchard in Lund, Swedish practice Johan Sundberg Arkitektur applied a modern finish to the 1920s villa by adding an extension that contrasted with its 20th-century style.
      Plywood panelling covers the interior of the home and is paired with expanses of glass in the home’s entrance hall. A large clerestory window was placed above the entrance to the home, which is marked by a simple wood-framed glass door.
      Find out more about Timjan ›
      Photo is by Ramon PortelliMill House, Malta, by Valentino Architects
      Architecture studio Valentino Architects transformed a collection of 16th-century stone buildings in Malta into a family home that surrounds a central courtyard.
      From a large wooden door, original stone arches line the home’s entrance hall above a polished concrete floor that runs through the entirety of the building. A large planter decorates the entrance hall and visually links to the history of the original 1920s villa.
      Find out more about Mill House ›
      Photo is by Fabian MartinezCasa Tres Árboles, Mexico, by Direccion
      This home in Valle de Bravo, Mexico was renovated by Mexican studio Direccion and was designed to celebrate natural materials, the contrasts of light and shadows and convey a feeling of refuge and retreat.
      The entrance hall at Casa Tres Árboles has a wide span and a double height that allows light to be drawn into the space. Much like the rest of the home, the space was decorated with a simplistic yet rustic interior palette and uses black micro cement and wood across its floor.
      Find out more about Casa Tres Árboles ›
      Photo is by Adam ScottA Cloistered House, UK, by Turner Architects
      The walls at the entrance hall of A Cloistered House by British studio Turner Architects were covered in pale sage green that allow the home’s original dark wood flooring to be the focal feature of the space.
      Dado railings, skirting boards and arch moulding trims were painted white to contrast against the green walls and highlight the London home’s classical details. A black-painted bannister flanks the side of the wooden staircase.
      Find out more about A Cloistered House ›
      Photo is by German SáizConde Duque apartment, Spain, by Sierra + De La Higuera
      Madrid-based architecture studio Sierra + De La Higuera refurbished this apartment in its hometown by creating an open-plan living and dining arrangement, which are divided by a wood-clad entrance hall.
      Wood panelling covers the walls of the entrance hall and complements the mustard yellow glazed herringbone tiling that covers the floor of the space.
      Find out more about Conde Duque apartment ›
      Photo is by Michael SinclairPalace Gate apartment, UK, by Tala Fustok Studio
      This apartment in a Victorian mansion block that neighbours Hyde Park in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, was transformed into a “calm sanctuary” by Tala Fustok Studio to balance the business of the city.
      The entrance hall was decorated with a woven chair, a large Venetian mirror and a stone plinth that was sourced from MAH Gallery in east London. A large vase from Flow Gallery was placed on top of the plinth and is host to a single stem.
      Find out more about Palace Gate apartment ›
      Photo is by Jim StephensonMade of Sand, UK, by Studio Weave
      London architecture office Studio Weave added a two-story timber-clad extension to a stone cottage in Devon, England. The extension was designed to provide accommodation and workspace for the client’s family and visitors.
      The interior of the extension and the walls of its entrance hall were clad in rust-coloured clay with subtle curving edges that blend into the door frames and walls. A bench lines the wall of the entrance hall and was topped with two pillows.
      Find out more about Made of Sand ›

      Washington DC home, US, by Colleen Healey
      An arched, tunnel-like hallway marks the entrance to this renovated home in Washington DC’s Logan Circle by architecture studio Colleen Healey Architecture.
      The white, tunnel-like entrance hall leads directly into an open-plan kitchen dining and living area that includes an exposed brick wall and diagonally laid flooring that helps to disguise the home’s skewed walls.
      Find out more about Washington DC home ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring split-level living areas, residential lifts and concrete bathrooms.

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      Dramatic gestures define Gallery Residence in Toronto by Burdifilek

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      Carved French limestone and rolling glass doors were used by Toronto interiors studio Burdifilek to create theatrical effects in this house that frequently hosts events, concerts and dinner parties.

      Burdifilek was tasked with creating the interiors of a 25,000-square-foot (2,300-square-metre) home for a family who regularly entertain large numbers of guests to support a variety of charities.
      In this house designed for entertaining, cast glass doors are rolled back to signal the start of dinnerSpilt over three levels, the sprawling Gallery Residence is named for its large art collection.
      Sourced from galleries and furniture showrooms in London, Paris and New York, the works include originals and limited editions by artists including Donald Judd and Vincent Dubourg.
      Padded silk walls help to dampen ambient sounds in the dining roomBurdifilek co-founder Diego Burdi, who travelled with his clients to source these pieces, then needed to find ways to integrate them into the home without it feeling sterile and lifeless.

      “One of the main challenges was ensuring the home maintained a level of warmth and comfort with or without guests,” said the studio.
      A sinuous limestone staircase spirals around a vertical glass light fixture that hangs nine metres from the ceilingOf the different beige-toned materials combined throughout the residence, the most prominent is French limestone.
      It covers the hallway floors and several walls and forms a variety of sculptural architectural features.
      Limestone continues through the home and is carved to form other architectural features, including a minimalist fireplaceThese include a pared-back fireplace with curved edges, which are echoed in the base moulding, and a staircase that spirals up to connect all three floors.
      Hardwood flooring in a slightly darker hue was laid in the main living room, where the walls are lined with cashmere and seating is configured to spark casual conversations.
      In the “great room”, seating is arranged to encourage casual conversation”When moving between rooms, a visual fluidity is revealed through a harmonizing palette of natural woods, quarried stone, milky hues and soft textures, many of which derive from the world of fashion,” said Burdifilek.
      A conservatory with a fully glazed front and roof is used as a reception area for welcoming guests, where large potted trees bookend seating areas.
      Burdifilek co-founder Diego Burdi travelled to London, Paris and New York with his clients to source the artworks for the homeCustom-made glass doors by Jeff Goodman Studio that glow at night are rolled back to reveal the dining room.
      In this space, padded silk walls help to dampen ambient sounds and high-gloss furniture pieces include four china cabinets placed in each corner.
      Blackened bronze doorways are aligned to create sightlines through the residenceAt one end of the dining table, an opening frames a view of the sinuous staircase and the cut-glass pendant light by designer Matthew McCormick that descends 30 feet (nine metres) through the central void.
      “The craftsmanship behind each piece of convex glass enables the fixture to cast dazzling patterns of refracted light,” Burdifilek said.

      StudioAC designs Toronto house “disguised as a gallery”

      Tall portal doorways and full-height windows are trimmed in blackened bronze, adding dark accents to contrast the expanses of beige.
      “Understated tones are countered with dramatic sightlines that lead toward particular works of art, and custom finishes give each room its own mood and uniqueness,” the studio said.
      The kitchen is designed for large-volume catering, and includes four sinks and quartzite countertopsThe kitchen is set up for large-volume catering, with four sinks and space for up to 40 platings on translucent quartzite countertops.
      The home’s private areas are spread across its three storeys, and include an indoor lap pool, a family room clad in black-stained pine panels, and a primary bedroom decorated with French blue walls, seating and linens.
      The home’s private areas include a den clad in blackened pine panelsBurdifilek was founded by Diego Burdi and Paul Filek, and the studio has completed a variety of interior projects in its home city, and internationally.
      In Toronto, these encompass stores for outwear brand Moose Knuckles and oil specialist TA-ZE, while projects abroad include the vast Hyundai Seoul shopping mall.
      The photography is by Doublespace.
      Project credits:
      Interior design firm: BurdifilekFounder and creative director: Diego BurdiFounder and managing partner: Paul FilekProject manager and studio director: Tom YipDesign team: Michael Del Priore, senior concept designer; John Seo, senior concept designer; Sean Li, intermediate designer; Tom Yip, design development; Anna Nomerovsky, senior CAD specialist and production; Anna Jurkiewicz, senior CAD specialist and production; Yoonah Lee, CAD and material library specialistArchitect and builder: Brennan Custom HomesStone fabricator: EDM CanadaMillwork: Erik’s CabinetsLighting consultant: Marcel Dion Lighting DesignArt consultant: Jane Corkin of Corkin Gallery

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      Direccion brings sense of tranquility to Casa Tres Árboles in Valle de Bravo

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      The designers at Mexican studio Direccion had “monastic sanctuary” in mind when revamping this weekend retreat in Valle de Bravo.

      The two-storey Casa Tres Árboles is designed to celebrate light and shadow contrasts, natural materials and calming colour tones.
      The double-height entrance hall features a floor of wood and black microcement”The goal of this project was to create a space in natural and warm tones, to convey a sense of refuge and retreat, of monastic sanctuary,” said designer Mariana Morales, founder of Direccion.
      Casa Tres Árboles was first built 25 years ago in the popular lakeside location, which is located two hours drive west of Mexico City, but the original design had become outdated.
      Pre-existing walls were removed to create a more open-plan living space”The client’s directive was to give the house a refreshed style, with updated finishes to accommodate more frequent visits, while maintaining the weekend getaway feel of the place,” said Morales.

      The renovation centred around opening up the interior, creating a more natural flow of light and movement through the different living spaces.
      Located below street level, the house’s entrance is a pivoting doorThis was achieved by not only removing walls, but also by adjusting the split-level floor so that the social spaces feel more connected.
      Key to the design was the entrance sequence. From the street, a staircase descends, leading around a tree and into a small sunken courtyard.
      A new wall screens the staircase, with an arched doorway leading through to a bedroomDireccion’s design enhances the sense of drama to this arrival. A former bathroom was removed to make space for a planter filled with leafy shrubs and ferns.
      From here, a pivoting door leads through to a double-height entrance hall topped by a glass dome and features a high-contrast floor-combing wood and black microcement.

      Matte-black house Las Golondrinas is a sanctuary for retirement in Valle de Bravo

      The space is framed by a new wall that hides away the previously open stairwell. An arched doorway leads through to a bedroom, while an aged wooden table presents a display of sculptural vases.
      “This decidedly sculptured hall is the prime space to pause and become surrounded by the material serenity of the house,” said Morales.
      A wooden seating bench runs alongside a 10-person dining tableThe kitchen, dining room and lounge space are all located beyond the hall, one step down, and now connect with a sundeck thanks to sliding glass doors.
      This open-plan layout was made possible by the addition of two structural columns, which take the place of load-bearing walls that previously divided the space.
      Dark walls help to create atmosphere in the bedroomsCasa Tres Árboles contains three en-suite bedrooms on the upper level, along with a small snug.
      Both these rooms and those on the ground floor are painted in dark shades that offer a natural counterpoint to the warm tones of the exposed wooden ceiling beams.
      A soft-red sofa located in the main living space is one of few splashes of colour.
      All four bedrooms have en-suite bathroomsArtworks are dotted throughout, including a painting by Mexican artist Beatriz Zamora, while dark crockery by artisanal craft makers Colectivo 1050 is displayed openly in the kitchen.
      “The colour palette integrates the flow of the elements and, with every piece and material carefully curated, creates a space for repose, meditation and balance,” added Morales.
      A snug is located on the upper levelValle de Bravo is home to some of Mexico’s best examples of housing design.
      Other memorable examples include the Y-shaped Casa de la Roca by Cadaval & Solà-Morales and the secluded Santana House by CC Arquitectos.
      The photography is by Fabian Martinez.

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