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    Ten well-organised bedrooms with clever storage solutions

    For our latest lookbook, we have rounded up 10 bedrooms from the Dezeen archive that make use of smart storage solutions, including custom-made headboards and floor-to-ceiling wall units.

    From basement one-bedroom apartments that use bookshelves as room partitions, to a plywood insertion in a children’s bedroom that combines work, play and sleep, these interiors all feature clever storage.
    Small cupboards inserted into headboards, below stairs and even within bed frames are also used to provide discreet additions to traditional storage units.
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing interiors by Ukranian designers, coastal hotel interiors and self-designed homes by architects and designers.
    Photo is by Yiannis Hadjiaslanis and Point SupremeAthens apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme

    Greek architecture firm Point Supreme transformed a basement storage space in a suburban neighbourhood in Athens into a one-bedroom home.
    The 56-square-metre sunken space only receives light from above on one side. In order to make the space to feel as bright and big as possible, Point Supreme used curtains, sliding doors and open shelving units as wall partitions.
    The studio also added smart shelving below the ceiling of the bedroom, making full use of the height of the room.
    Find out more about Athens apartment ›
    Photo is by French+TyeTwo and a Half Storey House, UK, by Bradley Van Der Straeten
    Bradley Van Der Straecten Architects added a half-storey extension to this home in London’s Stoke Newington.
    The studio lined the interior of the extension in plywood and incorporated built-in wardrobes, bookshelves and a platform bed frame to maximise the space in this children’s bedroom.
    Find out more about Two and a Half Storey House ›
    Photo is by Draper WhiteGammel Dam, US, by CCY Architects
    This holiday home in Colorado by CCY Architects features floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the hilly terrain.
    The interiors are lined in pale wood and include clever storage solutions throughout. Wooden cupboards were built into the bed frames to maximise the use of the space, while keeping the minimalist feel of the interior.
    Find out more about Gammel Dam ›
    Photo is by Rafael SoldiWhidbey Dogtrot, US, by SHED
    Named after its location on Whidbey Island, which is just north of Seattle, this single-storey home was designed by American firm SHED for a couple that is soon to retire.
    In the bedroom, a large reading nook, fitted with rows of shelving, opens to the sleeping area and offers views across the serene landscape. Fixtures and architectural elements were painted black and provide a striking contrast against the white walls.
    Find out more about Whidbey Dogtrot ›
    Photo is by Ståle Eriksen.London apartment, UK, by Jonathan Tuckey Design
    Architecture studio Jonathan Tuckey Design overhauled this Marylebone apartment in London, adding pastel storage walls that curve and dip between each room.
    Instead of standard shelving, the studio opted to use built-in furniture throughout the space in the form of MDF storage walls.
    The primary bedroom was divided in two by storage walls to house a walk-in closet and sleeping area, which is now accessed through a pistachio-hued arch.
    Find out more about London apartment ›
    Photo is by Michael SinclairA Room for Two, UK, by Studio Ben Allen
    Studio Ben Allen built a wooden structure inside a London flat to create a shared bedroom for two children.
    The structure, which was constructed using pale birch plywood, features arched openings, steps fitted with shelving beneath, a fold-down desk and a desk-cum-platform.
    The plywood insertion provides the children with a place for sleep, work and play, without compromising on tidy storage.
    Find out more about A Room for Two ›
    Photo is by Shannon McGrathCentral Park Road Residence, Australia, by Studio Four
    Australian practice Studio Four used dark surfaces and large storage volumes throughout this Melbourne family home.
    In the primary bedroom, a full-height storage unit doubles as a headboard and includes a horizontal opening that serves as a shelf for a single row of books.
    The dark-painted volume, which was placed in the centre of the room, conceals a walk-in wardrobe as well as an ensuite bathroom.
    Find out more about Central Park Road Residence ›

    Smolenka Apartment, Russia, by Peter Kostelov
    Russian architect Peter Kostelov renovated this apartment in Moscow, adding a raised living room in a wooden capsule as well as built-in furniture units.
    The bedroom was finished in oak and divided into sections that have smooth, rounded passages between the ceiling, floor and walls forming shelves, closets and a bed. A television was neatly tucked into the wall unit opposite the bed.
    Find out more about Smolenka Apartment ›
    Photo is by Lisbeth GrosmannFlinders Lane Apartment, Australia, by Clare Cousins
    Clare Cousins Architects inserted a timber box and mezzanine platform into this one-bedroom apartment in Melbourne to create three additional sleeping areas.
    The 75-square-metre flat includes a hoop-pine plywood volume that houses two small bedrooms – each the length of a bed.
    Inside the volume, recesses in the walls form shallow shelves for small items, while hooks are spread across the panels for hanging clothes and personal items.
    Find out more about Flinders Lane Apartment ›
    Photo is by João Morgado.Musico Iturbi, Spain, by Roberto Di Donato
    London-practice Robert Di Donato used a large pair of wooden storage units in this Valencian apartment to complement the aged and weathered interiors.
    One wooden unit divides the bedroom from the main living area and extends to the full height of the space. It features sliding doors that can be closed to provide the sleeping area with complete privacy.
    Find out more about Musico Iturbi ›
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing modernist living rooms, interiors by Ukranian designers and homes designed by architects and designers.

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    Ten escapist holiday homes with peaceful interiors

    Cavernous summer houses in Santorini, a minimalist Canadian ski chalet and a Cape Town clifftop dwelling are among the tranquil holiday homes we have collected for our latest lookbook.

    Holiday houses are designed to provide a relaxing getaway and often located in remote settings, such as peaceful countryside villages or coastal locations.
    These 10 examples highlight how designers have tried to reflect the relaxing nature of the homes’ locations within their interiors, incorporating details such as retractable walls that flood sunlight into living spaces and soothing Japandi-style furniture.
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing retro eateries, modernist living rooms and decorative parquet wooden flooring.

    Naia I and Naia II, Costa Rica, by Studio Saxe

    Architecture firm Studio Saxe designed a pair of beach houses in Costa Rica with rustic wooden screens and overhanging roofs, which intend to integrate the surrounding jungle into the homes’ interiors.
    Called Naia I and Naia II, the latter house features a double-height living space that is left mostly open to the elements, except for a minimal kitchen tucked within a geometric alcove.
    Find out more about Naia I and Naia II ›

    Falcon House, UK, by Koto
    British studio and prefab specialists Koto created this black timber-clad Cotswolds holiday home formed from twisted and stacked volumes that result in cantilevering canopies.
    Falcon House’s upper storey is a single, open space with a wood-burning stove in one corner, which also includes a delicate, olive-green sofa framed by exposed cross-laminated timber walls that integrate the home with its peaceful outside views.
    Find out more about Falcon House ›

    Bundeena House, Australia, by Tribe Studio Architects 
    Retractable walls were inserted into this New South Wales weekend beach retreat to connect its U-shaped rectilinear volumes with the outdoors.
    The founder of Tribe Studio Architects took cues from the area’s modernist fisherman cottages when designing Bundeena House for herself, using “durable and honest” finishes.
    Open-plan interiors include a mixture of materials, such as structural plywood and statement colourful chairs. Concrete flooring was purposefully left unpolished to allow for post-beach wet and sandy footprints.
    Find out more about Bundeena House ›

    La Fraternelle, Canada, by Atelier Pierre Thibault
    La Fraternelle – or The Brotherly – was designed by Quebec City-based Atelier Pierre Thibault as a shared weekend house for two brothers in Charlevoix, a popular Canadian ski destination.
    The architecture firm chose a palette of minimalist, built-in or custom furniture, which was subtly inserted into the project in order to draw more attention to the surrounding landscape than the interiors.
    “The large glazed openings and restrained interior furnishings facilitate contemplation,” explained Atelier Pierre Thibault.
    Find out more about La Fraternelle ›

    Summer houses, Greece, by Kapsimalis Architects
    Two underground caves of an old property in Santorini were converted into summer houses by smoothing out and finishing their interiors in earthy tones that contrast with the houses’ bright white facades.
    Kapsimalis Architects added elegant furniture made by local craftsmen to the cavernous rooms, which also feature minimalist light fittings and built-in storage framed by vaulted ceilings and arched doorways.
    Find out more about these summer houses ›

    La Extraviada, Mexico, by Em-Estudio
    Mexico City-based firm Em-Estudio chose “materials thought of as elements that blend with the mountain” for La Extraviada, a holiday home made up of volumes that perch on a steep hillside in Oaxaca.
    Inside, a dining and living space designed by Gala Sánchez-Renero is flanked by sliding doors that open out onto a patio, while black rattan pendant lights are suspended over a low-slung wooden dining table.
    Find out more about La Extraviada ›

    Bowen Island House, Canada, by Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects + Designers
    Described as a “contemporary cabin in the woods” by Vancouver studio Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects, Bowen Island House is a black-stained cedar and glass holiday home in British Columbia.
    Hemlock wooden floors match the ceilings, which frame open-plan living spaces with floor-to-ceiling windows that are designed to allow the dwelling to recede into the surrounding rainforest.
    “The house is made from a palette of local materials primarily, all chosen for their inherent beauty, toughness and refinement,” said project leader Steve McFarlane.
    Find out more about Bowen Island House ›

    Archipelago House, Sweden, by Norm Architects
    Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetics blend together in Archipelago House on the coast of Sweden, an interior trend known as Japandi design.
    Danish studio Norm Architects and Japanese brand Karimoku Case Study dressed the home’s double-height lounge with minimal furniture that adheres to the style, including a pebble-grey sofa, curvy cream armchairs and a muted stone-topped coffee table.
    Find out more about Archipelago House ›

    Rural House, Portugal, by HBG Architects
    A staircase with steps that double as a bench, table and fireplace takes centre stage in a converted granite community oven turned into a holiday home in Portugal, which is located in the village of Aldeia de João Pires.
    Inside, HBG Architects left the dwelling’s granite walls exposed to maintain the house’s history and contrast with the space’s more contemporary interiors. The home is defined by a material palette of concrete and timber and was described by the studio as “loft-like”.
    Find out more about Rural House ›

    Icaria House, South Africa, by Antonio Zaninovic Architecture Studio and Tara Bean
    Icaria House is a four-storey holiday home on a clifftop in Cape Town, which was renovated by local office Antonio Zaninovic Architecture Studio and interior designer Tara Bean.
    Originally built in the 1960s, the house’s interiors fuse eclectic elements such as a red Berber rug from Morocco with soothing white walls and large windows that provide views of the surrounding sea.
    Find out more about Icaria House ›
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing coastal hotel rooms, kitchen extensions and homes centred around interior courtyards.

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    Ten homes with decorative parquet wooden flooring

    Our latest lookbook highlights 10 homes with decorative parquet flooring including a Victorian terraced home and 1930s apartment feature in Portugal.

    Parquet flooring is a traditional style of hardwood flooring, that is used to create decorative and mosaic-like patterns in homes and interior settings.
    The decorative hardwood flooring is made from short wooden battens that are slotted and placed together in often intricate, geometric and mosaic arrangements.
    Parquet flooring rose in popularity during the 1600s as it became a favoured option with European aristocracy, offering an alternative to decorative marble floors that required less maintenance.
    It can be installed in a number of different patterns including, herringbone, Versailles, chevron and chantilly.

    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing cavernous interiors, bright-white kitchens and self-designed homes by architects and designers.

    1930s apartment, Portugal, by Aboim Inglez Arquitectos
    Portuguese studio Aboim Inglez Arquitectos incorporated parquet flooring, stone surfaces and a bright sunroom in its update to a 1930s apartment in Lisbon (above and top).
    Hardwood, parquet flooring uncovered during the renovation was restored across the home. The floor is comprised of blocks of different tones which are arranged to create a checkerboard-style pattern that is framed by strips of light wood.
    Find out more about the 1930s apartment ›

    Apartment Basta, Russia, by Blockstudio
    A mixture of different textures, materials and time periods were all combined within this Moscow apartment by Blockstudio, which aimed to recreate the look of a Parisian apartment.
    To create a lived-in feel within the new-build structure, reclaimed-oak parquet flooring sourced from Italy was used throughout the living and dining room.
    Find out more about Apartment Basta ›

    Charred House, UK, by Rider Stirland Architects
    Rider Stirland Architects remodelled this Victorian terraced home in south London and added an extension clad in blackened wood to the rear.
    To juxtapose with the extension’s charred exterior, materials were chosen to provide the interior with warmth. Parquet flooring stretches across the home and was paired with bespoke joinery.
    Find out more about Charred House ›

    Leith apartment, UK, by Luke McClelland
    Scottish architect Luke McCellard renovated the interior of this Georgian apartment in Edinburgh, creating a bright, light and contemporary home for a formerly dark space.
    McClelland blanketed the floors of the 19th-century apartment in warm oak parquet flooring which was arranged in a herringbone pattern. The wood complements the stark white walls throughout the property.
    Find out more about Leith apartment ›

    Victorian terraced house, UK, by Matthew Giles Architects
    This Victorian terraced home in Wandsworth, London, was updated and extended by Matthew Giles Architects.
    On the ground floor, parquet flooring in a herringbone pattern was designed to draw the eye from the entrance through to the garden at the rear beyond the newly added dropped-level kitchen diner.
    Find out more about the Victorian terraced house ›

    Hatfield House, UK, by Archmongers
    Located on the iconic Golden Lane Estate in London, local studio Archmongers renovated the duplex flat using bold colours that aimed to complement the home’s modernist look.
    The studio uncovered parquet flooring which was restored and made a focal feature of the home.
    Find out more about Hatfield House ›

    Portland Residence, Canada, by Atelier Barda
    Black furniture and fixtures sit on top of the chevron-patterned oak parquet flooring in this Montreal home by Canadian architecture studio Atelier Barda.
    The studio added a rear extension to the existing stone house and reconfigured the floor plan to create open-plan living areas and a better flow between spaces. The home’s original rounded walls and mouldings were preserved and highlighted by the oak flooring beneath.
    Find out more about Portland Residence ›

    Dutch townhouse, The Netherlands, by Antonia Reif
    This early 20th-century townhouse in The Hague was renovated by Dutch architect Antonia Reif. The home was previously divided into two apartments which the architect reversed to reconnect the building’s four floors.
    Reif fitted the interior with herringbone-patterned oak flooring to create continuity between the home’s different spaces.
    Find out more about Dutch townhouse ›

    Apartment Vilnius, Lithuania, by Kristina Lastauskaitė-Pundė
    Original features at this apartment in Vilnius were spotlighted and paired with grey-painted joinery and brass accents.
    The overhaul was completed by interior designer Kristina Lastauskaitė-Pundė who wanted to give the home a contemporary update that still spotlighted its historic and original features. Muted chevron flooring spans the interior of the apartment to visually connect its different rooms.
    Find out more about Apartment Vilnius ›

    1970s apartment, Portugal, by Aurora Arquitectos
    Wooden panelling lines the walls and ceiling of areas of this apartment in Lisbon which was refurbished by Aurora Arquitectos.
    The home was defined by its use of wood seen through its vast pale herringbone-patterned parquet flooring and blonde panelling that frames skylights across the ceiling. Wood and marble were arranged in a herringbone pattern to define the apartment’s different zones and spaces.
    Find out more about the 1970s apartment ›
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing cavernous interiors, bright-white kitchens, and self-designed homes by architects and designers.

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    Soho House Nashville opens in Music City hosiery factory

    A former hosiery factory in Nashville has been converted into a Soho House hotel and members’ club, designed with nods to its industrial setting and the city’s musical heritage.

    The launch of Soho House Nashville earlier this week marks the company’s second location in the American South, following the opening of the Austin house in 2021.
    Soho House Nashville has opened in the May Hosiery BuildingThe May Hosiery Building, constructed in the early 1900s in the Tennessee city’s artsy Wedgewood-Houston neighbourhood, now contains a series of club spaces and accommodation.
    The Soho House design team used the building’s industrial past and Nashville’s reputation as the Music City to inform the renovation and decor.
    “The house design is influenced by a strong pre-war, European aesthetic, connecting to the building’s history with Bauhaus-inspired, striking geometric patterns, bold industrial finishes, and bespoke fixtures,” said the team.

    Metal shelving divides spaces in the Club RoomPlaying on the colour of original verdigris copper doors, various teal shades were used across the different spaces to visually tie them together.
    Meanwhile, the striped tiling around the swimming pool evokes the pattern of a guitar string board.
    “Music City influences do not escape Soho House Nashville with its warm, rich textures of the rock and roll era and decorative patterns that nod to the jazz and blues genres,” the design team said.
    Striped tiling around the pool is designed to mimic a guitar string boardThe building contains three indoor and outdoor performance spaces, a pool, a health club and a screening room.
    Food is offered at Club Cecconi’s, the first in-house restaurant of the Cecconi’s chain of Italian eateries owned by the Soho House group.
    Soho House Nashville’s hotel has 47 bedrooms that vary in sizeAt the heart of the building, the Club Room is divided by industrial metal shelving into intimate spaces including a library with a fireplace and a games area.
    The Sock Room also celebrates the factory’s prior use for producing socks that astronauts wore to the moon, and now hosts live music and events.

    Soho House Austin blends Texas modernism with Spanish influences

    Referencing the machinery once housed in the space, bespoke bar lamps with an industrial aesthetic contrast softer materials like velvet and textured sheer linen.
    Soho House Nashville has 47 bedrooms that range in size, including a large loft suite that spans over three floors.
    Bedrooms all have large chandeliers and a variety of textilesThe rooms are furnished with bespoke, locally made designs and vintage accessories, as well as large chandeliers and metal screens that conceal the bathrooms.
    “Each bedroom has been designed to feel traditional and cosy with woven tapestries, made with bespoke fabric designed in Nashville specifically for the house, to hide all TVs,” said the team.
    The rooms feature a mix of bespoke local furniture and vintage accessoriesA total of 170 pieces were acquired from 41 local artists to be displayed throughout the hotel and club areas.
    They join the wider art collection exhibited in the Soho House locations across the globe, which the company has gradually added to its portfolio since its founding in London in 1995.
    Metal screen doors enclose the bathroomsAlong with Austin, the group’s outposts in North America include Soho Warehouse in Downtown Los Angeles and Dumbo House in Brooklyn.
    It’s not surprising that the brand chose to open in Nashville – one of several southern US cities that has seen a recent influx of young creative people, and therefore an expanded repertoire of cultural and entertainment venues.
    Also new to the city’s dining and drinking scene is The Twelve Thirty Club , which is owned by restauranteur Sam Fox and musician Justin Timberlake.
    The photography is by Andrew Joseph Woomer.

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    Ten coastal hotel rooms with calming sea views

    For our latest lookbook, we have rounded up 10 hotel rooms and holiday homes on the coast that provide unspoiled views of the surrounding seas and oceans.

    From beachside retreats in Tulum to guesthouses dotted along rugged patches of Icelandic shoreline, these hotel rooms are designed to make the most of their coastal locations.
    As well as offering a contemplative place to watch calming waves, many show how ocean or sandy hues can be incorporated into an interior space and how water can act as a source of inspiration.
    This is the latest in our series of Dezeen Lookbooks series providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing homes with terrazzo floors, retro eateries and kitchens with bright white interiors.
    Photo is by Francisco NogueiraBarefoot Luxury, Cape Verde, by Polo Architects and Going East

    Belgian studio Polo Architects and Going East matched bumpy stone walls with sandy-hued interiors to embed this cluster of guest villas within Cape Verde’s jagged terrain.
    Drawing on the textures and tones of the surrounding landscape, the studios filled the hotel with shades of brown, ochre, red while floor-to-ceiling glass doors provide views onto the deep blue Atlantic ocean on right on its doorstep.
    Find out more about  Barefoot Luxury ›
    Photo is by Thibaut DiniCasa Santa Teresa, Corsica, by Amelia Tavella Architects
    French studio Amelia Tavella Architects transformed a ruined Corsica residence into a breezy home for holiday-makers by using simple, comfortable furnishings.
    An outdoor terrace that runs along the outside of its bedrooms has unspoiled vistas of the Route des Sanguinaires on the Gulf of Ajaccio – a rugged strip of coastline dotted with villas and upscale hotels.
    Find out more about Casa Santa Teresa ›
    Photo is by Read McKendreeMarram Hotel, US, by Bridgeton and Studio Tack
    The 96 rooms in this Montauk hotel overlook a freshwater pool and, a little further in the distance, the Atlantic Ocean and New York’s Long Island can be spotted.
    Hospitality company Bridgeton and Studio Tack chose interiors and materials that evoke the wild grass and sandy dunes that the building sits atop.
    Find out more about Marram Hotel ›
    Photo is by Nick SimoniteHotel San Cristóbel, Mexico, by Lake Flato
    Whitewashed walls give this Mexican hotel a bright and airy feel that matches its sunny beachside location as well as providing the backdrops for cacti and frame ocean views.
    Austin architecture studio Lake Flato and designer Liz Lambert aimed to use the natural surroundings to create a laid-back atmosphere Most rooms open onto their own outdoor spaces, with patterned tiled floors matching the bathroom surfaces.
    Find out more about Hotel San Cristóbel ›
    Photo is by Elke FrotscherMonte Uzulu, Mexico, by Taller Lu’um and At-te
    Situated in a small fishing village on the beach of San Agustinillo, Mexico, Monte Uzulu is just a short walk away from the Pacific Ocean. All 12 suites have a terrace that overlooks the forest and ocean.
    Mexican studios Taller Lu’um and At-te designed the boutique hotel to showcase local craft with earthen walls, doors made from local wood and a thatched roof.
    Find out more about Monte Uzulu ›
    Photo is by Taggart SorensenCasa Xixim, Mexico, by Specht Architects
    Bedrooms inside this villa hotel in the Mexican resort of Tulum spill out onto expansive terraces overlooking a nearby mangrove marsh and beach.
    Conscious of its position on a protected bay, New York studio Specht Architects designed it to be fully self-sufficient and to work in unison with its unique site.
    Find out more about Casa Xixim ›
    Photo is by Brooke ShanesyPalm Heights, Caribbean, by Gabriella Khalil
    The same sunny yellows and bright blues that recall the Caribbean seaside run throughout the rooms in this hotel designed by Gabriella Khalil.
    Each suite in the boutique hotels opens onto a balcony at the back of the property, where visitors can enjoy the sea views.
    Find out more about Grand Cayman beach hotel ›
    Photo courtesy of Block722 ArchitectsOlea Hotel, Greece, by Block722 Architects
    Every room in this coastal hotel is set within a rectilinear volume and fronted by large windows, which frame different views of the pool, gardens, or distant Ionian Sea.
    Athens-based practice Block722 Architects wanted to blend the lodging into the natural Grecian landscape by using earth-hued linens, light timber furnishings and offcuts of wood.
    Find out more about Olea Hotel ›
    Photo is by Giovanni De RoiaGuesthouse Nýp, Iceland, by Studio Bua
    This cosy bed and breakfast is located on Iceland’s west coast, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Breiðafjörður Nature Reserve – a place remarkable for its extreme weather conditions.
    A corrugated metal skin and an extension that houses three guest suites are some of several changes that Studio Bua made in its renovation of Guesthouse Nýp. From these suites, guests can look out onto patches of shallow seas, small fjords and bays.
    Find out more about Guesthouse Nýp ›
    Photo by Felix MooneeramHarlosh, Scotland, by Dualchas Architects
    Tasked with enhancing the way guests experience the surrounding scenery, Dualchas Architects decided to incorporate floor-to-ceiling windows on both ends of the building, which is perched on a peninsula in the northwest of the Isle of Skye.
    A pair of terraces as the front and rear of the building can be used by guests looking to catch the sunrise and sunset, or simply take in the grasslands, sea lochs and inlets that characterise the area.
    Find out more about Harlosh ›
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing modernist living rooms, kitchen extensions and homes designed by architects and designers.

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    Ten cavernous interiors that swap corners for curves

    A nursery by Junya Ishigami and MAD’s Cloudscape of Haikou feature in our latest lookbook, which highlights 10 softly contoured interiors from the Dezeen archive that were modelled on the sinuous shapes of clouds and wind-smoothed caves.

    Whether crafted from plaster, concrete or wooden panels, undulating walls can help to bring a sense of intimacy to otherwise large, impersonal spaces.
    Beyond just looking pretty, they can also be a practical solution to integrate everything from seating to storage into the fabric of the interior, while concealing unsightly mechanical and electrical systems.
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing bright-white kitchens, cosy conversation pits and self-designed homes by architects and designers.
    Photo is by Joe FletcherSoftie, USA, by OPA

    Design studio OPA subverted the rational modernist grid of this house near San Francisco by overlaying a series of cloud-like architectural features on top of its existing structural shell.
    Its load-bearing columns are now enveloped by bulging white walls, while ceilings droop down to form a series of intimate seating nooks as well as a cove that surrounds the freestanding circular tub in the bathroom.
    Find out more about Softie ›
    Photo is by Paola PansiniFerrari flagship, Italy, Sybarite
    Going down a sleeker, more space-age-style route, London studio Sybarite carved out a sinuous display area at the centre of Ferrari’s lifestyle concept store in Maranello to house the carmaker’s debut fashion collection.
    The otherwise open-plan interior is cast in shades of glossy red and white and also incorporates touches of mahogany, which was used to make Ferrari’s original Enrico Nardi steering wheels of the 1950s and 1960s.
    Find out more about the Ferrari flagship ›
    Photo is by Lars Petter PettersenCabin at Norderhov, Norway, by Atelier Oslo
    Curved birchwood panels engulf the walls and ceilings of this cabin, turning it into a cosy refuge on the banks of Norway’s Lake Steinsfjorden while sweeping windows provide panoramic views over the natural landscape.
    Like a winding tunnel, the interior was designed as one continuous space, with the bedroom cordoned off from the open floor plan by a heavy grey curtain.
    Find out more about the Cabin at Norderhov ›
    Photo is by Yiorgos KordakisTwo Holiday Houses in Firostefani, Greece, by Kapsimalis Architects
    Three rocky vaulted caves, which once provided additional storage space for a traditional dwelling on Santorini, were smoothed out and finished with earthy-hued plaster to create this summer house by local practice Kapsimalis Architects.
    Colours, finishes and fittings throughout the interior were designed to reflect the building’s humble origins, incorporating arched niches and doorways, flush built-in storage and furniture made by local craftsmen.
    Find out more about Two Holiday Houses in Firostefani ›
    Photo is by CreatAR ImagesCloudscape of Haikou, China, by MAD
    Designed to evoke “a wormhole that transcends time and space”, the interior and exterior of MAD’s library on Hainan Island were cast as one continuous vessel without any right angles.
    On the inside, the sinuous white concrete shell forms small reading nooks and bookcases recessed into the walls, while concealing all of the building’s electrics and plumbing.
    Find out more about Cloud of Haikou ›
    Photo is by Tom FergusonNational Museum of Qatar gift shop, Qatar, by Koichi Takada Architects
    Around 40,000 slabs of wood were stacked on top of each other and assembled by hand to form the soaring walls and built-in shelves of the gift shop in the National Museum of Qatar.
    The interior, much like the Jean Nouvel-designed building, pays homage to Qatar’s desert landscape – particularly the crystal-crusted cavern of Dahl Al Misfir, which tunnels deep into the earth outside Doha.
    Find out more about the gift shop ›
    Photo is by Simone BossiMyrto, Sardinia, by Studio Wok
    Studio Wok looked to the way that the wind carves granite rocks on the Sardinian coast into sinuous, almost architectural structures when designing this pizzeria, set in the island’s port town of Porto Cervo.
    This erosive process is referenced in the restaurant’s curved, sandy pink plaster walls and arched windows, which are complemented by custom furnishings including a tiled counter in varying shades of green that echo the colours of local shrubs.
    Find out more about Myrto ›
    Photo is by Edmund SumnerCloud Garden, Japan, by Junya Ishigami
    Rather than covering up the bulky columns found in this high-rise office block in Atsugi, Junya Ishigami converted its former cafeteria into a nursery by inserting wiggly concrete partitions, creating archways and pathways as well as various spaces for play.
    “There are crevices that only children can pass through, and absent spaces that are considered large even for adults,” Ishigami said. “It is a space that softly ties in various objects and scales.”
    Find out more about Cloud Garden ›
    Photo is by 1988 Photography StudioTT Pilates, China, by Wanmu Shazi
    Designer Wanmu Shazi used micro-cement to cover up not just the walls but also most of the windows in the TT Pilates studio, which is located in a typical high-rise office building in Xiamen.
    Only a few organically-shaped openings allow visitors to catch glimpses of the sky while letting light dapple into the interior, in a bid to shut out the usual hustle and bustle of the Chinese port city.
    Find out more about TT Pilates ›

    Grotto, Canada, by Partisans
    Cedarwood panelling creates an undulating terrain inside this sauna in Canada, curving up from the floor to form stepped seating and skewed porthole windows as well as enveloping the wood-burning stove.
    Set on a craggy outcrop on the shore of Lake Huron, it was designed to resemble a seaside grotto carved out by the water, while its exterior was moulded perfectly to the rock formation using a 3D scanner.
    Find out more about Grotto ›
    This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing bright-white kitchens, cosy conversation pits and self-designed homes by architects and designers.

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    GS Design repeats arch motifs throughout Sumei Skyline Coast hotel on Hainan Island

    Cresting ocean waves served as a blueprint for the arched forms found on the interior and exterior of this beachside hotel that GS Design has created in Sanya, China.

    Located on the tropical island of Hainan, the Sumei Skyline Coast hotel was designed to reference its immediate environment.
    Arches feature on the interior and exterior of the Sumei Skyline Coast hotelThe building’s facade is punctuated by curved windows and balconies that suggest rolling waves, and is painted in a crisp shade of white to contrast the rich blues of the surrounding sea and sky.
    “We worked to craft the space into a timely and sophisticated art piece with a long lifespan of usage by adopting this classic colour,” explained Chinese architecture firm GS Design.
    Sculptural white furnishings decorate the lounge areaOn the ground floor, a series of upside-down arches runs along the wooden decking adjoining the infinity pool.

    More spots for swimming are found on the expansive roof terrace as well as in the first-floor lounge, where stepping stones lead over a curvy-edged indoor pool.
    The light-filled room is otherwise dressed with a couple of potted plants and an array of sculptural white armchairs with matching side tables.
    Stepping stones lead over the curvy-edged poolThe curved shapes seen on Sumei Skyline Coast’s exterior are echoed throughout its guest rooms, which are accessed via vaulted corridors.
    Some rooms have circular skylights or huge round headboards that project over the beds. Others feature arched recesses accommodating cushioned bench seats or vanities.

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    All bathrooms come complete with a standalone tub, positioned next to the windows to give guests optimum views of the island beyond.
    In keeping with the rest of the hotel, the guest rooms are finished completely in white with textural interest provided by tufted beige decorative cushions that are scattered over the soft furnishings.
    Arched or rounded forms are incorporated into the guest roomsGS Design was established in 2014 and is based in Shenzhen.
    The studio’s Sumei Skyline Coast project joins a number of hotels that have recently opened across China. Among them is BAN Villa, which was designed to look like a “floating village”, and Grotto Retreat Xiyaotou, a hotel modelled on ancient cave dwellings.
    The photography is by Ao Xiang.
    Project credits:
    Architecture, interiors and furnishing: GS DesignDesign directors: Liangchao Li, Yuanman HuangDesign team: Chao Li, Zigeng LuoFurnishing director: Yu Feng

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    Linehouse designs Shanghai restaurant informed by New Wave art movement

    Design studio Linehouse has filled a restaurant in a Shanghai art museum with mirrors and arched details informed by eastern and western art and design.

    Located inside the UCCA Edge museum, the New Wave by Da Vittorio restaurant was named after the original UCCA museum’s opening exhibition The New Wave Art Movement, which also set the tone for its interiors.
    Arched shapes are used throughout the restaurantNew Wave, a 20th-century art movement in China, is renowned for its bold experimentation that brought Chinese art into the modern art world.
    “The concept for the restaurant comes from the collision of these opposing elements and the process of change,” said Shanghai-based Linehouse.
    New Wave by Da Vittorio is located inside Shanghai’s UCCA Edge museumTo enter the restaurant, guests pass through a narrow passage that leads from the public museum space into a more intimate dining area.

    The restaurant, which measures 620 square metres, also holds a bar, private dining rooms and an outdoor terrace.
    Mirrors create an illusion of more spaceA sequence of arches was added to the restaurant in reference to the use of colonnades in classical architecture, while matching arched mirrors create an illusion of spatial progression.
    New Wave by Da Vittorio also features a ceiling installation formed by arches designed in a more eastern style.
    Hanging fabric was cut into curved shapes to match the arches in the interiorThe installation consists of hanging fins made from a Japanese triaxle fabric with a woven texture, which has been cut into vaulted shapes to create a softness that evokes floating clouds.
    The sheets of fabric are placed in a repetitive order with a pattern that only emerges once you see through one sheet to the next. The studio hoped this would evoke the contradiction between order and chaos.

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    “Throughout the restaurant, we seek contradiction in materiality to create qualities of soft and hard, rough to smooth, order to unordered and solid to transparent,” Linehouse co-founder and lead designer Alex Mok told Dezeen.
    The studio used stone for the main bar counter, which it sculpted into a curved, fluid shape to further explore the juxtaposition between soft and hard surfaces.
    Linehouse deliberately chose a stone with a smaller repetitive pattern to create a continuous piece.
    A stone bar is decorated with mirrorsThe bar area also has a floor patterned with different kinds of stone while in the private dining rooms, precision-machined stainless steel and curved lacquered timber were paired to create another form of contradiction.
    “Materials are manipulated as a catalyst for creating disorder, dissipation, fragmentation and surprise,” Mok said.
    Different types of stone create a polka-dot pattern on the floorLinehouse also recently finished a space-theme cafe for Australian chain Black Star Pastry’s first Chinese outpost.
    The studio was named emerging interior designer of the year at the 2021 Dezeen Awards.
    The photography is by Jonathan Leijonhufvud.
    Project credits:
    Architect: LinehouseDesign lead: Alex Mok, Briar HicklingDesign team: Jingru Tong, Inez Low, Aiwen Shao, Leah Lin, Jiabao Guo, Cherngyu Chen
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