More stories

  • in

    David Thulstrup decorates Ikoyi restaurant with copper walls and curved metal-mesh ceiling

    Copenhagen-based designer David Thulstrup drew on spice-making processes when designing the interior of London’s Ikoyi restaurant, which features a variety of materials including copper and oak.

    The 150-square-metre restaurant, which has a menu based on seasonal British produce and spices from sub-Saharan west Africa, is located inside the brutalist 180 The Strand building in central London.
    Studio David Thulstrup has clad London’s Ikoyi restaurant in copper sheetsThulstrup completely renovated the interior, adding panels of a specially-designed metal-mesh weave that curve up from the restaurant’s windows and cover the ceiling. The ceiling design was informed by the process of spice production.
    “I was inspired by sifting spices and thought the mesh could both capture and reflect light coming from the outside, the street light in the evening and sunlight in the daytime, but also be respectful to the exterior,” Thulstrup told Dezeen. “The lights from inside the restaurant will be captured and ‘sifted’ towards the street.”
    Decorative metal mesh was used to cover the ceilingThulstrup also layered materials to create a restaurant interior that references the “boldness and intensity of the gastronomy” delivered by Ikoyi’s founders Jeremy Chan and Ire Hassan-Odukale.

    The restaurant walls were lined with oxidised copper sheets finished with beeswax, while the floors were covered in Gris de Catalan limestone that was flamed and brushed to develop a hammered surface.
    Ikoyi is located inside a brutalist buildingThe custom-built furniture and built-in joinery were made from British oak, while banquettes, chairs and wall panels were lined with ginger-coloured leather.
    “I always work with contrasts and I like honest juxtapositions of materials that activate your senses – the copper that is warm in colour but cold when you touch it, the warm natural ginger leather against the colder steel mesh and the rough Catalan limestone floor against the warm English brown oak,” Thulstrup said.
    The colour palette was kept warm and earthyThe earthy, rustic hues chosen by Thulstrup for the interior were informed both by the restaurant’s food and the building in which it is located.
    “Ikoyi is placed on the ground level of the beautiful and very active brutalist building 180 The Strand,” he said.

    David Thulstrup revamps Donum Home at Sonoma County winery

    “The restaurant’s gastronomy plays an essential role in the palette as well,” he added. “It’s not an interpretation of a dish but an exchange in colour and tracing ingredients back to their natural form and colour.”
    On arrival, visitors to the restaurant are also greeted by a large copper-clad fridge that shows the produce served at Ikoyi, with slabs of meat and fresh fish hanging from meathooks.
    Large copper fridges showcase fresh produceThulstrup wanted the fridges to remind people of where their food is coming from.
    “[The idea was] that we know where a piece of fish comes from and that we are aware what a piece of meat looks like,” he said. “It traces the story back to when the animal was alive and underscores that we have to take good care of them and appreciate them.”
    “I thought it would be a modern interpretation and celebration of our awareness of food.”
    Wooden and leather-clad furniture was used for the interiorThulstrup founded his studio in 2009 and it is based in Copenhagen, Denmark. The studio works in architecture, design and interiors.
    Previous projects by the studio include an office in Borough Yards, London, and the revamp of a winery in California’s Sonoma County.
    The photography is by Irina Boersma.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Biophilic design informs “otherworldly” moss-covered installation at luxury bag store

    Creative studio Spacemen looked to biophilic design principles to construct a tree-like installation covered in moss, which forms the centrepiece of a flagship outlet for luxury leather brand Braun Büffel in Malaysia.

    Described by Shanghai-based Spacemen as a store that straddles an art gallery and a laboratory, the studio wanted to create an interior that would attract a younger audience and serve as “an abstract oasis” in Putrajaya’s IOI Mall.
    Spacemen designed the store interior for bag brand Braun BüffelCentral to this design is an oversized, organic-shaped sculpture clad in preserved flat moss, ball moss and lichen that is suspended from an illuminated disc in the middle of the shop.
    A rounded table clad in the same plants was positioned directly below to complete the installation. It also doubles as a plinth for Braun Büffel leather bags, which are displayed sparsely across the store like museum artefacts.
    It is characterised by a central moss-covered sculptureThe sculpture takes cues from biophilic design – a concept that encourages a closer connection between humans and nature when creating interior spaces.

    “The form was designed to seem as though it is sprouting from the ground towards the ceiling – towards the sun – hence why we integrated the membrane lighting ceiling above it, just like how it would grow out of a beaker in a mad scientist’s lab towards natural light,” explained Spacemen founder Edward Tan.
    “We envisioned an otherworldly concept akin to something out of a Hollywood sci-fi movie,” he told Dezeen.
    A green onyx feature wall was placed at the back of the storeTan said that Spacemen adopted a “maximal minimalism” approach when creating the store interiors, in an attempt to challenge the neutral shapes and colours often associated with luxury.
    Throughout the shop, lime plaster walls and bright white terrazzo floors are interrupted by various ornate display units and shelves magnified by floor-to-ceiling mirrors.

    Louis Vuitton overhauls stores with Yayoi Kusama polka-dots and life-like animatronics

    This cabinetry is made from decadent slabs of swirly orange onyx and jade marble, some of which are topped with glass vitrines that reveal small leather goods.
    Spacemen placed a green onyx feature wall at the back of the store, which sits behind furniture including a bespoke curved bench created from the same material as well as a custom oak armchair.
    Bespoke seating creates a waiting area for customersExplaining the decision to incorporate biophilic design into the Braun Büffel outlet, Tan said, “I think with the pandemic, people have taken to appreciating nature a lot more than before.”
    “This is especially true for people living in big cities where they live in apartments and are confined to office cubicles all the time, and do not have access to nature and greenery as much as they should.”
    “Therefore it has become a new form of luxury to be able to afford lush greenery and gardens indoors,” he concluded.
    Green and orange hues add colourful accents to the spaceOther retailers featuring similar designs include a store in Seattle for beauty brand Glossier with a mossy mushroom-covered mound and a Celine boutique in Paris that is characterised by large expanses of brass and marble.
    The photography is by David Yeow Photography.
    Project credits:
    Interior design: SpacemenMoss artist: Ohsum Mossum

    Read more: More

  • in

    Get your event listed in Dezeen's guide to Stockholm Design Week 2023

    There is still time to feature your event in Dezeen’s guide to Stockholm Design Week, which will spotlight the key exhibitions, talks and other events taking place during the festival.

    Dezeen Events Guide will publish the digital guide a week ahead of the festival, which takes place from 6 to 12 February 2023.
    The trade show Stockholm Furniture Fair takes place in the city during the week, along with hundreds of fringe events.
    The Stockholm Design Week guide follows on from the success of our digital guides to Milan design week and London Design Festival last year, which received over 60,000 page views combined. In total, Dezeen Events Guide received over 400,000 page views in 2022.
    To be considered for inclusion in the guide, email [email protected]. Events will be selected by the Dezeen team to ensure that the best events are included.

    Get listed in Dezeen’s digital Stockholm guide
    Dezeen offers standard, enhanced and featured listings in its Stockholm guide.
    Standard listing: For only £100, you can feature your event name, date and location details plus a website link. These listings will also feature up to 50 words of text about the event.
    Enhanced listing: For £150, you can include all of the above plus an image at the top of the listing’s page and an image in the listing preview on the Stockholm guide page. These listings can also feature up to 100 words of text about the event.
    Featured listing: For £300, your listing will feature everything as part of an enhanced listing plus inclusion in the featured events carousel and accompanying posts on Dezeen Events Guide social media channels. These listings can also feature up to 150 words of text about the event, and can include commercial information and additional links to website pages such as ticket sales, newsletter signups etc.
    For more information about partnering with us to help amplify your event, contact the team at [email protected].
    About Dezeen Events Guide
    Dezeen Events Guide lists events across the globe, which can be filtered by location and type.
    Events taking place later in the year include DesignMarch 2023, NYCxDesign 2023 and 3 Days of Design.
    The illustration is by Rima Sabina Aouf.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Watch the AHEAD Global 2022 hospitality awards ceremony

    Today, AHEAD will announce the winners of the AHEAD Global 2022 hospitality design awards and its headline Ultimate Accolade. Dezeen is collaborating with the brand to show the ceremony here at 1pm London time.

    The AHEAD Awards is an annual programme highlighting striking hospitality around the world, split across Europe, Middle East and Africa (MEA), Asia and the Americas.
    For its climactic Global leg, regional winners are pitted against each other to determine the ultimate winner in each category. The winners will be announced over a digital broadcast aired on Dezeen and AHEAD’s website.
    This year the programme received over 630 entries spanning 60 countries, which were judged by a panel of leading hoteliers, architects, interior designers and industry experts.

    AHEAD Global awards 2021 winners announced in series of video ceremonies on Dezeen

    Previous AHEAD winners include the Six Senses hotel by Jonathon Leitersdorf, a luxury resort in Cala Xarraca, Ibiza, which was named the winner of the spa and wellness category at the AHEAD Europe awards 2021.

    NoMad London, a former prison transformed into a luxury hotel, was named Hotel of the Year for the AHEAD Europe 2021 award, while the One & Only Mandarina luxury resort in Mexico was awarded the Hotel of the Year for the AHEAD Americas 2021 award.
    Partnership content
    This ceremony was broadcast by Dezeen for AHEAD as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here. Images courtesy of AHEAD.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Hanna Karits uses wood to create “airy and spacious” interior for Estonian holiday home

    Interior architect Hanna Karits used natural materials throughout this holiday home in Estonia’s Moonsund archipelago to create a soothing environment that references the surrounding forest.

    Drawing influences from the work of one of her favourite architects, Frank Lloyd Wright, Tallinn-based Karits created an interior that combines clean lines with warm wooden surfaces and carefully crafted cabinetry.
    Hanna Karits has designed the interior for a holiday home in Estonia”I decided to use wood in many different ways but give extra care to the details and connections between different materials,” the designer told Dezeen.
    Karits’ design was guided by a basic brief given by the client, in which she was asked to create an interior for the home by architect Linda Veski and make wood the dominant material.
    It is located in a forest in the Moonsund archipelagoWhile referencing the work of Wright, her design is also informed by mid-century modernist summer houses, which feature bright and minimal wood-lined living spaces.

    “I have always felt comfort in these buildings,” added Karits. “So my idea was to blend these emotions together and create something airy and spacious but at the same time really human-friendly, safe and relaxing.”
    The home is intended as a relaxing getawayThe house is situated on an island in the archipelago off Estonia’s west coast, where the local landscape consists of limestone cliffs, beaches and dense forests.
    It is intended as a relaxing getaway where its owners can enjoy peace and fresh air in natural surroundings. The interior design aims to immerse them in the woodland setting, creating a place that feels warm and comforting during the long, cold winters.
    Karits designed an “airy and spacious” interior for the homeThe building is constructed from a wooden frame and cross-laminated timber panels, with thermally-treated ash wood chosen to line the internal surfaces.
    Complementing the wooden elements, the other main material used inside the house is Estonian limestone, which is applied on the floors of the kitchen, dining area and circulation spaces.

    B210 designs “treehouse-inspired” Maidla Nature Villa to immerse guests in an Estonian bogland

    The single-storey building is entered via a central porch that connects with a corridor spanning the full width of the house. This hallway provides access to a row of bedrooms at the front and the living spaces towards the rear.
    A courtyard between the corridor and the lounge area is lined with full-height glazing that allows plenty of daylight to enter the interior.
    Wooden finishes are used throughoutThe open-plan living, dining and kitchen area incorporates large windows that look out onto the forest, with sliding doors providing access to a generous decked terrace.
    A wood-clad ceiling in the living room creates a cosy and intimate feel despite its large volume. Wooden ceilings can also be found in the bedrooms.
    Carpets from the 1930s have been used to add colour and textureBespoke cabinetry developed in collaboration with local craftspeople is integrated throughout the home.
    Careful attention was paid to elements such as the wooden door handles to ensure they are ergonomic and pleasing to touch, while maintaining a simple and minimal aesthetic.
    Carpets originally created in the 1930s by Estonian designers including Adamson Erik, Kaarin Luts and Viida Pääbo are placed throughout to add colour and texture while celebrating the country’s lesser-known design heritage.
    The design aims to connect the interior with the surrounding landscapeKarits has been working as an interior architect in Estonia for more than a decade.
    Her previous projects include a summer retreat on Estonia’s Matsi Beach comprising a pair of gabled black cabins surrounded by old fishing sheds.
    The photography is by Tõnu Tunnel.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Studio KO places female chefs “at the epicentre” of Moroccan restaurant Sahbi Sahbi

    French architecture practice Studio KO has designed the restaurant interiors of Sahbi Sahbi using textures, tones and materials that celebrate Moroccan cuisine and female culinary practices.

    Sahbi Sahbi, which translates to soulmates in Darija – a form of Arabic spoken in Morocco, is located in the Guéliz neighbourhood of Marrakech.
    Top: An open kitchen is at the heart of Sahbi Sahbi. Above: the restaurant is in Marrakech”Sahbi Sahbi is a reinvented tribute to Moroccan craftsmanship,” Studio KO told Dezeen.
    “It is a symbiosis of modernity and tradition, of Japan wood tradition and details and Moroccan motifs and materials.”
    Studio KO wanted the restaurant to celebrate the female chefs who work thereThe eatery serves a menu of traditional Morrocan dishes made using recipes created by Dadas – female cooks in Morocco who orally handed down their trade through generations.

    Sahbi Sahibi’s focus on Dada cuisine influenced Studio KO to create an interior that places the female chefs at the centre of the space.
    Warm wood was used for the ceiling, walls and table and chairs”In Morocco, the kitchen is normally a secretive place, the hidden domain of the Dadas, women who hand down recipes from one generation to the next,” Studio KO said.
    “It is with precisely this intention, to share and transmit knowledge – an intention evident even in the layout of the restaurant – that guests are welcomed at Sahbi Sahbi,” added the brand.
    Rust-coloured paint and tableware is dotted throughoutIn the centre of the restaurant, the kitchen was intentionally left open so that diners can watch the chefs at work and get an insight into the culinary process.
    Horseshoe-shaped tables and seating wrap around an open stove integrated into a kitchen island counter where chefs prepare meals.
    “In conceiving this warm, convivial space, the designers inverted the archetype of Moroccan cuisine – its secretiveness – and instead placed the cooking at the epicentre of the restaurant’s activity,” said Studio KO.

    Studio KO celebrates Yves Saint Laurent’s fashion oeuvre with Marrakech museum

    Earthy colours and natural materials were used to complement the relaxed and friendly aesthetic of the restaurant.
    Wood was used to add warmth throughout. It covers the walls and ceiling and also forms the woven chairs and dining tables. These are illuminated with spherical pendant lights while brown leather upholsters the booth seating around the edge of the space.
    A traditional oven is located at the side of the spaceIn one corner, there is a large traditional oven where chefs can burn logs to bake bread or roast meat.
    Finer details include rust-coloured ceramic urns, clay pots and pans and orange-brown paint in an alcove above a sink.
    “The beauty is subtle: details, textures, the play of light and surfaces, natural tones and motifs that tell a story of traditional materials and knowledge, freely reinterpreted,” Studio KO explained.
    the interiors were designed as a tribute to Moroccan craftsmanshipStudio KO has previously worked on projects in Marrakech. In 2017 the studio revealed the Musée Yves Saint Laurent, a 4,000-square-metre museum building showcasing the work of the late fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.
    Other notable buildings in the Moroccan capital city include Fobe House, a white house designed by Paris-based architecture studio Guilhem Eustache.
    The photography is by Pascal Montary.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Fendi introduces modern furnishings to Rome's historic Villa Medici

    Italian fashion brand Fendi has teamed up with the French Academy in Rome to refresh six salons inside the Villa Medici – a 16th-century Renaissance palace set amongst sprawling gardens in the heart of Rome.

    The villa has been home to the French Academy in Rome since 1803, and today is used by the French art institute to host creative residencies and public art programmes.
    Fendi has introduced new furnishings to Rome’s Villa MediciThe building’s salons had not been significantly modified in some 20 years, leading the academy to initiate a revamp in the hopes of establishing a better connection between the centuries-old rooms and contemporary design.
    Fendi was brought on board to consult on Villa Medici’s interior scheme alongside Mobilier National – France’s national furniture collection and conservation agency.
    The project also saw the academy call in French architect Pierre-Antoine Gatier to restore some decorative features of the Grand Salon, while conservation specialist Bobin Tradition carried out preservation work on the building’s existing wall hangings.

    Umbrella pine trees informed the shape of the table in the Salon des PensionnairesFendi’s artistic director of couture and womenswear Kim Jones worked with Silvia Venturini Fendi, the brand’s artistic director of accessories and menswear, as well as Mobilier National to curate a selection of modern French and Italian furnishings for the salons.
    Many of the pieces were pulled from Fendi Casa, the brand’s homeware collection, and chosen for their ability to slot in amongst the building’s existing heritage pieces and classical artworks.
    Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance’s tables for the Salon Bleu mimic ancient Roman paving slabsThe focal point of the Petit Salon is now a huge modular sofa by Milan-based designer Toan Nguyen, upholstered in a rust-orange fabric that matches the colour of the walls.
    Over in the Salon des Pensionnaires is a table by French designer Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance. This is supported by spindly black legs, which resemble the branches of Rome’s ubiquitous umbrella pine trees.
    The slightly moodier feel of this room is complemented by grey-blue sofas and armchairs by Italian designer Chiara Andreatti.

    Frama designs apartment for filmmaker Albert Moya in Renaissance villa

    Duchaufour-Lawrance was also responsible for crafting the tables found in the villa’s Salon de Lecture and Salon Bleu, shaped to look like the time-worn paving slabs of the Appian Way – one of the oldest roads that lead to Rome.
    The Grand Salon houses rows of the sinuous Belleville chair, created by French design pair Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Vitra.
    Contemporary chairs were added to the building’s Salon de MusiqueBoth here and in the other salons, Fendi and Mobilier National introduced tapestries from well-known artists including Louise Bourgeois, Sheila Hicks and Sonia Delaunay.
    Acoustic panels by Devialet were tucked behind selected artworks to discreetly enhance the sound quality inside the villa.
    Seats by the Bouroullec brothers line the Grand SalonOver the past few years, high-end fashion designers have become increasingly involved with interior design projects.
    In London, Roksanda Ilincic and Bella Freud applied their respective styles to two separate penthouse apartments, while Jasquemus founder Simon Porte Jacquemus has devised a summery interior scheme for a restaurant in Paris.
    The photography is by Silvia Rivoltella.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Gin Design Group creates radial layout for Treadwell barbershop in Houston

    A cave-like cork lounge is hidden at the back of this barbershop in southwest Houston, by Gin Design Group, which also offers IV drips to cure customers’ hangovers.

    This second location of the Treadwell men’s salon chain in situated the Texas city’s Southside Place neighbourhood.
    Treadwell customers are greeted at a curved reception desk wrapped in white mosaic tilesPart of the Southside Commons development, the 2,697-square-foot (250-square-metre) space was designed to echo the first outpost in Houston Heights, but have its own distinctive character.
    The history of this area, as a once “meager” and overlooked suburb that slowly became a thriving community, guided some aspects of the design.
    The “cutting floor” has a unique radial layout”Taking cues from the cultural fibre of Southside Place, Treadwell’s second location will allude to the industrious nature of the area through the use of more industrial touches like steel and concrete,” said Gin Design Group, which is led by founder Gin Braverman.

    “While these materials speak to the strength of the community, they’re softened by clean mosaic tiles, wood, and woven rattan,” the team continued. “Paired with organic architectural elements, this diverse blend of materiality helps to create an illustrious, yet comforting, medley.”
    A central circular unit acts as the barbers’ stationCustomers are greeted at a reception desk fronted by square white tiles, which match the walls behind.
    They then proceed to the “cutting floor”, which has a unique radial layout. Six identical chairs face outward at lozenge-shaped mirrors suspended in the middle of white metal poles.
    At the back is a cave-like bar and lounge area lined entirely in corkA central circular unit forms a stand and incorporates storage for the stylists’ equipment. It wraps a wooden column, from which matching ceiling beams radiate like wheel spokes.
    Tucked away at the back of the salon is an area lined entirely in cork, which features a curved bar made from glass bricks.

    Sivak & Partners creates greyscale interiors for Kult barbershop in Odessa

    The dark and moody lounge is completed with turquoise bar stools and custom 1970s-influenced furniture, “speaking to the history of the mid-century architectural style of Southside Place”, according to Gin Design Group.
    Other brighter rooms where the white mosaic tiles are continued include a hair-washing space, and another reserved for treatments including cryotherapy, pedicures, and IV drips intended to rehydrate the body and help alleviate hangovers.
    White tiles are continued in the space for washing hair”The overall interior design aesthetic marries the branding and concept to convey a cohesive design intent, felt in every detail,” said Gin Design Group.
    “Bridging minimalist materiality with optimal functionality, Treadwell will remain a clear expression of innovation for the men’s grooming industry.”
    The barbershop also offers treatments including pedicures and IV dripsOther unusual, design-forward barbershops around the world include a minimalist space by Ivy Studio in Montreal, a “brooding” men’s spa by Nicholas Szczepaniak Architects in Dubai, and a salon with greyscale interiors by Sivak & Partners in Odessa.
    The photography is by Cladia Casbarian for Julie Soefer Photography.

    Read more: More