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    Ten homes with spacious open-plan studies and workspaces

    An apartment in the middle of Berlin and a home overlooking the Devon countryside feature in this lookbook, which spotlights 10 studies with open-plan layouts.

    Studies are often relegated to the stuffiest corners of the house, but a more flexible layout means there’s plenty of opportunity to play around with arrangement, privacy and light, often resulting in a boost in creativity and focus.
    The below projects demonstrate why a study needn’t be restricted to a separate room or mean sacrificing style, size or comfort. Living rooms can blend into places to work and in the case of Library Home, studies can be spread across the entire home.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks including bedrooms on mezzanine levels, relaxing wet rooms and living rooms with floor to ceiling glazing.
    Photo is by Mariell Lind HansenCharlotte Road, UK, by Emil Eve Architects

    Set inside the loft of a Victorian warehouse building in Shoreditch, east London, this industrial-looking workspace forms part of a wider living area that includes the kitchen and living room.
    In a continuation of the rest of the space, local studio Emil Eve Architects kept the original building’s exposed brickwork walls, timbers and columns and set them off against contemporary finishes including new metal finishes and tiling.
    Find out more about Charlotte Road ›
    Photo is by Olmo PeetersRiverside Studio Apartment, Belgium, by Studio Okami Architecten
    Exposed concrete beams, floors covered in a peach-hued resin and double-height windows create a brutalist look for the open-plan study in this studio apartment in the Riverside Tower in Antwerp.
    The home was designed by Studio Okami Architecten to feel as open and spacious as possible to allow its original concrete structure to take centre stage. The study is only designated by half-sized walls.
    Find out more about Riverside Studio Apartment ›
    Photo is by Jim StephensonDevon Passivhaus, UK, by McLean Quinlan
    Sweeping views of a historic sloping garden are enjoyed through the window wall of this study in Devon Passivhaus – a remote Passivhaus home created by McLean Quinlan for a client with green fingers.
    The interior is finished with earthy materials including reclaimed textured terracotta tiles, rough-sawn oak flooring and charred wood cabinetry, helping to create a “serene” environment and connect the home to the garden further.
    Find out more about project name Devon Passibhaus ›
    Photo is by José HeviaHouse 03, Spain, by Lucas y Hernández-Gil
    Not unused to turning poky and compartmentalised Spanish apartments into sweeping open-plan residences, local studio Lucas y Hernández-Gil designed House 03 to maximise views of the outside.
    The architects removed the walls inside the 190-square-metre apartment to create an open-plan living, dining and study room. At one end of the room, they installed a dark wooden desk in front of built-in white shelving for a couple and their four young children to study.
    Find out more about House 03 ›
    Photo is by Robert RiegerBerlin Apartment, Germany, by Gisbert Pöppler
    As part of their overhaul of this central Berlin apartment, Gisbert Pöppler reorganised the floor plan so that the master bedroom, guest bedroom and bathroom are the only areas of the apartment that are completely separate.
    In the absence of walls, social spaces are distinguished by different materials: in the study, surfaces are overlaid with a minty colour while the entrance is panelled in red-lacquered wood.
    Find out more about Berlin Apartment ›
    Photo is by Santiago Barrio and Shen Zhong HaiLibrary Home, China, by Atelier Tao+C
    Bejing studio Atelier TAO+C transformed this 95-square-metre apartment in Shanghai into one huge study by installing floor-to-ceiling oak bookshelves around its edges.
    A secluded reading nook, which can be accessed via a set of marble stairs, is located on the mezzanine level, where residents can look down into the living area through a light bronze mesh that runs throughout the home.
    Find out more about Library Home ›
    Photo is by Oskar ProctorFlat House, UK, by Practice Architecture
    Large prefabricated panels made from hemp and lime form the structural shell of this house, giving it a tactile look while timber doors and woven rugs add further warmth to the interior.
    Practice Architecture worked alongside hemp farmers to erect the zero-carbon home which is located over the footprint of a pre-existing barn in rural Cambridgeshire.
    Find out more about Flat House ›
    Photo is by Brett Boardman Unfurled House, Australia, by Christopher Polly
    Sculptural white walls that “unfurl” vertically and horizontally into a series of connected interiors spaces were among the features that architect Christopher Polly introduced in his reconfiguration of a 20th-century house in Sydney.
    Large windows provide views of the lush vegetation outside from the study, which is linked to the living room below via a curving atrium with waist-height walls.
    Find out more about Unfurled House ›
    Photo is by Frederik VercruyssePenthouse Britselei, Belgium, by Hans Verstuyft
    Architect Hans Verstuyft spread his minimalist home office across the lower floor of this penthouse in a converted Antwerp office building.
    Like the rest of the apartment, the office is open plan and arranged around an open-air courtyard. Full-height glass windows from the desks and meeting room offer views of the 35-year-old tree at its centre and brings light into the space.
    Verstuyft finished the interiors, which are minimalist in style, with lime-washed walls and brass detailing.
    Find out more about Penthouse Britselei ›
    Photo is by Lit MaGrosvenor Residence, China, by Lim + Lu
    Lim + Lu designed Grosvenor Residence, this first-floor apartment in the Hong Kong metropolis for a nature-loving Japanese and British couple with two children.
    The studio opted for neutral colours and finishes and plenty of greenery to make it feel like a tranquil retreat.
    In the home office, which is located in the brightest corner of the apartment, oak slats line the otherwise minimalist white walls while a long, L-shaped Calacatta marble desk sits below built-in timber shelving with brass accents.
    Find out more about Grosvenor Residence ›
    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 statement skylights, kids’ bedrooms with loft and bunk-beds and welcoming terraces.

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    Greek restaurant interior by Masquespacio takes cues from ancient ruins

    3D-printed “broken” columns join walls and floors created with an adobe effect at the Egeo restaurant in Valencia by interiors studio Masquespacio that aims to put a modern spin on traditional Greek architecture.

    Masquespacio created the interiors for the Egeo Greek restaurant, which is spread across one floor and characterised by a blue and off-white colour palette that is reminiscent of many Greek houses.
    A blue and white colour palette defines the spaceEgeo features a cavernous interior with microcement-coated seating areas and walls carved from curvy shapes punctuated by statement blue columns.
    The Mortex used for these walls and floors intends to give the space an adobe effect.
    It features 3D-printed columnsFractured into two pieces, the restaurant’s columns were created using 3D printing and are fitted with tubular lighting that connects each piece together.

    “We wanted to recreate the concept of a broken column from the past, but uplift it with a contemporary look,” Masquespacio co-founder Christophe Penasse told Dezeen.
    Wooden stools provide seating areasWooden stools resembling chunky chess pieces are scattered around built-in metal and wooden tables in the various seating areas arranged across the restaurant.
    Sconce lights were attached to decorative organic shapes that protrude from the walls while olive trees sit in large, neutrally-hued pots.

    Masquespacio puts colourful spin on traditional Italian restaurant concept

    A central ordering bar was designed to recreate the atmosphere of a bustling market where you might order traditional souvlaki from a mobile vendor, according to Masquespacio.
    “The restaurant was inspired by Greece’s ancient architecture – from its typical white and blue houses to the ruins that are part of its important foundations in our world,” explained Penasse.
    A central bar intends to give the restaurant a lively feelThe eatery is the first Egeo branch in Valencia, although the chain already has two similar locations in Madrid.
    Based in Valencia, Masquespacio was founded in 2010 by Penasse and Ana Milena Hernández Palacio.
    Similar projects in Spain by the studio include another cavernous restaurant that nods to adobe architecture and an eatery with curved forms that take cues from the nearby Pyrenees mountains.
    The photography is by Sebastian Erras.

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    Ten homes with water features to help keep cool on a hot day

    In our latest lookbook we’ve collected 10 homes with water features to aid relaxation in warm weather, from an indoor reflective pool to a house perched on a pond.

    Nothing is more effective than a water feature for imbuing an outdoor space with a sense of calm and tranquility.
    The examples listed below demonstrate a range of different ways to introduce soothing aquatic visuals and sounds to a residential project without the need for a swimming pool.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing homes with outdoor terraces, fire pits and courtyards.
    Photo is by Gerhard HeuschBeverly Hills villa, USA, by Heusch

    Los Angeles architecture studio Heusch renovated this mid-century Beverly Hills villa, which had been left to fall into disrepair.
    As part of the work, the architecture studio uncovered this original water feature at the entrance to the home made up of two shallow pools mirroring one another through a glazed wall, one inside and one out.
    Find out more about Beverly Hills villa ›
    Photo is by João MorgadoCork Trees House, Portugal, by Trama Arquitetos
    Small reflective pools divide the two main volumes of this house perched on a hillside near Braga, helping to manage the site’s ambient temperature during the scorching summer months.
    “Visually it is something that stands out because it is reflecting the rooms all the time and because that brings the idea of life, nature and green spaces literally through the house,” said Bruno Leitão, co-founder of Trama Aquitetos.
    Find out more about Cork Trees House ›
    Photo is by Benjamin BenschneiderMercer Island Modern, USA, by Garret Cord Werner
    At the entrance to Mercer Island Modern, a residence in Seattle designed by Garret Cord Werner, is a reflective pond dominated by a rock sculpture connected to a lap pool and an infinity jacuzzi by two boarded bridges.
    “The experience of walking up to and…over water, both inside and outside of the home, creates a dramatic and tranquil feeling that one rarely experiences inside a residential building,” said the studio.
    Find out more about Mercer Island Modern ›
    Photo is by Laure Joliet/Douglas Friedman/Marion BrennerKua Bay Residence, USA, by Walker Warner Architects
    This house, designed by Walker Warner Architects, sits on a Hawaiian mountainside among dramatic volcanic rock formations.
    Shallow pools run alongside elevated courtyards at the side of the building, forming a grotto-like terrace with the water intended to mimic molten lava.
    Find out more about Kua Bay Residence ›
    Photo is by Nelson KonCasa em Cotia, Brazil, by Una Arquitetos
    A snaking pond winds its way around this concrete modernist house in São Paulo, designed by Una Arquitetos.
    It undulates underneath a ramped walkway that connects separate volumes of the house, which have been placed on different levels in response to the sloped nature of the site.
    Find out more about Casa em Cotia ›
    Photo is by César BéjarGuadalajara house, Mexico, by Delfino Lozano
    Architect Delfino Lozano modernised this family home on a tight site in Guadalajara by rearranging the living spaces so they look onto a pair of brick-paved courtyards in order to bring light and air into the surrounding rooms.
    The house’s original fountain was retained in the smaller of the two patios, protruding from a rough, plastered boundary wall and providing a gentle background burble for the neighbouring bedroom.
    Find out more about this house in Guadalajara ›
    Photo is by Hiroyuki OkiAM House, Vietnam, by AmDesign Office, Time Architects and Creative Architects
    AM House, designed by three young architects and located in a rural area of Vietnam’s Long An Province, opens out onto a large koi pond around two sides of the building.
    A decking area accessed by a line of stepping stones is marooned on the pond, which is intended to help the large house merge with its lush surroundings.
    Find out more about AM House ›
    Photo is by Kevin ScottThe Perch, USA, by Chadbourne + Doss
    Intended to instil an “idealised atmosphere of the Pacific Northwest” according to local architecture studio Chadbourne + Doss, this courtyard lies at the centre of a house in Seattle.
    The main focus of the clearing is a mossy island bearing ferns, boulders and a tree, surrounded by a water feature that also has a walnut swing suspended above it.
    Find out more about The Perch ›
    Photo is by Matthew MillmanHawaiian villa, USA, by De Reus Architects
    Visitors to this villa on Hawaii’s Big Island, designed by US practice De Reus Architects, are greeted by a large water feature set within a paved entry court.
    Igneous rock boulders emerge from the zigzag-edged feature, while a fountain spouts from one of the house’s walls.
    Find out more about this Hawaiian villa ›
    Photo is by Nasser Malek HernándezCasa Sierra Fría, Mexico, by JJRR/Arquitectura
    One of the steel columns supporting the thin concrete canopy at the front of this home in Mexico City drops down into a black-bottomed shallow pool next to the entrance door.
    Mexican studio JJRR/Arquitectura also installed a dramatic sculpture on a plinth rising up from the water, its delicate appearance contrasting with the monolithic volcanic stone wall adjacent.
    Find out more about Casa Sierra Fría ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing homes with outdoor terraces, fire pits and courtyards.

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    Light and Air updates Financial District apartment with open floor plan

    Brooklyn studio Light and Air has renovated a loft in New York City’s financial district by removing partitions to create an open, inviting space.

    Occupying the 12th storey of a converted commercial building in one of Manhattan’s historic neighbourhoods, the apartment has generous windows and floor area, but previously made poor use of these qualities and felt cramped.
    The apartment occupies the 12th storey of a Manhattan building”The existing conditions stifled the unit’s access to light and air,” said the design team. The owners tapped Shane Neufeld, of  Brooklyn-based Light and Air Studio, to rethink the space.
    “The space featured a low-hanging storage loft that hovered over the entry and a sprawling closet that loudly commanded the center of the space, disrupting any potential for meaningful visual connections,” said Neufeld.
    It was updated to have an open floor plan”Our goal was to maintain the functionality of the storage loft while creating a more generous entry and rethinking the programming and materiality of the apartment in its entirety,” the designer added.

    The team removed many of the apartment’s internal walls and reduced the footprint of the overhead storage loft to allow taller ceilings. Within the reconfigured welcome area, custom closets, shelving, and a sculptural wooden bench provide plenty of storage, some behind a slatted wooden wall.
    A minimal material palette was used throughoutLight and Air also updated the flooring in this area, marking the transition between the concrete of the building’s corridors and the apartment’s hardwood. The polished concrete is also found in the kitchen and bathroom.
    Within the 1,200 square-foot (111-square-metre) apartment, Light and Air partitioned the space using open shelving, allowing some perspectives to stay open between the living room and bedroom.
    Custom desks were built into the space”Our strategy took the shape of an open floor plan with minimal partitions and reducing the existing material complexity through a more straightforward approach,” said Neufeld.
    The living and dining room is positioned in the corner of the unit and has windows facing in two different directions.
    “Two exterior walls with multiple southeast and southwest exposures allow for significant natural light and impressive views of lower Manhattan,” said Neufeld.

    Schissel Montgomery Architects renovates Brooklyn flat for art gallerist

    These spaces were connected to the kitchen, which remained in the same location, but was updated with matching cabinetry, new appliances, and an additional sink that provides more functionality.
    Throughout the apartment, the designers employed a minimal palette. The walls have no base moulding, there is flush cabinetry, and custom, built-in desks.
    Wood takes centre stage in the project”As one moves in and around the different elements (some floating effortlessly off the ground), its functional variety and formal character become more readily apparent,” Neufeld concluded.
    Light and Air studio, also known as L/AND/A, was founded in 2017. The firm also designed a townhouse in Brooklyn, with a skylight illuminating a central staircase.
    Other New York City apartment renovations include a “minimal but warm” apartment that was designed by Selma Akkari and Rawan Muqaddas, and a loft on Broadway that local studio Worrell Yeung reconfigured to meet the needs of a growing family.
    The photography is by Kevin Kunstadt.

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    The Interior Design School presents seven student projects

    Dezeen School Shows: a co-living space for healthcare workers and a student housing project that acknowledges the importance of mental health are included in Dezeen’s latest school show by students at The Interior Design School.

    Also included is a residential project designed to be accessible to an ageing population and a co-working space within a London mews.

    School: The Interior Design SchoolCourse: Professional Diploma in Interior DesignTutors: Iris Dunbar, Adrienne Star, Melissa White, Amanda Culpin, Angela Howell, Jenny Grove, Laura Cant, Janet Crawford, Rosie Armstrong, Victoria Ayesta and Marcus Steffen
    School statement:
    “Professional Diploma in Interior Design is aimed at students wishing to gain an understanding of the skills and knowledge required to change career, continue in further education or for those gaining individual development.

    “Our studio represents a functioning design practice enabling students to operate in an environment that feels relevant and professional before entering into the interior design industry.”

    Uniden – Student housing by Sarah Celebidachi
    “The brief was to develop the Devonshire Mews in Marylebone to provide a student complex that caters to living and social needs.
    “The housing unit should be flexible to a student budget and the demand for London student housing. The mews itself should offer a campus feel, providing a safe space in what can be a very overwhelming move to the busy city.
    “For that reason, it is crucial to cater to mental health by providing a gym, job centre, counselling practice and extensive library. The other spaces should be available to rent to local restaurants, shops and cafes.
    “The student housing units should offer a communal kitchen and dining space, private sleeping quarters and a lounge that allows for quieter and more social activities. This requires the student units to be divided into three floors and therefore involves careful planning to maintain the integrity of the front facade.”
    Student: Sarah CelebidachiCourse: Professional Diploma in Interior DesignContact: sarahcelebidachi[at]gmail.com

    The Viaduct – New living business Airbnb by Lynn Jackson
    “Mace construction company has commissioned the design of a co-living space to accommodate short-term requirements for project-related visits.
    “The space is designed to encourage a balance between work and relaxation.”
    Student: Lynn JacksonCourse: Professional Diploma in Interior DesignContact: lynn.e.jackson[at]live.com

    Pace – A refuge for healthcare workers by Caterina Fiore
    “A kind and restorative co-living space where residents can slow their pace and find peace and tranquillity after a hard-working shift.
    “The space is available to healthcare workers such as research staff, nurses, doctors and visiting staff who work locally at St Mary’s Hospital.
    “The definition of pace is the speed at which someone or something moves, or with which something happens or changes. It also means peace in Italian, a state of mutual harmony between people.”
    Student: Caterina FioreCourse: Professional Diploma in Interior DesignContact: caterina1.fiore[at]gmail.com

    The Conduit – Business Airbnb by Dimitra Loi-Theodorikakou
    “A co-living and co-working space for employees on remote or on-site work schedules and teams working on intensive projects within their business.
    “The space is designed to accommodate short-term stays with interactive spaces to eat and socialise. The project spans over twelve mews houses located in Conduit Mews, Central London.”
    Student: Dimitra Loi-TheodorikakouCourse: Professional Diploma in Interior DesignContact: dimitraloi80[at]gmail.com

    Junction – Co-living for healthcare employees by Fran Middleton
    “The brief was to design a co-living environment for healthcare and other key workers that have regular or irregular shift patterns, which will be established in a historic mews in the Bayswater Conservation Area.
    “Residents should be able to settle in the community long term, with a minimum stay of six months. They will typically be single but may have a partner living with them short term.
    “Junction brings residents together into a self-organising community, with services and facilities designed to support life outside society’s typical daily rhythm. Inspired by the seaside in its historic role as a place to convalesce, the design provides a relaxing escape and eye-opening stimulation.
    “Common meals are served in two social spaces, one shared by those experiencing the morning and one by those arriving home from work. Secluded bedrooms allow residents to achieve good quality sleep after a soothing bath, while other activities are kept psychologically and physically distant.”
    Student: Fran MiddletonCourse: Professional Diploma in Interior DesignContact: francescamiddleton[at]outlook.com

    Third Age – A co-living concept for the ageing population by Kristin Björkman
    “We have a new type of ageing population, with many individuals remaining broadly unaffected by health and mobility problems. This can be described as an extended middle age or in this case, the third age.
    “There is a vast gap in the market for this demographic and many design opportunities to explore.
    “The project was designed with the principles of universal design in mind, which means undetectable accessibility for all. Your home should be a constant reminder of your possibilities and abilities, rather than your limitations.”
    Student: Kristin BjörkmanCourse: Professional Diploma in Interior DesignContact: bjorkmankristin[at]gmail.com

    A Community for Healthcare Workers by Nina Jorden
    “This project rethinks co-living in response to the coronavirus pandemic by creating a retreat for healthcare workers.
    “Made up of nine mews houses in Junction Mews, Paddington, residents are transported outside of the hospital rules and hierarchy to a place where they can decompress and re-energise before reconnecting with the outside world.”
    Student: Nina JordenCourse: Professional Diploma in Interior DesignContact: ninajorden[at]gmail.com
    Find out more about the Professional Diploma in Interior Design course at The Interior Design School on Dezeen Courses.
    Partnership content
    This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and The Interior Design School. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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    Burdifilek creates “zen-like ambience” in Seoul shopping mall

    Indoor trees, natural light and a sculptural 12-metre-high waterfall help to create a calming shopping experience inside the Hyundai Seoul department store in Seoul, with interiors designed by Canadian studio Burdifilek.

    Hyundai Seoul, which opened last year, is the largest shopping centre in the South Korean capital and spans 89,100 square metres – the equivalent of around 13 football fields.
    Raised platforms integrate trees and waterfalls into Hyundai Seoul’s atriumToronto-based Burdifilek was responsible for designing three of the 12 floors including a central atrium topped with a lightwell. This extends through the core of the building to funnel sun into the expansive floorplan.
    All of the retail spaces are organised around the atrium, which doubles up as a green belt to provide tranquil views of greenery and water from every vantage point.
    The platforms are held up by skinny columnsBurdifilek achieved its “zen-like ambience” through the addition of stilted platforms housing trees and waterfalls that cascade into shallow pools from a height of up to 12 metres.

    “Hyundai’s vision was to allocate 50 per cent of this floor plate to create public spaces where people can socialise in a much more experiential environment than the typical mall experience has to offer,” said Diego Burdi, co-founder and creative director of Burdifilek.
    “In the end, our solution was inspired by Seoul’s surrounding nature. We chose to bring the outside in and create something unexpected that plays with scale.”
    The second floor houses high-end womenswearThe studio designed each floor to have a distinct visual language.
    The second floor, housing high-end womenswear, is a neutral gallery-like space with a subdued tonal palette.
    Instead of flashy colours, Burdifilek created interest through the use of flowing forms, contrasting textures and layers of reflective and translucent materials.
    Rippled ceiling panels create the impression of looking up at a reflective pondMirrored panels installed along the inner edges of the ceiling are rippled like water and create the effect of glancing up at a reflecting pond.
    Custom hanging fixtures were installed to create a feeling of lightness while indirect lighting emphasises the sinuous lines of the building.

    Drone video showcases exterior of 1,000 Trees by Heatherwick Studio

    The third floor features similar sculptural elements to those used on the second floor. But here, forms are bolder, colours are darker and natural materials are juxtaposed with more industrial ones.
    Cobalt-blue ribbons are used to suspend clothing racks from an unfinished ceiling, while custom-built mirrored display cases allow the featured brands to take centre stage.
    Ceilings are left unfinished on the third floor”Our philosophy was to create environments on each floor that would speak to a specific demographic, with a different design language while evoking nature in the spaces in various ways,” Burdi said.
    “We also strived to create some commonality through sculptural elements that will resonate with the guests and give a physical experience of wandering and exploring.”
    Mirrored display cases allow products to take centre stageBurdifilek was co-founded by Burdi and Paul Filek in 1993.
    Previous projects by the Toronto-based firm include the flagship for Canadian jacket brand Moose Knuckles, where dimly lit interiors evoke winter’s frigid darkness.
    The photography is by Yongjoon Choi.

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    Nika Zupanc brings “Alice in Wonderland ambience” to Morela eyewear store in Ljubljana

    Massive lamps, rotating mirrors and a legion of drawers feature inside the Morela eyewear store, which Slovenian designer Nika Zupanc has completed in Ljubljana.

    Morela has been offering optician services in the Slovenian capital since the early 2000s and went on to launch its own line of glasses in 2019.
    Locally based Zupanc was brought in to design both the brand’s debut eyewear collection and now the retail space to match.
    Powder-blue drawers appear throughout the Morela eyewear storeSet in Ljubljana’s Citypark shopping centre, the store is defined by the slim powder-blue drawers with brass knobs, which appear everywhere from the cash desk to the base of the freestanding counters and low-lying sideboards.
    “The client had a clear idea of how many glasses they wanted to display on the shelves, how many they wanted to put in the drawers and how many they wanted to display on the tables,” explained Zupanc.

    “Thus a drawer became a unit of measurement and served as a building block, from which the entire interior was created.”
    Brass-edged mirrors can be turned to show different angles of the storeThe abundant storage is also a nod to one of Zupanc’s earlier designs – a 140-drawer cylindrical cabinet she created for Milan’s Rossana Orlandi Gallery in 2017.
    Eyewear models are displayed along the sides of the room inside brass-framed shelves that mirror the proportions of the drawers.
    A curtain hides treatment rooms at the back of the storeTo enhance the “Alice in Wonderland ambience” of the space, Zupanc introduced two huge floor lamps with pleated white shades, both handmade in Italy.
    One towers above the cash desk while the other pokes out through a blush-coloured velvet pouf to provide both lighting and seating. Alternatively, customers can sit on velvet-upholstered high chairs that are dotted across the room.

    Nika Zupanc designs a tower of drawers for storing keepsakes

    Mirrors are suspended from a thin brass picture rail that runs along the perimeter of the room. Each is housed in a circular brass frame and can be rotated to reflect different angles of the room.
    The rail also holds heavy powder-blue curtains that separate the main shop floor from a treatment area and repair room at the rear of the plan.
    A brass pipe runs along the upper edge of the roomOther striking eyewear stores include Vision Studio in Melbourne, which hides behind a perforated aluminium facade, and the Cubitts shop in London’s Soho, which nods to the sex shops and adult cinemas found in the notorious neighbourhood.
    The photography is by Saša Hess.

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    Ten bedrooms tucked away on cosy mezzanine levels

    A forest cabin and an apartment in a New York warehouse feature in this lookbook, which shines a light on ten homes with snug bedrooms raised on mezzanine levels.

    Mezzanines are half-storeys inserted between a floor and ceiling to create extra space or distinct zones for different activities.
    They are popularly used as platforms for bedrooms, particularly in open-plan residences, because they create privacy from adjoining living spaces.
    The examples below demonstrate the potential of a mezzanine bedroom as a space-saving tool for small homes, but also as a way to take advantage of tall ceilings in lofty residences.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks including warm wood-clad kitchens, relaxing wet rooms and space-saving bunk beds.

    Photo is by Anna PositanoHouse for a Sea Dog, Italy, by Dodi Moss
    An exposed roof structure, floors of unvarnished wood and a plaster wall create a rustic look for the mezzanine bedroom in this loft apartment in a 17th-century building in Genoa.
    The home was designed by Dodi Moss to feel as open and spacious as possible, so the level change is used to provide privacy for the sleeping area as opposed to solid partitions and walls.
    Find out more about House for a Sea Dog ›

    La Dominique, Spain, by RÄS
    Sliding polycarbonate panels line one side of the sleeping platform in this Barcelona residence, allowing light to enter the space while separating it from the floor below.
    Its designer, RÄS, finished the space with black decorative tiles that contrast with the rough-painted white brick wall that borders one side.
    Find out more about La Dominique ›
    Photo is by Michael VahrenwaldBed-Stuy Loft, USA, by New Affiliates
    New Affiliates inserted this mezzanine above the study and kitchen area of the Bed-Stuy Loft apartment in New York to create a bedroom beneath its high ceilings.
    The sleeping area, which sits alongside a raised dressing area, is finished with plywood and white metal-mesh panels that nod to the industrial heritage of the building in which it is located.
    Find out more about Bed-Stuy Loft ›
    Photo is by Alex DelaunayHike, France, by SABO Project
    Alternating tread stairs lead up to this cosy bedroom, which SABO Project placed on a half-level when optimising floor space in a 72-square-metre apartment in Paris.
    The bedroom provides a sleeping area for guests and uses a skylight and a wall of translucent glass panels to maximise light while ensuring privacy.
    Find out more about Hike ›
    Photo is by Stephen Kent JohnsonUWS Apartment, USA, by Stadt Architecture
    Stadt Architecture introduced a mezzanine to a narrow 1970s condominium in New York in order to create a larger bedroom and bathroom for its owner.
    Set against exposed brickwork walls, the platform is finished with a dark walnut floor that helps unify it with the level below. The bed’s headboard doubles as a balustrade, while its base contains hidden storage.
    Find out more about UWS Apartment ›
    Photo is by Anton RodriguezBarbican Mezzanine, UK, by Francisco Sutherland Architects
    Set under the vaulted ceiling of an apartment in London’s Barbican Estate, this children’s bedroom forms part of a wooden mezzanine structure that also contains a bathroom and wardrobes.
    Francisco Sutherland Architects lined the sleeping element of the volume with a wall of shutters that provide privacy while opening the room out to an adjoining bedroom below.
    Find out more about Barbican Mezzanine ›
    Photo is by Michael MoranSoho Loft, USA, by Julian King
    A mezzanine with sculptural white walls was among the features that architect Julian King introduced in his reconfiguration of a tall and long warehouse apartment in New York.
    Taking advantage of the home’s high ceilings, the intervention allowed King to relocate the bedroom to a higher level and create a more fluid, open layout for the owner.
    Find out more about Soho Loft ›
    Photo is by Maja WirkusK907, Poland, by Thisispaper Studio
    This sleeping area is hidden within a boxy plywood volume that Thisispaper Studio inserted into a pared-back holiday apartment in an old print warehouse in Warsaw.
    Its design helps maximise floor space while drawing attention to the lofty dimensions of the apartment, which enhances its minimalist aesthetic.
    Find out more about K907 ›
    Photo is by Ricardo Oliveira AlvesRural House in Portugal, Portugal, by HBG Architects
    Built within an old granite community oven in the village of Aldeia de João Pires, this holiday home contains a wood-lined mezzanine that maximises space below its original gable roof.
    The platform, which also contains a second bathroom, is accessed by steps that double as a table and concealed behind slats of wood that ensure privacy while allowing light inside.
    Find out more about Rural House in Portugal ›
    Photo is by Martin DimitrovInhabit, USA, by Antony Gibbon Designs
    This mezzanine bedroom sits above a kitchen in a stilted wooden treehouse built by Antony Gibbon Designs in a forest in Upstate New York.
    The cosy wood-lined bedroom looks out through a wall of glazing that runs upwards from the ground floor of the cabin, framing views of the surrounding trees and Catskills mountains.
    Find out more about Inhabit ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks including warm wood-clad kitchens, relaxing wet rooms and space-saving bunk beds.

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