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    IKEA unveils “powerful” first photos by artist-in-residence Annie Leibovitz

    Swedish furniture brand IKEA has released two images from a series of photographs taken by Annie Leibovitz, its first-ever artist-in-residence, showing people in their homes across the world.

    The American photographer, who is best known for her portraits, travelled to twenty-five homes around the globe to take photos of people in their residences. She visited houses and apartments in Sweden, India, Italy, Japan, Germany, England and the US.
    “The home has always been important in my work,” Leibovitz said when appointed artist-in-residence in 2023.
    “I’ve been photographing people in their homes since I began,” she added. “It’s a way to understand who a person is. The advice I give to young photographers is to photograph their families. It’s one of the best ways to start.”
    Annie Leibovitz photographed 25 homes for IKEA, including this one in GermanyLeibovitz’s photos for IKEA show a variety of different interiors in seven different countries.

    “The result is a powerful photographic document that illuminates the nuances of life at home – across borders, ethnicities and professions,” the furniture brand said of the project.
    The series, which comprises 25 photos in total, was commissioned by IKEA after its IKEA Life at Home Report showed that 48 per cent of people globally don’t feel the media represents their home.
    The first two images released by IKEA, show the homes of Yusuke Onimaru in Japan and Maria Arrechea in Germany – specifically Onimaru’s ceramic workshop and Arrechea’s living space filled with friends.

    IKEA and H&M’s design incubator unveils products by 22 emerging London studios

    Leibovitz’s photos will be shown as part of the IKEA+ exhibition in Paris, which will take place during Paris Fashion Week.
    It will also feature a collaboration with online radio station Rinse and showcase the Tesammans collection made by IKEA together with Eindhoven-basd design duo Raw Color.
    Six emerging designers from the Casa93 fashion education program are also taking part in the IKEA+ showcase. They worked with “home furnishing mentors” from IKEA to create designs that focus on upcycling and sustainable design.
    The photography is by Annie Leibovitz for IKEA.
    IKEA+ will take place on 28 Rue de Lappe, Paris, from 29 February to 3 March. For more worldwide events, exhibitions and talks in architecture and design, visit Dezeen Events Guide. 

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    Barde vanVoltt gives historic Haarlem house a contemporary update

    Interiors studio Barde vanVoltt has renovated this early 1900s house in the Dutch city of Haarlem to forge a strong connection between the building’s past and present, grounding the space with warm woods and tactile textures.

    The owners – a young family of four – wanted a home that would stand the test of time while telling Dutch practice Barde vanVoltt to “surprise us”.
    Barde vanVoltt had overhauled an early 20th-century house in HaarlemIn answer, the studio worked to create an interior that fuses the past and the present.
    “Stepping into this house is a journey through time, a reminder that architecture is a dialogue between generations,” the studio told Dezeen.
    “Meticulously preserving its historical charm, the house’s design seamlessly integrates contemporary features, creating a harmonious blend that transcends eras.”

    The studio added an extension to the rear of the homeTo address the narrow footprint of the house – a typically Dutch feature – internal walls were either removed, widened or replaced with glass panel doors.
    The back of the property was transformed with an extension and concertina glass doors to maximize the sense of light and space.
    The extension houses the kitchen and dining area”With the extension on the ground floor, we wanted to create contrast with the original architecture,” said Barde vanVoltt. “The understated square modern architecture, due to its shape and angular position, blends perfectly with the past.”
    “With the historic facade at the front, we took advantage of the space at the rear, extending the kitchen and living areas into the garden.”
    A vintage sandstone table centres the living roomThe practice carefully aligned the new design elements with shapes drawn from the architectural features of the house, with the new full-height door openings echoing the proportions of the living room’s original windows.
    In the attic, a guest room doubles as a playroom. Barde vanVoltt infused this once-dark space with natural light via a skylight, “allowing guests to sleep under the stars”.
    Barde vanVoltt retained Haarlem House’s original stained glass windows”Dutch houses are noted for their sloping attic roof lines,” the studio said. “For the children’s bedrooms, we followed this structural line and created custom bunk beds that combine sleep, storage, and space for play.”
    The material palette includes a range of mid- and dark-toned timbers that bring a sense of warmth and tactility to the home.

    WillemsenU submerges house under the ground in the Netherlands

    These are complemented by natural materials including stone and linen.
    “Our colour scheme always consists of earthy colours like moss green, a faded terracotta, grey concrete and off-whites,” the studio said. “For this residence, we brought them in line with the original colours from the existing tiles and stained glass.”
    Custom bunk beds feature in the children’s bedroomsThe furniture edit features Barde vanVoltt’s favoured mix of statement pieces alongside handmade and bespoke elements.
    Selected pieces reflect the architectural style of the building such as the Lot table by Tecta in the study, as well as Gerrit Thomas Rietveld’s 1934 Zig Zag chair and his Steltman chair from 1963, which was the last chair ever created by the Dutch designer.
    The playroom, dining area and bedroom all have specially-made seating upholstered in Kvadrat fabrics, while the bedrooms and study feature bespoke beds and closets.
    Wooden blinds mirror the linear pattern of the bathroom tiles”We love creating interiors full of handmade, bespoke furniture pieces with refined details,” said Barde vanVoltt. “The headboard of the master bedroom is an art piece in itself. The walnut slats are slightly curved and give it a very sophisticated look.”
    The square coffee table in the living room – made from a single piece of sandstone – is a vintage piece from Atelier Uma.
    Barde vanVoltt created a custom headboard in the primary bedroomFor the lighting scheme, Barde vanVoltt set out to create the right balance between functional and decorative lighting, collaborating with lighting experts PSLab to create a “warm and cosy atmosphere.”
    Other Dutch homes that have recently been featured on Dezeen include a house with a hexagonal footprint in Amsterdam and a Hobbit-style residence that is partially buried underground.
    The photography is by Thomas de Bruyne.

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    Studio Paolo Ferrari designs Toronto restaurant as a “world unto itself”

    Toronto-based Studio Paolo Ferrari has created cinematic interiors for a restaurant in the city’s Downtown area, combining influences from filmmakers that range from Stanley Kubrick to Nancy Meyers.

    Unlike a typical restaurant layout, Daphne unfolds as a series of rooms with distinct identities, each borrowing references from different cinema styles.
    Daphne is laid out across several spaces, including a Great Room designed to feel like Nancy Meyers movieStudio Paolo Ferrari intended each space to offer a different experience for guests, and custom-designed all of the furniture and lighting for the restaurant to make it feel even more unique.
    “Daphne is an elevated and exceedingly creative take on the American bistro, fusing the nostalgia of New England prep with wonder and eccentricity,” said Studio Paolo Ferrari. “At once intimate and grand, eccentric and sculptural, convivial and experimental, the deeply imaginative space is reminiscent of a great residence that’s evolved over time.”
    Studio Paolo Ferrari designed custom furniture and lighting throughout the restaurantGuests arrive into an intimate space that features a transparent full-height wine cabinet, which offers glimpses of the dining area beyond.

    They then move through to the Great Room, a cavernous room framed by a dramatic vaulted ceiling and decorated in a warm neutral palette.
    The Drawing Room is fully enveloped in a burnt orange hueThrough the centre is a line of dining tables, each paired with a rounded striped sofa and two boucle-covered chairs.
    The open kitchen is fully visible through the arches on one side, while a darker, cosier dining area coloured a burnt orange hue runs along the other.
    A mirrored corridor with a hand-painted landscape mural leads to a separate bar area”The grand space is reminiscent of the warmly luxurious spirit of a Nancy Meyers film, with custom furnishings that are deeply residential in feel and varsity-inspired checkerboard tiling,” said Studio Paolo Ferrari.
    The Drawing Room beyond continues the burnt orange colour, fully enveloping the walls, ceiling and seating upholstery to create a monochromatic space.
    The mural continues across the wavy walls of the bar room and green banquette seating follow the curvesCove lighting is installed behind louvres that cover the upper walls, adding texture and shadows as well as hint of “Cape Cod Americana”.
    The bar area is reached via a long corridor that’s mirrored from floor to ceiling along one wall, and is lined with a hand-painted landscape mural across the opposite side.
    The glass bar countertop is illuminated from within, while the counter front is flutedThis verdant rural scene continues across the wavy surfaces in the bar room, above green banquettes that follow the flow of the wall.
    “Daphne is a world unto itself, awaiting discovery,” the studio said. “Stepping into the bar is almost akin to stepping into an exquisitely-designed film set.”

    Omar Gandhi designs a “light-filled wood cathedral” for Toronto restaurant

    The snaking glass-topped bar counter is illuminated from within, as a nod to the bar in the fictional Overlook Hotel from Stanley Kubrick’s movie The Shining.
    The counter front is fluted in reverence to Beaux-Arts architect Henry Bacon, while reflective stainless steel across the back bar matches the circular tables and chair feet in the room.
    An adjacent dilapidated building was razed to create an expansive outdoor terraceA dilapidated building adjacent to the restaurant was demolished to make way for an expansive outdoor Garden Terrace with a dining area and bar.
    Sandwiched between two brick structures, this exterior space features comfy yellow and white-striped seating surrounded by plants, and a row of tall trees in the centre – continuing the botanical theme from inside.
    Plants behind the yellow and white-striped seating continue the botanical theme from insideA separate entrance from the street leads guests between tall columns clad in dark blue-purple iridescent tiles into the alley-like space.
    “It was important that the space had depth and a quality of experimentation,” said Paolo Ferrari, founder of his eponymous firm. “Daphne is truly an active experience of discovery, where guests can uncover thoughtful and innovative details throughout.”
    Columns of blue-purple iridescent tiles form a gateway from the street into the alley-like outdoor terraceThe designer’s earlier projects in Canada have included a lake house with wood and granite interiors, and a showroom for a development in Ottawa that appears more like a home than a sales gallery.
    Other recent additions to Toronto’s dining scene include Prime Seafood Palace, which features a vaulted-wood interior by Omar Gandhi Architect.
    The photography is by Joel Esposito.

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    Ten inspiring living spaces punctuated by structural columns

    From monolithic concrete pillars to ornately decorated columns, this lookbook collates ten living room interiors that embrace existing structural columns.

    It is not always cost-effective or practical for designers and architects to remove preexisting columns from interiors, especially if they are load-bearing and thus vital to the structural integrity of the building.
    In the past, the structural components of buildings were often concealed within walls; however, this changed with the increase in popularity of open-plan spaces over the course of the 20th century.
    Columns are sometimes placed at irregular intervals, especially in older buildings, and consequently the interior design scheme must be adapted to fit around them.
    Pillars can provide a strong focal point that can be enhanced by both the choice of interior finishes and the placement of furniture around them.

    Depending on their materiality and style, they can also serve as an immovable reminder of the building’s design style and the historical period in which it was built.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors animated by textural burl wood, multicoloured interior design schemes and contemporary interiors that make a feature of historic ruins.
    Photo by Pier CarthewKerr, Australia, by SSdH
    The industrial past of this mezzanine apartment in Melbourne is apparent thanks to the I-beams that crisscross the space and the pair of thick plastered columns in two corners of its living room.
    The functional aesthetic of the pillars is complimented by the presence of streamlined metal furnishings and offset by floor-to-ceiling wooden panelling.
    Find out more about Kerr ›
    Photo by Jose HeviaJJ16, Spain, by Lucas y Hernández-Gil
    Situated in the Salamanca district of Madrid, local studio Lucas y Hernández-Gil created a playful interior for a high-ceilinged 19th-century apartment that combines pops of colour with original features.
    A pair of elegant columns made from cast iron frame the entrance to the walk-through kitchen, contrasting the contemporary units with their fluted shafts and ornamented capitals.
    Find out more about JJ16 ›
    Photo by Fran Parente Curitiba apartment, Brazil, by Leandro Garcia and Amanda Dalla-Bona
    Eclectic furniture and glossy herringbone flooring contrast the weathered concrete pillar that sits on the boundary between the living and dining spaces of this apartment in the Brazilian city of Curitiba.
    It has a rectangular footprint and a characterfully rough surface, which are both echoed in a gnarled wooden stool sitting at its base.
    Find out more about Curitiba apartment›
    Photo by Sarah ElliottTribeca Loft, USA, by Andrea Leung
    Public and private zones have been delineated by a partially mirrored wall tucked behind a sequence of three original, intricately formed columns in this loft apartment in New York’s Tribeca area.
    The Corinthian-style iron pillars are characterised by gracefully fluted shafts topped by opulent capitals that feature acanthus leaves. The style was popular in ancient Greek and Roman architecture.
    Find out more about Tribeca Loft ›
    Photo by Felix Speller and Child StudioMews house, UK, by Child Studio
    A quartet of smooth, statuesque pillars blend in seamlessly against a backdrop of art deco and mid-century modern furnishings in the living area of this mews house in London’s Mayfair area.
    The thick, pale pillars bring a dramatic air to the space, which was designed for lounging as well as hosting, entertaining and dining.
    Find out more about the mews house ›
    Photo by Seth CaplanDumbo Loft, USA, by Crystal Sinclair Designs
    Walls made from floor-to-ceiling glass panels and an opulent crystal chandelier create a sense of luxury in this Brooklyn apartment.
    The living room is grounded by a double-height structural pillar, which has a bottom half clad in pale pink vertical, subway-style tiles.
    Find out more about Dumbo Loft ›
    Photo by José HeviaCan Santacilia, Spain, by OHLAB
    A pillar with a faceted stone shaft and an ornately carved and painted wooden capital is the focal point of this living area inside an apartment in Palma de Mallorca by local studio OHLAB.
    The stately pillar and dramatic coffered ceiling are contrasted by the sleek modern kitchen, but united by the use of stone in both the column and kitchen island.
    Find out more about Can Santacilia ›
    Photo by Nao TakahashiCasa Nano, Japan, by Bosco Sodi
    This modest home in Tokyo features slender struts made from wood that form part of the building’s exposed structure.
    Wooden seating, tables, cabinets and shelving create a harmonious interior scheme, which is dominated by both the skeletal wooden frame of the building and an open-tread staircase.
    Find out more about Casa Nano ›
    Photo by Salva LópezCasa Vasto, Spain, by Mesura
    This apartment in Barcelona (above and main image) is studded with white-rendered columns dating from the 18th century, which anchor the unique vaulted ceiling to the expansive floor.
    Low-slung furnishings provide a horizontal emphasis in the interior while the columns create a rhythm of upright pillars, which nod to the building’s industrial heritage.
    Find out more about Casa Vasto ›
    Photo by Johan DehlinBrutalist Chelsea townhouse, UK, by Pricegore
    London-based architecture studio Pricegore refurbished the interior of this brutalist townhouse to celebrate its concrete materiality.
    In the lofty, double-height living space, a cylindrical pillar stretches from floor to ceiling in front of the backdrop provided by the house’s verdant garden.
    Find out more about Brutalist Chelsea townhouse ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with textural burl wood, colourful interior design schemes and contemporary interiors that make a feature of existing historic ruins.

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    Isabelle Heilmann converts Parisian textile workshop into loft apartment

    Interior designer Isabelle Heilmann has used glazing and level changes to turn a former textile workshop in Paris into an open-plan apartment with a dedicated home office.

    The owners of the property on Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud asked Heilmann’s studio Epicène to rationalise the interior and create a space for home working while maintaining the apartment’s quirky layout.
    Isabelle Heilmann has completed the Timbaud apartmentThe existing loft featured several impractical and dilapidated spaces including a cramped bedroom and three mezzanines with low ceilings that were once used for storing rolls of fabric.
    Heilmann removed some of the existing structures and introduced changes in floor height to delineate the new spaces while adding internal windows that retain a visual connection between the rooms.
    A raised platform houses the home office”Using differences in level and glass partitions allows you to demarcate the different living spaces while allowing light to circulate,” the designer told Dezeen.

    “Now, from the moment you enter, you have a global vision of the volume of the apartment,” she added. “It’s a way to have a very open plan without the disadvantages of the loft.”
    A bright green door in the dining space conceals a WCThe partitions enclosing the existing bedroom were removed and a platform built in their place now contains a home office housing two workstations and a wall of library shelving.
    Two of the mezzanines were also demolished, leaving just one beside the entrance that was transformed into a room for gaming and accommodating overnight guests.
    Throughout the interior, Heilmann sought to preserve the spirit of the old workshop that had attracted the owners to this space. The raised platform recalls the height changes of the old mezzanines, while geometric sculptural elements evoke the original layout.
    The kitchen and living room are separated by a glass partition”The partitions and interlocking shapes of the old workshop have been simplified, but we find this play of asymmetrical cubes in the shape of the headboard or the glass partition between bedroom and living room,” she explained.
    “The industrial spirit is also suggested in the choice of lighting fixtures or the sobriety of the bathroom tiling.”
    Examples of the recurring geometric motif include a series of cubic volumes containing cupboards and storage niches on either side of the steps leading up to the platform.

    Uchronia conceives Haussmann-era Paris apartment as “chromatic jewellery box”

    An asymmetric window creates a bold feature that connects the living room with the new bedroom, where a stepped headboard creates shelf space for books, paintings and objects.
    The kitchen is located opposite the office platform and features a simple L-shaped layout that slots in underneath the mezzanine and windows.
    A swing in the living room capitalises on the apartment’s tall ceilingsThe cupboard units have birch plywood doors and a marbled Corian worktop that complements the minimal, industrial look of the interior.
    A full-height glass-and-steel wall that was part of the original workshop was carefully preserved and now separates the living room on one side from the kitchen and dining area on the other.
    A door in the central glass partition leads into the living area, where a swing suspended from the ceiling makes the most of the room’s height.
    The owners wanted a blank canvas for showcasing their collection of vintage objects, so walls and floors throughout the apartment are painted white to provide a muted, minimal backdrop.
    A green bedspread catches the eye in the bedroomThe scheme also aims to create a playful, relaxed and creative atmosphere evocative of 1960s modernism, with classic pieces such as Achille Castiglioni’s Snoopy lamp and an Enzo Mari print providing pops of colour.
    In the bedroom, a yellow-painted door and green bedspread catch the eye, while a bright green door in the dining space conceals a WC with a sink set against punchy pink cement tiles.
    The bedroom features a large dressing area with cupboards made from birch plywood, which is housed in a space previously occupied by a bathroom.
    Curved tiles by Pop Corn clad the sinkThe main bathroom offers a playful take on the geometric theme used elsewhere in the apartment, with its geometric sink clad in rounded tiles from French firm Pop Corn.
    Isabelle Heilmann studied at the École Boulle in Paris before founding her agency Epicène in 2018. The studio designs public and residential spaces that combine a minimalistic sensibility with a love of colour and characterful statement pieces.
    Other Parisian home interiors that have recently been featured on Dezeen include an apartment with a wine-red kitchen and another that was designed to resemble a “chromatic jewellery box”.
    The photography is by BCDF studio.

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    Home Studios uses local materials to renovate Northern California hotel

    Brooklyn-based Home Studios has turned a conference centre in Northern California back into a luxury hotel, as originally intended by the property’s founder: the inventor of the radio.

    The Lodge at Marconi sits on a 62-acre site next to Tomales Bay, within the picturesque Marconi State Historic Park – a 1.5-hour drive up Highway Route 1 from San Francisco.
    Home Studios created a variety of lounge areas across Lodge at Marconi to provide an informal atmosphereDesigned for Nashville-based company Oliver Hospitality, the hotel occupies a historic property that was first built by Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian physicist who invented the radio in 1896.
    “Home Studios found inspiration in the property’s storied history – particularly in the pioneering spirit of Guglielmo Marconi, who worked with a New York-based engineering company to build the property’s initial building, a luxury hotel, in 1914,” said the design team, led by Oliver Haslegrave.
    The reception counter is clad in oxblood-coloured tiles from Heath CeramicsIt took 17 months to overhaul the complex of blackened-wood buildings, which are topped with mono-pitched roofs of different heights and opposing directions.

    The architecture is similar to that of The Sea Ranch Lodge further up the coast, which reopened in 2022 after its own extensive renovation.
    The Redwood Dining Hall features brick flooring, blue-green tilework and eclectic contemporary furnitureHome Studios looked to the iconic site – famed for its modernist style and sensitive land planning – for cues when developing the Lodge at Marconi’s 45 guest rooms and suites, which occupy freestanding buildings across the wooded site.
    “Borrowing design language from Sea Ranch’s ‘living lightly on the land’ credo, the rooms blend into the environment and boast a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere,” the team said.
    Artworks in the restaurant, including a series of coloured wooden cubes, were created in collaboration with Lukas Geronimas GiniotisThe hotel complex is made up of eight indoor and outdoor spaces, laid out “like a summer camp” to accommodate different activities in each area.
    In the reception block, guests arrive to a series of lounges and other communal spaces that create a more informal setting than a traditional hotel lobby.
    The bedrooms are bright and airy, with materials and colours that subtly reflect the hotel’s natural surroundingsA check-in counter is fronted with oxblood-coloured tiles by Heath Ceramics, which was founded in nearby Sausalito.
    More of the company’s tiles, this time in blue-green hues, line the lower walls of the restaurant known as the Redwood Dining Hall.
    Three of the guest room bathrooms feature original tiles that date back to the 1960sRed bricks are laid in a basketweave pattern across the floor, contrasting with the bright blue bases of the custom dining tables, while warm cedar panels and beams cover the ceiling.
    A mural comprising four-panel linen screens and a series of wood cubes mounted on a wall was made in collaboration with California-based artist Lukas Geronimas Giniotis.

    Mithun revamps iconic 1960s Sea Ranch Lodge in northern California

    The guest rooms are bright and airy, with the colours of the natural surroundings subtly reflected in the furnishings.
    Some have cosy loft spaces, while larger suites feature a dedicated workspace and sitting area.
    The accommodations are split across several buildings clad in blackened wood and topped with monopitched roofs”Northern California’s rugged environment served as a design influence, and is reflected in the natural woods and earth-tone textiles that adorn each room and weave together a cohesive connection throughout the property,” Home Studios said.
    “Three guest room bathrooms feature original tile dated to the 1960s when the hotel served as a rehabilitation facility known as Synanon.”
    The property includes multiple outdoor areas for gatherings and eventsAcross the property, the indoor spaces are afforded scenic views of the forest and the water through large windows.
    A variety of gathering and event spaces are available to guests both inside and out, including wooden chairs positioned around fire pits among the landscape designed by Bay Area firm Dune Hai.
    Lodge at Marconi sits atop a hill overlooking Tomales Bay in Northern CaliforniaThis is Home Studios’ third hotel project, following the Mediterranean-influenced Alsace hotel in Los Angeles and the boutique Daunt’s Albatross motel in Montauk.
    The firm’s other recent projects include a revamped bar and restaurant on Nantucket, an Italian eatery close to Harvard University and a townhouse renovation in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.
    The photography is by Brian W Ferry.

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    Ten rooms that make clever use of the “unexpected red theory”

    An interior design trend born out of a viral TikTok video, championing the addition of red “in places where it has no business”, is the focus of our latest lookbook.

    The “unexpected red theory” was coined by Brooklyn-based interior designer Taylor Migliazzo Simon in a video that has had over 900,000 views on TikTok.
    Simon describes it as “adding anything that’s red, big or small, to a room where it doesn’t match at all” with the result that “it automatically looks better”.
    The theory suggests that red is as versatile as a neutral colour because it can work in almost any palette of colours and materials, either as an accent or complementary tone.
    Here, we look at 10 home and hotel interiors that show how it’s done, either in the form of architectural fittings and finishes like a balustrade or floor surface or in the form of statement furniture.

    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with indoor slides, colourful renovations and innovative New York City lofts.
    Photo is by Douglas FriedmanHotel Saint Vincent, USA, by Lambert McGuire Design
    Red is paired with shades of grey and purple in the bedrooms of this hotel in New Orleans, designed by Lambert McGuire Design, which occupies a former 19th-century infant asylum.
    The colour can be found on a range of elements, across furniture and textiles, with key pieces including the red velvet bed upholstery. The overall effect heightens the sinister atmosphere conjured by the building’s history.
    Find out more about Hotel Saint Vincent ›
    Photo is by Jim StephensonWalled Garden, UK, by Nimtim Architects
    A warm palette of natural materials characterises the interior of this London house extension designed by Nimtim Architects, with the exception of a statement dining table.
    This table features four oversized columnar legs with a glossy red finish, providing a visual focal point for the room.
    Find out more about Walled Garden ›

    W Budapest, Hungary, by Bowler James Brindley and Bánáti + Hartvig
    The W Hotel in Budapest is housed inside a grand neo-Renaissance palace, so interiors studios Bowler James Brindley and Bánáti + Hartvig chose most of the details based on the existing architecture.
    This led them to combine cool shades of blue, turquoise and green with golden details. But they also added a series of curved red sofas and tables, which result in a more playful feel.
    Find out more about W Budapest ›

    House for Beth, USA, by Salmela Architect
    With a series of timber-framed windows, the view takes centre stage in the living room of this rural Wisconsin home designed by Salmela Architect.
    The room is otherwise very simple in its decor, but red-painted dining chairs prevent it from feeling too minimal.
    Find out more about House for Beth ›
    Photo is by Henry WoideThe Secret Garden Flat, UK, by Nic Howett Architect
    Red floors and walls both feature in this renovated London home designed by Nic Howett Architect.
    The colour provides a warm counterpoint to the dark blue flooring and curtains that also punctuate the exposed wood interior.
    Find out more about The Secret Garden Flat ›
    Photo is by Yannis DrakoulidisTrikoupi Apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme Architects
    Red and green should never be seen together, or so the saying goes. Point Supreme Architects challenged that rule with this apartment interior in Athens.
    Standing in front of a stained green plywood storage wall, a kitchen island topped with red Corian becomes the room’s standout feature.
    Find out more about Trikoupi Apartment ›

    Maryland House, UK, by Remi Connolly-Taylor
    London-based designer Remi Connolly-Taylor showed how red and gold can be paired in this design for her own London house and studio.
    A folded, perforated staircase in red powder-coated steel provides a counterpoint to the golden kitchen cabinets, making a statement in the otherwise minimal, white interior.
    Find out more about Maryland House ›

    Cowley Manor Experimental, UK, by Dorothée Meilichzon
    Designed by Dorothée Meilichzon of French interiors studio Chzon, this hotel in the Cotswolds shows one way of applying the unexpected red theory to a bathroom.
    Building on a subtle Alice in Wonderland theme, some of the pink-walled guest bathrooms feature glossy red lacquered bathtubs.
    Find out more about Cowley Manor Experimental ›

    Redwood House, USA, by Studio Terpeluk
    This bathroom, located in a Noe Valley home designed by Studio Terpeluk, shows how to apply the unexpected red theory with just one small piece of furniture.
    A mid-century-style stool adds a vibrant accent to the muted pink tone of the walls.
    Find out more about Redwood House ›

    Casa Pousos, Portugal, by Bak Gordon Arquitectos
    A courtyard divides the two concrete buildings that form this Lisbon home designed by Bak Gordon Arquitectos.
    The space might have felt stark if it were not for the addition of two bright red lounge chairs.
    Find out more about Casa Pousos ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with indoor slides, colourful renovations and innovative New York City lofts.

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    Folkform installs The Museum of Masonite at Stockholm Furniture Fair

    Swedish design duo Folkform has presented a series of furniture pieces made using Masonite hardboard sourced from a factory that closed down over a decade ago.

    On show at Stockholm Furniture Fair, The Museum of Masonite centres around a patented type of engineered wood board that is made by steam-cooking and pressure-moulding wood fibres.
    Folkform founders Anna Holmquist and Chandra Ahlsell first started experimenting with this material 15 years ago, in collaboration with Sweden’s last remaining Masonite producer in Rundvik.
    The Museum of Masonite features furniture made from a patented type of wood boardWhen the factory closed in 2011, the pair took all the remaining stock.
    “I felt a responsibility to tell the story of what happened to this material,” explained Holmquist, who has since completed a PHD exploring the cultural significance of Masonite.

    “It created the Swedish welfare state in the 1930s, 40s and 50s,” she told Dezeen.
    “It was made from leftover wood from the Swedish sawmills so it became bigger here than anywhere else. Everyone was using it, for everything from boats and caravans to houses.”
    Works on show include the Masonite Chair, a collaboration with Åke AxelssonThe Museum of Masonite follows the release of the Production Novellas, a book published by Folkform detailing the results of Holmquist’s PHD research.
    Folkform is showcasing this book alongside some of their favourite Masonite designs created over the years.

    South Korean brand Wekino collaborates with Note Design Studio for international launch

    Works on display include the Masonite Chair, a 2021 collaboration with Åke Axelsson based on an experimental design the Swedish interior architect produced in 1978.
    Older pieces include a chest of drawers and a bedside cabinet, both created in 2012, which feature different material samples arranged in geometric collages.
    “We combined materials with different ages, with this idea that the furniture becomes an archive,” said Holmquist.
    The exhibition follows the release of the book Production NovellasThe most recent designs in the show explore a more minimalist approach, suggesting how the material can create the suggestion of solid blocks.
    “I feel like the compositions will be never-ending because we still have more of this board,” added Holmquist.
    The works are presented alongside photographs, illustrations and artefacts that tell the story of the factory.
    The exhibition includes photos from the factory. Image by Amy FrearsonLater in the year, the exhibition will move to the Laurel Museum of Art in Mississippi, the city where Masonite was patented in 1924 by William H Mason.
    Masonite is distinct from other engineered wood fibre boards, such as MDF, because it is made without glue. Holmquist believes the material could have a future in manufacturing.
    Masonite is made from pressure-moulded wood fibres. Image by Amy Frearson”It’s a beautiful material and it’s very sustainable,” she concluded.
    “We are already seeing a shift in food, where people increasingly care where the things they eat come from, so maybe it will also happen for furniture and objects.”
    At Stockholm Furniture Fair this year, visitors could also enjoy the Wekino With exhibition by South Korean furniture designers and British designer Faye Toogood’s collaboration with Finnish company Vaarnii.
    The photography is by Erik Lefvander unless otherwise stated.
    The Museum of Masonite is on show at Stockholm Furniture Fair, which is open to the public from 7 to 11 February 2024. See Dezeen Events Guide for more Stockholm Dezeen Week exhibitions in our dedicated event guide.

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