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      Dezeen In Depth explores how The Sims stays current in design and architecture trends

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      This month’s Dezeen In Depth newsletter explores how life-simulation game The Sims has stayed current amid changing interior-design trends and features Michelle Ogundehin’s annual trends report.

      Life-simulation game The Sims has succeeded in keeping up with ever-changing interior and design trends. Dezeen’s Jane Englefield interviewed the creators of the legendary video game to discover how they consistently stay on the cutting edge of evolving styles.
      “Making cars electric is not enough” says Lowie VermeerschDecember’s Dezeen in Depth also featured an interview with former Ferrari designer Lowie Vermeersch and an opinion piece from Michelle Ogundehin on this year’s trends.
      Dezeen In Depth
      Dezeen In Depth is sent on the last Friday of every month and delves deeper into the major stories shaping architecture and design. Each edition includes an original feature article on a key topic or trend, an interview with a prominent industry figure and an opinion piece from a leading critic. Read the latest edition of Dezeen In Depth or subscribe here.

      You can also subscribe to our other newsletters; Dezeen Agenda is sent every Tuesday containing a selection of the most important news highlights from the week, Dezeen Debate is sent every Thursday featuring a selection of the best reader comments and most talked-about stories and Dezeen Daily is our daily bulletin that contains every story published in the preceding 24 hours on Dezeen.

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      Studio NAAW uncovers Soviet-era details in Almaty restaurant interior

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      Local practice NAAW Studio has converted a former Soviet railway workers’ housing block into the Fika restaurant in Almaty, Kazakhstan, retaining original features of 1950s building.

      According to NAAW Studio, the restaurant re-examines the TurkSib Workers’ House’s social context by contrasting the original ornamentation with playful, contemporary details informed by Almaty’s surroundings.
      Studio NAAW uncovered Soviet-era details in a Kazakhstan restaurant interior”We wanted to ensure that the interior did not romanticise the legacy of the colonial era, but at the same time did not deny it,” NAAW co-founder Elvira Bakubayeva told Dezeen.
      “When we found the original ceiling mouldings and capitals in a dilapidated state underneath the suspended ceiling panels from the past owners, we made the decision to preserve and give them visibility without a thorough restoration.”
      A monolithic counter and timber shelves frame the cafe entranceFollowing the client’s brief for a cafe that also acts as an urban space, the studio opened up the interior to reduce friction with the streetscape.

      “The key feature of the place is its openness,” Bakubayeva explained. “We wanted to make it an extension of the city through a lack of unnecessary walls, an open bakery, spacious seating and large windows.”
      “To support this, the floor material enters from the outside, from the porch, and passes through all the rooms and flows seamlessly into the bar.”
      The studio followed the building’s original apertures for large feature windowsFinishes consist primarily of light grey terrazzo, white walls and bare structural concrete against accents of cedar wood and pops of colour.
      Following the geometry of the original openings, angular windows with nook seating run the length of the restaurant and were fitted with undivided panes of glass to further dissolve the interior-exterior boundary.
      The feature arched windows were carved with nook seating, cushions and matsThe studio placed a monolithic counter and timber display shelves in front the cafe entrance between the open bakery and primary dining space.
      Tables, stools and cabinets were produced by local craftsman using regionally-sourced karagach wood, while upholstered chairs informed by Kazakh yurts and imported fixtures from &Tradition and Hay complete the “spatial tapestry”.

      Studio Gameiro draws on Algarve’s craftsmanship for Austa restaurant interior

      Towards the back of the restaurant, a secondary seating zone was defined by a bold, yellow-painted dado wall.
      “Half-painting the walls is a technique that was used in all entrances and municipal establishments during the Soviet era,” Bakubayeva said.
      “This was used consciously; we wanted to reinterpret this ascetic technique and give it a cosy touch by adding elements such as striped textiles, artistic lamps and tables made of recycled plastic with ‘confetti’ patterns.”
      NAAW Studio used a yellow-painted dado wall to reference Soviet-era interior stylesThe bathroom corridor was lined with bright chequerboard tiles as a vibrant counterpoint to the rest of the restaurant.
      “The chequerboard pattern on the floor, walls and ceiling of the bathroom was originally invented as a visual effect to dissolve the planes of a disproportionately narrow and tall space,” Bakubayeva said.
      “The corridor to the toilets wanted to be like a brightly coloured ‘jacket lining’: not immediately visible, but pleasing to the eye of the user who went deep into the space.”
      The bathroom corridor was lined in vibrant chequerboard tilesTwo key art pieces were selected for the project, the first being a painted depiction of Almaty city by Nurbol Nurahmet and the second an abstract work by Assel Nussipkozhanova reinterpreting Kazakh patterns.
      “We wanted the art to reflect the idea of urban public space and tell the story of the building,” Bakubayeva explained.
      “The walls also feature photographs from the building’s construction and a recreated drawing of the original facade, which pay tribute to the building itself as an architectural object, a physical witness to history.”
      Fika restaurant in Kazakhstan by NAAW StudioNAAW Studio is a female-led Kazakhastani architectural practice based in Almaty, founded in 2019 by Elvira Bakubayeva and Aisulu Uali.
      Other restaurant interiors recently featured on Dezeen include a restaurant in Portugal with a bench made from ancient rock salt by Studio Gameiro and a collection of hospitality venues within a 1920s Detroit skyscraper by Method Co.
      The photography is by Damir Otegen

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      Cafe Kitsuné Los Angeles features Parisian-style interiors with “Japanese twist”

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      Paris-based lifestyle brand Kitsuné has opened a cafe next to its boutique in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, both with minimalist interiors featuring white oak and stainless steel.

      The interiors of the new Cafe Kitsuné and the renovated Maison Kitsuné store were designed by co-founder Masaya Kuroki to reflect the brand’s French-Japanese culture as well as the West Coast setting.
      The Cafe Kitsuné interior includes a mural by Jeffrey Sinich that imagines the space as an old-school marketFacing Sunset Boulevard on the east side of the city, this is the brand’s fourth cafe in North America – following locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Vancouver – and its first in LA.
      “A sprawling city of diverse findings, from cutting-edge restaurants to pockets of art and architecture second to none, LA has lent design inspiration and a backdrop to several campaigns for the fashion house,” said the Kitsuné team.
      White oak tables and surfaces are set against stainless steel counters and panelling for a minimalist look”Now, it’s the perfect setting for Café Kitsuné, a physical extension of the brand’s Franco-Japanese DNA, and reinvention of the classic Parisian cafe and wine bar experience with a Japanese twist,” they added.

      The building’s red-tile exterior and poured concrete flooring were preserved, and hand-painted signage by Californian artist Jeffrey Sincich was added over the large street-facing windows.
      Burnt orange dining chairs and upholstered benches highlight the colours of the muralInside the 700-square-foot (65-square-metre) cafe, white oak tables and brushed stainless-steel counters feature alongside burnt orange dining chairs and upholstered benches.
      Another Sincich mural covers the full length of a wall, offering “a whimsical take on Café Kitsuné’s standard appearance” and presenting the space as an “old-school market”.

      Mathieu Lehanneur snakes metal rails through Maison Kitsuné boutique in New York

      A speaker system by Japanese audio company Rotel was installed in the cafe “to provide a top-notch sound experience for customers”, according to Kitsuné.
      Next door in the boutique, a similar material palette is used for elements including a built-in storage and display unit across the back wall.
      The existing Maison Kitsuné boutique next door has also received a refreshWhite oak forms the framing, shelves and doors that lead to the stock and fitting rooms, while ribbed stainless-steel sheets provide a backdrop for the items on show.
      More oak was used for the minimalist service counter and panelling behind, and a bright blue table sits in the centre to add a pop of colour.
      White oak and stainless steel are repeated in this space to create a visual connection with the cafeKitsuné was founded by 2002 by Kuroki and Gildas Loaëc and encompasses the fashion brand, Maison Kitsuné; a music label, Kitsuné Musique; and its line of cafes, bars and restaurants.
      Back in 2017, French designer Mathieu Lehanneur designed the Kitsuné store interior in New York’s Soho, adding snaking metal rails for displaying garments.
      The photography is by David Kitz.

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      Eight living rooms where vintage furniture adds an “unknown history”

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      Our latest lookbook features living rooms where vintage furniture and accessories add interest to contemporary interiors, including a concrete apartment in São Paulo and a home in the BBC’s former London headquarters.

      Vintage furniture can create cosy interiors and add a sense of timeless style to both modern new builds and historic homes.
      Whether it’s iconic pieces by well-known designers or artisanal accessories, these eight projects all feature eye-catching vintage furnishings and show how they can be used to create inspiring interiors.
      This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring burl-wood interiors, homes where ruins reveal layers of the past and well-designed sheds and outbuildings.
      Photo by Eric PetschekAmagansett Beach House, US, by Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design

      Located by the beach in the Hamptons village of Amagansett, the interior of this blackened wood home was filled with a mix of vintage and contemporary furniture.
      In one corner of the living room, a modern wood desk has been complemented with a dark-wood vintage chair, while a wooden lamp and small sculpture add a decorative touch.
      Find out more about Amagansett Beach House ›
      Photo by Edmund DabneyHighbury apartment, UK, by Holloway Li
      London studio Holloway Li designed this apartment for its co-founder Alex Holloway in a converted Victorian house.
      The living room, unusually, holds a bathtub that was placed here to add an “alternative touch” to the flat. Next to it, a green vintage Eames office chair sits by a bespoke timber Holloway Li desk.
      Find out more about Highbury apartment ›
      Photo by Michael SinclairPalace Gate apartment, UK, by Tala Fustok
      Designed to be a “calm sanctuary,” this apartment in a Victorian mansion block close to London’s Hyde Park has a neutral cream, white and brown colour palette.
      In the living room, a selection of carefully chosen artworks in organic shapes match the vintage furniture and antique mirror.
      Find out more about the Palace Gate apartment ›
      Photo by Denilson MachadoDN Apartment, Brazil, by BC Arquitetos
      This 1970s São Paulo apartment (above and main image), renovated by Brazilian studio BC Arquitetos, features monolithic concrete panels and plenty of walnut panelling.
      Vintage furniture pieces by Brazilian mid-century modern designers are found throughout the flat including in the living room, where a gleaming wooden Petalas table by Jorge Zalszupin has pride of place.
      Find out more about DN Apartment ›
      Photo by Brotherton LockChestnut Plantation, US, by John Pardey Architects
      Local studio John Pardey Architects designed Chestnut Plantation as a simple backdrop to the client’s vintage furniture.
      The largely open-plan interior features a living room with floor-to-ceiling glazing and textured brick walls, which contrast nicely against the more ornate vintage chairs that were placed to have a view of the garden.
      Find out more about Chestnut Plantation ›
      Photo by Michael SinclairHelios 710, UK, by Bella Freud and Maria Speake
      The interior of this apartment, located inside the former BBC headquarters in west London, was designed to channel a 1970s vibe.
      In the living room, a glass dining table is complemented by woven-cane dining chairs and burnt-orange sofas contrast against the emerald green floor. The pieces were chosen to evoke the “bold colour, eclecticism and glamour” of the seventies.
      Find out more about Helios 710 ›
      Photo by Giulio GhirardiHaussmann apartment, France, by Rodolphe Parente
      A yellow sculptural vintage sofa decorates the living room in this apartment in a 19th-century Haussmann building in Paris, which was given a contemporary overhaul by interior designer Rodolphe Parente.
      Its colour was chosen among the other warm tones used in the apartment to “subtly enhance the classical heritage of the apartment and keep an enveloping atmosphere,” the interior designer explained.
      Find out more about the Haussmann apartment ›
      Photo by Nicole FranzenLong Island Home, US, by Athena Calderone
      New York designer Athena Calderone renovated her own mid-century home in Amagansett to brighten it up and make it feel warmer. Vintage furniture is a big part of the design as seen in the living room, which has two white vintage chairs in different designs.
      “I would say probably 80 per cent of this home has vintage furniture,” Calderone added. “I love what vintage does to the home. It adds an unknown history and a timeworn patina.”
      Find out more about the Long Island Home ›
      This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring burl-wood interiors, homes where ruins reveal layers of the past and well-designed sheds and outbuildings.

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      “The Sims is a key part of why I ended up in interior design”

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      The Sims has been allowing players to act out their architecture and interior design fantasies for more than two decades. Jane Englefield finds out how the makers of the iconic life-simulation video game keep up with shifting trends.

      “People laugh when I mention playing The Sims, but it was hugely significant in terms of spatial planning and was a key part of how and why I have ended up in the line of interior design work that I have,” interiors stylist and editor Rory Robertson told Dezeen.
      “The Sims offered people the opportunity to get a feel for design,” he reflected. “You could be as extravagant and outrageous, or as briefed and restricted as you liked.”
      The Sims was first released in 2000 with three sequels since developedCreated in 2000 by American game designer Will Wright, The Sims is a video game where players make human characters – or “sims” – and build their virtual houses and lives from scratch, catering to their needs and desires.
      With four iterations of the main game and dozens of themed expansion packs focussing on topics such as university, parenthood and cottage living, The Sims is one of the best-selling video-game franchises of all time.

      “It’s really accessible”
      Architecture and interior design has been a major part of The Sims experience from the very beginning.
      Having previously created the city-building game SimCity in 1989 – which itself has been credited with inspiring a generation of urban planners – Wright was originally motivated to develop The Sims after losing his home in the Oakland firestorm of 1991 in California.
      In fact, early designs were for an architecture game, with the shift to focus on people a relatively late addition to the concept, according to one of the game’s first art directors, Charles London.
      Design remained a core part of the offering, however, and the interface features tools that allow players to instantly build structures and decorate and furnish them from an extensive inventory of items.
      Players can choose from a wide inventory of decor and furnishing options”It’s really accessible, so I think a lot of people get into it without even realising that they’re playing with architecture and playing with space,” said video-games expert and historian Holly Nielsen.
      “While it was like catnip for design budding minds, it was also just a wonderful opportunity for procrastination and frivolity for people who aren’t particularly confident or tuned in to interiors or architecture,” echoed Robertson.
      Since the original The Sims, a broad set of options has been available for players to suit their tastes and imaginations.
      Possibilities have ranged from minimalist bungalows filled with neutral furniture to more outlandish dwellings, such as castles defined by Dalmatian-print wallpaper or hot tubs parked in the middle of multiple living rooms.
      “We’ll take any source”
      The team behind these possibilities described how they ensure that the architecture and interior design options stay feeling fresh and contemporary with each new game in the series.
      “Since we’re a game about real life, anytime we step outside our door we have inspiration by just looking at what’s in our immediate environment,” game designer Jessica Croft told Dezeen.
      Art director Mike O’Connor added that he and his team scour the real world and the web for up-to-date references.
      “We’ll take any source,” he said. “We’re looking for patterns. If we start to see round furniture, or bouclé, or whatever the trend is, [we ask] has it already gone?”
      “The internet doesn’t scrub old ideas. So you know, it’s seeing if there’s a trend, is it sticking, does it apply to what we’re doing now?”
      The in-game design possibilities have evolved over time to keep up with trendsFurniture and appliances within the game are regularly revised over time to reflect cultural and technological progression in the real world, Croft explained.
      “In Sims 2 [released in 2004] I would not be surprised if there was a landline phone – and there definitely isn’t a landline phone in my own house, or Sims 4,” she said.
      “Even things like VR [virtual reality] didn’t really exist back in The Sims 2 days, so things like VR consoles, computers – we just added dual-monitor computers, and LEDs are now in most households,” she continued.

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      That in turn sees the team take a surprisingly deep dive into how interiors are changing, O’Connor acknowledged.
      “Over the life of this game, you see an evolution,” he said. “Electronics are probably the biggest category [of change]. Even just how people use TVs, how they place them, has changed.”
      The idea, says Croft, is to ensure that The Sims players feel a close connection to the world they are building for their sims.
      “The most fun thing for me is being able to allow players to craft stories that are relatable to them,” she said. “So, looking for opportunities to make players feel seen.”
      “An element of freedom and fantasy-building”
      But, as Nielsen points out, there is an additional aspect to the game’s architecture and design possibilities that is central to its appeal.
      “In one sense, it’s reflective of society, but in another way, it’s aspirational,” she said.
      “There’s an element of freedom and fantasy-building to playing The Sims,” she continued. “Homeownership is a thing that a lot of us will not get to do.”
      As in real life, everything you build or buy in The Sims has a cost.
      However, unlike in real life, punching “motherlode” into The Sims cheat-code bar will immediately add a healthy 50,000 simoleons to your sim’s bank account, putting that luxury sofa easily within reach.
      The game offers people “the opportunity to get a feel for design”That possibility remains central to Robertson’s nostalgia for playing The Sims as a young would-be interior designer.
      “Once you double-clicked The Sims graphic on your Microsoft desktop, a multi-roomed mansion cost nothing to design,” he said.
      This aspirational element has become an increasingly large part of The Sims’ commercial model over the years.
      The Sims 4, as an example, is accompanied by 19 purchasable “Stuff Packs” that expand the options of items available to buy, including “Perfect Patio”, “Cool Kitchen” and one based on the products of Milan fashion label Moschino.
      And the latest of the more extensive expansion packs is For Rent, which allows players to build rental houses where some sims are landlords and others are tenants.
      Within the game, landlords encounter various true-to-life issues, including the potential for toxic mould build-up in their properties – although, unlike in the real world, the mould feature can be toggled on and off.

      Gaming technology can help architects “engage people in a more dynamic and inclusive way”

      Inclusivity has also become an increasing focus of The Sims, with integral features now including options to choose sims’ sexual orientation, for instance.
      For Nielsen, that traces back to a significant foundational element of the game’s widespread appeal – as well as being one of the reasons it has had such strong interior-design influence.
      “It didn’t feel like it was aiming for anyone,” she explained. “One of the things that people bring up a lot is that it has a very female player base.”
      “For me, it was a big turning point – it was getting to create the spaces but also play around with the people inside them. It felt like a socially acceptable way to play dollhouses.”
      The images are courtesy of Electronic Arts.
      Dezeen In DepthIf you enjoy reading Dezeen’s interviews, opinions and features, subscribe to Dezeen In Depth. Sent on the last Friday of each month, this newsletter provides a single place to read about the design and architecture stories behind the headlines.

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      Keiji Ashizawa adds “residential calm” to Aloop clinic in Ginza

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      Japanese architect Keiji Ashizawa has created the interior for a skincare clinic in Tokyo, using textiles and custom-made furniture to make it feel more residential than medical.

      The Aloop Clinic & Lab, which provides “skin cure and care”, is located in the city’s upscale Ginza area and run by Japanese beauty company POLA. Ashizawa wanted to give it an interior that would feel peaceful, while also representing the brand.
      The Aloop clinic has a calm minimalist interior”As a clinic that uses medical technology to deal with beauty, we thought that the space should have sincerity, calmness, and beauty in order to create a comfortable time for customers to feel at ease,” Ashizawa told Dezeen.
      “In addition, considering that this is a completely new business for the POLA beauty brand, we felt that it was necessary to create a space that would enhance the brand.”
      Wood was used throughout the spaceTo do so, Ashizawa looked at the design of the 210-square-metre clinic like he would if he were designing a residential space, giving it a calm, minimalist interior.

      “Although it is a clinic, I considered the space to be similar to a hotel or a living space,” he said. “Therefore, I used materials that I use in designing living spaces and hotels.”
      “The walls are plaster and the floor is a wool rug from Hotta Carpet,” he added. “The sofa and furniture at the characteristic entrance are made of Kvadrat wool textile to create a pleasant texture.”
      Treatment rooms were designed to have a residential feelThe architect used a clean, simple colour palette throughout the space, with white-painted walls contrasting against wooden panelling and wooden doors.
      “Wood was used for doors, furniture and details because we wanted to create a residential calm rather than a clinic,” Ashizawa said. “We felt that a bright and healthy atmosphere was necessary.”
      “The extensive use of wood was to create a residential atmosphere, and we wanted the space to be as far away from a typical clinic as possible,” he added.
      Keiji Ashizawa created custom-made sofas with furniture brand KarimokuHis studio worked together with wooden furniture brand Karimoku to design the custom-made sofas for the space, which welcome customers as they enter the clinic.
      “Of particular importance to this project were the custom sofas,” Ashizawa said.
      “We asked Karimoku, with whom we communicate on a daily basis for furniture development and wood projects, to work with us on the development of the furniture.”

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      He compared his collaboration with the brand to that of mid-century modern Finnish architect Alvar Aalto and furniture brand Artek.
      “For me, Karimoku has become an indispensable partner in thinking about space, just as Aalto is for Artek,” he explained.
      Neutral colours contrast against pale woodBy creating the sofas with rounded edges, Ashizawa aimed for them to “gently envelop” customers after their treatments.
      “The mere fact that something looks hard or painful makes the body tense, so we thought it would be desirable to eliminate such things,” he said.
      “However, in order to maintain a comfortable sense of tension in the room, delicate details of metal and wood were used to achieve a balance.”
      Small sculptures decorate the spaceSmall sculptures were dotted throughout the Aloop clinic, including in the treatment rooms.
      Ashizawa has previously designed an interior with a similar colour palette for the Hiroo Residence in Tokyo, and also used plenty of wood for his and Norm Architects minimalist Trunk Hotel design.
      The photography is by Tomooki Kengaku.

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      Plus One Architects uncovers original paintwork of 100-year-old Czech apartment

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      Prague studio Plus One Architects has restored the “original splendour” of this 1902 apartment in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, by reinstating some of its original features.

      Located in a turn-of-the-century apartment block, the two-bedroom flat was renovated by Plus One Architects, who exposed the original paintwork present on the walls and ceilings.
      The Karlovy Vary Apartment features minimal furnishingsThe studio also streamlined the circulation inside the apartment by removing doors to open up pathways, as well as undoing dated additions that had been installed over the top of the original walls and floors.
      “We think the first renovation was probably done in the late 70s,” architect Kateřina Průchová told Dezeen. “It was full of wooden cladding on the walls, a lot of doors and carpet that covered the original floors.”
      Transom windows let light flood through the roomsThe revamped interior has a bright, airy atmosphere, as natural sunlight comes in through the large unobstructed windows and continues deeper into the rooms thanks to the addition of transom windows on some of the interior walls.

      Remnants of colourful mottled paintwork appear on the walls and ceilings alongside brown and beige sections of plaster.
      Mottled blue and yellow paintwork decorates the primary bedroomNeutral-coloured paint and plasterwork feature in the kitchen and living room, where Plus One Architects retained the apartment’s original masonry heater clad in glossy brown tiles.
      Painted details are also apparent on the ceiling, with concentric bands of red, blue and yellow delineating the perimeter of the room.
      Doors were removed to improve the flow between spacesPink paint appears in the corridor and smaller bedroom while blue paintwork can be seen in the primary bedroom, complementing the restored wooden floorboards.
      In the bathroom, white tiling lines the walls, interspersed with iridescent tiles and sections of exposed paintwork.

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      The rooms are sparingly furnished, allowing the paintwork to be the interior’s focal point.
      Plus One Architects brought in furniture with minimalist forms by Czech design studio Janský & Dunděra alongside decorative pieces from local design brand Todus.
      The bathroom is fitted with white flooring, tiling and fixtures”I hope we managed to return the apartment to the original splendour of the period, in which the house was built,” said Průchová.
      “You can feel how the building looks from the outside – it is an old house in the historic part of a spa town.”
      The kitchen and dining room overlook neighbouring rooftopsKateřina Průchová and Petra Ciencialová founded Plus One Architects in 2019. The studio is based in Prague and works on projects across the Czech Republic.
      Other apartment interiors that have recently been featured on Dezeen include a home in Milan centred around a monolithic green marble partition wall and a pastel-decorated apartment in Kraków.
      The photography is by Radek Úlehla.

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      Aro Archive store features pastel-coloured rooms and industrial control station

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      Fashion retailer Aro Archive’s pastel-hued east London store was designed by founder Ariana Waiata Sheehan to evoke “a sense of otherworldliness”.

      The store, located in Shoreditch, replaces the brand’s previous, more industrial store on nearby Broadway Market and was intended to have a frivolous feel.
      The Aro Archive store has pastel-coloured floors in pink and blueThe interior has “a sense of otherworldliness, escapism and fun,” Waiata Sheehan explains, comparing it to “a mixture between a mushroom trip and going to visit someone’s rich aunty who runs a gallery”.
      “We’ve always had very neutral industrial spaces,” she told Dezeen. |But you can get an industrial Zara these days, so time to switch it up and go full personality, which has been scary but so worth it.”
      It is located inside an old Victorian warehouseLocated inside a five-storey former Victorian warehouse, Aro Archive, which sells pre-owned clothing by avant-garde designers, was organised so that each floor has a different colour.

      Monochrome pastel pink, blue and white hues decorate the different levels, which also feature a wide range of reclaimed and recycled materials, furniture and artworks.
      Founder Ariana Waiata Sheehan created the interior design”The pink floor is supposed to feel very warm, womb-like and enclosed,” Waiata Sheehan said. “The blue floor is more light and otherworldly. And the two white floors are very ethereal and calm.”
      White duvet covers by fashion house Maison Martin Margiela were used to create curtains for the changing rooms, while interior pillars are made from reclaimed 1990s metal lamp posts that the designer sourced from a scrapyard in Preston.
      Duvet covers by Maison Martin Margiela frame the changing rooms”The building and surrounding area feel very London, so we did want to bring in a sense of that for example with the lamp posts, metal works and details, bright neon lights and so forth,” Waiata Sheehan said.
      She sourced a number of unusual furnishings for the Aro Archive store, including an industrial control station from a paper-manufacturing plant that is now used as a till.

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      “The industrial paper control station I’ve been watching on eBay for nearly 4 years, waiting for a time I had the space to buy it,” Waiata Sheehan explained. “I wanted something different to the normal till, they’re all so boring and square.”
      The store also has another large metal till and metal drawers that originally came from a 1980s Mary Quant store and were rescued from a squat in Hackney Wick.
      A large metal till was originally from a Mary Quant storeWaiata Sheehan also sourced several smaller pieces for the boutique, where customers can purchase everything down to the artwork, furniture and accessories.
      “I do all the buying so everything is here because I love it in some way,” she explained. “But in terms of favourite pieces in store right now?”
      “For fashion, it’s the Rick Owens orange shearling gimp mask gilet, for objects the Shirin Guild ceramic incense holders and for furniture the wobbly glass table with magazine racks.”
      Waiata Sheehan bought an old industrial control station from eBayWaiata Sheehan hopes the Aro Archive boutique will feel like a home away from home and help to create a community feel in the area.
      “I think Shoreditch is lacking a sense of community and I wanted to work that into the space,” she said. “The feeling of a chaotic family home and a feeling of togetherness.”
      Lampposts from a scrapyard form pillars inside the storeOther London stores with notable interior design recently covered on Dezeen include Swedish fashion brand Toteme’s newly-opened Mayfair store and a Coach pop-up store at Selfridges that had fixtures made from recyclable materials.
      The photography is by John Munro.

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