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    Eight characterful kitchens with sleek metal details

    Our latest lookbook focuses on eight homes fitted with metal kitchens, from a flat in London informed by fish-and-chip shops to a 19th-century apartment with period details in Paris.

    While stainless steel has long been a material associated with restaurant kitchens due to its durability and functionality, it can bring a sleek, modern feel to residential kitchens and many now opt to integrate metal kitchens into their homes.
    Here, we spotlight eight homes that make use of metal in residential kitchens in various ways.
    Included in this collection of projects is a fish-and-chip-shop-inspired kitchen in London, a live-work apartment space in a brutalist building in Quebec City and a 24-square-metre micro apartment in Melbourne.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring conversation pits, living rooms with autumnal hints of red and orange and members’ clubs with lavish interiors.

    Photo is by Edmund DabneyHighbury apartment, UK, by Holloway Li
    Local studio Holloway Li renovated this apartment set in a converted Victorian house in north London, creating a single-storey home with an open-plan layout for its co-founder Alex Holloway.
    Designed to reference materials found in London’s many fast food outlets and fish and chip shops, its custom-built kitchen was clad in circle-brushed stainless steel with a curved splashback.
    Find out more about the Highbury apartment ›
    Photo by Maryse Béland, Maxime Brouillet and Antoine MichelBrutalist apartment, Canada, by Jean Verville
    Metal surfaces were juxtaposed against bright yellow wall lamps within this live-work apartment space that architect Jean Verville designed for himself as a “creative laboratory” inside a residential tower in Quebec City.
    Stainless-steel commercial restaurant furniture was used for the kitchen, blending in with the raw concrete walls of the 1970s brutalist building.
    Find out more about the brutalist apartment ›
    Photo is by French + TyeTrellick Tower apartment, UK, by Archmongers
    Surfaces and fixtures made from industrial-style materials were paired with newly exposed concrete aggregate walls in this home renovation by London studio Archmongers in North Kensington’s Trellick Tower.
    In the kitchen, speckled brown and cream terrazzo was incorporated alongside brushed stainless steel counters, white cabinets and matt-black linoleum flooring.
    Find out more about the Trellick Tower apartment ›
    Photo is by Giulio GhirardiHaussmann-era apartment, France, by Rodolphe Parente
    Set within a 19th-century Parisian apartment, French interior designer Rodolphe Parente balanced cabinet finishes of stainless steel and pastel pink with a frame-like marble splashback for the kitchen.
    During the overhaul of the Haussmann-era apartment, Parante set out to preserve and restore some of the classic features while improving the sense of flow by connecting the dining room with the kitchen.
    Find out more about the Haussmann-era apartment ›
    Photo is by Félix Dol MaillotUnivers Uchronia, France, by Uchronia
    Named Univers Uchronia, this eclectic Paris apartment was designed by Uchronia founder Julien Sebban as his home, intended to be an extension of his studio – known for its bold application of shape, colour and reflective surfaces.
    A metallic island was incorporated in the open-plan kitchen, topped with a blobby seaweed-shaped table lamp, alongside an array of contrasting materials and colours.
    Find out more about Univers Uchronia ›
    Photo is by Yevhenii AvramenkoStalinist-era apartment, Ukraine, by Mirzoyan Studio
    Partition shelves and built-in furniture were used to distinguish open-plan spaces in Ukrainian architecture practice Mirzoyan Studio’s renovation of this Stalinist-era flat in the historic centre of Kyiv.
    Fitted in the corner of the open-plan living and dining room, the cabinets and countertops in the primary working area of the kitchen were finished in polished stainless steel.
    Find out more about the Stalinist-era flat ›
    Photo is by Pier Carthew Kerr, Australia, by SSdH
    Metal surfaces were combined with wooden cabinetry in this mezzanine-style apartment by local studio SSdH, located in a warehouse building in Melbourne that once housed a chocolate factory.
    Part of an open-plan living space, the kitchen was fitted with geometric cabinetry made from local spotted gum timber, as well as brushed stainless steel and nickel fixtures.
    Find out more about Kerr ›
    Photo is by Peter Bennetts Microloft, Australia, by Studio Edwards
    Australian architecture practice Studio Edwards remodelled this 24-square-metre micro apartment on the top floor of a 1980s apartment block in Melbourne.
    A horizontal raw aluminium surface was used for the angled wedge-shaped countertops in both the kitchen and dining area, designed to seamlessly merge the two spaces.
    Find out more about Microloft ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring conversation pits, living rooms with autumnal hints of red and orange and members’ clubs with lavish interiors.

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    Eight home kitchens finished with tactile brick floors

    Our latest lookbook collects eight houses from around the world that feature kitchens with tactile brick floors, including a mid-century home in the USA and a coastal dwelling in Denmark.

    Widely used for their durability and low maintenance, bricks are a long-time favourite material across the fields of architecture, interiors and design.
    They are most commonly used on walls and patios, but also popular as internal flooring because of their ability to add rich, earthy tones and tactile qualities to an interior. 
    While brick flooring may conjure up images of old rustic farmhouses, this roundup shows how they can also be adapted to suit contemporary homes around the world. 
    The examples below include those that have been arranged in herringbone format, used as a backdrop to oak cabinetry or designed to connect homes to their matching patios outside.

    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring conversation pits, autumnal living rooms and lavish members’ clubs.
    Photo by Carlos NaudeHacienda Granada, USA, by Working Holiday Studio
    Working Holiday Studio sought to create a “hacienda vibe” for this mid-century home that it overhauled in Los Angeles.
    Among the alterations was a revamp of the kitchen, which involved adding a floor of warm terracotta bricks handmade in Tijuana, Mexico, arranged in a herringbone format.
    They contribute to a warm and earthy aesthetic in the room, which is enhanced by dark green plaster walls and wooden joinery and furniture.
    Find out more about Hacienda Granada ›
    Photo by Agnese SanvitoGallery House, UK, by Neil Dusheiko
    Chunky reclaimed bricks extend down from the lower half of the walls of this kitchen and continue out across its floor.
    Designed by architect Neil Dusheiko for his father-in-law, the terracotta lining forms a backdrop to a wall of storage built from oak that displays ceramics, glassware and framed pictures.
    Find out more about Gallery House ›
    Photo by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm ArchitectsFjord Boat House, Denmark, by Norm Architects
    Handmade ceramic bricks are inlaid across the floor of this kitchen, which Danish studio Norm Architects created at the Fjord Boat House in Denmark.
    Married with warm oak finishes and a custom washi-paper pendant lamp, the textured flooring is intended to contribute to a warm and cosy atmosphere.
    “A refined abundance of warm textures and hues are used throughout, creating a deep sense of cosiness and comfort,” said Norm Architects.
    Find out more about Fjord Boat House ›
    Photo by David SouthwoodArklow Villa III, South Africa, by Douglas & Company
    During their renovation of a century-old house in Cape Town, architects Liani and Jan Douglas revamped the kitchen with a tactile material palette that includes brick flooring.
    The terracotta floor continues onto the adjoining patio and is teamed with a structure of exposed South African pine and bespoke wooden units finished with green marble counters.
    Find out more about Arklow Villa III ›
    Photo by Chris WhartonVinyl House, UK, by Benjamin Wilkes
    Elongated bricks are arranged in a herringbone formation across the floor of the Vinyl House extension, recently completed by British studio Benjamin Wilkes in London.
    Designed to help connect its kitchen area to the matching patio outside, the earthy flooring is complemented by warm wooden cabinetry and off-white terrazzo countertops.
    Find out more about Vinyl House ›
    Photo by Prue RuscoeBudge Over Dover, Australia, by YSG
    Terracotta brick was teamed with aged brass and tactile plaster across the interior of Budge Over Dover, a house in Australia renovated by YSG.
    Bricks line much of the ground floor, including its textured kitchen that is complete with a chunky prep counter made with a veiny marble countertop.
    Find out more about Budge Over Dover ›
    Photo by Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenHeatherhill Beach House, Denmark, by Norm Architects
    Norm Architects also opted for brick flooring in the kitchen of Heatherhill Beach House, a wooden holiday home on the Danish coast. It was designed as a contemporary twist on the traditional brick flooring found in Denmark.
    “The bricks are placed side by side instead of in the traditional pattern and have minimal cuts – instead, the grout size changes minimally to achieve a homogenous and harmonious look,” the studio explained.
    Find out more about Heatherhill Beach House ›
    Photo by Fred HowarthCamberwell Cork House, UK, by Delve Architects
    A floor that acts as a continuation of the brick paving outside features in the open-plan kitchen of Camberwell Cork House, conceived by Delve Architects in London.
    Its design formed part of a wider strategy for the home that sought to better connect it to its garden. This is also achieved by introducing large green-framed windows that enhance sight lines and maximise natural light.
    Find out more about Camberwell Cork House ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring conversation pits, autumnal living rooms and lavish members’ clubs.

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    Eight wooden kitchens that make the most of the material

    Swirly cabinets and oak-lined ceilings feature in our latest lookbook, which collects eight residential kitchens from around the world where wood takes centre stage.

    Strong, versatile and often sustainable, timber is a favourite material among architects and designers.
    From an east London dwelling that is almost entirely underground to a rural Tasmanian farmhouse, here are eight homes united by their wooden kitchens.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring converted barns, eclectic hotels and micro interiors.
    Photo by Fionn McCannChurchtown, Ireland, by Scullion Architects

    Churchtown is a curved glass extension to a family home in Dublin, designed by Scullion Architects as a family-focussed space.
    The studio was informed by 1930s modernism when creating the kitchen, which is characterised by stained oak-panelled cabinetry.
    Find out more about Churchtown ›
    Photo by Max Hart NibbrigBolívar House, Spain, by Juan Gurrea Rumeu
    Architect Gurrea Rumeu designed this home for himself and his wife in Barcelona.
    Swirly dark wood was used to create tall kitchen cabinets, while concrete walls and floors add an industrial touch to the interior.
    Find out more about Bolívar House ›
    Photo courtesy of James ShawLondon house, UK, by James Shaw
    Known for making extruded recycled plastic furniture, designer Shaw applied his off-beat creative approach to his own London home which he designed with architect Nicholas Ashby to be almost entirely underground.
    Shaw created kitchen cabinets out of veneered MDF, which he paired with worktops formed from pale blue HIMACS and stainless steel.
    Find out more about this London house ›
    Photo by Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenFjord Boat House, Denmark, by Norm Architects
    Fjord Boat House is a lakeside holiday home that sits near the border of Denmark and Germany.
    Danish studio Norm Architects chose a warm interior palette for the dwelling, including a kitchen defined by oak cabinets and ceilings and handmade ceramic brick flooring.
    Find out more about Fjord Boat House ›
    Photo by Dianna SnapeCoopworth, Tasmania, by FMD Architects
    FMD Architects designed a farmhouse in rural Tasmania with a plywood-lined kitchen and living spaces separated by a statement wood-burning stove.
    Located on Bruny Island, Coopworth features corrugated metal cladding that references vernacular agricultural buildings.
    Find out more about Coopworth ›
    Photo by Daniëlle SiobhánZwaag house, the Netherlands, by DAB Studio
    Two types of timber were used to clad the floors, walls, ceiling and cabinets of this kitchen at a family home in Zwaag, the Netherlands.
    DAB Studio renovated the floors and ceiling with hand-scraped oak, while Afromosia wood – a tropical hardwood native to west Africa – was applied to the cabinets and walls.
    Find out more about this Zwaag house ›
    Photo by Andrew PogueHood Cliff Retreat, USA, by Wittman Estes
    Architecture studio Wittman Estes sought to immerse Hood Cliff Retreat “in the stillness of the forest” on its wooded site in Washington State.
    White oak floors and pine plywood ceilings feature in the neutral-hued kitchen, designed with floor-to-ceiling glazing that reveals the surrounding trees.
    Find out more about Hood Cliff Retreat ›
    Photo by Mark Durling PhotographyMalibu Surf Shack, USA, by Kelly Wearstler
    Interior designer Kelly Wearstler transformed a 1950s beachfront cottage in Malibu, California, into a bohemian retreat for herself and her family.
    Chunky wooden cabinets and drawers characterise the kitchen, created in the designer’s distinctive eclectic style.
    Find out more about Malibu Surf Shack ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring converted barns, eclectic hotels and micro interiors. 

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    Eight contemporary kitchens brightened by skylights

    Residential kitchens illuminated by skylights are the focus of this lookbook, which includes homes everywhere from Australia to Mexico and Japan.

    A popular feature in many contemporary kitchens, skylights are typically used to maximise natural light in rooms that sit below ground or in the depths of a plan.
    However, they are also helpful for saving valuable wall space in areas for food preparation, leaving more room for cabinets and shelving, or they can simply be installed to create a focal point.
    The eight examples below show how skylights can be made in all shapes and sizes to enhance and brighten kitchens in any style.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring exposed structural ceiling beams, clerestory windows and nightclub interiors.

    Photo by Helen CathcartThe Maker’s Barn, UK, by Hutch Design
    A square-shaped skylight casts light over the glossy tiled kitchen in The Maker’s Barn, a home that Hutch Design created on the site of a concrete pig shed near London.
    The soft light from overhead enhances the warm and tactile finish of the space, which is finished with wooden cabinetry and a mix of rough terracotta and wooden floor tiles.
    Find out more about The Maker’s Barn ›
    Photo by Peter BennettsBismarck House, Australia, by Andrew Burges Architects
    Rather than opting for a traditional square skylight, Andrew Burges Architects punctured the ceiling of the Bismarck House’s kitchen with a curved sheet of glazing.
    It follows the shape of the undulating first floor above and helps brighten the industrial aesthetic of the room, which pairs utilitarian tiles with exposed brick walls and concrete flooring.
    Find out more about Bismarck House ›
    Photo by Danny BrightMontauk House, USA, by Desciencelab
    Desciencelab slotted rectangular skylights across the pitched roof of Montauk House, maximising natural light in the teak-lined cooking and dining area below it.
    The light drawn in through the glazing bounces off the white-painted ceiling, helping to distribute it around the open-plan room, which also contains a lounge area.
    Find out more about Montauk House ›
    Photo by Rory GardinerHouse VO and House WO, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
    This kitchen skylight has been carved into the sculptural concrete form of a Mexican house designed by Ludwig Godefroy.
    It helps to illuminate the kitchen counters, which would otherwise be lowly lit due to their position below ground level.
    Find out more about House VO and House WO ›
    Photo by Tololo StudioYamaguchicho House, Japan, by Slow
    Exposed concrete walls form a backdrop to this black kitchen, which is partially lit by angled, fluted skylights on one side.
    This was designed by Slow to provide the owners with ample light while cooking, due to the Japanese house having a mostly windowless exterior for privacy.
    Find out more about Yamaguchicho House ›
    Photo by Jim StephensonWalled Garden, UK, by Nimtim Architects
    Nimtim Architects placed skylights to one side of this kitchen, which sits deep in the plan of a townhouse it has extended in London.
    The square panes are framed by Douglas fir beams and filter just enough light to brighten the space while retaining the cosy, earthy quality achieved through a palette of exposed brickwork, rough plaster and concrete flooring.
    Find out more about Walled Garden ›
    Photo by Benjamin HoskingBrunswick Apartment, Australia, by Murray Barker and Esther Stewart
    Murray Barker and Esther Stewart kept it simple for the skylight in this kitchen, opting for a square-shaped design that sits above the dining table.
    It helps light up the space that would otherwise have little natural light, due to its other windows sitting close to a brick wall and reducing the amount that can filter inwards.
    Find out more about Brunswick Apartment ›
    Photo by Virtually Here StudiosMalibu beach house, USA, by Sophie Goineau
    In Malibu, Sophie Goineau has renovated a family beach house to allow more light in. In the kitchen, this involved adding skylights to its wavy roof.
    The skylights are partially obscured with ash battens that cloak the entire ceiling, letting in light but blocking out the bright overhead sun.
    Find out more about this Malibu beach house ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring exposed structural ceiling beams, clerestory windows and nightclub interiors.

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