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

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      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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      Eight colourful renovations that use vibrant shades to transform the home

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      From a bold blue apartment in Paris to an all-lilac kitchen in Stockholm, this lookbook rounds up renovations that cleverly use bright colours to update and refresh home interiors.

      While neutral colour palettes are often chosen for a sense of serenity, embracing bold and bright colours can add a sense of fun to a home and reflect the owner’s personal style.
      The interiors in this lookbook show how even period buildings, from an Edwardian London townhouses to a 1950s Norwegian home, can be renovated to have colourful, modern and playful interiors.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring New York City lofts, living rooms with vintage furniture and interiors with burl wood surfaces.
      Photo by Félix Dol MaillotParisian apartment, France, by Uchronia

      Local studio Uchronia coated walls in gradients of bright colours and added colourful geometric furniture to this Parisian apartment, which was designed for a pair of jewellery designers.
      The bold tones sit against a backdrop of detailing including boiserie, mouldings and parquet flooring. These are original to the mid-century building the apartment is located in, which was designed as part of Georges-Eugène Haussmann’s reconstruction of the French capital.
      Find out more about the Parisian apartment ›
      Photo by Jesper Westblom1980s Stockholm apartment, Sweden, by Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor
      Lilac hues coat the walls, ceiling and floor of the kitchen in this apartment in Stockholm, which was renovated by local studio Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor.
      Set in a 1980s prefabricated concrete building, the studio also created an all-yellow bedroom and added accents of burnt orange to the home’s doors and bespoke furniture.
      Find out more about the 1980s Stockholm apartment ›
      Photo by French + TyeGraphic House, UK, by Office S&M
      Architecture studio Office S&M drew upon its clients’ love for graphics to create the colourful and geometric renovation of Graphic House in London.
      The studio added art deco forms in a variety of colours to the mid-terrace Edwardian home, including mint green walls and kitchen cupboards, yellow window and door frames, and a blue staircase.
      Find out more about Graphic House ›
      Photo by Paolo FuscoRetroscena, Italy, by La Macchina Studio
      Swathes of primary colours feature throughout Retroscena, a 1950s apartment in Rome that was transformed by Italian architecture practice La Macchina Studio.
      The practice aimed to create a “surreal” and “quasi-theatrical” interior with bright blue archways and zesty yellow curtains contrasting against white walls.
      Find out more about Retroscena ›
      Photo by Magnus Berger NordstrandYellow House in the Apple Garden, Norway, by Familien Kvistad
      With a name referencing the sunny hue of its monochrome exterior, Yellow House in the Apple Garden is a 1950s house in Oslo that local studio Familien Kvistad renovated to have a more modern feel.
      Based on the client’s favourite colours, the interior palette includes bold tones of mustard yellow in the kitchen tiling and shades of plum and forest green in the soft furnishings.
      Find out more about Yellow House in the Apple Garden ›
      Photo by Taran WilkhuEast London townhouse, UK, by PL Studio
      Interior design office PL Studio added shades of blue, green and yellow to this east London townhouse, informed by a Morrocan villa that was once the home of artist Jacques Majorelle.
      Applying the colours in graphic shapes on the home’s walls, PL Studio wanted to create a sense of character that reflected the clients’ joyful and positive energy.
      Find out more about the east London townhouse ›
      Photo by Sean DavidsonHudson Heights apartment, USA, by Ideas of Order
      US architecture studio Ideas of Order updated this 1,000-square-foot residence in Manhattan with pops of colour in the style of French midcentury designers, such as Charlotte Perriand.
      The studio gave each room in the apartment its own identity by using different colours. The kitchen was refreshed and made more suitable for entertainment with raspberry and periwinkle cabinets, a lime green storage wall was added to the bedroom, and pale pink cabinets were inserted in the entryway.
      Find out more about Hudson Height apartment ›
      Photo by Megan TaylorSunderland Road House, UK, by 2LG Studio
      Sunderland Road House is an Edwardian home in London that local firm 2LG Studio renovated for a family of five, aiming to incorporate the clients’ love for colour while respecting the period elements of the house.
      Shades of pastel green cover the walls in the baby’s room, the entry hall was coated in hues of pink, and the kitchen was fitted with sky-blue cabinets.
      Find out more about Sunderland Road House ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring New York City lofts, living rooms with vintage furniture and interiors with burl wood surfaces.

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      Ten New York City loft interiors that make innovative use of open space

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      For our latest lookbook, we explore ten loft conversions and renovations in New York City where designers have inserted partitions, storage and other elements to cleverly organise open space.

      Characterised by spacious open floor plans, high ceilings and large windows, loft apartments are as synonymous with New York City as coffee and bagels – at least in popular culture.
      Loft apartments are housed in converted commercial, manufacturing or warehouse buildings, which informs their overall industrial feel as well as their wide-open floor plans, which have acted as a blank canvas for creatives for decades.
      In the New York lofts below, designers have organised and reorganised interiors by removing walls, reducing and adding mezzanines, inserting glass and wooden storage units or embracing original structures.
      From a Brooklyn residence that can be converted into an event space to a SoHo loft that now houses a sculptural partition wall, read on for ten examples of cleverly organised New York lofts throughout the city.

      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring kitchens with floor-to-ceiling cabinets, well-designed sheds and outbuildings and interiors created on a budget.
      Photo is courtesy of Future ProjectsAnother Seedbed, Williamsburg, by Future Projects
      Architects from New York studio Future Projects have converted an industrial space in a 19th-century cast iron building, which once served as a hat factory, into a unique loft apartment that serves as a residence and event space.
      To accommodate both the owner’s residential needs as well as public events, volumes covered in plywood and clay were inserted into an open floor plan to enclose private areas, while movable furniture including a sofa on wheels can be easily pushed out of the way for performances.
      Find out more about Another Seedbed ›
      Photo is by Seth CaplanDumbo Loft, Dumbo, by Crystal Sinclair Designs
      Interiors studio Crystal Sinclair Designs inserted a library mezzanine and a large glass partition to divide space in this Dumbo loft.
      The building’s original 14-foot ceilings accommodated the addition of the mezzanine, while the floor-to-ceiling glass partition was used to enclose the bedroom from the apartment’s remaining open floor plan.
      Find out more about Dumbo Loft ›
      Photo is courtesy of No ArchitectureThe Urban Tree House, West Village, by No Architecture
      No Architecture combined two units in a West Village skyscraper to create this double-height apartment, into which the studio inserted an extensive wooden structure with net beds that span over the living area.
      “We combined two units by first, redrawing all rooms into a cohesive ‘matrix plan’ and second, inserting a ‘garden folly’ that relates the interior to the adjacent Hudson River Greenway,” said New York-based No Architecture.
      Find out more about the Urban Tree House ›
      Photo is by Sarah ElliottTribeca Loft, Tribeca, by Andrea Leung 
      Architect Andrea Leung gut-renovated this loft in Tribeca for herself, opting to remove a mezzanine level and neatly organising private spaces in a linear row along the length of the space.
      Leung’s fascination with secret spaces – informed by her grandmother’s penthouse, which contained hidden rooms – prompted the architect to conceal all spaces but the living and dining room behind a mirrored wall.
      Find out more about Tribeca Loft ›
      Photo is by Isabel ParraManhattan loft, West Village, by Tala Fustok Studio
      A large glass and maple wood storage unit was used to divide the kitchen of this industrial West Village apartment from a living area, while a custom corten steel staircase leads to the second floor.
      London practice Tala Fustok Studio organised the interior to emphasise the apartment’s tall ceilings and oversized windows, as well as softening the space with limestone-washed walls.
      Find out more about Manhattan loft ›
      Photo is by Alan TanseyBroadway Loft, Madison Square North, by Worrell Yeung 
      New York architecture studio Worrell Yeung reorganised this NoMad loft to welcome more light, storage and an additional bedroom and bathroom for a growing family, who had lived in the space for over a decade.
      All of the apartment’s walls were removed to reveal the building’s structures and pipes while bookcase units and cabinetry were inserted to divide the space.
      Find out more about Broadway Loft ›
      Photo by Kevin KunstadtFrame Loft, Financial District, by Light and Air
      Located in a converted commercial building in the Financial District in Manhattan, this loft was cramped with internal walls before Brooklyn studio Light and Air removed the partitions to make the most of the generous floor area and large windows.
      The studio reduced the footprint of the overhead storage loft to allow for taller ceilings while inserting light wood shelving storage units, seating, a desk and cabinetry throughout the space.
      Find out more about Frame Loft ›
      Photo is by Daniel SalemiBrooklyn Loft, Clinton Hill, by Dean Works
      A volume made of Baltic birch plywood was inserted into this Clinton Hill loft to create more storage and section off a private sleeping area, which was further enclosed behind a glass partition.
      The adjusted floor plan places a living area towards the loft’s generous windows, the kitchen at its centre and the bedroom towards the apartment’s entrance.
      Find out more about Brooklyn Loft ›
      Photo is by Michael MoranSoho Loft, Soho, by Julian King
      To update this narrow apartment housed in a former silk warehouse, designer Julian King inserted a sculptural sleeping mezzanine at its centre, added a built-in bookcase and kept much of the remaining space completely open under its 13-foot ceilings.
      The mezzanine, which hosts just a bed, is concealed behind a partial wall that’s lined with integrated LED lighting.
      Find out more about Soho Loft ›
      Photo is by Eric PetschekChelsea Loft, Chelsea, by Worrell Yeung 
      Green paint covered the wood pillars of this Chelsea loft before Worrell Yeung updated the space, adding a large kitchen island and organising private areas towards the back of the apartment opposite its large windows.
      “The organising design strategy of this renovation was to maintain contiguous public living zones and extend daylight as far as it can reach by minimising partitions and concentrating private rooms on the north side of the apartment,” said the studio.
      Find out more about Chelsea Loft ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring kitchens with floor-to-ceiling cabinets, well-designed sheds and outbuildings and interiors created on a budget.

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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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      Eight interiors where burl wood provides natural texture

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      This week’s lookbook rounds up eight interiors with furnishings and surfaces finished in burl-wood veneer, allowing its swirly, psychedelic graining to serve a decorative function.

      Burl wood is a rare and expensive wood, often only available in thin sheets of veneer. That’s because it is derived from the knobbly outgrowths of tree trunks and branches – also known as burls.
      Like the botanical equivalent of a callous, these outgrowths form in response to different stress factors and grow unpredictably, creating complex unexpected grain patterns behind their gnarled bark.
      Burl wood has been experiencing a renaissance over the last few years, with interior designers including Kelly Wearstler using it to evoke the bohemian flair of its 1970s heyday.
      Mixed and matched with other patterns, the material is now used to communicate a kind of organic understated luxury, much like natural stone.

      From a Michelin-starred restaurant to a home that was designed to resemble a boutique hotel, read on for eight examples of how burl wood can provide textural richness to a modern interior.
      This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring rooms with net floors, interiors with furry walls and homes with mid-century modern furniture.
      Photo by Pion StudioBotaniczna Apartment, Poland, by Agnieszka Owsiany Studio
      This tranquil apartment in Poznań was designed by local firm Agnieszka Owsiany Studio to give the owners a reprise from their high-pressure medical jobs.
      The interior combines a calming mix of pale marble and various kinds of wood, including oak cabinetry, chevron parquet flooring and a console and vanity, both finished in speckled burl.
      “My clients asked for a high quality, almost hotel-like space, as they were in need of everyday comfort,” founder Agnieszka Owsiany told Dezeen.
      Find out more about Botaniczna Apartment ›
      Photo by Adrian GautUlla Johnson flagship, USA, by Kelly Wearstler
      Burlwood brings “a touch of 1970s California nostalgia” to the Ulla Johnson flagship store in Los Angeles, courtesy of local designer Kelly Wearstler.
      The unusual veneer was used liberally to cover walls, ceilings and shelves, as well as forming a statement display cabinet where the material’s natural wavy surface texture provides an added element of tactility (top image).
      Find out more about the Ulla Johnson flagship ›
      Photo by Prue RuscoeKoda hair salon, Australia, by Arent & Pyke
      This hair salon in Sydney’s Queen Victoria Building was designed by Australian studio Arent & Pyke to be “best appreciated from seated height”.
      Drawing attention away from the building’s extra-tall ceilings, freestanding quartzite-rimmed mirrors are placed at angles in front of the styling chairs, framing a vintage hanging cabinet made from pale burl.
      Find out more about the Koda hair salon ›
      Photo by Pion StudioOpasly Tom restaurant, Poland, by Buck Studio
      Buck Studio employed a limited palette of colours and materials to create visual continuity throughout Warsaw restaurant Opasly Tom, which occupies a split-level building that was broken up into a series of rooms of different sizes.
      Coral-orange chair cushions mirror the hardware of the totem-like pendant lights, and several burl-clad cabinets are dotted throughout the eatery. These match the kaleidoscopically patterned panelling in the hallway and the private dining rooms.
      “This contemporary, minimalistic design approach produces the impression of coherence while creating a powerful aesthetic impact,” explained the Polish studio, which is headed up by Dominika Buck and Pawel Buck.
      Find out more about the Opasly Tom restaurant ›
      Photo by Oni StudioWarsaw apartment, Poland, by Mistovia
      Elsewhere in Warsaw, Polish studio Mistovia designed an apartment for an art director and her pet dachshund to resemble an “elaborate puzzle” of contrasting patterns.
      Walnut-burl cabinets dominate the kitchen, with their trippy swirling pattern offset against monochrome tiles, brushed-metal drawers and a terrazzo-legged breakfast bar.
      Find out more about the Warsaw apartment ›
      Photo by Jennifer Chase and Yorgos EfthymiadisImperfecto, USA, by OOAK Architects
      Upon entering Michelin-starred restaurant Imperfecto in Washington DC, diners are greeted by a custom-made maître-d stand clad in panels of burl-wood veneer, creating a mirrored tortoiseshell pattern across its surface.
      The interior, designed by Greek-Swedish studio OOAK Architects, sees neutral tones paired with splashes of blue and white that nod to the restaurant’s Mediterranean menu.
      “OOAK Architects has used varied, high-quality finishes and authentic materials including Greek and Italian marbles, as well as brass and wood from different parts of the world, creating contrasting textures across the space,” the team said.
      Find out more about Imperfecto ›
      Photo by Anson SmartBlack Diamond house, Australia, by YSG
      Australian interiors studio YSG introduced a sumptuous mix of materials to this house in Sydney’s Mosman suburb to evoke the feeling of staying in a luxury hotel.
      This approach is evidenced by a number of custom furniture pieces dotted throughout the home, including a Tiberio marble vanity in the downstairs powder room and a poplar-burl cabinet with a bronzed mirror that looms over the nearby living room.
      Find out more about Black Diamond house ›
      Photo by Åsa LiffnerStudio Frantzén, UK, by Joyn Studio
      Restaurant Studio Frantzén in London’s Harrods department store serves a fusion of Nordic and Asian food that is also reflected in its Japandi interiors – taking cues from both Scandinavian and Japanese design.
      Interiors practice Joyn Studio leaned heavily on both cultures’ penchant for wood, combining seating banquettes made from blocks of end-grain pine wood with gridded timber ceilings and seating booths framed by burl-wood wall panelling.
      Find out more about Studio Frantzén ›
      This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring rooms with net floors, interiors with furry walls and homes with mid-century modern furniture.

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      Nine contemporary homes where ruins reveal layers of the past

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      In this lookbook, we feature nine residential projects that demonstrate unique ways of interacting with a site’s history by weaving existing ruins into their designs.

      Until recently, it has been common practice to hide away old structures during adaptive reuse projects.
      However, the architects in this list embrace the past by stitching domestic spaces with the remains of former buildings, creating inventive encounters with preserved architectural remains.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring clever outbuilding interiors, homes with mid-century modern furniture and residential spaces with playful net floors.
      Photo by Tamás BujnovszkyNickzy Apartment, Hungary, by Béres Architects

      Carefully preserved stone walls are featured in this Hungarian guesthouse renovation by local studio Béres Architects.
      20th-century plaster finishes have been stripped back to expose the 400-year-old apartment’s original stonework, reestablishing its visual prominence against modern white-rendered walls.
      Find out more about Nickzy Apartment ›
      The photography is by José HeviaEl Priorato, Spain, by Atienza Maure Arquitectos
      The interiors of this 16th-century Spanish clergy house were restored by Atienza Maure Arquitectos to create ambiguity between the existing structure and new interventions.
      Concrete vaults, white-painted walls and limited fixtures sit alongside heritage-protected arches to create minimal differentiation between the materials and spaces.
      Find out more about El Priorato ›
      The photo is by José HeviaMediona 13, Spain, by Nua Arquitectures
      In the historic centre of Tarragona, Spain, Nua Arquitectures reinforced this home’s crumbling stone and timber structure with brightly coloured steel supporting elements.
      According to the studio, the steel insertions add another layer to the home’s visible “memory” and draw attention to the historic building fabric.
      Find out more about Mediona 13 ›
      The photo is by James MorrisCroft Lodge Studio, West Midlands, by David Connor Design and Kate Darby Architects
      David Connor Design and Kate Darby Architects enclosed the decaying remains of a 300-year-old building under a steel-framed shell in England’s West Midlands area.
      The bold new studio maintains every aspect of the heritage-listed structure within the internal living spaces, including the rotting timber, dead ivy and old birds’ nests.
      Find out more about The Parchment Works ›
      The photo is by Francesca IoveneCascina, Italy, by Jonathan Tuckey Design
      For this farmstead restoration in Italy, British studio Jonathan Tuckey Design prioritised returning the 19th-century buildings to their original state with minimal alterations.
      The existing beams and trusses of the distinctive barn roof had lost their structural integrity, leading the studio to layer a new roof atop the timber without disrupting the internal aesthetic.
      Find out more about Cascina ›
      The photo is by Simon KennedyArdoch House, Scotland, by Moxon Architects
      Moxon Architects expressed eye-catching details of 19th-century ruins within this outbuilding refurbishment in the Scottish Highlands.
      Alongside new finishes of uniform clay plaster, pieces of the crumbling masonry were preserved within the guesthouse’s renovated walls and doorways as subtle connections to the earlier building.
      Find out more about Ardoch House ›
      The photo is by Johan DehlinThe Parchment Works, Northamptonshire, by Will Gamble Architects
      The remains of a 17th-century parchment paper factory and cattle shed were brought into focus within this residential extension by Will Gamble Architects.
      New interventions were intended to be discreet, exposing original structural elements internally, while configuring glazing to look out onto uncovered ruins from the ground floor.
      Find out more about The Parchment Works ›
      The photo is by Rory GardinerRedhill Barn, Devon, by TYPE
      This 200-year-old English barn was in a state of disrepair before TYPE restored it into a modern family home.
      Aiming to distinguish between old and new, the studio lined contemporary wall finishes and wood panelling against remnant stone walls, while using existing columns to dictate the house’s layout.
      Find out more about Redhill Barn ›
      Photo by David BarbourCuddymoss, Scotland, by Ann Nisbet Studio
      Scottish architecture practice Ann Nisbet Studio inserted a timber-framed home into a stone ruin in Scotland and defined new living spaces within the surviving forms.
      To encourage layered encounters of the site, views of the landscape were also aligned with existing window apertures from the bedrooms.
      Find out more about Cuddymoss ›
      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 net floors, mid-century modern furniture and perforated brick walls. 

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      Eight well-designed sheds and outbuildings that extend the home

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      This week’s lookbook explores eight clever shed and outbuilding interiors, ranging from self-built renovations to finely crafted new builds.

      By repurposing rundown sheds and garages or capitalising on extra garden space, these projects offer additional room for hobbies, workspaces, living quarters or simply respite for their owners.
      Among this list of projects is a bold-coloured garage renovation hosting a work area and greenhouse in Norwich, UK, as well as a scenic timber outbuilding designed for recreation and socialising for a retired couple in Lillehammer, Norway.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes created on a budget, living rooms with industrial material palettes and airy and pared-back loft conversions.
      Photo by Simon KennedyThe Orangery, UK, by McCloy and Muchemwa

      Original blockwork walls were retained in this self-build renovation of a dilapidated garage by London-based studio McCloy and Muchemwa.
      An orange, timber roof structure was matched with furniture in the same colour throughout the interior, which contains a storage area, hobby zone and workbench along with a well-lit greenhouse clad in polycarbonate.
      Find out more about The Orangery ›
      Photo by ZAC and ZACGrange Garage Studio, Scotland, by Konishi Gaffney
      This 1950s garage conversion by Konishi Gaffney, adjacent to an existing Georgian property, houses an artist’s music studio and features a rhythmic facade made from wooden battens.
      The space has a calm and refined material palette, with dark-stained furniture used to match the wooden beams in the studio’s interior.
      Find out more about Grange Garage Studio ›
      Photo by Rafael SoldiShed-O-Vation, US, by Best Practice Architecture
      Best Practice Architecture renovated this outbuilding in Seattle to host an office and small gym as an expansion of the property’s main house.
      Black synthetic rubber was used to cover the interior floor and one side of the room’s walls, while the remaining walls were lined with birch plywood along with a boldly coloured workspace.
      Find out more about Shed-O-Vation ›
      Photo by Chris SnookThe Light Shed, UK, by Richard John Andrews
      The Light Shed is a 12-metre-square, multifunctional shed designed and built by architect Richard John Andrews and an assistant in just 21 days to house Andrews’ architecture studio in his back garden.
      The interior is lined with plywood providing shelving and desk space for two to three people. The studio also doubles as a space for hosting functions and gatherings.
      Find out more about The Light Shed ›
      Photo by Knut BryBarn House, Norway, by Jon Danielsen Aarhus
      Replacing an existing run-down outbuilding, Barn House in Lillehammer, Norway, was designed by Jon Danielsen Aarhus to create a space in which a retired couple can paint, garden and host friends.
      An all-red entrance hall is followed by a timber interior. The building contains a brightly lit art studio upstairs and a gardening room and garages on the lower floor.
      Find out more about Barn House ›
      Photo by Jean-Philippe DelageEton Accessory Building, Canada, by Motiv Architects
      Made from cross-laminated timber (CLT), Eton Accessory Building by Canadian studio Motiv Architects is a 30-square-metre workshop connected to the owners’ home via a garden.
      Hard-wearing flooring and evenly distributed skylights create an industrial-style workspace. A CLT mezzanine is used for additional storage.
      Find out more about Eton Accessory Building ›
      Photo by Wai Ming NgCork Study, UK, by Surman Weston
      This cork-covered studio designed by Surman Weston provides space for sewing and music-making in the back garden of a London home.
      On the interior, birch plywood lines the walls, with the pale material also used to construct a central working space with built-in shelving and storage.
      Find out more about Cork Study ›
      Photo by Willem-Dirk du ToitBroadway, Australia, by Foomann
      Replacing an old garage, this two-floor outbuilding hosts a gym, swimming pool and parking garage on the site of an Edwardian property in Melbourne.
      A refined material palette of white walls set off by wood and dark flooring works to create a relaxing, beachy feel throughout the spaces.
      Find out more about Broadway ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes created on a budget, living rooms with industrial material palettes and airy and pared-back loft conversions.

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      Eight kitchens with floor-to-ceiling cabinets that cleverly conceal clutter

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      Kitchens can often be difficult to keep tidy, but this lookbook demonstrates how floor-to-ceiling cabinets are an effective way to streamline and create clutter-free backdrops for food prep.

      Traditionally, kitchens are designed with floor and wall cabinets dropped below the ceiling to ensure they are reachable. However, today many architects and interior designers are opting for full-height solutions instead to maximise storage space.
      The examples in this lookbook show that floor-to-ceiling storage solutions are suited to kitchens of any size and style, and can be used to conceal clutter, appliances and even doorways.
      A bonus is that these cupboards also minimise areas for dust to gather, requiring less time spent on cleaning and leaving more for cooking.
      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 net floors, mid-century modern furniture and perforated brick walls.

      TS-H_01, Switzerland, by Tom Strala
      This minimalist kitchen, belonging to a home near Bern, features floor-to-ceiling storage concealing not only clutter but also a doorway to a garage.
      The white wall of cabinets is dotted by circular handles lined with smooth timber and forms a slick backdrop to the chunky prep counter, raw plaster walls and pale wooden floorboards.
      Find out more about TS-H_01 ›
      Photo by Fionn McCannChurchtown, Ireland, by Scullion Architects
      Oak-panelled cabinetry runs through the light-filled kitchen of Churchtown, a residential extension in Dublin informed by Victorian conservatories.
      While maximising storage, the cupboards are designed to conceal appliances and a pantry. The warmth of the oak is complemented by cool-toned white terrazzo on the floor and worktops.
      Find out more about Churchtown ›

      Sacha, France, by SABO Project
      Full-height birch plywood joinery is used to store the contents of this kitchen, designed by SABO Project within a Parisian apartment.
      The cupboards are almost disguised as a solid block, with small arched cut-outs subtly demarcating each door. One of the panels features a larger arched opening, which opens into a cosy nook for the owner’s cat.
      Find out more about Sacha ›
      Photo by Eric PetschekThe Amagansett Beach House, USA, by Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design
      The floor-to-ceiling units in this kitchen help draw attention to more playful design details in the room, including a sculptural custom island animated by exaggerated forms.
      Finished with wood and a lack of handles, the cabinets also blend into the floors and ceilings, disguising them as walls and creating a pared-back aesthetic for the room.
      Find out more about The Amagansett Beach House ›
      Photo by Eric PetschekBarbican Apartment, UK, by John Pawson
      Designer John Pawson used full-height storage in the compact kitchen of this London apartment to help achieve his signature minimalist aesthetic.
      The abundance of storage ensures the space is uncluttered, while a lack of handles on the cabinetry allows them to blend into the background. The rest of the home, which is located in the brutalist Barbican Estate in London, is designed with the same pared-back aesthetic.
      Find out more about Barbican Apartment ›
      Photo by Johan DehlinThe Parchment Works, UK, by Will Gamble Architects
      Matte-black cabinets with brass handles define the kitchen of The Parchment Works, which Will Gamble Architects created from the shell of an old cattle shed in Northamptonshire.
      Stretching from floor to ceiling, the kitchen units slot in beneath rows of timber joists belonging to the original structure. Their dark colour ensures focus retains on the tactile wooden surfaces above, as well as the adjacent whitewashed masonry walls.
      Find out more about The Parchment Works ›
      Photo by Pion StudioBotaniczna Apartment, Poland, by Agnieszka Owsiany Studio
      Polish studio Agnieszka Owsiany Studio married wood and marble throughout the interior of this apartment in Poznań.
      In the kitchen, full-height oak cabinetry lines one wall, punctured by a marble-lined recess containing a stove. The cabinets are finished with long handles in matching oak.
      Find out more about Botaniczna Apartment ›
      Photo by Kevin ScottPortage Bay Float Home, USA, by Studio DIAA
      These storage units follow the gabled roofscape of The Portage Bay Float Home, which Studio DIAA co-founder Suzanne Stefan created for herself in Seattle.
      The wooden cabinetry sits flush with a cooker hood above the stove, which is finished with juxtaposing stainless steel that has a brushed look.
      Find out more about Portage Bay Float Home › 
      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 net floors, mid-century modern furniture and perforated brick walls. 

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