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      Ten gallery interiors that are artworks in their own right

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      A subterranean gallery carved into a sand dune and a treehouse-style art museum feature in our latest lookbook, which collects striking gallery interiors from around the world.

      Art galleries are specifically designed as spaces for showcasing artworks such as sculptures and paintings. As a result, they are often characterised by neutral and minimalist interiors so as not to divert attention from the objects on display.
      However, some galleries are defined by statement designs that not only complement the artworks they house, but transform their interiors into masterpieces themselves.
      From a converted Iranian brewery to a Milanese basement, read on for 10 galleries with memorable interior designs.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring inviting entrance halls, terracotta kitchens and Crittal-style windows.

      Top: Helsinki’s Amox Rex museum. Above: image is courtesy of IK LabIK Lab, Mexico, by Jorge Eduardo Neira Sterkel
      Curving cement walls and undulating vine floors provide an alternative backdrop for artwork within the gallery at the Azulik resort in Tulum.
      The gallery, which visitors must enter without shoes via a winding walkway, is elevated above the ground and reaches the height of the surrounding tree canopy. Circular windows of various sizes flood the space with natural light.
      The gallery was opened by the resort’s founder and designer, Jorge Eduardo Neira Sterkel, after the great-grandson of the famed American art collector Peggy Guggenheim and a Tulum local suggested the idea.
      Find out more about IK Lab ›
      Photo is by Wen StudioTaoCang Art Center, China, by Roarc Renew
      TaoCang Art Center is comprised of two disused granaries located in the village of Wangjiangjing in China’s Zhejiang province. Shanghai studio Roarc Renew connected the volumes with a pair of sweeping brick corridors that are lined with arches.
      Functioning as distinct gallery spaces, the granaries are characterised by striking arrangements of lotus flowers on their floors – an ode to the village’s lotus-flower industry and a pond adjacent to the site.
      Find out more about TaoCang Art Centre ›
      Photo is by Ye Rin MokMaison Lune, USA, by Sandrine Abessera, Lubov Azria and Gabriella Kuti
      Designers Sandrine Abessera and Lubov Azria, founders of the contemporary art gallery Maison Lune, worked with interior designer Gabriella Kuti to set it within a former private house in California.
      Spread across rooms in neutral hues, the gallery is laid out like a collector’s home featuring a varied cluster of artworks and design pieces. Multiple terraces and internal stepped areas provide plinth-like display units for the objects throughout the property.
      “We want to build an alternative to traditional galleries, which are often perceived as too elitist and intimidating,” explained Abessera and Azria.
      Find out more about Maison Lune ›
      Photo is by Tuomas UusheimoAmos Rex, Finland, by JKMM Architects
      Finnish studio JKMM Architects designed the Amos Rex art museum in Helsinki with a series of domed subterranean galleries, which bubble up through the ground to create a sloping outdoor playground.
      While a portion of the museum is housed in the renovated Lasipalatsi, a functionalist 1930s building at street level, Amos Rex was also extended underground to include the domed galleries. These subterranean spaces feature minimalist monochrome interiors illuminated by large round skylights.
      Find out more about Amos Rex ›
      Photo is by Sergio LopezStudio CDMX, Mexico, by Alberto Kalach
      A multi-purpose artist residency and gallery come together at Studio CDMX, a space in Mexico City designed for Casa Wabi founder Bosco Sodi in which to work and exhibit his pieces.
      Constructed on the site of a former warehouse, the building reflects its location’s industrial roots with concrete, metal and brick elements arranged in chunky formations. Sodi’s sculptural works, finished in materials including stone and ceramic, also influenced the interiors.
      Find out more about Studio CDMX ›
      Photo is by William Barrington-BinnsPrivate gallery, Thailand, by Enter Projects Asia
      A winding rattan installation traces an overhead route through this private gallery in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
      Architecture studio Enter Projects Asia used an algorithm to design the structure, which snakes in and out of the gallery’s various indoor and outdoor spaces.
      “We sought to create an immersive experience, giving the space a warmth and depth uncharacteristic of conventional art galleries,” said studio director Patrick Keane.
      Find out more about this private gallery ›
      Photo is by Duccio MalagambaFondazione Luigi Rovati Museum, Italy, by Mario Cucinella Architects
      Layered stone walls line the new basement of the Fondazione Luigi Rovati Museum, an art gallery housed within a 19th-century palazzo in Milan that was both preserved and expanded by Italian studio Mario Cucinella Architects.
      The basement walls were created from overlapping layers of limestone ashlar, which curve upwards to form domed ceilings. Free-standing and wall-mounted cases designed by the architecture studio display two hundred Etruscan artifacts, including ancient jewellery and cinerary urns.
      Find out more about Fondazione Luigi Rovati Museum ›
      Photo is by Ahmadreza SchrickerArgo Factory Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre, Iran, by Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North
      US studio Ahmadreza Schricker Architecture North renovated a 1920s brewery in central Tehran to create the Argo Factory Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre, preserving many of the factory’s original industrial features.
      Designed without middle supports, a curvilinear concrete staircase was inserted into the building to connect the museum’s lobby and its six galleries above. The staircase is one of a number of new elements with a rounded shape, created to contrast the uniform brick architecture.
      Find out more about Argo Factory Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre ›
      Photo is by Wu QingshanUCCA Dune Art Museum, China, by Open Architecture
      Carved into a dune on a beach in Qinhuangdao, this coastal art museum is comprised of a network of subterranean concrete galleries.
      Beijing-based firm Open Architecture took cues from caves for the interlinked spaces, which are illuminated by organically shaped openings and feature an irregular texture.
      “The walls of ancient caves were where art was first practiced,” Open Architecture co-founder Li Hu told Dezeen.
      Find out more about UCCA Dune Art Museum ›
      Photo is by Kevin ScottMini Mart City Park, USA, by GO’C
      Mini Mart City Park is a community arts centre with a gallery built on the site of a former 1930s petrol station in Seattle.
      Local studio GO’C referenced the location’s history when creating the design for the centre, opting for classic signage, an overhanging roof and divided metal windows.
      Inside, the gallery space is characterised by exposed wooden rafters and smooth grey-hued floors, providing a neutral backdrop for the exhibition of artwork.
      Find out more about Mini Mart City Park ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring inviting entrance halls, terracotta kitchens and Crittal-style windows.

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      Eight cave-like interiors that celebrate curved forms

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      A spa with a spherical swimming pool and holiday homes with sloping plaster walls feature in our latest lookbook, which showcases eight cavernous Greek interiors.

      Cave-like interior designs are becoming increasingly popular, as seen in the Gilder Center by Studio Gang – a recently completed museum extension in New York with a large grotto-like atrium.
      In Greece, which is known for its caves, there is a wide variety of cave-like architecture either built from existing geological structures or designed to mimic these natural dugouts. Thick, curved walls are often chosen to protect interior spaces from the country’s Mediterranean climate.
      As the weather becomes warmer in the northern hemisphere, here are eight cave-like interiors from Greece that are defined by their curved shapes.
      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 striking bookshelves, outdoor showers and offbeat bakeries.

      Photo is by Yiorgos KordakisSummer houses, Santorini, by Kapsimalis Architects
      Local studio Kapsimalis Architects converted two underground caves at an old property in Santorini into summer houses with bright white facades.
      Inside, the homes are characterised by smoothed-out interiors finished with earthy-hued plaster, while arched doorways and niches nod to the property’s history.
      Find out more about these summer houses ›
      Image is courtesy of Greg Haji JoannidesSterna Nisyros Residences, Nisyros, by Greg Haji Joannides
      Designer Greg Haji Joannides renovated the interior of an earthquake-damaged house on the island of Nisyros using historic photographs as a guide.
      On the ground floor, wide brick archways create an open-plan layout that allows the space to double as an exhibition site for artists in residence.
      “The inspiration behind this design was to keep as much as possible of the original way the Nisyrians would build houses,” Joannides told Dezeen. “They would use the ground floor as a storage or working space.”
      Find out more about this island house ›
      Photo is by Spyros Hound PhotographyWooden Cave, Trikala Korinthias, by Tenon Architecture
      Wooden Cave is a timber-clad suite that forms part of Hyades Mountain Resort – a hotel in the mountainous village of Trikala Korinthias.
      Tenon Architecture split the suite into two sections that intend to mirror the appearance and experience of entering a cave. The front half features ashy black tiles arranged in a linear formation, while the rear half is made from almost 1,000 pieces of curved hand-cut spruce.
      “This division intends to create a clear distinction between the hard, ‘protective’ shell and the curved, ‘inviting’ interior, reminiscent of the form of a cave,” explained the architecture studio.
      Find out more about Wooden Cave ›
      Photo is by Giorgos SfakianakisSaint Hotel, Santorini, by Kapsimalis Architects
      Kapsimalis Architects converted a cluster of former homes, barns and cellars in Santorini into the Saint Hotel – the volumes of which are arranged in a stepped formation down a sea-facing cliffside.
      Inside, smooth cavernous walls were finished in white plaster that creates a subtle backdrop for minimal fittings and amorphous furniture.
      Find out more about Saint Hotel ›
      Photo is by Sylvia DiamantopoulosRetreat in Tinos Island by Ioannis Exarchou
      Retreat in Tinos Island is a 100-year-old stable that was transformed into a cosy holiday home for two by architect Ioannis Exarchou.
      Exarchou set large stones and thick tree branches into the dwelling’s ceiling, clad the walls in smooth white plaster and covered the floors in coloured concrete.
      “My main objective was to retain and preserve the cavernous unique feeling of the space,” the architect told Dezeen.
      Find out more about Retreat in Tinos Island ›
      Photo is by Yiorgos KordakisHoliday home, Santorini, by Kapsimalis Architects
      The cave-like subterranean spaces and vaulted rooms within this Santorini holiday home were renovated by Kapsimalis Architects to retain the building’s existing architecture.
      The studio worked to simplify the complex interior layout, which features a labyrinthine arrangement of spaces that are brightened by all-white plaster walls.
      Find out more about this holiday home ›
      Image is courtesy of DecaArchitectureEuphoria Spa, Mystras, by DecaArchitecture
      Carved into the base of a mountain in Mystras, Euphoria Spa is made up of differently scaled elliptical spaces that are connected by a web of catacomb-style passages.
      One of these areas contains an indoor spherical pool that is characterised by a dark central structure that can be accessed via curved archways.
      “Floating in the centre of this dark orb there is a sense of being suspended in the void of a platonic volume, but also a sense of womb-like calmness,” said DecaArchitecture.
      Find out more about Euphoria Spa
      Photo is by Julia KlimiHoliday apartments, Santorini, by Kapsimalis Architects
      Arched niches and grey cement plaster floors create neutral living spaces within these four holiday apartments, which were built near Santorini’s highest point.
      The complex’s terraces and retaining walls were formed from rocks excavated from the site to create a continuity between the architecture and the surrounding mountains.
      Find out more about these apartments ›
      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 striking bookshelves, outdoor showers and offbeat bakeries. 

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      Eight brutalist Mexican interiors that prove concrete doesn’t have to feel cold

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      Raw concrete surfaces are softened by timber and plenty of daylight inside these Mexican houses, rounded up here as part of our latest lookbook.

      Many of these brutalist interiors leave their concrete shells exposed and their cavernous rooms largely unadorned.
      But freed of the constraints posed by frigid temperatures, they also create a greater connection to the outside, whether overlooking Puerto Escondido’s wave-swept beaches or nestled in the bustling metropolis of Mexico City.
      Here, concrete surfaces help to create a sense of seamlessness between indoor and outdoor spaces – often separated only by removable partitions – while unfinished natural materials, such as wood or stone, are brought into the interior.
      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 exposed services, primary-coloured living spaces and houses with outdoor showers.

      Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Alférez, Cañada De Alferes, by Ludwig Godefroy
      Tucked away in the forest outside Cañada De Alferes near Mexico City, this brutalist holiday home has a board-formed concrete shell.
      This is left on display throughout its entire interior, all the way down to the bedrooms (top image) and the double-height lounge (above).
      To bring a sense of homeliness to its otherwise spartan living spaces, architect Ludwig Godefroy added warm wooden floors and lush pops of green – as seen across upholstery and lighting fixtures.
      Find out more about Casa Alférez ›
      Photo by Onnis Luque and Fabian MartinezLa Casa del Sapo, Playa Zapotengo, by Espacio 18 Arquitectura
      The kitchen of this seafront home – set right on Oaxaca’s Zapotengo beach – can be merged with its neighbouring patio using a wide wooden folding door.
      All-around concrete helps to underline this fusion, while also serving a practical function in the form of a kitchen island and matching shelves.
      Find out more about La Casa del Sapo ›
      Photo by César BéjarThe Hill in Front of the Glen, Morelia, by HW Studio
      Reminiscent of the Hobbit houses in JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, this sunken home is nestled into a hillside in the forests of Michoacán in central Mexico.
      The building’s interiors are defined by its concrete vaulted ceilings, which can be seen in every room, while log benches and full-height glazing provide a visual link to the woodland outside.
      Find out more about The Hill in Front of the Glen ›
      Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Mérida, Mérida, by Ludwig Godefroy
      Mayan architecture and craftsmanship informed the design of this otherwise brutalist house in Yucatán state, which is considered the capital of the indigenous civilisation.
      The home’s perimeter walls, for example, have joints covered in stone splinters that take cues from the design of Mayan pyramids and temples. These are left exposed on the interior alongside the concrete ceilings, creating a rich medley of architectural references.
      Find out more about Casa Mérida ›
      Photo by Rafael GamoPachuca Apartments, Mexico City, by PPAA
      Concrete slabs pave both the patio and living spaces in this Mexico City house to create a sense of continuity, only separated by a full-height glass wall that can be completely pushed open.
      On the interior, the rough concrete finishes are contrasted with details in American white oak, among them a long dining table as well as a staircase with treads that slot into a huge bookshelf.
      Find out more about Pachuca Apartments ›
      Photo by Dane Alonso and Mariano Renteria GarnicaCasa UC, Morelia, by Daniela Bucio Sistos
      Neutral colours and tactile materials are found throughout this home in the city of Morelia, including raw concrete ceilings and floors finished in a honey-toned tropical timber called caobilla.
      In the library, the same wood was also used to form integrated shelves and a huge porthole window that can be pivoted open and closed like a door.
      Find out more about Casa UC ›
      Photo by Sandra PereznietoCasa Aguacates, Valle de Bravo, by Francisco Pardo
      Mexican architect Francisco Pardo repurposed the pinewood formwork used in the process of constructing this concrete house to form a series of partition walls throughout the home.
      The resulting interior layout is simple and fluid and centres on an open-plan kitchen, dining area and living room that open up onto a sunken garden.
      Find out more about Casa Aguacates ›
      Photo by Rory GardinerZicatela, Puerto Escondido, by Emmanuel Picault and Ludwig Godefroy
      Set in the small surf town of Puerto Escondido, this weekend home accommodates its main living areas inside a covered patio and is made almost entirely of concrete.
      The only exceptions are the doors and sliding louvred wood screens that can be used to open the space up to the gardens on either side, as well as a few sparse furnishings such as the low-slung dining table, which is made from a cross-sectioned tree trunk.
      Find out more about Zicatela ›
      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 exposed services, primary-coloured living spaces and houses with outdoor showers.

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      Eight pared-back and elegant Scandinavian kitchen designs

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      For our latest lookbook, we’ve collected eight peaceful kitchens with Scandinavian design details, in homes including a chalet in Belgium and a forest retreat in Sweden.

      Plenty of wood and stone, minimalist details and practical solutions make these eight interiors from across the world good examples of Scandinavian kitchen design.
      As well as being stylish, the pared-down interiors make for functional, clutter-free kitchens where it is easy to find and use all the items needed to make a meal in a relaxing atmosphere.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring outdoor showers, interiors with exposed services and Milanese homes with eye-catching material palettes.
      Photo by Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenForest Retreat, Sweden, by Norm Architects

      Architecture studio Norm Architects designed this kitchen in a traditional Swedish timber cabin using oakwood to create a warm feel.
      Its discrete handleless low-lying cupboards have plenty of storage space, while a stone splashback is both decorative and functional. A black tap adds graphic contrast.
      Find out more about Forest Retreat ›
      Photo by Julian WeyerVilla E, Denmark, by CF Møller Architects
      A carved lightwell brings light into this sundrenched kitchen in a villa in Denmark. The brick tiles that clad the kitchen wall give the room a tactile feeling.
      The floor of the open-plan kitchen is made from herringbone parquet, a style often seen in living room that here gives the kitchen area a more luxurious feel.
      Find out more about Villa E ›
      Photo by Jesper WestblomStockholm apartment, Sweden, by Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor
      This Stockholm flat might be the exception that proves the rule when it comes to Scandinavian kitchen design – that it has to be designed using discrete colours and materials.
      Instead, local studio Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor chose a pale lilac hue for the kitchen, which nevertheless features wooden details in the form of a table and chairs. An orange pendant light contrasts nicely with the monochrome kitchen.
      Find out more about Stockholm apartment ›
      Photo by Anders SchønnemannVipp Pencil Factory, Denmark, by Vipp
      Danish homeware brand Vipp used one of its own modular kitchens for Vipp Pencil Factory, a pop-up supper club in Copenhagen.
      The dark-brown wood, commonly used in Scandinavian kitchens, contrasts against the grey concrete walls of the former pencil factory and is complimented by glass cabinets and a marble benchtop.
      Find out more about Vipp Pencil Factory ›
      Photo by Itay BenitHabima Square apartment, Israel, by Maayan Zusman
      Local designer Maayan Zusman renovated this apartment in Tel Aviv using plenty of Scandinavian brands and details, including lamps by Gubi and chairs by Ferm Living.
      A pared-back colour palette and Crittal windows that let the light in also give the kitchen a slightly industrial feel.
      Find out more about Stockholm apartment ›
      Photo by Jeroen VerrechtChalet, Belgium, by Graux & Baeyens Architecten
      This 1960s chalet in Belgium features light-filled living spaces, including a wood-and-stone kitchen that has plenty of storage spaces and large windows that open up towards a lush garden.
      Even the kitchen fan has a plywood cover to ensure it matches the rest of the space.
      Find out more about the Belgian chalet ›
      Photo by Johan DehlinSaltviga House, Norway, by Kolman Boye Architects
      Nicknamed the “house of offcuts” because it has a facade made of offcuts of wooden flooring material, this weekend retreat in Lillesand, Norway, has a kitchen with a view.
      The Scandinavian kitchen design is underlined by the use of Danish furniture brand Carl Hansen & Søn’s classic CH24 Wishbone chairs, which have been placed around a wooden dining table.
      Find out more about Saltviga House ›
      Photo by Jim StephensonThe Hat House, Sweden, by Tina Bergman
      Located in the forested landscape of Tänndalen in western Sweden, The Hat House has a traditional Swedish kitchen with an entirely wood-lined interior.
      To save space, a small floating shelf was used to provide open storage, rather than cupboards. Contrasting dark black and grey colours were used for the splashback as well as the kitchen island.
      Find out more about The Hat House ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring outdoor showers, interiors with exposed services and Milanese homes with eye-catching material palettes.

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      Eight home interiors that make a feature of exposed services

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      Our latest lookbook showcases eight home interiors that make a visual statement by revealing their services, including wires, cables, ducts and plumbing.

      Stripping back interiors can expose services including pipework that runs along walls and ceilings to provide heating, water, electricity and airflow to our homes.
      This roundup features homes with industrial and unfinished appearances that make a feature of exposed services, including a Parisian studio that uses copper pipework as hanging space and a stripped-back apartment in Brazil with blue-painted pipes.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring Milanese home and hotel interiors, living rooms decorated in the primary colours and terracotta-tiled kitchens.
      Photo is by Fran ParenteGale Apartment, Brazil, by Memola Estudio

      Brazilian studio Memola Estudio renovated this São Paulo apartment to better suit the owner’s tastes, stripping back finishes on the walls and ceilings to expose the building’s concrete structure, piping, wiring and ductwork.
      The studio contrasted the industrial look of the apartment with warm, earthy-toned furniture and contemporary artwork.
      Find out more about Gale Apartment ›
      Photo is by Cyrille LallementShakers Studio, France, by Ariel Claudet
      A network of copper pipes snakes around the perimeter of this studio apartment in a 17th-century Parisian building, which architect Ariel Claudet added to make it stand out on Airbnb.
      Informed by traditional Shaker peg rails, the pipes conceal electrical cables and double as a hanging rail to display ornaments and household items.
      Find out more about Shakers Studio ›
      Photo is by Maíra AcayabaRF Apartment, Brazil, by SuperLimão
      Located inside a modernist São Paulo building completed in 1958, Brazilian studio SuperLimão exposed the pipes in the RF Apartment and painted them a pale shade of blue-green that was in keeping with the period the building was constructed.
      SuperLimão also painted the ceiling a burnt pink colour and peeled back the edges of the entryways to reveal large chunks of plaster and brick.
      Find out more about RF Apartment ›
      Photo is by José HeviaNZ10 Apartment, Spain, by Auba Studio
      Spanish architecture firm Auba Studio transformed a former bakery in Palma into an apartment, stripping back the interior to reveal the building’s high ceilings and bare structure.
      Auba Studio added a stainless steel kitchen island to complement the industrial look of the exposed ductwork and light fittings.
      Find out more about NZ10 Apartment ›
      Photo is by José Hevia10K House, Spain, by Takk
      10K House is a 50-square-metre Barcelona apartment that Spanish studio Takk renovated, adding rooms nestled inside one another to maximise insulation.
      Water pipes and electrical fittings were left exposed to allow free passage between the Russian-doll-like rooms and to keep material costs down.
      Find out more about 10K House ›
      Photo is by Tim van de VeldeDe Lakfabriek apartments, the Netherlands, by Wenink Holtkamp Architecten
      Eidenhoven studio Wenink Holtkamp Architecten converted a 20th-century factory in Oisterwijk, the Netherlands, into apartments that maintain the industrial character of the building.
      The apartments have an open-plan layout with the building’s raw concrete structure, metal ductwork and wiring left visible.
      Find out more about De Lakfabriek apartments ›
      Photo is by Takumi OtaFishmarket, Japan, by Ab Rogers Design
      Fishmarket is an artist’s studio and residence in Kanazawa, Japan, with an interior that was stripped back to its industrial shell by London-based studio Ab Rogers Design.
      The studio added a series of fluorescent rotating partition walls that transform how the space is used and add bright pops of colour that stand in contrast against the grey concrete and metal pipework.
      Find out more about Fishmarket ›
      Photo is by Lorenzo ZandriEarthrise Studio, UK, by Studio McW
      London-based architecture practice Studio McW transformed this London warehouse into a studio and office that enhances the building’s original features.
      The practice removed some of the redundant overhead services that were restricting the ceiling height. The remaining exposed services add to the industrial look of the property, while custom oak joinery adds warmth to the spaces.
      Find out more about Earthrise Studio ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring Milanese home and hotel interiors, living rooms decorated in the primary colours and terracotta-tiled kitchens.

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      Eight Milanese interiors with eye-catching material palettes

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      In the lead-up to Milan design week, we have rounded up eight residential and hotel interiors in the Italian city that are united by their use of muted colours and diverse materials.

      As the Salone del Mobile furniture fair is set to kick off next week, alongside its surrounding Fuorisalone events programme, these interiors provide a glimpse into some of the city’s design-led apartments, homes and hotels.
      Among the featured projects in Italy’s industrial capital is a hybrid home and office space in a former dental studio, a home set within a 200-year-old palazzo and a nunnery-turned-hotel.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring accent walls, bookshelves and terracotta tiles.
      Photo is by Carola RipamontiTeorema Milanese, Italy, by Marcante-Testa

      With the exception of removing a partition wall to create an open-plan living and dining area, Italian design studio Marcante-Testa looked to maintain the classic layout of this apartment in a 1960s building on Corso Sempione during its renovation.
      The studio decorated the apartment in muted colours and used pale grey cipollino tirreno marble as a “carpet” across the sitting area. Elsewhere, a pale lemon-hued cabinet functions as a partition while the bathroom is clad in a maroon-streaked salomè marble.
      Find out more about Teorema Milanese ›

      Out of the Blue, Italy, by AIM
      Italian design studio AIM made liberal use of the colour grey when renovating the interior of this 150-square-metre home in Milan. The concealed staircase that forms the centre of the renovation is framed in the distinctive bluey-grey hue.
      And in the dining area, the home’s wooden flooring was decorated with a painted rectangle that aims to visually zone and separate the space from its surroundings. Brass fixtures complement its grey hue, which can also be found across light fixings and ornaments.
      Find out more about Out of the Blue ›
      Photo is by Giovanni Emilio GalanelloPrivate apartment, Italy, by Untitled Architecture
      A cylindrical staircase and metal structural elements are the focal features of this small apartment, designed by local studio Untitled Architecture.
      The apartment has a minimal paired-back aesthetic, with white-painted walls and bleached wood elements contrasted against tiny pops of colour introduced through blue-hued grouting and balustrades.
      Find out more about the private apartment ›
      Photo is by Michele FilippiCPR Apartment, Italy, by +R Piuerre
      Housed in a former dental studio, this hybrid home and office belongs to a young remote-working couple and was designed to combine Milanese modernism with Nordic design.
      Two areas of the apartment were colour-coded according to their function, with the bedroom, office and entryway covered in tones of grey while the living area and kitchen are marked by a bright yellow hue. The spaces are connected by a white-painted staircase constructed from sheets of folded metal.
      Find out more about CPR Apartment ›

      Room Mate Giulia, Italy, by Patricia Urquiola
      Pistachio green was used to colour the dado wall panelling and soft furnishings inside this suite in Milan’s Room Mate Giulia hotel decorated by Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola. Meanwhile, the upper half of the walls and the ceilings are covered in white wallpaper with a geometric grid pattern.
      Industrial materials and furnishings, including a galvanised metal shelving unit, were repurposed as boutique storage solutions and room partitions.
      Find out more about Room Mate Hotels ›

      Casa Salvatori, Italy, by Elissa Ossino Studio
      This home, designed by Milanese architecture practice Elissa Ossino Studio for the head of Italian stone company Salvatori, brings together marble furnishings and flecked terrazzo floors to link the interior with Salvatori’s stone manufacturing history.
      Dulled hues of blue, peach, green and yellow were carried through the interior of the home, which is set within a 200-year-old palazzo in the city’s Brera district.
      Find out more about Casa Salvatori ›
      Photo is by Giovanna SilvaHouse with an iron staircase, Italy, by Roberto Murgia and Valentina Ravara
      An iron staircase with a zig-zagging framework reminiscent of structural trusses was installed along one wall of this apartment in the Isola district, designed by Italian architects Roberto Murgia and Valentina Ravara.
      The floor of the main living space features a geometric design, achieved through the use of hexagonal cement tiles. Each of the tiles is handmade and coloured in shades of light blue and white to provide tonal variation.
      Find out more about House with an iron staircase ›
      Photo is by Alberto StradaThe Sister Hotel, Italy, by Quincoces-Dragò
      Housed in a former 16th-century nunnery in Milan’s city centre, The Sister Hotel features decadent yet eclectic interiors by architecture studio Quincoces-Dragò.
      The studio looked to grandiose private townhouses when designing the interiors, opting for moody shades of navy blue and deep green within the bedrooms. Furnishings introduce brighter colours into the suites, including a velvet-upholstered orange sofa.
      Find out more about The Sister Hotel ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring accent walls, bookshelves and terracotta tiles.

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      Ten living spaces that are punctuated by saturated primary colours

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      Our latest lookbook compiles residential living rooms that have been given an air of playfulness through their use of the three primary colours.

      In design, the primary colours are yellow, blue and red. They usually appear in this context as strong cobalt blues, vivid sunshine yellows and intense fire-engine reds.
      This trio of colours is prevalent throughout design history and can be seen in paintings by Dutch artist Piet Mondrian and suspended mobiles by American sculptor Alexander Calder.
      They are often used when designing products for children due to the visually stimulating nature of their bright, dense hues.
      In interior design, they have a similarly invigorating effect, whether applied directly to structural elements such as walls and columns or found in soft furnishings and accessories.

      They primary colours help to bring energy into living areas both when used in isolation and when appearing in tandem with one another.
      This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring four-poster beds, split-level living areas and colourful bathrooms.
      Photo by Paolo FuscoRetroscena apartment, Italy, by La Macchina Studio
      Vibrant pops of blue, yellow and red are set against a neutral backdrop of white walls and terrazzo stone floors in the living room of this mid-century one-bedroom apartment in Rome.
      The space represents the distilled interior scheme devised by Italian architecture practice La Macchina Studio that characterises the apartment, which is also home to floor-to-ceiling citrus-toned curtains and bright blue doorways.
      Find out more about Retroscena ›
      Photo by José HeviaHouse in Sant Antoni de Vilamajor, Spain, by Arquitectura-G
      A monochromatic red colour scheme dominates both the exterior and interior of this rural house near Barcelona designed by Spanish design studio Arquitectura-G.
      The split-level living space features a rhythm of striking red-painted columns and ceiling-height cupboard doors combined with rosy clay tiles.
      Find out more about House in Sant Antoni de Vilamajor ›
      Photo by Will PryceRed House, UK, by David Kohn Architects
      Red House in Dorset, England, was given its name by David Kohn Architects in reference to its red brick facade, however, splashes of the colour also appear throughout its eclectic interior.
      Primary coloured furnishings – including a blue rug and footstool, red wall hanging and yellow upholstered armchair – are dotted around the living space, offset by white-painted cinderblock walls and warm wooden accents.
      Find out more about Red House ›
      Photo by The Fishy ProjectOut of the Blue, India, by The Act of Quad
      Renovated by Mumbai-based studio The Act of Quad, this apartment in the Indian city of Thane is defined by its consistent use of cobalt blue in an otherwise neutral interior.
      Soothing splashes of the colour appear in pieces of bespoke furniture – including hemispherical and spherical inclusions on light fittings and tables – and line the inside of a wall-mounted drinks cabinet.
      Find out more about Out of the Blue ›
      Photo by Jesper WestblomApartment renovation, Sweden, by Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor
      The full trio of primary colours is used across this apartment in Stockholm by local practice Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor.
      Blue, yellow and red are seen in both full saturation and muted hues on walls, ceilings, soft furnishings and furniture, creating a colourful yet cohesive interior.
      Find out more about apartment renovation ›
      Photo is by José HeviaApartment renovation, Spain, by Arquitectura-G
      Spanish studio Arquitectura-G used a colour palette governed by shades of yellow in its refurbishment of this apartment in Barcelona.
      The living space contains a sunny yellow modular sofa and matching kitchenette, with the spaces united by a backdrop of small golden wall tiles, a honey-coloured wooden floor and white plasterwork.
      Find out more about this apartment renovation ›
      Photo by Johanna LinkFàng Sōng, Germany, by Crossboundaries
      Beijing-based architecture practice Crossboundaries reconfigured the interior of a houseboat moored in Berlin, which features modular furniture and storage solutions all finished in either red or yellow in reference to the Chinese imperial colours.
      An adaptable living area onboard contains a lemon-yellow sofa that folds away to support a double bed, as well as a cantilevered desk integrated into a wall panel that can be stowed away when not in use.
      Find out more about Fàng Sōng ›
      Photo by Yiannis Hadjiaslanis and Point SupremeIlioupoli Apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme
      Graphic primary-coloured details are scattered around this 56-square-metre subterranean apartment in Athens renovated by local architecture studio Point Supreme.
      The rough concrete walls and ceilings of the small living area are contrasted by red items – including a bench and window panes – as well as a trio of deep blue flags suspended in the entryway.
      Find out more about Ilioupoli Apartment ›
      Photo by Mattias HamrénFunction Walls, Sweden, by Lookofsky Architecture
      This apartment in Stockholm, which was renovated by local studio Lookofsky Architecture, is designed around a multifunctional wall that snakes through the interior.
      In the living area, the zesty yellow structure contains a sofa snuggled inside an extruded frame, accompanied by integrated shelving and matching golden upholstery.
      Find out more about Function Walls ›
      Photo by Prue RuscoePolychrome House, Australia, by Amber Road and Lymesmith
      Australian design studio Amber Road worked with colour consultants Lymesmith on this house in suburban Sydney, which is charactertised by its excessive use of colour.
      The aptly named Polychrome House is finished in a kaleidoscopic spectrum of colours, including in its living room where a wall mural of abstract shapes featuring red, blue and yellow is echoed by red and blue seating.
      Find out more about Polychrome House ›
      This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring four-poster beds, split-level living areas and colourful bathrooms.

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      Eight earthy kitchens where terracotta tiles add warmth and tactility

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      For this lookbook, we’ve collated eight kitchens from Dezeen’s archive that use terracotta tiling to bring a sense of warmth into the functional space.

      Terracotta – meaning baked earth in Italian – technically refers to any object made from fired clay. But most commonly, the term is used to describe pottery made from a porous type of earthenware clay that is high in iron oxides, giving it a rusty reddish brown colour.
      Unlike ceramic stoneware or porcelain, terracotta is fired at lower temperatures so it does not vitrify – meaning the clay retains a coarse, organic texture and isn’t waterproof unless it is glazed.
      Used as a backsplash or flooring, this can bring some much-needed colour and texture into the kitchen while helping to create a connection to the outdoors.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring accent walls, bookshelves and sunken baths.

      Photo by Prue RuscoeBudge Over Dover, Australia, by YSG
      Australian studio YSG used narrow terracotta tiles to “draw the outside in” to this house in Sydney, spilling from the floor of the garden patio onto the adjacent kitchen and dining area, which can be opened up to the exterior using sliding glass doors.
      The rough clay is paired with shiny aubergine-coloured plaster and travertine in the sunken living room beyond, creating a contrast between raw and polished surfaces.
      Find out more about Budge Over Dover ›
      Photo by Mariell Lind HansenFarley Farmhouse, UK, by Emil Eve Architects
      When Emil Eve Architects added a gabled kitchen to a farmhouse in Wiltshire, the British studio set out to mirror the material palette of the existing home by adding arrowhead terracotta tiles to the extension’s exterior.
      Inside, matching rectangular tiles were laid in a herringbone pattern on the floor while a row of clay pendant lights hang from the wooden roof beams.
      Find out more about Farley Farmhouse ›
      Photo by Denilson MachadoHygge Studio, Brazil, by Melina Romano
      Terracotta flooring and tan brick walls lend a “rustic charm” to this São Paulo apartment, designed by Brazilian designer Melina Romano.
      The tiles spill out across the entire home including the bedroom and lounge, which is framed by a screen made of decorative perforated cobogó blocks.
      Find out more about Hygge Studio ›
      Photo by José HeviaLas 3 Marías, Spain, by Bajet Giramé and Nicolas Burckhardt
      All-over terracotta flooring was one of the ways that Spanish studio Bajet Giramé found to connect the kitchen of this 1960s holiday home to its generous backyard, alongside the addition of generous arched openings and perforated steel doors.
      “We ended up working on the whole plot, treating both house and garden as a playful matrix of varied interconnected rooms,” the studio told Dezeen.
      Find out more about Las 3 Marías ›
      Photo by Adrià GoulaLa Odette, Spain, CRÜ
      To create a bright, open floor plan inside this apartment in a Barcelona housing block that dates back to 1877, Spanish studio CRÜ tore down most of the internal petition walls
      Instead, the kitchen is now delineated by a statement wall clad in terracotta tiles – left over from the flooring and turned back-to-front to reveal their ribbed underside.
      Find out more about La Odette ›

      West Bend House, Australia, by Brave New Eco
      Three kinds of tiling provide textural interest inside the kitchen of this “forever home” in Melbourne, with sections of rustic terracotta contrasted against a backsplash of teal-glazed ceramics.
      Corrugated tiles were also folded around the pendant light above the island that illuminates the work area, courtesy of Australian lighting brand Southdrawn.
      Find out more about West Bend House ›
      Photo by Conrad BrownComo Taperia, Canada, by Ste Marie
      Both the seating area and the open kitchen of this Spanish tapas bar in Vancouver were lined with terracotta, in a nod to the brick chimneys of Barcelona’s industrial Poble Sec power station.
      Other Catalan references can be found in the restaurant’s cobalt blue accents – informed by the paintings of Joan Miró – and various abstract details that nod to the work of architect Antoni Gaudí.
      Find out more about Como Taperia ›
      Photo by German SáizConde Duque apartment, Spain, by Sierra + De La Higuera
      Different spaces in this open-plan apartment in Madrid were defined by traditional Moroccan zellige tiles, with glossy yellow and green glazes and organic handcrafted surfaces.
      To balance out these flashier surfaces, terracotta was used to ground the kitchen and dining area, paired with plain white walls and custom timber joinery.
      Find out more about Conde Duque apartment ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring accent walls, bookshelves and sunken baths.

      Read more: More