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      Seven conversation pits that bring people and rooms together

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      For our latest lookbook, we’ve put together a roundup of contemporary takes on the classic conversation pit, installed into projects ranging from houses to retail spaces to create places for gathering.

      First rising to popularity in the middle of the 20th century, conversation pits are sunken areas lined with seating that often feature small tables or inventive steps that give access to the space.
      This architectural furniture can come in many shapes and sizes, and many studios are taking unique approaches to the mid-century look, choosing material palettes and forms that better suit contemporary spaces.
      From a stark-white conversation pit for a modelling agency to use as a backdrop, to angular variations that fit into limited spaces for urban renovation projects, these seven projects push the limits of the form.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring member’s clubs, sculptural coffee tables and pull-out furniture.

      Photo by Gilbert McCarragherClay House, UK, by Bureau de Change
      This conversation pit fits the contours of a portion of a house extension in London and features a small set of stairs.
      It has tile floors and a small ledge against the windows with a larger ledge covered in upholstered cushions. The angular pit was designed to reference Victorian boxing rings.
      Find out more about Clay House ›
      Photo by The IngallsMagnum Opus, USA, by Kelly Wearstler and Masastudio
      This rectangular conversation pit was included in the pool house of a sprawling residence in California.
      It sits below a skylight in a black-plaster ceiling and features plush grey cushioning hemmed in by a concrete ledge. Lamps decorate its concrete ledge, while a brass coffee table sits in the middle.
      Find out more about Mangum Opus ›
      Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Alférez, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
      This conversation pit brings a pop of colour to the otherwise stark interior of a brutalist house in a pine forest outside of Mexico City.
      The pit itself is quite shallow and has cushions spread completely around its base, with cylindrical cushions pushed up against the edges.
      Find out more about Casa Alférez ›
      Photo by Sean DavidsonMadhappy, USA, by PlayLab Inc
      Located in a retail space in Los Angeles, this conversation pit sits in front of a display with speakers. Its steps and floor are a continuation of the carpet in the rest of the space.
      Sky-blue couches line the circular space, which has aluminium side tables placed on the inside.
      Find out more about Madhappy ›
      Photo by Sean DavidsonThe Pinky Ring, USA, by Bruno Mars and Yabu Pushelberg
      This cocktail lounge in Las Vegas has a large sunken area in the middle that resembles a massive conversation pit lined with plush green upholstery.
      It creates a separate level from the bar and circulation areas and even has smaller table-and-chair setups spread throughout.
      Find out more about The Pinky Ring ›
      Photo courtesy of Sonn The Plaster House, UK, by Sonn
      Another rear extension to a residence in London, this seating area takes cues from the conversation pit, such as the plush cushions and recessed placement, but has an L-form that wraps around only halfway.
      The primary purpose for the placement was for users of the couch to sit level with the garden and for the windows to let in as much light as possible.
      Find out more about Plaster House ›
      Photo by Salva LópezThe Blow Models office, Spain, by Isern Serra
      This office for a modeling agency in Spain offers not one but two conversation pits, organised on either side of another pit that holds plants.
      The recessed seating has soft, white cushions to match the paint that covers nearly all the interior, and was meant to create interesting landscapes for photoshoots.
      Find out more about the Blow Models office ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring member’s clubs, sculptural coffee tables and pull-out furniture.

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      Eight living rooms decorated with autumnal hints of red and orange

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      As autumn draws near in the northern hemisphere, our latest lookbook showcases different ways to add cosy shades of red and orange to living rooms.

      Lounge chairs, coffee tables, artwork and even window frames are some of the ways the living rooms featured below introduce pops of autumnal colour to the interior.
      Ranging from rich, deep reds to rusty terracottas and burnt oranges, the colours help add a sense of warmth to cosy lounge areas as the temperature in the northern hemisphere cools.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring living rooms with sculptural coffee tables, luxurious members’ club interiors and homes with pull-out furniture.
      Photo by Alice MesguichCollectors Home, the Netherlands, by DAB Studio

      In this 1920s home in Amsterdam, which was renovated by interiors firm DAB Studio, colour and warmth were injected into the living room with a deep red Gubi chaise lounge placed in front of a marbled mahogany feature wall.
      Set in an otherwise neutral-toned room, the chaise lounge sits across from a sculptural coffee table and a Wassily Chair by Bauhaus designer Marcel Breuer.
      Find out more about Collectors Home ›
      Photo courtesy of Note Design StudioHabitat 100, Sweden, by Note Design Studio
      Habitat 100 is a 1920s flat in Stockholm that was overhauled by local firm Note Design Studio with custom-made furniture and mouldings informed by the eaves of the building.
      A sculptural 1940s coffee table by Swedish designer Erik Johansson, made up of black lacquered spheres wedged between two orange-toned mahogany veneer disks, acts as the centrepiece in the living room.
      Find out more about Habitat 100 ›
      Photo by Michael SinclairHelios 710, UK, by Bella Freud and Maria Speake
      Helios 710 is a London apartment located inside the former BBC Television Centre, designed by architect Piercy & Company with interiors by creative duo Bella Freud and Maria Speake.
      The eclecticism of the 1970s informed the designers, who added glossy black sofas with burnt orange seat cushions to the green-carpeted living room.
      Find out more about Helios 710 ›
      Photo by Jack LovelShadow House, Australia, by Grotto Studio
      A rusty red-toned painting hangs on a double-height wall in the neutral living area at Shadow House, an early 1900s cottage in Perth that was refurbished and extended by Australian practice Grotto Studio.
      The practice created an open-plan living, kitchen and dining room in the extension, with light wood panels lining the walls and angular roof.
      Find out more about Shadow House ›
      Photo by Ivan JonesStock Orchard Street, UK, by Sarah Wigglesworth
      Designed by architect Sarah Wigglesworth in 2001 and retrofitted in 2020, Stock Orchard Street is a home in north London with straw-bale insulation and walls made from sandbags, recycled concrete and railways sleepers.
      Window frames were finished in different colours throughout the home. In the living room, red window frames complement rust-toned seating and cushions.
      Find out more about Stock Orchard Street ›
      Photo courtesy of Färg & BlancheThe Baker’s House, Sweden, by Färg & Blanche
      For its exhibition at Stockholm Design Week in 2019, Swedish design studio Färg & Blanche displayed furniture and lighting in an 1889 home that belonged to the family of its co-founder, Julius Westerdahl.
      In the sitting room of the historic home, bright red side tables were placed next to an existing red-brown velvet sofa.
      Find out more about The Baker’s House ›

      Courtyard House, US, by No Architecture
      A faceted glazed garden punctures this home in Oregon’s Willamette Valley wine country, which was designed by New York firm No Architecture.
      The open-plan kitchen, dining room and lounge was arranged around the courtyard, with a large orange rug providing a contrast to the leafy backdrop.
      Find out more about Courtyard House ›
      Photo by Sean DavidsonWest Village apartment, US, by Olivier Garcé
      Interior designer Olivier Garcé transformed his New York home into a showcase of collectible furniture, experimental ceramics, decorative lighting and original artworks by his friends and colleagues.
      In front of the brick fireplace is a coffee table with a pink-glazed lava stone tabletop, a terracotta-toned upholstered chair and a floor lamp with a fire engine red light shade.
      Find out more about West Village apartment ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring living rooms with sculptural coffee tables, luxurious members’ club interiors and homes with pull-out furniture.

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      Eight sumptuous members’ clubs united by luxury interiors

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      A dog-shaped bronze sculpture and pale pink onyx basins feature in our latest lookbook, which collects a selection of lavish members’ clubs from around the world.

      Members’ clubs are private spaces that offer social and other facilities to paying members, typically designed with luxurious touches.
      From a newly opened venue in São Paulo to one of London’s first nightclubs, these eight projects reveal the breadth of visual influences and materials that make up these exclusive spaces.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring giant sofas, statement bathtubs and self-designed homes by architects and designers.
      Top: photo of House of Koko by Lesley Lau. Above: photo by Christopher SturmanSoho House São Paulo, Brazil, by Soho House & Co

      Global members’ club Soho House recently opened its first South American location in São Paulo’s Cidade Matarazzo, a group of early 20th-century Italianate maternity ward buildings.
      The club’s in-house design team looked to Brazilian modernism when creating the interiors, which feature textured plaster walls and locally made artisanal furniture.
      Find out more about Soho House São Paulo ›
      Photo by Ryan WicksGeorge, UK, by Richard Caring
      George is a dog-friendly private members’ club in London’s Mayfair, complete with an oversized sculptural relief of a bronze dachshund.
      Refurbished by restaurateur Richard Caring, the club is characterised by rich decoration, including antique brass and fluted mahogany panels in the basement’s art deco-style Hound Bar.
      Find out more about George ›
      Photo courtesy of Martin Brudnizki Design StudioAnnabel’s, UK, by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio
      Also owned by Caring, Annabel’s is another Mayfair members’ club with a similarly decadent design, crafted to elicit a sense of “fantasy”. The famed venue was one of London’s first nightclubs.
      New York firm Martin Brudnizki Design Studio aimed to reference “English eccentricity” when renovating the interiors, which incorporate baby-pink onyx basins and a handmade silk flower-lined ceiling in one of the bathrooms.
      Find out more about Annabel’s ›
      Photo by Lesley LauHouse of Koko, UK, by Pirajean Lees and Olly Bengough
      London’s iconic Koko music venue reopened in 2022 following a major renovation and expansion by Archer Humphryes Architects.
      Part of the project involved the creation of House of Koko, a “timeless” members’ club designed by local firm Pirajean Lees and Koko’s owner Olly Bengough. The club includes timber-clad vinyl listening rooms with under-seat record storage to give guests the feeling of sitting in a retro train carriage.
      Find out more about House of Koko ›
      Photo by Fabien CharuauSoho House Mumbai, India, by Soho House & Co
      Soho House Mumbai is the members’ club’s first location in India. Former design director Linda Boronkay chose “regional materials and bespoke pieces sourced nearby” when creating the textile-heavy interiors.
      A deep blue cinema features on the first floor, finished with padded walls upholstered in handprinted fabric sourced from the country’s Rajasthan region.
      Find out more about Soho House Mumbai ›
      Photo by Taran WilkhuAllbright London, UK, by Suzy Hoodless and Beth Greenacre
      Women-only members’ club Allbright opened its second-ever outpost in Mayfair, featuring art pieces by exclusively female creatives across its five floors.
      Bathrooms were clad with eclectic coloured wallpaper, including a graphic dragon print finished in shades of pink and purple.
      Find out more about Allbright London ›
      Photo by Clemente VergaraLàlia, Mallorca, by Tatjana von Stein
      Làlia is a private members’ club in Palma, Mallorca. London studio Tatjana von Stein created the interior for the venue, which was restored and renovated in collaboration with local practice Gras Reynès Arquitectos.
      A jewel-toned palette referencing the sunny colours of the Palma region was implemented throughout, including yellow upholstery informed by Mallorcan buildings.
      Find out more about Làlia ›
      Photo by Aubrie PickChief Los Angeles, USA, by JM|A+D, TAP Studio and AvroKO
      New York studio AvroKO designed the interiors for this Hollywood members’ club, which admits “powerful women in business”.
      Set within a former puppet theatre built in the 1940s, Chief Los Angeles is characterised by rich colours and furniture chosen to create a residential feel. The club incorporates many pieces by female artists and designers.
      Find out more about Chief Los Angeles ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring giant sofas, statement bathtubs and self-designed homes by architects and designers.

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      Eight contemporary living rooms with sculptural coffee tables

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      Block-shaped, curved and wavy tables are among the unusual designs in this lookbook, which features sculptural coffee tables from around the world.

      In these homes. from India to Sweden, interior designers have used coffee tables with sculptural shapes to add a fun detail to the living room.
      While the designs may feel a bit quirky, the tables all manage to be practical as well as eye-catching, whether they’re made from glass, stone, wood or steel.
      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 pull-out furniture and dramatic circular openings and skylights.
      Photo by Joe FletcherTwentieth House, US, by Woods + Dangaran

      Floor-to-ceiling windows let light into the living room of this Australian home, which was designed around a decades-old olive tree.
      At its centre, a blocky rectangular coffee table made from polished brown stone complements comfortable lounge chairs in a matching brown hue.
      Find out more about Twentieth House ›
      Photo by Prue RuscoePalm Beach House, Australia, by YSG
      The striking stone coffee tables in this home look like solid blocks at first glance, giving them a monolithic effect that grounds the living room.
      Their marble patterning in beige and pinkish shades fit well into the room’s overall colour palette of faded rose and beige hues.
      Find out more about Palm Beach House ›
      Photo by Alice MesguichAmsterdam School house, the Netherlands, by DAB Studio
      The interior of this Dutch house was designed to reference the country’s Amsterdam School movement from the 1920s and 30s but with added contemporary touches.
      Among its many playful details is a sculptural coffee table made from glass that balances on a triangle and a rectangular block, its geometric shapes a nod to the many other angular furniture pieces in the room.
      Find out more about Amsterdam School house ›
      Photo by Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenForest Retreat, Sweden, by Norm Architects
      Copenhagen studio Norm Architects used peaceful colours and tactile materials for the interior of this holiday home in Sweden.
      Its furniture is similarly pared back, including a low-slung wooden coffee table with a decorative grainy surface that appears to float above the floor.
      Find out more about Forest Retreat ›
      Photo by David DworkindQuébec home, Canada, by Ménard Dworkind
      A steel table with an angular geometric shape adds a sleek, polished feel to the cosy rug and cushioned white sofa in the living room of this home designed by local studio Ménard Dworkind.
      The table’s steel top rests on stone blocks, creating a surprising material juxtaposition in the calm living space.
      Find out more about the Québec home ›
      Photo by Maarten WillemsteinHome Dijkhuis, the Netherlands, by Studio Modijefsky
      Named Dijkhuis for its setting next to a dyke in Amsterdam, this traditional home was designed by interior studio Studio Modijefsky.
      In its living room, a corduroy sofa in a muted forest green colour and a leather armchair provide seating around a vintage clover-shaped coffee table made from travertine and wood.
      Find out more about the Dijkhuis ›
      Photo by Ishita SitwalaMumbai apartment, India, by The Act of Quad
      This multigenerational Mumbai apartment, which even has its own temple, features orbs and circles throughout its interior, including in the living room.
      Here, a sculptural coffee table and bench are among the custom-made furniture pieces by Indian studio The Act of Quad. The table was designed to match the bench, with alternating brown and wood colour combinations.
      Find out more about the Mumbai apartment ›
      Photo by David MitchellTribeca loft, US, by Timothy Godbold
      New York interior designer Timothy Godbold created panels inspired by “a classic 1970s sci-fi series,” for this Tribeca loft, the studio said. Its living room features a pale rug with a pattern resembling a computer circuit board.
      Sofas with circular details add to the space-age feel, while an oblong-shaped coffee table with its own built-in plant pot contributes some greenery to the pale interior.
      Find out more about the Tribeca loft ›
      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 pull-out furniture and dramatic circular openings and skylights.

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      Eight homes where pull-out furniture creates flexible interiors

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      Folding desks, hide-away dining tables and Murphy beds are the focus of our latest lookbook, exploring homes where pull-out furniture allows rooms to be used in multiple ways.

      In houses and apartments with limited space, fold-out or wheel-out furniture offers a clever space-saving solution.
      The Murphy bed, which incorporates a hinge that allows it to be stored vertically against a wall when not in use, is one of the most widespread examples.
      Architects and interior designers have also found similar ways of creating occasional dining tables and desks, using hinges or castors to make the furniture easy to move.
      Below, we’ve picked out eight examples including a guesthouse in California, a compact Hong Kong apartment and a home inside London’s Barbican estate.

      For more visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive, discover more lookbooks. Other recent examples explore wooden kitchens, statement bathtubs and nightclub interiors.
      Photo by French + TyeRoom For One More, UK, by Studio Ben Allen
      An adaptable joinery unit creates a work-from-home space and a children’s bedroom in this renovation of a flat in London’s brutalist Barbican estate by local firm Studio Ben Allen.
      The floor-to-ceiling unit creates a new partition wall through the middle of the home. On one side is a red fold-out desk and on the other a bunk bed with a pull-out armchair slotted underneath.
      Find out more about Room For One More ›
      Photo courtesy of Peter KostelovUptown Transformer Apartment, USA, by Peter Kostelov
      Pull-out furniture allows this New York apartment, designed by Russian architect Peter Kostelov, to more easily accommodate guests.
      The living room transforms into a dining space thanks to a table on wheels, which slots into a niche behind the kitchen units, while a slide-out bed allows a study to become a guest bedroom.
      Find out more about Uptown Transformer Apartment ›
      Photo by Tom BirdPoirot’s Bijou Apartment, UK, by Intervention Architecture
      Having previously created an adaptable apartment for a ballet dancer, Birmingham-based Intervention Architecture explored more pull-out solutions in this 24-square-metre London flat.
      A sofa on castors doubles as the support for a fold-down bed, while a collapsible dining table can be stored in the walls when not in use. There is also a study nook featuring a drawing board that can be raised and adjusted.
      Find out more about Poirot’s Bijou Apartment ›
      Photo courtesy of Sim-Plex Design StudioPet’s Playground, Hong Kong, by Sim-Plex Design Studio
      The layout of this compact Hong Kong apartment was designed to allow the owners to keep their two pets – a parrot and a cat – away from one another.
      This prompted local practice Sim-Plex Design Studio to design flexible furniture including a dining table that slides out from the kitchen cabinets.
      Find out more about Pet’s Playground ›
      Photo by Ithai SchoriDutchess County Studio, USA, by GRT Architects
      A Murphy bed allows a living room to become a bedroom in this studio-style home in New York’s Dutchess County, designed by Brooklyn firm GRT Architects.
      Stored away, the bed looks just like the wooden cabinets that span the rest of the wall. When folded down, shelves and lamps are revealed behind.
      Find out more about Dutchess County Studio ›
      Photo courtesy of YLAB Arquitectos BarcelonaArgentona Apartment, Spain, by YLAB Arquitectos
      Storage walls provide multiple uses in this renovated Barcelona apartment, designed by Spanish studio YLAB Arquitectos as the holiday home for a Norwegian couple.
      As well as allowing kitchen areas to be hidden away, the walls include pocket doors that create room partitions and fold-down surfaces that can serve as desks or dressing tables.
      Find out more about Argentona Apartment ›
      Photo by JAG StudioDoméstico, Ecuador, by Juan Alberto Andrade and María José Váscones
      A bed and a table are provided by one piece of fold-down furniture in this 27.5-square-metre apartment in the Safdie Architects-designed Qorner building in Quito.
      Keen to make the most of space, architects Juan Alberto Andrade and María José Váscones designed a Murphy bed that slots into a wall recess. The bed’s underside integrates a fold-down surface that can function as a desk or a dining table.
      Find out more about Doméstico ›
      Photo by Bruce DamonteCrest Guesthouse, USA, by Mork-Ulnes Architects
      California studio Mork-Ulnes Architects designed two flexible pieces of furniture for this 38-square-metre guesthouse in the mountains of Marin County.
      One is a bed that folds out from a wall, while the other is a kitchen island that can be wheeled into different positions.
      Find out more about Crest Guesthouse ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring wooden kitchens, statement bathtubs and nightclub interiors.

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      Eight homes punctuated by dramatic circular openings

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      For our latest lookbook, we’ve gathered eight home interiors and exteriors that are crowned by circular openings and skylights.

      While often used to draw daylight into interior spaces, openings may also provide unexpected visual connections between a home’s spaces or – as shown in a project below – offer a structural frame through which trees can grow.
      Breaking free from the often rectilinear layout of a home, circular openings can add a sense of intrigue to an interior, while also casting dramatic rounded shadows across a space.
      Included among this list of projects is a holiday home in Tulum where a round window provides views of a swimming pool above and a series of homes in Puerto Escondido featuring circular openings cut into their slanted concrete roofs.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring interiors that are stepped up by the addition of ladders, eclectic self-designed homes by architects and designers and living rooms characterised by bold statement rugs.

      Photo courtesy of 2305studioPink House, Vietnam, by 23o5studio
      Pink pebble-wash walls, geometric openings and planted patios define this home in Long Xuyen, Vietnam, by 2305studio.
      A large circular opening filters light over the ground-floor swimming pool and is topped with a planted balcony.
      Find out more about Pink House ›
      Photo by Asita YuliaJae Haala, Indonesia, by Wiyoga Nurdiansyah Architects
      This holiday home designed by Wiyoga Nurdiansyah Architects in a forested valley in Indonesia features an angular form made from dark-coloured concrete.
      The home’s living space is a covered garden, which is filled with plants and topped with a circular void that draws in natural light.
      Find out more about Jae Haala ›
      Photo by Rory GardinerPuerto Escondido, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
      Architect Ludwig Godefroy cut circular openings into the slanted, concrete ceilings of a series of homes in Puerto Escondido.
      The openings create cave-like interiors with partially exposed pools and gardens that remain open to the elements throughout the year.
      Find out more about Puerto Escondido ›
      Photo by César BéjarVilla Cava, Mexico, by Espacio 18 Arquitectura
      A circular window reveals views of an above swimming pool within this holiday home designed by Espacio 18 Arquitectura.
      Located in Tulum, the concrete Villa Cava draws on brutalist architecture and is encased by the area’s surrounding greenery.
      Find out more about Villa Cava ›
      Photo by AndreaswidiHalo House, Indonesia, by Tamara Wibowo Architects
      Local studio Tamara Wibowo Architects integrated a series of circular voids and skylights into this home in Semarang, Indonesia.
      Large cutouts in the home’s flat concrete roof provide spaces for trees to grow through the structure, while thinner circular skylights provide lighting on the interior.
      Find out more about Halo House ›
      Photo by Adam RouseRound House, US, by Feldman Architecture
      American firm Feldman Architecture took a respectful approach while overhauling this 1960s circular house perched on a hillside near Silicon Valley.
      Modifications made to the floor plan included replacing an internal courtyard with a circular kitchen, which is lit by a round skylight above.
      Find out more about Round House ›
      Photo by David ZarzosoLa Casa de los Olivos, Spain, by Balzar Arquitectos
      Red-hued lime mortar coats La Casa de los Olivos, which Spanish studio Balzar Arquitectos added to an olive grove in Valencia, Spain.
      The home’s living area connects to a porch, which is sheltered by an overhang punctuated by a circular skylight.
      Find out more about La Casa de los Olivos ›
      Photo by Olmo PeetersSofie, Belgium, by Madam Architectuur
      A green-tiled extension built on a green-hued concrete base was added to this home renovation in Dilbeek, Belgium.
      Completed by Madam Architectuur, the extension is complemented by an external terrace, which is sheltered by a roof with a circular opening.
      Find out more about Sofie ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring interiors that are stepped up by the addition of ladders, eclectic self-designed homes by architects and designers and living rooms characterised by bold statement rugs..

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      Eight interiors that are stepped up by the addition of ladders

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      Our latest lookbook focuses on kitchens and living rooms that are elevated by their inclusion of ladders.

      In contemporary interior design, ladders can be specified as an alternative to staircases due to their space-efficient nature, their ability to be moved to access different areas and the sense of playfulness they foster.
      Old ladders also have a place in modern interiors – their statuesque nature occasionally sees them used as a sculptural focal point or accessory in interior styling.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with unique red-and-green colour schemes and bathrooms with striking and distinctive bathtubs.
      The photo is by Kate GlicksbergWarren Street Townhouse, USA, by Studio Vural

      Mounted flush against a whitewashed brick wall, this wooden ladder features in the Japanese-informed kitchen of a townhouse in New York’s Brooklyn neighbourhood, designed by local firm Studio Vural.
      The design of the interior scheme references the city of Kyoto in Japan, as requested by the owners, following a visit they made to the area in 2009.
      Find out more about Warren Street Townhouse ›
      The photo is by Alice MesguichCollectors Home, The Netherlands, by DAB Studio
      Interior design firm DAB Studio used this house’s bay window as a niche to display this green-painted fruit ladder, dating from the year 1890.
      It was rendered in the striking colour specifically for the project, in reference to the green panes of stained glass that surround it.
      Find out more about Collectors Home ›
      The photo is by Dave WattsKensal Rise house, UK, by The Mint List
      An Edwardian end-of-terrace house was renovated by interior design studio The Mint List with various mid-century modern design elements.
      High-up cupboards are reached via a ladder in the kitchen, which slides side-to-side to access different cabinets.
      Find out more about Kensal Rise house ›
      The photo is by BCDF studioTimbaud apartment, France, by Isabelle Heilmanne
      Interior designer Isabelle Heilmann propped a wooden ladder against a mezzanine level in this Parisian apartment, situated inside a former textile workshop.
      An old wooden dining table and chairs echo the materiality of the ladder, and a swing installed in the living room is another playground-esque furnishing in the apartment.
      Find out more about Timbaud apartment ›
      The photo is courtesy of JRKVCThe Lake House, Slovakia, by JRKVC
      In order to make efficient use of its 65-square-metre footprint, Slovakian studio JRKVC created mezzanine areas above enclosed cabin rooms in this lakeside house.
      A pair of light wooden ladders create access to the areas above the rooms, which function as bedrooms and a bathroom. They are painted green on one end of the space and clad in ridged brown tiles at the other.
      Find out more about The Lake House ›
      The photo is by Seth CaplanDumbo Loft, USA, by Crystal Sinclair
      Located in New York’s Dumbo neighbourhood, Crystal Sinclair Designs overhauled this loft apartment to include a mezzanine level housing a miniature library and seating area.
      It is accessed via a metal-and-wooden ladder that ascends through an arch-shaped cut-out in the floor, saving space by positioning the ladder directly beneath it.
      Find out more about Dumbo Loft ›
      The photo is by Cristobal PalmaPunta Chilen, Chile, by Guillermo Acuña Arquitectos Asociados
      Two rows of open shelving flank this kitchen in a Chilean beach house, and a pair of ladders on castor wheels provide access to even the highest shelves.
      All surfaces are made from pine timber, creating a warm interior in contrast to the sea visible from all of the windows.
      Find out more about Punta Chilen ›
      The photo is by Diana ArnauCasa Texcal, Mexico, by HGR Arquitectos
      A double-height bookcase with a platform halfway up it is the focal point of the living space in this Mexican home by local studio HGR Arquitectos.
      The platform is secured by black railings around its perimeter and is accessed by a matching ladder also featuring black metal handrails for safety.
      Find out more about Casa Texcal ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with unique red-and-green colour schemes and bathrooms with striking and distinctive bathtubs.

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      Eight eclectic self-designed homes by architects and designers

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      Our latest lookbook collects eight dwellings that were self-designed by architects and designers including Mexico-based Ludwig Godefroy and London studio Holloway Li.

      From a modernist-style house in South Africa to an American family residence characterised by a large interior crane, there are a range of materials and floor plans offered by each of these homes.
      The properties demonstrate the myriad ways architects and designers apply their knowledge to their own living spaces and push the boundaries of what is possible outside of client constraints.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring wooden kitchens, statement bathtubs and paper lamps.
      Photo by HANAAtwater House, USA, by Rebecca Rudolph and Colin Thompson

      Co-founder of Design, Bitches Rebecca Rudolph and her husband Colin Thompson of Gensler designed their own home in Atwater Village, Los Angeles.
      In the kitchen, the pair combined a polished marble splashback with a central stone island clad in bespoke concrete panels made by Thompson.
      Find out more about Atwater House ›
      Photo by Frances MaraisMossel Bay house, South Africa, by Yvette van Zyl
      Modernist and nautical influences come together at this three-bedroom home in Mossel Bay, South Africa, designed and owned by local architect Yvette van Zyl.
      Porthole-style windows illuminate the interior, which features a mixture of concrete ceilings and floors and walls of exposed or painted brick.
      Find out more about this Mossel Bay house ›
      Photo by Jim StephensonPeckham House, UK, by Surman Weston
      Peckham House is a self-designed and self-build project by architecture studio Surman Weston, where co-director Percy Weston currently lives with his family.
      Hit-and-miss brickwork clads the home’s striking facade, while lime plaster lines the walls inside. End-grain woodblocks, salvaged from offcuts of the ceiling’s wooden structure, were also used to create chunky flooring.
      Find out more about Peckham House ›
      Photo by Edmund DabneyLondon apartment, UK, by Holloway Li
      Local design studio Holloway Li sought to honour the utilitarian kitchens of London’s many fast food outlets when creating a “unique” circle-brushed steel kitchen for this Highbury apartment.
      Inhabited by studio co-founder Alex Holloway, the apartment features pops of colour in its resin dining table and chubby orange armchair. A bathtub was also placed in the open-plan living space, adding to the home’s unusual design.
      Find out more about this London apartment ›
      Photo by Edmund SumnerCasa SanJe, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
      Known for his brutalist-style buildings, architect Ludwig Godefroy and his partner renovated this house and home studio in Mexico for himself and his family.
      Integrated with an adjacent garden, Casa SanJe is characterised by a caste concrete interior with a mixture of warm wood panels and a wall covered in reddish volcanic stone.
      Find out more about Casa SanJe ›
      Photo by Jim StephensonBrighton house, UK, by Studiotwentysix
      Isabella and Dan Gray of architecture office Studiotwentysix created a birch plywood-lined loft extension for their family house in Brighton, England.
      Containing 55 square metres of additional living spaces, the loft includes an exposed red-oxide steel structure and is punctuated by geometric skylights.
      Find out more about this Brighton house ›
      Photo by Benny ChanJArzm House, USA, by John Friedman Alice Kimm Architects
      The founders of John Friedman Alice Kimm Architects inserted a giant yellow construction crane into the kitchen of their Los Angeles family home in the city’s Silver Lake neighbourhood.
      “Designing our own house was great because we didn’t have to ask permission,” John Friedman told Dezeen, explaining the unusual move. “We could do whatever we want.”
      Find out more about JArzm House ›
      Photo by Lorenzo ZandriOasis, UK, by Unknown Works
      Oasis is the home of architecture studio Unknown Works’ co-founder Theo Games Petrohilos, who wanted to renovate a terraced London house by adding a side and rear extension to create a flexible interior and maximise natural light.
      The studio placed a petite internal courtyard at the centre of the plan, which was informed by traditional Japanese stone gardens that provide cross ventilation throughout homes.
      Find out more about Oasis ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring wooden kitchens, statement bathtubs and paper lamps.

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