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      Ten well-organised bedrooms with clever storage solutions

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      For our latest lookbook, we have rounded up 10 bedrooms from the Dezeen archive that make use of smart storage solutions, including custom-made headboards and floor-to-ceiling wall units.

      From basement one-bedroom apartments that use bookshelves as room partitions, to a plywood insertion in a children’s bedroom that combines work, play and sleep, these interiors all feature clever storage.
      Small cupboards inserted into headboards, below stairs and even within bed frames are also used to provide discreet additions to traditional storage units.
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing interiors by Ukranian designers, coastal hotel interiors and self-designed homes by architects and designers.
      Photo is by Yiannis Hadjiaslanis and Point SupremeAthens apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme

      Greek architecture firm Point Supreme transformed a basement storage space in a suburban neighbourhood in Athens into a one-bedroom home.
      The 56-square-metre sunken space only receives light from above on one side. In order to make the space to feel as bright and big as possible, Point Supreme used curtains, sliding doors and open shelving units as wall partitions.
      The studio also added smart shelving below the ceiling of the bedroom, making full use of the height of the room.
      Find out more about Athens apartment ›
      Photo is by French+TyeTwo and a Half Storey House, UK, by Bradley Van Der Straeten
      Bradley Van Der Straecten Architects added a half-storey extension to this home in London’s Stoke Newington.
      The studio lined the interior of the extension in plywood and incorporated built-in wardrobes, bookshelves and a platform bed frame to maximise the space in this children’s bedroom.
      Find out more about Two and a Half Storey House ›
      Photo is by Draper WhiteGammel Dam, US, by CCY Architects
      This holiday home in Colorado by CCY Architects features floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the hilly terrain.
      The interiors are lined in pale wood and include clever storage solutions throughout. Wooden cupboards were built into the bed frames to maximise the use of the space, while keeping the minimalist feel of the interior.
      Find out more about Gammel Dam ›
      Photo is by Rafael SoldiWhidbey Dogtrot, US, by SHED
      Named after its location on Whidbey Island, which is just north of Seattle, this single-storey home was designed by American firm SHED for a couple that is soon to retire.
      In the bedroom, a large reading nook, fitted with rows of shelving, opens to the sleeping area and offers views across the serene landscape. Fixtures and architectural elements were painted black and provide a striking contrast against the white walls.
      Find out more about Whidbey Dogtrot ›
      Photo is by Ståle Eriksen.London apartment, UK, by Jonathan Tuckey Design
      Architecture studio Jonathan Tuckey Design overhauled this Marylebone apartment in London, adding pastel storage walls that curve and dip between each room.
      Instead of standard shelving, the studio opted to use built-in furniture throughout the space in the form of MDF storage walls.
      The primary bedroom was divided in two by storage walls to house a walk-in closet and sleeping area, which is now accessed through a pistachio-hued arch.
      Find out more about London apartment ›
      Photo is by Michael SinclairA Room for Two, UK, by Studio Ben Allen
      Studio Ben Allen built a wooden structure inside a London flat to create a shared bedroom for two children.
      The structure, which was constructed using pale birch plywood, features arched openings, steps fitted with shelving beneath, a fold-down desk and a desk-cum-platform.
      The plywood insertion provides the children with a place for sleep, work and play, without compromising on tidy storage.
      Find out more about A Room for Two ›
      Photo is by Shannon McGrathCentral Park Road Residence, Australia, by Studio Four
      Australian practice Studio Four used dark surfaces and large storage volumes throughout this Melbourne family home.
      In the primary bedroom, a full-height storage unit doubles as a headboard and includes a horizontal opening that serves as a shelf for a single row of books.
      The dark-painted volume, which was placed in the centre of the room, conceals a walk-in wardrobe as well as an ensuite bathroom.
      Find out more about Central Park Road Residence ›

      Smolenka Apartment, Russia, by Peter Kostelov
      Russian architect Peter Kostelov renovated this apartment in Moscow, adding a raised living room in a wooden capsule as well as built-in furniture units.
      The bedroom was finished in oak and divided into sections that have smooth, rounded passages between the ceiling, floor and walls forming shelves, closets and a bed. A television was neatly tucked into the wall unit opposite the bed.
      Find out more about Smolenka Apartment ›
      Photo is by Lisbeth GrosmannFlinders Lane Apartment, Australia, by Clare Cousins
      Clare Cousins Architects inserted a timber box and mezzanine platform into this one-bedroom apartment in Melbourne to create three additional sleeping areas.
      The 75-square-metre flat includes a hoop-pine plywood volume that houses two small bedrooms – each the length of a bed.
      Inside the volume, recesses in the walls form shallow shelves for small items, while hooks are spread across the panels for hanging clothes and personal items.
      Find out more about Flinders Lane Apartment ›
      Photo is by João Morgado.Musico Iturbi, Spain, by Roberto Di Donato
      London-practice Robert Di Donato used a large pair of wooden storage units in this Valencian apartment to complement the aged and weathered interiors.
      One wooden unit divides the bedroom from the main living area and extends to the full height of the space. It features sliding doors that can be closed to provide the sleeping area with complete privacy.
      Find out more about Musico Iturbi ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing modernist living rooms, interiors by Ukranian designers and homes designed by architects and designers.

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      Ten escapist holiday homes with peaceful interiors

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      Cavernous summer houses in Santorini, a minimalist Canadian ski chalet and a Cape Town clifftop dwelling are among the tranquil holiday homes we have collected for our latest lookbook.

      Holiday houses are designed to provide a relaxing getaway and often located in remote settings, such as peaceful countryside villages or coastal locations.
      These 10 examples highlight how designers have tried to reflect the relaxing nature of the homes’ locations within their interiors, incorporating details such as retractable walls that flood sunlight into living spaces and soothing Japandi-style furniture.
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing retro eateries, modernist living rooms and decorative parquet wooden flooring.

      Naia I and Naia II, Costa Rica, by Studio Saxe

      Architecture firm Studio Saxe designed a pair of beach houses in Costa Rica with rustic wooden screens and overhanging roofs, which intend to integrate the surrounding jungle into the homes’ interiors.
      Called Naia I and Naia II, the latter house features a double-height living space that is left mostly open to the elements, except for a minimal kitchen tucked within a geometric alcove.
      Find out more about Naia I and Naia II ›

      Falcon House, UK, by Koto
      British studio and prefab specialists Koto created this black timber-clad Cotswolds holiday home formed from twisted and stacked volumes that result in cantilevering canopies.
      Falcon House’s upper storey is a single, open space with a wood-burning stove in one corner, which also includes a delicate, olive-green sofa framed by exposed cross-laminated timber walls that integrate the home with its peaceful outside views.
      Find out more about Falcon House ›

      Bundeena House, Australia, by Tribe Studio Architects 
      Retractable walls were inserted into this New South Wales weekend beach retreat to connect its U-shaped rectilinear volumes with the outdoors.
      The founder of Tribe Studio Architects took cues from the area’s modernist fisherman cottages when designing Bundeena House for herself, using “durable and honest” finishes.
      Open-plan interiors include a mixture of materials, such as structural plywood and statement colourful chairs. Concrete flooring was purposefully left unpolished to allow for post-beach wet and sandy footprints.
      Find out more about Bundeena House ›

      La Fraternelle, Canada, by Atelier Pierre Thibault
      La Fraternelle – or The Brotherly – was designed by Quebec City-based Atelier Pierre Thibault as a shared weekend house for two brothers in Charlevoix, a popular Canadian ski destination.
      The architecture firm chose a palette of minimalist, built-in or custom furniture, which was subtly inserted into the project in order to draw more attention to the surrounding landscape than the interiors.
      “The large glazed openings and restrained interior furnishings facilitate contemplation,” explained Atelier Pierre Thibault.
      Find out more about La Fraternelle ›

      Summer houses, Greece, by Kapsimalis Architects
      Two underground caves of an old property in Santorini were converted into summer houses by smoothing out and finishing their interiors in earthy tones that contrast with the houses’ bright white facades.
      Kapsimalis Architects added elegant furniture made by local craftsmen to the cavernous rooms, which also feature minimalist light fittings and built-in storage framed by vaulted ceilings and arched doorways.
      Find out more about these summer houses ›

      La Extraviada, Mexico, by Em-Estudio
      Mexico City-based firm Em-Estudio chose “materials thought of as elements that blend with the mountain” for La Extraviada, a holiday home made up of volumes that perch on a steep hillside in Oaxaca.
      Inside, a dining and living space designed by Gala Sánchez-Renero is flanked by sliding doors that open out onto a patio, while black rattan pendant lights are suspended over a low-slung wooden dining table.
      Find out more about La Extraviada ›

      Bowen Island House, Canada, by Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects + Designers
      Described as a “contemporary cabin in the woods” by Vancouver studio Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects, Bowen Island House is a black-stained cedar and glass holiday home in British Columbia.
      Hemlock wooden floors match the ceilings, which frame open-plan living spaces with floor-to-ceiling windows that are designed to allow the dwelling to recede into the surrounding rainforest.
      “The house is made from a palette of local materials primarily, all chosen for their inherent beauty, toughness and refinement,” said project leader Steve McFarlane.
      Find out more about Bowen Island House ›

      Archipelago House, Sweden, by Norm Architects
      Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetics blend together in Archipelago House on the coast of Sweden, an interior trend known as Japandi design.
      Danish studio Norm Architects and Japanese brand Karimoku Case Study dressed the home’s double-height lounge with minimal furniture that adheres to the style, including a pebble-grey sofa, curvy cream armchairs and a muted stone-topped coffee table.
      Find out more about Archipelago House ›

      Rural House, Portugal, by HBG Architects
      A staircase with steps that double as a bench, table and fireplace takes centre stage in a converted granite community oven turned into a holiday home in Portugal, which is located in the village of Aldeia de João Pires.
      Inside, HBG Architects left the dwelling’s granite walls exposed to maintain the house’s history and contrast with the space’s more contemporary interiors. The home is defined by a material palette of concrete and timber and was described by the studio as “loft-like”.
      Find out more about Rural House ›

      Icaria House, South Africa, by Antonio Zaninovic Architecture Studio and Tara Bean
      Icaria House is a four-storey holiday home on a clifftop in Cape Town, which was renovated by local office Antonio Zaninovic Architecture Studio and interior designer Tara Bean.
      Originally built in the 1960s, the house’s interiors fuse eclectic elements such as a red Berber rug from Morocco with soothing white walls and large windows that provide views of the surrounding sea.
      Find out more about Icaria House ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing coastal hotel rooms, kitchen extensions and homes centred around interior courtyards.

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      Ten homes with decorative parquet wooden flooring

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      Our latest lookbook highlights 10 homes with decorative parquet flooring including a Victorian terraced home and 1930s apartment feature in Portugal.

      Parquet flooring is a traditional style of hardwood flooring, that is used to create decorative and mosaic-like patterns in homes and interior settings.
      The decorative hardwood flooring is made from short wooden battens that are slotted and placed together in often intricate, geometric and mosaic arrangements.
      Parquet flooring rose in popularity during the 1600s as it became a favoured option with European aristocracy, offering an alternative to decorative marble floors that required less maintenance.
      It can be installed in a number of different patterns including, herringbone, Versailles, chevron and chantilly.

      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing cavernous interiors, bright-white kitchens and self-designed homes by architects and designers.

      1930s apartment, Portugal, by Aboim Inglez Arquitectos
      Portuguese studio Aboim Inglez Arquitectos incorporated parquet flooring, stone surfaces and a bright sunroom in its update to a 1930s apartment in Lisbon (above and top).
      Hardwood, parquet flooring uncovered during the renovation was restored across the home. The floor is comprised of blocks of different tones which are arranged to create a checkerboard-style pattern that is framed by strips of light wood.
      Find out more about the 1930s apartment ›

      Apartment Basta, Russia, by Blockstudio
      A mixture of different textures, materials and time periods were all combined within this Moscow apartment by Blockstudio, which aimed to recreate the look of a Parisian apartment.
      To create a lived-in feel within the new-build structure, reclaimed-oak parquet flooring sourced from Italy was used throughout the living and dining room.
      Find out more about Apartment Basta ›

      Charred House, UK, by Rider Stirland Architects
      Rider Stirland Architects remodelled this Victorian terraced home in south London and added an extension clad in blackened wood to the rear.
      To juxtapose with the extension’s charred exterior, materials were chosen to provide the interior with warmth. Parquet flooring stretches across the home and was paired with bespoke joinery.
      Find out more about Charred House ›

      Leith apartment, UK, by Luke McClelland
      Scottish architect Luke McCellard renovated the interior of this Georgian apartment in Edinburgh, creating a bright, light and contemporary home for a formerly dark space.
      McClelland blanketed the floors of the 19th-century apartment in warm oak parquet flooring which was arranged in a herringbone pattern. The wood complements the stark white walls throughout the property.
      Find out more about Leith apartment ›

      Victorian terraced house, UK, by Matthew Giles Architects
      This Victorian terraced home in Wandsworth, London, was updated and extended by Matthew Giles Architects.
      On the ground floor, parquet flooring in a herringbone pattern was designed to draw the eye from the entrance through to the garden at the rear beyond the newly added dropped-level kitchen diner.
      Find out more about the Victorian terraced house ›

      Hatfield House, UK, by Archmongers
      Located on the iconic Golden Lane Estate in London, local studio Archmongers renovated the duplex flat using bold colours that aimed to complement the home’s modernist look.
      The studio uncovered parquet flooring which was restored and made a focal feature of the home.
      Find out more about Hatfield House ›

      Portland Residence, Canada, by Atelier Barda
      Black furniture and fixtures sit on top of the chevron-patterned oak parquet flooring in this Montreal home by Canadian architecture studio Atelier Barda.
      The studio added a rear extension to the existing stone house and reconfigured the floor plan to create open-plan living areas and a better flow between spaces. The home’s original rounded walls and mouldings were preserved and highlighted by the oak flooring beneath.
      Find out more about Portland Residence ›

      Dutch townhouse, The Netherlands, by Antonia Reif
      This early 20th-century townhouse in The Hague was renovated by Dutch architect Antonia Reif. The home was previously divided into two apartments which the architect reversed to reconnect the building’s four floors.
      Reif fitted the interior with herringbone-patterned oak flooring to create continuity between the home’s different spaces.
      Find out more about Dutch townhouse ›

      Apartment Vilnius, Lithuania, by Kristina Lastauskaitė-Pundė
      Original features at this apartment in Vilnius were spotlighted and paired with grey-painted joinery and brass accents.
      The overhaul was completed by interior designer Kristina Lastauskaitė-Pundė who wanted to give the home a contemporary update that still spotlighted its historic and original features. Muted chevron flooring spans the interior of the apartment to visually connect its different rooms.
      Find out more about Apartment Vilnius ›

      1970s apartment, Portugal, by Aurora Arquitectos
      Wooden panelling lines the walls and ceiling of areas of this apartment in Lisbon which was refurbished by Aurora Arquitectos.
      The home was defined by its use of wood seen through its vast pale herringbone-patterned parquet flooring and blonde panelling that frames skylights across the ceiling. Wood and marble were arranged in a herringbone pattern to define the apartment’s different zones and spaces.
      Find out more about the 1970s apartment ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing cavernous interiors, bright-white kitchens, and self-designed homes by architects and designers.

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      Ten coastal hotel rooms with calming sea views

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      For our latest lookbook, we have rounded up 10 hotel rooms and holiday homes on the coast that provide unspoiled views of the surrounding seas and oceans.

      From beachside retreats in Tulum to guesthouses dotted along rugged patches of Icelandic shoreline, these hotel rooms are designed to make the most of their coastal locations.
      As well as offering a contemplative place to watch calming waves, many show how ocean or sandy hues can be incorporated into an interior space and how water can act as a source of inspiration.
      This is the latest in our series of Dezeen Lookbooks series providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing homes with terrazzo floors, retro eateries and kitchens with bright white interiors.
      Photo is by Francisco NogueiraBarefoot Luxury, Cape Verde, by Polo Architects and Going East

      Belgian studio Polo Architects and Going East matched bumpy stone walls with sandy-hued interiors to embed this cluster of guest villas within Cape Verde’s jagged terrain.
      Drawing on the textures and tones of the surrounding landscape, the studios filled the hotel with shades of brown, ochre, red while floor-to-ceiling glass doors provide views onto the deep blue Atlantic ocean on right on its doorstep.
      Find out more about  Barefoot Luxury ›
      Photo is by Thibaut DiniCasa Santa Teresa, Corsica, by Amelia Tavella Architects
      French studio Amelia Tavella Architects transformed a ruined Corsica residence into a breezy home for holiday-makers by using simple, comfortable furnishings.
      An outdoor terrace that runs along the outside of its bedrooms has unspoiled vistas of the Route des Sanguinaires on the Gulf of Ajaccio – a rugged strip of coastline dotted with villas and upscale hotels.
      Find out more about Casa Santa Teresa ›
      Photo is by Read McKendreeMarram Hotel, US, by Bridgeton and Studio Tack
      The 96 rooms in this Montauk hotel overlook a freshwater pool and, a little further in the distance, the Atlantic Ocean and New York’s Long Island can be spotted.
      Hospitality company Bridgeton and Studio Tack chose interiors and materials that evoke the wild grass and sandy dunes that the building sits atop.
      Find out more about Marram Hotel ›
      Photo is by Nick SimoniteHotel San Cristóbel, Mexico, by Lake Flato
      Whitewashed walls give this Mexican hotel a bright and airy feel that matches its sunny beachside location as well as providing the backdrops for cacti and frame ocean views.
      Austin architecture studio Lake Flato and designer Liz Lambert aimed to use the natural surroundings to create a laid-back atmosphere Most rooms open onto their own outdoor spaces, with patterned tiled floors matching the bathroom surfaces.
      Find out more about Hotel San Cristóbel ›
      Photo is by Elke FrotscherMonte Uzulu, Mexico, by Taller Lu’um and At-te
      Situated in a small fishing village on the beach of San Agustinillo, Mexico, Monte Uzulu is just a short walk away from the Pacific Ocean. All 12 suites have a terrace that overlooks the forest and ocean.
      Mexican studios Taller Lu’um and At-te designed the boutique hotel to showcase local craft with earthen walls, doors made from local wood and a thatched roof.
      Find out more about Monte Uzulu ›
      Photo is by Taggart SorensenCasa Xixim, Mexico, by Specht Architects
      Bedrooms inside this villa hotel in the Mexican resort of Tulum spill out onto expansive terraces overlooking a nearby mangrove marsh and beach.
      Conscious of its position on a protected bay, New York studio Specht Architects designed it to be fully self-sufficient and to work in unison with its unique site.
      Find out more about Casa Xixim ›
      Photo is by Brooke ShanesyPalm Heights, Caribbean, by Gabriella Khalil
      The same sunny yellows and bright blues that recall the Caribbean seaside run throughout the rooms in this hotel designed by Gabriella Khalil.
      Each suite in the boutique hotels opens onto a balcony at the back of the property, where visitors can enjoy the sea views.
      Find out more about Grand Cayman beach hotel ›
      Photo courtesy of Block722 ArchitectsOlea Hotel, Greece, by Block722 Architects
      Every room in this coastal hotel is set within a rectilinear volume and fronted by large windows, which frame different views of the pool, gardens, or distant Ionian Sea.
      Athens-based practice Block722 Architects wanted to blend the lodging into the natural Grecian landscape by using earth-hued linens, light timber furnishings and offcuts of wood.
      Find out more about Olea Hotel ›
      Photo is by Giovanni De RoiaGuesthouse Nýp, Iceland, by Studio Bua
      This cosy bed and breakfast is located on Iceland’s west coast, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Breiðafjörður Nature Reserve – a place remarkable for its extreme weather conditions.
      A corrugated metal skin and an extension that houses three guest suites are some of several changes that Studio Bua made in its renovation of Guesthouse Nýp. From these suites, guests can look out onto patches of shallow seas, small fjords and bays.
      Find out more about Guesthouse Nýp ›
      Photo by Felix MooneeramHarlosh, Scotland, by Dualchas Architects
      Tasked with enhancing the way guests experience the surrounding scenery, Dualchas Architects decided to incorporate floor-to-ceiling windows on both ends of the building, which is perched on a peninsula in the northwest of the Isle of Skye.
      A pair of terraces as the front and rear of the building can be used by guests looking to catch the sunrise and sunset, or simply take in the grasslands, sea lochs and inlets that characterise the area.
      Find out more about Harlosh ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing modernist living rooms, kitchen extensions and homes designed by architects and designers.

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      Ten cavernous interiors that swap corners for curves

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      A nursery by Junya Ishigami and MAD’s Cloudscape of Haikou feature in our latest lookbook, which highlights 10 softly contoured interiors from the Dezeen archive that were modelled on the sinuous shapes of clouds and wind-smoothed caves.

      Whether crafted from plaster, concrete or wooden panels, undulating walls can help to bring a sense of intimacy to otherwise large, impersonal spaces.
      Beyond just looking pretty, they can also be a practical solution to integrate everything from seating to storage into the fabric of the interior, while concealing unsightly mechanical and electrical systems.
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing bright-white kitchens, cosy conversation pits and self-designed homes by architects and designers.
      Photo is by Joe FletcherSoftie, USA, by OPA

      Design studio OPA subverted the rational modernist grid of this house near San Francisco by overlaying a series of cloud-like architectural features on top of its existing structural shell.
      Its load-bearing columns are now enveloped by bulging white walls, while ceilings droop down to form a series of intimate seating nooks as well as a cove that surrounds the freestanding circular tub in the bathroom.
      Find out more about Softie ›
      Photo is by Paola PansiniFerrari flagship, Italy, Sybarite
      Going down a sleeker, more space-age-style route, London studio Sybarite carved out a sinuous display area at the centre of Ferrari’s lifestyle concept store in Maranello to house the carmaker’s debut fashion collection.
      The otherwise open-plan interior is cast in shades of glossy red and white and also incorporates touches of mahogany, which was used to make Ferrari’s original Enrico Nardi steering wheels of the 1950s and 1960s.
      Find out more about the Ferrari flagship ›
      Photo is by Lars Petter PettersenCabin at Norderhov, Norway, by Atelier Oslo
      Curved birchwood panels engulf the walls and ceilings of this cabin, turning it into a cosy refuge on the banks of Norway’s Lake Steinsfjorden while sweeping windows provide panoramic views over the natural landscape.
      Like a winding tunnel, the interior was designed as one continuous space, with the bedroom cordoned off from the open floor plan by a heavy grey curtain.
      Find out more about the Cabin at Norderhov ›
      Photo is by Yiorgos KordakisTwo Holiday Houses in Firostefani, Greece, by Kapsimalis Architects
      Three rocky vaulted caves, which once provided additional storage space for a traditional dwelling on Santorini, were smoothed out and finished with earthy-hued plaster to create this summer house by local practice Kapsimalis Architects.
      Colours, finishes and fittings throughout the interior were designed to reflect the building’s humble origins, incorporating arched niches and doorways, flush built-in storage and furniture made by local craftsmen.
      Find out more about Two Holiday Houses in Firostefani ›
      Photo is by CreatAR ImagesCloudscape of Haikou, China, by MAD
      Designed to evoke “a wormhole that transcends time and space”, the interior and exterior of MAD’s library on Hainan Island were cast as one continuous vessel without any right angles.
      On the inside, the sinuous white concrete shell forms small reading nooks and bookcases recessed into the walls, while concealing all of the building’s electrics and plumbing.
      Find out more about Cloud of Haikou ›
      Photo is by Tom FergusonNational Museum of Qatar gift shop, Qatar, by Koichi Takada Architects
      Around 40,000 slabs of wood were stacked on top of each other and assembled by hand to form the soaring walls and built-in shelves of the gift shop in the National Museum of Qatar.
      The interior, much like the Jean Nouvel-designed building, pays homage to Qatar’s desert landscape – particularly the crystal-crusted cavern of Dahl Al Misfir, which tunnels deep into the earth outside Doha.
      Find out more about the gift shop ›
      Photo is by Simone BossiMyrto, Sardinia, by Studio Wok
      Studio Wok looked to the way that the wind carves granite rocks on the Sardinian coast into sinuous, almost architectural structures when designing this pizzeria, set in the island’s port town of Porto Cervo.
      This erosive process is referenced in the restaurant’s curved, sandy pink plaster walls and arched windows, which are complemented by custom furnishings including a tiled counter in varying shades of green that echo the colours of local shrubs.
      Find out more about Myrto ›
      Photo is by Edmund SumnerCloud Garden, Japan, by Junya Ishigami
      Rather than covering up the bulky columns found in this high-rise office block in Atsugi, Junya Ishigami converted its former cafeteria into a nursery by inserting wiggly concrete partitions, creating archways and pathways as well as various spaces for play.
      “There are crevices that only children can pass through, and absent spaces that are considered large even for adults,” Ishigami said. “It is a space that softly ties in various objects and scales.”
      Find out more about Cloud Garden ›
      Photo is by 1988 Photography StudioTT Pilates, China, by Wanmu Shazi
      Designer Wanmu Shazi used micro-cement to cover up not just the walls but also most of the windows in the TT Pilates studio, which is located in a typical high-rise office building in Xiamen.
      Only a few organically-shaped openings allow visitors to catch glimpses of the sky while letting light dapple into the interior, in a bid to shut out the usual hustle and bustle of the Chinese port city.
      Find out more about TT Pilates ›

      Grotto, Canada, by Partisans
      Cedarwood panelling creates an undulating terrain inside this sauna in Canada, curving up from the floor to form stepped seating and skewed porthole windows as well as enveloping the wood-burning stove.
      Set on a craggy outcrop on the shore of Lake Huron, it was designed to resemble a seaside grotto carved out by the water, while its exterior was moulded perfectly to the rock formation using a 3D scanner.
      Find out more about Grotto ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing bright-white kitchens, cosy conversation pits and self-designed homes by architects and designers.

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      Ten offices with wooden bleachers that c​​ater for collaboration

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      An industrial London workspace and the home of software company Slack feature in our latest lookbook, which spotlights 10 office interiors animated by wooden bleacher-style seating.

      Traditionally found in sports stadiums, bleachers are an inexpensive form of stepped seating composed of rows of benches. They are accessed by built-in staircases or directly from the stepped seats themselves.
      In recent years, bleachers have also become a workplace staple for many modern companies as they offer flexible auditorium-style spaces for presentations, impromptu meetings and collaboration.
      While they are typically made from metal, many architects designing office bleachers are opting for a wooden finish instead.
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing homely office interiors, workspaces filled with plants and garden studios for remote working.

      The Forge, UK, by Emrys Architects
      Two banks of bleachers feature in this listed ironworks in London, which Emrys Architects transformed into a studio complex with co-working spaces and workshops.
      Crafted from birch plywood, the seating is positioned at the building’s heart to provide access to the first floor of the complex while doubling as a gathering point for occupants.
      Find out more about Millwall Ironworks ›
      Photo is by Mark CraemerQuartz offices, USA, by Desai Chia Architecture
      The Quartz offices in New York feature a large events space, lined on three sides with chunky bleacher seating made from plywood.
      The seating was designed by Desai Chia Architecture to accommodate everything from parties to symposiums and is complemented by moveable furniture. It also incorporates hidden storage units at its base.
      Find out more about Quartz offices ›
      Photo is by Ema PeterSlack offices, Canada, by Leckie Studio
      Company-wide meetings are hosted on these cushioned bleachers, which form the focal point of the Slack offices designed by Leckie Studio in a Vancouver warehouse.
      Set in a double-height atrium, the stadium-like seating runs alongside a staircase that links two floors of open-plan workspace and incorporates plug sockets to allow employees to work from the bleachers.
      Find out more about Slack offices ›

      Eventbrite offices, USA, by Rapt Studio
      Rapt Studio added cushions to the stadium-like seating that it designed for the offices of e-ticketing company Eventbrite in San Francisco.
      Built from light wood, the seating was introduced to support large company meetings and offers a counterpoint to the one-on-one workrooms and quiet nooks elsewhere in the office. The cushions are upholstered in blue fabrics and teamed with matching ottomans.
      Find out more about Eventbrite offices ›
      Photo is by Inpetto foto grafischThe Houtloods, the Netherlands, by Bedaux de Brouwer Architecten
      This wooden bleacher-style seating was designed by Bedaux de Brouwer to conceal private offices, toilets and storage at this advertising agency in an old railway building in Tilburg.
      The seating also provides the office with an informal auditorium for group meetings. At the top of the structure are personal workstations for employees, accessed by a staircase built into its bleachers or metal stairs along its edge.
      Find out more about The Houtloods ›
      Photo is by Bruno GilibertoFintual offices, Chile, by Studio Cáceres Lazo
      Studio Cáceres Lazo mounted this small bank of bleachers on wheels to allow employees at Fintual in Santiago to move it around their office for group meetings or gatherings.
      The office, which occupies an old mansion by architect Sergio Larraín García-Moreno, was designed as a flexible work environment for the financial startup. The stepped seating is made from laminated wooden boards and finished with square cushions and potted plants.
      Find out more about Fintual offices ›
      Photo is courtesy of Nacása & PartnersNikken Space Design offices, Japan, by Nikken Sekkei
      Books and magazines can be found in the hollowed-out steps of this bleacher-style seating structure, located at the centre of the Nikken Space Design offices in Osaka.
      Built from recycled scaffolding planks and complete with small side tables, the rows of seating-cum-bookshelves encourage staff to pick up a book at any time to help support their creativity.
      Find out more about Nikken Space Design offices ›

      Airbnb offices, Singapore, by Farm
      At Airbnb’s Singapore office, local studio Farm positioned a group of small wooden bleachers in a room for informal meetings and presentations.
      Each bank is lined with four rows of cushioned seating and also incorporates a small nook at its rear. Fitted with benches, these nooks provide employees with a cosy space to work alone or with colleagues.
      Find out more about Airbnb offices ›
      Photo is by Michael GrimmSlack offices, USA, by Snøhetta
      Wooden stadium-like seating also features at the Slack offices in New York, which Snøhetta created to suit “a variety of social interactions and work styles”.
      Positioned at the heart of the office, the large plywood steps are used for everything from informal conversations between colleagues to large company presentations. Snøhetta incorporated plants and a mix of cushions that help to soften its visual impact.
      Find out more about Slack offices ›
      Photo is by Rasmus Hjortshoj – COASTRed Cross Volunteer House, Denmark, by Cobe
      Architecture studio Cobe lined one side of this auditorium with tiered seating for the volunteer training, meetings and events held at the Red Cross Volunteer House in Copenhagen.
      It is framed by a dramatic stepped ceiling cast from concrete, which is the inversion of the stepped seating on top of the building that acts as a public meeting place.
      Find out more about Red Cross Volunteer House ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing homely office interiors, workspaces filled with plants and garden studios for remote working.

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      Ten eateries with nostalgic retro interiors

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      A decadent 1920s-style restaurant and a pastel-hued cafe informed by the playful symmetry of Wes Anderson movies are included in our latest lookbook, which collects ten eateries featuring retro design.

      The stylish details in these projects range from dark-cherry wood panelling and bulbous sconce lights to pops of bright red colour similar to that found in 1950s American diners.
      In other projects, the designers maintained the original design features found in the cafes and restaurants – such as vintage ceiling beams or reclaimed furniture – to create retro interiors that still feel modern.
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing self-designed homes by architects and designers, modernist open-plan living rooms and interiors with cosy conversation pits.
      Top: photo is by Derek Swalwell. Above: photo is by Mikael LundbladCafe Banacado, Sweden, by ASKA 

      Design influences from Anderson’s movies collide with Cuban aesthetics at Cafe Banacado, an all-day breakfast cafe in Stockholm by architecture studio ASKA.
      Known for his playfully retro sets, American filmmaker Anderson’s visual style typically includes bold symmetrical layouts similar to the geometric built-in sofas and custom tables reflected in a large mirror at the Stockholm eatery.
      Find out more about Cafe Banacado ›
      Photo is by Felix SpellerMaido, UK, by Child Studio
      Local design office Child Studio converted a London former post office into a sushi restaurant featuring interiors that reflect the late modernist building’s 1960s style.
      The eatery’s retro elements include dark-cherry wood panelling, a glass-block wall and a soft blue coffered ceiling that hangs above rows of Mies van der Rohe’s iconic MR10 chair, which hug petite circular tables.
      Find out more about Maido ›
      Photo is by Niveditaa GuptaElgin Cafe, India, by Renesa
      Chunky blocks of emerald-green granite sourced from Udaipur, India, take centre stage at Elgin Cafe, a restaurant in Punjab that was built on what was once dilapidated farmland.
      Architecture and interior design studio Renesa was informed by “the feel of the outdoors,” adding curved wicker chairs and various potted plants to the all-green space, which celebrates bold maximalist design.
      Find out more about Elgin Cafe ›
      Photo is by Francis AmiandAbstinence, France, by Lizée-Hugot
      Abstinence is an elegant Parisian eatery that features materials commonly found in traditional French brasseries, including low-slung lacquered seating and wooden panels adorned with sconce lights.
      The project is the first by local studio Lizée-Hugot and also has tubular steel furniture and other elements that recall 1970s interior design, such as birdseye maple and olive and tan leather.
      Find out more about Abstinence ›
      Photo by Nicole FranzenThe Harvey House, USA, by Home Studios
      Created to evoke “the golden age of train travel,” a Wisconsin former rail baggage-claim building was transformed into a retro restaurant that takes cues from the 1930s and 1940s supper club culture in the midwestern state.
      Brooklyn-based Home Studios combined a mixture of dark wooden furniture, decadent tiling and tactile upholstery with the space’s original design features, which include vintage ceiling beams and sliding doors.
      Find out more about The Harvey House ›
      Photo is by Derek SwalwellThe Budapest Cafe, Australia, by Biasol
      The Budapest Cafe in Melbourne is another eatery informed by Anderson’s films, which have a whimsical style that nods to retro design.
      Local studio Biasol designed the space as an ode to Anderson’s 2014 feature film The Grand Budapest Hotel, with soft pink interiors and quirky architectural motifs that evoke the filmmaker’s playful symmetry and nostalgic colour palette.
      Find out more about The Budapest Cafe ›
      Photo is by Mikko RyhänenJackie, Finland, by Studio Joanna Laajisto
      Named after the song Jackie by late musician Scott Walker, this Helsinki bar, which also serves food, was created after designer Joanna Laajisto was given a soundtrack of 1960s and 1970s Italian lounge music and 1970s French cosmic disco by the bar’s owner to gain an idea of his vision for Jackie.
      “The dark green walls and ceiling with long tan leather sofas take you away, maybe to a bar in Milan in the 1970s,” explained Laajisto. “A Pipistrello table lamp designed by Italian architect Gae Aulenti in 1965 reinforces the illusion.”
      Find out more about Jackie ›
      Photo by Nicholas WorleyPiraña, UK, by Sella Concept
      Retro signage and red banquette seating pay homage to the interiors of 1950s American diners at Piraña, a restaurant in London by Sella Concept.
      Bold shapes and colours persist throughout the space, including a bespoke jade terrazzo floor, a bar lined with curved timber slats and an abundance of red accents resembling the colour palette of traditional diners. Circular lamps match the round cafe tables and add a playful geometric detail.
      Find out more about Piraña ›
      Photo is by Maha Nasra EddéMimi Kakushi, UAE, by Pirajean Lees
      British firm Pirajean Lees channelled the spirit of Japan’s 1920s jazz age in this richly textured Dubai restaurant that was converted from a nightclub.
      The studio maintained a party theme at Mimi Kakushi through the placement of beaded curtains and mirrored tables that refract light, while a bespoke stained-glass window adds a touch of colourful glamour.
      Find out more about Mimi Kakushi ›
      Photo is by David DworkindCaffettiera Caffé Bar, Canada, by Ménard Dworkind
      1970s-style Rubik’s Cube mirrors and a floor tiled to look like checkerboard Vans trainers stars at Caffettiera Caffé Bar, a coffee bar in downtown Montreal.
      Canadian studio Ménard Dworkind mounted curved mirrors onto faux-wood plastic laminate panels, while framed photos of iconic 1990s supermodels line the walls, aiming to connect customers through a sense of shared nostalgia.
      Find out more about Ménard Dworkind ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing domestic gyms, modernist living rooms and kitchen extensions.

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