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    Ten calm interiors with natural clay wall finishes that don't need painting

    In this special lookbook sponsored by natural finishes brand Clayworks, we’ve selected 10 interiors from our archives that feature walls finished with the brand’s clay plaster.Clay finishes are a healthy, breathable alternative to paints or wallpaper on internal walls and ceilings. Naturally pigmented and free of toxic ingredients, they are made of natural materials, do not require painting and are compostable.
    Clayworks’ plaster finishes are manufactured in Cornwall, England. Here are 10 homes, restaurants and offices that showcase their products.

    Porteous’ Studio, Edinburgh, by Izat Arundell
    Design studio Izat Arundell converted this former blacksmith’s workshop in Edinburgh into a compact apartment with a muted material palette.
    Clay-based plaster was applied to the walls to create a calm tone, with a simple palette of stone and wood used to create an overall natural feel.
    Find out more about Porteous’ Studio ›

    Birch and Clay Refugio, London, by Rise Design Studio
    As its name suggests, this renovated and extended London flat called Birch and Clay Refugio makes extensive use of clay finishes.
    The kitchen features light grey plaster walls, while a calming light grey-green shade was used for the master bedroom and a light pastel pink in the children’s bedroom.
    Find out more about Birch and Clay Refugio ›

    Sticks n Sushi, London, by Norm Architects
    This London sushi restaurant by Danish studio Norm Architects was designed to have a series of spaces each with its own atmosphere.
    Light clay finishes were used in the larger, more open restaurant spaces, with darker tones applied to create a more intimate feel in the private dining areas.
    Find out more about Sticks n Sushi ›

    Devon Passivhaus, Devon, McLean Quinlan
    This low-rise Passivhaus home by McLean Quinlan is set behind a red-brick wall that obscures the textured interiors and art-filled hidden courtyard.
    The studio aimed to create a “serene” environment inside the home by pairing rough sawn oak flooring with clay plaster walls and charred wood cabinetry.
    Find out more about Devon Passivhaus ›

    Dulong store, Copenhagen, by Norm Architects
    Norm Architects combined natural materials to create a calm finish for this jewellery showroom in Copenhagen, which was informed by modernist artists’ studios.
    The studio used a light clay plaster with a smooth finish as the backdrop for the store that has oak flooring and travertine furniture.
    Find out more about Dulong store ›

    Barbican apartment, London, by Takero Shimazaki Architects
    Takero Shimazaki Architects was informed by a client with strong ties with Japan for the interiors of this apartment in central London’s Barbican estate.
    Throughout the flat, the studio aimed to balance Japanese architectural language with the concrete structure of the brutalist Barbican complex. Walls finished with clay were combined with tatami mats and numerous timber finishes.
    Find out more about Barbican apartment ›

    Hoof cafe, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, by Bone
    Design studio Bone used rustic clay plaster for the walls of this cafe in the United Arab Emirates as part of its design that aims to recall horse stalls.
    Named Hoof, the spartan cafe was furnished with blocky hand-brushed steel counters to contrast the naturally finished walls.
    Find out more about Hoof cafe ›

    Highgate home, London, by House of Grey
    Interiors studio House of Grey chose the furnishings and finishes of this London home with the health of its occupants and the health of the planet in mind.
    Along with custom-designed timber furniture and a bed upholstered using coconut husk fibres, the home’s walls are finished with natural clay.
    Find out more about Highgate house ›

    Leaf House, London, by Szczepaniak Astridge
    Designed to be a peaceful retreat in south London, this loft extension contains a master bedroom focused on a wooden bath with views across London.
    Japanese interior design, as well as sustainability, was important for the choice of materials used in the loft, which has clay covering its roof and walls.
    Find out more about Leaf House ›

    Clay House, London, by Simon Astridge 
    Architect Simon Astridge uses layers of coarse clay to line the walls of this one-bedroom apartment on the top floor of a Victorian mid-terraced property in London.
    Appropriately named Clay House, the material was used to give an unfinished appearance to the walls and ceilings of the open plan living space and create a calm atmosphere in the bedroom.
    Find out more about Clay 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 green kitchen interiors, peaceful bedrooms, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.
    This lookbook was produced by Dezeen for Clayworks as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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    Ten contemporary children's bedrooms to inspire design-savvy parents

    For this interior design lookbook we’ve chosen 10 stylish kids’ bedrooms featuring bunk beds, raised beds and whimsical cloud-shaped lights.This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbooks series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous articles in the series feature inspiring outdoor living spaces, calming green kitchens, and living rooms with beautiful statement shelving.

    Adorable House, Japan, by Form
    Skylights funnel daylight into this family residence in Tokyo, which has a main living space along with a bedroom on its first floor. Its pared-back children’s room features white walls and simple wooden furniture.
    Find out more about Adorable House ›

    A Room for Two, London, UK, by Studio Ben Allen
    An elaborate plywood structure built inside one of the rooms of this flat in London’s Barbican Estate turns it into a bedroom for two children.
    Designed by Studio Ben Allen the structure contains two beds and a desk as well as playful archways, steps and a fold-down desk.
    Find out more about A Room for Two ›

    Fahouse, Quebec, Canada, by Jean Verville
    Canadian architect Jean Verville designed this holiday home on a gently sloping site in a hemlock forest in southeastern Quebec. At the back of the home, the children’s bedroom is located in the pointed roof space.
    Find out more about Fahouse ›

    100.60 Apartment, Bilbao, Spain, by Azab
    As part of the refurbishment of this apartment in Bilbao, architecture studio Azab created a pair of triangular-shaped children’s bedrooms underneath the sloping roof.
    Both bedrooms have beds that can be rolled away to create more space for playing and are fronted with corrugated plastic walls.
    Find out more about 100.60 Apartment ›

    The Mantelpiece Loft, Stockholm, Sweden, Note Design Studio
    Stockholm-based Note Design Studio reconfigured this loft apartment so that the parents and both children could have their own room.
    The children’s bedrooms are on mezzanine levels and include inbuilt wardrobes and a bed painted in blush pink.
    Find out more about The Mantelpiece Loft ›

    Room for One More, London, UK, by Studio Ben Allen
    Studio Ben Allen updated this apartment in the Barbican Estate by reconfiguring it to include a child’s bedroom – a feature that lends the project its name of Room For One More.
    The bedroom has a raised teal bed that is accessed by a short flight of stairs, which can be pushed in to form a small desk. A chunky armchair upholstered in grass-green fabric sits beneath the practical bed.
    Find out more about Room for One More ›

    House for a Photographer, France, by Alireza Razavi
    Paris architect Alireza Razavi designed this summer house in Brittany for a photographer.
    A mezzanine level added to the attic room contains beds for two children and is connected by a ladder to the children’s play area below.
    Find out more about House for a Photographer ›

    House-within-a-House, London, UK, by Alma-nac
    Architecture studio Alma-nac has extended a 1950s property in Brockley, south London, to create a contemporary family home.
    Its second floor contains three bedrooms beneath the peak of the roof, including one for a child, which the studio describes as having “cathedral-like proportions”.
    Find out more about House-within-a-House ›

    Budge Over Dover, Sydney, Australia, by YSG
    Interior design studio YSG has revamped a house in Sydney using terracotta brick, aged brass and aubergine-hued plaster.
    The children’s bedroom has lighter tones with sky-blue walls and whimsical cloud-shaped lamps hanging from the ceiling.
    Find out more about Budge Over Dover ›

    Tel Aviv apartment, Israel, by Toledano Architects
    This apartment in Tel Aviv has a plywood cabin located in its children’s bedroom.
    Toledano Architects designed the space, which is laid out like a playground and filled with objects that promote creativity, to be a nook for the home’s youngest residents to escape to.
    Find out more about Tel Aviv 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 peaceful bedrooms, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.

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    Ten calming green kitchens that bring natural tones into the home

    For our latest lookbook, we’ve rounded up ten fresh and airy kitchens that use shades of green to give a hint of the natural world.From soft sage to bright emerald, green is this year’s kitchen colour trend, often paired with natural local materials.
    Perhaps inspired by our craving for nature during the pandemic, calming sea greens, grassy hues and mossy tones are popular choices for kitchen cabinetry, walls or tiles.
    This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbook series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous articles in the series showcased living rooms with statement shelving, peaceful bedrooms and designer bathrooms.

    Belgium Apartment, Belgium, by Carmine Van Der Linden and Thomas Geldof
    Local architects Carmine Van Der Linden and Thomas Geldof designed this duplex for a coastal location surrounded by sand dunes on the Belgian coast.
    To contrast the marble-topped counters, the architects choose to colour the splashback, shelving and panelled birch-wood cabinets in a shade of green that recalls seaweed and beach grasses.
    “The colour choice of the wood subtly brings in the seaweed colour from the adjacent sea and the marram grasses in the surrounding dunes,” the architects explained.
    Find out more about Belgium Apartment ›

    The Mantelpiece Loft, Stockholm, Sweden, by Note Design Studio
    Note Design Studio painted furniture in green and pink throughout The Mantelpiece Loft to stand out against its white walls.
    Sage green was used for one of the staircases and a bedroom, as well as the kitchen cabinets that were paired with contrasting countertops of terrazzo flecked with orange stone.
    Find out more about The Mantelpiece Loft ›

    Apartment XVII, Lyon, France, by Studio Razavi
    Studio Razavi combined pale-grey plaster, a light wooden floor and sea-green cabinets in this renovation of an apartment in a Renaissance-era building in the historic Vieux Lyon neighbourhood of Lyon in France.
    The green kitchen cabinetry has a matching splashback with a stepped silhouette.
    Find out more about Apartment XVII ›

    Casa Mille apartment, Turin, Italy, by Fabio Fantolino
    Italian architect Fabio Fantolino used pops of green and petrol blue throughout the interior of this apartment in Turin that he designed for himself.
    In the herringbone-floored kitchen, sea-green cabinetry is paired with copper handles.
    Find out more about Casa Mille ›

    House extension, Sheffield, UK, by From Works
    The bespoke kitchen of this house in Sheffield was designed to incorporate the materials and colours of moss-covered rocks found in the nearby Peak District.
    It combines green-stained plywood with grey fossil limestone worktops and splashback sourced from a Derbyshire quarry.
    Find out more about Sheffield house extension ›

    Waterfront Nikis Apartment, Thessaloniki, Greece, by Stamatios Giannikis
    Architect Stamatios Giannikis used colour-blocked walls painted in flamingo pink, azure blue and pastel green to define the different rooms in this seaside apartment in Greece.
    The green chosen for the kitchen cabinets and walls was designed to be in sharp contrast with the apartment’s original geometric red and black cement-tile flooring.
    Find out more about Waterfront Nikis Apartment ›

    Apartment on a Mint Floor, Porto, Portugal, Fala Atelier
    As the name suggests, Fala Atelier created a mint-green floor from epoxy resin throughout this two-bedroom apartment in Porto, Portugal.
    To complement the floor, the apartment’s kitchen unit doors were coloured two subtly different shades of turquoise.
    Find out more about Apartment on a Mint Floor ›

    Parisian apartment, Paris, France, by Atelier Sagitta
    French practice Atelier Sagitta added an almost entirely green kitchen to this previously characterless apartment in Paris.
    The emerald-green walls and cabinets, combined with grooved oak cupboards made by a local cabinet maker, make the kitchen the focal point of the apartment.
    Find out more about Paris Apartment ›

    Esperinos guesthouse, Athens, Greece, by Stamos Michael
    The kitchen of this guesthouse in Athens was painted a plum-purple hue to contrast with the rest of the largely moss-green interiors.
    Green was also introduced in the kitchen where dark emerald cabinetry was matched with black, industrial-style shelves that display crockery.
    Find out more about Esperinos guesthouse ›

    Apartment #149, Lviv, Ukraine, by Roman Shpelyk
    Interior designer Roman Shpelyk designed this apartment in the Ukrainian city of Lviv to have largely simple white interiors.
    Colour was added with a plant-filled shelving unit and the forest-green laminated-plywood cabinetry in the kitchen.
    Find out more about Apartment #149 ›
    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 peaceful bedrooms, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.

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    Ten living rooms with statement shelving that is both practical and beautiful

    For our latest lookbook, we’ve rounded up ten living rooms that have solved the storage dilemma with bespoke shelving that define the room. This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbook series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous articles in the series showcased designer bathrooms, colourful kitchens and living rooms with calm interiors.
    Whether they’re used as room dividers, to show off the owners’ book collection or as a hiding place for shy pets, built-in or custom-made shelves create a design statement.
    Read on for our round up of the ten best from Dezeen’s archives (plus a bonus eleventh one, above, which features the spectacular floor-to-ceiling bookcases at Olson Kundig’s Wasatch House in Salt Lake City):

    Mermaid Beach Residence, Australia, by B.E. Architecture
    The living room of Mermaid Beach Residence in Queensland’s Gold Coast region is a study in clever material use, with its concrete surfaces and timber flooring.
    The monolithic built-in wooden shelving that fills one wall creates a decorative grid-effect on top of the concrete. It rests on a stone slab above wooden storage units at floor level.
    Find out more about Mermaid Beach Residence ›

    Artist’s studio, Russia, by Ruetemple
    Architecture studio Ruetemple looked to “drawing and architecture” when designing this artist’s studio in Moscow, which is dominated by a large plywood partition that incorporates both furniture and shelving.
    As well as separating the lounge area from a workspace, the partition works as both storage space and furniture. It has a built-in sofa, shelving, and a set of steps that lead up to a suspended sleeping platform.
    Find out more about Artist’s studio ›

    Spear Building Loft, US, by Ravi Raj and Evan Watts
    This former factory in New York was renovated to create a bright, open living space. In the living room, simple built-in shelves were painted in a creamy pastel-yellow hue that harmonises with the white storage units and the fireplace.
    Rather than building the shelves into a separate wall panel, they have been attached to the white wall on one side, which creates an airy feel and helps open up the room.
    Find out more about Spear Building Loft ›

    Sierra Negra, Mexico, by Hemaa
    Two built-in shelves with wooden panelling serve a decorative function in this Mexico City living room, which has matching wooden floorboards and wood-clad walls.
    Its minimalist interior and simple colour palette, which blends beige, brown and grey hues, means the books in the shelves stand out as a splash of colour. The shelves also hold speakers and picture frames, helping to keep the rest of the room free from clutter.
    Find out more about Sierra Negra ›

    Sausalito Outlook, USA, by Feldman Architecture
    In the living room of this hillside home in Sausalito, California, Feldman Architecture added plenty of storage space for the owners’ book collection, while the white panelling in the middle hides the TV from sight.
    The walls and kitchen space next to the storage wall have been painted a matching glossy white, complemented by more natural hues such as a beige rug and brown Ligne Roset Togo seating.
    Find out more about Sausalito Outlook ›

    Mayfair apartment, UK, by MWAI
    In small apartments, built-in shelving can be the perfect space-saving solution. For MWAI’s design of a 37-square-metre home in London’s Mayfair area, it covered one wall of the open-plan kitchen and living area in a pale-wood storage unit that also includes a desk.
    Colours were kept neutral to reinforce the studio’s idea to look at the design as that of a hotel room where “all functions are carefully and discreetly planned to provide a functional response.”
    Find out more about Mayfair apartment ›

    Kew Residence, Australia, by John Wardle
    Architect John Wardle renovated his own Kew Residence home to make its wood-lined first-floor study the focal point of the house. Built-in shelves hold books and bric-a-brac on one side of the room and the architect’s art collection on another.
    Neutral wood colours were used for the shelves and the built-in reading nook in the room, where the architect said he spends “just about all his daylight hours.”
    Find out more about Kew Residence ›

    House for Booklovers and Cats, USA, by BFDO Architects
    The built-in storage in this colourful home lives up to the project name – it doesn’t just have space for books and art, but also for the owners’ two cats to hide away from visitors.
    The custom-made shelf has dozens of cubby holes while projecting shelves form a staircase for the cats to ascend to the ledge at the top, where they can sit and observe the goings-on below.
    Find out more about House for Booklovers and Cats ›

    The Hide Out, US, by Dan Brunn Architecture
    Dan Brunn Architecture renovated The Hide Out, which was originally designed by Frank Gehry in the 1970s, to pay homage to its initial simple material palette.
    In this living room and bedroom overlooking a meditation garden, the lush walnut seating nook is complemented by a built-in white bookshelf that also hides a fold-out bed.
    Find out more about The Hide Out ›

    Fin House, UK, by RA Projects
    The blue steel staircase in the middle of the living space in this home designed for fashion designer Roksanda Ilincic was designed to look “like a sculpture in a gallery.”
    As well as a staircase, the piece functions as a shelving system with multiple shelves in different sizes. Its back wall is broken up rather than solid, which lets light pass through and stops the colourful piece from feeling too solid.
    Find out more about Fin 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 peaceful bedrooms, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.

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    Ten designer bathrooms with freestanding baths

    For our latest lookbook, we’ve rounded up 10 dream bathrooms with statement baths ideal for luxurious bathing, including tubs made from teak, clay, concrete and porcelain.This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbook series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous articles in the series showcased peaceful bedrooms, colourful kitchens and living rooms with calm interiors.
    Below are ten bathroom interiors from the Dezeen archives featuring standalone baths that sit in the middle of the room or away from the walls.

    Screen House, Sydney, Australia, by Carter Williamson Architects
    The bathroom of Screen House by architecture studio Carter Williamson is covered from floor to ceiling with tactile black tiles to create a spa-like setting for its owners.
    A freestanding bathtub was placed under a bubble-like pendant light that is suspended from the asymmetric pitched roof.
    Find out more about Screen House ›

    Chimney House, Sydney, Australia, by Atelier Dau
    As part of an extension and refurbishment of a heritage-listed building in Sydney, architecture studio Atelier Dau added a ground floor bathroom.
    The bathroom is defined by porcelain floor tiles designed by Patricia Urquiola and a statement roll-top bath alongside a narrow window with views to the home’s internal courtyard.
    Find out more about Chimney House ›

    Highgate house, London, UK, by House of Grey
    This London home designed by interiors studio House of Grey incorporates a range of natural materials and finishes.
    In the bathroom (above and top), the walls are coated with a lime-based plaster surface called Tadelakt, which is waterproofed using a soap solution. The bath and sink were made from a combination of sands, unfired clays, pigments and minerals.
    Find out more about Highgate house ›

    Art Villa, Costa Rica, by Formafatal and Refuel Works
    Czech studios Formafatal and Refuel Works left the concrete structure exposed throughout this villa nestled into the jungle in Costa Rica.
    In the master bedroom, a concrete tub is set alongside a pair of glass doors that allow the space to be opened up to the surrounding jungle.
    Find out more about Art Villa ›

    Mountain cabin, Italy, by Modostudio
    The bathroom of this secluded mountain cabin designed by Modostudio has spectacular views over Italy’s Adige Valley.
    Set at the centre of the room the freestanding bath was positioned to take the best advantage of these views through full-height windows.
    Find out more about Mountain cabin ›

    Tsubo House, London, UK, by Fraher & Findlay
    Architecture practice Fraher & Findlay focused the renovation and extension of this home in east London on a small courtyard.
    All of the house’s bathrooms feature graphic monochromatic tiled floors, while the master bathroom has its own fireplace and a freestanding jet-black tub.
    Find out more about Tsubo House ›

    House V, Slovakia, by Martin Skoček
    The dramatic en-suite bathroom of the master bedroom of this gabled house near Bratislava, designed by architect Martin Skoček, is lined with salvaged bricks.
    Its centrepiece, aligned with the apex of the pitched ceiling, is an oval, freestanding bathtub.
    Find out more about House V ›

    Atelier Villa, Costa Rica, by Formafatal
    The bathrooms within this perforated-aluminium clad villa in Costa Rica are defined by floors made with cement tiles from Nicaragua.
    One of the bedroom suites has a freestanding bath that is lit by mottled light coming through the cladding perforations.
    Find out more about Atelier Villa ›

    Leaf House, London, UK, by Szczepaniak Astridge
    The focal point of the rooftop extension to architectural photographer Edmund Sumner and writer Yuki Sumner’s London home by Szczepaniak Astridge is a Japanese-style wooden bath.
    Positioned against a large window that has views across London, the bath was made from waxed teak by furniture maker William Garvey.
    Find out more about Leaf House ›

    The Boathouse, Devon, UK, by Adams+Collingwood Architects 
    London studio Adams+Collingwood Architects designed this house overlooking Salcombe Estuary so that its first-floor living spaces could take advantage of views across the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
    On the ground, which is embedded into the hillside, there are four bedrooms and three bathrooms, including the master en-suite that features a copper bathtub.
    Find out more about The Boathouse ›
    Photography is by Jim Stephenson, Brett Boardman, Edmund Sumner, BoysPlayNice, Adam Scott, Laura Egger, Tom Ferguson, Michael Sinclair and Matej Hakár.
    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 peaceful bedrooms, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.

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    Ten welcoming living rooms where the fireplace takes centre stage

    With spring still a few months away in the northern hemisphere, this is the season to snuggle up in front of an open fire. For our latest lookbook, we’ve rounded up ten cosy living rooms where the fireplace is at the heart of the interior design.This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbook series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous articles in the series showcased living rooms with calm interiors, peaceful bedrooms, Japandi interiors and domestic bathrooms designed by architects.

    116 Sorauren and 118 Sorauren, Canada, by Ancerl Studio
    The living room of 116 Sorauren Street in Toronto, one of a pair of twin townhouses designed by Ancerl Studio, has been made cosy through the use of natural materials and plenty of textiles.
    A black steel fireplace sits on a cast concrete plinth against the back wall. The plinth extends to create a comfortable nook has where the owners or their guests can warm themselves.
    Find out more about 116 and 118 Sorauren ›

    Three Chimney House, US, by T W Ryan Architecture
    This modernist white-brick house in Virginia (above and top image) has three white chimneys that define its external form. Inside, one of them opens up into this starkly elegant, brick-clad fireplace in the living room.
    Here, tall white walls and ceilings create a contrast with the more traditional upholstered furniture. Warm colours ranging from pale aubergine purple to a mustard yellow were used on the seating by the fireplace, which is practical during cold winter months as well as being a decorative feature all year round.
    Find out more about Three Chimney House ›

    Pound Ridge House, US, by Tsao & McKown
    Tsao & McKown drew on Japanese architectural principles when designing Pound Ridge House. The influence that can be seen in the pared-back fireplace built onto a square stone hearth that sits between the living room and the dining room.
    The design references an irori, a traditional Japanese sunken hearth which is often square in form and set in the middle of a room.
    Smoke is extracted by a bronze flue in the form of a truncated pyramid that hangs from the ceiling of the lounge, which is filled with wood detailing and cream-coloured textiles. A generous skylight lets the light in during the daytime.
    Find out more about Pound Ridge House ›

    Teton House, US, by Olson Kundig
    With views like the ones from Teton House (above and top) in the mountainous terrain of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, you don’t need art on the walls. Olson Kundig used floor-to-ceiling windows to take advantage of the vistas. But the view is almost upstaged by a substantial black fireplace in the centre of the glazing.
    The simple form of the fireplace is complemented by leather chairs in warm brown hues as well as wood surfaces and woven textiles, creating an inviting, relaxing atmosphere.
    Find out more about Teton House ›

    House for Grandparents, US, by Dash Marshall
    The renovation of this California farmhouse was informed by the state’s Spanish missions, and its geometric forms and spartan material use reference these religious structures. But there is nothing ascetic about the house’s comfortable living room, where a broad brick fireplace sits on one wall.
    A colourful painting and rug add vibrancy to the room, while two cylindrical metal coffee tables pick up the warm glow of the fire.
    Find out more about House for Grandparents ›

    Smith Residence, Canada, by MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple
    Inside this holiday home on the Nova Scotia peninsula, a massive fireplace keeps the living room toasty. Made from granite that was sourced from a nearby quarry, the fireplace features one aperture for the fire and one for storing logs.
    Its sits underneath the black steel trusses that support the exposed roof. In front of the fire, a soft high-pile rug and two brown leather sofas complete the design of the living room.
    Find out more about Smith Residence ›

    Wasatch House, US, by Olson Kundig
    An enormous bronze flue dominates the library in this Utah home by Olson Kundig, which has the feel of a living room thanks to a wide leather sofa and two cognac-coloured leather chairs. These sit in front of the unusual portrait-shaped fireplace, which is set in the monolithic flue and fronted by double doors.
    A colour palette of dark browns and greys create a pleasantly laid-back atmosphere in the capacious room while ceiling-height bookcases flank the fireplace.
    Find out more about Wasatch House ›

    Lincoln, Belgium, by Notan Office
    Modernist architect and designer Alvar Aalto inspired the design for this fireplace, set in a rooftop extension in Brussels by Notan Office.
    It wraps around a corner and was built from concrete and ceramic construction blocks in warm orange and pale grey hues. “A fireplace is a kind of artifactual element in a house,” architect Frédéric Karam told Dezeen. “I wanted to express a sense of organic and rough feeling for such a function,”
    Find out more about Lincoln ›

    Little Peek, US, by Berman Horn Studio
    Little Peek is a holiday home in Vinalhaven off the coast of Maine, designed by the Berman Horn Studio founders for themselves.
    Designed to be used in all seasons, the house nevertheless has a summer feel thanks to its light interior and many generous windows, as well as an enclosed patio.
    But in the open-plan kitchen and living room, a built-in fireplace set in a narrow stonework flue helps keep the room warm during cold New England winters.
    Find out more about Little Peek ›

    Casa Prè de Sura, Italy, by Casati
    A freestanding fireplace in the form of a trapezoidal prism decorates this living room in Italy, set in a gabled house by Austrian architects Casati that has rough limestone interior walls.
    The white fireplace functions as a decorative piece as well as a heat source. It has been cleverly designed with a side ledge on which the owners can stack wood. Beige and cream hues were used for the colour palette, matching both the fireplace and the limestone walls.
    Find out more about Casa Prè de Sura ›
    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 peaceful bedrooms, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.

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