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    Eight kitchens with striking material palettes of contrasting colours and textures

    In this lookbook, we collect eight kitchens that contrast rough and smooth textures, glossy and grainy surfaces, and a variety of colours for an overall eye-catching interior.

    The kitchens in this roundup exemplify how a combination of seemingly clashing materials can create a rich and interesting palette.
    Some opted for contrasting a number of cool-toned colours with warmer hues, while others made a striking impact by setting colours on opposite sides of the colour wheel side-by-side, like greens with pink or red.
    Here are eight kitchens with eye-catching material palettes made up of contrasting colours and textures.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring eclectic hotel interiors, organic modern living rooms and homes where continuous flooring creates a connection between indoors and outdoors.

    Photo by Benjamin HoskingBrunswick apartment, Australia, by Murray Barker and Esther Stewart
    Architect Murray Barker and artist Esther Stewart opted for colours and materials in keeping with mid-century interiors when updating this 1960s apartment in Melbourne’s Brunswick neighbourhood.
    The duo reconfigured the apartment layout, creating an L-shaped kitchen with pistachio green units set against red Rosa Alicante marble on the tabletop, worktops and backsplash.
    Find out more about the Brunswick apartment ›
    Photo by Mariell Lind HansenSt John Street, UK, by Emil Eve Architects
    In its renovation of a London warehouse apartment, local studio Emil Eve Architects aimed to add warmth and colour to the interior without losing its industrial character.
    In the kitchen, the glossy and colourful surfaces of the dark green wall tiles and bright yellow pendant lights contrast with the rough textures of the exposed concrete structure and brick walls.
    Find out more about the St John Street ›
    Photo by Ruth Maria MurphyLovers Walk, Ireland, by Kingston Lafferty Design
    Dublin studio Kingston Lafferty Design also used a red-toned stone in this family home in Cork, Ireland.
    The kitchen was overhauled with red tones in various mix-matched materials, including ruby-hued timber cabinets with bright red trims and veiny red quartzite used in the island, splashback and countertops.
    This was contrasted with cool tones in the polished floor and steel-blue-painted ceiling.
    Find out more about Lovers Walk ›
    Photo courtesy of Locke and Sella ConceptLocke am Platz, Switzerland, by Sella Concept
    Smooth, red cabinets are set against a blue-green marble back and worktop in this kitchenette, which is located in a studio apartment in the Locke am Platz hotel in Zurich.
    London design studio Sella Concept used vibrant colours and an assortment of different materials throughout the hotel interior, with the aim of “juxtaposing modernism with a classic theatrical flair”.
    Find out more about Locke am Platz ›
    Photo by François CoquerelParis apartment, France, by Hauvette & Madani
    Green and pink tiles create a contrasting wall pattern in the kitchen of this Haussman-era Parisian apartment, which was revamped by local design studio Hauvette & Madani.
    Light pink wall cabinets and a bright green stove complement the wall pattern behind them, while a sculptural wooden table adds to the eclectic selection of mixed and matched furniture throughout the home.
    Find out more about the Paris apartment ›
    Photo by Seth CaplanDumbo Loft, USA, by Crystal Sinclair Designs
    This loft apartment in Brooklyn’s Dumbo neighbourhood was renovated by interiors studio Crystal Sinclair Designs, which aimed to add European flair to the industrial space.
    The studio offset the cool tones of the steely appliances and grey-veined arabascato marble with a wooden farmhouse-style island and deep-red qashqai rug.
    Find out more about Dumbo Loft ›
    Photo by Prue RuscoeBudge Over Dover, Australia, YSG
    Paired-back hues in the terracotta brick flooring and Marmorino plaster walls provide the backdrop to a rich material palette in the Budge Over Dover house in Sydney, which was revamped by interior design studio YSG.
    The studio used a combination of raw and polished finishes in the open-plan kitchen and living room, with black-stained timber cabinetry and a kitchen island composed of a Black Panther marble worktop set atop an aged brass base.
    Find out more about Budge Over Dover ›
    Photo by Jacob MilliganJewellery Box, UK, by Michael Collins Architects
    Jewellery Box is a two-storey extension to a terraced house in London by Michael Collins Architects, which is characterised by vibrant interiors concealed by a subdued exterior.
    The kitchen features bright blue units that contrast with shiny gold backsplashes and slender handles on the tall cabinets.
    Find out more about Jewellery Box ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring eclectic hotel interiors, organic modern living rooms and homes where continuous flooring creates a connection between indoors and outdoors.

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    Eight living rooms with tactile organic modern interiors

    For our latest lookbook, we’ve collected eight living rooms from Denmark to Japan that have been decorated in an organic modern style, featuring natural wood and stone details.

    The deceptively simple organic modern style combines modernist interior designs with natural materials and earthy colours.
    Plenty of wood, in the form of flooring, panelling and furniture give these interiors an organic feel. Designers have also chosen stone to create the same effect, with stone floors, tables and sofa bases adding an elegant and natural touch.
    All of these living rooms also have discrete and neutral colour palettes, with hues of brown, beige, tan and various white and cream shades creating restful environments.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring floors that connect the indoors and outdoors and interiors with mezzanines.

    Photo by Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenHeatherhill Beach House, Denmark, by Norm Architects
    Danish studio Norm Architects designed the cedar-clad Heatherhill Beach House to resemble a traditional barn, with a material palette that leans heavily on wood and brick.
    In the ocean-facing living room, the studio combined a brick floor and wooden wall with modernist furniture, including the slender graphic Valerie Objects Hanging Lamp by design studio Muller Van Severen.
    Find out more about Heatherhill Beach House ›
    Photo by Helen CathcartThe Maker’s Barn, UK, by Hutch Design
    Originally a concrete pig shed, Hutch Design transformed The Maker’s Barn into a holiday rental using “natural and honest” materials.
    Its living, dining and kitchen area features a concrete fireplace, bulbous soft furniture and a shaggy beige rug in front of floor-to-ceiling windows that underline the house’s connection to the landscape.
    Find out more about The Maker’s Barn ›
    Photo by David MitchellTribeca loft, US, by Timothy Godbold
    This Tribeca loft inside a former textile factory has a dramatic double-height living room surrounded by large windows. To make the room feel more intimate, interior designer Timothy Godbold added sheer curtains and softly rounded furniture.
    A discrete colour palette of cream and beige hues is offset with plenty of green plants, while a central stone table and stone sofa base add a rustic touch.
    Find out more about Tribeca loft ›
    Photo by Ståle EriksenPalm Springs, UK, by Will Gamble Architects
    Named for the California desert town, the Palm Springs extension in London draws on the area’s specific type of modernism. This is exemplified by the use of natural materials and floor-to-ceiling glazing.
    The sandy hues in the living room also nod to the arid Palm Springs surroundings, with a sage green sofa adding more colour to the interior.
    Find out more about Palm Springs ›
    Photo by by Rory Gardiner835 High Street, Australia, by Carr
    The interiors of this flat in Melbourne form a softer contrast to its gridded concrete facade. A rounded sofa with undulating shapes is juxtaposed against branch-like side tables and designer Hans J Wegner’s classic Flag Halyard chair.
    Textile accents in the form of a patterned rug and a fur throw also help make the room feel cosier.
    Find out more about 835 High Street ›
    Photo by Sean DavidsonAmity Street Residence, US, by Selma Akkari and Rawan Muqaddas
    The living room of Amity Street Residence in Brooklyn, New York, houses a collection of sculptural furniture pieces that give it an art-gallery feel.
    Here, designer Isamu Noguchi’s Akari rice lamp with its bamboo stem matches a wooden chair and plinth and contrasts with a green marble table.
    “A warm colour palette was deployed to unify the spaces by way of gentle oak floors, cream-hued walls that contrasted with dark stone, and stained-wood inset bookshelves,” said designer Selma Akkari.
    Find out more about Amity Street Residence ›
    Photo by Tomooki KengakuAzabu Hills Residence, Japan, by Karimoku Case
    Azabu Hills Residence (above and main image) sits on a hilltop in Tokyo and was designed to have a “calm and serene atmosphere”. Local zelkova wood was used for its custom-made furniture, including an ovoid coffee table.
    A clever use of materials enhances the organic modern interior, with a glossy, lacquered brown vase standing out against the textured rug and sofa.
    Find out more about Azabu Hills Residence ›
    Photo by José HeviaCan Santacilia, Spain, by OHLAB
    New and old meet inside the Can Santacilia apartment building in Palma de Mallorca’s old town, parts of which are from the 12th or 13th century.
    In the living room of one of the flats, architecture studio OHLAB used geometric-shaped rattan furniture and a rug to bring a natural colour palette into the all-white room.
    Find out more about Can Santacilia ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring floors that connect the indoors and outdoors and interiors with mezzanine.

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    Eight hotel interiors characterised by eclectic designs

    From guest rooms filled with fashion designer Christian Louboutin’s personal antique collection to Ibiza’s oldest hotel where handmade masks are mounted on the walls, our latest lookbook features eight eclectic hotel interiors.

    Eclectic design brings together objects and styles from a range of sources – often mixing contemporary and vintage pieces.
    While many hotels are characterised by uniform luxury, others celebrate unlikely combinations of furniture, colours and patterns.
    Here are eight eclectic hotel interiors from around the world defined by contrasts and clashes.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring residential mezzanines, Mexican holiday homes and minimalist bathrooms.

    Photo courtesy of Kelly WearstlerDowntown LA Proper, USA, by Kelly Wearstler
    American designer Kelly Wearstler has created the interiors for all four of the Proper Hotel Group’s branches across North America.
    The Downtown LA Proper is anchored by “bold and eclectic choices”, including a chunky graphite reception desk and a hand-painted archway flanked by leaning column-like cacti in rustic pots.
    Find out more about Downtown LA Proper ›
    Photo by Karel BalasMontesol Experimental, Ibiza, by Dorothée Meilichzon
    Dorothée Meilichzon of French interior design studio Chzon renovated Montesol – the oldest hotel in Ibiza, originally built in the 1930s.
    Meilichzon transformed the renamed Montesol Experimental with “a bohemian overtone” that draws on the hotel’s rich history. Among its interior elements are lumpy Playdough Stools by artist Diego Faivre, hand-crafted masks and an abundance of tassels.
    Find out more about Montesol Experimental ›
    Photo by Ambroise TézenasVermelho, Portugal, by Christian Louboutin and Madalena Caiado
    Louboutin filled his first hospitality project with furniture and materials from his personal antique collection.
    The fashion designer worked with architect Madalena Caiado to create the Vermelho boutique hotel in the Portuguese village of Melides. The guest rooms feature unexpected elements such as a rattan monkey-shaped side table and striking hand-painted frescoes.
    Find out more about Vermelho ›
    Photo by Brooke ShanesyPalm Heights, Grand Cayman, by Gabriella Khalil
    Collectible design pieces characterise Palm Heights in Grand Cayman, the island’s first boutique hotel.
    Creative director Gabriella Khalil sought to style the project like a 1970s Caribbean mansion, selecting sandy yellows and bold blue hues to complement the many original artworks that adorn the walls.
    Find out more about Palm Heights ›
    Photo by The IngallsAustin Proper Hotel and Residences, USA, by Kelly Wearstler
    Among the Proper Hotel Group’s other locations is an Austin branch. Wearstler inserted a sculptural oak staircase into the lobby that doubles as a plinth for a varied collection of glazed earthenware pots and vases.
    Locally sourced art and textiles characterise the hotel, which has cypress wood walls that were charred using the traditional Japanese technique of Shou Sugi Ban to create a tiger-striped effect.
    Find out more about Austin Proper Hotel ›
    Photo by Simon BrownHôtel de la Boétie, France, by Beata Heuman
    Swedish designer Beata Heuman created the Hôtel de la Boétie in Paris to be “a bit like a stage set”.
    Heuman chose contrasting elements for the colour-drenched interiors. Bedrooms feature a mixture of dark-hued woven headboards and pale pink sheets, while downstairs, the reception area’s jumbo flower lamps balance the steely silver of the lounge walls.
    Find out more about Hôtel de la Boétie ›
    Photo by Felix BrueggemannChâteau Royal, Germany, by Irina Kromayer
    A series of eclectic spaces make up the Château Royal in Berlin, which references the heyday of the German capital at the turn of the 20th century.
    Interior architect Irina Kromayer designed the hotel to be “authentic” rather than retro, choosing art noveau tiles and brass and nickel hardware in a nod to the finishes commonly found in Berlin’s historic buildings.
    Find out more about Château Royal ›
    Photo by Christian HarderEsme Hotel, USA, by Jessica Schuster Design
    Plush velvet flooring, textural tassels and plants in wicker pots come together at the Esme Hotel in Miami, renovated by New York studio Jessica Schuster Design.
    The interiors draw on the “bohemian grandeur” of the hotel’s 1920s history, with decadent alcoves clad with contrasting patterns.
    Find out more about Esme Hotel ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring residential mezzanines, Mexican holiday homes and minimalist bathrooms.

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    Ten homes where flooring enhances the connection between indoors and outdoors

    Our latest lookbook explores homes where flooring details and materials help to create the impression that a living space extends out beyond a house’s exterior walls.

    A range of different techniques can be used to create the sense of a continuous floor surface.
    The most obvious is to use the same flooring material, or one that looks very similar, for both interior and exterior spaces.
    However, this isn’t always necessary. By combining level thresholds with floor-to-ceiling glazing, it’s also possible to create that sense of continuation by simply maintaining a consistent surface.
    Here, we look at 10 examples that use one or more of these methods to create different effects, ranging from a forest home in Mexico’s Valle de Bravo to a waterside villa in Denmark.

    Many of these examples use continuous floor surfaces to connect a living room with a garden or patio, but some explore other rooms where the effect can be applied.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring chocolate-brown interiors and minimalist bathrooms.
    Photography is by LGM StudioCasa Mola, Mexico, by Estudio Atemporal
    Mexico City-based Estudio Atemporal designed this house in a densely forested area of Valle de Bravo with the aim of allowing residents to live “more organically”.
    The large-format flooring tiles inside the house give way to brickwork paving outside, but sliding glass doors with level thresholds create a clean junction that allows the two spaces to feel connected.
    Find out more about Casa Mola ›
    Photo is by Agnese SanvitoThe Saddlery, UK, by Studio Octopi
    Terrazzo flooring features both inside and outside this extension to a Georgian house in southeast London, designed by architecture office Studio Octopi.
    Sourced from British manufacturer Diespeker, this material is speckled with colours that complement the mint-green tone of the building’s metal walls.
    Find out more about The Saddlery ›
    Photo is by Nick DeardonDulwich House, UK, by Proctor & Shaw
    Kitchen and terrace become a single space divided only by levels in this extension to a home in Dulwich, London, designed by architecture studio Proctor & Shaw.
    Glass doors slide open on two sides – with one disappearing into a wall – to completely open up the building’s corner. The sliding mechanism is set into a continuous porcelain tile floor surface, resulting in a flush threshold.
    Find out more about Dulwich House ›
    Photo is by Maxime DelvauxMaison Hercourt, France, Studio Guma
    Minimal glazing plays a key role in connecting the kitchen of this renovated stone farmhouse in Normandy with an adjoining patio.
    Designed by Paris-based Studio Guma, the renovation involved installing the kitchen in a space that previously functioned as a cart shed. Although the floor surface changes from concrete to stone from inside to outside, the slender-framed glass doors help the two surfaces to be read as one.
    Find out more about Maison Hercourt ›
    Photo is by Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenFjord Boat House, Denmark, by Norm Architects
    Copenhagen-based Norm Architects chose handmade ceramic bricks for the flooring of this vacation house, built on the edge of a fjord just outside the city.
    They form stairs that lead down from the main house to a terrace, then continue inside to give the interior living spaces a casual, rustic feel. At the main entrance, the linearity of the brickwork pattern acts to draw the eye.
    Find out more about Fjord Boat House ›

    Ederlezi, Mexico, Práctica Arquitectura
    Using the same flooring surface for both indoors and outdoors can become costly, but this low-cost infill house in Monterrey offers a clever solution.
    Designed by locally based Práctica Arquitectura, the house features a stepped living space with an adjoining courtyard.
    Most of the courtyard is landscaped, but the edges are lined with the same square saltillo tiles that provide interior flooring. This helps to extend the living space outdoors without requiring quite as many tiles.
    Find out more about Ederlezi ›
    Photo is by Helen CathcartThe Maker’s Barn, UK, by Hutch Design
    Full-height glazing features in many of the rooms of this rural holiday rental on the outskirts of London, a former pig shed renovated by Hutch Design. This results in a strong connection with the surrounding patio.
    The effect is particularly effective in the primary bedroom, which features a bath set into the floor. Here, it’s possible to observe the clean line running between the end-grain timber flooring inside and the paving tiles outside.
    Find out more about The Maker’s Barn ›
    Photo is by Rory GardinerMossy Point, Australia, by Edition Office
    Melbourne-based Edition Office selected very different surfaces for the shower room of this house in Mossy Point, New South Wales, but they appear to merge thanks to the use of frameless glazing.
    A similar effect can be found throughout the house, but the contrast between the wooden decking and the blue tiles of this room is the most striking.
    Find out more about Mossy Point ›

    Shift House, Spain, by Nomo Studio
    Roughly polished white concrete flooring unites both the interior and exterior of this house on the island of Menorca, designed by Barcelona-based Nomo Studio.
    This creates a feeling of continuity from the building’s entrance, located on the uppermost storey, all the way across to a balcony terrace on the opposite side of the main living room.
    Find out more about Shift House ›
    Photo is by Brotherton LockA Modern Oasis, UK, by Richard Parr Associates
    The level thresholds of this house in Oxfordshire, England, create a visual connection between the polished concrete flooring inside and the paving tiles outside.
    Architecture office Richard Parr Associates carefully matched the colours of these two surfaces so that they appear to be made of the same material.
    Find out more about A Modern Oasis ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring chocolate-brown interiors and minimalist bathrooms.

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    Eight home interiors where mezzanines maximise usable space

    For our latest lookbook, we’ve rounded up eight home interiors that make clever use of mezzanines to optimise floorspace.

    Mezzanines, which are used as an intermediate level between the lower floor and a ceiling, have the ability to increase gross internal floor area by capitalising on extra ceiling height.
    These raised floors offer additional room to host a variety of spaces – including bedrooms, home offices and reading spaces, to name a few.
    Ranging from compact apartment renovations to newly-built, split-level holiday homes, this diverse collection of home interiors showcases how mezzanines can be used as a creative solution to maximise floorspace and create dynamic home layouts.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring minimalist bathrooms with peaceful interiors, compact garden studios with neat storage solutions and homes lit by central courtyards.

    Photo by David DworkindHickson Residence, Canada, by Ménard Dworkind
    Located on the south shore of Montreal, this 1980s house was renovated by local studio Ménard Dworkind and features rounded plaster details and a terracotta fireplace.
    The studio added a sculptural mezzanine to the 520-square-meter home, which hosts the bedrooms, bathrooms and an office overlooking the double-height living room below.
    Find out more about Hickson Residence ›
    Photo by Seth CaplanDumbo Loft, USA, by Crystal Sinclair Designs 
    Crystal Sinclair Designs renovated this loft apartment in Brooklyn to include a mezzanine hosting a book collection, as well as a bedroom accessed via a ladder.
    The studio retained the space’s existing industrial look but complemented it by adding wooden furniture and white and grey marble.
    Find out more about Dumbo Loft ›
    Photo by José Hevia 105JON, Spain, by Vallribera Arquitectes
    This renovation of a narrow terraced house in Spain by Vallribera Arquitectes saw the studio add a mezzanine level to increase the home’s limited floor area.
    Defined by its blue-painted steel and chipwood construction, the mezzanine level offers space for two children’s bedrooms, along with a bathroom and a small study.
    Find out more about 105JON ›
    Photo by Pier CarthewKerr, Australia, by SSdH
    Housed in a former chocolate factory, Kerr is a warehouse apartment in Melbourne designed by local studio SSdH to include a split-level layout.
    A mezzanine-style level wrapped by a white steel-mesh balustrade occupies the upper floor and contains an open-plan living space and kitchen.
    Find out more about Kerr ›
    Photo by JAG StudioHorno de Pan, Ecuador, by ERDC Arquitectos
    ERDC Arquitectos and Taller General used brick and glass to construct this arched roof home in Quito that features an open mezzanine level.
    Split across three levels, the lowest level offers living and kitchen areas, while an entry, bathroom, bedrooms and studio are provided on the upper floors.
    Find out more about Horno de Pan ›
    Photo by Pierce ScourfieldFerguson, Scotland, by Duncan Blackmore, Lee Ivett and Simon Harlow
    Brightly coloured walls decorate this tiny apartment in Glasgow designed by Duncan Blackmore, Lee Ivett and Simon Harlow, which contains no freestanding furniture.
    To maximise floor and height space within the 25-square-metre home, a small mezzanine level hosts a sleeping space that is accessed via built-in wooden steps.
    Find out more about Ferguson ›
    Photo by José CamposHouse in Rua Direita de Francos, Portugal, by WeStudio and Made
    Mezzanine levels feature throughout the living and bedroom spaces within this gabled, stone house in Porto designed by We Studio and Made.
    A staircase in the kitchen space leads up to a study on a mezzanine level, while ladders in the bedrooms lead up to mezzanines situated above en-suite bathrooms or storage cupboards.
    Find out more about House in Rua Direita de Francos ›
    Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Alférez, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
    Situated in a Mexican pine forest, this brutalist holiday home by Ludwig Godefroy is defined by concrete walls, built-in furniture and wooden floors.
    Composed of five half-levels organised around double-height spaces, the home’s compact arrangement was strategically designed to prioritise height over width.
    Find out more about Casa Alférez ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring minimalist bathrooms with peaceful interiors, compact garden studios with neat storage solutions and homes lit by central courtyards.

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    Eight chocolate-brown interiors that look good enough to eat

    In memoriam of the many chocolate eggs that will be consumed this Easter, our latest lookbook rounds up eight homes with tasteful cocoa-coloured interiors.

    Chocolatey brown might be the unofficial colour of Easter as the biggest driver of chocolate sales – second only to Christmas.
    But the rich, earthy hue is also proving increasingly popular among interior designers for its unique function as both a colour and a natural, able to bring a sense of warmth to otherwise minimalist spaces.
    Below are eight mouth-watering examples to feast your eyes on, including a rammed-earth house in Brazil and the renovation of a Shigeru Ban loft conversion in New York.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring minimalist bathrooms, breakfast nooks and compact garden studios with neat storage solutions.

    Photo by Jack LovelShadow House, Australia, by Grotto Studio
    Almost all of the surfaces in this Perth cottage extension by Grotto Studio are lined in sumptuous brown timber, from the walls and floors in the bedroom to the entire bathroom counter.
    “The choice of dark timber for the interior was motivated by a desire to create a rich, intimate and immersive atmosphere,” studio founder Craig Nener told Dezeen.
    “The dark tones add depth and character to the spaces, creating a warm and inviting ambience.”
    Find out more about Shadow House ›
    Photo by Syam SreesylamChuzhi house, India, by Wallmakers
    Soil, waste and debris were used to form the spiralling walls of Chuzhi house in Shoolagiri, India, giving the interiors a rustic, earthy feeling.
    To keep the focus on the architecture, the rooms themselves are finished in matching colours with reclaimed timber floors complemented by woven and wooden furniture.
    Find out more about Chuzhi house ›
    Photo by Fabian MartinezColonia Condesa house, Mexico, by Chloé Mason Gray
    Interior designer Chloé Mason Gray sought to embrace the lack of natural light in this bachelor pad in Mexico City’s Condesa neighbourhood, shaded by large trees from the avenue outside.
    Embracing the dark and moody atmosphere, the designer chose colours and textures that would make the spaces feel “masculine, rich, and interesting” including leather, linen and textured chocolate-brown plaster.
    Find out more about Colonia Condesa house ›
    Photo by Felix SpellerMayfair pied-à-terre, UK, by Child Studio
    Adolf Loos’s modernist Villa Muller informed the dining area in this London mews house, where mahogany joinery is backed by veiny dark red marble.
    Soft light filters into the space from a glass-brick partition, blocking out the kitchen and rounding off the intimate atmosphere created by Child Studio.
    Find out more about this Mayfair pied-à-terre ›
    Photo by Gareth HackerHighbury House, UK, by Daytrip
    A more pared-back take on the theme comes in the form of this vintage 1970s Gilda sofa by Michel Ducaroy, composed of multiple segments reminiscent of a Chocolate Orange.
    It serves as a focal point in the otherwise muted living room of London’s Highbury House, paired with a blackened oak armchair by EBBA Architects founder Benni Allan and one of David Horan’s delicate Paper lights.
    Find out more about Highbury House ›
    Photo by Federico CairoliCasa em Cunha, Brazil, by Arquipélago Arquitetos
    The rammed-earth construction of this house in Brazil’s mountainous Cunha region is left exposed on the interior, creating an organic striped finish across the walls.
    Matching brown finishes feature heavily throughout the rest of the home, where ceilings are covered in wooden slats while the bathroom is defined by coppery hardware and tiles the colour of bitter chocolate.
    Find out more about Casa em Cunha ›
    Photo by César Béjar StudioCasa Los Tigres, Mexico, by César Béjar Studio and Fernando Sánchez Zepeda
    Dark wood panelling helps to hide doors and storage inside the Casa Los Tigres beach house on Mexico’s Pacific Coast, designed by César Béjar Studio and Fernando Sánchez Zepeda.
    It encircles the lower portion of the living spaces and develops the bedrooms almost entirely, paired with pale stone flooring and pared-back accessories to create a calm refuge.
    Find out more about Casa Los Tigres ›
    Photo by David MitchellTribeca loft renovation, USA, by Timothy Godbold
    New York interior designer Timothy Godbold was responsible for renovating this loft in a historic Tribeca textile factory, originally converted by Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning Japanese architect Shigeru Ban in 2019.
    The former TV room now functions as a home office and bar, with a low-slung chestnut-brown sofa helping to warm up the otherwise neutral colour palette while wall reliefs informed by 1970s sci-fi spice up the walls.
    Find out more about this Tribeca loft renovation ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring minimalist bathrooms, breakfast nooks and compact garden studios with neat storage solutions.

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    Eight minimalist bathrooms with peaceful pared-back interiors

    For our latest lookbook, we have collected eight minimalist bathrooms that combine tactile materials and organic details to create a relaxing and tranquil environment.

    Next to the bedroom, the bathroom is often the place in the home that is reserved for relaxation and pampering. Keeping interiors here free of unnecessary clutter while adding organic materials such as wood and stone can help to create a tranquil feel.
    Below, we’ve showcased minimalist bathrooms in eight homes from around the world from Mexico to Belgium that show creative and beautiful solutions for this important room.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring Mexican holiday homes, interiors with dramatic full-length curtains and living spaces with swings.
    Photo by by Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenHeatherhill Beach House, Denmark, by Norm Architects

    This beach house on the Danish coast was created as “a getaway from everyday life in Copenhagen”, according to its designers Norm Architects.
    The home’s two minimalist bathrooms were informed by Japanese traditions and feature simple wooden details and brick floors.
    “The spaces are rather small and should still feel comfortable and spacious,” architect Sophie Bak told Dezeen.
    Find out more about Heatherhill Beach House ›
    Photo by Radek ÚlehlaSculptor’s Apartment, Czech Republic, by Neuhäusl Hunal
    Translucent glass panels were used throughout this apartment in Prague, designed by Czech architecture studio Neuhäusl Hunal as a workspace for a sculptor.
    A centralised, curved bathroom features a walk-in shower that is raised on a small platform and clad in white ceramic tiles.
    Find out more about Sculptor’s Apartment ›
    Photo by Givlio AristideCloister House, Australia, by MORQ
    Architecture studio MORQ designed this rammed-concrete house in Perth, Australia, to surround a plant-filled courtyard.
    The interiors also feature visible rammed concrete combined with red hardwood ceilings. In the bathroom, these materials create textural interest and are contrasted with steel fixtures and a wooden floor.
    Find out more about Cloister House ›
    Photo by Mariell Lind HansenCanyon House, UK, by Studio Hagen Hall
    The minimalist bathroom in Canyon House was given a warm feel through the use of cork tiles, which clad both the floor and the bathtub.
    Like the rest of the house, the interior was informed by 1970s California modernism. Pale lavender-coloured curtains and globe-shaped bathroom lamps add simple decorative touches to the space.
    Find out more about Canyon House ›
    Photo by Fabián MartinezLoma Residence, Mexico, by Esrawe Studio
    Local firm Esrawe Studio wrapped the whole interior of this Mexico City apartment in an oak “skin” – save for the stone-clad bathroom.
    Here, the all-stone walls and floor create a striking interior with their natural patterns, while an oval washbasin and built-in shower add interesting geometries.
    Find out more about Loma Residence ›
    Photo by Salva LópezCasolare Scarani, Italy, by Studio Andrew Trotter
    This 19th-century school in Puglia, Italy, was turned into a home by architecture practice Studio Andrew Trotter, which aimed to “bring it back to life without destroying its essence”.
    In the bathroom, the studio kept the traditional stone flooring and added calming lime-plaster walls. Geometric glass lamps, a jute rug and a copper tap and soap holder give the minimalist bathroom a rustic touch.
    Find out more about Casolare Scarani ›
    Photo by Tim Van de VeldeKarper, Belgium, by Hé!
    Clay plaster clads the walls of the bathroom in this Brussels home (above and main image) designed by Belgian studio Hé! While the colour palette was kept simple – held mostly in pale beige and white – plenty of green plants give the space life.
    The apartment is located in a former industrial building on Karperstraat, to which the studio added a timber-framed rooftop extension.
    Find out more about Karper ›
    Photo by Lorenzo ZandriNelson Terrace, UK, by Paolo Cossu Architects
    This minimalist apartment in London, which local studio Paolo Cossu Architects designed “almost like a blank canvas”, features an equally minimalist bathroom.
    Here, a chunky white bathtub sits next to a geometric steel stool – a decorative piece that functions almost like an artwork in the pared-back space. A fabric shower curtain and wooded towel rack give the room a more organic feel.
    Find out more about Nelson Terrace ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring Mexican holiday homes, interiors with dramatic full-length curtains and living spaces with swings.

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    Eight compact garden studios with neat storage solutions

    From cantilevered shelves to customisable pegboards, our latest lookbook rounds up eight examples of garden studios with storage designed to make the most of limited space.

    Garden studios are becoming increasingly popular in homes around the world, prompted largely by the evergrowing trend of remote work.
    Often slotted into small spaces, these structures typically have compact footprints and require efficient storage solutions to keep them clutter-free.
    The examples in this lookbook demonstrate some of the ways storage can be suitably integrated within a garden studio, helping save valuable space within their small footprints.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring Mexican holiday homes, full-length curtains and living spaces with swings.

    Photo by Wai Ming NgCork Study, UK, by Surman Weston
    Birch shelves and twin desks cantilever from the walls of Cork Study, which Surman Weston created in the narrow garden of a home in north London.
    The set-up was designed to help maximise space within the compact studio, which measures just 13 square metres and was created as a workspace for a musician and a seamstress.
    The two desks, complete with their own cubby holes, are broken by a long vertical window in the rear wall, illuminating the workspaces with natural light.
    Find out more about Cork Study ›
    Photo by Nancy ZhouNightlight, New Zealand, by Fabric
    Green storage boxes on wheels slot neatly below the workbench of this outbuilding in New Zealand, which occupies the future garden of a home being developed on the site.
    There are also slender slats mounted to the wooden framework of the 10-square-metre structure, forming minimalist shelves from which tools can be hung.
    Find out more about Nightlight ›
    Photo by Ashlea WesselThe Garden Studio, Canada, by Six Four Five A
    The founder of architecture studio Six Four Five A built storage into the wooden shell of his tiny studio, which he created in the garden of his Toronto home.
    Exposed vertical studs double as supports for shelves and a large standing desk made from birch plywood along one side, preventing cluttering up the 9.3-square-metre space.
    Find out more about The Garden Studio ›
    Photo by Jonas AdolfsenWriter’s Cottage, Norway, by Jarmund/Vigsnæs Architects
    This cabin-like studio sits at the end of a garden in Oslo, where it acts as a compact and secluded workspace for the owner who is a writer.
    Among its storage solutions is a plywood staircase that incorporates a shelving system beneath it, leading up to a mezzanine sleeping area that tucks beneath its pitched roof.
    Find out more about Writer’s Cottage ›
    Photo by Wai Ming NgWriter’s Shed, UK, by Surman Weston
    Another project by Surman Weston on the list is the Writer’s Shed, a shingle-clad garden studio designed as a writing retreat for an author.
    Inside, a cluster of shelves has been built around the chimney of the wood-burning stove, which is used to heat the compact structure. While providing valuable storage space, they are also intended as “a centrepiece for the client to store his library of books”, Surman Weston said.
    Find out more about Writer’s Shed ›
    Photo by Sarah BurtonTerrazzo Studio, UK, by Sonn
    In east London, architect Tim Robinson designed and built himself a little studio and workshop at the end of his garden.
    The narrow workshop contains a line of storage units raised above the floor, alongside a large pegboard for storing tools. Next door in the studio space, a rear wall of cabinets incorporates a concealed fold-down bed, enabling the space to become a guest bedroom.
    Find out more about Terrazzo Studio ›
    Photo courtesy of Boano PrišmontasMy Room in the Garden, UK, by Boano Prišmontas
    This modular pod is a prototype for a garden studio, developed by London studio Boano Prišmontas in response to an increase in people working from home prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
    Inside, the plywood structure can be fitted out with customisable elements including pegboards from which desks, shelves and storage can be hung.
    “My Room in the Garden was created with comfort and customisability in mind,” said the studio. “We wanted to allow people to be able to decide what their interior would look like or how much storage they would have, and we do that by creating a system of interchangeable elements.”
    Find out more about My Room in the Garden ›
    Photo by Shannon McGrathWriter’s Shed, Australia, by Matt Gibson
    This deceptively spacious garden studio that architect Matt Gibson created in Melbourne is hidden behind ivy-covered walls.
    An angular desk slots into one corner, with one side nestled below two generous high-level shelving units on the walls. Plywood was used across all of the surfaces, giving the interior a unified look that adds to the sense of spaciousness.
    Find out more about Writer’s Shed ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring Mexican holiday homes, full-length curtains and living spaces with swings.

    Read more: More