More stories

  • in

    Monolithic green marble forms “majestic wall” in Milan apartment

    Italian studio AIM has designed a compact, multi-level apartment interior in Milan organised around a floor-to-ceiling Verde Alpi marble partition.

    Created in collaboration with local marble artisans Bianco67, AIM Studio used the wall to divide the various functions of Green Nest, aiming to create an elegant backdrop for a dynamic domestic experience.
    Monolithic green marble carves apartment interior by AIM Studio in Milan”The design challenge [for] Green Nest was to combine the compact size of the dwelling with the desire to create inviting, functional and representative spaces pleasant to live in at all times of the day,” AIM Studio told Dezeen.
    “We were looking for a single gesture to characterise the apartment [and were] inspired by the idea of a majestic wall [running] through the heart of the house,” the studio continued. “This massive element, both because of its solid presence and its intrinsic beauty, is the focal point on which the entire design revolves.”
    The fluid living spaces can be divided by an operable ribbed glass doorThe marble partition was constructed as a permeable threshold between the apartment’s lower level living spaces and a staircase leading to the habitable roof terrace above.

    Designed as a single, fluid area, the main living room and bedroom can be separated by full-height ribbed glass doors. 
    The studio used the marble wall system to host functional storage and compartment spacesAIM Studio sought to meet the practical requirements of small-footprint living by using the Alpi marble to conceal a series of deep storage compartments.
    “More than a monolith, the volume is an inhabited wall whose thickness is continuously perforated, crossed and interrupted to host the different functions of living,” AIM Studio said.
    “[It] was designed as a precious shell but [leaves] nothing to chance in terms of containment and management of the space. Every compartment, every opening, has been designed [for utility].”

    Antonino Cardillo designs Elogio del Grigio house as “miniature palazzo”

    Behind the marble partition, the staircase to the rooftop terrace was completed with a central lightwell to draw natural light into the space below.
    The studio also integrated large windows into the main living area to encourage an interplay of light on the reflective marble surface and to evoke a chiaroscuro-like effect.
    The compact kitchen was formed by suspended travertine joineryTucked into a corner of the living room, the kitchen was demarcated by suspended travertine joinery and an embossed mirror feature wall.
    Neutral-toned fixtures and restrained furniture pieces were selected to balance the apartment’s modern aesthetic and emphasise the drama of the green marble.
    An embossed mirror feature wall was connected to the kitchen nook”We conceived this project as a search for authenticity; a minimal but at the same time welcoming and functional design created through natural, precious [and] timeless materials.”
    “We hope that this search for authenticity will be perceived by those who will inhabit these spaces and that it will translate into family atmospheres and elegant, but convivial, environments.”
    The studio selected a neutral material palette to emphasise the green marble gestureFounded in 2012 by Claudio Tognacca in Milan, AIM Studio has projects spanning across architecture, interior design and product development both in Italy and internationally.
    Other recently completed projects in Italy include Antonino Cardillo’s design for “a miniature palazzo” residence near Lake Garda and Humbert & Poyet’s interior conversion of a 16th-century Milanese chapel into a Beefbar restaurant.
    The photography is by Simone Bossi

    Read more: More

  • in

    Ten bathrooms where marble lines the walls

    Our latest lookbook shines a light on homes where marble and similar natural stones have been used as the primary material in the bathrooms.

    Marble can be a great solution for bathrooms, as it is durable enough to withstand a wet environment better than alternative materials such as wood or concrete.
    Many homeowners opt to use the same material across all surfaces, creating a uniform aesthetic that extends from the sink and shower areas across the walls.
    Read on to see 10 different examples, featuring a range of marbles that include Carrera and Verde Aver, as well as similar natural stones such as travertine and quartzite.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. Other recent editions showcase Scandinavian kitchens, outdoor showers and eclectic interiors.

    Habitat 100, Sweden, by Note Design Studio
    Note Design Studio used two types of marble in its renovation of this 1920s Stockholm apartment, echoing the tones of an Italian marble floor in the hallway.
    For the main bathroom, the designers opted for a pale Swedish marble known as Ekeberg. Some slabs were polished, while others were milled in different directions to create a subtle chequered pattern.
    Elsewhere in the home, green-toned Brännlyckan marble offers a striking counterpoint.
    Find out more about Habitat 100 ›

    Eastern Columbia Loft, USA, by Sheft Farrace
    Tasked with redesigning an apartment in Los Angeles’ Eastern Columbia building, a block with an iconic turquoise art-deco facade, architecture studio Sheft Farrace decided to work with the same palette in the main bathroom.
    The architects did this with a statement wall of Verde Aver marble, an Italian stone with a similar green hue.
    The marble forms a counter that spans the width of the room, integrating two basins, and also forms a splashback that extends all the way up to the ceiling.
    Find out more about Eastern Columbia Loft ›

    Botaniczna Apartment, Poland, by Agnieszka Owsiany Studio
    A warm-toned travertine features in the bathroom of this apartment in Poznań, which was renovated by Agnieszka Owsiany Studio for a professional couple.
    While travertine is a limestone, so not technically a marble, it has a similarly patterned finish.
    The stone wraps the walls and the bath, and also forms a cuboidal washbasin. The same stone also features in the home’s kitchen, where it was used to create an island counter.
    Find out more about Botaniczna Apartment ›

    The Village, Germany, by Gisbert Pöppler
    Wood and marble are combined throughout this apartment renovation by Berlin designer Gisbert Pöppler, in the city’s Mitte district, but the juxtaposition is particularly striking in the bathroom.
    The room features a bathtub set within a niche that is lined with highly variegated South American marble.
    The warm tones of the stone are echoed by the wooden flooring, as well as by a basin unit that combines dark oak with white-glazed lava stone.
    Find out more about The Village ›

    Flat #6, Brazil, by Studio MK27
    Studio MK27 chose highly textured materials for this renovation of a four-bedroom flat in São Paulo, home to a couple and their three teenage sons.
    For the washrooms, the designers selected grey Armani, a Mediterranean marble that combines dark tones with white accents.
    The stone has been carefully arranged to ensure the white streaks run through niches set into the walls, which provide space for storing soap and shampoo.
    Find out more about Flat #6 ›

    D2 Townhouse, UK, by Jake Moulson
    Multi-coloured stone offered a good fit for the eclectic interiors of this renovated townhouse in Dublin, designed by architect Jake Moulson.
    The most striking example can be found in an under-stairs toilet, where a Brazilian quartzite called Azul Imperial combines shades of purple, blue and gold.
    Find out more about D2 Townhouse ›

    ER Apartment, Brazil, by Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos
    This family home in São Paulo, designed by Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetos, features different types of Brazilian stone.
    In the bathroom, white Parana marble forms the walls and floor, and also provides surfaces within a trough-shaped bronze sink that was custom-made to echo the curves of a mirror above.
    Elsewhere in the home, panels of jade-coloured onyx serve as surfaces and also conceal an in-wall light fixture.
    Find out more about ER Apartment ›

    Twentieth, USA, by Woods + Dangaran
    A marble known as Bronze Vena, or “bronze vein”, is the focal point of the en-suite in the main bedroom of this Santa Monica home by Los Angeles-based Woods +Dangaran.
    Large-format slabs of this stone cover the walls, floor and ceiling of the bath area, toilet and walk-in shower.
    The slabs were cleverly book-matched at the centre of the room for a symmetrical effect. Slabs effectively mirror each other, creating zigzags within the vein patterns.
    Find out more about Twentieth ›

    West 76th Street, USA, by Messana O’Rorke
    This apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side is home to the founders of the skincare brand Malin + Goetz, so special attention was naturally paid to the bathrooms.
    New York-based studio Messana O’Rorke combined brass fittings with Carrera marble – the hugely popular Italian stone – with the ambition of creating a “spa-like” feeling.
    One bathroom features a marble recess with an integrated sink and mirror, while the other boasts a shower that is illuminated by a hidden pocket in the ceiling.
    Find out more about West 76th Street ›

    Villa Waalre, Netherlands, by Russell Jones
    To match the minimal aesthetic of this woodland home in Waalre, near Eindhoven, bathrooms are finished in Statuario, a white marble quarried in Italy.
    The effect works particularly well in the main bedroom, where a free-standing partition wall divides off part of the space for an en-suite. This volume incorporates a marble basin, as well as timber-fronted drawers.
    Find out more about Villa Waalre ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. Other recent editions showcase Scandinavian kitchens, outdoor showers and eclectic interiors.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Studio Giancarlo Valle transforms historic Stockholm cinema into tactile rug showroom

    Interior design firm Studio Giancarlo Valle has turned an early 20th-century cinema in Stockholm into a showroom for rug company Nordic Knots, restoring its original stone details and adding warm wood and brushed steel.

    Mottled green marble covers the walls of the 150-square-metre showroom, which is located in the central Östermalm area of Stockholm.
    As part of the revamp Studio Giancarlo Valle restored the existing marble – a traditional Swedish type of stone called Kolmårdsmarmor – as well as the building’s grand central staircase.
    The showroom is located in a former cinema in ÖstermalmThe studio also added more contemporary touches, such as brushed stainless-steel details and walnut and oak furniture.
    “The interior is historic and we wanted to preserve the architectural details, so we restored the terrazzo and plaster,” studio founder Giancarlo Valle told Dezeen.

    “The building is a 20th-century former movie theatre and it was critical to maintain a sense of grandness when entering the space,” he added.
    Green marble from Sweden clads the wallsNordic Knots’ co-founder Liza Laserow wanted the interior to feature as many of the original details in the 1918 building as possible.
    “During the demolition of some old closets, we discovered the original floor to the building from the early 1900s – a muted green terrazzo with a red and white checkerboard,” Laserow told Dezeen.
    “Discovering the original flooring made us realise that we wanted to use terrazzo throughout, as the green colour in the original terrazzo matched the green marble on the walls perfectly.”
    The brand managed to find a Swedish company that could replicate the original terrazzo to cover the entire floor area.
    Rugs designed by Giancarlo Valle decorate the spaceThe stone floors and walls are complemented by a variety of natural materials.
    “To balance out the existing stone and terrazzo, we brought in warmer, more tactile materials like pine, oak, and walnut,” Valle said.
    Oak and walnut shelves decorate the walls of the Sample Bar, a room where customers can see samples of different Nordic Knots rugs, and where Studio Giancarlo Valle introduced custom-made oak lounge chairs.
    The Sample Bar features wooden shelving and steel furnitureValle also added brushed-steel touches to the Nordic Knots showroom, including on its custom-made steel and walnut coffee bar in the main gallery area and a table in the Sample Bar.
    The furniture throughout is designed in reference to the building, such as the curved front of the coffee bar that reflects the shape of its doorposts.

    Luca Nichetto transforms Swedish villa into his own studio and showroom

    Laserow and co-founder Fabian Berglund had previously worked with Valle on a series of rugs for the company, which resulted in four designs, including an all-beige rug with a pattern of open hands and a red rug with flower buds on it.
    These are used to decorate the walls and floors of the showroom.
    Meeting rooms are located in the back of the buildingAt the back of the building sit the company’s meeting rooms and office spaces, which feature wooden furniture and a colour palette of saturated blues and mustard yellows.
    “The new interiors very much honour the building’s history,” Valle said.
    “We were careful to preserve the historic architectural details, along with the feeling of entering a grand theatre, when designing the space.”
    The original terrazzo floor is replicated throughout the spaceThe showroom opened during this year’s edition of Stockholm Design Week, which also featured an exhibition of “functional art” by Danish studio Tableau and a virtual apartment.
    Studio Giancarlo Valle’s designs have previously been used for projects including a showroom in a Brooklyn warehouse and a co-working company founded by Yves Béhar.
    The photography is courtesy of Nordic Knots.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Biophilic design informs “otherworldly” moss-covered installation at luxury bag store

    Creative studio Spacemen looked to biophilic design principles to construct a tree-like installation covered in moss, which forms the centrepiece of a flagship outlet for luxury leather brand Braun Büffel in Malaysia.

    Described by Shanghai-based Spacemen as a store that straddles an art gallery and a laboratory, the studio wanted to create an interior that would attract a younger audience and serve as “an abstract oasis” in Putrajaya’s IOI Mall.
    Spacemen designed the store interior for bag brand Braun BüffelCentral to this design is an oversized, organic-shaped sculpture clad in preserved flat moss, ball moss and lichen that is suspended from an illuminated disc in the middle of the shop.
    A rounded table clad in the same plants was positioned directly below to complete the installation. It also doubles as a plinth for Braun Büffel leather bags, which are displayed sparsely across the store like museum artefacts.
    It is characterised by a central moss-covered sculptureThe sculpture takes cues from biophilic design – a concept that encourages a closer connection between humans and nature when creating interior spaces.

    “The form was designed to seem as though it is sprouting from the ground towards the ceiling – towards the sun – hence why we integrated the membrane lighting ceiling above it, just like how it would grow out of a beaker in a mad scientist’s lab towards natural light,” explained Spacemen founder Edward Tan.
    “We envisioned an otherworldly concept akin to something out of a Hollywood sci-fi movie,” he told Dezeen.
    A green onyx feature wall was placed at the back of the storeTan said that Spacemen adopted a “maximal minimalism” approach when creating the store interiors, in an attempt to challenge the neutral shapes and colours often associated with luxury.
    Throughout the shop, lime plaster walls and bright white terrazzo floors are interrupted by various ornate display units and shelves magnified by floor-to-ceiling mirrors.

    Louis Vuitton overhauls stores with Yayoi Kusama polka-dots and life-like animatronics

    This cabinetry is made from decadent slabs of swirly orange onyx and jade marble, some of which are topped with glass vitrines that reveal small leather goods.
    Spacemen placed a green onyx feature wall at the back of the store, which sits behind furniture including a bespoke curved bench created from the same material as well as a custom oak armchair.
    Bespoke seating creates a waiting area for customersExplaining the decision to incorporate biophilic design into the Braun Büffel outlet, Tan said, “I think with the pandemic, people have taken to appreciating nature a lot more than before.”
    “This is especially true for people living in big cities where they live in apartments and are confined to office cubicles all the time, and do not have access to nature and greenery as much as they should.”
    “Therefore it has become a new form of luxury to be able to afford lush greenery and gardens indoors,” he concluded.
    Green and orange hues add colourful accents to the spaceOther retailers featuring similar designs include a store in Seattle for beauty brand Glossier with a mossy mushroom-covered mound and a Celine boutique in Paris that is characterised by large expanses of brass and marble.
    The photography is by David Yeow Photography.
    Project credits:
    Interior design: SpacemenMoss artist: Ohsum Mossum

    Read more: More

  • in

    Eight kitchens that benefit from generous marble surfaces

    From veiny and earthy to sleek and spotless, our latest lookbook features eight kitchens from the Dezeen archive that prominently feature marble.

    Marble is a metamorphic stone formed when limestone rock is heated and pressured in the Earth’s crust, making it crystallise and form a streaky, swirly mix. The smooth stone can be used on walls, floors and other surfaces, often in bathrooms or kitchens.
    In larger kitchens, marble can be used to form sturdy islands, breakfast bars or dining tables while in smaller spaces, it can be used as an easy-to-clean splashback or countertop for meal preparation.
    Here are eight interior projects that feature marble kitchens, including a playful apartment in Melbourne and a minimalist house in Canada.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes informed by biophilic design, colourful 1970s interiors and homes with sliding doors.

    Photo is by Eduardo MacariosApartment 207, Brazil, by Belotto Scopel Tanaka
    For the revamp of a 75-square-metre apartment in Brazil, architecture studio Belotto Scopel Tanaka employed a simple material palette of glossy, dark wooded cabinetry against black and white marble.
    On one side of the marble breakfast bar, there is space for the residents to sit and enjoy meals; on the other, there are several drawers for crockery and kitchenware storage.
    Find out more about Apartment 207 ›
    Photo is by Piet-Albert GoethalsDeknudt Nelis, Belgium, by Arjaan de Freyter
    Blackened steel, dark walnut fittings and deep-green marble slabs fill the interior of this pared-back office that Belgian studio Arjaan de Freyter designed for law firm Deknudt Nelis.
    The same veiny stone used for the striking kitchen island has also been used to line the inner shelves of a full-height storage unit. Architect De Freyter chose the material to convey “decisiveness and professionalism,” he told Dezeen.
    Find out more about Deknudt Nelis ›
    Photo is by Benjamin HoskingBrunswick Apartment, Australia, by Murray Barker and Esther Stewart
    Like the majority of this Melbourne apartment, its L-shaped kitchen pays homage to the 1960s, with the same pistachio green tones and speckled flooring as its original mid-century interior.
    The designers used Rosa Alicante marble on the top of the custom-made steel frame table and long countertops, which complements the terrazzo floor tiles beneath.
    Find out more about Brunswick Apartment ›

    Photo is by Daniel SalemiBrooklyn Loft, US, by Dean Works
    New York studio Dean Works added a statement multi-functional plywood unit in the kitchen of this Brooklyn apartment, giving its occupants some much-needed storage space.
    Its in-built grey and white marble countertop was cut away to make space for a traditional white sink and a gas hob, while the shelves provide space above the counter for tableware, crockery and cooking utensils.
    Find out more about Brooklyn Loft ›
    Photo is by Piet-Albert GoethalsBelgian Apartment, Belgium, by Carmine Van Der Linden and Thomas Geldof
    Local architects Carmine Van Der Linden and Thomas Geldof designed this coastal two-floor apartment to reflect its calm countryside surroundings.
    Seaweed-coloured joinery and streaky Alga Marina marble surfaces make the kitchen the focal point of the residence and contrast the panelled birchwood cabinets and shelves.
    Find out more about Belgian Apartment ›
    Photo is by Andrew SnowBeaconsfield Residence, Canada, by StudioAC
    Located in Toronto, this Victorian townhouse renovated by StudioAC combines clean white hues with wooden furnishing and flooring.
    The overhaul included opening up the interior by reorganising the layout, as well as installing a black marble-covered kitchen island to provide a darker contrast.
    Find out more about Beaconsfield Residence ›
    Photo is by Raphaël ThibodeauCottage on the Point, Canada, by Paul Bernier Architecte
    Designed by local studio Paul Bernier Architecte, this sun-drenched kitchen sits within a house extension in Cottage on the Point, a lakeside dwelling in Quebec.
    The large glass windows that frame views of the surrounding trees and night skies also allow light to bounce across the pale marble surfaces that line the table, shelves and countertops.
    Find out more about Cottage on the Point ›
    Photo is by Timothy KayeBarwon Heads House, Australia, Adam Kane Architects
    Australian studio Adam Kane Architects blanketed the barn-style extension of Barwon Heads House in a monochrome interior palette and contemporary finishes.
    The open plan kitchen and dining area is divided by a large marble dining table, while elsewhere in the cottage, matching slabs of travertine marble are used as countertops and coffee tables.
    Find out more about A Barwon Heads House ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with Eames chairs, memorable pop-up shops and interiors informed by Bauhaus principles.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Leckie Studio imitates stalactite formations inside Vancouver's AER Skinlab

    Quarries and caves served as visual references for this marble-lined skincare clinic in Vancouver, Canada, designed by local firm Leckie Studio.

    Set on the ground level of Vancouver’s Waterfall Building, AER Skinlab offers a selection of cosmetic injections and laser treatments.
    Walls throughout the AER Skinlab clinic in Vancouver are lined with grey marbleLeckie Studio wanted to create a calm, grounding interior for the clinic to make it look as if it was “excavated from the stillness of rock”.
    The studio’s key reference point for this aesthetic was a series of photographs by Canadian artist Edward Burtynsky, which captures the dramatic topography of quarries around the world.
    In homage, the clinic’s service desk and almost all of its walls were clad with vast panels of grey marble sourced from nearby Vancouver Island. Each slab was given a subtle striated finish to emulate the irregular surface texture of stone.

    The marble was striated to emulate the uneven surface texture of stoneSimilar striations were made on AER Skinlab’s glass facade, obscuring the interior from passersby to preserve patients’ privacy.
    Crowning the clinic’s reception area is a striking ceiling installation that was produced by Leckie Studio in collaboration with local art and design practice Tangible Interaction.
    It consists of strips of Tyvek, a type of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fabric, which are hung at different lengths. Clustered together, these resemble pointed mineral formations called stalactites that are created when water drips through a cave ceiling.
    Leckie Studio and Tangible Interaction created a hanging installation for the clinic”The ceiling installation was very ambitious from both a design detailing and installation perspective,” Leckie Studio told Dezeen.
    “We prioritised the experiential aspect while also ensuring compliance with local building codes, life safety, HVAC [heating, ventilation and air conditioning] and lighting performance.”
    Consultation and treatment rooms are simply finishedOne of the walls in the clinic’s reception is punctuated with a narrow niche, where AER Skinlab displays its line of skincare products.
    An arched corridor leads through to a consultation area and a trio of treatment rooms that were finished with pale plaster walls and grey soft furnishings to complement the rest of the interior scheme.
    The clinic’s striated glass facade was designed to preserve patients’ privacyLeckie Studio has completed a number of projects around its hometown of Vancouver. Among them is Courtyard House, a family home that contains only the most essential living spaces.
    The studio also designed the Vancouver office of Slack Technologies – the company behind workplace messaging system Slack – which occupies a former warehouse.
    The photography is by Ema Peter.
    Project credits:
    Design: Leckie StudioCeiling installation: Tanglible InteractionBrand identity: Glasfurd & Walker

    Read more: More

  • in

    Masquespacio puts colourful spin on traditional Italian restaurant concept

    Colourful marble accents and looming arches characterise this restaurant by Spanish studio Masquespacio, which takes cues from traditional Italian eateries.

    Called Piada, the restaurant sells Italian flatbreads and is the second of its kind to be designed by Masquespacio in the French city of Lyon.
    Piada is a restaurant in LyonThe interiors of the latest Piada blends retro design elements borrowed from traditional Italian restaurants, such as marble and gold finishes, with colours and materials that were chosen to echo the eatery’s healthy food menu.
    “First, we investigated ancient Italian restaurants and bars to bring the traditional concept into the design,” Masquespacio co-founder Christophe Penasse told Dezeen.
    Masquespacio took cues from traditional Italian eateries”Then, we sought elements that could represent a sort of healthy aspect, which at the same time have a splashy and young colour concept that represents the brand’s identity,” he added.

    A garland of lush plants and flowers is suspended above the entrance to the two-storey restaurant, under which floor-to-ceiling arched windows were designed to draw visitors in from the street.
    Bold blocks of colour define the spaceInside, guests are met with a collection of booth-like tables that offer a mixture of built-in seating, including banquette benches and rounded wooden stools.
    This area is defined by a bold palette of sugary pastel colours, ranging from pale lilac seat cushions to mint-green walls.

    Stucco walls and terracotta tiles form a winding pathway through Huesca restaurant

    Piada’s external arch motif is also continued in its interiors, where curved alcoves have been outlined with columns of bulbous sconce lights that resemble oversized Hollywood-style mirrors.
    “We used five elements to represent the traditional Italian bar and restaurant – arches, light bulbs with gold finishes, marble and mirrored menus,” explained Penasse.
    Piada’s design is also influenced by its healthy food menuIn a nod to Piada’s healthy food concept, Masquespacio added clusters of plants that spill out of backlit rounded nooks behind the seating areas both upstairs and downstairs.
    The studio also incorporated stucco on the walls and tiles with a handmade effect to create a more organic feel to the restaurant interior. All of Piada’s furniture was custom-made by Masquespacio to match the restaurant’s eclectic themes.
    The restaurant is the second of its kind in the French cityFounded in 2010 by Penasse and Ana Milena Hernández Palacios, the Spanish studio has completed a number of other interior projects with designs rooted in bright colour.
    These include a playful burger joint in Turin, multi-hued student housing in Bilbao and a colour-clashing phone repair shop in Valencia.
    The photography is by Gregory Abbate.

    Read more: More