Minimalist interior design

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      Aesop clads London store with tactile bars of soap

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      Skincare brand Aesop has opened a minimalist store in London’s Knightsbridge, featuring a “soap corridor” created with uniform tiles made from the everyday bathroom product.

      Set within a slim and narrow room on Brompton Road, the Aesop outlet is characterised by a floor-to-ceiling installation made of cream-coloured soap bars.
      Aesop has opened a store in London’s KnightsbridgeThe installation, created by architect Nicolas Schuybroek, was transferred from an Aesop store in Milan, where it was temporarily on display for the city’s design week in April. Slabs of soap were arranged in a gridded layout and supported by a subtle timber structure, designed to be disassembled and installed at different locations.
      “Schuybroek had taken one of the most fundamental, functional household items – a bar of soap – to create an unconventional sculpture,” reflected Aesop.
      It features an installation by Nicolas Schuybroek made of bars of soapAccording to the skincare brand, the architect was informed by the simplicity of Arte Povera – an Italian art movement from the 1960s to the 1970s that favoured using unconventional everyday materials instead of more traditional ones such as oil paint or carved marble.

      “Just as practitioners of the Arte Povera movement restricted themselves to simple and everyday materials in their poetic compositions, the spatial restriction of the store enforces a streamlined design in the form of a soap corridor,” said Aesop.

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      As per every Aesop branch, the store includes a central basin for skin consultations. At the Knightsbridge store, every piece of furniture was repurposed from the Aesop furniture collection, including the basin and the grey geometric display shelving.
      In one corner of the room, more bars of soap were piled into a sculptural heap, adding a playful touch to the otherwise “muted calm” of the interior.
      The skincare brand explained that Schuybroek’s installation is intended to travel to numerous Aesop stores, with Brompton Road being its second home.
      The installation was previously on display during Milan design week in AprilKnown for its varied store designs that often reference their specific locations, Aesop has nearly 400 outlets around the world.
      These include a brick-clad branch in Copenhagen that pays homage to the nearby Louisiana Museum of Modern Art and an open-sided shop in Seoul that was informed by traditional Korean pavilions.
      The photography is by Alixe Lay.

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      Lissoni Architecture designs moody, minimal interiors for AKA NoMad hotel

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      New York-based Lissoni Architecture has completed a hotel in Manhattan’s NoMad neighbourhood, featuring minimalist interiors that blend Scandinavian and Japanese influences.

      The studio, led by Italian architect Piero Lissoni, designed the AKA NoMad inside a building that formerly housed the Roger New York hotel.
      A bronze-painted spiral staircase anchors the lobby of the AKA NoMad hotelLocated in NoMad – north of Madison Square Park – an area with many design showrooms and hospitality venues, the project marks Lissoni’s first hotel in NYC after opening his US-based architecture office last year.
      “You know the film New York, New York with Liza Minnelli and Roberto De Niro?” Lissoni said. “Well, for me that’s AKA Nomad, my idea of a New York that encompasses music, life, silence, snow, traffic and energy, but always accompanied by a distinct elegance and diversity.”
      An intimate mezzanine-level lounge is housed within a glowing volume”It’s not formalised – it’s a hotel that narrates and speaks with a touch of style, a touch of art deco, a touch of the 1950s… and we’ll see what else,” he added.

      The double-height lobby is anchored by a bronze-painted metal staircase that spirals up past a backlit volume to a mezzanine level that holds an intimate lounge.
      The lobby bar takes advantage of the tall ceiling height and elongated street-facing windowsBanquettes with sage green velvet cushions sit against the illuminated panels on the other side, paired with white-topped tables and various styles of dining chair.
      “The often filtered light generates soft and cocooning environments, where natural materials such as wood and stone are flanked by fabrics of light and neutral tones, and bespoke furnishings are juxtaposed with contemporary design and iconic objects,” said Lissoni Architecture.
      Fluting on the bar counter front and a glass light fixture accentuate the ceiling heightIn the space below, where the ceiling height is lower, soft lighting and comfy seating create areas for guests to relax beside the floating blue reception counter.
      At the front, a bar area takes advantage of the tall ceilings and elongated windows facing onto the street.

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      A glossy black bar counter reflects the minimalist liquor bottle shelving, which also glows from behind, while fluting on the counter front and a glass light fixture accentuates the height of the space.
      On both communal levels, dark tiles laid in a herringbone pattern cover the floors and exposed brickwork is painted beige to create consistency.
      Oversized fabric-upholstered headboards and textured wallpaper soften the bedroomsThe guest rooms and suites continue the same neutral palette and materials, but the balance is tipped towards a lighter tone.
      Oversized fabric-upholstered headboards, plush carpets and textured wallpaper soften the bedrooms, while the bathrooms are lined with dark stone and tiles.
      Guest bathrooms are lined with dark stone and tilesLissoni previously has leant his clean, minimalist style to several of Italy’s top design brands, including Lualdi, Boffi and Salvatori, and recently expanded the Design Holding flagship in New York City.
      He has also served as artistic director of B&B Italia and Sanlorenzo yachts, and was a Dezeen Awards judge in 2023.
      The photography is by Veeral Patel.
      Project credits:
      Design team: Piero Lissoni with Stefano Giussani, Christine Napoli, Antonio Rinaldi, Vincent Chen, Tania Zaneboni, Roberto Berticelli.

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      Will Gamble Architects modernises London Victorian house with “soft minimalism” interiors

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      UK studio Will Gamble Architects has extended and modernised a Victorian house in south London, using curved shapes and a palette of natural materials to create a calm and minimalist aesthetic.

      The clients – a married couple looking to create their forever home – asked Will Gamble Architects to oversee the transformation of the semi-detached house in Putney into a serene sanctuary.
      Architecture firm Proctor & Shaw initially developed the planning drawings before Gamble’s studio was appointed to develop a cohesive interior design service throughout the home, including technical drawings and revised spatial layouts for the upper floors.
      Will Gamble Architects has extended and modernised a south London Victorian houseTo fufil the clients’ request for increased space, a rear and attic extension was added.
      “We were keen to maximise space and light as much as possible through clever design solutions,” architect Will Gamble told Dezeen.

      “This was particularly relevant over the upper floors where the brief called for four bedrooms and three bathrooms which a conventional layout couldn’t accommodate.”
      Gamble’s “soft minimalism” approach is defined by gentle tonal huesGamble applied an approach he described as “soft minimalism” throughout the interiors, utilising a restrained palette of textural materials to ensure consistency across all floors.
      “Soft minimalism is defined by curved lines, gentle tonal hues, natural materials and carefully curated spaces,” said the architect. “This aesthetic allowed us to deliver a highly bespoke project tailored to our clients’ needs.”
      Muted colours enhancing the “soft minimalism” aesthetic include whites and pinksArched niches, curved walls and a bespoke staircase with semi-circular landings, circular spindles and a turned-oak rail contribute to an aesthetic defined by a gentle geometry.
      Muted colours including warm whites and soft pinks provide a soft and coherent backdrop, while more textured materials including pippy oak and richly veined marble add personality to some of the spaces.

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      The new staircase was illuminated by an oval roof light that continues the theme of gentle, round forms. The roof light casts natural light deep into the floor plan and is openable to allow stack ventilation to naturally cool the interior.
      Bespoke joinery brings functionality and visual interest to rooms including the main bedroom, where a headboard unit made from pippy oak provides additional storage as well as concealing the en-suite shower room.
      Textured materials like pippy oak and richly veined marble add flare to certain spacesThe bespoke bed and headboard with integrated wardrobes are centrally located within the room to maximise the available space. The en suite contains a pair of marble-clad vanities either side of a walk-in shower.
      Pippy oak was used elsewhere in the house for furniture including bedside tables and built-in storage. The wood’s distinctive knots and knot clusters stand out whilst complementing the other natural materials.
      “The ‘cats paw’ pattern of the pippy oak adds a decadence to the otherwise muted material palette,” Gamble added. “We used this unique material in key areas to help establish a hierarchy across the spaces throughout the project.”
      A pippy oak headboard unit in the main bedroom conceals the en-suite shower roomAs part of the renovation project, the building’s historic fabric was thermally upgraded to reduce energy consumption and create a more comfortable environment. A home automation system was also incorporated that minimises visible light switches and contributes to the uncluttered, minimalist interiors.
      According to Gamble, the owners were interested in “achieving a high-quality finish driven by an acute attention to detail”, which led to a highly bespoke project tailored to their exact requirements.
      Will Gamble established his London-based studio in 2018 after working for architectural practices Farrells and Francis Philips Architects. The office specialises in sensitively retrofitting existing buildings through contemporary architectural interventions.
      The studio’s previous projects include a home built within the ruins of a 17-century parchment factory in Northamptonshire and a glass-walled extension to a Georgian house in Leicestershire.

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      Teki Design creates Kyoto cafe as hub to “learn about the future of coffee”

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      2050 Coffee is a minimalist self-service coffee shop in Kyoto designed to raise awareness about sustainability issues surrounding the future of the drink.

      According to architecture and interiors firm Teki Design, the coffee shop aims to interrogate “the 2050 coffee problem” – the fact that there could be a global scarcity of coffee the year 2050.
      Teki Design created the interiors for 2050 Coffee in Kyoto”Climate change might lead to a decrease in areas suitable for coffee cultivation,” Teki Design founder Tatsuya Nishinaga told Dezeen.
      “The current practice of enjoying the drink at coffee shops may become more of a luxury,” added the designer.
      The cafe features self-service machinesIn response, Teki Design wanted to create a stripped-back interior for the cafe, where customers come and “learn about the future of coffee”.

      2050 Coffee is spread over two open-plan levels and features large rectilinear windows on its facade, which reveal a monochrome interior.
      Polycarbonate counters display the machinesInside, smooth grey walls create a backdrop for curved and illuminated counters made from corrugated polycarbonate sheets, chosen for their “inexpensive and familiar” qualities.
      “While this material is often used for shed roofs due to its low cost and accessibility, it reflects light beautifully,” said Tatsuya.
      A small seating area features at one end of the ground floorThe counters display brightly lit self-service screens connected to sleek silver taps that produce five types of “sustainable” drip coffee in around 10 seconds.
      Polycarbonate was also applied to the cafe entrance to create a large, rounded sign emblazoned with the 2050 Coffee logo, which acts as a beacon when seen from afar.
      Upstairs, shelves display various coffee paraphernaliaA small seating area at one end of the ground floor was formed from understated black benches.
      Upstairs, more dark-hued seating was arranged next to a series of low-lit, chunky frame-shaped shelves displaying various coffee paraphernalia.
      The shelves are reflected in floor-to-ceiling mirrors, selected to add to the coffee shop’s futuristic feel.

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      As well as a cafe, 2050 Coffee is used as a space for various pop-up events that investigate coffee and sustainability.
      Tatsuya warned that despite these issues, drinking coffee is becoming more popular worldwide, adding to the problem.
      “As coffee consumption increases, particularly in Asian countries where tea has been the traditional choice, the balance between demand and supply may become disrupted,” he explained.
      “Creating a place where people can first learn and then think together is what we consider our approach to problem-solving.”
      2050 Coffee is positioned on a Kyoto street cornerPreviously completed coffee shops in Japan include a Tokyo cafe in a former warehouse and another in Kyoto clad in rapidly oxidised copper.
      The photography is by Kenta Hasegawa. 

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      Burdifilek applies “quiet colour palette” to Entourage superyacht

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      Canadian design studio Burdifilek chose delicate blue-hued furnishings for the Entourage superyacht, which features minimalist interiors created to blend in with “the azure sea beyond”.

      Constructed with an aluminium superstructure by naval architect Damien Yachting, the 63-metre-long vessel features interior design by Burdifilek – a Toronto-based studio.
      Burdifilek designed the interiors for the Entourage superyachtSpread over four decks, the yacht can accommodate up to 12 guests and 13 crew members and includes floor-to-ceiling glazing for maximum interior light.
      Central to the main deck is an open-plan living room with fumed oak skirting that doubles as chunky window seats designed for taking in the ocean views.
      The vessel is spread over four decksBurdifilek dressed this living space with a snaking, blue-tinged sofa and a pewter-toned carpet to create an overall look that the studio described as “understated luxury”.

      “A quiet colour palette with subtle textures was chosen to play off the reflectivity of the surrounding ocean,” Burdifilek co-founder Diego Burdi told Dezeen.
      A blue chrome and resin coffee table features in the main “stateroom” bedroomThe main deck’s “stateroom” suite follows a similar design. A blue chrome and resin coffee table was positioned next to a powdery slate-coloured curved sofa, while the walls and floors were also finished in delicate grey hues.
      “The azure sea beyond the window serves as a backdrop to the pastel, blue-toned furnishings, resulting in an interplay of diverse textures, transparency, and varying degrees of sheen,” explained Burdifilek.
      The sundeck includes a jacuzziAbove the main deck, the sun deck includes a jacuzzi and bar as well as lounge space and open sunbathing area, while the bridge deck just below features similarly designed living spaces and an outdoor dining area – all defined by minimal interiors.
      Created to resemble “an unravelling ribbon coming down from above”, a leather-upholstered stairwell leads to the lower deck.
      The leather-upholstered stairwell was designed to resemble “an unravelling ribbon”This level holds the staff quarters and four guest bedrooms characterised by space-saving, drop-down side tables and all-velvet chairs.
      The bedrooms feature slanted, half-wall skins to add “cosy” texture to their interiors.
      A sauna and sleek gym also characterise the lower deck and add to Entourage’s “quiet confidence,” explained Burdi.

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      “During our research process, we visited many yachts,” reflected the designer.
      “While experiencing the outdoor scenery on a vessel, we realised the importance of creating a considered and edited interior design language for the end users to fully appreciate the beauty of the surrounding nature.”
      Half-wall skins add to the “cosy” texture of the lower-deck bedroomsFounded by Burdi and Paul Filek in 1997, Burdifilek has previously completed projects ranging from the “zen-like” interiors for a Seoul department store and a Toronto home with carved French limestone and rolling glass doors.
      The photography is by Guillaume Plisson.
      Project credits:
      Interior design: BurdifilekExterior design: Espen OeinoNaval architecture: Damen Yachting

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