More stories

  • in

    Note Design Studio enriches Stockholm apartment with “cloudy” ceiling stucco

    Note Design Studio has updated this formerly characterless apartment in Stockholm to feature bespoke Douglas fir joinery and curvy stucco ceilings designed to suggest cloud formations.

    Although the Cloudy Outlines apartment sits within a building dating back to 1842, Note Design Studio says the interior had been stripped of any historic charm and “traces of craftsmanship” during previous renovations.
    Douglas fir joinery appears throughout the Cloudy Outlines apartmentIt also had a poor layout, with a living area that could only be accessed via a dark, lengthy corridor snaking around the back of the apartment while the remaining rooms were awkwardly shaped and difficult to furnish.
    The studio decided to redesign the home from scratch, knocking down all of its internal walls to form a more cohesive floor plan.
    The apartment’s corridor was repositioned to allow for more natural lightThe corridor was repositioned to run parallel to the building’s window-lined facade and, as a result, is now flooded with natural light.

    Rooms were classically finished with white-painted walls and Douglas fir flooring.
    Curved stucco gives the ceilings a soft, cloud-like qualityBillowy stucco moulding was added throughout to give a soft “cloudy” quality to the ceilings and provide a contrast with the “rationality and material robustness” of the apartment, the studio explained.
    “With the previous interior and finishes removed, a new holistic design was developed with a limited amount of design principles, all with a timeless ambition,” Note Design Studio said.

    Note Design Studio draws on Swedish Grace style for Habitat 100 apartment

    In the kitchen, Douglas fir was used again to create simple cupboards and a striking circular cover for the extractor fan.
    The countertop, on the other hand, is overlaid with a sleek metallic finish.
    Furnishings in pastel hues disrupt the otherwise neutral colour schemeAll of the apartment’s doors, as well as its window sills, are also made from Douglas fir.
    The material palette only deviates slightly in the bathroom, which features grey-tile surfaces and flecked terrazzo-like flooring.
    The stucco effect can also be seen in the bedroomThe Cloudy Outlines apartment is one of several residential renovations that Note Design Studio has completed in the Swedish capital, where the firm is based.
    Among them is Habitat 100 – an apartment littered with references to the Swedish Grace movement – and the Mantelpiece Loft, which is distinguished by its colour-block bedrooms.
    The photography is courtesy of the studio.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Eight serene bedrooms with striking natural views

    Far-flung homes from New Zealand to Patagonia feature in this lookbook that showcases bedrooms with calm interiors where glazing has been maximised and clutter minimised to keep the focus on the views.

    Installing huge floor-to-ceiling windows is a no-brainer when a house is set in a prime location, whether overlooking Lake Tahoe or Chile’s craggy coastline.
    But the real key is to create pared-back interiors that don’t detract from the natural vistas, using minimal furnishings and a natural material palette that brings the outside in.
    Read on for eight minimalist bedroom interiors that make the view their protagonist.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring bedrooms with bathtubs, statement headboards and wood-panelled dining rooms.

    Photo by Patrick ReynoldsKawakawa House, New Zealand, by Herbst Architects
    A clerestory window wraps all the way around this home in the surf town of Piha, New Zealand, allowing light to filter through a canopy of pōhutukawa trees and into the bedroom.
    This dappled effect is mirrored in the interior through the use of dark birch on the walls and light plywood on the ceilings, which help to draw sun into the living spaces.
    Find out more about Kawakawa House ›
    Photo by Javier Agustin RojasEstancia Morro Chico, Argentinia, by RDR Architectes
    Wood, leather and wool help to add warmth to this otherwise spartan bedroom, which belongs to a family of sheep farmers in remote Patagonia.
    A floor-to-ceiling window makes the most of the region’s vacillating sunlight while providing views across the surrounding 27,000-hectare ranch and the wild steppe beyond.
    “The general aesthetics of the project were inspired by the traditional architecture of the region, which demonstrated extreme austerity and an almost primitive simplicity,” said RDR Architectes.
    Find out more about Estancia Morro Chico ›
    Photo by Marc Goodwin, ArchmospheresNiliaitta, Finland, by Studio Puisto
    In the absence of bedside tables, most of the space inside this cabin near Finland’s Salamajärvi National Park is occupied by a custom-made bed, placed directly in front of a glazed wall.
    Local practice Studio Puisto kept furnishings to a minimum and covered nearly all of the surfaces in the same pale wood, so as not to compete with the natural spectacle.
    “The interior is done purposefully so that it would only serve as a neutral blank canvas, second to the nature outside,” Studio Puisto said.
    Find out more about Niliaitta ›
    Photo by Felix ForestMatopos, Australia, by Atelier Andy Carson
    When Atelier Andy Carson renovated the home of gallerist Judith Neilson, the Sydney studio set out to provide a minimalist backdrop for her personal collection of art and furniture.
    Meanwhile, finishes and window placements throughout the house were chosen to honour nearby Freshwater Beach, with the best views provided by the window seat in the primary bedroom.
    “Thoughtfully placed windows frame vistas of the sea, while polished plaster interior walls reflect views of the blue and yellow hues of ocean and sand back into the home,” the studio said.
    Find out more about Matopos ›
    Photo by Cristobal PalmaHouse in Los Vilos, Chile, by Ryue Nishizawa
    This bedroom was carved out of a cliffside on Chile’s Pacific coast, with a glass front and private terrace opening it up to views of crashing waves and craggy rocks.
    The building’s board-marked concrete slab roof is left exposed throughout the interior, paired with pared-back wooden furnishings and floors.
    Find out more about House in Los Vilos ›

    Shelter, Sweden, by Vipp
    A huge skylight stretches across the ceiling of this compact loft bedroom, set in a prefabricated cabin on the banks of Lake Immeln in Sweden, to create the impression of sleeping under the open sky.
    To keep attention on the stars, the monochrome interior features moody lighting and slate grey felt panels that cover both the walls and the floors.
    Find out more about Shelter ›
    Photo by Joe FletcherLookout House, USA, by Faulkner Architects
    A huge bed is placed diagonally at the centre of this room, effectively displacing all other furniture but taking full advantage of the home’s sweeping Lake Tahoe panorama.
    For the interior, Californian studio Faulkner Architects brought together local materials including volcanic basalt, concrete made using local sand and walnut wood sourced from orchards in the nearby Sierra foothills.
    “Consistent through the house, the quiet built environment is muted in colour and tonality, which allows the landscape outside to be the focus,” said the studio.
    Find out more about Lookout House ›
    Photo by Peter ClarkeCasa X, Australia, by Branch Studio Architects
    Dramatic sloped ceilings finished in pale wood panelling envelop the bedrooms of this house on Phillip Island near Melbourne, with bedside pendant lights suspended from their highest point.
    Glazing covers the better part of one wall, looking out over the trees that encircle the property to provide privacy despite the home’s beachfront location.
    Find out more about Casa X ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring bedrooms with bathtubs, statement headboards and wood-panelled dining rooms.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Eight pared-back kitchens with minimalist storage solutions

    Sometimes the simple solutions are the best, as seen in this lookbook featuring tidy kitchen interiors where minimalist closed cabinets are combined with decorative materials.

    In these kitchens, found in homes from Sweden to Mexico, architects and designers largely chose simple storage solutions but added material interest in the form of marble, steel and brick details.
    By hiding utensils and crockery away, benches and kitchen islands are freed up to use for food preparation. In some of these kitchens, open shelves above the work areas also provide spaces to hold decorative plates, bowls and cookbooks.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes where the wardrobe is the focal point, bedrooms with statement headboards and homes with pergolas.
    Photo by Lorenzo ZandriSteele’s Road House, UK, by Neiheiser Argyros

    The original brickwork was uncovered in parts of this London flat, including in the kitchen where it forms the backdrop to the room’s minimalist cabinets.
    Pale-wood cupboards sit underneath the brick wall, which also features shelves to add more storage.
    Designers Neiheiser Argyros added a curved window seat, as well as a wooden kitchen table and stool to match the cabinets and give the room a more natural feel.
    Find out more about Steele’s Road House ›
    Photo by Giulio GhirardiHausmann apartment, France, by Rodolphe Parente
    This Parisian apartment in a 19th-century Haussmann building in Paris was given an overhaul by interior designer Rodolphe Parente, who took cues from the owner’s art collection.
    In the kitchen, stainless steel cabinets were used to form storage and workspaces, creating an industrial feel that is tempered by pastel-pink walls.
    “The kitchen is a deconstructed block sitting in the Haussmanian environment,” Parente told Dezeen. “It is connected to the historical elements through its composition.”
    Find out more about the Hausmann apartment ›
    Photo by Scott NorsworthyHouse M, Canada, by Studio Vaaro
    Studio Vaaro used oak cabinetry for the kitchen of this home in Canada, while matching oak shelving provides additional storage above the workspaces.
    To contrast the warm wood, the studio chose grey marble for the countertops and splashbacks, which gives the kitchen an organic feel. Additional storage can be found in the pale grey cabinets that frame the kitchen.
    Find out more about House M ›
    Photo by Edmund DabneyLondon apartment, UK, by Holloway Li
    A kitchen clad in circle-brushed stainless steel clads one wall in this London flat by local studio Holloway Li. Designed in reference to the city’s many fish-and-chip shops, it features a striking curved splashback.
    Above the workspaces, a built-in open shelf provides space to store glasses and cooking utensils, with the rest of the storage is hidden behind patterned-steel cabinet doors.
    Find out more about London apartment ›
    Photo by Ronan MézièreMontreal apartment, Canada, by Naturehumanie
    Fresh minty hues decorate the kitchen of this Montreal apartment, which was given a modern update while retaining many of its traditional details.
    The green colour matches that of the apartment’s existing stained glass doors. And the kitchen island and cabinets both have inviting curved forms, finished in a glossy paint that complements the rougher tiles above the counters.
    Find out more about the Montreal apartment ›
    Photo by Gareth HackerHighbury House, UK, by Daytrip
    Located in Highbury in north London, this home juxtaposes a gallery-like minimalism with more organic forms.
    This is evident in the kitchen, where pared-back storage cabinets in an unusual rectangular shape sit underneath a decorative marble countertop.
    Sculptural vases, plates and cooking utensils decorate the matching marble kitchen island as well as a small ledge that functions as both storage and display counter.
    Find out more about Highbury House ›
    Photo by Yoshihiro MakinoEastern Columbia Loft, US, by Sheft Farrace
    Architecture studio Sheft Farrace renovated this flat, which is located in the iconic art deco Eastern Columbia building in Los Angeles, creating minimalist interiors that draw on the building’s exterior.
    In the kitchen, this can be seen in the curved corners of the counters and the elongated cabinet hardware, which reference 1930s design. Florida Brush quartzite was used to cover much of the kitchen, adding a striking decorative detail that is complemented by white oak.
    Find out more about Eastern Columbia Loft ›
    Photo courtesy of Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm ArchitectsArchipelago House, Sweden, by Norm Architects
    Danish studio Norm Architects designed this home on the west coast of Sweden to embody both Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetics.
    In the white-walled kitchen, a stainless-steel kitchen island offers both a practical workspace and cupboards for storage. Open wood shelving was decorated with black ceramics to create an art installation-style feature on one wall.
    Find out more about Archipelago House ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes where the wardrobe is the focal point, bedrooms with statement headboards and homes with pergolas.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Eight calming bedrooms with minimalist interiors

    For our latest lookbook, we’ve gathered ten minimalist bedrooms with peaceful designs, ranging from a Mexican bedroom with a concrete bed to a cosy space in a former girls’ school in Puglia.

    Natural materials including wood and stone were used to finish these eight bedrooms, which also feature muted colour palettes and little in the way of decoration.
    Leaving walls bare and keeping the amount of artworks and personal items to a minimum can help create a more soothing and clutter-free bedroom.
    Beige, grey and warm brown hues, meanwhile, make for relaxing spaces free from eye-catching colours.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring terraces and balconies, marble-lined bathrooms and cave-like interiors.

    Photo by Fabian MartinezCasa Tres Árboles, Mexico, by Direccion
    Designed to resemble a “monastic sanctuary”, this weekend retreat in Valle de Bravo, Mexico, aims to celebrate the contrast between shadow and light in its interior.
    In the pared-down bedrooms, the walls were painted in dark colours to contrast the warm wooden ceiling beams. A wooden bench at the end of the bed and tactile linen textiles give the room a slightly rustic feel.
    Find out more about Casa Tres Árboles ›
    Photo by Aaron ChapmanCabin House, India, by Taliesyn
    Cabin House’s interior was informed by the vernacular architecture of its location in south Bangalore’s Jayanagar neighbourhood.
    Earthy finishes were used for the home, which features bare concrete walls and plenty of wood details. A wooden bedframe and flowers create a friendly atmosphere in the mezzanine bedroom.
    Find out more about Cabin House ›
    Photo by Anson SmartPacific House, Australia, by Alexander & Co
    Australian studio Alexander & Co aimed to create contemplative spaces inside Pacific House in Sydney.
    In the minimalist bedroom, walls were rendered in concrete and matched with carpet in a darker grey colour. Sculptural bedside lamps and transparent floor-to-ceiling curtains add a softer feel to the spartan interior.
    Find out more about Pacific House ›
    Photo by Tomooki KengakuHiroo Residence, Japan, by Keiji Ashizawa
    Custom-made wooden furniture and art pieces are dotted throughout Hiroo Residence. Designer Keiji Ashizawa used muted tones to make the most of the sunlight in the central Tokyo apartment, which has several large windows.
    In the bedroom, wood panels cover entire walls and hide away technical functions behind the beds. Organically shaped ceramics add discrete decorative touches.
    Find out more about Hiroo Residence ›
    Photo by Gavin GreenFisherman’s Cottage, Australia, by Studio Prineas
    The bedroom in this Australian home is located inside a concrete extension to an old fisherman’s cottage.
    Here, a solid-stone bath doubles as a bedhead and mirrored walls were used to make the small room feel bigger. To not clutter the space, accessories were restricted to a few glass trays and vases as well as a striped throw.
    Find out more about Fisherman’s Cottage ›
    Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Alférez, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
    A bedside nook sits underneath a high window inside this brutalist holiday home, which features wooden floors and walls made of board-formed concrete.
    Architect Ludwig Godefroy also designed built-in concrete furniture for the house, including a concrete bed. A pale grey version of designer Verner Panton’s classic Flowerpot lamp adds a glossy detail to the room’s rough texture.
    Find out more about Casa Alférez ›
    Photo by Salva LópezCasolare Scarani, Italy, by Studio Andrew Trotter
    Architecture practice Studio Andrew Trotter converted a girls’ school in Puglia that dates back to 1883 into a grand family home with plenty of decorative arches.
    In the cosy minimalist bedroom, a jute rug covers the stone floor made from crushed rocks and mortar, while the colour palette was kept to creamy whites as well as warm brown and tan hues.
    Find out more about Casolare Scarani ›
    Photo by Roberto RuizPalau apartment, Spain, by Colombo and Serboli Architecture
    “Imperfect” original features were highlighted during the renovation of this apartment in Barcelona, which features white-washed walls and wooden floors.
    In the mezzanine-level bedroom (above and top image), wicker doors front an entire wall and cover the closet. An organically shaped mirror and an orange chair make the calm space feel more playful.
    Find out more about Palau apartment ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring terraces and balconies, marble-lined bathrooms and cave-like interiors.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Of Architecture builds beachside home for surfer-and-artist couple in Cornwall

    London practice Of Architecture has used a fuss-free colour and material palette to create this understated home for a young couple in the town of Newquay in Cornwall.

    House by the Sea belongs to an artist and a surfer, who told Of Architecture that they wanted a home without extravagant finishes, instead preferring a living space that appears “simple, robust and utilitarian”.
    Of Architecture has designed House by the Sea for a couple in CornwallThough the brief was relatively straightforward, erecting the home proved tricky for the practice.
    “The house is located by the cliff side of Pentire peninsula and has a very steep driveway, so transporting material was a big challenge for everyone on site,” the Of Architecture co-founder James Mak told Dezeen.
    “We had to work with materials that could be carried by a small vehicle or by hand.”

    One of the sitting areas has uninterrupted views of Pentire Steps beachOnce the framework was in place, the house was finished with a “monolithic and modest” lime plaster facade.
    Key rooms were dispersed across the home’s open-plan first floor, where walls are almost exclusively painted an off-white shade.
    Prefabricated steps grant access to a cosy mezzanineIn one corner is the kitchen, which features black melamine plywood cabinetry and a large breakfast island topped with stainless steel.
    Overhead hangs a couple of industrial-style pendant lamps.
    The space is filled with artworks and other trinketsAdjacently lies a sitting area that directly overlooks Newquay’s picturesque Pentire Steps beach.
    Fronted by expansive sliding windows, the space is dressed with a classic Eames lounge chair and an L-shaped sofa upholstered in beige marl fabric.

    Jubilee Pool in Penzance reinvented as UK’s first geothermal seawater lido

    Another sitting area lies towards the rear of the first floor, facing a concrete blockwork wall.
    Backed against the wall is a wood burner with a tall slender flue that stretches up to meet the four-metre-high ceiling.
    A skylight in the beam-lined roof helps brighten the mezzaninePrefabricated plywood steps lead up to a mezzanine level tucked beneath the home’s sloping roof, which is held up by steel beams.
    Intended to serve as a cosy retreat, the space is illuminated by a single skylight while artworks are casually leaned up against its walls and books are showcased on a wrap-around gridded shelf.
    The minimalist aesthetic of the first floor then carries over onto the home’s ground floor, which accommodates two guest bedrooms – complete with their own en suites – a cloakroom and a utility room.
    Rooms on the home’s ground floor are also pared backA number of other architecturally striking homes can be found along the British coast.
    Examples include RX Architects’ Seabreeze in East Sussex, which is coated in smooth pink concrete, and Mole Architects’ Marsh Hill House in Suffolk, which is shaped like a seagull’s wing.
    The photography is by Lorenzo Zandri.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Hollie Bowden converts London pub into pared-back jewellery showroom

    Lime-washed walls meet aluminium display fixtures in this minimalist studio and showroom that designer Hollie Bowden has devised for London brand Completedworks.

    Set over two floors of a former pub in Marylebone, it provides space for Completedworks to design and display its jewellery and ceramics, as well as to host an array of craft-focused classes.
    Hollie Bowden has designed a studio and showroom for CompletedworksThe brand was established in 2013 and up until now, has largely been sold via high-end department stores such as Dover Street Market and Liberty. But founder Anna Jewsbury felt it was time for Completedworks to have its own brick-and-mortar space.
    “We increasingly had clients asking to come and see our pieces in person but felt that we didn’t have a space that felt considered and reflected our vision,” she said. “We wanted people to be able to enter our world and get to know us, and for us to get to know them.”
    Display shelving was crafted from lustrous aluminiumFor the design of the showroom, Jewsbury worked with London-based designer Hollie Bowden, who naturally looked to the brand’s jewellery for inspiration.

    This can be seen for example in the hammered-metal door handles that appear throughout the studio and directly reference the creased design of the gold Cohesion earrings.
    A modular display system in the showroom is clad in lilac linen”[Completedworks] is known for the beauty of the textural surfaces and flowing almost baroque forms,” Bowden explained. “We developed a display language that played off that, with minimal details and strict lines.”
    Almost every surface throughout the studio is washed in beige-toned lime paint, with only a few slivers of the original brick walls and a worn metal column left exposed near the central staircase.

    Hollie Bowden channels the ambience of dimly lit gentlemen’s clubs for London office

    Bowden used brushed aluminium to create a range of display fixtures, including chunky plinths and super-slender shelving units supported by floor-to-ceiling poles.
    The space also houses a couple of angular aluminium counters for packing orders that include discrete storage for boxes and subtle openings, through which tissue paper or bubble wrap can be pulled.
    Shoji-style storage cabinets can be seen in the officeA slightly more playful selection of colours and materials was used for the studio’s custom furnishings.
    In the main showroom, there’s a modular display island sheathed in lilac linen. Meanwhile in the office, designer Byron Pritchard – who is also Bowden’s partner – created a gridded wooden cabinet inlaid with translucent sheets of paper, intended to resemble a traditional Japanese shoji screen.
    Hammered-metal door handles in the studio resemble Completedworks’ earringsThis isn’t Bowden’s first project in London’s affluent Marylebone neighbourhood.
    Previously, the designer created an office for real estate company Schönhaus, decking the space out with dark-stained oak and aged leather to emulate the feel of a gentleman’s club.
    The photography is by Genevieve Lutkin.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Sheft Farrace renovates loft in Los Angeles' art deco Eastern Columbia building

    Architecture studio Sheft Farrace has renovated a loft apartment in Los Angeles’ iconic Eastern Columbia building, subtly incorporating colours from the art deco exterior into the minimalist interiors.

    The studio renovated the loft while drawing details from the exterior of the 13-storey building in Downtown Los Angeles, known for its highly detailed turquoise facade and clock tower, which was designed by Claud Beelman and completed in 1930.
    Sheft Farrace chose to divide up the loft, yet retain visual connections through framed openingsIt was converted into lofts in 2006, and local studio Sheft Farrace was recently tasked with renovating one of the condos for a young creative from Kazakhstan.
    “Uninspired by the unit’s original 2006 layout and interiors, the owner wanted it to feel like a brand new space — so Sheft Farrace approached it as a blank canvas,” said the studio, led by Alex Sheft and John Farrace.
    The pared-down decor contrasts the building’s colourful exteriorThe apartment has tall ceilings, and their height is accentuated by the building’s long narrow windows and floor-to-ceiling drapery.

    Rather than keep the open floor plan, the studio chose to divide up the space to help define areas for different functions.
    The ceiling height is accentuated by tall windows and floor-to-ceiling draperyHowever, the visual connections between the kitchen and dining room, and the living room and bedroom, are retained by large framed openings used in place of doors.
    “Every space has its own character, based on what time of day it is and how the natural light comes in through the full-height windows,” said Sheft Farrace.

    OWIU Studio brings Japanese style to Biscuit Loft apartment in Los Angeles

    For the most part, the home is decorated in a much more pared-down style than the building’s opulent exterior, primarily with soft neutral hues and sparse furnishings.
    Certain material choices in the kitchen and bathroom tie much more closely to the colourful facades, including white oak, Verde Aver marble, and Florida Brush quartzite to echo the orange, green and blue exterior tiles.
    Materials like white oak and Florida Brush quartzite in the kitchen nod to the art deco exteriorThe curved corners of the kitchen counters and elongated cabinet hardware also evoke 1930s design.
    “Upon first glance, it’s stylistically in stark contrast with the historical building that it’s within, but throughout the space are subtle nods to the art deco exterior and ultimately, it feels like it belongs,” Sheft Farrace said. “We felt honored to have contributed a small chapter to the long and storied history of a Los Angeles landmark.”
    In the bathroom, Verde Aver marble was also chosen to reference the historic tiled facadesDowntown Los Angeles has dramatically transformed from a no-go zone to a popular and thriving neighbourhood over the past 20 years.
    This shift is partially thanks to the opening of cultural institutions like Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall and Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s The Broad museum, as well as a spate of high-end hotels.
    The photography is by Yoshihiro Makino.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Norm Architects devises understated HQ for children's lifestyle brand Liewood

    A refined palette of oak, plaster and steel defines the interior of the Liewood headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark, designed by local practice Norm Architects.

    The pared-back 2,200-square-metre office was conceived to give prominence to Liewood’s colourful, Scandi-style children’s clothes, toys and homeware.
    Norm Architects has completed Liewood’s Copenhagen headquarters”With the ambition to create a comfortable space with a somewhat understated character, we worked to let the space obtain its significance through the thoughtful use of tactile elements such as textured plaster walls and contrasting elements like oakwood and steel,” explained Sofie Bak, an architect at the practice.
    Staff enter the five-floor office via an airy light-filled lobby that is anchored by a rounded counter, roughly washed with sandy-beige plaster.
    Plaster podiums provide display space on the first floorCone-shaped pendant lights are strung along the ceiling while oversized stone tiles are laid across the floor, helping to “emphasise the grandeur” of the space.

    A pre-existing staircase curves up to the first floor, which accommodates a showroom. This part of the building formerly served as a production hall, with a vast scale that could easily feel empty and unwelcoming, according to Norm Architects.
    At mealtimes, staff can gather in The ParlourTo counter this, the practice constructed what it describes as a “warm wooden core” – a house-shaped oakwood volume with built-in shelves for showcasing Liewood’s products.
    Large, plaster-coated display plinths are dotted across the rest of the room. At the back is a short flight of wide, wooden stairs where staff can sit and chat throughout the day.

    Norm Architects creates warm yet minimalist interior for Y9 sailing yacht

    More products can also be presented here on bespoke podiums that, thanks to cut-outs at their base, are able to slot onto the steps.
    The building’s first floor also contains The Parlour – a kitchen and dining area where Liewood employees can enjoy meals together. It features a large travertine table, a series of plump grey sofas and graphic art pieces by the Danish designer Sara Martinsen.
    Traditional work areas can be found across the rest of the HQWork areas throughout the rest of the HQ are furnished with practical desks and storage units that match the off-white walls, while meeting rooms are fronted with panes of glass to foster a sense of openness.
    As the building’s original staircase didn’t extend all the way to the fifth floor, Norm Architects installed a spiralling set of white-steel steps.
    These grant access to a space the practice refers to as The Apartment: a secondary showroom designed to have a more intimate, homely feel.
    The top floor accommodates The Apartment, a more intimate showroomElsewhere, Norm Architects recently took its minimalist aesthetic off-shore when designing the interiors of the Y9 sailing yacht, decked out with supple suede furnishings and wood-panelled surfaces.
    The photography is by Jonas Bjerre Poulsen of Norm Architects.

    Read more: More