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    Eight homes where internal windows and partitions maximise light

    In this lookbook, we have collected eight projects that use internal glazing and partitions to create brighter home interiors and increased connectivity between spaces.

    While the primary use of windows is for daylight access and ventilation, they can also play a key role in visually connecting spaces within the home.
    Adding internal windows enables more interaction between adjacent rooms, while allowing light to penetrate further into the home – creating bright and spacious interiors.
    While similar, internal partitions offer a unique opportunity to simultaneously increase connectivity and enhance privacy through the demarcation of a home’s internal spaces.
    Below are eight examples that showcase the versatility of internal openings and partitions, ranging from a colourful home extension featuring playful, circular windows in London to an open-plan kitchen punctuated with brass-lined portals in Toronto.

    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring creative guest rooms that accommodate visitors in style, home interiors brightened with colourful window frames and hotel interiors characterised by eclectic designs.
    Photo by BCDF studioTimbaud, France, by Isabelle Heilmann
    Converted from a textile workshop, this open-plan apartment in Paris offers a bright, spacious interior equipped with a dedicated home office, mezzanines and a loft.
    Designer Isabelle Heilmann used internal windows and glazing in order to retain visual connections between the rooms, as well as demarcate the living spaces and enable a flow of light through the interior.
    Find out more about Timbaud ›
    Photo by Megan TaylorCurve Appeal, UK, by Nimtim Architects
    Multifunctional partitions built from plywood joinery were used to define the interior of this 1920s house in Southwark, London, renovated by local studio Nimtim Architects.
    Addressing a need for improved connectivity and daylight, the studio used curved, glazed openings within the partitions to encourage visual connection between the different spaces.
    Find out more about Curve Appeal ›
    Photo by Scott NorsworthyPortal House, USA, by Svima
    Renovated by architecture and art studio Svima, this residence in Toronto features asymmetrical portals lined with brass ribbons.
    Aptly named Portal House, the home’s open-plan kitchen and dining area are connected via two portals – with one used as a doorway and the other as a pass-through for food, drinks and tableware.
    Find out more about Portal House ›
    Photo by José HeviaMediona 13, Spain, by Nua Arquitectures
    Nua Arquitectures revamped this house in the historic centre of Tarragona, Spain, using pastel-coloured steel to reinforce its structure.
    Internal windows overlook the home’s large entrance, which features a staircase lined with pastel blue balustrades, to allow light to travel into the home.
    Find out more about Mediona 13 ›
    Photo by Nick DeardenAR Residence, UK, by DeDraft
    A kitchen extension clad in green aluminium panels was used by architecture studio DeDraft to update this home in east London.
    Also overseeing the remodelling of the home’s upper floors, the studio implemented large windows and skylights along with an internal window to allow light to permeate the interior.
    Find out more about AR Residence ›
    Photo by Jim StephensonA House in East London, UK, by Charles Holland Architects
    This colourful extension completed by Charles Holland Architects features a trio of aligned, circular windows that connect the ground-floor spaces.
    Creating “unexpected views between rooms”, these internal openings form a series of interconnected interior spaces, as opposed to a large open-plan layout.
    Find out more about A House in East London ›
    Photo by Megan TaylorFruit Box, UK, by Nimtim Architects
    Also completed by Nimtim Architects is an extension added to a 1970s townhouse in Forest Hill, London, which is divided by adaptable partitions.
    These plywood partitions are designed to be filled in for increased privacy between spaces, but are also non-structural to allow for easy removal to maximise interior space if needed.
    Find out more about Fruit Box ›
    Photo by Alex Shoots BuildingsHouse in Kutná Hora, Czech Republic, by Byró Architekti
    Byró Architekti restored and renovated this 19th-century house in Kutná Hora using colourful joinery and playful openings.
    Aiming to improve the connection between the home’s spaces, internal windows and glass-block walls were added to each level of the centralised spiral staircase.
    Find out more about House in Kutná Hora ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring creative guest rooms that accommodate visitors in style, home interiors brightened with colourful window frames and hotel interiors characterised by eclectic designs.

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    Eight creative guest rooms that accommodate visitors in style

    In this lookbook, we’ve collected eight guest rooms from China to Spain that provide visiting friends and family a space to call their own.

    Guest accommodations come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Ranging from a sofa during our younger years to full-blown guesthouses later on, putting up friends and family is made better when we have a place to put them – no matter how small.
    The houses and apartments below showcase the myriad ways an extra bedroom can be integrated into an interior, often doubling as an office, storage space or – in the case of a Beijing apartment – a place to enjoy some tea.
    Read on below for fresh ideas on how to provide space for visitors.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring brightly-framed windows, tactile and organic living rooms and mezzanines that maximise usable space.

    Photo by Jack LovelWeeties Factory home, Australia, by Spaceagency
    A deep red carpet defines this guest room in a single-family Australian home, which consists of three consolidated apartments that once were part of a heritage-listed cereal factory.
    The same red was carried into a curtain – which provides privacy from the living room below – and a corner chair, while built-in shelving sits at the entrance.
    Find out more about Weeties Factory home ›
    Photo by Eva Cotman and Maria CeballosBarcelona apartment, Spain, by Eva Cotman
    Guests sleep atop a platform in this Barcelona apartment, which also doubles as a storage area.
    Croatian architect Eva Cotman sought to renovate the apartment to provide more open space. To optimize its functionality, she placed a bookshelf staircase in front of the guest bed.
    Find out more about Barcelona apartment ›
    Photo by Ewout HuibersCanal house, The Netherlands, by i29
    To accommodate guests in this renovation of a canal house in Amsterdam, architecture studio i29 inserted a forest-green volume off the kitchen.
    The guest suite also contains its own bathroom and access door to a garden, while a built-in bed and shelving provide rest and storage.
    Find out more about Canal house ›
    Photo by Weiqi JinBeijing apartment, China, by Rooi
    Plywood units were inserted into this 1950s Beijing apartment to organize and provide more space in its tight interior, which was created during an influx of people moving to urban areas when apartments were often compact.
    A linear volume inserted along the kitchen and dining room can be used for storage, as a tea-drinking room, or as guest accommodations with a mattress placed on the floor. A bubble in the ceiling also provides a relaxing space for feline roommates.
    Find out more about Beijing apartment ›
    Photo by David MaštálkaRounded Loft, Czech Republic, by AI Architects
    An attic in Prague was converted into a two-storey apartment, with living spaces, a kitchen and primary bedrooms located on the first floor and a guest suite located in a mezzanine.
    In the mezzanine, a bed sits at the end of a long hall, while a bathroom sits adjacent to the stairs. A terrace in between the two spaces and skylights lining the roof provide a connection to the outdoors.
    Find out more about Rounded Loft ›
    Photo by Tim BiesFalse Bay Writer’s Cabin, USA, by Olson Kundig
    This cabin in Washington doubles as a study for its owners, as well as a bedroom for visiting guests when a bed is folded out of the wall.
    The space is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass, which is protected by doors that fold up and enclose the entire cabin and fold down to create multiple porches.
    Find out more about False Bay Writer’s Cabin ›
    Photo is courtesy Rubén Dario Kleimeer and Lagado Architects.Workhome-Playhome, The Netherlands, by Lagado Architects
    The founders of Lagado Architects revamped their own Rotterdam apartment by inserting a bright blue staircase and colourful storage units.
    An open loft-style room sits on the second floor. This has minimal furniture so that it can be quickly turned into an exercise room or used as guest accommodations for visitors.
    Find out more about Workhome-Playhome ›
    Photo by Iñaki Domingo of IDC StudioMadrid apartment, Spain, by Leticia Saá
    A wash area sits outside a guest bedroom in this Madrid apartment to physically and visually separate the space from the remaining house.
    The guest area, which sits directly in front of the primary bed, also faces an interior courtyard which separates both sleeping areas from the living room and kitchen.
    Find out more about Madrid apartment ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring brightly-framed windows, tactile and organic living rooms and mezzanines that maximise usable space. 

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    Studio Gameiro draws on hues of Caparica cliffs for Arriba apartment

    Studio Gameiro has designed the interior of the Arriba apartment in the coastal town of Caparica, Portugal, using local stone and drawing on wooden fishing huts for inspiration.

    The fit-out of the two-bedroom apartment, located inside a building from the 1980s, was designed to reference the coastal area of Caparica.
    The interior of the Arriba apartment is decorated in sandy colours”The interior colour palette and texture was inspired by the beautiful coastline of Caparica, a unique fossil-rock formation along the coast with sandy and terracotta hues,” studio founder Joāo Gameiro told Dezeen.
    “This natural and protected area south of Lisbon has a particular and playful way of changing with light, and it is also almost poetically embedded in our childhood memories of long summer holidays, as it was the first seaside area close to the big city.”
    Studio Gameiro wanted the interior to reference its surroundingsThe sandy hues of the Caparica cliffs influenced the colour palette of the apartment, which is filled with beige and tan hues and named Arriba for the Portuguese word for cliff.

    Studio Gameiro also referenced the 70-square-metre apartment’s surroundings through its choice of materials, designing wooden kitchen cabinets in a nod to local fishing boats.
    The two-bedroom apartment has an open-plan kitchen”The use of wood for the low kitchen cabinets relates to the [area’s] fishing huts, which are characterised by vertical or horizontal lines of wooden planks,” Gameiro said.
    “The texture found in the upper cabinets also finds inspiration in the same source, resembling the straw utilized in the construction of these huts.”

    Studio Gameiro draws on Algarve’s craftsmanship for Austa restaurant interior

    As with its interior scheme for the Austa restaurant in Almancil, the practice designed much of the furniture for the apartment, which it made from wood.
    “Following the same input as in other Studio Gameiro projects, we always tend to design bespoke furniture as an extension of the ability to manipulate textures and materials and celebrate the craftsmanship we are very fortunate to work with,” Gameiro explained.
    “The use of Kambala wood was important, as a reference to the durable wood used at the fabrication of the fishing boats, for example.”
    Lioz marble was used for the sinkIn the kitchen, the studio added an L-shaped kitchen counter made from marble.
    “We used Lioz marble, a type of stone extracted locally that has been used in kitchen counters for centuries due to its hard and extremely resistant surface,” Gameiro said. “We also loved how it resonated with the sandy and terracotta hues of the hills nearby.”
    The apartment features an unusual bathroom, organised around a shower base that was designed to have an organic shape reminiscent of “shapes found on the beach”, the studio said.
    The bathroom has an organically shaped showerIt was made from Moleanos stone – a type of Portuguese limestone set with the remains of sea shells – and was inspired by the coastal erosion that has affected the area.
    “As in most of these coastal formations, it has previously suffered from erosion, which in this case was eventually stopped by the pro-active planting of the Caparica pine forest,” Gameiro said.
    “This is now considered a natural protected area and what is left is a coastal outline of ins and outs to and from the beach, which inspired the organic shape of the shower wall.”
    Custom-made wooden furniture decorates the flatIn the study, the studio added a bespoke desk and wooden shelving, while the bedroom has a custom-made make-up desk and a bespoke wooden bed.
    Other recent Portuguese interior design projects featured on Dezeen include a Lisbon home by Fala Atelier and a boutique hotel by designer Christian Louboutin.
    The photography is by Tiago Casanova.

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    Almost Studio designs Loft for a Chocolatier in Brooklyn

    Brooklyn practice Almost Studio has completed an apartment renovation inside a former chocolate factory, retaining an open layout while adding level changes to demarcate functional spaces.

    The Loft for a Chocolatier occupies part of a 1947 industrial building along Myrtle Avenue, in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn.
    The loft’s kitchen revolves around an island that’s anchored by a structural column surrounded by corrugated metalThe apartment boasts many features typical of loft-style living, including high ceilings, large windows, and exposed pipes and ductwork.
    In one sense, Almost Studio founders Anthony Gagliardi and Dorian Booth aimed to retain this character through an open floor plan, adding powder-coated white mesh boxes and metallic accents.
    Exposed ductwork and white powder-coated mesh boxes highlight the industrial character of the spaceIn another, the pair chose to denote or separate some of the functional areas using changes in angle or elevation.

    They looked to artists like Kazimir Malevich and Josef Albers for ways to honour the original spatial composition while organising the various spaces.
    The kitchen counter integrates a work-from-home area, where pale wood panels are contrasted by lime-green storage niches”It became a way for us to distinguish different areas – such as entry, kitchen, living room, dining room, and office – through these subtle rotational moves in a space that was otherwise entirely open,” said Gagliardi and Booth.
    “In many lofts, every space is equally capable of hosting any activity, and is therefore equally inadequate to host any activity,” the duo continued. “If a dining room can also be an office, gym, and workshop – is it the best place to have dinner?”
    A lounge area is located in the middle of the open-plan spaceThe apartment’s dining room is therefore located on a raised platform at the end of the space, where the ceiling is also lowered using the mesh boxes.
    This set-up aims to create “a closer relationship with the high loft windows, and light, as well as a smaller, more intimate space for conversations”, Gagliardi and Booth said.
    The dining area is raised on a platform to differentiate it from the rest of the apartmentThe raised area is accessed via a short staircase that’s covered in green carpet and flanked by sculptural pale pink screens.
    These elements – covered in Shirasu Kabe plaster – are indicative of the studio’s approach to softening the industrial architecture, along with cork flooring and wainscoting, and upholstered seating.
    Shutters can be opened to connect the mezzanine bedroom and the main living areaPale millwork fronts the pill-shaped kitchen island and curved cabinets behind, while other niches are left open and lined in chartreuse.
    The kitchen counter integrates an area for a desk, used as a home office, where the shelving also continues overhead.

    Another Seedbed is a Brooklyn apartment that doubles as a performance space

    Meanwhile, corrugated metal surrounds a structural column that anchors the island, and the dining chairs have tubular steel frames.
    At the opposite end from the dining room, another elevated portion of the space houses a bedroom, which is closed off from the rest of the apartment.
    The light-filled bedroom features cork wainscoting and plenty of built-in storageThis space is more intimate, and features cream walls, built-in storage, and an arched niche beside the bed that’s lined with more green carpet for the owner’s cats to nap in.
    A fritted glass door slides across for privacy, and a series of shutters that offer views between the bedroom and the main living area can be closed when desired.
    An arched niche lined with green carpet provides a spot for cat napsBrooklyn has many former industrial buildings that have been converted for residential use over the past decade.
    Others include a 19th-century hat factory in Williamsburg that is now home to an apartment that doubles as a performance space and a warehouse in Dumbo where one loft features a book-filled mezzanine.
    The photography is by Jonathan Hokklo.

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    Nine home interiors brightened with colourful window frames

    Shades of green, red and yellow run throughout this lookbook, which collects nine home interiors enlivened by colourful window frames.

    Whether painted wood, plastic or metal, opting for colourful window frames is an easy way to brighten a residential interior.
    The examples in this lookbook demonstrate how they can be used to create a focal point in a pared-back space, draw attention to a view or simply help establish a colour theme.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring organic modern interiors, eclectic hotels and flooring that enhances the connection between indoors and outdoors.
    Photo by Fred HowarthCamberwell Cork House, UK, by Delve Architects

    A bright forest green paint lines the window frames at Camberwell Cork House, helping to draw focus to the lush planting outside.
    The paint juxtaposes the deliberately simple, white-walled interiors of the house extension, while outside it pops from against walls of tactile cork cladding.
    Find out more about Camberwell Cork House ›
    Photo by Mikael OlssonHouse 669, Sweden, by HelgessonGonzaga Arkitekter
    HelgessonGonzaga Arkitekter incorporated sunny yellow frames throughout House 669, a prefabricated home it created in Stockholm.
    The irregularly placed windows help enliven the otherwise neutral finishes to the home while adding a sense of “individuality” to its uniform structure, the studio said.
    Find out more about House 669 ›
    Photo by Megan TaylorCork House, UK, by Nimtim Architects
    Another studio to have married bright window frames with cork cladding is Nimtim Architects. At this extension in London, the studio punctured the cork-lined walls with Barbie pink timber frames, offering a contemporary counterpoint to the Victorian house to which it is attached.
    The windows are complemented by more subtle pops of pink inside, including the kitchen splashback and metal legs of the dining chairs.
    Find out more about Cork House ›
    Photo by José CamposBouça Family House, Portugal, by Fahr 021.3
    Turquoise accents feature throughout this family home by Fahr 021.3 in Porto, including its window frames and doors.
    The colour was intended to help liven up the interiors, which are finished with white walls, wooden floorboards and wall panelling, while also giving the home “an element of distinction”, the studio said.
    Find out more about Bouça Family House ›
    Photo by French & TyeValetta House, UK, by Office S&M
    Among the distinguishing features of the Valetta House loft extension in London are its yellow-framed arch windows, three of which feature in one of the bedrooms.
    Office S&M modelled these on the arched sash windows found in neighbouring Victorian residences but gave them a vivid yellow finish to appeal to the client’s children. The colour was based on a light fitting the client had picked for the kitchen.
    Find out more about Valetta House ›
    Photo by Séverin MalaudDailly, Belgium, by Mamout
    Slender sage-green frames trim the window openings in Dailly, a courtyard house nestled between two buildings in Belgium.
    It is among the pastel tones that its architect Mamout has used to bring character to the home, in addition to an array of reclaimed materials sourced from a warehouse that previously occupied the site.
    Find out more about Dailly ›

    Ugly House, UK, by Lipton Plant Architects
    Ugly House is a 1970s house in Berkshire that Lipton Plant Architects expanded with a contrasting two-storey extension.
    A bright orange finish was chosen for the windows, including the large garden-facing opening in the kitchen that juxtaposes pastel-blue cabinetry and wooden floorboards.
    Find out more about Ugly House ›
    Photo by Francisco AscensãoHouse in Ancede, Portugal, by Atelier Local
    Large rectangular and circular windows bring light inside House in Ancede, which Atelier Local completed on a sloped site in a nature reserve near Porto.
    The openings are outlined with bright red aluminium, brightening the cool-toned interiors that are defined by exposed blockwork and concrete to evoke brutalist architecture.
    Find out more about House in Ancede ›
    Photo by Megan TaylorYellow House, UK, by Nimtim Architects
    Another project on the list by Nimtim Architects is Yellow House, named after the spectrum of yellow-green hues that run throughout its interior.
    This includes the buttercup-coloured wooden frames of the rear picture window and three skylights in the living room, which stand out against a backdrop of white walls and neutral furnishings.
    Find out more about Yellow House ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring tactile organic modern interiors, eclectic hotels and flooring that enhances the connection between indoors and outdoors. 

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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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    Maria Vittoria Paggini’s gives her home “porno-chic” makeover for Milan design week

    Designer Maria Vittoria Paggini has used colourful wallpaper and murals depicting nude bodies concealed behind peepholes to transform her home for Milan design week.

    Located in the 5vie design district in the heart of the city, Casa Ornella is annually redesigned by Vittoria Paggini who presents the project during Milan design week.
    This year, the property – which is also partly an art gallery, is themed “porno-chic”.
    Maria Vittoria Paggini has redesigned her home around the theme of “porno-chic””Casa Ornella is a maximalist house” said the designer, who is opening up her home to the public during the week.
    “Porno-chic stems from a strong need for rediscovery and self-awareness. To achieve this, I felt the need to bare myself and decided to use the metaphor of the naked body, pushing it to the extreme to make it invisible to the eyes,” she told Dezeen.

    “Going beyond that, porno-chic aims to be a style of ‘rebirth,’ a recognition of oneself through the home or any place to inhabit.”
    Tatiana Brodatch’s graphic wallpaper features in the living spaceThe interiors feature a living space characterised by artist Tatiana Brodatch’s striking wallpaper. Oversized spots and stripes in pink and purple hues form the backdrop for images of faceless, nude male sculptures touching themselves.
    Finished in Brodatch’s signature lumpy plasticine, the figures look like they are flying through space.
    Illustrative nude bodies decorate brown curtainsTwo boothlike, art deco armchairs with burl wood casing were positioned next to this feature wall, as well as a translucent table designed by Vittoria Paggini and topped with twisting, marble and Murano glass candelabras by Aina Kari.
    Visitors can see Brodatch’s wallpaper through a circular peephole on one of the corridors, which adds to the “sensual” atmosphere of the home, according to the designer.
    A naked mural lines one of the corridorsElsewhere, brown curtains illustrated with naked female bodies and a small but suggestive figurative sculpture sitting on a silver tray are reflected in a swollen gold mirror.
    One corridor is characterised by a large-scale floor mural of a nude woman, created as a set of abstract brown and pink shapes.
    The only private room is the bedroomThe only room not open to the public is the bedroom, which is decorated with a graphic, floor-to-ceiling mural of naked men surrounded by decadent architecture, influenced by 13th-century paintings.
    Visitors can view the bedroom mural, created by Milanese illustrator Damiano Groppi, through another peephole.
    A peephole reveals the room’s muralSugary pink walls, striped and chequerboard accents and multiple mirrored surfaces throughout the home add to its maximalist design.
    Casa Ornella also includes two more Vittoria Paggini-designed products, which are being debuted for the design week and take cues from “the world of jewellery”.

    Six typefaces that make use of the human body and bodily fluids

    These are bulbous gold taps created for Milanese brand Manoli – positioned above veiny Gio Ponti basins in the bathroom – and slender light switches designed for Officine Morelli.
    According to Vittoria Paggini, these pieces are “what is most characteristic of the porno-chic style”.
    “They serve two different functions but have the same language that aims to communicate sensuality and timeless elegance.”
    Sugary pink walls feature throughout the homeThe annual Milan design week has kicked off in the Italian city, with projects on display ranging from a collection of everyday objects designed using algae and sculptural lights by Leo Maher that reference “a hot-pot of queer culture”.
    The photography is courtesy of Maria Vittoria Paggini.
    Casa Ornella is on display at Via Conca di Naviglio 10, Milan, during Milan Design Week from 15 to 21 April 2024. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.

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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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