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      Almost Studio designs Loft for a Chocolatier in Brooklyn

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      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

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      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

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      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

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      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

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      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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      “True trends always answer a need”

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      As TikTok and other platforms become increasingly flooded with home-styling ideas, Michelle Ogundehin shares advice on how to navigate changing trends in the era of ubiquitous social media.

      Newspaper journalists are often keen for a quote on “the latest trends”. What do I think of polka dots? What about red paint: hot right now, non? It depends. Or recently, what could I say about the TikTok trend “bookshelf wealth”? Hmmm, interesting.
      Obviously, just because images of a lot of spotty things have been cobbled together by someone on Instagram, or an influencer declares in breathless tones that poppy has surpassed magnolia in the paint stakes, does not make it universally true. But this is not to flagellate the notion of “trends” per se – the stylistic movements that visualise our cultural climate can be genuinely intriguing.
      Here-today-over-tomorrow fads can be noxious
      True trends always answer a need. Emerging from an alchemy of desire, available resources, and cultural resonance, they have the power to make visible unspoken truths. However, the here-today-over-tomorrow fads can be noxious. The thing is, true trends don’t occur in a vacuum; you can always trace their roots. In short, no roots = no relevance = fad. And I’ll come back to the bookshelves.

      Alternatively, it’s called marketing. Because someone, somewhere will make money from you feeling compelled to throw out your perfectly good cushion, frock, phone, or sofa to replace it with a newer, more “on-trend”, faster, smaller, prettier, or any other adjective you care to insert here, model.
      Social media platform-time is bought to advance the cause and propel the message. Whether it has staying power though, is entirely another matter. This is where the aforementioned relevance and roots come in.

      Eight interiors celebrating the curated clutter of “bookshelf wealth”

      Arguably there are moments when it seems as if one creative camp has agreed on a singular approach. The spring special April issues of the fashion magazines collectively trill that “it’s all about pastels!” But is it? Or did the picture desks just pull together all the sugary-coloured images from across the collections of 20 different designers and call it a moment?
      After all, it’s habitual for colours to lighten in the spring and darken as we approach winter. More of note would be if everyone went grey for April. But that probably wouldn’t make for an uplifting (ie sales-savvy) coverline.
      It’s the same in interiors. When I was editor-in-chief of ELLE Decoration, occasionally I’d receive a letter from a disgruntled reader bemoaning the season’s hot new look. Why had it changed from last month’s look, which they loved?
      As consumers and designers, we must self-interrogate
      My reply was always the same: my job is to show you what’s out there, your job is to decide what you like, and then stick to it. Or change if you want to. But the key is that it’s your choice. What I always wanted to add was: and don’t devolve the responsibility for your taste!
      It’s also true that there used to be a bit of a journalistic mantra that went along the lines of: one’s an oddity, two’s a coincidence, but three’s a trend! So, if three of a similar thing plopped into the inbox, then it was worth looking into.
      However, the follow-up question is always: why? Why is this happening? Is there anything behind it? Just because something is new doesn’t make it news. And, crucially, is it adding anything to the cultural conversation?

      “We must abandon the ordered, rational, learned good taste and comfort we’ve become used to”

      I think this latter point is ever more relevant today. It can no longer be justified to create for the sake of it (that is arguably the purpose of art). Instead, as consumers and designers, we must self-interrogate.
      Has this product genuinely improved the models that precede it by using less resources, demanding less energy, eradicating plastic, and thus being less likely to end up as waste? If not, then why make it?
      That aside, sometimes a “trend” reflects more of a mood than a whole “moment”. Take the unexpected red “trend”. We could post-rationalise this as being rooted simply in a feeling of dark times drawing us to colour. It makes us happier.
      Engaging your own inner critic becomes ever more vital
      On the other hand, red is a deeply emotive hue, one of the most visible of the spectrum, thus a colour that intrinsically demands our attention. This is why it’s used for both stop and sale signs. We’re literally hardwired to see it. So, is this a verifiable trend, or merely the power of colour theory? Maybe it doesn’t matter?
      However, when considering social-media trends, we generally only see more of what we think we already like. This is fine when we’re talking pops of colour, a lot less so regarding deep fakes deliberately designed to thwart opinions.
      Bottom line, engaging your own inner critic becomes ever more vital. The platforms will always deliver a constant stream of fodder, but to paraphrase the inimitable Coco Chanel: content is what’s out there – but it’s up to you to choose what to believe.

      Explore all 17 Tokyo Toilet projects featured in Wim Wenders’ film Perfect Days

      Now back to those bookshelves. The images themselves are irrelevant. If someone was to go out and buy books by the metre to “get the look” then they’ve missed the point entirely; let’s not reduce the notion of home to a mere backdrop – it should be your personalised space from which to thrive.
      Thus, to me, “bookshelf wealth” is the visual expression of the authenticity that we’re currently craving in a world that appears to have gone right royally tits up. Homes with shelves bursting with well-read tomes, curiosities and the talismans of life, however quirky, are an antidote to the virtual.
      It dwells firmly in the tactile and tangible world of the analogue as so beautifully depicted recently in Wim Wenders’ latest film, Perfect Days, wherein the main protagonist lives contentedly in his chosen world of flip phones, cassette tapes and simple routine.
      Stop the press! A trend that reflects the rejection of the maelstrom of modern life
      It’s about honouring yourself, your journey, your interests, and proudly displaying it all. It stands on the shoulders of the movements we’ve seen already towards fermenting, knitting, and baking sourdough. It’s about truth-telling and slowing-down; renovating not relocating; ditching the work/spend cycle and stepping off the consumer conveyor belt.
      It’s not so much a look as a potent signifier of a shifting of priorities. It’s back-to-basics and living on a human-needs-first scale, as an antidote to the prevalent norm of life being voraciously consumed at technological pace to maximise productivity for someone else.
      Stop the press! A trend that reflects the rejection of the maelstrom of modern life, indicating long-term thinking and emotional evolution to be the way forward. That may not make for a super snappy soundbite, but it certainly bodes better for our future than crimson walls, or polka dots.
      Michelle Ogundehin is a thought leader on interiors, trends, style and wellbeing. Originally trained as an architect and the former editor-in-chief of ELLE Decoration UK, she is the head judge on the BBC’s Interior Design Masters, and the author of Happy Inside: How to Harness the Power of Home for Health and Happiness, a guide to living well. She is also a regular contributor to publications including Vogue Living, FT How to Spend It magazine and Dezeen.
      The photo, showing House M by Studio Vaaro, is by Scott Norsworthy.
      Dezeen In DepthIf you enjoy reading Dezeen’s interviews, opinions and features, subscribe to Dezeen In Depth. Sent on the last Friday of each month, this newsletter provides a single place to read about the design and architecture stories behind the headlines.

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      Reflect Architecture balances “contemporary art with family life” in Toronto house

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      Canadian studio Reflect Architecture has renovated a home in Toronto for a new generation of the same family, while incorporating an extensive art collection.

      North Drive House was the childhood home of one of the owners. After stints living abroad and in Downtown Toronto, the couple were lured back to the two-acre property for the space to raise their young family.
      The home’s hallways and living spaces were renovated to feel like a gallery for the couple’s art collectionHowever, the residence’s traditional interiors were not to their taste, so Reflect Architecture principal Trevor Wallace was called in to undertake an extensive renovation.
      His approach was to create a deliberate “tension” between the need to display an extensive contemporary art collection – which includes pieces by Robert Mapplethorpe and Erik Madigan Heck – and fulfilling the needs of a family home.
      A sculptural staircase features layered bannisters, stepped profiles and curved forms”The idea of living in a gallery was always important to the owners, but the critical distinction is that they didn’t want to live in a museum,” said Wallace.

      “This is a family home above all. The owners have always imagined that their kids would one day look back on living here and think it was pretty cool that they were playing soccer or running around inside what felt like an art gallery.”
      The living room includes contemporary furniture and a ribbon-like fireplace by Brooklyn designer Leyden LewisThe team retained the existing layout and circulation while updating the spaces with fresh materials, colours and forms.
      Most in line with the gallery-like aesthetic, the living spaces, hallways and corridors feature stark white walls and minimalist detailing such as flush doors and entryways.
      A different approach is taken in the dining room, where the walls are painted dark tealAt the centre of the home is a staircase designed as if a piece of sculpture itself, comprising layered bannisters, stepped profiles and curvaceous forms.
      A similarly playful tactic was applied in the living room, which features a rippling, ribbon-like fireplace designed by Brooklyn-based designer Leyden Lewis.
      Doors and entryways throughout the home are designed to be flush with the walls”We had a lot of fun exploring and playing with the staircase’s shapes and orientations,” Wallace said. “We wanted it to feel organic and fluid, and that required being playful. That was true for the entire house from start to finish, it was important that we didn’t take the whole thing too seriously.”
      The spareness of these spaces is swapped in the cooking and eating areas, which feature darker, richer colours like the teal dining room.

      Blue slide is centrepiece of Walker house renovation by Reflect Architecture

      A knotted light fixture by Lindsey Adelman hangs over the large stone dining table, accompanied by chairs with ochre velvet upholstery.
      In the kitchen, tone-on-tone travertine cabinetry and surfaces include a new 15-foot-long (4.5-metre) kitchen island.
      Tone-on-tone travertine cabinetry and surfaces were added in the kitchenAn existing gabled skylight overhead was maintained, but its beams were updated with a copper hue to “complement the travertine”.
      The room is oriented towards a glass wall facing a Japanese maple tree in the garden, under which sits a large dining table by local furniture designer Mary Ratcliffe.
      A 15-foot-long (4.5-metre) island was also added beneath an existing skylightWallace founded Reflect Architecture in 2016, and the studio’s previous work includes a Toronto home renovation with a blue slide as its centrepiece.
      Other recently completed residential overhauls in the city include a residence connected by asymmetric brass-lined portals and a house where built-in storage volumes were added.
      The photography is by Doublespace Photography.

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      Eight home interiors where mezzanines maximise usable space

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

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

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

      Read more: More