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    Eight London house extensions that maximise space and light

    For our latest lookbook we’ve gathered eight London homes that have traded in unused garden space for contemporary and light-filled living areas.

    Rear extensions are a popular option for transforming the pokey side returns and galley kitchens of Victorian and Edwardian housing, abundant in many areas of London.
    The eight examples below showcase how extensions can bring contemporary flair to a more traditional home and optimise living space for entertaining, relaxing and cooking.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring soothing cabin interiors, kitchens with sleek metal details and living rooms with warming fireplaces.
    Photo by Jim StephensonVictorian terrace house, UK, by Oliver Leech Architects

    Oliver Leech Architects retained this late 19th-century building’s character while opening up the “disconnected and dark” interior of this Victorian terrace house in Herne Hill.
    Prioritising natural light, the studio expanded the ground floor to include an open living, dining and kitchen space, meeting the existing building with a large skylight and window seat.
    Find out more about Victorian terrace house ›
    Photo by Jae W V KimSunny Side Up, UK, by THISS Studio
    THISS Studio approached this extension in east London as though it were a piece of furniture rather than a conventional structure.
    “We wanted to think of the new addition at a domestic scale and more like a piece of furniture that you can sit within and enjoy, rather than a typical extension of the existing spaces,” THISS Studio told Dezeen.
    The practice reconfigured the dark interior of this interwar house which features timber joinery and a light-filled dining space.
    Find out more about Sunny Side Up ›
    Photo by Helen LeechMoroccan inspired house, UK, by Merrett Houmøller Architects and All & Nxthing
    The client’s extensive travels to Morocco and the Mediterranean inspired this rear extension in London.
    Merrett Houmøller Architects and interior designer All & Nxthing renovated and extended this Victorian home with clay-plaster walls, exposed brickwork and tile floors to evoke the feeling of a Moroccan home.
    Find out more about Moroccan inspired house ›
    Photo by Ståle EriksenHeath House, UK, by Proctor & Shaw
    A dilapidated conservatory and awkwardly sized rooms were swapped for a light, wood-filled interior at this Grade II-listed villa in Highgate, north London.
    Architecture studio Proctor & Shaw prioritised natural light and a natural material palette of wood and white brick for the above and below-ground extension in north London.
    Find out more about Heath House ›
    Photo by Tim CrockerMagpie House , UK, by DGN Studio
    DGN Studio extended the kitchen of this east London terrace house by three metres to create “a more cohesive and seamless sequence for living, dining and cooking”.
    The extension is illuminated by skylights between wooden beams and features a concrete window seat overlooking the garden with the client’s furniture and fittings incorporated throughout.
    Find out more about Stoke Newington house ›
    Photo by Jim StephensonVictorian maisonette, UK, by Nimtim Architects 
    Douglas fir timber screens, exposed brickwork and rough plaster characterise this extension of a Victorian maisonette in Camberwell, south-east London.
    Nimtim Architects responded to a brief calling for greater connectivity and openness in the home to create a “place of reflection and sanctuary from the city”.
    Find out more about Victorian maisonette ›
    Photo by Lorenzo Zandri and Christian BraileyEdwardian home, UK, by Architecture for London 
    Architecture for London transformed this Edwardian home in Muswell Hill, which had been untouched for 40 years, using only sustainably minded interventions and natural materials.
    Created for the studio’s founder Ben Ridley, the house was renovated and extended to create a minimal interior characterised by oak wood, stone and lime plaster.
    Find out more about Edwardian home ›
    Photo courtesy of AOCForest House, UK, by AOC
    Gillian Lambert and Geoff Shearcroft of architecture firm AOC wanted to add personality and a connection to nearby Epping Forest when designing the front extension of their Victorian house in north London.
    A single-storey garage was removed to create a series of interconnected, playful living spaces featuring tactile materials, exposed block work and bold colours.
    Find out more about Forest House ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring characterful kitchens with sleek metal details, soothing cabin interiors and living rooms with warming fireplaces.  

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    Diandra Maselli Architect renovates historic red-brick home in Montreal

    Montreal architect Diandra Maselli has overhauled a century-old house in the city for herself and her family, modernising the residence while retaining some historic character.

    The founder of Diandra Maselli Architect acquired the property a week before the Covid-19 pandemic caused global lockdowns, and faced an uphill battle during the renovation of the historic structure.
    The 100-year-old home was fully modernised inside, including a new kitchen”The house had its fair share of obstacles – including structural decay, carpenter ants, mice, water infiltration, foundation holes, and asbestos abatement,” said Maselli.
    “However, amidst these challenges, there was a silver lining – the extensive demolition and incorporation of a steel structure paved the way for a tailor-made renovation, envisioned to meet modern needs and newly unfolding realities.”
    Architect Diandra Maselli played with boundaries and thresholds throughout the homeWith the structural work on the 3,512-square-foot (326 square metres) building complete, the architect was able to tailor the interiors to her family’s needs.

    For example, they needed two home offices – one on each floor – that could also transition into family areas during evenings and weekends.
    A variety of custom doors were added, including a glass and steel design between the living area and home officeThe old building’s compartmentalised layout was restrictive, so Maselli explored playing with the public and private boundaries.
    She did this by introducing a variety of custom doors, using different designs and materials so that “each threshold assumes a distinctive purpose”.
    Although contemporary furniture was inserted, details like the fireplace mantles and bay windows were restoredA glass and steel door separates the ground-floor home office from the kitchen and living area, allowing light and views to pass between the two spaces.
    To conceal the laundry room from the kitchen, a nine-foot-tall (2.7 metres), flush-mounted door was installed, while a large sliding partition was added to open the kitchen to an outdoor patio.
    “By bestowing unique characteristics upon these transitions, the house’s dynamics shift responsively,” Maselli said.
    Built-in furniture made from white oak is found throughout the houseUniting the majority of the spaces is the use of white oak for millwork, built-in furniture and other details, providing visual consistency throughout the home.
    The most expansive application of the material is in the kitchen, forming a front for the cabinetry, a central island and a coffee station opposite.

    Atelier L’Abri renovates trio of apartments for a family in Montreal

    White oak also wraps walls and closets in the primary bedroom, where it is detailed with rounded corners and almost invisible door pulls.
    A half-height partition divides the sleeping and dressing areas, providing a view through mirrored double swing doors to the second-floor office.
    Upstairs, the primary bedroom separated from a dressing area by a half-height partitionThe renovation also provided the opportunity to modernise the home’s heating, ventilation and electrical systems.
    This included repurposing the original cast-iron radiators to support a dual-energy heating system.
    White oak millwork is used for the closets and features rounded cornersAll of the window shades, lighting and under-floor heating are automated to sync with the family’s daily routines.
    “The essence of the project is to blend the legacy of a century-old house with the needs of today, ensuring that its historic charm is retained while seamlessly integrating modern functionalities that respond to our new unfolding realities,” said the architect.
    The red-brick home in Montreal also received a full exterior restorationMaselli founded her eponymous studio in 2020 and has since also completed a single-family house in Lasalle, Quebec.
    Other recently renovated Montreal homes include a mid-century dwelling overhauled by Atelier Chardonnat and Salem Architecture, and a triplex residence reimagined by Atelier L’Abri.
    The photography is by Maxime Brouillet.

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    Ten living rooms with warming fireplaces to keep the cold out

    As the weather gets colder in the northern hemisphere, this lookbook compiles ten living spaces where log burners and fireplaces take the chill out of the air and provide a cosy centrepiece.

    Despite increasingly sophisticated household heating technology, traditional fireplaces remain a popular way to warm homes.
    From freestanding stoves to built-in wood burners that incorporate storage for logs, the following selection shows how architects and designers make a feature of fireplaces.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring versatile daybeds, distinctive shower curtains and metallic kitchens.
    Photo by Pierce ScourfieldQueen’s Park House, UK, by Daytrip

    A glass enclosure crowned by a chimney flue, camouflaged to disappear into the surrounding walls, features in this fireplace in a west London house by local studio Daytrip.
    It is supported by a thick shelf that appears to float and provides storage for logs. Tucked away in the corner of the room, the fireplace provides a cosy and intimate area for relaxation.
    Find out more about Queen’s Park House ›
    Photo by Yevhenii AvramenkoDzen house, Ukraine, by Shovk
    Ukrainian architecture studio Shovk created a wood-fired stove with soft, curved corners for the living room of this house on the outskirts of Kyiv.
    Made from dark grey metal, the fireplace matches the metallic furnishings found in the space, while contrasting with the wooden beams and window frames.
    Find out more about Dzen house ›
    Photo by Magnus Berger NordstrandThe Yellow House in the Apple Garden, Norway, by Familien Kvistad
    Clad in glossy, sunny yellow tiles, this monolithic fireplace sits in the middle of the interior of a Norwegian 1950s-era house renovated by Familien Kvistad.
    The purpose-built burner featured cutouts for vents, a glass enclosure for the fire and integrated log storage, and its vibrant exterior adds to the energetic colours found throughout the interior.
    Find out more about The Yellow House in the Apple Garden ›
    Photo by Petr PolákWeekend House, Czech Republic, by New How
    The log burner in this Czech house is nestled between two wooden posts that form part of the building’s cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure.
    The ground floor is arranged around the centrally placed fireplace, which enhances the cosy atmosphere fostered by the wooden walls and furniture.
    Find out more about Weekend House ›
    Photo is by Brad FeinknopfBully Hill House, USA, by Studio MM Architect
    The living area of this home in rural New York centres around a hefty Corten steel panel, which is home to a log burner and firewood storage.
    Echoing the exterior cladding of the building, the steel has a warm rusty-brown patina that creates a rustic aesthetic.
    Find out more about Bully Hill House ›
    Photo is by Matthew MillmanWasatch House, USA, by Olson Kundig
    American architecture firm Olson Kundig concealed a fireplace behind a pair of metal screen doors in this Utah house.
    Doors are placed on both sides of the metal-clad chimney breast, allowing both the living area and the study to benefit from the fire’s warmth.
    Find out more about Wasatch House ›
    Photo by Doublespace PhotographySmith Residence, Canada, by MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple
    Symmetrical openings in a colossal stone hearth house an open fireplace and log store, which serve to warm the living room of this coastal Nova Scotian home.
    It is made from chunks of granite sourced from a quarry close to the site, and its warming appearance is united with a dining table made from locally felled trees.
    Find out more about Smith Residence ›
    Photo by Giedrius MamavičiusHouse and the River, Lithuania, by After Party
    Adding to the playful nature of this interior, created by Vilnius-based studio After Party, this log burner is perched atop a small stone boulder in place of a conventional base.
    It sits within its own purpose-designed, gold-lined niche, which stands out against the white expanse of the rest of the wall.
    Find out more about House and the River ›
    Photo by Monique LovickPark Lane, Australia, by PW Architecture Office
    A raised platform covered in square terracotta-coloured tiles creates a base for this log burner that sits between this home’s dining and living zones.
    The stove features glass on both sides to allow the flames to be seen and heat to be experienced when lounging and dining.
    Find out more about Park Lane ›
    Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Alférez, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
    A stove with a dramatic double-height flue warms the lofty concrete-built living room of this Mexican house by local architect Ludwig Godefroy.
    Flanked by stacks of firewood, the fireplace warms a sunken conversation pit populated with dark green bolster cushions.
    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 versatile daybeds, distinctive shower curtains and metallic kitchens.

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    Eight soothing cabin interiors to retreat to this autumn

    Our latest lookbook collects eight cabin interiors united by their calming timber accents and escapist settings, ranging from an English conservation area to a private Norwegian island.

    Typically constructed with wood, cabins are common in rural locations and are often designed as temporary living quarters to provide calming retreats.
    As temperatures begin to drop in the northern hemisphere, we have rounded up eight examples of cosy cabins from across the globe.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring self-designed homes by architects and designers, members’ clubs and conversation pits.
    Photo by Tom AugerCabin, Norway, by Rever & Drage

    Local architecture studio Rever & Drage designed this timber cabin in Norway’s forested Nordmakka region.
    A large angular window cuts through its otherwise traditional form, creating an illuminated interior dressed with simple wooden furniture and steel-topped kitchen counters.
    Find out more about this cabin ›
    Photo is by Raphaël ThibodeauLa Cime, Canada, by Naturehumaine
    La Cime, or The Top, is a woodland holiday cabin in Lanaudière, Québec.
    Canadian studio Naturehumaine designed the one-bedroom “micro chalet” with white-pine panelling on the walls and ceilings, which complements built-in plywood furniture.
    Find out more about La Cime ›
    Photo by Efe OnikinciMonocoque Cabin, UK, by Peter Markos
    Wrapped by an external skin similar to an eggshell, Monocoque Cabin is a self-build off-grid timber structure by architect Peter Markos.
    The cocoon-like Shropshire cabin is punctuated by translucent polycarbonate openings that draw daylight into the interior and illuminate simple but cosy living spaces.
    Find out more about Monocoque Cabin ›
    Photo by Raphaël ThibodeauFarouche Tremblant cabins, Canada, by Atelier l’Abri
    Four rental micro-cabins were built by Canadian studio Atelier l’Abri at the Farouche Tremblant agrotourism site in Québec’s Mon-Tremblant National Park.
    Characterised by traditional A-frame structures that nod to 1950s and 60s architecture, the cabins feature minimalist and neutral interiors.
    Find out more about Farouche Tremblant ›
    Photo by Einar Aslaksen Kjerringholmen, Norway, by Line Solgaard Arkitekter
    Also defined by minimalist, sandy hues, Kjerringholmen is a raised and ash-clad cabin on a small private island in Hvaler, Norway.
    Line Solgaard Arkitekter designed the cabin, which has a pared-back, wood-lined interior and features large rectilinear windows for taking in the dramatic surrounding landscape.
    “The basic concept was to create an escape from city life – a retreat into nature,” explained the studio’s founder Line Solgaard.
    Find out more about Kjerringholmen ›
    Photo is by Jim StephensonThe Hat House, Sweden, by Tina Bergman
    Spruce panels on the walls and end-grain spruce blocks for the floor were applied to the living spaces of this cosy but tall-ceilinged cabin in Tänndalen, western Sweden.
    A boxy, cushioned window seat provides a connection to the forested setting outside. Called The Hat House, the project was designed by London-based architect Tina Bergman.
    Find out more about The Hat House ›
    Photo by Tom BirdLooking Glass Lodge, UK, by Michael Kendrick Architects 
    Located in a conservation area in East Sussex, Looking Glass Lodge is a modestly sized cabin set on a sloping site and built without felling any existing trees.
    Inside, a wood-burning stove was designed with timber sourced from fallen trees nearby. A plump L-shaped sofa and low-slung armchair were positioned to take in floor-to-ceiling views of the wooded site.
    Find out more about Looking Glass Lodge ›

    Bruny Island Cabin, Tasmania, by Maguire + Devin
    Baltic pine lines almost every surface of this off-grid Tasmanian cabin, designed by architecture studio Maguire + Devin to feature only built-in furniture.
    Apart from a freestanding low table and a mattress, every element in the cabin is part of its frame. This highly crafted minimalist design was chosen to reference traditional Japanese houses.
    Find out more about Bruny Island Cabin ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring self-designed homes by architects and designers, members’ clubs and conversation pits.

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    Eight interiors that show the versatility of futons and daybeds

    Our latest lookbook explores how futons and daybeds can offer a tempting spot for relaxation in different residential interior settings.

    By providing a place to sit, lie down or take a nap with a compact footprint, the humble futon, and its more sophisticated cousin the daybed, can be a useful tool for interior designers.
    Our selection of projects below includes various ideas for how they can be deployed, from corridors and cosy reading nooks to living-room centrepieces.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring sculptural coffee tables, statement rugs and oversized sofas.
    Photography by Shantanu StarickLonghouse, Australia, by Partners Hill

    A plushy daybed next to a woodburning stove provides a warm spot to rest in the living room of this sprawling home and restaurant in the Victorian bush, designed by architecture studio Partners Hill.
    The base is made from Australian cypress pine, while the cushion’s pale blue is intended to invoke summery blue skies even in the depths of winter.
    Find out more about Longhouse ›
    Photo by Jill TateNorth Bank, UK, by Elliot Architects
    A futon languidly festooned with sheepskin rugs, throws and cushions occupies a corner of the double-height living, dining and kitchen area of this barn-like house in north-east England’s Tyne Valley designed by Elliot Architects.
    It is nestled in the crook of a large square window, providing views of the surrounding countryside and ample natural light for reading.
    Find out more about North Bank ›
    Photo by Bryan W FerryDaunt’s Albatross, USA, by Home Studios
    In the Koda Suite of the Daunt’s Albatross boutique hotel in Montauk, New York, a chunky daybed hides behind a linen curtain.
    It forms part of Brooklyn-based Home Studios’s attempt to create the feeling of a “remote family home” through its overhaul of the former motel.
    Find out more about Daunt’s Albatross ›
    Photo by Tom BirdPoirot’s Bijou Apartment, UK, by Intervention Architecture
    Poirot’s Bijou Apartment – named because it occupies a space in the London building in which Agatha Christie’s fictional moustachioed detective lived – demonstrates how the daybed can be a space-saving device.
    Intervention Architecture created a bespoke plywood piece that can double up as a sofa, store flatpack stools and even wheel forwards to support the bottom end of a fold-down double bed.
    Find out more about Poirot’s Bijou Apartment ›
    Photo by Piet-Albert GoethalsApartment A, Belgium, by Atelier Dialect
    Designed by Belgian studio Atelier Dialect, this ultra-luxe Antwerp apartment features two daybeds. In the living room, a black leather De Sede DS-80 contrasts with the room’s cool, hard, cement-washed surfaces.
    Another huge, grooved daybed upholstered in brown velvet, designed by Jonas Van Put, occupies a raised platform behind a gauzy white curtain in the snug.
    Find out more about Apartment A ›
    Photo by Eric PetschekMount Tobias holiday home, USA, by IDSR Architecture
    ISDR Architecture founders Todd Rouhe and Maria Ibañez de Sendadiano designed their own custom daybeds for their holiday home in the Catskills.
    The daybeds occupy a brightly lit mezzanine loft space and are dressed with cushions and rugs from Danish brand Vipp.
    Find out more about this Mount Tobias holiday home ›
    Photo by Keith IsaacsNova Residence, USA, by Harding Huebner
    Nova Residence, a hillside house in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains designed by local architecture studio Harding Huebner, contains possibly the most famous daybed of all time.
    Set among several other modernist and mid-century furniture pieces in the open-plan living area is a Mies van der Rohe Barcelona daybed, whose tan colour contributes to a palette intended to mirror the terrain outside.
    Find out more about Nova Residence ›
    Photo by Michael SinclairTelevision Centre Penthouse, UK, by Waldo Works
    Design studio Waldo Works pursued a retro aesthetic with the interiors for this penthouse apartment in London’s 1960s Television Centre.
    In one section of the corridor, a tall shelving unit carrying leafy plants screens two pixel-print daybeds, forming an unexpected reading nook or children’s play area.
    Find out more about Television Centre Penthouse ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring sculptural coffee tables, statement rugs and oversized sofas.

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    Seven bathrooms elevated by stylish shower curtains

    Our latest lookbook showcases the myriad of ways shower curtains can create visual impact in bathrooms, from bold pops of colour and pattern to elegant, long drapes that add a sense of serenity.

    Practically, shower curtains provide privacy and prevent water from splashing outside showers and bathtubs, but they are also an opportunity to add decoration to a bathroom interior.
    The examples below showcase how curtains can introduce material variety to the hard, sterile surfaces usually found in bathrooms.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring homes with conversation pits, kitchens with metal details and kitchens with brick floors.
    Photo by Lorenzo ZandriNelson Terrace, UK, by Paolo Cossu Architects

    Neutral-toned curtains were suspended from an elliptical rail over the freestanding bathtub at Nelson Terrace, a Georgian home in north London that local studio Paolo Cossu Architects overhauled.
    The curtains add texture to the muted colour palette in the bathroom and provide an enclosure when using the ceiling-mounted shower head.
    Find out more about Nelson Terrace ›
    Photo by Christoph RokittaBerlin Mitte apartment, Germany, by Atheorem
    Local architect Atheorem updated an apartment in Berlin, creating a wet room with a serene and ethereal quality by adding all-white finishes and minimal fittings.
    A pair of floor-to-ceiling curtains close off the shower area, adding texture to the white material palette and filtering in soft natural light.
    Find out more about Berlin Mitte apartment ›
    Photo by Kensington LeverneEmber Locke, UK, by Atelier Ochre and House of Dré
    Striped shower curtains were chosen to jazz up the bathrooms of the Locke Hotels’ outpost in west London, designed by local studios Atelier Ochre and House of Dré.
    The simple yet striking pattern adds visual interest to the hotel room interiors, which were decorated in a mix of rich, warm tones.
    Find out more about Ember Locke ›
    Photo by JC de MarcosMinimal Fantasy, Spain, by Patricia Bustos Studio
    An iridescent pink shower curtain hangs in the monochromatic Minimal Fantasy apartment in Madrid, which was designed by local interior design practice Patricia Bustos Studio.
    The practice applied 12 shades of pink across the home’s interior, including on the bathroom tiles and sanitary ware.
    Find out more about Minimal Fantasy ›
    Photo by Mariell Lind HansenCanyon House, UK, by Studio Hagen Hall
    For this London home renovation, architecture office Studio Hagen Hall added muted purple curtains against a shower screen in the cork-tiled bathroom.
    The curtains add a sense of privacy and separation between the bathroom and the adjacent bedroom, which was decorated in a complementary dusty pink colour palette.
    Find out more about Canyon House ›
    Photo by Federico CairoliHouse in Cunha, Brazil, by Arquipélago Arquitetos
    Copper piping outlines the shower area and hangs the curtain in this wet room, located in a countryside house in Brazil that was designed by São Paulo studio Arquipélago Arquitetos.
    The metal details complement the home’s earthy material palette, which features straw-coloured bricks from a local pottery studio.
    Find out more about House in Cunha ›
    Photo by French + TyeMo-tel House, UK, by Office S&M
    Local studio Office S&M overhauled a Georgian townhouse in London with bold colours, including a bathroom with bright yellow accents.
    The studio matched the bathroom’s shower curtain to the yellow-painted window frame and colourful grout between the white square tiles.
    Find out more about Mo-tel 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 with conversation pits, kitchens with metal details and kitchens with brick floors.

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    Eight characterful kitchens with sleek metal details

    Our latest lookbook focuses on eight homes fitted with metal kitchens, from a flat in London informed by fish-and-chip shops to a 19th-century apartment with period details in Paris.

    While stainless steel has long been a material associated with restaurant kitchens due to its durability and functionality, it can bring a sleek, modern feel to residential kitchens and many now opt to integrate metal kitchens into their homes.
    Here, we spotlight eight homes that make use of metal in residential kitchens in various ways.
    Included in this collection of projects is a fish-and-chip-shop-inspired kitchen in London, a live-work apartment space in a brutalist building in Quebec City and a 24-square-metre micro apartment in Melbourne.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring conversation pits, living rooms with autumnal hints of red and orange and members’ clubs with lavish interiors.

    Photo is by Edmund DabneyHighbury apartment, UK, by Holloway Li
    Local studio Holloway Li renovated this apartment set in a converted Victorian house in north London, creating a single-storey home with an open-plan layout for its co-founder Alex Holloway.
    Designed to reference materials found in London’s many fast food outlets and fish and chip shops, its custom-built kitchen was clad in circle-brushed stainless steel with a curved splashback.
    Find out more about the Highbury apartment ›
    Photo by Maryse Béland, Maxime Brouillet and Antoine MichelBrutalist apartment, Canada, by Jean Verville
    Metal surfaces were juxtaposed against bright yellow wall lamps within this live-work apartment space that architect Jean Verville designed for himself as a “creative laboratory” inside a residential tower in Quebec City.
    Stainless-steel commercial restaurant furniture was used for the kitchen, blending in with the raw concrete walls of the 1970s brutalist building.
    Find out more about the brutalist apartment ›
    Photo is by French + TyeTrellick Tower apartment, UK, by Archmongers
    Surfaces and fixtures made from industrial-style materials were paired with newly exposed concrete aggregate walls in this home renovation by London studio Archmongers in North Kensington’s Trellick Tower.
    In the kitchen, speckled brown and cream terrazzo was incorporated alongside brushed stainless steel counters, white cabinets and matt-black linoleum flooring.
    Find out more about the Trellick Tower apartment ›
    Photo is by Giulio GhirardiHaussmann-era apartment, France, by Rodolphe Parente
    Set within a 19th-century Parisian apartment, French interior designer Rodolphe Parente balanced cabinet finishes of stainless steel and pastel pink with a frame-like marble splashback for the kitchen.
    During the overhaul of the Haussmann-era apartment, Parante set out to preserve and restore some of the classic features while improving the sense of flow by connecting the dining room with the kitchen.
    Find out more about the Haussmann-era apartment ›
    Photo is by Félix Dol MaillotUnivers Uchronia, France, by Uchronia
    Named Univers Uchronia, this eclectic Paris apartment was designed by Uchronia founder Julien Sebban as his home, intended to be an extension of his studio – known for its bold application of shape, colour and reflective surfaces.
    A metallic island was incorporated in the open-plan kitchen, topped with a blobby seaweed-shaped table lamp, alongside an array of contrasting materials and colours.
    Find out more about Univers Uchronia ›
    Photo is by Yevhenii AvramenkoStalinist-era apartment, Ukraine, by Mirzoyan Studio
    Partition shelves and built-in furniture were used to distinguish open-plan spaces in Ukrainian architecture practice Mirzoyan Studio’s renovation of this Stalinist-era flat in the historic centre of Kyiv.
    Fitted in the corner of the open-plan living and dining room, the cabinets and countertops in the primary working area of the kitchen were finished in polished stainless steel.
    Find out more about the Stalinist-era flat ›
    Photo is by Pier Carthew Kerr, Australia, by SSdH
    Metal surfaces were combined with wooden cabinetry in this mezzanine-style apartment by local studio SSdH, located in a warehouse building in Melbourne that once housed a chocolate factory.
    Part of an open-plan living space, the kitchen was fitted with geometric cabinetry made from local spotted gum timber, as well as brushed stainless steel and nickel fixtures.
    Find out more about Kerr ›
    Photo is by Peter Bennetts Microloft, Australia, by Studio Edwards
    Australian architecture practice Studio Edwards remodelled this 24-square-metre micro apartment on the top floor of a 1980s apartment block in Melbourne.
    A horizontal raw aluminium surface was used for the angled wedge-shaped countertops in both the kitchen and dining area, designed to seamlessly merge the two spaces.
    Find out more about Microloft ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring conversation pits, living rooms with autumnal hints of red and orange and members’ clubs with lavish interiors.

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    Eight home kitchens finished with tactile brick floors

    Our latest lookbook collects eight houses from around the world that feature kitchens with tactile brick floors, including a mid-century home in the USA and a coastal dwelling in Denmark.

    Widely used for their durability and low maintenance, bricks are a long-time favourite material across the fields of architecture, interiors and design.
    They are most commonly used on walls and patios, but also popular as internal flooring because of their ability to add rich, earthy tones and tactile qualities to an interior. 
    While brick flooring may conjure up images of old rustic farmhouses, this roundup shows how they can also be adapted to suit contemporary homes around the world. 
    The examples below include those that have been arranged in herringbone format, used as a backdrop to oak cabinetry or designed to connect homes to their matching patios outside.

    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring conversation pits, autumnal living rooms and lavish members’ clubs.
    Photo by Carlos NaudeHacienda Granada, USA, by Working Holiday Studio
    Working Holiday Studio sought to create a “hacienda vibe” for this mid-century home that it overhauled in Los Angeles.
    Among the alterations was a revamp of the kitchen, which involved adding a floor of warm terracotta bricks handmade in Tijuana, Mexico, arranged in a herringbone format.
    They contribute to a warm and earthy aesthetic in the room, which is enhanced by dark green plaster walls and wooden joinery and furniture.
    Find out more about Hacienda Granada ›
    Photo by Agnese SanvitoGallery House, UK, by Neil Dusheiko
    Chunky reclaimed bricks extend down from the lower half of the walls of this kitchen and continue out across its floor.
    Designed by architect Neil Dusheiko for his father-in-law, the terracotta lining forms a backdrop to a wall of storage built from oak that displays ceramics, glassware and framed pictures.
    Find out more about Gallery House ›
    Photo by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm ArchitectsFjord Boat House, Denmark, by Norm Architects
    Handmade ceramic bricks are inlaid across the floor of this kitchen, which Danish studio Norm Architects created at the Fjord Boat House in Denmark.
    Married with warm oak finishes and a custom washi-paper pendant lamp, the textured flooring is intended to contribute to a warm and cosy atmosphere.
    “A refined abundance of warm textures and hues are used throughout, creating a deep sense of cosiness and comfort,” said Norm Architects.
    Find out more about Fjord Boat House ›
    Photo by David SouthwoodArklow Villa III, South Africa, by Douglas & Company
    During their renovation of a century-old house in Cape Town, architects Liani and Jan Douglas revamped the kitchen with a tactile material palette that includes brick flooring.
    The terracotta floor continues onto the adjoining patio and is teamed with a structure of exposed South African pine and bespoke wooden units finished with green marble counters.
    Find out more about Arklow Villa III ›
    Photo by Chris WhartonVinyl House, UK, by Benjamin Wilkes
    Elongated bricks are arranged in a herringbone formation across the floor of the Vinyl House extension, recently completed by British studio Benjamin Wilkes in London.
    Designed to help connect its kitchen area to the matching patio outside, the earthy flooring is complemented by warm wooden cabinetry and off-white terrazzo countertops.
    Find out more about Vinyl House ›
    Photo by Prue RuscoeBudge Over Dover, Australia, by YSG
    Terracotta brick was teamed with aged brass and tactile plaster across the interior of Budge Over Dover, a house in Australia renovated by YSG.
    Bricks line much of the ground floor, including its textured kitchen that is complete with a chunky prep counter made with a veiny marble countertop.
    Find out more about Budge Over Dover ›
    Photo by Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenHeatherhill Beach House, Denmark, by Norm Architects
    Norm Architects also opted for brick flooring in the kitchen of Heatherhill Beach House, a wooden holiday home on the Danish coast. It was designed as a contemporary twist on the traditional brick flooring found in Denmark.
    “The bricks are placed side by side instead of in the traditional pattern and have minimal cuts – instead, the grout size changes minimally to achieve a homogenous and harmonious look,” the studio explained.
    Find out more about Heatherhill Beach House ›
    Photo by Fred HowarthCamberwell Cork House, UK, by Delve Architects
    A floor that acts as a continuation of the brick paving outside features in the open-plan kitchen of Camberwell Cork House, conceived by Delve Architects in London.
    Its design formed part of a wider strategy for the home that sought to better connect it to its garden. This is also achieved by introducing large green-framed windows that enhance sight lines and maximise natural light.
    Find out more about Camberwell Cork House ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring conversation pits, autumnal living rooms and lavish members’ clubs.

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