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    Ten cabins with cosy interiors that frame views of nature

    From Norway to New Zealand, this lookbook explores rural cabins with cosy living areas that are animated by natural materials and views out over wild landscapes.

    Cabins are a popular building typology with architects all around the world. Typically built from wood, the little shelters are ideally suited as peaceful retreats in remote locations.
    Their small size and the use of organic materials such as wood helps these structures to blend in with natural surroundings, while also creating warm and calming living spaces for inhabitants.
    As demonstrated by this roundup, little else is needed to make a cabin cosy, and keeping their interiors pared-back retains focus on the main event – the views out to nature.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with statement carpets, earthy bedrooms with natural colours and hotel interiors enriched by jewel tones.

    Photo is by James BrittainEnough House, Canada, by Brian MacKay-Lyons
    Dark-stained floorboards complement the light and exposed timber beams and columns of this cabin on a farmstead in Nova Scotia.
    Its living room has large windows for looking out over the rustic landscape but retains a sheltered feel with low ceilings, a soft rug and comfy leather furniture such as the 2 Fauteuil Grand Confort armchair by Le Corbusier.
    Find out more about Enough House ›
    Photo is by Tom BirdLooking Glass Lodge, UK, by Michael Kendrick Architects
    A black fireplace is suspended from the ceiling of this sitting area, located in the Looking Glass Lodge in East Sussex.
    The room has a pared-back design filled with woven furnishings and wooden surfaces, helping to ensure the focus stays on the floor-to-ceiling glazing.
    According to its designer Michael Kendrick Architects, the studio’s aim was to give the cabin “a sense of transparency and belonging within its setting”.
    Find out more about Looking Glass Lodge ›
    Photo is by Jim StephensonThe Hat House, Sweden, by Tina Bergman
    Despite its tall ceilings, The Hat House’s living-dining space has been made to feel snug with its warm material palette dominated by different woods.
    These include spruce panels on the walls and end-grain spruce blocks for the floor. A cushioned window seat allows the owner to immerse themself in the view.
    Find out more about The Hat House ›
    Photo is by Rob MaverBruny Island Cabin, Australia, by Maguire + Devin
    Baltic pine lines almost every surface of this off-grid cabin in Tasmania, designed by Maguire + Devin with references to traditional Japanese houses.
    Nearly every piece of furniture forms a part of the building’s frame, creating a minimalist and uncluttered interior. This includes a raised seating area, positioned beside a pane of glass and finished with a low-lying table and rugs for sitting.
    Find out more about Bruny Island Cabin ›
    Photo is by Stephen GoodenoughBiv Punakaiki, New Zealand, by Fabric Architecture
    Hidden within the rainforest in the coastal village of Punakaiki, this holiday cabin has large spans of glazing that aim to immerse occupants in the landscape.
    Furnishings are few and far between to prevent distracting from the view, but a homely feel is created through the warm and exposed timber structure and mid-20th-century furnishings including a leather butterfly chair.
    Find out more about Biv Punakaiki ›
    Photo is by Jordi HuismanForest Cabin, Netherlands, by The Way We Build
    Arches made of poplar give a chapel-like character to this tiny mobile cabin, located on a campsite in the Robbenoordbos forest in the Netherlands.
    Its compact living area is deliberately simple, furnished with just a writing desk and a wood burner for warmth and offering visitors a meditative space to “rejuvenate close to nature”.
    Find out more about Forest Cabin ›
    Photo is by Marcos ZegersHouse by the Cautín River, Chile, by Iragüen Viñuela Arquitecto
    Iragüen Viñuela Arquitectos opted for dark-stained wood for the interior lining of this ski cabin in Chile, creating a moody yet cosy living area where the outside views take centre stage.
    “The interior of the house, completely covered in black wood, allows a great contrast with the white winter and green summer landscape, and offers an atmosphere of introspection and calm according to the vocation of shelter,” said the studio.
    Find out more about House by the Cautín River ›
    Photo is by Tom AugerCabin Nordmarka, Norway, Rever & Drage
    An angular corner window animates the unadorned living room of Cabin Nordmarka that Rever & Drage recently completed in Norway.
    The green and blue tones of the forested surroundings form a colourful backdrop to the elevated space, which is characterised by light timber planks and matching furniture.
    Find out more about Cabin Nordmarka ›
    Photo is by Rasmus Hjortshøj, CoastThe Author’s House, Denmark, by Sleth
    Landscape studio Sleth designed this writer’s cabin to blend in with its natural setting on the outskirts of Aarhus.
    Douglas fir planks line the living room, creating a cosy retreat for the owner while echoing the surrounding trees. Bookshelves at the base of its gabled profile help reduce the height of the room, making it feel even more snug.
    Find out more about The Author’s House ›

    Bergaliv Landscape Hotel, Sweden, by Hanna Michelson
    This compact wooden cabin nestled in the treetops of a Swedish mountain is one of four designed for the Bergaliv Landscape Hotel.
    Like many other cabins on the list, the interior is simply finished. This draws attention to a wooden L-shaped bench and window seat, designed for visitors to get lost in the views out over the landscape.
    Find out more about Bergaliv Landscape Hotel ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with statement carpets, earthy bedrooms with natural colours and hotel interiors enriched by jewel tones.

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    Tiny Glasgow apartment transformed into playful pied-à-terre

    Architect Lee Ivett, designer Simon Harlow and developer Duncan Blackmore have turned a 25-square-metre apartment in Glasgow into a brightly coloured space that doesn’t contain any freestanding furniture.

    Blackmore worked closely with Ivett and Harlow to plan the interior of the ground-floor tenement flat, which he uses as a base while visiting his other projects in the city’s Govanhill area.
    The micro-apartment was designed in GlasgowWhen Blackmore purchased the property it comprised a cramped hallway, a compact shower room, a kitchen and a sleeping area, which were separated by partition walls.
    The main idea for the redesigned space was to enable circulation throughout and to utilise its verticality in addition to the square-shaped floor area.
    It includes a tiny kitchen space”I wanted to be able to walk around in the flat, even though it’s tiny,” said Blackmore. “I also wanted the majority of the space to be flexible in terms of use, rather than defining areas for certain activities.”

    Work began with the removal of internal walls and the raising of existing structural openings closer to the 3.4-metre ceilings. A series of volumes designed in three dimensions were then inserted to fulfil various functional needs.
    An open space contains a fixed, multi-purpose benchThe apartment’s entrance area leads into an open space containing a fixed bench for sitting, lounging or sleeping. A shelf that functions as a desk is inserted next to one of two large, south-facing windows that flood the interior with natural light.
    Key functions, including washing, sleeping, cooking and the entrance, are pushed to the edges of the plan, freeing up the rest of the space so it can be used in a variety of different ways.
    The main space was left intentionally uncluttered”I was keen to avoid having a typical living space with a sofa, a coffee table and a television,” Blackmore told Dezeen.
    “The main space is entirely unprogrammed and uncluttered and has almost nothing in it. You can use it for a meeting or a party or just as somewhere to sit and think. I like how versatile and unfussy it is.”
    A compact shower room was createdA mezzanine sleeping platform is slotted in above a compact shower room, taking advantage of the vertical space and preventing the room from feeling disproportionately high.
    The bed is reached via a set of wooden steps, with a small circular hole seen from the living area providing somewhere to place a hand while manoeuvring into position.
    The mezzanine is reached via small wooden stepsThe new interventions are built around the retained structure and feature forms that playfully disguise which walls, columns or beams retain their original functionality.
    “Lee came up with the shapes based on the connection between existing openings and the geometry we imposed on the space,” Blackmore pointed out.
    A small circular hole provides a view to the living area”Where we needed to bridge differences in height or gaps between certain elements, the surfaces meet each other with a curve or a step,” he added, “so the decoration is derived from the resolution of these structural glitches.”
    The project takes its name, Ferguson, from the found nameplate of a previous occupier and the design borrows from the architectural heritage of its surroundings.
    The kitchen features an oversized red cast-concrete sinkThe remnants of a nearby building that burned down informed the arched shape above the stairs up to the sleeping area, as well as an opening that allows daylight to filter through to the shower room.
    Coloured cushions on the bench reference the doorway of a nearby building, while the bright-yellow datum that extends around the space is a reversal of the painted walls in the tenement’s shared stairwell.
    The remnants of a nearby building that burned down informed the arched shape above the stairsThe kitchen contains the minimum amenities needed to obtain a building warrant. Its oversized red cast-concrete sink is accessible for hand washing on arrival from the entrance hall – a legacy of the Covid-19 pandemic during which the project was built.
    Behind the apartment’s only internal door, the shower room is fully lined in two colourways of a decorative solid surface material made by Simon Harlow’s company Mirrl. A custom-made sink extends the use of bright yellow seen elsewhere in the interior.

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    The entire project was fabricated by Harlow and artist’s technician Simon Richardson, resulting in a level of craftsmanship and intuitive creative detailing that lends it a strong sense of personality.
    Blackmore is keen to emphasise that the apartment should not be viewed as an example of tiny living, as he only ever spends brief spells of time there.
    A custom-made sink extends the use of bright yellow seen elsewhere”I’m absolutely not suggesting that people should live like this,” he said. “The space is really personal and tailored to my needs, which are a nice bed, a hot shower with good water pressure and decent WiFi.”
    “If you were living there permanently you would design it very differently, but as a place for me to stay and work or relax it’s perfect.”
    Blackmore is the co-founder of developer Arrant Land, which creates projects led by an interest in architecture, built heritage and the social dynamics of the UK’s towns and cities.
    Previous projects backed by Arrant Land include a red-brick house with playful tiled detailing in south London and an apartment building in the seaside town of Whitstable featuring black brick walls that evoke the nearby wooden fishing huts.
    The photography is by Pierce Scourfield.

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    Studio Noju renovates curvy apartment in brutalist Torres Blancas tower

    Local firm Studio Noju has updated a two-storey Madrid apartment within the Torres Blancas high-rise with a renovation that remains “in constant dialogue” with the original apartment design.

    Designed in 1961 by architect Francisco Javier Sáenz de Oíz, Torres Blancas is a 71-metre-high exposed concrete tower featuring cylindrical shapes that create bulbous balconies on its facade and curved rooms inside.
    Studio Noju renovated the largest apartment in Torres BlancasStudio Noju overhauled the 1040 unit – the brutalist building’s biggest apartment – to balance its history with contemporary design details, according to the firm.
    “Our interior design proposal for the apartment takes inspiration from the original ideas that the architect came up with for the building,” studio co-founder Antonio Mora told Dezeen.
    Recovered terrace space is characterised by green tilesA key part of the project involved expanding the apartment’s exterior area on the first floor from 15 to almost 80 square metres to create the amount of outdoor space that existed before multiple past renovations of the tower.

    This expansion added terraces that are characterised by curved floor-to-ceiling glazing and slatted crimson shutters. These open onto gleaming green ceramic tiles that take cues from 1960s interiors and form built-in benches, fountains and planters that follow the terraces’ meandering contours.
    Visitors enter at a semi-circular foyer”The outdoor spaces have been once again consolidated into a continuous terrace that follows the outline of the original plan,” explained Mora, who set up Studio Noju with Eduardo Tazón in 2020.
    “There is a constant dialogue between many of the solutions we have proposed in the interior design of the apartment with those proposed more than 50 years ago by Sáenz de Oiza.”
    White walls and ceilings create an airy open-plan first floorVisitors enter the apartment at a semi-circular foyer featuring Segovia black slate and wine-red panelling – the same materials used in the building’s communal areas.
    The open-plan ground floor is interrupted by snaking white structural walls, such as a partition in the living room that features repetitive circular openings.
    The kitchen was formed from a continuous countertopA continuous custom-made countertop with a subtle green hue forms the kitchen area, which includes a statement bulbous sink that echoes Torres Blancas’ cylindrical facade.
    Light reflects from the original glass-brick tinted windows and illuminates the smooth resin floor and metallic wall accents.
    Studio Noju salvaged an original brass banister for the staircaseWhite geometric treads create a floating staircase with an original polished brass banister that leads to the first floor. Upstairs, a sequence of bedrooms is characterised by oak ceilings that contrast with the bright white ceilings on the ground floor.
    Each bathroom is playfully colour-coded with individual mosaics of bright tiles, complete with sconce lights, mirrors and cabinetry that follow the rounded shapes found throughout the apartment.
    Each bathroom has colour-coded tiles”The [mosaic] material allowed us to solve all the elements of the bathroom such as shower areas, vanities, walls and floors, referencing a similar material strategy used in the original design,” said Mora.
    Adjacent to the main bedroom, the first-floor terrace includes a large green tile-clad outdoor bathtub cloaked in a sheer curtain, which is flanked by plants that were positioned to absorb the water produced by bathing.

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    “The element that we are most proud of is the feeling of a house-patio that has been recovered in the apartment,” reflected Mora.
    “The unit once again revolves around the exterior spaces, and these seem to blend with the interior through the curved traces of green tiles that enter and exit the living room and dining area,” added the architect.
    “Our biggest challenge was striking a balance between honouring the building, but at the same time imbuing the interior design with our language.”
    The first floor terrace features an outdoor bathtubStudio Noju showcased a similar colourful style in its debut project, which involved the renovation of an open-plan Seville apartment.
    Torres Blancas was among the buildings captured by photographer Roberto Conte in his series of brutalist buildings in Madrid.
    The photography is by José Hevia. 

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    Yana Molodykh refurbishes attic apartment with views over Kyiv

    Ukrainian designer Yana Molodykh has renovated a compact apartment in Kyiv, creating a light-filled space with storage fitted around the building’s existing structural framework.

    The 50-square-metre apartment, which was christened with a housewarming party a few days before the start of the Ukraine war, is a pied-à-terre for a couple that lives in one of the capital’s suburbs and likes to spend weekends in the city centre.
    Yana Molodykh has renovated an attic apartment in KyivThe apartment is located on the attic level of a modern eight-storey building in the historic Podil district, which the owners chose because it reminds them of their home city of Kherson.
    The existing interior was divided by a series of metal columns and partition walls, with small windows, zinc-profiled flooring and steel roof beams making the rooms feel dark and cluttered.
    The apartment was redesigned to let in more daylightMolodykh completely reorganised the space, removing internal walls, adding effective soundproofing and enlarging the windows to let in more sunlight.

    The designer wanted to create a bright and eclectic space reminiscent of Kherson’s resort atmosphere, with materials chosen to bring natural warmth and texture into the daylit interior.
    Wooden joinery adds warmth and texture to the interior space”I aimed to create a true atmosphere of living under the roof,” the designer told Dezeen. “When you are at the top of a building every action occurs below you, so you can observe and enjoy the view. Also, I wanted there to be no obstacles to daylight.”
    The main requests from the client were for a cosy living area and a comfortable and functional kitchen where the couple can cook and entertain.
    Some of the home’s steel structure was left exposedWooden flooring and joinery contribute to the warm and relaxing atmosphere, Molodykh said, with details such as the sheer curtains and paper Akari floor lamp from Vitra adding “airy” accents.
    Some of the building’s steel structure was left exposed while other parts were concealed behind shelves in the living room and the closets in the bedroom.
    Built-in storage that extends all the way to the ceiling optimises the apartment’s available height. And in the dining area, storage for tableware is cleverly integrated behind one of the columns.

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    The smallest room in the apartment is the 6.4-square-metre bedroom, which features a bed raised on a podium and a wardrobe set into a niche behind a column.
    A large beam that crosses the space was boxed in to prevent the uncomfortable feeling of a heavy metal structure overhead, while built-in shelves by the bed help to free up floor space.
    The steel beam in the bedroom was boxed inThe apartment’s compact entrance area features a tiled floor and a blue accent door, creating a visual buffer between the interior and exterior.
    A small dressing area is slotted in between the beams and columns next to the entrance, hidden behind sliding doors with mirrored panels.
    Geometric patterned tiles also feature in the bathroom, which contains a freestanding bathtub and shower cubicle along with terracotta ceramic sconces by Ukrainian designer Julia Kononenko.
    Geometric floor tiles define the apartment’s entranceMolodykh mixed tiles from four different brands to create a layered effect influenced by her appreciation of Ukrainian constructivist architecture, much of which is currently falling victim to Russian shelling.
    “I wanted to link the apartment’s interior with important buildings nearby including the Zhytniy market and Zhovten cinema,” the designer explained.
    “I admire their architecture, lines, proportions and ideas, so I wanted to pay my tribute. That is why the bathroom looks slightly different from the rest of the apartment. It makes the project more eclectic and more corresponding to its surroundings.”
    The tiling in the bathroom was informed by Ukrainian constructivist architecturePodil is one of Kyiv’s oldest districts and today, its early-20th-century buildings are neighboured by modern constructions and high-rise hotels.
    These diverse architectural styles contribute to the cosmopolitan feel of the neighbourhood, which has not escaped the Ukraine war unscathed. In March 2022, a missile destroyed a building in the district some distance away from the apartment.
    But Molodykh said that despite everything, people in the area still look to their homes as havens amidst the ongoing war.
    The apartment is located in Kyiv’s historic Podil district”Even these days, people enjoy their cosy interiors and warm home atmosphere where they can spend time with families and close friends supporting each other,” she said.
    Molodykh currently lives between here and Krakow in Poland, as it is easier for her to work on projects from outside of Ukraine.
    Other projects in Kyiv that were completed just before the war and are just starting to be published in recent months include an all-beige home in the city’s outskirts by architect Sergey Makhno and the HQ of fashion label Sleeper, which is housed in a former shoe factory.
    The photography is by Yevhenii Avramenko.

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    Alexander & Co carves out spaces for calm and play inside Pacific House

    Australian architecture practice Alexander & Co has overhauled this oceanside home in Sydney to make it more suitable for family life.

    Before its renovation, the five-bedroom house had a disjointed floor plan that was proving inefficient for its two young owners and their three children. Many of the rooms were also cut off from views of the garden and the ocean beyond.
    Pacific House’s kitchen is decked out with oakwood and different types of marble”[Pacific House] was substantial in structure but devoid of spirit and certainly absent of any operational utility,” said Alexander & Co’s principal architect Jeremy Bull.
    Tasked with making the home a “functional engineer of family life”, the practice decided to carve out areas for activity and play, alongside spaces with a calmer, more contemplative ambience for the adults.
    The cosy breakfast nook backs onto a curved windowAt the heart of the plan now sits an expansive kitchen. All of the cabinetry is made from warm-hued American oak, while panels of a paler European oak were laid across the ceiling.

    Jagged-edged pieces of Grigio Firma, Grigio Lana and Carrara marble were set into the kitchen floor.
    Arched doorways open onto the gardenInhabitants can eat at the central island or take a seat at the breakfast nook, which is tucked against a huge concave window.
    Its form nods to the architectural style of P&O – an offshoot of modernism that was popular in 1930s Sydney and drew on the streamlined curves of Pacific and Orient-line cruise ships.
    Neutral hues were applied throughout the formal dining areaTwo arched doors at the front of the kitchen grant access to the garden, where there’s an alfresco seating area.
    A new swimming pool was added in an excavation pit that had previously been created in the home’s driveway.

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    The rest of Pacific House’s ground floor includes a rumpus room for games, parties and recreation, plus a sophisticated dining area decked out in neutral hues.
    There’s also a spacious living area with Mario Bellini’s Camaleonda sofa for B&B Italia, which looks out across the ocean waves.
    An Afghan rug printed with abstract shapes and a couple of triangular marble coffee tables add to the more fun, graphic look that the practice sought to establish in this room.
    The living area is arranged to prioritise ocean vistasSpaces become slightly more muted on the floor above, which is accessed via an oakwood staircase.
    In the principal bedroom – which features another P&O-style curved window – walls are rendered in concrete.
    Grey terrazzo and marble was used to cover surfaces in the bathroom, clashing against the pattern of the grey mosaic flooring.
    The primary bedroom has a curved window and a greyscale en-suiteAlexander & Co has completed a number of other projects in Sydney including an Italian trattoria and most recently its own studio, which is housed in a converted Victorian-era residence.
    Formal workstations are built into the building’s basement, but the remaining residential-style floors accommodate a kitchen, living room and library where staff can brainstorm ideas.
    The photography is by Anson Smart.

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    Ten earthy bedrooms that use natural colours to create a restful environment

    In our latest lookbook, we highlight 10 bedroom interiors that introduce earthy colour palettes and natural materials to evoke a sense of calm and tranquility.

    Warm tones of earthen brown and light neutrals were used alongside colourful pops of terracotta and leafy greens on soft furnishings, headboards and decorations to create a peaceful atmosphere in these bedrooms.
    Stone surfaces, timber panelling, linen fabric, accents of clay and limewash finishes add subtle textures to the interior spaces.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring jewel-toned hotel interiors, kitchens with marble surfaces and biophilic homes.
    Photo by Fabian MartinezColonia Condesa House, Mexico, by Chloé Mason Gray

    For the renovation of this mid-20th century house in Mexico City, local interiors studio Chloé Mason Gray embraced the lack of natural light coming into the space by introducing dark, earthy colours and textures.
    The walls of the primary bedroom were coated in brown plaster, and the space was finished with a brown leather headboard and linen furnishings in deep shades of forest green.
    Find out more about Colonia Condesa House ›
    Photo by Salva LópezCasa Maiora, Italy, by Studio Andrew Trotter
    Designed to mimic the surrounding landscape, Italian architecture practice Studio Andrew Trotter created this villa in Puglia with sandstone and limestone walls coated in a pink lime wash.
    Stone floors complement the warm-toned walls while in the bedrooms, locally-sourced wooden antique furniture and large woven rugs add hints of deeper earthen shades.
    Find out more about Casa Maiora ›
    Photo by Seth CaplanDumbo Loft, USA, by Crystal Sinclair Designs
    New York interiors studio Crystal Sinclair Designs punctuated the pale white backdrop of this bedroom in a Brooklyn loft apartment with caramel shades of brown and natural textures.
    A yellow-brown velvet chair, rustic tiles that wrap around the lower half of structural columns, and a wooden batten wall help to make the space cosier and more inviting.
    Find out more about Dumbo Loft ›
    Photo by Emanuelis StasaitisDe Beauvoir Townhouse, UK, by HÛT
    As part of the overhaul of a home in London, British architecture studio HÛT finished the surfaces and joinery in the main bedroom in sage green, nodding to the use of green shades in the kitchen and living room downstairs.
    According to the studio, the muted green colour was chosen for its timelessness and longevity, as well as for its visual appeal when paired with exposed timber.
    Find out more about De Beauvoir Townhouse ›
    Photo by MCA EstúdioHygge Studio, Brazil, by Melina Romano
    Brazilian designer Melina Romano used a myriad of earthy colours, textures and decorations to achieve a modern interior with “rustic charm” in this São Paulo apartment.
    Terracotta flooring and creamy brick walls were complemented with comfy furniture and soft furnishing in earthy tones, including the rust-coloured bed frame and elongated headboard in the bedroom.
    Romano also added a tropical leafy plant, branches speckled with lichen and insect-shaped wall art to the space.
    Find out more about Hygge Studio ›
    Photo by Joe FletcherTwentieth, USA, by Woods + Dangaran
    Wood panelling, vintage furnishings and earthy-brown colours characterise the interior spaces of the Twentieth house in Santa Monica by Los Angeles studio Woods +Dangaran, which was built around an olive tree.
    The primary bedroom was designed to feel flush and luxurious, with a Mehraban silk shag rug, brass fixtures and a custom bed recessed into a wooden surround.
    Find out more about Twentieth ›
    Photo by Fran ParenteFlat #6, Brazil, by Studio MK27
    Also featuring a custom-made wooden bed surround is this bedroom designed by local architecture and design practice Studio MK27.
    The practice added tactile rugs, blankets and fabric wall panels in various shades of brown and light neutrals to contrast with the basalt stone flooring in the São Paulo apartment.
    “Natural light warms up every piece and every corner, letting the woods, the velvets and the stones speak louder,” said Studio MK27.
    Find out more about Flat #6 ›
    Photo by Undine PröhlEscondido Oaxaca Hotel, Mexico, by Decada Muebles
    Interiors studio Decada Muebles finished the bedrooms of this boutique hotel in Oaxaca City with woven palm leaf headboards and sabino wood furniture pieces made by local artisans, including side tables, bed frames and shutters.
    Alongside the wood accents, stucco walls help to add warmth and texture to the space and create a relaxing place for vacationers to stay.
    Find out more about Escondido Oaxaca Hotel ›
    Photo by Michael SinclairThe Palace Gate Apartment, UK, by Tala Fustok Studio
    Local interior design practice Tala Fustok Studio transformed this west London apartment into a “calm sanctuary” with a mixture of stone textures, earthy fabrics and a soft-warm colour palette.
    The centrepiece of the bedroom is a 1960s-style velvet bed in a dusty pink hue. Decorative items surrounding it include a wall tapestry, a modern stone fireplace and an organically-shaped ceramic statue.
    Find out more about The Palace Gate Apartment ›
    Photo by Supee JuntranggurLom Haijai, Thailand, by Studionomad
    Lom Haijai is an apartment block in Bangkok designed by architecture practice Studionomad, which features trees growing through the facade’s louvres.
    Each bedroom in the apartment block has a Juliet balcony that looks over an internal courtyard. Wooden flooring and wall panelling add to the nature-inspired theme of the design.
    Find out more about Lom Haijai ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring jewel-toned hotel interiors, kitchens with marble surfaces and biophilic homes.

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    Hanna Karits uses wood to create “airy and spacious” interior for Estonian holiday home

    Interior architect Hanna Karits used natural materials throughout this holiday home in Estonia’s Moonsund archipelago to create a soothing environment that references the surrounding forest.

    Drawing influences from the work of one of her favourite architects, Frank Lloyd Wright, Tallinn-based Karits created an interior that combines clean lines with warm wooden surfaces and carefully crafted cabinetry.
    Hanna Karits has designed the interior for a holiday home in Estonia”I decided to use wood in many different ways but give extra care to the details and connections between different materials,” the designer told Dezeen.
    Karits’ design was guided by a basic brief given by the client, in which she was asked to create an interior for the home by architect Linda Veski and make wood the dominant material.
    It is located in a forest in the Moonsund archipelagoWhile referencing the work of Wright, her design is also informed by mid-century modernist summer houses, which feature bright and minimal wood-lined living spaces.

    “I have always felt comfort in these buildings,” added Karits. “So my idea was to blend these emotions together and create something airy and spacious but at the same time really human-friendly, safe and relaxing.”
    The home is intended as a relaxing getawayThe house is situated on an island in the archipelago off Estonia’s west coast, where the local landscape consists of limestone cliffs, beaches and dense forests.
    It is intended as a relaxing getaway where its owners can enjoy peace and fresh air in natural surroundings. The interior design aims to immerse them in the woodland setting, creating a place that feels warm and comforting during the long, cold winters.
    Karits designed an “airy and spacious” interior for the homeThe building is constructed from a wooden frame and cross-laminated timber panels, with thermally-treated ash wood chosen to line the internal surfaces.
    Complementing the wooden elements, the other main material used inside the house is Estonian limestone, which is applied on the floors of the kitchen, dining area and circulation spaces.

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    The single-storey building is entered via a central porch that connects with a corridor spanning the full width of the house. This hallway provides access to a row of bedrooms at the front and the living spaces towards the rear.
    A courtyard between the corridor and the lounge area is lined with full-height glazing that allows plenty of daylight to enter the interior.
    Wooden finishes are used throughoutThe open-plan living, dining and kitchen area incorporates large windows that look out onto the forest, with sliding doors providing access to a generous decked terrace.
    A wood-clad ceiling in the living room creates a cosy and intimate feel despite its large volume. Wooden ceilings can also be found in the bedrooms.
    Carpets from the 1930s have been used to add colour and textureBespoke cabinetry developed in collaboration with local craftspeople is integrated throughout the home.
    Careful attention was paid to elements such as the wooden door handles to ensure they are ergonomic and pleasing to touch, while maintaining a simple and minimal aesthetic.
    Carpets originally created in the 1930s by Estonian designers including Adamson Erik, Kaarin Luts and Viida Pääbo are placed throughout to add colour and texture while celebrating the country’s lesser-known design heritage.
    The design aims to connect the interior with the surrounding landscapeKarits has been working as an interior architect in Estonia for more than a decade.
    Her previous projects include a summer retreat on Estonia’s Matsi Beach comprising a pair of gabled black cabins surrounded by old fishing sheds.
    The photography is by Tõnu Tunnel.

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    Dumbo Loft by Crystal Sinclair Designs features a book-filled mezzanine

    Interiors studio Crystal Sinclair Designs has renovated a loft apartment in Brooklyn’s Dumbo neighbourhood to include a mezzanine with a wall of books and a bedroom behind a glass partition.

    Upstate New York studio Crystal Sinclair Designs overhauled the space for a well-travelled lawyer and writer.
    The loft’s high ceilings enabled a mezzanine library to be addedThe client purchased the loft during the early Covid-19 pandemic in Dumbo, an area that has seen extensive conversion of buildings into luxury apartments.
    Sinclair’s aim was to retain the industrial look of the space, while incorporating a mix of furnishings that offer a European flair and nod to some of the locations where her client has spent time.
    Crystal Sinclair Designs retained the industrial materials and kept surfaces bright”[She] wanted to incorporate certain elements that are representative of the places she’s lived and worked before,” Sinclair said.

    “To that end, we worked in a nuristani mirror and a tribal qashqai rug purchased in Afghanistan, a statement chandelier from Italy, and her entire and not insubstantial library.”
    In the kitchen area, arabascato marble contrasts a farmhouse-style islandThe concrete shell was largely left exposed, balanced with antique pieces like an easel and a leather wingback chair to add more story and a “lived-in” feel.
    “The space itself led the way,” said Sinclair, who founded her eponymous studio with her husband, Ben. “The idea was to draw attention to the high ceilings with floor-to-ceiling drapes and a metal/glass partition wall. As the space is bright, we decided to paint everything white.”
    Floor-to-ceiling glass panels divide the living space and the bedroomThe 1,190-square-foot (110-square-metre) apartment features a concrete coffered ceiling that reaches over 14 feet (four metres).
    Thanks to this height, an L-shaped mezzanine could be added to provide a space to store the client’s book collection.
    One wall is covered in wooden battens that create a relief patternA ladder beside a window provides access to the upper level, where bookshelves displaying the extensive library almost cover the whole wall.
    Underneath are a row of tall cabinets, and the kitchen that features slabs of white and grey arabascato marble that contrasts a wooden farmhouse-style island.
    The eclectic selection of furniture was chosen to help give the space a lived-in feelIn the living room, a cream boucle sofa is paired with a Moroccan rug, while a giant crystal chandelier hangs overhead.
    The corner bedroom is partitioned from the rest of the space by floor-to-ceiling glass panels housed within black metal frames.

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    A white linen curtain can be pulled across to obscure the neutral-toned sleeping area from view. A desk also runs the length of a wall, for the client to use on the days that she works from home.
    Elsewhere, original structural columns are wrapped in tiles around their lower halves, and a section of wall is covered with wood battens that create a relief pattern.
    Linen curtains can be drawn to provide privacy in the bedroom”We played with it and kept everything bright and airy,” Sinclair said. “All we needed to do was to layer in order to give the space depth and purpose.”
    Loft apartments are typified by high ceilings, large windows and expansive open floor plans, and are commonly found in former industrial neighbourhoods of Brooklyn.
    Antique pieces help to imbue the spaces with a European flairOther areas of New York City, like Tribeca, are similarly full of historic warehouses and factories that have been converted for residential use.
    In these types of buildings, recently completed projects include an apartment by Andrea Leung with “secret spaces” hidden behind a mirrored wall and a penthouse by Worrell Yeung where industrial finishes are contrasted with the “pure minimal lines” of new fittings.
    The photography is by Seth Caplan.
    Project credits:
    Interior design: Crystal Sinclair DesignsStylist: Mariana Marcki-Matos

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