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      NeuronaLab reorganises Barcelona loft with blue stair storage unit

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      A large blue unit provides extra space and storage in a compact Barcelona apartment, which has been renovated by local architecture studio NeuronaLab.

      The renovation transforms Loft in Poblenou, a former studio loft, into a two-bedroom apartment with a separate, dedicated workspace.
      A blue unit divides the former studio apartmentThe owner bought the flat 10 years ago, when he was living alone.
      The space started to become cramped after his partner moved in and they had a baby. Things became even worse during the pandemic, with the couple needing to work from home, and their son increasingly needing more space.
      A living space and kitchen is created in front of the unit”The family had no choice but to have all their objects in the middle of the space; it was a real mess,” said NeuronaLab founder Ana Garcia.

      “The challenge was to make much better use of the volume, so that the new family would not have to change homes due to lack of space and order,” she told Dezeen.
      The unit creates storage and integrates a staircaseGarcia’s solution was to insert a large piece of furniture that informally divides the space into different zones and provides plenty of storage.
      She has also taken advantage of the loft’s high ceilings by installing a new mezzanine floor, which is accessed via a staircase built into the storage unit.
      With these two interventions, plus the relocation of the old bathroom, the apartment now has a completely different layout.
      A blue shade was chosen to contrast the wooden flooringThe space in front of the storage unit becomes an open-plan living and dining space. A bedroom and study are located behind, with the new bathroom sandwiched in between, while the mezzanine overhead creates a second bedroom.
      “Four spaces are generated that are similar in size and interchangeable with each other,” said Garcia.
      “On the other hand, the mezzanine allows a certain disorder on the higher level, which remains out of sight on a day-to-day basis, such as the toys or the children’s bed.”
      A mezzanine takes advantage of the high ceilingsGarcia developed two possible colour schemes for the space, with the owners eventually settling on blue rather than pink.
      An aquamarine shade was selected for its natural contrast with the warm tones of the loft’s wooden floorboards, which have been revived using water-based varnishes.

      Doehler loft renovation by SABO Project features an irregular clustered storage unit

      Made from pressed, recycled cellulose panels, this unit serves various different storage purposes. It contains the fridge-freezer and food larder, it serves as a wardrobe and it creates room for utility items such as an ironing board.
      The layout was carefully planned to ensure everything had a place.
      “We made a list of everything that we had to relocate in the proposed cabinets,” explained Garcia, “and we measured the approximate volume of storage needed.”
      This space provides one of two bedroomsGarcia was previously a founding director of Nook Architects, but recently left the practice to launch her own studio.
      Nook is a specialist in creating space-saving solutions for small homes, with previous examples including a flat with a storage floor and one with a mezzanine bed deck.
      Garcia continues this approach, but also introduced elements of psychology and neuroscience to her design process. Her aim is to create homes that don’t just work well, but also promote wellbeing.
      A second bedroom and study slot in under the mezzanine”At NeuronaLab, our initial questionnaires go far beyond the typical briefing of a project,” she explained. “We not only ask about the number of bedrooms, but we delve into a client’s routines, their lifestyle, their chronotype, if they receive guests, if they exercise at home and how they need the space to respond to the new needs of the home office.”
      “We also analyse the space from parameters beyond proportion or functionality,” she continued.
      “We visit the house at different times of the day to observe the change in the light that enters through the double facade, we analyse the cross ventilation, the smells and also the noise from the environment.”
      A new bathroom is sandwiched between these two roomsHere, she believes the combination of different lighting zones and heights more comfortably allow different domestic activities to coexist.
      “The higher height encourages common life and social relations with guests, and the lower height in the darkest area favours rest,” she added.
      The choice of materials supports this ambition. Garcia opted for breathable and moisture-absorbing products – including ceramic tiles by Matter Atelier – to improve air quality inside the home.
      Photography is by Marcela Grassi.

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      YSG designs playful Sydney penthouse for empty nesters

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      Australian studio YSG has added quirky fixtures and furnishings to this penthouse in Sydney’s Darlinghurst neighbourhood to suit the owners’ new post-lockdown design tastes.

      Drawing on references from tiled Spanish tapas bars to the colour palette of surrealist artworks, YSG gutted the apartment’s formerly “sober” interior to make way for a bolder fit-out.
      A fluffy armchair decorates the lounge of the Dream Weaver penthouseThe owners’ newfound freedom as empty nesters, alongside the lifestyle changes brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, played a key part in their wish for more aesthetically striking living quarters, according to YSG.
      “The past year of being sequestered at home amplified their desire for individual expression and more colourful injections regarding final furnishing selections,” the studio explained.
      “As consummate entertainers, they also requested conversational custom pieces.”

      Slabs of blue lapis lazuli stone clad the kitchen prep counterThe living room is now dressed with thick pile rugs, purple patchwork sofas and a shaggy pink armchair.
      A zingy pop of colour is provided by a trio of Murano glass floor lamps with contrasting transparent and metallic gold stripes. Nearby, a sliding door was inset with a matching amber-tinted porthole.
      Lapis lazuli is also incorporated into the custom drinks trolleyAlmost-black cabinetry was fitted in the adjacent kitchen alongside a backlit steel-framed shelf, which YSG said helps to display the owners’ tableware with “museum-like finesse”.
      The space is anchored by a blocky prep counter clad in purposely mismatched lapis lazuli stone slabs. A sculptural white breakfast bar is fitted with a rotating granite platter, on which the owners can present cheese and canapes when guests are over.
      A plum-red bed centres the principal bedroomJust beyond the kitchen is a dining area complete with a wooden table that was made bespoke by YSG and local industrial designer Adam Goodrum.
      There’s also a custom drinks trolley that features a worktop and handles made from the same blue lapis lazuli stone that covers the prep counter.
      At the back of the space is a wall overlaid with glossy off-white Moroccan tiles that reflect light around the room.

      YSG carries out tactile overhaul of Budge Over Dover house in Sydney

      A similar medley of materials and colours can be found in the principal bedroom, which was extended out onto the penthouse’s terrace to make space for a study nook and walk-in wardrobe.
      At the heart of the room is a bespoke wood-veneer bed frame stained in plum red and topped with a Calacatta Viola marble headboard. Berry-hued pendant lights are suspended at different heights directly overhead.
      The adjoining en-suite bathroom features an onyx stone surroundIn the ensuite bathroom, the studio installed a panel of veiny onyx that winds its way around the shower cubicle and beneath a row of mirrored vanity cabinets, at which point it turns into a ledge with two integrated sinks.
      Similar stone fixtures were created in the guest bathroom and the moodier main bathroom, which is entirely clad in deep indigo tiles.
      Indigo tiles create a moodier feel in the family bathroomAround the terrace, YSG added a number of large potted plants and succulents to keep the outdoor area out of sight from neighbouring properties.
      The space is dressed with blue furnishings that create a visual link to the waters of Rushcutter Bay, which can be seen in the distance.
      Tall plants provide privacy to the penthouse’s terraceYSG was established in 2020 and is led by designer Yasmine Saleh Ghoniem.
      The studio has completed a number of projects in its hometown of Sydney, including a family house with tactile interiors and a moody gin bar featuring black walls and juniper berry-blue furnishings.
      The photography is by Prue Ruscoe.
      Project credits:
      Design: YSGStyling: Felicity NgBuilding: Promena Projects

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      Ten homes with French doors that bring an airiness to the interior

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      A home with terrazzo interiors and an apartment that was renovated to include library bookshelves across its walls feature in this lookbook highlighting 10 homes with French doors.

      French doors can be described as a pair of doors that typically open out to outdoor spaces and have glass panes that stretch the height of the doors.
      The doors are often used as exterior doors, as they can bring light into the interior as a result of their largely glass construction. But French doors can also be used in interiors, where they divide and partition spaces without compromising on light.
      The following residential projects show how French doors can be used and incorporated within home renovations, extensions and newbuilds.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks including open-plan studies, bedrooms on mezzanine levels, and green living rooms.

      Photo is by Will PryceTower House, UK, by Dominic McKenzie Architects
      Located in the London borough of Islington, Dominic McKenzie Architects looked to lofty structures in rural Italy when designing this brick extension.
      Chevron flooring draws the eye towards black, glass-panelled French doors, which were positioned beneath a rectangular skylight and open out to a sunken garden.
      Find out more about Tower House ›
      Photo is by Santiago Barrio and Shen Zhong HaiBook-lined apartment, China, by Atelier Tao+C
      A white modular sofa was oriented toward white French doors at this top-floor apartment in one of Shanghai’s earliest high-rise residential buildings.
      Atelier Tao+C renovated the apartment to centre the study as the focal point of the house. Floor-to-ceiling smoked oak bookshelves were built around the entirety of the apartment and frame white-painted French doors that lead to an L-shaped balcony.
      Find out more about the book-lined apartment ›
      Photo is by Joe Fletcher PhotographyTehama One, US, by Studio Schicketanz
      Expanses of panelled glass blanket the walls of this home in California, which was designed by US practice Studio Schicketanz. The single-storey home and guest house were positioned around a landscaped courtyard.
      Indoor and outdoor spaces become one through the use of large French doors that provide calming views out to the central courtyard. Textural materials were used throughout the interior.
      Find out more about Tehama One ›
      Photo is by Carlos NaudeCasa Mami, US, by Working Holiday Studio
      Japanese and Scandinavian design as well as the work of architect Luis Barragán informed the design of this holiday home in the Californian desert.
      French doors frame the desert surroundings from within the paired back interior, which houses a sculptural Cylinder Back Armchair by Los Angeles-based furniture studio Waka Waka.
      Find out more about Casa Mami ›
      Image caption: Photo is by Andrew MeredithWhite Rabbit House, UK, by Gundry & Ducker
      Designed by architecture studio Gundry & Ducker, White Rabbit House is a neo-Georgian home in Canonbury, Islington. The studio incorporated green hues and different-shaped windows and openings throughout.
      The kitchen features white terrazzo floors and green-painted double doors that open to its garden. A skylight runs the width of the space above the kitchen and its island-cum-breakfast bar.
      Find out more about White Rabbit House ›
      Photo is by French + TyeAmott Road, UK, by Alexander Owen Architecture
      Curving timber, geometric shapes and bright colours define this home in East Dulwich by London studio Alexander Owen Architecture.
      The kitchen has a wood-lined interior with timber stretching and curving across its ceilings, walls and cabinetry. Deep blue floors lead out to the garden via arched French doors, complementing the home’s modernist and pop-art feel.
      Find out more about Amott Road ›
      Photo is by Charles HoseaGreenwood Road, UK, by Kilburn Nightingale
      Architect Ben Kilburn transformed his own Victorian property in Hackney, London, adding a double-height library beside stretches of pale-wood-lined glazing that opens out to the garden.
      The double-height space is visually connected to both the home’s outdoor space and a living room with a mezzanine-style railing positioned on the floor above. Floor-to-ceiling glass, including French doors, stretches the entirety of the rear brick volume.
      Find out more about Greenwood Road ›
      Photo is by Filip DujardinAntwerp apartment, Belgium, by Bovenbouw
      Large French doors tower above the interior of this Antwerp apartment, located within a residential development set inside three converted 19th-century buildings.
      Bovenbouw Architectuur looked to 19th-century design ideas to inform the design of the apartment, incorporating classical features such as parquet flooring and decorative marble panelling.
      Find out more about Antwerp apartment ›
      Photo is by Marie-Caroline LucatMaison 0.82, France, by Pascual Architect
      An open-plan kitchen, lounge and dining room were positioned on the southern side of this single-storey home in France by Pascual Architect.
      Floor-to-ceiling glazing, which doubles as large French doors, surrounds the perimeter of the living spaces and provides views out and easy access to the exterior.
      Find out more about Maison 0.82 ›
      Photo is by José HeviaHouse 03, Spain, by Lucas y Hernández-Gil
      Spanish studio Lucas y Hernández-Gil overhauled an apartment in Madrid by reconfiguring its layout, installing a new kitchen and adding oak and stone surfaces throughout.
      Orignal joinery was restored throughout the 19th-century apartment. French doors open out from the open plan kitchen and living area and are framed by bi-folding shutters that can remove the light from the interior.
      Find out more about House 03 ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing open-plan studies, bedrooms on mezzanine levels, and green living rooms.

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      Ten tranquil garden studios designed for work and play

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      As the start of summer in the northern hemisphere promises warmer days and longer evenings, our latest lookbook features 10 garden studios that provide extra space for work or relaxation.

      For homes with large gardens, a small studio can be a practical way to create a separate hideaway for working from home – which has become commonplace in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic – or simply to retreat to for privacy.
      From a timber-clad prefabricated cabin in Spain to architects’ self-designed home offices in London and the US, we round up 10 garden studios as the summer season begins.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks including green living rooms, mezzanine-level bedrooms and winding staircases.
      Photo is by ImagenSubliminalTini, Spain, by Delavegacanolasso

      Architecture studio Delavegacanolasso created a modular, prefabricated cabin called Tini that can be inserted into a garden and used as a peaceful home office.
      Clad in poplar OSB panels, Tini’s interior provides space for minimal furniture, including geometric desks and glowing table lamps framed by floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows.
      Find out more about Tini ›
      Photo is by French+TyeGarden room, UK, by Alexander Owen Architecture
      Yellow Valchromat MDF and birch plywood line the walls of this London garden room by Alexander Owen Architecture, which is defined by internal timber cladding.
      The small building offers a place to entertain guests while it is also used as a minimal home office during the week, featuring a built-in desk designed with the same wood as its boxy cupboards and alcoves.
      Find out more about this garden room ›
      Photo is by Gillian HayeWriter’s Studio, UK, by WT Architecture
      Designed to create the “sense of being almost outdoors”, Scottish firm WT Architecture added a glass writer’s studio to the garden of a Victorian villa in Edinburgh.
      Inside, the space was curated to provide an uncluttered working environment defined by serene blue accents and a petite wood-burner that nod to the idea of a peaceful retreat.
      A minimal wooden desk cantilevers over the studio’s lower wall, which is located next to a raised plinth that creates additional seating.
      Find out more about this writer’s studio ›
      Photo is by Rafael SoldiShed-O-Vation, USA, by Best Practice Architecture
      Best Practice Architecture transformed a storage shed into a backyard studio at a house in Seattle after the pandemic prompted increased working from home.
      Called Shed-O-Vation, the project features its original wooden black siding that mirrors the black synthetic rubber used to cover the floors and a portion of the walls inside.
      There is space for both working and exercising, with both a built-in green desk and a designated area to hang bikes.
      Find out more about Shed-O-Vation ›
      Photo is by Trent BellLong Studio, USA, by 30X40 Design Workshop
      30X40 Design Workshop founder Eric Reinholdt placed a barn-style home office on the grounds of his residence on Mount Desert Island, off the coast of New England in America.
      The interiors of the Douglas fir-lined architects’ studio are designed to be flexible, with an Ergonofis sit-stand desk and space for tables that can be moved around according to the day’s work.
      A gabled roof frames the space, which includes cosy loft-like platforms that can be accessed by ladders.
      Find out more about Long Studio ›
      Photo is by Simon KennedyGreenhouse extension, UK, by McCloy + Muchemwa
      A formerly dilapidated garage in Norwich, England, was transformed into a timber-framed greenhouse extension by architecture studio McCloy + Muchemwa.
      Designed to accommodate DIY and other hobbies during national lockdowns, the “orangery” has polycarbonate cladding and houses various amenities including a workbench and storage for power tools.
      The eye-catching orange framework that lines the extension’s exterior is repeated in its interior details such as a bright orange clock and table legs.
      Find out more about this extension ›
      Photo is by Chris SnookThe Light Shed, UK, by Richard John Andrews
      London-based architect Richard John Andrews designed the Light Shed to house his own studio, with black corrugated fibreglass cladding and a gabled roof.
      Built in just 21 days, the volume’s interior opens out onto Andrews’ garden with sliding doors that reveal space for two to three people to work below a utilitarian shelving unit.
      “The studio aims to create a flexible approach to work and play, flipping its function to become an entertaining space for summer gatherings and more intimate functions,” explained the architect.
      Find out more about The Light Shed ›
      Photo is by Andreas BuchbergerThe Enchanted Shed, Austria, by Sue Architekten
      A trapdoor leads visitors to a writer’s studio and playroom in The Enchanted Shed, a black-timber converted 1930s outhouse designed for a property near Vienna.
      Arranged over two storeys, the upstairs gable is glazed to provide treetop views, which mirror the varnished grey fir ceilings and walls. Spotlights illuminate the shed’s interior throughout, creating a tranquil hideaway for working or relaxing.
      Find out more about The Enchanted Shed ›
      Photo is by Tim Van de VeldeGarden Room, Belgium, by Indra Janda
      Simply called the Garden Room, this small building was designed by architect Indra Janda for the garden of her parents’ house in northern Belgium.
      Scale-like shapes formed from translucent polycarbonate shingles clad the volume and create playful shadows that are reflected in its interior. The furniture in the space includes a deep-red butterfly chair and a wooden table.
      “The material is semi-transparent, which is nice in summer and winter, and gives a totally different feeling from day to night,” Janda said of the structure’s statement cladding.
      Find out more about Garden Room ›
      Photo is by Wai Ming NgCork Study, UK, by Surmon Weston
      Local architecture office Surmon Weston created a cork-clad shared workspace for a musician and a seamstress in the garden of their north London home.
      The cubic structure features birch plywood furniture that cantilevers off the walls and forms twin desks for the couple, which are framed by playfully colour-coded chairs.
      A skylight throws natural light on the interior, diminishing the boundary between inside and outside space.
      Find out more about Cork Study ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing basement conversions, open-plan studies and residential interiors illuminated by skylights.

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      Doméstico uses “habitable artifact” to organize micro apartment in Quito

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      Ecuadorian architects Juan Alberto Andrade and María José Váscones have made the most of the limited space in a micro apartment located within a new residential tower by Safdie Architects.

      Doméstico is located within the Qorner building in Quito, near La Carolina Park. The apartment tower was designed by Safdie Architects and developed by local firm Uribe Schwarzkopf. The lower portion opened this year while work continues on the upper levels.
      The micro apartment is located within the Qorner building in QuitoArchitects Juan Alberto Andrade and María José Váscones – who are based in the city of Guayaquil –were tasked with designing a 27.5-squre-metre studio apartment for an active, middle-aged woman.
      The goal was to create open space within the compact studio without sacrificing basic living amenities.
      It features a versatile, floor-to-ceiling unit”The project is born from the need to solve, through architectural strategies, the spatial and formal limitations of this new way of living, in a way that relates directly to urban and social mobility,” the team said.

      The team ended up inserting a floor-to-ceiling unit with built-in, space-saving furniture and storage. This “habitable artifact” enables living functions to be condensed into a single organizing element that “transforms easily and does not sacrifice comfort”.
      The unit is made of water-resistant melamine boardsThe unit – made of water-resistant melamine boards – stretches along several walls and allows for an open area along the studio’s large window.
      Its placement, shape and functions were determined by the studio’s geometry and sightlines, along with the location of the building’s infrastructure.
      A compact galley kitchen contains basic amenitiesThe upper portion holds storage space and is accessed via a wheeled, metal ladder that can be moved around. The lower part accommodates everyday activities.
      Upon entering the studio, one steps into a compact galley kitchen with a fridge, stove, sink and cabinetry. A backsplash is lined with a mineral surfacing material from the company Silestone.

      Proctor and Shaw designs London micro-apartment with translucent “sleeping cocoon”

      Just beyond is the main room, which features an open space with a sitting area.
      Lining one side of the room is the organizing unit, which contains a bed and desk/table, both of which fold up. A door in the corner leads to a bathroom with a sink, shower and toilet.
      The main room includes a sitting areaUp high, green metal shelves add a pop of colour to the austere apartment. Additional elements in the unit include aluminium door pulls and ceramic flooring.
      “Doméstico presents itself as a connection between architecture and furniture design, in which the space is created in relation to the new needs, and the constant reduction of space,” the architects said.
      Green metal shelves add a pop of colour”This premise questions the traditional dwelling limits, and puts in evidence the new parameters of contemporary domestic living.”
      Other projects by Juan Alberto Andrade and María José Váscones include the conversion of a 1990s van into a mobile home for an Ecuadorian couple, and a tech office in Guayaquil with a patchwork of windows and shelves.
      The photography is by JAG Studio.
      Project credits:
      Architects: Juan Alberto Andrade, María José Váscones.Team: Cuqui RodríguezContractor: Paola Cañón, Uribe SchwarzkopfManufacturers: Área UIO, Aglomerados Cotopaxi, Novopan

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      No Architects references owner's artworks in Prague maisonette

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      No Architects repeated rounded beveled corners, royal blue and numeric details throughout an apartment in Prague, which was informed by two contemporary paintings.

      The apartment in the Czech capital’s Žižkov district, takes cues from the two modern artworks belonging to the owners – an unnamed piece by Vladimír Houdek and Cesta domů by Josef Bolf.
      Vladimír Houdek’s painting is mounted on the wall beside the kitchen.Houdek’s unnamed painting, featuring the number sixty-nine, is hung between the dining and kitchen areas.
      The rectangular piece is displayed in portrait orientation and divided into four sections with a pair of reflected sixes and nines in a greyscale, gradiented typeface.
      The bottom edge of the kitchen cabinets echo the painting’s frayed edgesThe frayed edges of the artwork are referenced on the bottom edge of the kitchen wall cabinets, a tactile detail that contrasts the sweeping curves of the base cabinet opposite.

      Rich royal blue, the central colour in the composition, is found in the kitchen, corridor, bathroom and master bedroom manifesting as large planes of lacquered MDF, tile and velvet upholstery.
      The number 69 becomes a pattern when minimised and embossed on the perforated screen in the living area, and in a larger format on cupboard doors in the second bedroom.
      The repeated 69 motif decorates a screen in the living areaA second painting, Cesta domů by Bolf, is hung in the living area on a grey-toned wall directly opposite the piece by Houdek.
      The contrastingly melancholy artwork, whose title translates to “way home” or “road to home”, shows a street scene with buildings, trees and figures obscured by a dark palette of greys and black.
      The living room separates the stairway and entrance hall from the balconyThe emotive painting is referenced by the teardrop-shaped pendant lamps above the kitchen island and dining table. They also recall a waterfall mural by artist Patrik Hábl on the side a neighbouring building, which is visible from the living room window.
      “It is a simple living space for a family who understands art and wants to appreciate and enjoy it” summarised No Architects.
      “[An] interior where contemporary art is not just replaceable decoration”.

      Bespoke built-in furniture is found in each room, backed by a neutral palette of wooden oak and whitewash finishes on floors, walls and ceilings.
      The apartment is situated in a 1990s attic extension of the original building, which dates from the first half of the 19th century.

      No Architects is a Prague-based architecture, design and planning studio founded in 2009, which previously designed a nursery in Prague that aims to ease separation anxiety in young children by incorporating plenty of internal windows, cubby holes and clear sightlines across the space.
      The photography is by Studio Flusser.

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      Ten homes with spacious open-plan studies and workspaces

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      An apartment in the middle of Berlin and a home overlooking the Devon countryside feature in this lookbook, which spotlights 10 studies with open-plan layouts.

      Studies are often relegated to the stuffiest corners of the house, but a more flexible layout means there’s plenty of opportunity to play around with arrangement, privacy and light, often resulting in a boost in creativity and focus.
      The below projects demonstrate why a study needn’t be restricted to a separate room or mean sacrificing style, size or comfort. Living rooms can blend into places to work and in the case of Library Home, studies can be spread across the entire home.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks including bedrooms on mezzanine levels, relaxing wet rooms and living rooms with floor to ceiling glazing.
      Photo is by Mariell Lind HansenCharlotte Road, UK, by Emil Eve Architects

      Set inside the loft of a Victorian warehouse building in Shoreditch, east London, this industrial-looking workspace forms part of a wider living area that includes the kitchen and living room.
      In a continuation of the rest of the space, local studio Emil Eve Architects kept the original building’s exposed brickwork walls, timbers and columns and set them off against contemporary finishes including new metal finishes and tiling.
      Find out more about Charlotte Road ›
      Photo is by Olmo PeetersRiverside Studio Apartment, Belgium, by Studio Okami Architecten
      Exposed concrete beams, floors covered in a peach-hued resin and double-height windows create a brutalist look for the open-plan study in this studio apartment in the Riverside Tower in Antwerp.
      The home was designed by Studio Okami Architecten to feel as open and spacious as possible to allow its original concrete structure to take centre stage. The study is only designated by half-sized walls.
      Find out more about Riverside Studio Apartment ›
      Photo is by Jim StephensonDevon Passivhaus, UK, by McLean Quinlan
      Sweeping views of a historic sloping garden are enjoyed through the window wall of this study in Devon Passivhaus – a remote Passivhaus home created by McLean Quinlan for a client with green fingers.
      The interior is finished with earthy materials including reclaimed textured terracotta tiles, rough-sawn oak flooring and charred wood cabinetry, helping to create a “serene” environment and connect the home to the garden further.
      Find out more about project name Devon Passibhaus ›
      Photo is by José HeviaHouse 03, Spain, by Lucas y Hernández-Gil
      Not unused to turning poky and compartmentalised Spanish apartments into sweeping open-plan residences, local studio Lucas y Hernández-Gil designed House 03 to maximise views of the outside.
      The architects removed the walls inside the 190-square-metre apartment to create an open-plan living, dining and study room. At one end of the room, they installed a dark wooden desk in front of built-in white shelving for a couple and their four young children to study.
      Find out more about House 03 ›
      Photo is by Robert RiegerBerlin Apartment, Germany, by Gisbert Pöppler
      As part of their overhaul of this central Berlin apartment, Gisbert Pöppler reorganised the floor plan so that the master bedroom, guest bedroom and bathroom are the only areas of the apartment that are completely separate.
      In the absence of walls, social spaces are distinguished by different materials: in the study, surfaces are overlaid with a minty colour while the entrance is panelled in red-lacquered wood.
      Find out more about Berlin Apartment ›
      Photo is by Santiago Barrio and Shen Zhong HaiLibrary Home, China, by Atelier Tao+C
      Bejing studio Atelier TAO+C transformed this 95-square-metre apartment in Shanghai into one huge study by installing floor-to-ceiling oak bookshelves around its edges.
      A secluded reading nook, which can be accessed via a set of marble stairs, is located on the mezzanine level, where residents can look down into the living area through a light bronze mesh that runs throughout the home.
      Find out more about Library Home ›
      Photo is by Oskar ProctorFlat House, UK, by Practice Architecture
      Large prefabricated panels made from hemp and lime form the structural shell of this house, giving it a tactile look while timber doors and woven rugs add further warmth to the interior.
      Practice Architecture worked alongside hemp farmers to erect the zero-carbon home which is located over the footprint of a pre-existing barn in rural Cambridgeshire.
      Find out more about Flat House ›
      Photo is by Brett Boardman Unfurled House, Australia, by Christopher Polly
      Sculptural white walls that “unfurl” vertically and horizontally into a series of connected interiors spaces were among the features that architect Christopher Polly introduced in his reconfiguration of a 20th-century house in Sydney.
      Large windows provide views of the lush vegetation outside from the study, which is linked to the living room below via a curving atrium with waist-height walls.
      Find out more about Unfurled House ›
      Photo is by Frederik VercruyssePenthouse Britselei, Belgium, by Hans Verstuyft
      Architect Hans Verstuyft spread his minimalist home office across the lower floor of this penthouse in a converted Antwerp office building.
      Like the rest of the apartment, the office is open plan and arranged around an open-air courtyard. Full-height glass windows from the desks and meeting room offer views of the 35-year-old tree at its centre and brings light into the space.
      Verstuyft finished the interiors, which are minimalist in style, with lime-washed walls and brass detailing.
      Find out more about Penthouse Britselei ›
      Photo is by Lit MaGrosvenor Residence, China, by Lim + Lu
      Lim + Lu designed Grosvenor Residence, this first-floor apartment in the Hong Kong metropolis for a nature-loving Japanese and British couple with two children.
      The studio opted for neutral colours and finishes and plenty of greenery to make it feel like a tranquil retreat.
      In the home office, which is located in the brightest corner of the apartment, oak slats line the otherwise minimalist white walls while a long, L-shaped Calacatta marble desk sits below built-in timber shelving with brass accents.
      Find out more about Grosvenor Residence ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing statement skylights, kids’ bedrooms with loft and bunk-beds and welcoming terraces.

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      Ten homes with water features to help keep cool on a hot day

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      In our latest lookbook we’ve collected 10 homes with water features to aid relaxation in warm weather, from an indoor reflective pool to a house perched on a pond.

      Nothing is more effective than a water feature for imbuing an outdoor space with a sense of calm and tranquility.
      The examples listed below demonstrate a range of different ways to introduce soothing aquatic visuals and sounds to a residential project without the need for a swimming pool.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing homes with outdoor terraces, fire pits and courtyards.
      Photo is by Gerhard HeuschBeverly Hills villa, USA, by Heusch

      Los Angeles architecture studio Heusch renovated this mid-century Beverly Hills villa, which had been left to fall into disrepair.
      As part of the work, the architecture studio uncovered this original water feature at the entrance to the home made up of two shallow pools mirroring one another through a glazed wall, one inside and one out.
      Find out more about Beverly Hills villa ›
      Photo is by João MorgadoCork Trees House, Portugal, by Trama Arquitetos
      Small reflective pools divide the two main volumes of this house perched on a hillside near Braga, helping to manage the site’s ambient temperature during the scorching summer months.
      “Visually it is something that stands out because it is reflecting the rooms all the time and because that brings the idea of life, nature and green spaces literally through the house,” said Bruno Leitão, co-founder of Trama Aquitetos.
      Find out more about Cork Trees House ›
      Photo is by Benjamin BenschneiderMercer Island Modern, USA, by Garret Cord Werner
      At the entrance to Mercer Island Modern, a residence in Seattle designed by Garret Cord Werner, is a reflective pond dominated by a rock sculpture connected to a lap pool and an infinity jacuzzi by two boarded bridges.
      “The experience of walking up to and…over water, both inside and outside of the home, creates a dramatic and tranquil feeling that one rarely experiences inside a residential building,” said the studio.
      Find out more about Mercer Island Modern ›
      Photo is by Laure Joliet/Douglas Friedman/Marion BrennerKua Bay Residence, USA, by Walker Warner Architects
      This house, designed by Walker Warner Architects, sits on a Hawaiian mountainside among dramatic volcanic rock formations.
      Shallow pools run alongside elevated courtyards at the side of the building, forming a grotto-like terrace with the water intended to mimic molten lava.
      Find out more about Kua Bay Residence ›
      Photo is by Nelson KonCasa em Cotia, Brazil, by Una Arquitetos
      A snaking pond winds its way around this concrete modernist house in São Paulo, designed by Una Arquitetos.
      It undulates underneath a ramped walkway that connects separate volumes of the house, which have been placed on different levels in response to the sloped nature of the site.
      Find out more about Casa em Cotia ›
      Photo is by César BéjarGuadalajara house, Mexico, by Delfino Lozano
      Architect Delfino Lozano modernised this family home on a tight site in Guadalajara by rearranging the living spaces so they look onto a pair of brick-paved courtyards in order to bring light and air into the surrounding rooms.
      The house’s original fountain was retained in the smaller of the two patios, protruding from a rough, plastered boundary wall and providing a gentle background burble for the neighbouring bedroom.
      Find out more about this house in Guadalajara ›
      Photo is by Hiroyuki OkiAM House, Vietnam, by AmDesign Office, Time Architects and Creative Architects
      AM House, designed by three young architects and located in a rural area of Vietnam’s Long An Province, opens out onto a large koi pond around two sides of the building.
      A decking area accessed by a line of stepping stones is marooned on the pond, which is intended to help the large house merge with its lush surroundings.
      Find out more about AM House ›
      Photo is by Kevin ScottThe Perch, USA, by Chadbourne + Doss
      Intended to instil an “idealised atmosphere of the Pacific Northwest” according to local architecture studio Chadbourne + Doss, this courtyard lies at the centre of a house in Seattle.
      The main focus of the clearing is a mossy island bearing ferns, boulders and a tree, surrounded by a water feature that also has a walnut swing suspended above it.
      Find out more about The Perch ›
      Photo is by Matthew MillmanHawaiian villa, USA, by De Reus Architects
      Visitors to this villa on Hawaii’s Big Island, designed by US practice De Reus Architects, are greeted by a large water feature set within a paved entry court.
      Igneous rock boulders emerge from the zigzag-edged feature, while a fountain spouts from one of the house’s walls.
      Find out more about this Hawaiian villa ›
      Photo is by Nasser Malek HernándezCasa Sierra Fría, Mexico, by JJRR/Arquitectura
      One of the steel columns supporting the thin concrete canopy at the front of this home in Mexico City drops down into a black-bottomed shallow pool next to the entrance door.
      Mexican studio JJRR/Arquitectura also installed a dramatic sculpture on a plinth rising up from the water, its delicate appearance contrasting with the monolithic volcanic stone wall adjacent.
      Find out more about Casa Sierra Fría ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing homes with outdoor terraces, fire pits and courtyards.

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