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      Daytrip transforms east London terrace house into understated apartments

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      Design studio Daytrip has taken a less-is-more approach to the renovation and extension of this Victorian terrace house in London’s Clapton, which is now home to three separate apartments.

      The 250-square-metre Reighton Road development was designed as a “minimalist sanctuary” that could act as a blank canvas for residents’ belongings.
      A two-bedroom flat takes over Reighton Road’s ground floor and two basement levels (top and above)”A good home should be flexible and speak of its owners,” explained Hackney-based Daytrip. “The ability to cultivate and populate it over time with art, objects and personal items makes the home unique.”
      The largest of the flats has two bedrooms and takes over the building’s ground floor as well as two new subterranean levels, which are illuminated by a number of lightwells.
      Another apartment is self-contained on the building’s first floor and a third occupies the second floor and a new loft extension.

      Walls in the apartment’s kitchen are finished with tadelakt plasterIn the bottom apartment, the first basement floor accommodates a pair of spacious bedrooms, both of which were finished with poured concrete floors.
      Below that, the second subterranean level is meant to serve as a versatile studio-like space, where the residents can do home workouts or indulge in artsy hobbies.
      The kitchen’s rear wall is finished with grey bricksThe ground floor houses the apartment’s main living spaces including a new kitchen suite with handleless alabaster-white cabinetry.
      Save for a grey brick wall at the rear of the room, surfaces were washed with creamy tadelakt – a traditional lime-based plaster from Morocco.
      “It’s a purposely minimal and subdued kitchen, reserving the chaos to the cooking,” the studio said.
      The living room features white-oiled oak flooring and restored cornicingAt the front of the kitchen are wide glass doors that can be slid back to access the garden.
      London-based landscape design studio Tyler Goldfinch was brought in to give the paved outdoor space a wild, textured look using tiered planters overspilling with different types of grasses.
      There is also a silver birch tree surrounded by a circular bed of pebbles.

      Daytrip digs beneath east London townhouse to create contemporary living spaces

      Unlike the rest of the apartment, the living room was finished with white-oiled oak flooring while the ceiling’s original cornicing was restored. These same features also appear throughout the other two apartments on the upper floors.
      To create a sense of cohesion, all three flats were styled by East London galleries Beton Brut and Modern Art Hire, which carefully curated a mix of Italian and Japanese furnishings for the development.
      The other apartments on the upper floors also feature white-oiled oak flooringMany of the pieces were crafted from velvet, boucle or raw timber, bringing a sense of warmth and tactility to the interiors.
      With this aim, all of the bathrooms were also finished with tadelakt walls and limestone floors.
      All furnishings were selected by Beton Brut and Modern Art HireThis is the second residential project in Clapton from Daytrip founders Iwan Halstead and Emily Potter.
      In 2020, the duo overhauled a five-storey townhouse in the east London district by turning its dated 1970s-style rooms into serene white-washed living spaces.
      The photography is by Jake Curtis.

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      Ten living rooms with sculptural furniture pieces

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      For our latest lookbook, we have selected 10 living rooms from the Dezeen archive that feature sculptural furniture, from plump and rounded sofas to reclining wooden chairs.

      The interiors in this lookbook are filled with curved forms, soft angles and artistic shapes, giving them a gallery-like feel.
      Each living room has a unique collection of sculptural pieces, with some playing host to lightweight minimalist items that echo their pared-back interiors while others house fluffy, dense items that reflect the tactile home in which they belong.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks of homes with welcoming terraces, sleek co-working spaces and well-organised bedrooms.
      Photo is by Scott Frances6A, US, by Brad Ford

      This double-height living room with expansive windows is situated within Cast Iron House, a historic building in New York’s Tribeca neighbourhood that is being turned into apartments by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban.
      Directly beneath a sculptural hanging mobile lies a low slung bench-style seat in tan leather and a low coffee table showcasing a selection of homeware items.
      One of 13 residential spaces inside the building, the show home is kitted out by interior designer Brad Ford who hoped to compliment Ban’s striking work with vintage furnishings and neutral tones.
      Find out more about 6A ›
      Photo is by Ishita SitwalaMumbai Apartment, India, by The Act of Quad
      In this high rise flat in India’s capital Mumbai, spherical curved tables and orbed shaped sculptures are dotted all over, punctuating the otherwise minimalist space.
      In the open-plan living room, a circular coffee table surrounded by curved benches provides a playful element that contrasts with the neutral-hued tones, wooden materials and soft curtains.
      Find out more about Mumbai Apartment ›
      Photo is by Sean DavidsonAmity Street Residence, US, by Sarah Akkari and Rawan Muqaddas
      Three pieces of seating furniture take centre stage in the living room of this apartment on the fourth floor of a building in Brooklyn, with a circular lamp and marble table acting as supporting characters.
      Architectural design studios Sarah Akkari and Rawan Muqaddas transformed what was once a neglected apartment into a “minimal but warm” residence typified by creamy colours and soft furnishings.
      Find out more about Amity Street Residence ›
      Photo is by Simone BossiMA House, France, by Timothee Mercier
      Architect Timothee Mercier built what he refers to as an “intimate refuge” for his parents in Vaucluse, France, in what was previously an old farmhouse.
      Tasked with converting the ruined and dilapidated building into a light and airy residence aligned with the rural landscape, Mercier chose rustic furnishings in neutral tones and natural materials like oak wood and raffia.
      In the central living room, he added a pair of cane armchairs with high backs and a round wooden coffee table that was sourced in a Parisian flea market.
      Find out more about MA House ›
      Photo is by Stephen Kent JohnsonOne Manhattan Square, US, by Jamie Bush
      American designer Jamie Bush packed this New York apartment full of eclectic furnishings in a kaleidoscope of styles, colours and textures.
      Bush’s mix of old and new elements is particularly evident in the living spaces where items such as a black 1972 Hoop chair by Piero Palange and Werther Toffoloni is paired with an undulating rust-coloured sofa.
      Find out more about One Manhattan Square ›
      Photo is by The Fishy ProjectThane Apartment, India, by The Act of Quad
      Thane Apartment was designed by The Act of Quad anf is easily distinguished by its cobalt blue accents seen on the furnishings and fittings.
      Located in the Indian city of Thane, the 101-square-metre home has a number of bespoke items including a grey L-shaped sofa, a padded swing and a quartz-topped dining table.
      The striking blue colour scheme is continued in the living room, where the shade crops up on rounded piping and bead-like attachments on the stools.
      Find out more about Thane Apartment ›
      Photo is by Paula Abreu Pita for Standard ArtsThe Bryant apartment, US, by Standard Arts
      Constructed inside British architect David Chipperfield’s residential tower The Bryant, this two-bedroom model unit is furnished with playful decor and colourful artwork.
      In the living room, curatorial firm Standard Arts added sculptural foam and plywood chairs and a curving, acrylic floor lamp from Objects of Common Interest. Like the rest of the interior, the studio wanted it to “appeal to the uniquely curious mind”.
      Find out more about The Bryant apartment ›
      Photo is by Sean DavidsonWest Village apartment, US, by Olivier Garcé
      Designed by New York-based interior designer Olivier Garcé, this contemporary show space is set within a pre-war brownstone building in the West Village, New York.
      The designer aimed to turn his apartment into a gallery space for his friends’ work, which includes a coffee table with three carved wood legs and Ian Felton’s Kosa Side Chair.
      Find out more about West Village apartment ›
      Photo is by Nicole FranzenAmagansett House, US, by Athena Calderone
      A cosy, intimate feel was incorporated into this mid-century Long Island dwelling Amagansett House by way of linen fabrics, vintage finds and plaster walls.
      New York designer Athena Calderone, who owns and lives in the apartment, revived the interiors with a pale palette and a combination of contemporary and vintage pieces that include sculptural ornaments, urns and candle holders.
      Find out more about Amagansett House ›
      Photo is by Denilson MachadoDN Apartment, Brasil, by BC Arquitetos
      A walnut coffee table with triangular legs framed by a curved sage green sofa is the focal point for this São Paulo apartment by Brazilian studio BC Arquitetos, which houses a collection of mid-20th century art.
      Designed for a landscape architect client, the 230-square-metre apartment is wrapped in natural walnut wood, interrupted only by original faceted concrete columns.
      Find out more about DN Apartment ›
      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 compact bedrooms, basement conversions and interiors with innovative room dividers.

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      Amity Street Residence is a “minimal but warm” New York apartment

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      Interior design studios Rawan Muqaddas and Selma Akkari have renovated an apartment in a 20th-century building in Brooklyn, New York, adding warm and natural materials to the residential space.

      Amity Street Residence is located on the fourth floor of a stone building that was built in 1910, overlooking a quiet but central corner of the city at the intersection of Amity and Clinton street.
      Amity Street Residence has been renovated into an open plan apartment. Photo by Clement PascalNew York studio Selma Akkari collaborated with London studio Rawan Muqqadas on the 1,400 square-foot interiors, which have been updated from a “neglected” apartment into a space filled with warm colours.
      As part of the renovation, the studios rearranged the rooms to create space for an additional third bedroom if required.
      Rawan Muqaddas collaborated with Selma Akkari to create a warm interior”A dialogue of opposites was the main theme behind the creation; minimal but warm, understated yet rich,” said Rawan Muqaddas, founder of eponymous studio Rawan Muqaddas.

      “We wanted to retain the essence of the 1910 building by reinterpreting the original traditional details, which we were excited to build on,” she told Dezeen.
      “The previous owners of the apartment called this their home for decades, leaving behind layers of history and some areas that were left neglected.”
      Stained oak shelves line the back of the dining areaThe two studios transformed the single floor apartment into an open-plan living, kitchen and dining area. A handful of original features, such as the decorative cornice and bold skirting, were preserved.
      The living space now boasts views across the street from the two large bay windows, which had previously been obscured.
      Cream coloured paint lines the walls. Photo by Clement Pascal”The first thing that caught our eye was the 30-foot apartment frontage composed of the width across both bay windows,” recalled Muqaddas.
      “As it stood, the windows felt shy and in hiding; we wanted to do the opposite and celebrate the curve.”
      Large bay windows were made into a focal pointFloors in the apartment have been covered in warm wood, while the walls were painted in a creamy neutral colour. A couple of contemporary chairs frame the window and let the inhabitants enjoy the street views.
      “A warm colour palette was deployed to unify the spaces by way of gentle oak floors, cream-hued walls that contrasted with dark stone, and stained wood inset bookshelves,” said Selma Akkari, founder of Selma Akkari.
      A study area sits at the back of the room and could easily be swapped for a third bedroom if necessary, the designers said.

      Rawan Muqaddas designs Sloane Street Deli to be a “classic neighbourhood spot”

      The studios also retained the apartment’s curved interior arches that run through its core. These openings help create a feeling of space.
      “To encourage a dialogue between the interior and exterior, we wanted to carry through the historic curved facade into the curved interior arches,” Akkari told Dezeen.
      “This was the guiding theme throughout the process: opening up the front area as the living and dining space and dedicating the quieter area to the more private spaces at the back.”
      The apartment has oak flooringThe apartment now has an airy aluminium-clad kitchen with an island counter and a long marble shelf in place of overhead storage cabinets.
      “We were very attracted to contrasting and unexpected colours and textures, in particular, the brushed metal counter topped with a veiny marble, with a backdrop of dark smoked oak shelving,” said Akkari.
      The same warm palette is continued in the bedrooms. Photo by Clement PascalThe warm material palette continues in the master bedroom and second bedroom, where the same flooring and beige furnishings can be found.
      More Brooklyn interiors include a townhouse with a striking staircase by New York studio Space4Architecture and a family-friendly townhouse called Bed-Stuy by Brooklyn studio Civilian.
      Photography is by Sean Davidson unless stated otherwise.

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      Four-storey spiral staircase forms focal point of BSP20 House in Barcelona

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      A towering spiral staircase and a golden kitchen are some of the features that Raúl Sánchez Architects has introduced in its renovation of this townhouse in Barcelona’s Borne neighbourhood.

      BSP20 House has been in the making since 2013, when Raúl Sánchez Architects was approached by the building’s owners to turn it into a live-work space where they could stay during visits to the city.
      A white spiral staircase rises up from the ground floorHowever, due to regulatory issues, construction works didn’t begin for another seven years. During this period the already dilapidated building fell into further ruin, and at one point was even used as a squat.
      When the renovation finally got underway in August 2020, Raúl Sánchez Architects decided to completely gut the building, only leaving behind the four exterior walls and roof.
      This level of the home also features a brass kitchen suiteAs a result, three new floor levels have been inserted, each installed in such a way so that they don’t touch the building’s front or rear facades.

      Some of the resulting gaps have been filled with panes of glass, allowing residents to steal glimpses of different levels of the home.
      The staircase grants access to each of the home’s four levelsA huge void on the right side of BSP20’s interior now accommodates a white spiral staircase that winds up through the ground, first, second and third floors, all the way to the decked terrace on top of the building.
      Positioned directly above the stairs is a glazed opening that lets natural light filter deep into the plan.
      Rooms have largely been left empty so they can be used for different purposesSeeing the building in such a bare state at the beginning of the renovation process encouraged Raul Sanchez Architects to keep its rough, time-worn brick walls.
      “Those four walls, over 15 metres high, are a museum of the building’s history, where any trace of its construction, and of its use, will be left unaltered, exposed in all its crudeness,” said the studio.
      Raúl Sánchez Architects has preserved the building’s original brick wallsA similarly hands-off approach has been taken with the rest of the interior; most rooms have been largely left without fixtures and fittings so that, if necessary, they can be used for different purposes in the future.
      On the ground floor there is a kitchen, its cabinetry crafted from lustrous brass.
      “In terms of materiality, a certain refinement has been pursued in the new elements to be implemented, in opposition to the crude expressiveness of the existing walls, conscious that the space must house a home,” explained the studio.
      Natural light seeps in from a glazed opening above the staircaseOn the second floor there is only a bathroom lined with cream-coloured lacquered wood, finished with gold-tone hardware.
      The electrics, air-conditioning system and telephone wires have also been concealed within six steel tubes that run upwards through the home.
      Pale lacquered wood lines surfaces in the bathroomWhen it came to restoring BSP20’s facade, the practice had to follow strict heritage guidelines – but it was granted more freedom in the appearance of the front door.
      It’s now clad with three different types of aluminium, and features a graphic rhomboidal design that nods to the patterned hydraulic floor tiles seen inside the house.
      The home was given a new geometric-print front doorRaúl Sánchez Architects has completed several residential projects in its home city of Barcelona.
      Others include The Magic Box Apartment, which features a huge gold wardrobe, and Atic Aribau, which has bright, stripped-back interiors.
      Photography is by José Hevia.
      Project credits:
      Architecture: Raúl SánchezArchitecture team: Valentina Barberio, Paolo BurattiniStructure consultant: Diagonal ArquitecturaEngineering: Marés Ingenieros

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      Luke Fry squeezes extension behind bungalow in Melbourne

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      At the back of a narrow Edwardian bungalow in Melbourne, the studio of Australian architect Luke Fry has added a contemporary extension with greyscale interiors.

      The semi-detached bungalow, called Ripponlea House, is set down a tree-lined street in the titular Melbourne suburb and belongs to a young family.
      The owners initially wanted to turn their home into a two-storey property. But, undeterred by the bungalow’s small footprint, Fry instead opted for establishing better quality living spaces at ground level.
      Luke Fry’s Ripponlea extension features an open living and dining areaThe studio knocked down the entire rear of the house, preserving only a couple of rooms at the front of the plan.
      In its place now stands a lengthy volume that accommodates a dining-cum-living area, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.

      A grey linen sofa and a couple of boucle armchairs lie at the heart of the lounge, accompanied by a wood burner and low-lying bench.
      The kitchen and dining area adjoin a smaller internal courtyardThe space is fronted by expansive three-by-three-metre glass doors that had to be lifted onto the site by crane.
      These can be slid back to grant the owners access to a paved garden with an L-shaped concrete seat in its corner, which is inset with a greenery-filled planter.
      To further amplify the home’s connection with the outdoors, Fry created a couple of smaller internal courtyards including one adjoining the kitchen.
      Durable materials like oak and stone can be seen throughout the interior”We focused on maximising the tight single-fronted site as best we could by carving courtyards into the building to enhance natural light and its connection to the landscape,” Fry explained.
      “The design, both internally and externally, is one that creates a sense of calm.”

      Conrad Architects completes marble-clad home overlooking Melbourne skyline

      The kitchen features oak cabinetry and a stone-topped island – materials that the studio says are timeless and durable. Oakwood also lines sections of the floor, while most of the brick walls were simply washed with plaster and sealed with wax.
      A corridor punctuated with a circular skylight leads through to the extension’s moody bedroom, which is decked out exclusively in grey tones.
      Grey tones permeate the bedroomIn the adjacent bathroom, an oak-framed washstand sits across from a deep-set concrete tub.
      “It’s hard for me to look past the concrete rendered bath as my favourite element,” Fry explained. “It was experimental for us and something which we are truly proud of.”
      A concrete tub features in the bathroomLuke Fry founded his eponymous studio in 2014.
      Ripponlea House joins a number of other design-focused homes in Melbourne including the Grange Residence by Conrad Architects, which is clad in acid-etched marble, and Pony by Wowowa, which features a scalloped metal roof.
      The photography is by Timothy Kaye.
      Project credits:
      Architecture: Luke Fry Architecture and Interior DesignBuilder: Cote Constructions

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      Ten homes with welcoming terraces to spend a summer night on

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      For our latest lookbook, we’ve rounded up 10 homes from the Dezeen archive with inviting, inventive or unusual terraces each offering a pleasant place to while away a warm evening.

      Terraces can be an effective, low-maintenance way to provide an outdoor spot for relaxing or entertaining without requiring an abundance of space. Typically they take the form of a raised, flat outdoor area adjoining a building.
      The examples collected below range from the fairly familiar to the distinctly unconventional, including roof terraces, back garden terraces and enclosed terraces.
      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 homes centred around interior courtyards, interiors with conversation pits and buildings that make use of Mediterranean-style tiling.
      Photo is by Alex Shoots BuildingsTerrace with a House by the Lake, Poland, by UGO

      Sliding doors open onto a 120-metre-long wooden terrace enclosed by this U-shaped holiday home, designed by Polish architecture studio UGO to create the feeling of being immersed in the rural surroundings.
      “Its slightly raised platform was intended to allow the household members to commune with nature, without interfering with it,” UGO said of the terrace, which is lined with Siberian larch.
      Find out more about Terrace with a House by the Lake ›
      Photo is by Markus LinderothVilla MSV, Sweden, by Johan Sundberg Arkitektur
      This T-shaped house in southern Sweden, designed by Lund-based studio Johan Sundberg Arkitektur, has not one but three terraces around its living spaces so its users can follow the sun throughout the day.
      They are shaded by canopies made from zinc and larch with varying sizes and forms to respond to the direction of the sun, some with timber slats to filter light and others blocking it out completely.
      Find out more about Villa MSV ›
      Photo is by Marie-Caroline LucatMaison 0.82, France, by Pascual Architect
      A huge, round hole punctures the concrete roof above this terrace at a villa in southern France by Pascual Architect, causing a shaft of light to move across the space during the day.
      Wooden benches and a dining table occupy the patio, which wraps around the southern side of the house and is accessed by floor-to-ceiling glass doors.
      Find out more about Maison 0.82 ›
      Photo is by Ståle EriksenNorth London House, UK, by Cathie Curran and O’Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects
      As part of their overhaul of this house in north London, Cathie Curran and O’Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects added a roof terrace connected to the kitchen and dining room on the first floor.
      In order to retain privacy from the windows of neighbouring houses, the 18-square-metre terrace is lined on three sides with a series of solid-ash posts supporting opaque glazing.
      Find out more about North London House ›
      Photo is by Filippo PoliFuzzy House, Thailand, by SO
      Architecture practice SO topped this bunker-like concrete house in the Thai city of Chiang Mai with a stepped terrace where residents can sit and look out over the square below.
      Inside, the shape of the rooftop terrace forms a stepped ceiling peppered with skylights above the living area and bedroom.
      Find out more about Fuzzy House ›
      Photo is by Yasuhiro TakagiWeather House, Japan, by Not Architects
      External staircases wrap around two sides of this three-storey corner house in Tokyo designed by Not Architects Studio, creating multiple terraces linked to the home’s open-plan living areas by sliding doors.
      These outdoor living spaces are screened with chain-link wire mesh, up which plants will eventually climb to form a layer of vegetation offering privacy from the outside world.
      Find out more about Weather House ›
      Photo is by French + TyeAmott Road house, UK, by Alexander Owen Architecture
      Alexander Owen Architecture added a colourful terrace to the back garden of this house in London, attached to the kitchen by arched double doors.
      It was informed by the owners’ love of modernism and pop art including Jasper Johns, Peter Blake and Terry Frost, with geometric shapes and bold pigments.
      Find out more about this Amott Road house ›
      Photo is by Ivar KaalVilla Aa, Norway, by CF Møller Architects
      Villa Aa, designed by Danish studio CF Møller Architects, is a 375-square-metre home half-buried in a shallow hill on a Norwegian farm overlooking a nearby fjord.
      A pair of stepped terraces with almost double the footprint of the villa’s entire interior sit alongside the house. One is occupied by planted beds and seating and the other, lower terrace comprises a rainwater pool and a swimming pool.
      Find out more about Villa Aa ›
      Photo is by ONI StudioPortable Cabin, Poland, by Wiercinski Studio
      This 25-square-metre roof terrace emerges out of a portable house made from two shipping containers stacked on top of another two containers used for garden storage.
      Polish practice Wiercinski Studio decked the terrace, which has views over a nearby river, and wrapped it in a curved metal balustrade.
      Find out more about Portable Cabin ›
      Photo is by Adriâ Goulá.Curved House, Menorca, by Nomo Studio
      Architects Nomo Studio suspended this terrace in the top of a cube-shaped Menorcan villa which is arranged over six stepped levels on a small footprint.
      Two sides of the terracotta-tiled patio are fully glazed, allowing sunlight to flood down into the home’s interior while keeping the outdoor space sheltered enough to use for stargazing or open-air film screenings.
      Find out more about Curved House ›
      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 homes centred around interior courtyards, interiors with conversation pits and buildings that make use of Mediterranean-style tiling.

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      Ten social kitchen interiors with built-in seating nooks

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      For our latest lookbook, we’ve rounded up ten kitchens that integrated seating – from window seats with garden views to benches that double up as vinyl storage.

      Dezeen’s lookbook series provides curated visual inspiration from our image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing textured plaster walls, sculptural staircases and basement conversions.

      Birkedal, Denmark, by Jan Henrik Jansen
      On the Danish island of Møn, architect Jan Henrik Jansen designed a cluster of nine cylindrical holiday homes covered in spruce logs in the hopes of bringing guests closer to their rural environment.
      Here, windows seats are nestled into the curvature of each cabin while pebbles collected from a nearby beach line the floors.

      Find out more about Birkedal ›

      Grove Park, England, by O’Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects
      O’Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects added a huge picture window to the kitchen of this gardeners’ home to provide varied views of the greenery and the wild woodland outside.
      A comfy seating nook is integrated into its deep-set frame, finished in the same pale ash veneer that panels the rest of the interior.
      Find out more about Grove Park ›

      AR Residence, England, DeDraft
      A concrete bench seat sits opposite the dining table in this London home, measuring just high enough to store the owner’s collection of vinyl records underneath.
      Materials throughout the interior follow a muted natural palette, featuring large-format concrete tiles, exposed Douglas fir roof joists and lacquered-pine window mullions.
      Find out more about AR Residence ›

      Coastal Retreat, USA, by Malcolm Davis Architecture
      Plywood covers the double-height interior of this holiday home, forming a seating nook with integrated shelving that connects the elevated kitchen to the living space beyond.
      Set in California’s Sea Ranch community, which is celebrated as one of the best collections of modernist architecture on America’s West Coast, the house was arranged around views of the rugged coastline.
      Find out more about Coastal Retreat ›

      Low Energy House, England, by Architecture for London
      Original Edwardian details including structural masonry walls and timber roof beams were retained and exposed in this renovation and extension project in London.
      This is complemented by a windows seat made from chunky limestone, which is placed opposite a kitchen counter honed out of the same material to make cooking a more social and communal experience.
      Find out more about Low Energy House ›

      Flitch House, Scotland, by Oliver Chapman Architects
      Timber steps with an integrated bench seat lead up to the kitchen and dining area in this garden room extension, which Oliver Chapman Architects added to a 19th century, Arts and Crafts-style home in Edinburgh.
      To the right of the steps, a sofa and bookshelf help to round off the reading nook with views over the Firth of Forth estuary.
      Find out more about Flitch House ›

      Mo-tel House, England, by Office S&M
      A pink timber volume shaped to look like a house works triple duty as a dining bench, seating nook and storage unit in this open-plan kitchen designed by Office S&M.
      The interior brims with bright colours and recycled materials, including lampshades made from crushed bricks and bathroom counters made of melted milk bottles and chopping boards.
      Find out more about Mo-tel House ›

      Landaburu Borda, Spain, by Jordi Hidalgo Tané
      Spanish studio Jordi Hidalgo Tané nestled this underground house extension into a hillside in the Navarra mountains so as not to disrupt its dramatic setting.
      A deep concrete sill covered with potted plants runs along the length of the structure and doubles as a seating area for admiring the views.
      Find out more about Landaburu Borda ›

      Dollis Hill Avenue, England, by Thomas-McBrien
      Thomas-McBrien inserted an oak-panelled volume into this London house extension, which hides a utility room behind a secret door as well as accomodating a small seating area with views over the garden.
      “The insertion of a deep seating alcove in the joinery offers a comfortable, sheltered enclosure – a perfect place to read and relax,” the studio explained.
      Find out more about Dollis Hill Avenue ›

      Victorian terraced house, England, Matthew Giles Architects
      White oak joinery and varied floor levels break up the open-plan ground floor of this Victorian terraced house renovated by Matthew Giles Architects.
      The owners now enter their sunken kitchen through a reading area with a built-in bookcase and a bench seat surrounded by railings.
      Find out more about this terraced house ›
      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 textured plaster walls, sculptural staircases and basement conversions.

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      Maison Pour Dodo by Studio Merlin is a north London flat with a “spectrum of storage”

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      Studio Merlin has revamped a Stoke Newington flat for its founder, Josh Piddock, by incorporating an abundance of storage to form serene, clutter-free living spaces.

      The project’s nickname, Maison Pour Dodo – which loosely translates from French to “house for sleep” – was inspired by Piddock’s desire for a tidy, restful home that had little material noise.
      To achieve this brief, Studio Merlin decided to install a range of storage throughout the two-floor flat that could comfortably accommodate Piddock’s and his girlfriend’s belongings.
      A tall bookshelf has been erected in the living area”The ‘spectrum of storage compression’ idea was taken from previous work assessing museum collections where some objects are in dense storage and others are on display and readily accessible,” explained Piddock, who founded Studio Merlin in 2020.
      “We all filter and organise to some degree and the answer is more cupboards and shelves, but specifically repurposed for a domestic setting,” he added.

      “The real principle is of auditing one’s possessions to create a hierarchy between household articles that reflect their value, favour and practical needs on a daily basis.”
      An opening looks through to the kitchenOne of the first rooms Studio Merlin tackled was the flat’s living and dining area, where a large floor-to-ceiling shelf has been erected to hold the inhabitants’ collection of books and ornaments.
      At the heart of the space is a plump blue sofa by Muuto, which directly faces onto a wall where the inhabitants will project tv shows and movies. This solution was chosen instead of a television to avoid the space becoming “dominated by consumer electronics”.
      The room’s warm, plaster-coloured surfaces and pale Douglas fir floorboards are also meant to add to the calming ambience.
      The cabinetry features smoke-blue cupboards fronts from ReformA newly created opening looks through to the kitchen, where there’s a wall of deep-set IKEA cabinets with smokey blue door fronts from Danish brand Reform.
      Matching low-lying cabinets run along the other side of the room, topped by a concrete counter from Caesarstone where food can be prepared.
      In the corner of the kitchen, there’s also a small seating nook above which are a series of open, pantry-style shelves where the owner can display jars of cooking ingredients.
      Blue paint forms a faux balustrade in the stairwellA paint in a similar shade of blue as the kitchen cabinetry has been applied on the white walls of the apartment’s stairwell to form a faux balustrade.
      Stairs on the first-floor landing are fitted with what the studio describes as “in and out storage”, designed to hold day-to-day essentials that inhabitants need to grab before heading out the door.
      An arched cut-out leads to the cat’s litter trayThe second-floor landing houses more storage cupboards, one of which has been punctuated with an arched cut-out through which Piddock’s cat can access its litter tray.
      There’s also a small study nook for working-from-home days, complete with a desk and Douglas fir stool.
      A small study nook offers a place for inhabitants to take work callsThis second level of the home accommodates the sleeping quarters. In the principal bedroom, built-in wardrobes help to neatly conceal the inhabitants’ clothes.
      Douglas fir offcuts have also been used by the studio to fashion custom curved bedside tables, where books and other trinkets can be tucked away.
      Built-in wardrobes conceal clutter in the bedroomPart of the original bedroom was sectioned off to allow space for a tub in the adjacent bathroom, which features terrazzo-style flooring and gold-tone hardware.
      Storage has been considered here, too – above the toilet is a series of vanity cabinets that have been made to sit flush against the room’s dark green walls.
      “The effect is a composed space where each thing has a home; sometimes concealed, densely packed and understated, others as pride of place, carefully curated and easily physically or visually accessible,” concluded Piddock.
      The bathroom subtly incorporates more storageLondon’s trendy Stoke Newington neighbourhood is host to a number of design-focused homes.
      Others include Two and a Half Storey House, which has an extension that’s hidden from the street, and Gallery House, which features a huge storage wall where the owner can display his personal collection of ceramics and glassware.
      Photography is by Richard Chivers.
      Project credits:
      Architect and interior design: Studio MerlinEngineer: Elliott WoodMain contractor: H Quality Construction

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