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      EBBA Architects remodels London apartment with bespoke joinery

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      Structural ash and pine joinery – including a staircase, mezzanine and double-height storage wall – delineate the space within this refurbished, open-plan apartment in London by EBBA Architects.Located in an old matchstick factory in the city’s East End, the one-bedroom, 80-square-metre apartment belongs to a young professional couple, who asked the emerging local firm to “completely reimagine” its layout.

      The apartment features a bespoke wooden staircase, top image, and a double-height shelving unit, above
      The former plan featured subdividing walls, which created a small kitchen and lounge area, and a dark bedroom upstairs. An enclosed staircase took up almost a quarter of the floor space.
      EBBA Architects began by removing most of the walls and the large, existing staircase to provide a more functional and flexible living space.

      A dining area is tucked under the mezzanine

      The remodelled apartment is split across a ground floor and mezzanine level, both finished in a palette of subdued neutrals. A double-height living area is located downstairs alongside a dining room and kitchen, which are tucked under the mezzanine.
      Upstairs, a bedroom and en-suite bathroom sit next to a desk area, dressing room and a snug that doubles as a guest bedroom and can be sectioned off with a curving curtain.

      The staircase is made from white-stained ash
      “Key to the brief was extending the mezzanine to add space upstairs and rearrange the bedroom from the dark corner of the flat,” EBBA Architects founding director Benni Allan told Dezeen.
      “The need to extend the floor upstairs prompted us to imagine the new stair and mezzanine as a large, functional piece of furniture.”

      New Affiliates renovates Bed-Stuy Loft with plywood mezzanine and rough materials

      Made from a slender framework of white-stained ash, the staircase helps to prop up the new joists to the mezzanine, which the architects left exposed.
      The apartment’s bespoke joinery also includes a double-height shelving unit made from white-stained pine that helps to emphasise the height of the main living space.

      The shelving system stands next to the open kitchen
      “We looked at the brief as a way of questioning how to provide a mix of spaces in the compact plan, including places to rest and work,” added Allan.
      “Budget was tight, so we maximised the potential to express features in the project through the joinery and exposing all the timber.”

      White-stained pinewood was used to create the storage unit
      According to the architects, the white-stained ash serves as a “soft background to the apartment”, which is in harmony with the interior’s other neutral-toned materials.
      This spans everything from the cement floor to the kitchen counter – a terrazzo-like slab made of translucent aggregate and fine black basalt – and is complemented by simple, unobtrusive lighting fixtures.
      Other interiors where furniture merges with structure include the Spinmolenplein penthouse in Ghent by Jürgen Vandewalle, where a “bed-cabinet”, kitchen island and boxed-in bathroom help organise the floor plan.
      Photography is by Benni Allan.

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      Office S&M injects bold colours into renovated Mo-tel House in London

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      An abundance of bright hues and recycled materials were used by London studio Office S&M to renovate a Georgian townhouse in Islington.

      Mo-tel House now has a kitchen at the front
      The Mo-tel House project involved remodelling the lower ground floor of a home owned by the founder of online fashion rental service On Loan and her family.
      The company promotes reusing garments rather than buying new, so the architects took a similar approach when selecting materials for the renovation.

      Rearranging the layout created a space for dining to the rear

      These include melted, discarded milk bottles and chopping boards for bathroom counters; leftover marble chips for kitchen worktops; and crushed bricks for ceramic pendant lamps.
      “Mo-tel challenged us to see reuse as a design tool for bold new ideas, and we found value and opportunities in materials that would otherwise have been overlooked,” said Office S&M founding partner Catrina Stewart.

      Custom furniture pieces include a seating nook for the dining area, which also incorporates storage
      Overhauling the terraced north London home began with opening up the dark and cramped space at the home’s entrance level.
      Removing the internal dividing wall allowed light to enter the living area from both front and back elevations, and also afforded a change of layout. The kitchen was moved to the front of the building, and a dining and seating area inserted towards the rear.

      A wide variety of colours are applied across the open-plan space
      Larger design elements were treated like scaled-down architectural features. For example, a pale pink structure with a double-pitched “roof” was added to provide a dining bench, seating nook and storage unit.
      In the kitchen, a light blue volume with a rounded top forms a pantry and acts as a visual anchor for green terrazzo countertops made from the recycled marble.

      Pink and green house designed by Office S&M to offer antidote to London’s “dire rental market”

      An apple-green shade was applied to the ceiling, window recesses and a band around the upper walls, complementing the surface of a pill-shaped dining table.
      Office S&M, founded by Stewart and partner Hugh McEwen, is no stranger to colour. Its previous projects in London include a house extension with bright yellow accents and a property painted Millennial pink.

      A ground floor bathroom pairs pale pink and dark tiles
      At Mo-tel House, the studio also chose teal cupboards, a pink tile kitchen backsplash, and tinted mirrors throughout the home.
      Pale timber floorboards are laid diagonally and contrast with the brightly coloured surfaces, which extend to hardware like radiators, light switches, electrical outlets and door handles.

      A colourful staircase leads up to another bathroom
      The renovation, totalling 55 square metres, also encompassed bathrooms on two levels that are stacked at the back of the building.
      On the lower ground floor, the first is reached through a pink utility room and is lined with dark tiles.

      The ground-floor bathroom features yellow accents and recycled plastic counters
      The second bathroom is reached by climbing a staircase decorated in pink and yellow. This washroom was reconfigured to fit a shower as well as a bathtub, and now features the recycled plastic surfaces made from recycled plastic.
      Yellow tile grout was chosen to match the bathroom’s window frame and shower curtain, while the rest of the space is white.
      Photography is by French + Tye.
      Project credits:
      Architect: Office S&MEngineer: Foster StructuresContractor: McEllingott BuildingFurniture build: McEllingott BuildingKitchen surfaces: In OperaRecycled plastic surfaces: Smile Plastics

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      MWAI designs Mayfair apartment as if it were a hotel suite

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      From a mini-fridge to a folding desk and a concealed make-up mirror, this compact London apartment designed by local firm MWAI features a variety of space-saving solutions.Commissioned by a busy, professional client who works internationally, the architects were asked to transform a 37-square-metre, one-bedroom apartment in a Mayfair mansion block into a minimalist “pied-à-terre”.

      Top image: an open-plan area includes the kitchen, living room and workspace. Above: neutral colours were used throughout
      “We thought accommodating sleeping, living, dining and working in a 37-square-metre apartment while also delivering the feel of a spacious interior was a very challenging brief,” said the practice.
      “We decided we should not look at it like a residential project but rather like a hotel suite, where all functions are carefully and discreetly planned to provide a functional response to business and leisure travelling needs.”

      The apartment’s built-in storage includes a folding desk

      Finished in a palette of natural materials like wood and stone, the apartment features an abundance of bespoke, built-in storage.
      According to MWAI, the main challenge was to maximise the limited amount of useable space in the apartment. Restricted by sloping ceilings, the apartment had a poor existing layout and was in need of renovation.

      Walls in the bedroom are painted grey
      In order to create a more efficient footprint in the London apartment, the practice began by removing and replacing all of the walls, floors and ceilings.
      Particular attention was paid to minimising the footprint of the bathroom and kitchen by placing them into the centre of the plan, sandwiched between the living room and bedroom.

      The bathroom walls are finished in waterproof cement
      A wet room is now accessed from the bedroom, with a pivoting flush door used to separate the rooms.

      Freaks Architecture divides tiny Parisian pied-à-terre with mobile storage unit

      The bathroom walls are clad in a waterproof cement polymer render, providing a textured finish that is enhanced by recessed lighting. Sleek industrial fixtures and sanitaryware were chosen to offset the textured walls.

      The kitchen conceals appliances and features sleek hardware
      To maximise floor space in the kitchen, the architects concealed units and equipment, including a mini-fridge, behind panels in the wall lining.
      A kitchen island accommodates the hob and oven and also doubles as a dining table.

      Light flooring runs throughout the apartment
      A wall of bespoke storage is built into the bedroom, including a make-up cabinet with a concealed mirror and clothes steamer.
      In the living room, custom-made cabinets with an integrated folding desk are installed along one wall and furnishings are kept to a minimum. A simple fireplace made from Vicenza stone acts as a focal point for the space.

      The stone fireplace is a focal point
      Other architecture firms that have created clever, space-saving solutions for compact apartments include Ukrainian firm Ater Architects, which hung curtains in place of walls in a Kyiv flat.
      In Madrid, Spanish studio Husos Arquitectos designed a 46-square-metre plywood-lined apartment that features a vertical garden and sleeping pod.
      Photography is by Billy Bolton.

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      Bureau de Change makes creative use of terrazzo in Frame House renovation

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      London studio Bureau de Change has used different varieties of terrazzo to create a richly textured interior for a remodelled family home.Frame House is a Victorian terraced home in south London, renovated and extended by Bureau de Change for a property developer and her family.

      The ground floor of Frame House is split over three levels
      The project involved adding a rear extension, converting the loft and completing revamping the interior. But most importantly, the client wanted to give the home a distinct character and coherency throughout.
      The architecture studio achieved this with a carefully planned colour and material strategy, and through playful use of geometry.

      The lounge occupies the extended rear of the house

      “The brief was to create a coherent journey through all spaces and floors,” explained architect Billy Mavropoulos, who co-founded Bureau de Change with partner Katerina Dionysopoulou.
      “We needed a holistic design, looking at everything from the architecture of the extension, to the layouts and the way the spaces are used, down to the joinery handles and details,” he told Dezeen.
      “The client was after a rich palette of finishes and colours, but one that would feel consistently part of the same narrative.”

      Different varieties of terrazzo were chosen for different areas
      As is common with Victorian terraces, Frame House has a split-level layout that helps to make the floor plan more efficient.
      In the new layout, the ground floor is divided over three levels, comprising the kitchen, dining space and lounge. The two split-level upper storeys contain three en-suite bedrooms, a separate bathroom and a study room.
      Terrazzo was the material that Mavropoulos and Dionysopoulou chose to unite the various spaces. It is a material the pair are familiar with, having previously used it in another residential project, Folds House.

      Different shades of taupe feature on each of the ground floor levels
      Here, they decided to work with different varieties of terrazzo to give each space its own character, while subtly tying them all together.
      On the ground floor the flooring is a taupe terrazzo in three slightly different shades – one for each level. This creates a gentle transition from light to dark, starting with the kitchen at the front of the house and ending with the lounge at the rear.

      A green marble terrazzo was chosen for the staircase handrail
      “We chose them very carefully so that they are all of the same family but vary in darkness/density,” said Mavropoulos.
      “The colour difference is very subtle as we did not want the floor to take over. But when you look closely you notice the difference.”
      Other details have been picked out contrasting terrazzo varieties: a kitchen island features shades of red and black, the staircase handrails are a green marble terrazzo, and each bathroom has its own different shade.

      The master bedroom on the first floor features an en-suite with grey terrazzo
      The geometries of the design are based around the rear extension, which gives the occupants a large living space.
      Keen to avoid the 45-degree angled roof and frameless glass typical of infill extensions, the architects opted for a more cuboidal approach. Steel frames create staggered glass boxes, which Mavropoulos and Dionysopoulou liken to museum display cases.

      The new loft bedroom features an en-suite with pale terrazzo and pink walls
      “When we looked at the cascading volumes in plan and section, we felt there was an element of fragility to them, almost like a jewel stone, so we decided to make them out of glass to enhance that feel,” said Mavropoulos.
      “These distinctly cubist glass volumes are articulated through their bold steel-frame construction, expressing each edge in a manner that creates shifting patterns of light and space, and a paradoxical sense of both levity and solidity,” added Dionysopoulou.

      The terrazzo also extends into the garden, forming cascading planters
      These cascading box forms are referenced in other places, such as the proportions of the split floor levels, or the planting boxes in the garden. There’s also a glass display case in the dining area.
      Other details contribute to the personality of these spaces. The lounge room brings together a floral-patterned rug and a large cactus plant, while the dining space features a wall of shelving filled with various objects and books.
      The architects hope the result is one of “theatre and tactility”.
      Photography is by Gilbert McCarragher.
      Project credits
      Architect: Bureau de ChangeInteriors: Bureau de ChangeEngineer: SymmetrysM&E: MWLContractor: Argyll LondonLandscape: Tulip Landscapes

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      Minimalist micro-apartments in Seoul form “blank canvas for tenants”

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      Interior designer Ian Lee has lined the walls of the LIFE micro-apartments in South Korea with birch wood to offer tenants pared-back spaces that they can personalise.Located in Seoul’s Gangnam District, the apartments form part of a 16-storey co-living building for young adults, developed by co-working-space provider Fastfive.
      The block contains a total of 140 rooms, which vary between 16 and 23 square metres in size, alongside shared living areas that Vancouver-based Lee also designed.

      LIFE micro-apartments are lined with birch joinery

      Lee’s goal for the LIFE apartments was to create deliberately simple, timeless interiors that were visually uncluttered.
      While helping to distract from the small size of the rooms, this offers tenants the opportunity to create homely, private spaces with their own furniture and belongings.

      The birch is intended to offer a minimalist finish
      “Like in many densely populated cities, most young adults in Seoul struggle to find homes as housing prices climb,” explained Lee.
      “I wanted this co-living space and the community it would build to be an accessible alternative to traditional housing options that can eventually give its residents a sense of belonging.”

      Built-in window seats and reading nooks feature in some rooms
      “One of my aims in designing these rental units was to find that balance, where the space feels timeless and comfortable as it is, but also like a blank canvas for tenants to personalise,” Lee continued.
      “The overarching goal was to evoke a sense of home.”

      Playful arched cut-outs are the only decorative elements
      Each apartment is fully equipped with a private kitchen and bathroom, with storage and appliances built-in or hidden within the birch-lined walls to maximise useable space.
      Some units are fitted with sliding glass partitions that can be used to divide the flats offering tenants flexibility while ensuring natural light can still filter through.

      Some apartments feature sliding partitions
      Lee chose birch as the main material for the micro-apartments to create a cosy finish, but also because the material forms a neutral backdrop for furnishings.
      The only decorative elements he has included are playful arched cut-outs, reading nooks and window seats, which he hopes contribute to the cosy aesthetic.

      A Little Design maximises space in tiny 22-metre-square Taiwan apartment

      “Rental homes can feel generic, cold and utilitarian,” Lee explained. “The soft spatial elements like arches and curves were used to infuse warmth and emotions into the rooms.”

      Storage is built-in to maximise useable space
      The shared living spaces, which were not photographed, include a communal kitchen, workspace, lounge, gym and rooftop garden.
      Finished with an equally minimalist design, these are hoped to help foster community amongst tenants.

      Each apartment is fully equipped with a kitchen
      Other micro-apartments on Dezeen that feature wood-lined interiors include A Little Design’s 17.6-square-metre residence in Taiwan, which features built-in, space-saving furniture.
      Elsewhere in Taiwan, the studio also designed a 22-metre-square apartment with storage spanning one entire wall, covering the 3.3 metres from floor to ceiling.
      Photography is by Texture on Texture.

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      The Brooklyn Home Company designs Passivhaus in Brooklyn

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      American studio The Brooklyn Home Company has designed a Brooklyn townhouse using Passivhaus principles in New York’s Carroll Gardens neighbourhood.The Sackett Street townhouse comprises four storeys as well as a rooftop with views of the Manhattan skyline, along with a basement and a drive-in garage.

      The four-storey townhouse has views of the Manhattan skyline
      Stairs from an outside decking area lead to a back garden, and a private terrace is accessed from the main bedroom.
      Passivhaus is a recognised European energy standard for homes that require minimal energy to heat or cool and promote high indoor air quality.

      The Sackett Street townhouse’s back garden

      For the townhouse project, The Brooklyn Home Company used an energy recovery ventilation (ERV) filtration system.
      “The air quality brings health and cognitive benefits that the developer believes will become the new standard for home building in New York City,” co-founder of The Brooklyn Home Company William Caleo told Dezeen.
      “The homes also maintain humidity levels to prevent virus spread, which is common in both dry and cold weather. In short, our opinion is it’s the best way to build new homes,” he said.

      A living room leads to the back garden
      Adopting Passivhaus principles addresses two of society’s greatest threats, argued William Caleo.
      “As society grapples with not only the current public-health crisis but the reality of climate change, builders and home designers are using Passivhaus design as an alternative technique in the wake of Covid-19.”

      The house’s walls are painted in white Farrow and Ball paint
      William Caleo and his sister Lyndsay Caleo Karol worked closely with his sister’s husband, Fitzhugh Karol, the studio’s in-house artist, to design the interiors.
      Madera white oak hardwood floors and walls painted with white Farrow and Ball paint were chosen to create a “bright and airy” home.

      A hand-crafted bed by Fitzhugh Karol in the main bedroom
      Hand-crafted pieces of furniture designed by Fitzhugh Karol include the wooden four-poster bed in the main bedroom.

      VonDalwig Architecture brightens Brooklyn townhouse House 22

      Other one-of-a-kind pieces include a bespoke dining table and a dresser, and the elegant twin beds in the children’s room were also made bespoke for the property.

      The twin beds in the children’s bedroom were made especially for the house
      The townhouse’s open-plan kitchen is a mixture of exposed beams and custom built-in wood, also designed by Fitzhugh Karol. A reclaimed ceiling by The Brooklyn Home Company hangs overhead.
      These rustic features are offset with sleek Pietra Cardosa countertops and a range cooker by La Cornue. Hardware fixtures by Waterworks and Restoration Hardware tie the space together.

      The property’s kitchen is a mix of rustic and polished features
      Selected artwork is also integral to the townhouse’s interior atmosphere. A notable piece is Tyler Hays of BDDW’s painting of a woman, made of puzzle pieces, which hangs in the dining room.
      Artistworks by Jen Wink Hays, Paule Morrot and Caleb Marcus Cain also decorate townhouse’s light and open rooms.

      Artist Tyler Hays’ puzzle painting adds depth to the dining room’s white walls
      The Brooklyn Home Company has recently launched 25 new homes also built according to Passivhaus principles across two Brooklyn developments in South Slope and Greenwood Heights.

      More Passivhaus projects outside of Europe include the upcoming 1075 Nelson Street skyscraper in Vancouver, designed by UK studio WKK Architects. When completed, it will be the world’s tallest Passivhaus building to date.
      Photography is by Matthew Williams and Travis Mark.

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      Ten contemporary living rooms with calm interiors

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      In our latest Dezeen Lookbook, we’ve rounded up 10 living rooms with calm, relaxing interiors, including rooms with soothing colours and natural materials that create a peaceful environment. This is the latest roundup in a series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous articles in the series showcased peaceful bedrooms, dining rooms in American homes, and kitchens and domestic bathrooms designed by architects.

      Budge Over Dover house, Australia, by YSG
      Interior design studio YSG opened up the kitchen and living room into one large, open-plan space that connects to the garden to create a “fluid” sense of space in the Budge Over Dover House in Sydney.
      The studio used warm, deep colours to create a sense of calm, including dark wood detailing and aubergine hues. Marble surfaces add a luxury touch and look intriguing next to the simple brick floor.
      Find out more about Budge Over Dover house ›

      Esperinos Guesthouse, Greece, by Michael Stamos
      Greek designer Michael Stamos used a moss-green colour for the living room walls in the Esperinos guesthouse in Greece. The colour gives the room a relaxing feel and picks up the green from the plants that are dotted around the space.
      A nearby staircase has been painted black as a contrast, creating a moody atmosphere that’s contrasted by the colourful cushions on the large sofa.
      Find out more about Esperinos Guesthouse ›

      Whidbey Island Farm, USA, by MW Works
      MW Works wisely designed Whidbey Island Farm to make the most of the surrounding nature, with large windows and a pared-back interior design that lets the view speak for itself.
      Simple wooden furniture sits both inside the living room and on the connected terrace, while woven blankets and a furry throw adding a cosy touch. The open fire means the owners can enjoy the view of the surrounding forest in comfort even in the depths of winter.
      Find out more about Whidbey Island Farm ›

      VS House, India, by Sãrãnsh
      Architecture studio Sārānsh used local Kota tiles in the living room of the VS House in Ahmedabad to create a sense of tactility. The interior was kept minimalist, but the studio created interest by combining a range of different natural materials.
      The discrete grey hues of the plush furniture cushions work well against the rattan armrests and wooden furniture bases, while a decorative wall in dark wood adds a refined touch.
      Find out more about VS House ›

      Nithurst Farm, UK, by Adam Richards
      Nithurst Farm might have been inspired by both Roman architecture and Soviet-era science fiction, but its living room has a more traditional look.
      Architect Adam Richards, who designed Nithurst Farm as his own home, took advantage of the high, concrete ceilings as a calm background onto which he’s projected bright splashes of colour in the form of paintings and curtains. A baroque-style chair and a fabric-clad footstool help soften the space.
      Find out more about Nithurst Farm ›

      Williamsburg schoolhouse, US, by White Arrow
      The living room of this schoolhouse in Brooklyn, which studio White Arrow’s founders designed for their own home, has plenty of patterned textiles, but their creamy pastel hues means the space still doesn’t feel busy.
      A large palm tree is a fun detail and picks up the dark wood of a small sideboard and a floating TV-bench. Clean, white walls and a selection of modernist white lamps, as well as glass sofa table, create a restful atmosphere.
      Find out more about Williamsburg schoolhouse ›

      Bismarck House, Australia, by Andrew Burges Architects
      With its floor-to-ceiling glass walls that open out onto a garden in Bondi, Sydney, the living room of Bismarck House has the feel of a terrace. Andrew Burges Architects kept the details simple, adding galvanised steel columns and a concrete floor to “reinforce a robust outdoor character.”
      Furniture is in the same laid-back style with wooden chairs and a daybed creating comfortable resting spots. A terracotta-coloured wall lends the space more privacy and adds to the comfortable holiday-vibe of this inviting living room.
      Find out more about Bismarck House ›

      Riverside Apartment, US, by Format Architecture Office
      The living room of Riverside Apartment, set within a 1920s building on New York’s Upper West Side, owes much of its quiet charm to the beautiful wooden floorboards. The theme was taken up in both furniture in various types of wood and a woodclad doorway.
      Crisp white walls are decorated with graphic art that perfectly matches the mid-century modern furniture to create a soothing environment.
      Find out more about Riverside Apartment ›

      Casa Meco, Portugal, by Atelier Rua
      The enormous sitting room in Casa Meco, a holiday home south of Lisbon, Portugal, has three different vistas surrounding it and plenty of space for socialising and relaxing.
      Earthy colours were used for the interiors, which work well with the exposed-concrete ceiling and floor and make for a laid-back space. Glazed panels can be slid open for easy outdoor access.
      Find out more about Casa Meco ›

      Residence for Two Collectors, US, by Wheeler Kearns Architects
      The living room of this Chicago penthouse is filled with art, collected by its owners, and features a striking view of the city skyline.
      In front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, a sofa group in pale colours is combined with a matching rug in calm grey and white hues, while a seagreen glass coffee table picks up the light from the windows.
      A Georg Nakashima bench from the owners’ collection adds an organic touch to the elegant space.
      Find out more about Residence for Two Collectors ›
      This roundup is part of our interior inspirations series that aims to provide ideas for people renovating or decorating their homes. For more inspiration read our pieces focused on bathrooms, bedrooms, dining rooms and home offices.

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      House of Grey designs Highgate home using natural tones and materials

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      The furnishings and finishes in this London home, designed by interiors studio House of Grey, were chosen for the health of its occupants as well as the health of the planet.Set in Highgate, London, the three-storey townhouse features custom timber furniture, a carbon-absorbing bathroom finish and a mattress made using natural, biodegradable latex.

      The living room is painted a deep sage green
      According to House of Grey, the design of the interior, with its palette of natural colours and soft textures, was guided by “circular salutogenic design principles”.
      This means it hopes to cut out waste and pollution, as a way of working towards a circular economic system. Salutogesis, meanwhile, refers to a medical approach focused on facilitating health rather than simply fighting sickness and disease.

      A clay plaster wall finish by Clayworks features in the WC

      In keeping with this, each material and resource the studio has used was researched for its impact on human and ecological health while in production, in use and once it has been discarded.
      “We are no longer simply finding design solutions, our work is now focused on eliminating the problem altogether,” said the studio’s founder Louisa Grey.
      “We have evolved to a place where we choose to work with materials and resources that are good for human health and have a positive ‘cradle to cradle’ impact on the planet.”

      A plush white sofa anchors the living room
      Finding herself unable to source “beautiful, contemporary” furniture made using sustainable manufacturing processes and natural materials, Grey commissioned artists and makers such as British furniture designer Sebastian Cox to produce bespoke pieces for the project.
      “I can never really find what I’m looking for, so at House of Grey we have started creating things for ourselves and for people that feel there is an inherent lack of choice when it comes to finding interior pieces with integrity that represent both their style and values,” she said.

      A custom wardrobe was designed by Sebastian Cox
      Cox’s pieces include a master bed with matching side tables, as well as a wardrobe and vanity unit made from materials such as ebonised oak and blackened ash, which the designer claims are able to moderate humidity and improve indoor air quality.
      The wardrobe interiors are made from cedar wood– a natural pesticide that can repel moths.

      Plaster walls of Jaffa Roofhouse imbue apartment with history and warmth

      “Thought-through details such as these culminate in an ongoing contentment in a space that improves human health with day-to-day use,” said the studio.

      The master bed features green velvet upholstery
      The bedding and mattress were supplied by UK manufacturer NaturalMat and, according to the brand, are made entirely from biodegradable materials.
      The master bed is upholstered using coconut husk fibres, also known as coir, which are coated in natural latex to create a springy padding.

      The mattress by NaturalMat is made using natural and biodegradable materials
      The bedroom also features natural lime paint by German brand Bauwerk in a colour that was developed in collaboration with House of Grey as part of a new collection that will launch later this month.
      It is made using a variety of natural bases including clay, stone, chalk, slate and limestone, and coloured using natural pigments such as ochre.

      Inbuilt shelving offers extra storage space
      “This natural lime paint provides a healthy alternative to widely available, chemical-based paints,” said the studio.
      “It is free of toxins and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), allowing your walls to breathe when combined with other natural building materials such as clay.”

      The bathroom walls are finished in Tadelakt
      The bathroom walls are made from a lime-based plaster surface called Tadelakt, which is waterproofed using a soap solution.
      Traditionally found in Moroccan architecture, it releases 80 per cent less CO2 during its production than similar cement-based finishes and most CO2 that is generated gets re-absorbed by the lime as it cures.

      The sink is made of natural plaster made from sand and unfired clay
      The bath and sink consist of a natural plaster made from sands, unfired clays, pigments and minerals, while in the toilet House of Grey used a two-tone clay plaster wall finish by Clayworks in the shades Moon Tonal and Buff.
      According to the brand, the natural clay has zero VOC emissions, low embodied carbon and is entirely recyclable.
      Gitai Architects has recently renovated an apartment in Israel, covering its walls in plaster to give the space a natural tactility.
      Similarly, Spacon & X drew on natural materials and plants to imbue Noma’s burger-focused spinoff POPL with a warm and relaxed atmosphere.
      Photography is by Michael Sinclair.

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