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      Eight wooden kitchens that make the most of the material

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      Swirly cabinets and oak-lined ceilings feature in our latest lookbook, which collects eight residential kitchens from around the world where wood takes centre stage.

      Strong, versatile and often sustainable, timber is a favourite material among architects and designers.
      From an east London dwelling that is almost entirely underground to a rural Tasmanian farmhouse, here are eight homes united by their wooden kitchens.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring converted barns, eclectic hotels and micro interiors.
      Photo by Fionn McCannChurchtown, Ireland, by Scullion Architects

      Churchtown is a curved glass extension to a family home in Dublin, designed by Scullion Architects as a family-focussed space.
      The studio was informed by 1930s modernism when creating the kitchen, which is characterised by stained oak-panelled cabinetry.
      Find out more about Churchtown ›
      Photo by Max Hart NibbrigBolívar House, Spain, by Juan Gurrea Rumeu
      Architect Gurrea Rumeu designed this home for himself and his wife in Barcelona.
      Swirly dark wood was used to create tall kitchen cabinets, while concrete walls and floors add an industrial touch to the interior.
      Find out more about Bolívar House ›
      Photo courtesy of James ShawLondon house, UK, by James Shaw
      Known for making extruded recycled plastic furniture, designer Shaw applied his off-beat creative approach to his own London home which he designed with architect Nicholas Ashby to be almost entirely underground.
      Shaw created kitchen cabinets out of veneered MDF, which he paired with worktops formed from pale blue HIMACS and stainless steel.
      Find out more about this London house ›
      Photo by Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenFjord Boat House, Denmark, by Norm Architects
      Fjord Boat House is a lakeside holiday home that sits near the border of Denmark and Germany.
      Danish studio Norm Architects chose a warm interior palette for the dwelling, including a kitchen defined by oak cabinets and ceilings and handmade ceramic brick flooring.
      Find out more about Fjord Boat House ›
      Photo by Dianna SnapeCoopworth, Tasmania, by FMD Architects
      FMD Architects designed a farmhouse in rural Tasmania with a plywood-lined kitchen and living spaces separated by a statement wood-burning stove.
      Located on Bruny Island, Coopworth features corrugated metal cladding that references vernacular agricultural buildings.
      Find out more about Coopworth ›
      Photo by Daniëlle SiobhánZwaag house, the Netherlands, by DAB Studio
      Two types of timber were used to clad the floors, walls, ceiling and cabinets of this kitchen at a family home in Zwaag, the Netherlands.
      DAB Studio renovated the floors and ceiling with hand-scraped oak, while Afromosia wood – a tropical hardwood native to west Africa – was applied to the cabinets and walls.
      Find out more about this Zwaag house ›
      Photo by Andrew PogueHood Cliff Retreat, USA, by Wittman Estes
      Architecture studio Wittman Estes sought to immerse Hood Cliff Retreat “in the stillness of the forest” on its wooded site in Washington State.
      White oak floors and pine plywood ceilings feature in the neutral-hued kitchen, designed with floor-to-ceiling glazing that reveals the surrounding trees.
      Find out more about Hood Cliff Retreat ›
      Photo by Mark Durling PhotographyMalibu Surf Shack, USA, by Kelly Wearstler
      Interior designer Kelly Wearstler transformed a 1950s beachfront cottage in Malibu, California, into a bohemian retreat for herself and her family.
      Chunky wooden cabinets and drawers characterise the kitchen, created in the designer’s distinctive eclectic style.
      Find out more about Malibu Surf Shack ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring converted barns, eclectic hotels and micro interiors. 

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      CO Adaptive overhauls Queens home to meet Passive House standards

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      Brooklyn studio CO Adaptive has retrofitted a terraced house in Queens, New York to meet Passive House energy efficiency standards.

      The 1,152-square-foot (107-square-metre) brick townhouse was originally built in 1945 and has undergone a considered “deconstruction” process during its recent renovation.
      Throughout the home, CO Adaptive removed perimeter flooring to install a membrane, then replaced it with reclaimed boards at an angleRather than throwing out the contents of the existing structure, all of the removed materials were separated by type and sent to new homes.
      The renovation work revolved around the goal of the unit becoming a Passive House – or Passivhaus – a certification that recognises outstanding energy efficiency in buildings.
      The kitchen was fully replaced using maple-faced plywood for millworkThis is the first project undertaken by CO Adaptive Architecture’s construction management arm, CO Adaptive Building.

      “We believe building to Passive House standards is the future of ensuring resilience for our cities, particularly in the restoration and upgrade of the older building stock,” said CO Adaptive co-principal Ruth Mandl.
      “We want to work on simplifying and scaling this endeavor; ideally ensuring that we can bring the cost down on Passive House for our clients, and make it a solution that is more affordable and available.”
      Counters and backsplash are made from blue porcelain with coloured specklesChanges to the layout of the compact two-storey, three-bedroom home were kept to a minimum since the room program was already efficient.
      The perimeter of the existing wood floors and subfloors was removed, enabling the team to install an airtight membrane that seals the wood joists – which were in good condition – to prevent heat loss.
      Bright blue was chosen for new window and door framesWhere the flooring was removed, reclaimed red oak planks that matched the originals were laid at an angle to highlight the minor intervention.
      Larger windows were added to bring more light into the dining room, which overlooks a new rear deck.
      Upstairs, features include a built-in ladder that provides roof access via a skylightThe home was refitted to be fully electrified, powered by a solar canopy from Brooklyn Solarworks on the roof, and is now net positive, according to the studio.
      “The solar array provides more than enough energy to cover the significantly reduced heating and cooling loads of the building, in addition to heating water, cooking with an induction stovetop and charging an electric vehicle,” said CO Adaptive.
      Through-wall AC units were replaced with an energy-recovery ventilator systemAny holes in the exterior previously used for through-wall air conditioning units are now occupied by an energy recovery ventilator system, which helps to control the interior humidity.
      All changes to the facade are denoted by a checkerboard brick infill pattern, similar to the approach taken inside.
      Black-and-white details, such as the bathroom tiles and fixtures enliven the minimal interiorsSouth-facing openings are shaded by Hella operable Venetian blinds, coloured bright blue to match the new window frames.
      Natural materials were prioritised inside, such as a lime and sand-based plaster layer that allows the masonry walls to breathe.

      CO Adaptive Architecture converts Gowanus foundry into flexible theatre spaces

      The kitchen millwork is maple-faced plywood, while the countertops and the backsplash are blue porcelain with coloured speckles.
      The red kitchen floor is made of solidified linseed oil, pine resin and sawdust, which forms a natural linoleum that’s soft underfoot.
      On the south-facing front of the house, openings are shaded by Hella operable Venetian blindsOther details include a ladder built into the wall on the upper-floor landing that provides access to the roof via a skylight.
      “This project prioritises careful deconstruction rather than demolition, to ensure that whatever is removed is either reused or sorted for down or up cycling,” said CO Adaptive co-principal Bobby Johnston.
      A solar array added to the roof provides more energy than the house needs to runAmong the firm’s previous renovations is an industrial building in Gowanus converted into bright and spacious theatre rehearsal spaces, which was shortlisted in the rebirth project category of Dezeen Awards 2022.
      Passivhaus is a popular standard for achieving energy efficiency in residential and other buildings, with other recent examples to have achieved this certification including a stucco-clad, cube-shaped holiday home in Mexico, and a house in the UK with an undulating green roof and timber cladding.
      The photography is by Naho Kubota.
      Project credits:
      Architect: CO Adaptive ArchitectureConstruction management: CO Adaptive BuildingMEPS engineers: ABS EngineeringStructural engineers: ADoF Structural EngineersConstruction manager: CO Adaptive BuildingSolar panel installation: Brooklyn SolarWorksKitchen millwork: ArmadaWood flooring, stair and other millwork: Trilox

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      Eight offbeat red-and-green home interiors that prove opposites attract

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      Interior designers are finding interesting ways to pair red and green – a combination more typically associated with Christmas – to create quirky colour-block interiors. This lookbook brings together recent examples of how it can be done.

      Set on opposite sides of the colour wheel, red and green are inherently compatible, each helping to offset the other.
      Combining two such bright colours in a residential interior can sound daunting, even without their festive affiliation. But a slew of recent projects show that they can have a place in modern interiors.
      Below, we’ve collated eight home interiors that prove this colour combination isn’t just for Santa, combining subdued green tones with warmer hues ranging from pink to crimson.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring clerestory windows, exposed ceiling beams and kitchen skylights.

      Photo by Yannis DrakoulidisTrikoupi Apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme Architects
      Colourful built-in furniture pieces define different areas inside this Athens apartment in the wake of a renovation by local studio Point Supreme Architects, which saw many of the home’s partition walls removed to make the interior feel more sunny and spacious.
      Among them is a stained plywood storage wall that runs along one side of the apartment, providing a dramatic contrast with the oxblood-coloured kitchen cabinets and the glossy Ferrari-red island.
      Find out more about Trikoupi Apartment ›
      Photo by José HeviaCasa Milc, Spain, by Lucas y Hernandez Gil
      Spanish studio Lucas y Hernandez Gil aimed to bring personality back to this 19th-century Madrid apartment, which had been renovated one too many times, with the addition of playful shapes and “warm and friendly” colours.
      Painted a pale sage green from floor to ceiling, the kitchen features a crimson dining table from the studio’s own furniture brand Kresta Design that was brought in to mirror the gently curved walls.
      “The kitchen is designed as a play of opposites between materials and shapes,” co-founder Cristina Domínguez Lucas told Dezeen.
      Find out more about Casa Milc ›
      Photo by Joe FletcherRedwood House, USA, by Studio Terpeluk
      Unexpected colour combinations help balance out the timber-heavy interiors of this Albert Lanier-designed house in San Francisco’s Noe Valley, renovated by local firm Studio Terpeluk.
      A baby pink kitchen and minty green storage unit shine against the Douglas fir flooring and red cedar walls, alongside classic furniture pieces including a red-lacquered version of Carl Hansen’s Wishbone Chair.
      “Color was a recurring theme in the exquisite and eclectic art collection of the owners,” studio founder Brett Terpeluk said. “This went perfectly hand in hand with my interest in mid-century Italian design and its bold use of color.”
      Find out more about Redwood House ›
      Photo by José HeviaRelámpago House, Spain, by H3O
      Zigzagging partitions nod to the history of this lightning-struck home, renovated by Spanish studio H3O and painted in pastel primary colours inspired by the “radical, fun and optimistic spirit” of 1970s pop art.
      Even the floors are finished in a pale green resin, providing a counterpoint to the coral pink and butter yellow of the walls.
      Find out more about Relámpago House ›

      Berlin apartment, Germany, by Gisbert Pöppler
      Berlin studio Gisbert Pöppler has renovated an apartment that occupies a glass pavilion on the roof of a 1930s residential building in the city’s Mitte neighbourhood.
      Custom furnishings and fixtures – including mint-coloured cabinetry and cherry red-lacquered wood panelling – were added to help the home fit its owner like a “tailor-made suit”.
      Find out more about this Berlin apartment ›
      Photo by Félix Dol MaillotUnivers Uchronia, France, by Uchronia
      French studio Uchronia, crowned emerging interior designer of the year at the 2023 Dezeen Awards, is known for its fearless use of colour. And the home of founder Julien Sebban is no exception.
      The Parisian apartment was designed as a homage to the 1970s, with reddish-brown walnut burl surfaces, wavy wainscoting and patterned green tiles that match the poured resin floor.
      Find out more about Univers Uchronia ›
      Photo by French + TyeGraphic House, UK, by Office S&M
      This Edwardian terrace home belongs to a couple of graphic designers, whose love for art deco forms and adventurous colours informed the interior scheme by architecture studio Office S&M.
      “In this project, colours and shapes have been used to help define key moments throughout the house and tell a story about the building’s function and history,” Office S&M co-founder Catrina Stewart told Dezeen.
      Find out more about Graphic House ›
      Photo by Taran WilkhuForest Gate House, UK, by PL Studio
      This London townhouse belonging to a couple and their chihuahua puppy brims with shades of green and blue, while details in various pinkish hues bring a sense of overall “warmth and joy” to the palette.
      “We wanted to create a home that reflected our clients’ personalities and joyful spirit, a home filled with positive energy,” design firm PL Studio told Dezeen.
      “They were not afraid of mixing different shades and colour combinations, so we went for bright, bold and fearless.”
      Find out more about Forest Gate House ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring clerestory windows, exposed ceiling beams and kitchen skylights.

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      Khan Bonshek arranges east London home around brick “spine wall”

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      Architecture studio Khan Bonshek’s founders have remodelled their own terraced house in east London around a central brick wall, carrying out the majority of the work themselves.

      Named Two Up, Two Down, the house was renovated and extended by Sabba Khan and Mark Bonshek, who founded Khan Bonshek in 2021.
      With the studio acting as client, architect and contractor, the couple aimed to rearrange the home’s interior and add small additions to make the most of the space.
      Khan Bonshek designed their own home in London”The house represents our guiding philosophy; how to make the most with very little,” the couple said.
      “Most expensive new builds are about packing in rooms and low ceilings,” continued Bonshek.

      “We’ve taken a volumetric approach. We sought to create expanse, have views beyond rooms and create something humble through spatial arrangement.”
      The house is arranged around a central brick wallThe studio removed all the existing internal walls in the terrace, which the couple acquired in 2018, before adding a central grey brick “spine wall” through the centre of the building.
      This wall supports the stairs, which are visible in the front room, and runs the full height of the home adding a natural, textural element.
      A rear extension was replacedTo improve flow and openness in the house, two small extensions were added. On the ground floor, the existing extension was replaced with a full-width brick addition, which now contains the light-filled kitchen.
      At the top of the house, the existing loft conversion was extended with the addition of a timber-framed dormer.

      Will Gamble Architects modernises London Victorian house with “soft minimalism” interiors

      To further improve the sense of space, the walls enclosing the bathroom and study on the first floor were replaced with curtains.
      In the bathroom, a section of the ceiling was removed to create a double-height space.
      A timber framed dormer increased the loft spaceDuring the demolition, Khan Bonshek salvaged materials, which were reused in the reconstruction.
      These materials were supplemented with accessible materials such as plywood and yoghurt pots along with salvaged teak, black marble and brass.
      A double-height space was created in the bathroomAccording to the couple, the focus of the renovation was to create a home that would be an enjoyable place to live in, rather than adding value to the property.
      “We were very clear from the outset that we were creating a comfortable healthy home, rather than an asset,” said Khan.
      “We need to get to a place where we change policy and attitudes around housing as assets and instead to places which offer a reprieve and comfort.”
      The stairs are connected to the spine wallKhan believes the home can be an example of how existing terraced houses in the UK can be upgraded and argued that the government should amend tax laws to encourage renovations
      Refurbishments in the UK currently incur 20 per cent VAT, levies that are not applied on new build developments.
      “We have a duty to provide housing from the existing stock,” Khan added. “Think about all the embodied energy and why that’s such a better option than demolishing and putting up lots of new buildings.”
      The home is located in east LondonOther London home extensions recently featured on Dezeen include a minimalist extension to a Victorian home and a Grade II-listed villa with a wood-filled extension.
      The photography is by James Retief.

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      David/Nicolas balances classic and contemporary in renovated Gio Ponti apartment

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      French-Lebanese design studio David/Nicolas has refurbished a Milan apartment from the 1920s, bringing in contemporary details while retaining features added by Italian architect Gio Ponti.

      The art deco-style apartment, originally designed by Mario Borgaro in 1923, was refurbished by Ponti in 1952. Since then, much of the fit-out was torn away by the apartment’s previous owners, who auctioned off some of the furniture and wall panelling.
      David/Nicolas has redesigned the interiors of a 1920s Milan apartmentThe current owner, investment banker Michele Marocchino, initially brought on David/Nicolas to create wainscoting for two of the rooms, The Studio and The Dressing, which sit between the living room and the bedroom.
      But Marocchino later decided that the studio’s founders, David Raffoul and Nicolas Moussallem, should work on the entire space to reimagine Ponti’s recognisable style for the 21st century.
      The updated interior pays homage to Gio Ponti’s refurbishment from 1952″Our goal was to honour Gio Ponti’s design by incorporating his vision while integrating our own identity, avoiding a mere replica of the original,” the duo told Dezeen.

      “The signature elements of a Gio Ponti space include intricate details, wooden joinery, distinct edges of wooden panels and a floor plan that creates engaging visual directions by redefining the way the space is lived, as well as creating specific perspectives that guide the eye.”
      David/Nicolas’s design balances classic and contemporary elementsThe refurbished apartment, now dubbed Casa di Fantasia, comprises a spacious kitchen, a dressing room, a primary bedroom and another bedroom with a multifunctional room at the back of the apartment.
      Other distinct spaces include a large living room with a bar, plus a study and movie room.
      David/Nicolas’s approach to the redesign was dictated by Ponti’s work on perspectives, recreating rooms lost during previous renovations while respecting their original proportions.

      Monolithic green marble forms “majestic wall” in Milan apartment

      Ponti’s use of swirly radica wood in his refurbishment was referenced through decorative tiger-patterned marquetry, which was used to adorn several of the rooms.
      “The tiger wall pattern is a reinterpretation of the Radica wood panelling, which has a similar movement to the tiger pattern,” the duo explained.
      “We thought it was a good idea to use it, as it diverges from the original design while still maintaining a similar movement in the wood.”
      Tiger-patterned walls offer a modern reinterpretation of Ponti’s use of Radica wood Key features of Ponti’s refurbishment that David/Nicolas discovered were still in place include the panelling around the entryway as well as a pink bathtub and shower unit, which the duo refurbished.
      Tiles by Italian sculptor and ceramist Fausto Melotti that originally covered the entire bathroom were also retained.
      “Since many of these tiles were sold at a Philips auction, we utilised the remaining ones on the wall behind the vanities,” said David/Nicolas. “To enhance these tiles and the bathtub, we covered the rest of the walls with micro concrete.”
      Ponti’s pink bathtub and shower units were retainedDavid/Nicolas also designed a plethora of new furniture pieces for Casa di Fantasia, such as the two main couches of the living area, the sofa in the library, a free-standing bar, the lamp above the dining table and some sconces in cast aluminium.
      Both hailing from Beirut, Raffoul and Moussallem met while studying architecture at the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts in 2006 before going on to found their studio in 2011.
      Tiles by Fausto Melotti now serve as a backsplashPreviously, David/Nicolas created furniture inspired by the night sky and Beirut’s history, which went on display for an exhibition titled Supernova at Carpenters Workshop Gallery in New York City in 2019.
      Other Milan apartment refurbishments that have recently been featured on Dezeen include Teorema Milanese’s marble makeover by Marcante-Testa and Untitled Architecture’s overhaul of a small attic.
      The photography is by Sara Magni.

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      Eight stylish living rooms where board-marked concrete adds character

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      For our latest lookbook, we’ve collected eight living rooms from Dezeen’s archive where architects have used board-marked concrete walls and ceilings to add textural interest.

      As its name suggests, board-marked concrete, or board-formed concrete, is concrete that has been created using timber boards in its casting.
      This imprints the pattern of the wood onto the concrete, giving it a more organic look and making it feel less industrial than smoother concrete.
      As seen in the eight interiors below, board-marked concrete can add tactile interest and function as a stylish backdrop to living rooms across the globe.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring kitchens brightened by skylights, exposed structural ceiling beams and clerestory windows.

      Photo by Francisco NogueiraCasa Meco, Portugal, by Atelier Rua
      A large living room with windows on three sides is at the heart of this Portuguese holiday home designed by Atelier Rua.
      Its walls and ceiling were made from board-marked concrete, which is contrasted by a stone floor. Furniture and textiles in earthy hues add to the room’s natural feel.
      Find out more about Casa Meco ›
      Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Alférez, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
      Mexico City-based architect Ludwig Godefroy created this brutalist holiday home entirely from board-formed concrete, with the material taking centre stage throughout the house.
      In the living room, it was used to create a double-height living space that surrounds a cosy green conversation pit.
      Find out more about Casa Alférez ›
      Photo by Edmund SumnerPedro Reyes House, Mexico, by Pedro Reyes
      A staircase and library were rendered in coarse concrete for the living room in this Mexico City home.
      Designed by architect Pedro Reyes for himself, his wife and their children, the house also features an irregularly paved stone floor and plenty of green plants.
      Find out more about Pedro Reyes House ›
      Photo by Tomaz GregoricVilla Eternal Way, Slovenia, by OFIS Arhitekti
      The entire entrance floor of this Slovenian house is one large living room, with walls and ceiling made from board-formed concrete.
      Local studio OFIS Arhitekti contrasted the grey concrete with floor-to-ceiling black cupboards and added tactile details in the form of a boucle sofa and leather dining chairs.
      Find out more about Villa Eternal Way ›
      Photo by Ooki JinguBuilding Frame of the House, Japan, by IGArchitects
      Designed for both living and working, Japanese studio IGArchitects conceived Building Frame of the House as “one big room” that would let its clients work anywhere.
      The home’s exposed board-marked concrete walls hold stepped mezzanine levels, creating overlapping spaces that the owners can configure into different rooms as needed.
      Find out more about Building Frame of the House ›
      Photo by Onnis LuqueAT House, Mexico, by Laurent Herbiet
      Architect Laurent Herbiet designed the AT House in Oaxtepec, Mexico, as 10 glazed sections divided by board-marked concrete walls.
      The concrete was left visible in the living room, which has a muted yet warm colour palette. Wooden furniture adds to the cosy atmosphere.
      Find out more about AT House ›
      Photo by Ishita Sitwala, The Fishy ProjectGujarat house, India, by Design ni Dukaan
      This “citadel-like” house in India was designed to wrap around a central courtyard space, creating an indoor-outdoor feel.
      In its formal living and dining room next to the courtyard, a tactile ceiling made from board-formed concrete sits above a glossy, polished floor, with a sculptural wood-and-marble coffee table completing the room.
      Find out more about Gujarat house ›
      Photo by Daniela Mac AddenCasa Golf, Argentina, by Luciano Kruk
      A pale grey colour palette dominates the living room of this stacked-volume holiday home in a seaside resort in Argentina.
      Board-marked concrete was used for its ceiling and walls and matched with a polished stone floor. A delicate Isamu Noguchi coffee table and wooden Eames chairs lend the room an air of mid-century modern elegance.
      Find out more about Casa Golf ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring kitchens brightened by skylights, exposed structural ceiling beams and clerestory windows.

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      Eight cosy living rooms illuminated by paper lamps

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      From simple spherical hanging lights to lighting sculptures by designers Isamu Noguchi and Ingo Maurer, this lookbook rounds up living rooms enhanced by the organic texture and warm glow of paper lamps.

      The versatile appearance of paper lights, which come in various geometric shapes and often have neutral warm-toned shades, makes them a popular choice for creating cosy living rooms.
      Drawing upon traditional Japanese rice paper lanterns, some of the rooms in this roundup use paper lamps to evoke the serenity of minimalist Japanese interiors.
      Other lounge spaces featured below use modernised paper lamp designs in angular shapes, popularised by Noguchi in the 1950s, to complement mid-century modern furnishings.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring contemporary kitchens with skylights, interiors with exposed ceiling beams and interiors with clerestory windows.

      Photo by Eric PetschekAmagansett Beach House, US, by Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design
      US studios Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design suspended a large spherical paper lamp over a double-height living room for the Amagansett Beach House in the Hamptons.
      Illuminated by the warm light, the home’s exposed glue-laminated Douglas fir timber structure and white oak surfaces contrast the dark timber exterior, which was treated with the Japanese blackening technique Shou Sugi Ban.
      Find out more about Amagansett Beach House ›
      Photo by Felix Speller and Child StudioMayfair home, UK, Child Studio
      Two Lampampe table lamps by industrial designer Maurer were placed on marble plinths in the living room of this London Mayfair home, which was designed by local practice Child Studio to have a mix of mid-century modern and custom-made decor.
      Designed by Maurer between the late 1970s and early 1980s, the lamps have the shape of traditional lampshades, but their entire form is crafted from slightly creased Japanese paper.
      Find out more about the Mayfair home ›
      Photo by Justin ChungBiscuit Loft, US, by OWIU Studio
      Architecture and design studio OWIU Studio added Japanese elements to the industrial interior of the Biscuit Loft apartment, located in a former factory in Downtown Los Angeles.
      Informed by ryokans, traditional Japanese inns, a living space-cum-guest-bedroom features a spherical and an elliptical paper lamp suspended over an area intended for tea ceremonies.
      Find out more about Biscuit Loft ›
      Photo by Roberto RuizPalau apartment, Spain, by Colombo and Serboli Architecture
      This apartment in Barcelona was renovated by local studio Colombo and Serboli Architecture to highlight some of its “imperfect” original features, informed by the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi.
      A round paper lamp hangs from the ceiling beams in the corner of a built-in sitting area, which extends from the micro-cement base of the staircase.
      Find out more about the Palau apartment ›

      Photo by Mikkel MortensenVilla Wienberg, Denmark, by Wienberg Architects
      Architects Mette and Martin Wienberg overhauled this 1940s cottage in Denmark, lining the living areas with oil-treated oak boards and adding cosy furnishings.
      A paper light hangs above built-in seating that wraps the main living room and adds textural variety to the timber interior, along with fabric cushions and a furry throw.
      Find out more about Villa Wienberg ›
      Photo by Leslie Schwartz and Joshua WhiteEames House, US, by Charles and Ray Eames
      A more traditional-looking Japanese paper lantern is one of the hanging lamps that illuminate the living room in Eames House, a modernist Californian residence completed by US designers Charles and Ray Eames in 1949.
      Maintained by the nonprofit Eames Foundation, the home’s mid-century modern decor closely matches the way the Eames lived in it until their deaths.
      Find out more about Eames House ›
      Photo courtesy of Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenArchipelago House, Sweden, by Norm Architects
      A conical paper lamp hangs above the lounge space in Archipelago House, a holiday home on the coast of Sweden designed by Danish studio Norm Architects.
      Aiming to embody both Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetics, the home was dressed with furniture designed by the studio in collaboration with Japanese manufacturer Karimoku Case Study.
      Find out more about Archipelago House ›
      Photo by Jake Curtis and Elliot SheppardPowerscroft Road townhouse, UK, by Daytrip
      Perched atop a wood burner in the living room of this London home is the 27N lamp from Noguchi’s Akari range, a series of handmade lighting sculptures made from washi paper and bamboo frames.
      Design studio Daytrip renovated and extended the home and loosely lime-washed the walls, aiming to create a calm and serene interior that showcased craftsmanship.
      Find out more about Powerscroft Road townhouse ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring contemporary kitchens with skylights, interiors with exposed ceiling beams and interiors with clerestory windows.

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      James Shaw’s light-filled London home is almost entirely underground

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      Lumpy recycled plastic furniture and circular skylights characterise this sunken London house, which designer James Shaw concealed on a 60-square-metre plot for himself and his family.

      Located in a conservation area in east London, the two-storey dwelling was constructed by Shaw and his friend, architect Nicholas Ashby.
      James Shaw built himself a sunken but light-filled homeThe neighbourhood’s planning restrictions required the pair to build all but 2.7 metres of the building out of sight from the street level, resulting in a sunken home with a large basement invisible from the outside.
      An open-plan kitchen, living and dining area feature in this underground space, which has exposed concrete walls interrupted by large, floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open onto a small terrace with a dinky plunge pool.
      The designer squeezed a bespoke sofa into one of the irregular cornersShaw and his writer-curator wife Lou Stoppard chose eclectic interiors for the home they share with their baby daughter – a collaboration that began with the duo’s 2022 London Design Festival installation of clashing furniture, created to poke fun at the tensions that arise when couples move in together for the first time.

      Made by Shaw, the pear-shaped walnut table from the installation features in the living area, surrounded by spindly stacking chairs first designed by furniture brand Blå Station founder Börge Lindau in 1986.
      Veneered MDF defines the kitchen cabinetsA custom aluminium bookshelf stretches across the wall opposite the table, built by Shaw to fit the unusual space. The designer also squeezed a bespoke burnt orange sofa into one of the irregular corners, illuminated by a large circular skylight.
      Known for his Plastic Baroque furniture made from recycled and extruded HDPE, Shaw placed a lumpy two-tone blue lounge chair next to the sofa – another piece that featured in his previous installation.
      The bathroom features Anni Albers-style mosaic flooringOpposite the living and dining area, the rectilinear kitchen cabinets were finished in veneered MDF, while the fridge was also fitted with a knobbly plastic handle.
      Stainless steel and pale blue HIMACS make up the worktops – one of which is on wheels to allow for flexibility when hosting.
      Squiggly pear-shaped sculptures top the bedpostsAcross the basement, a combination of oak finger parquet and raised-access metal tiles were used to create contrasting flooring. The silver-hued tiles can be lifted to reveal extra storage.
      Also underground, the bathroom was designed with a playfully patterned mosaic floor informed by the work of Bauhaus artist Anni Albers, including an abstract illustration of the couple’s cat, Rupert.
      The mirrored bathtub reflects and enhances the intricate flooring, while another rounded skylight adds natural light to the space.

      WillemsenU submerges house under the ground in the Netherlands

      An extruded blue plastic bannister snakes up the staircase to the bedroom – the only street-level room in the house.
      The Shaw-designed oak and brass bed features bedposts topped with squiggly pear-shaped sculptures, while the thin timber wardrobe was hand-painted with decorative panels by artist Marie Jacotey, who completed the project on-site.
      The bedroom is the only street-level roomStoppard’s vast art collection features throughout the sunken home, including delicate paintings by emerging artists Lydia Blakely and Mary Stephenson and antique artefacts from various travels.
      Elsewhere in London, Shaw’s trademark plastic furniture has also been used for retail projects. Footwear brand Camper’s Regent Street store includes bumpy yellow shelving by the designer, and a Traid charity clothes shop in Shepherd’s Bush has a wiggly bench upholstered in unsold clothes salvaged from the Traid warehouse.
      The photography is courtesy of James Shaw and Lou Stoppard. 

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