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    Neuhäusl Hunal divides Sculptor’s Apartment in Prague using curved glass partitions

    Czech architecture studio Neuhäusl Hunal has renovated a prefabricated apartment in Prague, turning it into an open-plan home and workspace for sculptor and glassworker Vladimír Bachorík.

    Neuhäusl Hunal opted for curved translucent glass partitions in place of doors to divide the interior spaces and create a sense of openness and fluidity.
    U-profiled glass partitions divide the interior spacesIn order to maximise floor space, the studio removed all non-load-bearing elements, leaving just a single load-bearing concrete wall that cuts through the living and workspaces.
    Three U-profiled glass partitions were then used to enclose a cloakroom, storage space and kitchen, while the remaining floor space can be used flexibly.
    An existing load-bearing concrete wall separates the living and work spacesA centralised, curved bathroom, raised by a small platform for waste management, is similarly enclosed by translucent glass panels and protrudes into the main space.

    The bathroom interior was lined extensively with white ceramic tiles and features a walk-in shower.
    Meanwhile, matching ceramic tiles were also used in the kitchen, which doubles as a work area for the artist.
    White mosaic tiles line the kitchen and bathroom”To design the maximally open and flowing space without doors, infrastructure, besides statics, was a key constraint, which defines the location of the single-almost-enclosed space: the bathroom,” studio architect and founder David Neuhäusl told Dezeen.
    “Therefore we emphasized [the bathroom] as the most prominent element in the apartment to create a strong spatial experience,” Neuhäusl continued.

    Akin Atelier houses Gallery Shop at Sydney Modern in “translucent bubble”

    The interior material palette was defined by the stripped concrete wall as well as the translucent panels and ceramic tiles, set on a background of white plaster walls and grey-toned rubber flooring.
    Metal furniture and shelving was used throughout the minimalist interior, with cubic plinths used to display Bachorík’s glasswork around the space.
    Existing windows draw daylight into the interior spacesDaylight shines through the existing windows at either end of the apartment and penetrates the glass partitions to create a brightly lit interior, while carefully positioned strip lights and spotlights provide artificial lighting.
    “These translucent glass blocks of high order ensure the penetration of light and create identity of the apartment,” Neuhäusl explained.
    “Their materiality and character naturally refer to the client’s lifelong work. They can be naturally composed in curves to formulate the softly shaped partitions.”
    Metal furniture is used throughout the spaceNeuhäusl Hunal is an architecture studio founded by David Neuhäusl and Matěj Hunal in the Czech Republic.
    Other projects recently completed in the Czech Republic include a winery topped with a sweeping concrete roof and an angular black extension to a neo-gothic church.
    The photography is by Radek Úlehla.

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    Video reveals Michael Hsu’s organic approach to interiors of Austin high-rise

    Texas studio Michael Hsu Office of Architecture has designed the common areas for a 50-storey residential high-rise building in Austin, as shown in this exclusive video captured by Dezeen.

    Called 44 East, the building is located east of downtown Austin in the Rainey Street Historic district. The firm designed the interiors of the building’s common areas, which take cues from its natural surroundings, particularly the neighbouring Colorado River.

    Michael Hsu Office of Architecture has designed the interiors of 44 East
    The practice enhanced the space using colour and texture, layering vintage and custom furnishings to create a relaxed and inviting ambience.
    Curved surfaces and light colours are incorporated throughout the space, with poured concrete terrazzo floors incorporated to pay homage to the gravel of the nearby riverside trail.
    Curved surfaces and light colours are incorporated into the lobby area of 44 EastThe interior is characterised by the use of soft shapes and natural materials throughout the various spaces, including on the eleventh floor, where pastel hues complement subtle architectural details.
    The outdoor swimming pool features a series of pebble-shaped islands, with a partially-covered patio inviting guests to relax outside and enjoy the views of the river.
    The eleventh floor features a circular outdoor swimming poolOn the thirty-seventh floor, a large moon-like pendant light is suspended above a plush circular sofa.
    The higher vantage point offers scenic views of downtown Austin, and features jewel tones and darker materials intended to complement the Texas skyline at dusk.
    The thirty-seventh floor features darker tones to complement views of the Texas skyline44 East was developed by Intracorp, while the tower and unit interiors were designed by Page and landscapes designed by DWG.
    The interior design of the common spaces is one of the latest projects by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, which is based in Austin and Houston.
    The company recently completed its self-designed Austin studio, which is adorned in wood-and-fabric lined walls and industrial details, to accommodate its growing team.
    The photography is by Chase Daniel.
    Partnership content
    This video was produced by Dezeen for Michael Hsu Office of Architecture as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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    Ductus coats blocky apartment complex with red plaster in Switzerland

    Architecture studio Ductus has designed an apartment complex coated with a monochrome red plaster facade into a sloping site in Schwarzenburg, Switzerland.

    Located on the outskirts of the village of Schwarzenburg in eastern Switzerland, the complex was designed by Ductus to have the appearance of a series of intersecting blocks of various heights that protrude and recede throughout the design.
    The red plaster-covered block was has a blocky appearanceAccommodating 16 apartments, the complex comprises two buildings sat perpendicular to one another that are connected by a shared garden.
    Balconies constructed from pressure-impregnated white fir and green columns contrast with the red plaster facade and overlook the garden and neighbouring buildings.
    Adjoining balconies are constructed from pressure-impregnated white fir, which contrast with the red facadeFlat roofs lined with untreated copper top the apartment complex, which distinguishing it from the surrounding more traditional pitched-roof buildings.

    On the exterior, untreated copper was also used for downpipes, while red-toned window frames and mechanical shutters match the plaster’s colour.

    PSLA Architekten tops urban townhouse with cascading roof terraces

    Within the apartments, textured white walls were set off by wooden flooring, while stylish bathrooms were characterised by red-toned fittings and decorative tiles to match the facade.
    Bright living spaces are lit by floor-to-ceiling doors that also provide access to the adjacent balconies.
    The complex contains 16 apartments split across two buildings”All 17 apartments were designed as condominiums,” Ductus partner Marcel Hauert told Dezeen.
    “The client’s desire was for all buyers to determine the interior finishes themselves. We provided a basic concept that could be adapted virtually without restrictions.”
    Red-toned fittings and tiles feature in the bathroomDuctus is an architecture studio operating between Sweden and Switzerland.
    Elsewhere in Switzerland, BE Architektur recently used intersecting sculptural blocks to form a barn-like house and Enrico Sassi has transformed a wood store into a micro home.
    The photography is by Rasmus Norlander.

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    La Balsanera house aims to revive “tradition of living on the river” in Ecuador

    Architecture studio Natura Futura Arquitectura and architect Juan Carlos Bamba have created a floating house along the Babahoyo River in Ecuador.

    Situated within a centuries-old floating village at risk of disappearing, La Balsanera is designed as a model for the preservation and sustainable redevelopment of the river’s depleting community.
    La Balsanera is a floating house along the Babahoyo RiverFollowing the river’s current closure as a commercial fluvial route, the community saw the number of floating structures decrease from 200 to 25.
    La Balsanera is hoped to help revive “the tradition of living on the river”, according to Natura Futura Arquitectura and Bamba.
    It has a terrace with a colourful hammockBuilt for a family of three, whose livelihoods include selling food to the local community and repairing wooden boats, the 70-square-metre design highlights the river as a vital socio-economic resource.

    A two-metre-wide extension to an existing platform provides terraces for them to use as “productive environments”, such as a cafe seating area or anchor point for tourist boats.
    Slatted openings provide ventilation”La Balsanera explores possible floating solutions that recover local artisan techniques while promoting the active and productive participation of the occupants in vulnerable communities,” Bamba told Dezeen.
    The home is built from wooden porticos constructed every two metres to form a gabled truss structure. This is topped by a corrugated roof that shelters the outdoor terraces and a colourful hammock.

    Floating Bamboo House offers model for “stable and safe accommodation”

    A central space hosts a shared living room, dining area and kitchen along with two bedrooms, while two external strips at either end provide a toilet, shower, laundry space and boat workshop.
    Slatted openings, known locally as “chazas”, have been made from recycled wood and help naturally ventilate and cool the interior.
    A bridge made from bamboo and wood connect the home to the mainlandA bridge made from bamboo and planks of wood provides a walkway between the floating home and the mainland.
    Meanwhile, shutter doors used throughout the design link the living spaces to the surrounding terraces.
    A seating area is provided on the river-facing terraceNatura Futura Arquitectura and Bamba are based in Ecuador and Spain respectively.
    Other projects completed by Natura Futura Arquitectura include a fitness centre featuring giant shutters and a mirrored viewing platform in the Ecuadorean countryside.
    The photography is by Francesco Russo.

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    Vote for your favourite home interior of 2023!

    For our review of 2023, we take a look back at the year’s 10 most interesting home interiors and invite our readers to pick their favourite.

    With more than 500 interior stories published on Dezeen in 2023 so far, there is a wide variety of beautiful and unusual homes to choose from.
    Among the 10 most interesting we’ve published are a lodge in South Africa, an apartment in Spain’s Torres Blancas tower and a tiny Scottish flat.
    The winner will be announced in a post on Dezeen on New Year’s Eve.
    Read on for this year’s home interior highlights, then vote here or by using the form at the bottom of the article.

    Photo by René de Wit and Pim TopDomūs Houthaven apartment, The Netherlands, by Shift Architecture Urbanism
    This home in Amsterdam residential complex Domūs Houthaven features a bedroom cupboard with built-in shelves and under-bed drawers. It can be closed off from the living space with folding doors made from perforated steel.
    Shift Architecture Urbanism used striking colour-blocked modular units in pastel hues to give the apartment a playful feel. The home also has untreated concrete ceilings and pale laminate floors that contrast with the colourful furnishings.
    Vote for Domūs Houthaven apartment ›
    Photo by Fabian MartinezCasa Tres Árboles, Mexico, by Direccion
    “Monastic sanctuaries” inspired this weekend home in Mexico’s Valle de Bravo, which was designed to celebrate light and shadows. Natural materials and an earthy colour palette were used throughout.
    Mexican studio Direccion, which designed the interior, removed a number of walls and adjusted the split-level floor to connect the home’s social spaces and open it up more. Artworks and artisan craft pieces were dotted throughout the house.
    Vote for Casa Tres Árboles ›
    Photo by Lorenzo ZandriHouse by the Sea, UK, by Of Architecture
    Designed for an artist and a surfer, House by the Sea is located by the sea in Newquay, Cornwall, and has an understated colour palette of off-white and grey hues.
    Its sitting area has expansive sliding windows that directly overlook Newquay’s picturesque Pentire Steps beach. A long L-shaped sofa was dressed in beige marl fabric, while a classic Eames lounge chair offers another space for relaxation.
    Walls were mostly kept clear, while green plants were scattered throughout the space to liven up the minimalist spaces.
    Vote for House by the Sea ›
    Photo by José HeviaTorres Blancas apartment, Spain, by Studio Noju
    This two-storey apartment in the curvy Torres Blancas apartment in Madrid was renovated by local firm Studio Noju to remain “in constant dialogue” with the original apartment design.
    The studio added terraces with curved floor-to-ceiling glazing and slatted crimson shutters, as well as gleaming sea-green floor tiles. Curves were used throughout the interior in a nod to the facade of the tower, which has cylindrical, bulbous balconies.
    Vote for the Torres Blancas apartment ›
    Photo by Jack LovelCity Beach house, Australia, by Design Theory
    This 1960s house in the City Beach suburb of Perth was given an update by interiors studio Design Theory.
    “The brief was, on the surface, simple: to update the home while keeping its considerable mid-century charm,” said the studio.
    The resulting home features warm, earthy materials, including Forbo Marmoleum flooring, exposed brick in terracotta tones and native Blackbutt timber. The furniture and decorations also reference the house’s mid-century modern origins.
    Vote for City Beach house ›
    Photo by Adrien DirandTembo Tembo Lodge, South Africa, by Studio Asaï
    Tembo Tembo Lodge, which won home interior of the year at Dezeen Awards 2023, is a family lodge made from rammed earth and located close to the Kruger National Park.
    Designed by Paris-based Studio Asaï, the living room features a “bush”-green sofa to evoke the colour of the foliage outside the house, as well as a stone table decorated with stone vases and a selection of small side tables in dark wood and steel.
    Vote for Tembo Tembo Lodge ›
    Photo by José Hevia10K House, Spain, by Takk
    Russian Matryoshka dolls, which are stacked inside each other, informed the interior of this apartment in Barcelona that was designed with a material budget of just 10,000 euros.
    Spanish studio Takk designed the home to be as sustainable as possible, nestling rooms inside one another to maximise insulation. The bedroom was raised on white recycled table legs and clad in gridded frames of medium-density fibreboard (MDF) that are enveloped by slabs of local sheep’s wool.
    Vote for 10K House ›
    Photo by Pierce ScourfieldGlasgow apartment, Scotland, by Lee Ivett, Simon Harlow and Duncan Blackmore
    Designed by its owner, developer Duncan Blackmore, together with architect Lee Ivett and designer Simon Harlow, this flat in Glasgow’s Govanhill area measures just 25 square metres.
    It was designed without any freestanding furniture. The designers removed internal walls and raised its existing structural openings closer to the ceiling, before inserting a number of 3D-volumes with built-in functions.
    “The main space is entirely unprogrammed and uncluttered and has almost nothing in it,” Blackmore told Dezeen.
    Vote for Glasgow apartment ›
    Photo by Seth Caplan (above and main image)Dumbo loft, USA, by Crystal Sinclair Designs
    An eye-catching book-lined mezzanine was among the solutions created by Crystal Sinclair Designs for this loft apartment in Brooklyn, which was renovated in a way that would expose its concrete shell.
    The studio also created a bedroom behind a glass partition for the home and filled it with furnishings intended to introduce European flair against the industrial backdrop. In the living space, wooden furniture adds an organic touch and contrasts with the concrete walls and white floor.
    Vote for Dumbo loft ›
    Photo by Tomooki KengakuHiroo Residence, Japan, by Keiji Ashizawa
    Architect and designer Keiji Ashizawa filled the Hiroo Residence in central Tokyo with wood, using the material for furniture pieces as well as panelling and artworks.
    To underline how light-filled the open-plan flat is, he used muted, subtle tones of grey and beige instead of bright white. The 200-square-metre apartment, which overlooks the Arisugawanomiya Memorial Park, also features decorative stone sculptures and Shaker-informed furniture.
    Vote for Hiroo Residence ›

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    Eight homes with practical and stylish built-in window seats

    For our latest lookbook, we’ve collected eight window seats in homes across the world including clever custom-made solutions in wood and concrete.

    By installing a window seat, interior designers don’t just add extra seating to a room, they also create a peaceful space that can be used for contemplation and relaxation.
    Whether it functions as a small nook for reading, a sofa for socialising or even as a daybed, these projects showcase how the built-in furniture piece has been used in homes from Denmark to China.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors created on a budget, immersive saunas and light-filled kitchens.
    Photo by Antoine HuotNicolai Paris, France, by NOA

    This Network of Architecture-designed Marais apartment inside a converted hotel has been outfitted with a selection of custom-made oak furniture. In the living room, a stylish built-in window seat was designed to function as both seating and storage space.
    Its curved shape was enhanced by the addition of black-leather cushions and pillows, which contrast the unadorned white walls and the bleached oak parquet with its decorative chevron pattern.
    Find out more about Nicolai Paris ›
    Photo by Mikkel MortensenVilla Wienberg, Denmark, by Wienberg Architects and Friis & Moltke
    Together with studio Friis & Moltke, Danish architects Mette and Martin Wienberg gave this 1940s cottage an overhaul to turn it into a home for their own family.
    The house has wooden panelling throughout and in the living space, the material was also used to form a low-slung window seat that functions as a bench around the room. Cosy pillows and a sheepskin add comfort.
    Find out more about Ell House ›
    Photo by Manon VandenhoeckMaison Jericho, France, by Olivia Fauvelle Architecture
    This outbuilding in Marseille was refurbished and extended by French studio Olivia Fauvelle Architecture. In the living room, a concrete window seat was added to help create a connection between the indoors and outdoors.
    It overlooks a tiled terrace with a pool and is topped with a leather daybed to create a restful space. A wood-burning stove hangs above the window seat, adding warmth to the room.
    Find out more about Maison Jericho ›
    Photo by Do Mal o MenosPuppeteers House, Portugal, by REDO Architects
    REDO Architects was inspired by stage sets when designing Puppeteers House in Sintra, Portugal, which features wooden joinery constructions intended to evoke theatrical scenography.
    This includes a curved wooden bench that functions as a window seat on the first-floor landing, where it is matched by wooden panelling.
    “We used a precise quarter of a circle as a tool – like a compass – in different radii, orientations, combinations and materialities,” REDO Architects founder Diogo Figueiredo told Dezeen.
    Find out more about Puppeteers House ›
    Photo (above and main image) by Maxime BrouilletEll House, Canada, by Ravi Handa Architect and AAmp Studio
    The built-in window seat in the Ell House holiday home in Wellington provides its owners with a picturesque view of Lake Ontario.
    The exterior of the house was clad in cedar that was charred using the Japanese yakisugi method while the interior features contrasting light oak millwork.
    The same wood was also used to form a window seat in the bedroom, which features clean lines and has a cushion for additional comfort.
    Find out more about Ell House ›
    Photo by Lorenzo Zandri and Christian BraileyMuswell Hill home, UK, by Architecture for London
    British studio Architecture for London designed this home in north London for its founder Ben Ridley. Located in an Edwardian house that hadn’t been renovated for almost 40 years, it was designed to be energy-saving and constructed using natural materials.
    A cosy window seat made from grey limestone can be found in the kitchen, where it connects to a storage cabinet made from pale oak.
    Find out more about Muswell Hill home ›
    Photo by Tian Fang FangU-Shape Room, China, by Atelier Tao + C
    U-shaped window seats are more unusual than rectangular ones. But in this Chinese home, the architects had little choice as the building is dominated by a huge, rounded bay window.
    Studio Atelier Tao+C added a curved plywood seat that also has storage spaces. It matches a two-storey plywood volume that houses all the functional rooms of the apartment.
    Find out more about U-Shape Room ›
    Photo by Magnus Berger NordstrandThe Yellow House in the Apple Garden, Norway, by Familien Kvistad
    This renovated 1950s house in Oslo was given a colourful interior by locally based duo Familien Kvistad and also features “an abundance of wood”.
    While window seats are usually placed under large windows, here the designers chose to add one underneath the smaller, rectangular kitchen window. The long bench is made from ash and has practical storage space hidden underneath a dark green cushion seat.
    Find out more about The Yellow House ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors created on a budget, immersive saunas and light-filled kitchens.

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    Eight bright and airy interiors illuminated by perforated brick walls

    Dezeen’s latest lookbook explores eight interiors – from bright, airy residential spaces to cool, open-plan offices – illuminated by perforated brick walls.

    Perforated brick walls are often used as a cooling strategy in warmer climates. This lookbook highlights their effect on the lighting and shading of interior spaces and how they can be used to create a playful, light atmosphere.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with light-filled kitchens, sculptural wooden staircases and airy, pared-back loft conversions.
    Photo by Hemant PatilStudio by the Hill, India, by Mind Manifestation
    This converted apartment in Pune, India – designed by architecture studio Mind Manifestation to house the studio’s office – uses perforated bricks to create a well-lit and ventilated workspace.

    Bricks was used extensively across the flooring and complemented by green lime plaster walls.
    “The material palette has been tastefully chosen so as to match with the different shades of the hill throughout the year,” Mind Manifestation explained.
    Find out more about Studio by the Hill ›
    Photo by Oki HiroyukiCuckoo House, Vietnam, by Tropical Space
    Cuckoo House, designed by Tropical Space, is a two-storey home situated atop a cafe in Da Nang, Vietnam, encased by a shell made from local clay bricks.
    Living spaces on the upper floor feature perforated brick for privacy and ventilation, with the design resulting in a playful chequered lighting pattern across the wooden and concrete interior.
    Find out more about Cuckoo House ›
    Photo by Oki HiroyukiWall House, Vietnam, by CTA
    Square perforated bricks salvaged from nearby buildings sites are used on the exterior of CTA’s Wall House in Bien Hoa, Vietnam.
    Stacked in an irregular formation, the punctured bricks filter sunlight and air into the space, creating dotted shadows across the plant-filled double-height living room.
    Find out more about Wall House ›
    Photo by Hemant PatilGadi House, India, by PMA Madhushala
    Gadi House in Maval, India, by PMA Madhushala is a compact arrangement of volumes and courtyards.
    Dimly-lit courtyards and living spaces are illuminated by pockets of sunlight accessed through perforations in the brick and stone walls.
    Find out more about Gadi House ›
    Photo by Federico CairoliIntermediate House, Paraguay, by Equipo de Arquitectura
    The Intermediate House by Paraguay-based studio Equipo de Arquitectura is a narrow residence in Asunción organised around an open-air courtyard.
    Manually pressed, unfired bricks form the perforated street-facing facade – drawing sunlight and air through the vaulted brick-roofed dining room and into adjacent spaces.
    Find out more about Intermediate House ›
    Photo by Oki HiroyukiThe Termitary House, Vietnam, by Tropical Space
    Patterned shadows decorate the dimly-lit brick and wood interior of The Termitary House in Da Nang, Vietnam, designed by Tropical Space.
    Inspired by earthen termite nests, the studio used perforated brick on the facade and internal walls to bring natural light into the interiors during the day and draw in artificial light at night.
    Find out more about The Termitary House ›
    Photo by Timothy KayeCloud House, Australia, by Dean Dyson Architects
    Australian studio Dean Dyson Architects designed the Cloud House – a two-storey home in Malvern – using an exterior layer of grey, perforated brickwork.
    Intended to create a “private oasis” for the clients, the perforated brick pours light into the interior living spaces, with passive ventilation enabled by operable windows.
    Find out more about Cloud House ›
    Photo by Joana FrançaTropical Shed, Brazil, by Laurent Troost Architectures
    Located on a long, narrow plot in Manaus, Tropical Shed is a plant-filled office with a centralised courtyard designed by Brazilian studio Laurent Troost Architectures.
    Interlocking bricks – repeated throughout the design – form a perforated wall in the double-height office to create a cool work environment decorated with playful shadows.
    Find out more about Tropical Shed ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with light-filled kitchens, sculptural wooden staircases and airy, pared-back loft conversions.

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    Video reveals Austin guesthouse perched above existing family bungalow

    This exclusive video produced by Dezeen features The Perch, architect Nicole Blair’s elevated house extension in Austin, which was designed to maximise living space.

    As its name suggests, the structure is perched just two feet above the roof of the existing home to minimise disturbance to the residence below.
    Blair clad the guesthouse in weathering-steel panels and added wood-framed windows provided by Windsor Windows & Doors. The Burnt Pumpkin colour of the windows was selected to complement the Corten-steel exterior.

    The structure spans 660 square feet and consists of an irregularly shaped steel volume supported by four columns.
    The assembly of the steel structure took place offsite, in order to minimise disruption to the mature vegetation on the premises and reduce on-site material storage.
    The wood-clad windows were provided by Windsor Windows & DoorsThe architect designed the interior of the guesthouse to have a bright, airy atmosphere and adorned it with colourful accents.
    It features wood flooring supplied and installed by local company Artisan Hardwood Floors, which was complemented with pink cabinetry and exposed plumbing fittings throughout the home.
    The materials used for the wood flooring were a mix of pre-finished plain and rift-sawn white oak, along with excess wood recycled from a larger project by the company.
    The wood flooring was supplied and installed by Artisan Hardwood FloorsThe first floor of the guesthouse encompasses an open-concept kitchen, living room and dining area with compact footprints and vaulted ceilings for an increased sense of space.
    The upper level includes a room facing the street and another overlooking the backyard, designated for use as a guest bedroom and a hair salon for one of the hairstylist owners.
    The photography is by Casey Dunn.
    Partnership content
    This video was produced by Dezeen for Windsor Windows & Doors and Artisan Hardwood Floors as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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