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      Four homes haunted by ghostly apparitions

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      To mark Halloween, we have rounded up four homes where ghostly residents have been unwittingly captured by photographers.

      The life of an architectural photographer might seem rather glamorous, but few people realise it sometimes means coming face-to-face with the undead.
      This roundup features four homes where a ghostly figure has been caught on camera by the photographer.
      Read on if you dare:
      Photo is by Jackal LiuNancy’s Big Apartment, Taiwan, by Studio In2

      Interiors specialist StudioIn2 was inspired to mess with dimensions using full-height partition walls and tall furnishings inside this Taipei apartment by the 1989 comedy film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.
      But perhaps horror flick Paranormal Activity would have been more fitting, as the sliding doors are intermittently moved around by an eery, supernatural figure.
      Find out more about Nancy’s Big Apartment ›
      Photo is by Jeremie WarshafskyPape Loft, Canada, by StudioAC
      A ghostly figure was captured haunting the mezzanine of the Pape Loft, which fittingly occupies a renovated church overhauled by Toronto firm StudioAC.
      The studio created the minimalist two-bedroom house by carrying out a “design purge”, though the renovation failed to banish the sepulchral wraith.
      Find out more about Pape Loft ›
      Photo courtesy of VoraVallirana 47, Spain, by Vora
      A figure wearing orange trousers can be seen pacing the corridors of the Barcelona apartments revamped by architecture studio Vora.
      In the apartment, original patterned tile floors were also retained, as part of an interplay between the old and the new.
      Find out more about Vallirana 47 ›
      Photo is by Jochen VerghoteAntwerp apartment attic, Belgium, by Van Staeyen Interieur Architecten
      Van Staeyen Interieur Architecten converted a dark and dusty attic in Antwerp into a living space that features arched portals, curvy furniture and yellow decor accents.
      Despite the playful new interior, the attic appears to be haunted by a ghost child who was captured playing in multiple locations in the renovated loft.
      Find out more about this Antwerp apartment attic ›

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      Five key exhibitions at Lisbon Architecture Triennale 2022

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      Lisbon Architecture Triennale has returned for its sixth edition, with exhibitions, installations and contributions by the likes of Dutch studio MVRDV and Japanese studio Tomoaki Uno Architects.

      Titled Terra, the Latin word for earth, this year’s Lisbon Architecture Triennale is a call to action centring on sustainability and forging a balance between communities, resources and processes.
      The 14-week-long event was curated by Portuguese architects and educators Cristina Veríssimo and Diogo Burnay. It takes place until 5 December 2022 and includes a number of exhibitions, book launches, conferences and fringe events across the city of Lisbon.
      Each of the exhibitions and events highlights climate change, human reliance on resources as well as social, economic and environmental injustices and how these issues are connected.
      Read on for five key exhibitions at the 2022 edition of Lisbon Architecture Triennale:

      Multiplicity
      Curated by Cityscapes Magazine co-founder Tau Tavengwa and anthropologist and writer Vyjayanthi Rao, Multiplicity is an exhibition that looks at ways architecture and design can respond better to global challenges such as inequality, climate change and conflict.
      The exhibition is organised across several of the National Museum of Contemporary Art’s minimally decorated rooms, with books, posters and other exhibits arranged on folio cabinets and plywood tables to encourage visitors to engage with them.
      It also includes case studies of architecture projects, such as Wiki House by Architecture 00, BookWorm pavilion by Nudes and Plugin House by People’s Architecture Office, which highlight architectural and design-led initiatives and solutions to social and global issues.

      Retroactive
      Retroactive is an exhibition at Lisbon’s Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT), curated by design studio Taller Capital founders Loreta Castro Reguera and José Pablo Ambrosi.
      It identifies ways to help communities living in “vulnerable places due to overcrowding, lack of resources and basic service infrastructure” through the use of architectural initiatives.
      “Retroactive explores the suturing tools of communities in urgent need of architectural solutions that may reconcile their sense of belonging and spatial dignity,” explained Lisbon Architecture Triennale organisers.

      Cycles
      At the Garagem Sul museum, Cycles highlights the circular economy of materials, presenting ways in which designers, architects and creatives can reuse waste. The exhibition was designed by local office Rar.Studio and curated by architect Pedro Ignacia Alonso with art curator Pamela Prado.
      “Cycles addresses the role of architecture within the endless processes of transformation and redistribution of matter, and showcases the possible encounter between architecture and sustainability, economy, heritage and memory,” said organisers of Lisbon Architecture Triennale.
      A focal point of the exhibition is Falca, a mound of cork piled in the rear corner of the gallery by artist Lara Almarcegui.

      Visionaries 
      Visionaries is described by its curator Anastassia Smirnova as an “invitation for action”. It is arranged within the Culturgest centre across a collection of rooms, which each shed light on radical ideas spanning different categories or themes.
      Among the visionary projects is Dutch architecture studio MVRDV’s proposal to raise Eindhoven’s cathedral by 55 metres to insert social and public functions below it, alongside an exploration into French architect Roger Anger’s utopian city Auroville in India. Other contributors include Japanese studio Tomoaki Uno Architects, Spanish architect Andrés Jaque and Spanish office Ensamble Studio.
      “Their projects, more than mere physical and spatial structures, are ambitious and controversial prescriptions for planetary strategies,” said Lisbon Architecture Triennale.
      “In many different forms, from the bedroom scale to city models, these radical prototypes are open to being productively interpreted, not just replicated, by future generations.”

      Independent Projects
      Alongside the main exhibitions, a total of 16 projects have been developed in response to the triennale’s theme of Terra. Twelve of these are exhibited at the event’s headquarters at Palacio Sinel de Cordes, while the other four are dotted across the city of Lisbon.
      Among them is After Plastics, a project by KALA.studio that imagines a landscape where microplastics play a vital role in a new plant growth. Meanwhile, designers Zhicheng Xu, Mengqi Moon He, Stratton Coffman, Calvin Zhong and Wuyahuang Li, are presenting Lodgers, a proposal for temporary housing for different life forms in Nevada, built from local materials.
      Lisbon Architecture Triennale takes place from 1 October to 5 December 2022 in Lisbon, Portugal. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
      The photography is by Sara Constança.

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      Ten maximalist interiors that are saturated with colours and patterns

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      Clashing colours, statement furnishings and mismatched patterns feature in this lookbook, which rounds up ten flamboyant interiors that embody the maximalist aesthetic.

      Maximalism is a style of art and design that rejects the rules of minimalism. Instead, exuberance is celebrated and anarchic use of pattern, colour and texture are encouraged.
      According to Claire Bingham, author of the book More is More, the style can be attributed to the Memphis Group – the 1980s design and architecture collective known for their bold postmodern creations.
      However, as demonstrated by this roundup, maximalism continues to make its mark today, as designers apply the aesthetic to the interiors of our homes as well as to public spaces.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing brutalist interiors, walk-in wardrobes and colourful living rooms.

      Photo is by Benoit LineroHotel Les Deux Gares, France, by Luke Edward Hall
      Contemporary pea-green walls stand in stark contrast to chintzy wallpaper and soft velvet sofas in the rooms of the Hotel Les Deux Gares in Paris.
      According to its designer Luke Edward Hall, the aesthetic is intended to be “anti-modern” – harking back to a Paris of the past.
      Find out more about Hotel Les Deux Gares ›
      Photo is by Adrián LlagunoCasa TEC 205, Mexico, by Moneo Brock
      The bright-coloured works of Mexican architect Luis Barragán informed the look of this maximalist-style home in Monterrey, designed by architecture studio Moneo Brock.
      Inside, striking wallpaper prints are juxtaposed with geometric tiling and colour-blocked walls, such as in the kitchen and dining room where a large floral mural takes centre stage.
      Find out more about Casa TEC 205 ›
      Photo is by Günther EggerRookies, Germany, by Stephanie Thatenhorst
      Designer Stephanie Thatenhorst challenged the conventional look of healthcare facilities when designing this kid-friendly optician in Munich.
      Intended as a “noisy, wild and unique paradise for children”, it marries a bright blue carpet with geometric wall tiles, U-shaped neon lights and display areas covered in apricot-coloured fabric.
      Find out more about Rookies ›

      Schiphol airport lounge, Netherlands, by Marcel Wanders
      The flamboyant rooms of the Schiphol airport lounge were all given a distinct look when renovated by Marcel Wanders, a creative best known for his uninhibited maximalist style.
      Among them is an animated seating area that references canal houses in Amsterdam. Its finishes include wall panels resembling giant stained-glass windows and a cartoonish lamp that mimics a street light.
      Find out more about Schiphol airport lounge ›
      Photo is by The IngallsAustin Proper Hotel and Residences, USA, by Kelly Wearstler
      Interior designer Kelly Wearstler teamed local art and textiles with one-off vintage details when creating the eclectic interior for Austin Proper Hotel and Residences.
      This includes the hotel’s drinking establishment, which occupies a room with high ceilings covered in decorative wallpaper. Below, a cobalt blue-painted bar sits against low stuffed armchairs, chunky wooden tables and stone plinths.
      Find out more about Austin Proper Hotel and Residences ›

      Annabel’s, UK, by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio
      This dim hallway features in London members’ club Annabel’s, which was recently overhauled by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio to make visitors feel as though they have been “transported somewhere else”.
      Similarly to the rest of the building, the corridor features clashing animal prints across all its surfaces and is overlooked by a sculpture of a gorilla on a seat – just one of the fanciful features hidden inside.
      Find out more about Annabel’s ›

      Mondrian hotel, Qatar, by Marcel Wanders
      Marcel Wanders also applied his signature maximalist style to the interior of the Mondrian hotel in Doha, which is filled with mismatched patterns and oversized furnishings.
      Among its standout spaces is the swimming pool on the 27th floor. Crowned by a floral-patterned stained-glass dome, it features bulbous white seating, a tactile grass-like bridge and monochrome tiling.
      Find out more about Mondrian hotel ›

      Studio Job office, Belgium, by Studio Job
      Studio Jobs’ founder Job Smeet describes his maximal self-designed home and office in Antwerp as being “like a visual assault”.
      Encased by an exposed concrete shell, it comprises a central gallery space, kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms – one of which clashes paint-splattered walls with shark-patterned wallpaper, a maze-like rug and spaghetti-print bed sheets.
      Find out more about Studio Job office ›
      Photo is by Christian HarderEsme Hotel, USA, by Jessica Schuster Design
      In an overhaul of the boutique Esme Hotel in Miami, New York studio Jessica Schuster Design opted for saturated tones and sculptural furnishings to “create an artful collage of bohemian grandeur”.
      Among its decadent spaces is a mahogany cocktail bar that is encircled by fringed stools and sculptural pendant lighting, set against a checkered floor and a wooden ceiling.
      Find out more about Esme Hotel ›
      Photo is by Prue Ruscoe with styling by Alicia SciberrasPolychrome House, Australia, by Amber Road and Lymesmith
      Pops of bright primary colours feature in every room of this 1960s house in Sydney, which was recently renovated by studio Amber Road and colour consultant Lymesmith.
      When extending the ground floor, the team introduced an open-plan living space with graphic paved floors modelled on aerial photographs of the surrounding terrain, which contrasts with white-painted brick walls that are partly covered by an abstract mural.
      Find out more about Polychrome House ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing brutalist interiors, walk-in wardrobes and colourful living rooms.

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      Ten homes with walk-in wardrobes that store clothes in interesting ways

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      In this lookbook, we pick out 10 home interiors that feature walk-in closets designed to provide bedroom storage that is both practical and appealing.

      Walk-in wardrobes create a bespoke storage solution that is hard to achieve with standard furniture.
      Often they are considered a luxurious feature used to declutter the bedroom in large houses, but as the 10 examples below demonstrate, they can also be a sleek solution for utilising dead space in smaller homes.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing well-organised bedrooms, interiors with built-in furniture and homes that make a feature of their corridors.
      Photo is by Jack LovelMarine, Australia, by David Barr Architects

      This walk-through wardrobe sits in a corridor between a bathroom and the master bedroom of a cottage near Perth.
      Birch-plywood storage units and concrete flooring define the wardrobe, a continuation of the materials used throughout the light and airy extension designed by David Barr architects.
      Find out more about Marine ›
      Photo is by Roehner + RyanO-asis, USA, by The Ranch Mine
      Warm-toned wood shelving and cabinetry was combined with terrazzo flooring in this enormous walk-in closet that sets out clothes like a boutique fashion store.
      It flows right off from the bathroom of a large house in Arizona designed for a musician by architecture studio The Ranch Mine.
      Find out more about O-asis ›
      Photo is by Pion StudioBotaniczna Apartment, Poland, by Agnieszka Owsiany Studio
      A linen-curtain screen tidily obscures the walk-in wardrobe in this Poznań apartment designed by Agnieszka Owsiany Studio.
      The elegant and delicate aesthetic of the curtains contributes to the calming atmosphere the studio sought to create, as well as helping to offset the adjacent burl-wood vanity desk that acts as the bedroom’s feature element.
      Find out more about Botaniczna Apartment ›
      Photo is by Studio NojuCasa Triana, Spain, by Studio Noju
      Studio Noju used a floor-to-ceiling curtain to create a walk-in wardrobe in the main bedroom of this renovated apartment in Seville.
      The studio used a bright yellow paint for the wardrobe that contrasts with the monochrome curtain and surrounding walls, adding to the sense of theatre and surprise when the drape is drawn back.
      Find out more about Casa Triana ›
      Photo by Do Mal o MenosApartment in Estrela, Portugal, by Aurora Arquitectos
      A small, triangular room in this old Lisbon apartment was converted into a walk-in closet as part of a revamp by Aurora Arquitectos.
      White curtains cover a storage unit that runs along the longest wall of the wardrobe, which is provided with natural light by glazing above an arched doorway.
      Find out more about Apartment in Estrela ›
      Photo is by Hey! CheeseHouse H, Taiwan, by KC Design Studio
      This basement apartment in Taipei was given a moody colour palette and raw textures in an overhaul by KC Design Studio.
      That theme was continued in the walk-in wardrobe off the master bedroom, which acts as a dressing area between an en-suite bathroom and a private lounge.
      Find out more about House H ›
      Photo is by David FoesselHubert, France, by Septembre
      Embedded within a modestly sized Paris apartment renovated by architecture studio Septembre, this walk-in closet is an example of clever utilisation of space.
      A wall behind the bed forms a partial division, allowing for generous clothing storage while retaining the room’s overall proportions.
      Find out more about Hubert ›
      Photo is by José HeviaThe Magic Box Apartment, Spain, by Raúl Sánchez Architects
      This apartment near Barcelona, designed by Raúl Sánchez Architects, takes the concept of a walk-in wardrobe to a new level.
      Aptly called The Magic Box Apartment, it features a shiny brass wardrobe that divides two bedrooms instead of a traditional partition wall, which can be passed through like a secret passageway.
      Find out more about The Magic Box Apartment ›
      Photo is by Pablo PachecoRL House Renovation, Spain, by Diego López Fuster Arquitectura
      Diego López Fuster Arquitectura opted to give the bedroom of this Alicante a generous walk-in wardrobe that acts as a full dressing area.
      Rather than being hidden or tucked away, its wide proportions help to make the relatively long and narrow bedroom feel more spacious.
      Find out more about RL House Renovation ›
      Photo is by José HeviaCasp21, Spain, by Bonba Studio
      Green-panelled wood boxing encloses a sizeable walk-in wardrobe in the corner of this bedroom in a converted office building in Barcelona.
      Through this intervention, Bonba Studio maximised the feeling of brightness and spaciousness in the room, as well as ensuring that the full impact of the traditional vaulted ceiling was maintained.
      Find out more about Casp21 ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing well-organised bedrooms, interiors with built-in furniture and homes that make a feature of their corridors.

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      Ten atriums that brighten and expand residential spaces

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      A Montreal home with a trapeze net, a warehouse conversion in London and an Indian home with a monolithic marble facade are among the residences in this lookbook, which feature atriums as a central aspect of their design.

      Atriums – large spaces, surrounded by a building, that are either open-air or feature skylights – were originally used in Roman homes, where they functioned more like a courtyard.
      Modern atriums typically feature in larger buildings and are cavernous spaces that stretch up for stories.
      For residential architecture, architects who want to include atrium spaces have to scale down the size, but that doesn’t mean that homes can’t have the loft ceilings and ample light provided by atriums.

      In these homes, the central space is open, with skylights and glass ceilings bringing light into the heart of the structure.
      Atriums provide an option for airiness when confronted with constructing homes on busy city streets where exterior views are not always desirable.
      Often, the other rooms and spaces are all accessed from the atrium space, and many times trees feature in these lofty spaces.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing floating staircases, calm green bedrooms and organic modern interiors.
      The photo is by Adrien WilliamsAtrium Townhome, Canada, by Robitaille Curtis
      When dealing with limited space in city buildings, an atrium can open up the inside of the home. For this Montreal Townhome, Canadian studio Robitalle Curtis oriented the white-walled interiors around a triple-height atrium.
      The atrium is in the centre of the house and extends up from the open-layout kitchen upwards. A skylight brings light into the void and the open space is punctuated by a trapeze that forms a children’s play area on the top floor.
      Find out more about Atrium Townhome ›
      The photo is by Yohei SasakuraMargin House, Japan, by Kohei Yukawa
      Kohei Yukawa of Yukawa Design Lab designed this home for himself in Ibaraki City, north of Osaka. The corrugated-metal-clad home features a central atrium with a small tree.
      Instead of being completely topped by a skylight, the atrium fits into the slanted volume of the home. A wall of glass accompanies it on one side and at the top two clerestory windows bring light into the void.
      Find out more about Margin House ›
      The photo is by Glen GeryLa Clairière, USA, by Studio PHH
      Brooklyn-based Studio PHH connected two wood-and-brick-clad volumes with a double-height atrium that serves as the living room for this New Jersey home.
      The space has floor-to-ceiling glass on two sides where it faces the outdoors and is filled by a central staircase that leads to a mezzanine. Two large circular skylights brighten the space from above.
      Find out more about La Clairière ›
      The photo is by Rory GardinerBethnal Green warehouse apartment, UK, by Paper House Project
      UK studio Paper House Project’s design for this London home saw the studio turn an open-office space in an old warehouse into a residence. In order to add bedrooms to the space while still maintaining natural light on the first floor, the studio incorporated an atrium topped by skylights.
      The double-height atrium is lined with gridded windows that also bring light into the bedrooms above. Instead of a tree, the void of the atrium is filled by a sculptural chandelier.
      Find out more about this warehouse conversion ›

      Tawainese home, Taiwan, by KC Design Studio
      KC Design Studio was tasked with bringing extra light into this 50-year-old home in Tawain. In order to do so, an atrium-like central void was created.
      A metal stairway follows the atrium up three levels, creating a central flow through the home and bringing in plenty of natural light. Plants have been hung from the exposed structural rafters to take advantage of the sunlight and add life to the design.
      Find out more about this Taiwanese home ›
      The photo is by Hiroyuki OkiHouse for Daughter, Vietnam, by Khuôn Studio
      This house in Ho Chi Min City by Khuôn Studio features a massive triple-height atrium that splits the two sections of the home, one of which is used by the full-time residents and one by their daughter.
      The atrium features public spaces, a tree and a series of skylights that bring in light to the cavernous volume. The edges of the rooms on either side protrude into the area and are rounded, adding a softness to the atrium space.
      Find out more about House for Daughter ›
      The photo is by Photo André Jeanpierre Fanthome and Suryan//DangCleft House, India, by Anagram Architects
      This New Delhi house by Anagram Architects features two monumental marble blocks that are split by a massive atrium. The four-storey atrium is topped by a glass ceiling and even has a glass-lined elevator shaft on one wall.
      A massive spiral staircase fills the void and plant-filled public areas are arranged throughout the space. Balconies for rooms on the upper floor have been positioned to look out over the atrium, giving the impression of an open-air space.
      Find out more about Cleft House ›
      The photo is by Andres Garcia LachnerJungle Frame House, Costa Rica, by Studio Saxe
      Studio Saxe oriented this steel-framed home in Costa Rica around a “tropical atrium”. The three-storey atrium is lined by glass and wooden louvres so that the jungle is visible from much of the home.
      Because of the wooden slats, the ground floors have shadows similar to the floor of the jungle with the shadows of the overstory. At the bottom of the atrium space is the living room, which extends outside into a wrap-around patio.
      Find out more about Jungle Frame House ›
      The photo is by Hey!CheeseHouse H, Taiwan, by HAO Design
      The atrium was achieved in this home in Kaohsiung by removing the interior staircase and putting it outdoors. HAO Design decided that orienting the home around an atrium was the best way to take advantage of the space left by the staircase.
      A skylight at the top illuminates the kitchen and a variety of other living spaces are positioned as mezzanines on the upper floors. The home now serves as a cafe and furniture store.
      Find out more about House H ›
      The photo is by Albers StudioThe Lomas House, Mexico, by Arqueodigma Studio 
      Because of the busy area of Guadalajara where this home is located,  Arqueodigma decided to orient it inwards. The central public areas of the home are arranged around a triple-height atrium covered by a skylight.
      In the space are trees that rise up into the open area left open in the wooden ceiling. The public spaces on the ground floor were left mostly open so that the atrium can diffuse light through much of the home.
      Find out more about The Lomas House ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing floating staircases, calm green bedrooms and organic modern interiors.

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      Ten interiors with a natural and calming organic modern design

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      For our latest lookbook we’ve collected 10 projects that exemplify the organic modern design style, which combines minimalist interiors with natural textures and colours.

      Organic materials, a muted colour palette and details such as rustic accessories and plenty of green plants are among the things that characterise the organic modern trend.
      While the style has a similar look to pared-down minimalist and Japandi interiors, the focus in organic modern interiors is more on bringing earthy colours and natural materials into the home, as seen in the 10 examples below.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing relaxing hammocks, white bathrooms and colourful staircases.
      Photography is by Lorenzo Zandri and Christian BraileyMuswell Hill home, UK, by Architecture for London

      This energy-saving home in London’s Muswell Hill has an interior filled with natural materials.
      In the living room, wood was used for the ceiling, storage and furniture, and large plants – including a monstera deliciosa and a banana plant – add a touch of green. A colourful Isamu Noguchi paper lamp is a stylish modernist detail.
      Find out more about Muswell Hill home ›
      Photography is by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm ArchitectsForest Retreat, Sweden, by Norm Architects
      Danish studio Norm Architects created a home fitting for its surroundings with Forest Retreat, a traditional timber cabin set within a pine forest in Sweden.
      In a new-built annex, a raised daybed-cum-window seat sits next to a wall of glazing. The organic modern interior features details such as sturdy linen fabrics and a rugged jute rug, while the colour palette was kept earthy and calming.
      Find out more about Forest Retreat ›
      Photography is by Rasmus HjortshøjVipp Pencil Case, Denmark, by Julie Cloos Mølsgaard
      The interior of the 90-square-metre Vipp Pencil Case hotel in Copenhagen has a pared-down feel to it, but its well-sourced accessories add interest.
      In the eating area, large rustic vases filled with dried branches decorate the windowsills, and a rough-hewn wood vessel sits on the floor. Rounded, organic shapes and woven baskets add a countryside feel to the modern space.
      Find out more about Vipp Pencil Case ›
      Photography is by Do SyBrown Box apartment, Vietnam, by Limdim House Studio
      Curving and arched walls give Brown Box apartment in Vietnam an unusual look. While the architecture is eye-catching, its colour and material palette was kept natural and subtle.
      Cream and brown hues were used for the whole flat, including in the bedroom. Here, furniture in organic materials such as wood and leather add textural interest, and sculptural lighting contrasts against the clean lines in the room.
      Find out more about Brown Box Apartment ›
      Photography is by Caitlin MillsOcean House, Australia, by Rob Mills
      Ocean House’s clean, contemporary concrete design is combined with the warmth of a beach house through its organic modern interior.
      “I don’t see the design as being stark,” architect Rob Mills said. “The interior is organic and tactile, and incorporates neutral fabrics.”
      This can be seen in the living room, where cosy rugs and wooden furniture in pale hues sit next to design classics like Eero Saarinen’s Tulip table.
      Find out more about Ocean House ›
      Photography is by Maarten WillemsteinAmsterdam dyke house, the Netherlands, by Studio Modijefsky
      Dutch firm Studio Modijefsky renovated this dijkhuis – a traditional Dutch dwelling set next to a dyke – to respect the 19th-century style building’s heritage but add modern touches.
      In one of the bedrooms, this has resulted in a modern interior that is heavy on organic materials such as line, jute and leather, with a monstera plant in the window adding a bit of nature.
      Find out more about Amsterdam dyke house ›
      Photography is by Brian Ferry20 Bond Street, US, by Home Studios
      Bespoke furniture and vintage finds were used for the interior of 20 Bond Street in New York, set in a building from 1925. Design firm Home Studios renovated the space to “marry contemporary and vintage influences.”
      To do so it created a peaceful modern organic design, as seen in the bedroom, above, and living room (top image.) Brown, tan and cream colours were used in the whole flat, with a material palette of wood and copper.
      Find out more about 20 Bond Street ›
      Photography is by Martino di Napoli RampollaVilla Medicea di Marignolle, Italy, by Frama
      The dramatic interior of this self-contained residence inside a Renaissance villa was created by Danish design brand Frama for filmmaker Albert Moya.
      With a darker colour palette than that which usually signifies organic modern interiors, it nonetheless showcases its mix of modernist design and natural materials well in this tranquil wood-clad bedroom.
      Find out more about Villa Medicea di Marignolle ›
      Photo is by AriakePorta Venezia apartment, Italy, by Ariake
      For this year’s Milan design week, Japanese brand Ariake created a show flat in the city’s Porta Venezia area.
      Its Cipango exhibition, on view in the space, showed designs by Japanese and European designers with a focus on natural colours. Quirky accessories such as Folkform’s Plissé lamp and dried flowers create a homely atmosphere.
      Find out more about Porta Venezia apartment ›
      Photography is by Prue RuscoeWoorak House, Australia, by CM Studio
      This holiday home in Sydney was designed to optimise the view of its green surroundings and is built as a sequence of pavilions.
      Materials used for the home include pale limestone, brushed oak wood and marble. Its main bedroom has an all-white interior and has been decorated with an orchid in a vase and a pendant lamp to add interest to the monochrome room.
      Find out more about Woorak House ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing timber-clad bathrooms, light-filled glass extensions and exposed wooden floorboards.

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      Ten white bathrooms that are far from boring

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      Our latest lookbook explores contemporary takes on traditional white bathrooms, proving that monochrome doesn’t have to be monotonous.

      White bathroom interiors are an enduring household trend, typically chosen for being practical but also for their connotations of cleanliness.
      Yet, their simplicity is often seen as being sterile, traditional or devoid of design.
      The ten examples listed below challenge this notion, demonstrating that with the right choice of tiles, plants and layers of texture, a white bathroom can still be an inviting sanctuary.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing colourful staircases, living rooms with stone surfaces and light-filled glass extensions.

      Photo is by Maxime BockenThe Euclid Residence, Canada, by Ancerl Studio
      Wall lights, curtains and a framed print make the white bathroom at The Euclid Residence feel more like a living room than a purely practical space.
      Located off of the house’s main bedroom, the room also features a softly curved tub that grants its user views out onto an adjoining balcony.
      Find out more about The Euclid Residence ›
      Photo is by Fernando GuerraHouse in Fontinha, Portugal, by Manuel Aires Mateus
      To add visual interest to the clean-cut washroom at House in Fontinha, architect Manuel Aires Mateus embedded a bathtub within its floor.
      The level change is demarcated by polished concrete that also helps to break up the space. Beside it, a low-lying window introduces splashes of colour into the room.
      Find out more about House in Fontinha ›
      Photo is by Ben HoskingThe Melburnian Apartment, Australia, by Edition Office
      Skinny white tiles envelop the bathroom at The Melburnian Apartment, covering its curved walls, floor and walk-in shower that is hidden and accessed through a large opening.
      Designed by Edition Office, the tiles are teamed with a large mirror and a vanity cabinet that has a marbled finish and monolithic washbasins on top.
      Find out more about The Melburnian Apartment ›
      Photo is by Hey! CheeseXS House, Taiwan, by Phoebe Sayswow Architects
      Phoebe Sayswow Architects gave this white bathroom a graphic quality by using bright pink grout between its glazed white tiles instead of the traditional grey or white options.
      To add depth to the room, which is located in a small one-bedroom apartment in Taipei, a matching vanity unit projects from the wall. The space is finished with black bathroom products and a suitably-bold begonia maculata plant.
      Find out more about XS House ›
      Photo is by Christoph RokittaBerlin Mitte apartment, Germany, by Atheorem
      Local architect Atheorem brought a serene and ethereal quality to the wetroom of this apartment in Berlin using all-white finishes and minimal fittings.
      A pair of floor-to-ceiling curtains provide privacy for the owners when showering, while also adding a layer of texture and filtering soft natural light into the space.
      Find out more about Berlin Mitte apartment ›
      Photo is by Kevin ScottThe Portage Bay Float Home, USA, by Studio DIAA
      Studio DIAA used square tiles to create the all-white interior of this shower room, located in a floating house in Seattle’s Lake Union.
      Fixed with pale grey grout, the tiles bring a textured appearance to the room that contrasts with its smooth metal accessories. On sunny days, treetops framed through a skylight overhead cast shadows across their surface.
      Find out more about The Portage Bay Float Home ›
      Photo is by Luis ViegasCasa da Volta, Portugal, by Promontorio
      The deliberately simple interior of this ensuite washroom helps to draw attention to three large cactus plants in the white-walled courtyard outside.
      Maximising the sense of lightness and openness in the room, a large mirror lines one wall and the ceiling joists are left exposed overhead, painted white to match the rest of the space.
      Find out more about Casa da Volta ›
      Photo is by Shannon McGrathAlfred Street Residence, Australia, by Studio Four
      One of the most minimalist bathrooms on the list is this all-white interior designed by Studio Four as part of the Alfred Street Residence in Victoria.
      Large white tiles run across its floor and walls, framing a freestanding tub that is illuminated by a skylight above. To add an element of texture, a white-painted wooden stool sits in the corner.
      Find out more about Alfred Street Residence ›
      Photo is by José HeviaPalma Hideaway, Spain, by Mariana de Delás
      Plants, tiles and marble have been used to animate the white-walled bathroom at the Palma Hideaway, designed by Mariana de Delás in Mallorca.
      The floor is raised to accommodate a sunken bath on one side, which is lined with dark-green tiles that also feature elsewhere in the home – helping the room act as an extension to the living spaces.
      Find out more about Palma Hideaway ›
      Photo is by Rafael SoldiHillside Midcentury, USA, by SHED
      This spacious white bathroom and walk-in shower by SHED is sheathed in hundreds of tiny circular tiles and lit by a frosted-glass window that stretches from floor to ceiling.
      The size of the tiles and window help to emphasise the openness of the room, while wood elements and a potted plant help bring an element of cosiness.
      Find out more about Hillside Midcentury ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing colourful staircases, living rooms with stone surfaces and light-filled glass extensions.

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      in Rooms

      Ten homes that use colour to turn stairs into statements

      by

      A Swedish house with a stairway hidden behind a bookcase and an architect-revamped new build in the Netherlands feature in our latest lookbook of ten homes with colourful staircases that draw the eye.

      Adding a layer of paint makes it possible to turn even simple stairs into standout architectural features, rather than just functional ones. This is especially helpful in renovation projects, where larger structural changes would be considerably more time- and money-intensive.
      Below, we’ve curated ten examples of residential stairwells from across the colour spectrum, including a baby-blue storage unit that also incorporates stairs leading to a mezzanine and a sunshine-yellow spiral staircase made from gridded steel sheets.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing timber-clad bathrooms, light-filled glass extensions and exposed wooden floorboards.
      Photo is by Noortje KnulstMatryoshka House, Netherlands, by Shift Architecture Urbanism

      When Shift Architecture Urbanism split this derelict four-storey townhouse in Rotterdam into two modern apartments, the Dutch studio removed large sections of the upper floor in each flat to create imposing double-height living spaces.
      The bedrooms are housed on what remains of the upper floors and can be accessed via brightly coloured staircases – painted red in one apartment, electric-blue in the other. The stairs are set inside steel-clad volumes that also conceal a toilet, storage space and kitchen equipment.
      Find out more about Matryoshka House ›
      Photo is by Åke E:son LindmanFagerström House, Sweden, by Claesson Koivisto Rune
      This house in Sollentuna just north of Stockholm was designed by local practice Claesson Koivisto Rune to curve around a huge old oak tree.
      On the interior, the home’s curvature is mirrored by a staircase that is concealed behind a built-in bookcase and painted the same deep red colour as the timber cladding on the building’s exterior.
      Find out more about Fagerström House ›
      Photo is by José HeviaDuplex in Sant Gervasi, Spain, by Arquitectura-G
      Tasked with overhauling a dark, cramped duplex for a “nuclear family” in Barcelona, Spanish studio Arquitectura-G didn’t just knock through some walls but also finished most of the surfaces in bright sunshine-yellow in a bid to lighten up the interior.
      The colour was used for everything from the carpet to the bathroom tiles and the spiral staircase, which features risers made from gridded steel sheets to allow light to filter through the apartment.
      Find out more about Duplex in Sant Gervasi ›
      Photo is by Marcela GrassiLoft in Poblenou, Spain, by NeuronaLab
      Architecture studio NeuronaLab placed a huge baby-blue module at the centre of this compact loft in order to turn it from a bachelor pad into a home for a young family.
      Made from pressed recycled cellulose panels, the unit helps to separate the open floorplan into separate zones and provides extra storage, while also incorporating a staircase that leads up to a newly-created mezzanine.
      Find out more about Loft in Poblenou ›
      Photo is by Andrew MeredithWhite Rabbit House, UK, by Gundry & Ducker
      A sweeping triple-height staircase curves around into a cantilever at the heart of this renovated 1970s house in London by architecture firm Gundry & Ducker.
      Its contrasting material palette is tied together with different shades of green, ranging from pistachio-coloured walls to racing-green railings and teal-speckled terrazzo steps.
      Find out more about White Rabbit House ›
      Photo is by Matthijs van der BurgtRiverside Tower apartment, Belgium, by Studio Okami Architecten
      Studio Okami Architecten stripped away all the surface coverings inside this apartment in Antwerp’s brutalist Riverside Tower in order to highlight its original concrete structure.
      This rough backdrop is contrasted against a collection of vibrant artworks, alongside peachy resin floors and a sky-blue spiral staircase, which was welded and painted in place due to the limited size of the tower’s circulation areas.
      Find out more about Riverside Tower apartment ›
      Photo is by Joe FletcherCut Out House, USA, by Fougeron Architecture
      Various cut-outs were made in the floor slabs of this century-old Victorian house in San Francisco to create a series of voids that usher in natural light.
      One of these voids is filled with a neon orange staircase, complete with a perforated-metal rail that folds in and out to mimic the shape of the home’s new canted glass facade.
      Find out more about Cut Out House ›
      Photo is by French + TyeMo-tel House, UK, by Office S&M
      London studio Office S&M reimagined the traditional narrow staircase of this Georgian townhouse using a toy box palette of pale pink, butter yellow and bright red.
      Storage is integrated into the spandrel in keeping with the rest of the renovation, which also saw a huge freestanding seating nook with built-in cupboards installed in the kitchen.
      Find out more about Mo-tel House ›
      Photo is by Rubén Dario KleimeerWorkhome-Playhome, Netherlands, by Lagado Architects
      When Victor Verhagen and Maria Vasiloglou of Dutch studio Lagado Architects sought to give their own home in a cookie-cutter new build a more “outspoken character”, they turned the central staircase into a key focal point.
      Instead of altering its structure, the duo simply painted the existing steps in cornflower blue and added a sculptural balustrade punctuated with triangular cut-outs that reveal glimpses of different rooms.
      Find out more about Workhome-Playhome ›
      Photo is by Juan SolanoCasa Blanca, Peru, by Martin Dulanto
      A curving concrete staircase finished in fluorescent orange is the only pop of colour inside this otherwise minimalist, neutral-toned home in Lima.
      “It is very plastic and playful,” architect Martin Dulanto told Dezeen. “As a powerful personality element, you either love it or hate it.”
      Find out more about Casa Blanca ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing timber-clad bathrooms, light-filled glass extensions and exposed wooden floorboards.

      Read more: More