in Rooms
Dezeen’s guide to mid-century modern design from A to Z
To conclude our mid-century modern series, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know about the design and architecture movement from A to Z. More
Roundups
Subterms
More stories
- in Rooms
Eight moody bedrooms with colour palettes that embrace the dark side
Our latest lookbook steps into the shadows with dark and moody bedrooms that use rich colour palettes to create a sense of tranquility. More
- in Rooms
Seven transparent bathrooms for households who share everything
In this lookbook we collect bathrooms with see-through walls, best suited to those who take a more relaxed attitude to privacy in the home.
In most homes the bathroom is designed as a private space. But as the interiors listed below demonstrate, deciding against encasing the washroom in opaque walls can bring in natural light, act as a space-saving device or even create an unusual focal point in the home.
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring bathrooms with sunken baths, subway tiles and double sinks.
Photo by Yosuke OhtakeHouse in Kyoto, Japan, by 07Beach
The bathroom inside this house in Kyoto, designed by architecture studio 07Beach, sits alongside a skylit central courtyard-like living space to give the residents the feeling of “open-air bathing”.“The house was designed as one big space, placing the double height living room at the centre so they can see who does what,” said the studio. “Although a curtain rail was set up in the bathroom just in case, it seems the family got used to the exposed bathroom, and still use it without a curtain.”
Find out more about House in Kyoto ›
Photo by Miguel de GuzmánBathyard Home, Spain, by Husos
Madrid architecture studio Husos went further than merely making the bathroom visible in this apartment, instead removing partition walls to make it the main communal area of the home.
“The bathyard is a space whose character can be negotiated and altered by the users by sliding transparent partitions and opening out a folding bench,” the studio said.
Find out more about Bathyard Home ›
Photo by Hey! CheeseCats’ Pink House, Taiwan, by KC Design Studio
This holiday home in Taiwan was designed by KC Design Studio as a place for the owner to have fun with her three cats.
The bathroom adjoins the cats’ playroom via a wall composed of a terrazzo plinth topped with pink glass, affording a view of what’s going on next door. For moments when additional privacy is desirable, the glass can be dimmed.
Find out more about Cats’ Pink House ›
Photo courtesy of Suppose Design Office (also top)House in Nagoya, Japan, by Suppose Design Office
This house was completed by Japanese architecture studio Suppose Design Office all the way back in 2009 but is too good an example of a transparent bathroom not to be included on our list.
The main living space looks straight through glass walls to the bathroom via a landscaped area filled with rocks and plants.
Find out more about House in Nagoya ›
Photo by Tomooki KengakuThe Life, Japan, by I IN
Tokyo studio I IN overhauled an apartment for Japanese developer Smarg in an attempt to change perceptions of renovation projects.
The flat has an open-plan layout and a restful ambience. Reeded glass partition walls allow light to penetrate into the windowless bathroom, as well as distorted view of the other side.
Find out more about The Life ›
Photo courtesy of Blueberry NightsBlueberry Nights, Georgia, by Sandro Takaishvili
Georgian architect Sandro Takaishvili wanted this hotel in Tbilisi to make guests feel like they’re inside a movie.
In the bedrooms, designed to evoke David Lynch’s visual style, the bathrooms are only separated by a slight change in level and the introduction of white tiles.
Find out more about Blueberry Nights ›
Photo by Torben EskerodVibo Tværveh, Denmark, by Valbæk Brørup Architects
The bathroom at this summer cabin designed by Copenhagen studio Valbæk Brørup Architects takes the form of a tiled wet room that can be opened up to the elements.
Located at one end of the long building, it opens through glass sliding doors onto an outdoor bathing area – which is fenced to avoid giving any passers-by a nasty shock.
Find out more about Vibo Tværveh ›
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring bathrooms with sunken baths, subway tiles and double sinks.Read more: More
- in Rooms
Eight London house extensions that maximise space and light
For our latest lookbook we’ve gathered eight London homes that have traded in unused garden space for contemporary and light-filled living areas.
Rear extensions are a popular option for transforming the pokey side returns and galley kitchens of Victorian and Edwardian housing, abundant in many areas of London.
The eight examples below showcase how extensions can bring contemporary flair to a more traditional home and optimise living space for entertaining, relaxing and cooking.
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring soothing cabin interiors, kitchens with sleek metal details and living rooms with warming fireplaces.
Photo by Jim StephensonVictorian terrace house, UK, by Oliver Leech ArchitectsOliver Leech Architects retained this late 19th-century building’s character while opening up the “disconnected and dark” interior of this Victorian terrace house in Herne Hill.
Prioritising natural light, the studio expanded the ground floor to include an open living, dining and kitchen space, meeting the existing building with a large skylight and window seat.
Find out more about Victorian terrace house ›
Photo by Jae W V KimSunny Side Up, UK, by THISS Studio
THISS Studio approached this extension in east London as though it were a piece of furniture rather than a conventional structure.
“We wanted to think of the new addition at a domestic scale and more like a piece of furniture that you can sit within and enjoy, rather than a typical extension of the existing spaces,” THISS Studio told Dezeen.
The practice reconfigured the dark interior of this interwar house which features timber joinery and a light-filled dining space.
Find out more about Sunny Side Up ›
Photo by Helen LeechMoroccan inspired house, UK, by Merrett Houmøller Architects and All & Nxthing
The client’s extensive travels to Morocco and the Mediterranean inspired this rear extension in London.
Merrett Houmøller Architects and interior designer All & Nxthing renovated and extended this Victorian home with clay-plaster walls, exposed brickwork and tile floors to evoke the feeling of a Moroccan home.
Find out more about Moroccan inspired house ›
Photo by Ståle EriksenHeath House, UK, by Proctor & Shaw
A dilapidated conservatory and awkwardly sized rooms were swapped for a light, wood-filled interior at this Grade II-listed villa in Highgate, north London.
Architecture studio Proctor & Shaw prioritised natural light and a natural material palette of wood and white brick for the above and below-ground extension in north London.
Find out more about Heath House ›
Photo by Tim CrockerMagpie House , UK, by DGN Studio
DGN Studio extended the kitchen of this east London terrace house by three metres to create “a more cohesive and seamless sequence for living, dining and cooking”.
The extension is illuminated by skylights between wooden beams and features a concrete window seat overlooking the garden with the client’s furniture and fittings incorporated throughout.
Find out more about Stoke Newington house ›
Photo by Jim StephensonVictorian maisonette, UK, by Nimtim Architects
Douglas fir timber screens, exposed brickwork and rough plaster characterise this extension of a Victorian maisonette in Camberwell, south-east London.
Nimtim Architects responded to a brief calling for greater connectivity and openness in the home to create a “place of reflection and sanctuary from the city”.
Find out more about Victorian maisonette ›
Photo by Lorenzo Zandri and Christian BraileyEdwardian home, UK, by Architecture for London
Architecture for London transformed this Edwardian home in Muswell Hill, which had been untouched for 40 years, using only sustainably minded interventions and natural materials.
Created for the studio’s founder Ben Ridley, the house was renovated and extended to create a minimal interior characterised by oak wood, stone and lime plaster.
Find out more about Edwardian home ›
Photo courtesy of AOCForest House, UK, by AOC
Gillian Lambert and Geoff Shearcroft of architecture firm AOC wanted to add personality and a connection to nearby Epping Forest when designing the front extension of their Victorian house in north London.
A single-storey garage was removed to create a series of interconnected, playful living spaces featuring tactile materials, exposed block work and bold colours.
Find out more about Forest House ›
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring characterful kitchens with sleek metal details, soothing cabin interiors and living rooms with warming fireplaces.Read more: More
- in Rooms
Eight eclectic pizzerias that take the slice-shop to the next level
For our latest lookbook, we look at the interiors of contemporary pizzerias across the globe, including a pink vegan restaurant in London and a Mexico City space informed by a neighbouring church.
From New York City to Italy, its country of origin, pizza is a beloved delicacy across the world. As a result, the humble pizzeria is trafficked by many, with some visitors whisking away a two-dollar slice and others packed into a booth to convene around a shared pie.
The pizzerias below showcase a wide variety of styles, each boasting unique and eclectic features that display a careful consideration for a space often held in high regard by its customers.
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring soothing cabin interiors, versatile futons and daybeds and stylish shower curtains.Humble Pizza, UK, by Child Studio
Pink tables and furniture contrasted with a dark green hue fill the interior of this vegan restaurant in London’s Chelsea neighbourhood.
Local practice Child Studio designed the space to resemble the city’s workmen’s cafes of the 1950s, which typically featured pastel-coloured Formica surfaces and no-frills food and drink.
Find out more about Humble Pizza ›
The photo is by David DworkindVesta, Canada, by Ménard Dworkind
Located in Montreal’s Villeray neighbourhood, the wood-panelled walls and marble table tops of Vesta take cues from New York pizzerias of the 1970s.
“In its own contemporary way the design of Vesta evokes the spirit of Italian family restaurants common in North America during the 1970s,” Ménard Dworkind said.
Find out more about Vesta ›
The photo is by Nicholas VeneziaLala’s Brooklyn Apizza, USA, by Bench Architects
Lala’s Brooklyn Apizza by Bench Architects is located in Brooklyn’s East Williamsburg neighbourhood, atop a brewery that was formally an industrial space.
Lightwood picnic benches were used on the interior and attached terrace, while bright, solid-coloured tiles and magenta curtains line the space.
Find out more about Grimm
The photo is by Patrick SchüttlerDough Pizza, Australia, by Ohlo Studio
The “rustic sophistication” of Italy was evoked with red-toned tiles and light woods for Dough Pizza in Perth, which sits in a shopping centre.
“It needed to evoke a distinct atmosphere and personality reinforcing the cultural heritage behind the food,” said Ohlo Studio.
Find out more about Dough Pizza ›
The photo is by Simone BossiMyrto, Italy, by Studio Wok
Studio Wok created this pizzeria on Sardinia to reflect the island’s natural surroundings, such as its earthy tones and granite rocks.
The winds of the area erode and carve out the granite rocks, which the studio reflected in the walls covered in pink plaster, a concrete floor and arched openings.
Find out more about Myrto ›The photo is by Blaine DavisSIMÒ Pizza, USA, by Büro Koray Duman
Located in the Greenwich Village neighbourhood of New York City, SIMÒ Pizza is lined with shelving made of Italian volcanic stone and wallpaper printed with a flour graphic.
Its pizza ovens sit in a centre block, which is lined in patterned wood and a green tiled countertop.
Find out more about SIMÒ Pizza ›
The photo is by Arturo ArrietaPizzeria Della Madonna, Mexico, by Sofía Betancur
The pizza oven of Pizzeria Della Madonna sits in full view, surrounded by tiled and plaster walls and wood flooring.
Architect Sofía Betancur took cues from the Parroquia de la Sagrada Familia church, which sits next door, for the space.
Find out more about Pizzeria Della Madonna ›
The photo is by Mikko RyhänenPopolo, Finland, by Studio Joanna Laajisto
Studio Joanna Laajisto designed Popolo to be a cosy retreat on the slopes of Pyhä Ski Resort in northern Finland.
Leather benches, wooden tables, copper lamps and candleholders were used to evoke a sense of warmth and were paired with slate flooring and dark wood panelling.
Find out more about Popolo ›Read more: More
- in Rooms
Ten living rooms with warming fireplaces to keep the cold out
As the weather gets colder in the northern hemisphere, this lookbook compiles ten living spaces where log burners and fireplaces take the chill out of the air and provide a cosy centrepiece.
Despite increasingly sophisticated household heating technology, traditional fireplaces remain a popular way to warm homes.
From freestanding stoves to built-in wood burners that incorporate storage for logs, the following selection shows how architects and designers make a feature of fireplaces.
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring versatile daybeds, distinctive shower curtains and metallic kitchens.
Photo by Pierce ScourfieldQueen’s Park House, UK, by DaytripA glass enclosure crowned by a chimney flue, camouflaged to disappear into the surrounding walls, features in this fireplace in a west London house by local studio Daytrip.
It is supported by a thick shelf that appears to float and provides storage for logs. Tucked away in the corner of the room, the fireplace provides a cosy and intimate area for relaxation.
Find out more about Queen’s Park House ›
Photo by Yevhenii AvramenkoDzen house, Ukraine, by Shovk
Ukrainian architecture studio Shovk created a wood-fired stove with soft, curved corners for the living room of this house on the outskirts of Kyiv.
Made from dark grey metal, the fireplace matches the metallic furnishings found in the space, while contrasting with the wooden beams and window frames.
Find out more about Dzen house ›
Photo by Magnus Berger NordstrandThe Yellow House in the Apple Garden, Norway, by Familien Kvistad
Clad in glossy, sunny yellow tiles, this monolithic fireplace sits in the middle of the interior of a Norwegian 1950s-era house renovated by Familien Kvistad.
The purpose-built burner featured cutouts for vents, a glass enclosure for the fire and integrated log storage, and its vibrant exterior adds to the energetic colours found throughout the interior.
Find out more about The Yellow House in the Apple Garden ›
Photo by Petr PolákWeekend House, Czech Republic, by New How
The log burner in this Czech house is nestled between two wooden posts that form part of the building’s cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure.
The ground floor is arranged around the centrally placed fireplace, which enhances the cosy atmosphere fostered by the wooden walls and furniture.
Find out more about Weekend House ›
Photo is by Brad FeinknopfBully Hill House, USA, by Studio MM Architect
The living area of this home in rural New York centres around a hefty Corten steel panel, which is home to a log burner and firewood storage.
Echoing the exterior cladding of the building, the steel has a warm rusty-brown patina that creates a rustic aesthetic.
Find out more about Bully Hill House ›
Photo is by Matthew MillmanWasatch House, USA, by Olson Kundig
American architecture firm Olson Kundig concealed a fireplace behind a pair of metal screen doors in this Utah house.
Doors are placed on both sides of the metal-clad chimney breast, allowing both the living area and the study to benefit from the fire’s warmth.
Find out more about Wasatch House ›
Photo by Doublespace PhotographySmith Residence, Canada, by MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple
Symmetrical openings in a colossal stone hearth house an open fireplace and log store, which serve to warm the living room of this coastal Nova Scotian home.
It is made from chunks of granite sourced from a quarry close to the site, and its warming appearance is united with a dining table made from locally felled trees.
Find out more about Smith Residence ›
Photo by Giedrius MamavičiusHouse and the River, Lithuania, by After Party
Adding to the playful nature of this interior, created by Vilnius-based studio After Party, this log burner is perched atop a small stone boulder in place of a conventional base.
It sits within its own purpose-designed, gold-lined niche, which stands out against the white expanse of the rest of the wall.
Find out more about House and the River ›
Photo by Monique LovickPark Lane, Australia, by PW Architecture Office
A raised platform covered in square terracotta-coloured tiles creates a base for this log burner that sits between this home’s dining and living zones.
The stove features glass on both sides to allow the flames to be seen and heat to be experienced when lounging and dining.
Find out more about Park Lane ›
Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Alférez, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
A stove with a dramatic double-height flue warms the lofty concrete-built living room of this Mexican house by local architect Ludwig Godefroy.
Flanked by stacks of firewood, the fireplace warms a sunken conversation pit populated with dark green bolster cushions.
Find out more about Casa Alférez ›
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring versatile daybeds, distinctive shower curtains and metallic kitchens.Read more: More
- in Rooms
Eight soothing cabin interiors to retreat to this autumn
Our latest lookbook collects eight cabin interiors united by their calming timber accents and escapist settings, ranging from an English conservation area to a private Norwegian island.
Typically constructed with wood, cabins are common in rural locations and are often designed as temporary living quarters to provide calming retreats.
As temperatures begin to drop in the northern hemisphere, we have rounded up eight examples of cosy cabins from 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 self-designed homes by architects and designers, members’ clubs and conversation pits.
Photo by Tom AugerCabin, Norway, by Rever & DrageLocal architecture studio Rever & Drage designed this timber cabin in Norway’s forested Nordmakka region.
A large angular window cuts through its otherwise traditional form, creating an illuminated interior dressed with simple wooden furniture and steel-topped kitchen counters.
Find out more about this cabin ›
Photo is by Raphaël ThibodeauLa Cime, Canada, by Naturehumaine
La Cime, or The Top, is a woodland holiday cabin in Lanaudière, Québec.
Canadian studio Naturehumaine designed the one-bedroom “micro chalet” with white-pine panelling on the walls and ceilings, which complements built-in plywood furniture.
Find out more about La Cime ›
Photo by Efe OnikinciMonocoque Cabin, UK, by Peter Markos
Wrapped by an external skin similar to an eggshell, Monocoque Cabin is a self-build off-grid timber structure by architect Peter Markos.
The cocoon-like Shropshire cabin is punctuated by translucent polycarbonate openings that draw daylight into the interior and illuminate simple but cosy living spaces.
Find out more about Monocoque Cabin ›
Photo by Raphaël ThibodeauFarouche Tremblant cabins, Canada, by Atelier l’Abri
Four rental micro-cabins were built by Canadian studio Atelier l’Abri at the Farouche Tremblant agrotourism site in Québec’s Mon-Tremblant National Park.
Characterised by traditional A-frame structures that nod to 1950s and 60s architecture, the cabins feature minimalist and neutral interiors.
Find out more about Farouche Tremblant ›
Photo by Einar Aslaksen Kjerringholmen, Norway, by Line Solgaard Arkitekter
Also defined by minimalist, sandy hues, Kjerringholmen is a raised and ash-clad cabin on a small private island in Hvaler, Norway.
Line Solgaard Arkitekter designed the cabin, which has a pared-back, wood-lined interior and features large rectilinear windows for taking in the dramatic surrounding landscape.
“The basic concept was to create an escape from city life – a retreat into nature,” explained the studio’s founder Line Solgaard.
Find out more about Kjerringholmen ›
Photo is by Jim StephensonThe Hat House, Sweden, by Tina Bergman
Spruce panels on the walls and end-grain spruce blocks for the floor were applied to the living spaces of this cosy but tall-ceilinged cabin in Tänndalen, western Sweden.
A boxy, cushioned window seat provides a connection to the forested setting outside. Called The Hat House, the project was designed by London-based architect Tina Bergman.
Find out more about The Hat House ›
Photo by Tom BirdLooking Glass Lodge, UK, by Michael Kendrick Architects
Located in a conservation area in East Sussex, Looking Glass Lodge is a modestly sized cabin set on a sloping site and built without felling any existing trees.
Inside, a wood-burning stove was designed with timber sourced from fallen trees nearby. A plump L-shaped sofa and low-slung armchair were positioned to take in floor-to-ceiling views of the wooded site.
Find out more about Looking Glass Lodge ›Bruny Island Cabin, Tasmania, by Maguire + Devin
Baltic pine lines almost every surface of this off-grid Tasmanian cabin, designed by architecture studio Maguire + Devin to feature only built-in furniture.
Apart from a freestanding low table and a mattress, every element in the cabin is part of its frame. This highly crafted minimalist design was chosen to reference traditional Japanese houses.
Find out more about Bruny Island Cabin ›
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring self-designed homes by architects and designers, members’ clubs and conversation pits.Read more: More
- in Rooms
Eight interiors that show the versatility of futons and daybeds
Our latest lookbook explores how futons and daybeds can offer a tempting spot for relaxation in different residential interior settings.
By providing a place to sit, lie down or take a nap with a compact footprint, the humble futon, and its more sophisticated cousin the daybed, can be a useful tool for interior designers.
Our selection of projects below includes various ideas for how they can be deployed, from corridors and cosy reading nooks to living-room centrepieces.
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring sculptural coffee tables, statement rugs and oversized sofas.
Photography by Shantanu StarickLonghouse, Australia, by Partners HillA plushy daybed next to a woodburning stove provides a warm spot to rest in the living room of this sprawling home and restaurant in the Victorian bush, designed by architecture studio Partners Hill.
The base is made from Australian cypress pine, while the cushion’s pale blue is intended to invoke summery blue skies even in the depths of winter.
Find out more about Longhouse ›
Photo by Jill TateNorth Bank, UK, by Elliot Architects
A futon languidly festooned with sheepskin rugs, throws and cushions occupies a corner of the double-height living, dining and kitchen area of this barn-like house in north-east England’s Tyne Valley designed by Elliot Architects.
It is nestled in the crook of a large square window, providing views of the surrounding countryside and ample natural light for reading.
Find out more about North Bank ›
Photo by Bryan W FerryDaunt’s Albatross, USA, by Home Studios
In the Koda Suite of the Daunt’s Albatross boutique hotel in Montauk, New York, a chunky daybed hides behind a linen curtain.
It forms part of Brooklyn-based Home Studios’s attempt to create the feeling of a “remote family home” through its overhaul of the former motel.
Find out more about Daunt’s Albatross ›
Photo by Tom BirdPoirot’s Bijou Apartment, UK, by Intervention Architecture
Poirot’s Bijou Apartment – named because it occupies a space in the London building in which Agatha Christie’s fictional moustachioed detective lived – demonstrates how the daybed can be a space-saving device.
Intervention Architecture created a bespoke plywood piece that can double up as a sofa, store flatpack stools and even wheel forwards to support the bottom end of a fold-down double bed.
Find out more about Poirot’s Bijou Apartment ›
Photo by Piet-Albert GoethalsApartment A, Belgium, by Atelier Dialect
Designed by Belgian studio Atelier Dialect, this ultra-luxe Antwerp apartment features two daybeds. In the living room, a black leather De Sede DS-80 contrasts with the room’s cool, hard, cement-washed surfaces.
Another huge, grooved daybed upholstered in brown velvet, designed by Jonas Van Put, occupies a raised platform behind a gauzy white curtain in the snug.
Find out more about Apartment A ›
Photo by Eric PetschekMount Tobias holiday home, USA, by IDSR Architecture
ISDR Architecture founders Todd Rouhe and Maria Ibañez de Sendadiano designed their own custom daybeds for their holiday home in the Catskills.
The daybeds occupy a brightly lit mezzanine loft space and are dressed with cushions and rugs from Danish brand Vipp.
Find out more about this Mount Tobias holiday home ›
Photo by Keith IsaacsNova Residence, USA, by Harding Huebner
Nova Residence, a hillside house in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains designed by local architecture studio Harding Huebner, contains possibly the most famous daybed of all time.
Set among several other modernist and mid-century furniture pieces in the open-plan living area is a Mies van der Rohe Barcelona daybed, whose tan colour contributes to a palette intended to mirror the terrain outside.
Find out more about Nova Residence ›
Photo by Michael SinclairTelevision Centre Penthouse, UK, by Waldo Works
Design studio Waldo Works pursued a retro aesthetic with the interiors for this penthouse apartment in London’s 1960s Television Centre.
In one section of the corridor, a tall shelving unit carrying leafy plants screens two pixel-print daybeds, forming an unexpected reading nook or children’s play area.
Find out more about Television Centre Penthouse ›
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring sculptural coffee tables, statement rugs and oversized sofas.Read more: More
