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    Dezeen's top 10 staircases of 2022

    As part of our review of 2022, we have selected 10 eye-catching staircases published on Dezeen this year, including stairs that turn, twist or double as seating.

    This year’s roundup of staircases features a children’s library in China with two intertwining timber stairs, a 25-metre-tall staircase in the Netherlands and a plywood spiral staircase in a barn conversion.
    Read on for Dezeen’s top 10 staircases of 2022:
    Photo by Leonardo FinottiCasa Thomé Beira da Silva, Brazil, by Marcos Bertoldi Arquitetos
    This helical wooden staircase anchors the large living space in Casa Thomé Beira da Silva, a Brazilian house designed by Marcos Bertoldi Arquitetos.

    The winding staircase leads to the bedrooms on the first floor of the home, which features a screen of chevron-patterned wooden planks wrapped around the exterior.
    Find out more about Casa Thomé Beira da Silva ›
    Photo by Ronan MézièreEscher House, Canada, by Naturehumaine
    Informed by the works of Dutch artist MC Escher, Canadian studio Naturehumaine inserted an angular staircase into this family home in Montreal as part of a renovation project.
    The centrepiece of the Escher House transformation, the new staircase is top-lit by a skylight and made up of wooden treads with black steel sides and guard rails.
    Find out more about Escher House ›
    Photo by Alex BaxterBarn at the Ahof, the Netherlands, by Julia van Beuningen
    Architectural designer Julia van Beuningen converted a late 19th-century barn into a residence with this plywood spiral staircase as the central focus.
    The staircase has a curved, swooping form designed to contrast with the barn’s rustic structure and leads from the open-plan living space on the ground floor to the newly added first floor, where bedrooms and bathrooms are located.
    Find out more about Barn at the Ahof ›
    Photo by Kenya ChibaKappa House, Japan, by Archipelago Architects Studio
    A series of staircases divide the spaces inside Kappa House in Kanagawa, Japan, designed by architecture practice Archipelago Architects Studio.
    The first two sets of stairs connect the house’s three floor levels, while the third staircase extends to the ceiling and is used as a place to sit, eat, drink or read.
    Find out more about Kappa House ›
    Photo by Lorenzo ZandriFarleigh Road House, UK, by Paolo Cossu Architects
    UK architecture studio Paolo Cossu Architects renovated the basement of Farleigh Road House in London, adding a chunky oak staircase to connect the floor with the rest of the house above.
    Designed to double as a place for the residents to sit and chat, wooden blocks were inserted on one side of the stairs to define the walking route, while deep steps that align with bookshelves on the adjacent wall provide seating.
    Find out more about Farleigh Road House ›
    Photo by Stijn PoelstraDe Niewe Herdgang, the Netherlands, by Architectuur Maken
    De Niewe Herdgang is a sculptural staircase designed by Dutch studio Architectuur Maken that rises 25 metres above the landscape to create a viewpoint overlooking the city of Tilburg in the Netherlands.
    Built from a galvanised steel frame with thin planks of Accoya wood, the watchtower aims to reconnect people with the landscape, which has been fragmented by roads.
    Find out more about De Niewe Herdgang ›
    Photo by Marcela GrassiLoft in Poblenou, Spain, by NeuronaLab
    This blue stair unit provides additional storage and a mezzanine bedroom in a compact Barcelona apartment renovated by local architecture studio NeuronaLab.
    The unit also divides spaces in the residence, transforming it from a studio loft to a two-bedroom apartment with separated work and living areas.
    Find out more about Loft in Poblenou ›
    Photo by Roberto RuizPalau Apartment, Spain, by Colombo and Serboli Architecture
    In another Barcelona apartment, Spanish studio Colombo and Serboli Architecture designed a multi-part staircase made up of micro-cement bottom steps with recessed shelving, timber box steps and suspended timber steps.
    The micro-cement base extends and dog-legs to form the backrest of the sofa on one side and a bench for the dining area on the other side.
    Find out more about Palau Apartment ›
    Photo courtesy of Kengo Kuma and AssociatesHisao & Hiroko Taki Plaza, Japan, by Kengo Kuma and Associates
    Japanese studio Kengo Kuma and Associates designed this student hub for the Tokyo Institute of Technology, which is built partially underground with a stepped roof made up of bleachers.
    The stepped roof is accessed by an external staircase that extends into the interior of the building, separated by glazing to blur the boundary between inside and out.
    Find out more about Hisao & Hiroko Taki Plaza ›
    Photo by Zhao SaiPingtan Book House, China, by Condition_Lab
    A double-helix staircase with deep treads and spacious landings provides space for children to read and play in this library located in China’s Hunan province, designed by architecture research studio Condition_Lab.
    Accessed from the ground floor, the two spiral timber staircases at Pingtan Book House intertwine around a square void before meeting again on the top level.
    Find out more about Pingtan Book House ›

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    Dezeen's top 10 shop interiors of 2022

    A fashion store filled with pillows and a furniture showroom that looks more like a luxury apartment are among our pick of the best shop interiors of the year, in the next instalment of Dezeen’s review of 2022.

    Designers continued to play with retail conventions this year, and 2022’s roundup of shop interiors also featuring a supermarket-style second-hand book store and a cosmetics brand outlet modelled on a 1970s office.
    Read on for Dezeen’s top 10 shop interiors of 2022:
    Photo by Michael RygaardGarde Hvalsøe Aarhus, Denmark, by Bunn Studio
    This showroom, for Danish cabinet maker Garde Hvalsøe, was designed by New York practice Bunn Studio to look more like a grand apartment than a retail space.

    Housed in a majestic Renaissance building in Aarhus, the interior showcases the brand’s signature handcrafted kitchens and walk-in wardrobes alongside other domestic furniture.
    The idea was to help customers visualise how the cabinets would look in their own homes.
    Find out more about Garde Hvalsøe Aarhus ›
    Photo by Hu YanyunDeja Vu Recycle Store, China, by Offhand Practice
    Dezeen’s most-viewed retail interior of 2022 is a store in Shanghai that puts a new spin on second-hand shopping.
    Intending to counter the “shabby” image associated with flea markets, local studio Offhand Practice created an interior featuring supermarket-style crates and minimalist railings, displaying pre-owned books and fashion.
    The design was named large retail interior of the year at Dezeen Awards 2022.
    Find out more about Deja Vu Recycle Store ›
    Photo by Benoit FlorençonJacquemus Shop-in-Shop, France, by AMO
    French accessories brand Jacquemus unveiled one of its most playful retail interiors to date in 2022, designed by OMA’s design and research studio, AMO.
    Pillows form everything from wall coverings to display stands in this 60-square-metre boutique, located in department store Galeries Lafayette Haussmann.
    OMA partner Ellen van Loon told Dezeen she wanted to create “a cocooning and relaxed atmosphere, inviting customers to lounge and browse for as long as they want”.
    Find out more about Jacquemus Shop-in-Shop ›
    Photo by Alex LysakowskiThe Annex, Canada, by Superette
    Marijuana retailer Superette opened another of its retro-style stores in 2022, this time in the Annex neighbourhood of Toronto.
    Superette, which is French for “mini supermarket”, has created a nostalgic feel in all of its shops. Here, the brand’s in-house team modelled the design on an Italian deli, with chequerboard flooring, vintage-style posters and tiled surfaces.
    Find out more about The Annex ›
    Photo by Maris MezulisCowboy, France, by Ciguë
    French design studio Ciguë had a car-free future in mind when designing this retail outlet for electric bicycle brand Cowboy.
    Located in Paris department store Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche, the shop features a winding concrete walkway reminiscent of a cycle path, surrounded by areas of crushed earth.
    Roughly hewn limestone provides seating, while the walls are covered in raw earth.
    Find out more about Cowboy ›
    Photo by HandoverMONC, UK, by Nina+Co
    Sustainable materials play an important role inside this debut store for eyewear brand MONC, designed by Nina+Co.
    The entire interior is formed of either bio-based or recycled materials, on the basis that the brand only had the London retail space on a short-term lease. These include cornstarch foam, which forms the undulating ceiling and display shelves.
    This circular design ethos led to the project being named small retail interior of the year at Dezeen Awards 2022.
    Find out more about MONC ›
    Photo courtesy of DuratDurat Showroom, Finland, by Linda Bergroth
    Finnish designer Linda Bergroth chose bold colour combinations in her design for the Helsinki showroom of tile manufacturer Durat.
    Almost every element in the 100-square-metre showroom is formed of Durat’s terrazzo-like surface material, which is made from plastic waste and is 100 per cent recyclable.
    The most eye-catching colour pairings include salmon-pink and mustard, and apple-green with bright orange.
    Find out more about Durat Showroom ›
    Photo courtesy of HarmayHarmay Hangzhou, China, by AIM Architecture
    Chinese office AIM Architecture has designed a series of interiors for cosmetics brand Harmay, but the most imaginative so far is this one in Hangzhou, which is modelled on a 1970s office.
    The design draws on its setting in the Renzo Piano-designed OōEli business park. The space features a wool carpet and suspended ceiling tiles, with products displayed on desks, meeting tables and bookshelves.
    Find out more about Harmay Hangzhou ›
    Photo by Felix SpellerCubitts Leeds, UK, by Child Studio
    Different design periods combine in this store in Leeds, designed by Child Studio for British eyewear brand Cubitts.
    Set in a historic shopping mall that boasts pink marble columns and mosaic ceilings, the shop features Victorian-style joinery, a mid-century counter, an Eileen Gray-designed modernist lamp and an art-deco-style bakelite clock.
    Find out more about Cubitts Leeds ›
    Photo by Sharon RadischJonathan Simkhai, USA, by Aruliden
    Irregular, overlapping arches wrapped in soft-toned fabric defined shopping areas in this temporary installation for fashion brand Jonathan Simkhai in New York City.
    Created by design agency Aruliden, the interior drew on the geometric shapes and signature cut-outs of the brand’s clothing.
    Find out more about Jonathan Simkhai ›

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    Dezeen's top 10 restaurant and bar interiors of 2022

    For the latest roundup in Dezeen’s review of 2022, we have selected 10 restaurant and bar interiors published this year, including a coastal cocktail bar in Italy and a space-themed cafe in South Korea.

    This year’s roundup 0f restaurant and bar interiors also features a European-influenced eatery in a palatial hotel in Salt Lake City, a bar with floors that were designed to look like the flooded streets of Venice and a monochromatic Chinese restaurant.
    Read on for 10 restaurants and bars we covered in 2022:
    Photo by Edmund DabneySketch, UK, by Yinka Shonibare and India Mahdavi
    Artist Yinka Shonibare and architect India Mahdavi replaced the famous pale pink interior of London restaurant Sketch with warm, golden yellows and textured materials.

    “I didn’t want everybody to ask me what the new colour at the gallery is and therefore, I really worked on textures and materials that are evocative of the richness of Africa,” said Mahdavi. “Warmth is the new colour at Sketch.”
    Find out more about Sketch ›
    Photo by Brian W FerryLaurel Brasserie and Bar, US, by Home Studios
    Designed by Brooklyn-based architecture and interiors practice Home Studios, the Laurel Brasserie and Bar is a restaurant inside Salt Lake City’s The Grand America Hotel.
    The hotel was built in a palatial style and includes interiors based on classic European designs. Home Studios retained the brasserie’s European influences but added a contemporary look, incorporating bold and colourful areas to suit family-style dining.
    Find out more about Laurel Brasserie and Bar ›
    Photo by Gregory AbbatePiada, France, by Masquespacio
    Spanish interior design studio Masquespacio used design elements from traditional Italian restaurants to inform the interior of this Italian eatery in the French city of Lyon.
    Booth seating in hues of lilac and nude line the restaurant between wooden tables, chairs and tiled mint-green walls and floors.
    Find out more about Piada ›
    Photo by Peter Paul de Meijer/Eline WillaertBlueness, Belgium, by Space Copenhagen
    In Antwerp, interior design studio Space Copenhagen combined original carved sandstone and marble columns with contemporary Scandinavian furniture to decorate Blueness, a French and Japanese-influenced restaurant.
    A custom bar crafted from red walnut wood by Brussels and Antwerp-based design studio Destroyers Builders was inserted into the space and paired with brushed steel surfaces, dark wooden barstools and a cast aluminium waiter’s station.
    Find out more about Blueness ›
    Photo by Carlo OrienteCivico 29, Italy, by Gae Avitabile
    Ocean blues, wave-like forms and nautical materials fill the interior of Civico 29, a coastal cocktail bar by architect Gae Avitabile in the seafront town of Sperlonga in Italy.
    An aluminium mesh curtain that moves as wind blows through the bar lines two walls of the space and complements a waving, blue-to-white gradient bar that references the nearby ocean and sits at the centre of the space on top of dark red-and-white floor tiles.
    Find out more about Civico 29 ›
    Photo by Jeremie Warshafsky PhotographyBao, China, by StuidoAC
    Canadian design firm StudioAC used a skewed perspective to draw visitors’ eyes to the open kitchen at the rear of this micro-cement-lined Chinese restaurant.
    Cubic and rectilinear tables and benches were similarly clad in micro-cement and line the walls of the restaurant beneath rows of vertical vinyl blinds that were concealed within bulkheads but visible enough to provide a shimmering, sequin-like look.
    Find out more about Bao ›
    Photo by PION studioSyrena Irena, Poland, by Projekt Praga
    Set within a 1950s building in the centre of Warsaw, Syrene Irena bistro designed by Polish architecture firm Projekt Praga combines contemporary and mid-century features.
    The self-serve restaurant uses mid-century design references such as terrazzo-style tables, neon signs and frosted glass sconces to nod to the building’s history as well as the restaurant’s nostalgic menu.
    Find out more about Syrena Irena ›
    Photo by Piotr MaciaszekVa Bene Cicchetti, Poland, by Noke Architects
    Designed by Polish architecture and design studio Noke Architects, Va Bene Cicchetti is an Italian bar in Warsaw informed by Venice that serves drinks and small plates.
    The bar is accessed via an arched doorway that is lined with antique mirrors. Inside a monolithic, red travertine bar is surrounded by hues of red and gold in a nod to the colours of the Venetian flag. The floors of the bar and the bases of chairs were coloured in a sea-like shade of turquoise that aimed to recreate the look of the flooded streets of the Italian archipelago.
    Find out more about Va Bene Cicchetti ›
    Photo by Yevhenii AvramenkoTerra, Ukraine, by YOD Group
    Glass bricks, large columns, terracotta tiles and coppery hues define this restaurant interior in Vynnyky, Ukraine, designed by YOD Group. Named Terra, the restaurant borrows its colour and material palette from the surrounding rolling hills and lake.
    “We aimed to extract colours, textures and impressions from the landscape to translate them into the interior design language,” said the studio. “Like the eyedropper tool in Photoshop, but on a real-life scale, we designed the space to mirror its surroundings.”
    Find out more about Terra ›
    Photo by Yongjoon ChoiSik Mul Sung, South Korea, by Unseenbird
    Sik Mul Sung is a space-age-themed cafe in downtown Seoul, South Korea. Designed by South Korean studio Unseenbird, it incorporates sheets of stainless steel wrapped across the walls, countertops and fixtures.
    The metallic surfaces are contrasted against a red pebble floor and spacey decorative rocks, while a glass-fronted vitrine is a focal point at the cafe and is used to grow vegetables in a vertical farming system.
    Find out more about Sik Mul Sung ›

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    Dezeen's top 10 home interiors of 2022

    As part of our review of the year, we look at 10 home interiors that our readers admired in 2022, including a home with a mirror-cube bathroom and a concrete apartment in a brutalist tower block.

    Natural materials took centre stage in homes this year, with many projects using wood to create calm, peaceful interiors. Also popular were exposed concrete walls, colourful glazed tiles, and minimalist interiors with plenty of green plants.
    Read on for Dezeen’s top 10 home interiors of 2022:
    Photo by German SáizConde Duque apartment, Spain, by Sierra + De La Higuera
    Traditional Moroccan zellige tiles in vibrant colours were used to define the different spaces inside this Madrid apartment by Spanish studio Sierra + De La Higuera.

    The interior design was informed by the owners’ Mexican and Galician heritage and features timber and terracotta walls, as well as a Mexico-influenced kitchen and dining area finished with emerald green tiles.
    Find out more about Conde Duque apartment ›
    Photo by Lorenzo Zandri and Christian BraileyEnergy-saving home, UK, by Architecture for London
    British studio Architecture for London designed this home in Muswell Hill, north London, for its founder Ben Ridley. The minimalist interior of the three-floor Edwardian house is clad in natural materials including wood, stone and lime plaster.
    The home was designed to be energy-saving, with the lime plaster used to form an airtight layer throughout, mitigating any heat loss.
    Find out more about the energy-saving home ›
    Photo by Joe FletcherTwentieth, US, by Woods + Dangaran
    The winner of this year’s Dezeen Award for House interior of the year, Twentieth by Los Angeles studio Woods + Dangaran was designed with its living spaces organised around a decades-old olive tree.
    The interior of the three-storey house features exposed white bricks, as well as floor-to-ceiling glazing and a large travertine fireplace, while wood-panelling gives the home a mid-century modern feel.
    Find out more about Twentieth ›
    Photo by Serena EllerDiplomat’s Home, Italy, by 02A
    This Italian apartment, designed for a diplomat who goes on frequent work trips, was left intentionally unfinished. In the bedroom, mirrored screens enclose a small bathroom to create what interior studio 02A describes as an “immaterial cubic volume”.
    The whole flat is filled with antique and mid-century furnishings, which have been combined with contemporary cabinetry. A vibrant colour palette contrasts with the building’s original tiled flooring.
    Find out more about Diplomat’s Home ›
    Photo by Fran ParenteGale Apartment, Brazil, by Memola Estudio
    The concrete structure of the building was left exposed for local studio Memola Estudio’s renovation of this São Paulo apartment, with dark, polished wooden floors contrasting against the industrial-looking walls.
    A mosaic stone wall and a picture wall that showcases the owners’ artworks also feature in the home, which was opened up to create better sightlines.
    Find out more about Gale Apartment ›
    Photo by Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenForest retreat, Sweden, by Norm Architects
    This traditional timber cabin was turned into a pared-back holiday home, which Danish studio Norm Architects described as “designed for a simple life.”
    The studio used a minimalist colour palette for the house, with walls covered in beige dolomite plaster. Oakwood was used for the flooring and cabinetry in the cabin, in which Norm Architects also inserted a raised daybed-cum-window seat where residents can sit to take in the view of the forest.
    Find out more about the forest retreat ›
    Photo by Nicole FranzenEast Village apartment, US, by GRT Architects
    Warm colours, oak wood and glistening ceramic tiles create a welcoming feel in this New York flat, which was renovated by GRT Architects.
    The studio added metallic details such as brass bars to the interior, creating a stylish contrast against the wood. Herringbone parquet flooring adds to the cosy feel of the home inside Onyx Court, a six-storey corner Beaux-Arts structure in the city’s East Village.
    Find out more about the East Village apartment ›
    Photo by Olmo PeetersRiverside Tower apartment, Belgium, by Studio Okami Architecten
    Located inside a 20-storey brutalist tower in Antwerp, the duplex Riverside Tower apartment was renovated by Bram Van Cauter, founding partner of Studio Okami Architecten, for himself and his partner.
    The result is a thoroughly modern flat that combines exposed concrete walls with bright colours and contemporary furniture, as well as plenty of green plants that give life to the grey interior.
    Find out more about Riverside Tower apartment ›
    Photo by Michinori AokiTokyo apartment, Japan, by OEO Studio
    Copenhagen-based OEO Studio drew on both Scandinavian and Japanese design to create this Japandi-style apartment in Tokyo’s Opus Arisugawa housing complex.
    It features striking details such as a rammed-earth wall and built-in concrete seating in the entryway (pictured). Furniture finished in smoked oak and oiled pinewood nods to Scandinavia, while Japanese Ōya stone was used for the columns that divide the living area and kitchen.
    Find out more about Tokyo apartment ›
    Photo by Peter BennettsWest Bend House, Australia, by Brave New Eco
    Shortlisted for the House interior of the year category at Dezeen Awards 2022, West Bend House was designed by Australian studio Brave New Eco as a “forever home” filled with timber, terracotta and other eco-friendly materials.
    The home also features saturated colour details such as a bathroom clad in sapphire tiles and a khaki green sofa and purple curtains in the living room.
    Find out more about West Bend House ›

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    Ten bedrooms with wardrobes that are disguised as walls

    This lookbook rounds up 10 bedrooms where architects have designed discreet built-in wardrobes to conceal clothing and clutter, creating the illusion of a seamless wall.

    Built-in wardrobe walls are an efficient way to supersize storage and utilise every centimetre of space in a bedroom, unlike freestanding units that often leave dead spaces around their edges.
    When finished with a minimalist design, they can also blend into the background, helping to create spacious and serene interiors that are suitable for sleep.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with arched openings, bathrooms with statement sinks and living rooms in Victorian and Georgian-era homes.
    Photo is by Mattias Hamrén with styling by Hanna TunemarFunction Walls, Sweden, by Lookofsky Architecture

    This wall of storage surrounds the doorway of a bedroom in the Function Walls apartment, which was recently renovated by Lookofsky Architecture in Stockholm.
    The pale grey units contain a mix of different-sized cupboards without handles, forming a neutral backdrop to bright yellow bedroom furnishings including a 1970s IKEA floor lamp.
    Find out more about Function Walls ›
    Photo is by Lorenzo ZandriWakehurst Road, UK, by Matthew Giles Architects
    Matthew Giles Architects designed a series of white-oak storage units for the Wakehurst Road house in London, including this pared-back wardrobe wall in one of the bedrooms.
    Its deliberately simple design ties in with a calming colour and material palette of stone, concrete and brick that runs through the updated Victorian residence.
    Find out more about Wakehurst Road ›

    House at the Pond, Austria, by Hammerschmid Pachl Seebacher Architekten
    The compact bedroom in House at the Pond is lined with wooden walls – two of which double as storage.
    Disguising the wardrobes helps keeps the interior details to a minimum, which in turn retains focus on the large window and prevents the small space from feeling cramped.
    Find out more about House at the Pond ›
    Photo is by Ben BlossomBavaria Road Studio, UK, by West Architecture
    Plywood panels are used as fronts for both the tall wardrobes and the doorway of the bedroom at Bavaria Road Studio, helping them to blend in with the rest of the space, which is lined with the same material.
    According to designer West Architecture, the goal was for them to “read as a single wall of flush panelling, effectively disappearing and allowing the room to be read as one seamless, minimalist environment”.
    Find out more about Bavaria Road Studio ›
    Photo is by Richard ChiversMaison Pour Dodo, UK, by Studio Merlin
    Designed to minimise clutter and visual noise, these understated built-in wardrobes are part of the “spectrum of storage” that Studio Merlin created for this flat in London.
    The seven wardrobe doors blend in seamlessly with the grey-hued walls of the main bedroom, while their wooden knobs complement the pale Douglas fir floorboards that run throughout.
    Find out more about Maison Pour Dodo ›
    Photo is by Yiorgos Kordakis with styling by Anestis MichalisXerolithi, Greece, by Sinas Architects
    White grooved doors line the built-in wardrobe wall in this bedroom, which Sinas Architects created at the Xerolithi house on the Greek island of Serifos.
    Aligned with a door to an ensuite bathroom, the wardrobes create a unpretentious backdrop to the space, drawing the occupant’s attention to the uninterrupted view of the sea outside.
    Find out more about Xerolithi ›
    Photo is by Mariell Lind HansenNarford Road, UK, by Emil Eve Architects
    Emil Eve Architects lined the nook of this monochromatic loft extension in London with bespoke wardrobes, which appear to extend up to meet a skylight overhead.
    Finished with wooden handles with brass caps, the units are complemented by a matching window seat with two in-built drawers and pale wood floors that help them blend into the background.
    Find out more about Narford Road ›
    Photo is by Mariko ReedMountain View Double Gable Eichler Remodel, USA, by Klopf Architecture
    A pair of built-in wardrobes have been incorporated within a walnut wall unit in a bedroom of this 1960s residence in Silicon Valley, recently remodelled by Klopf Architecture.
    The same wood has been used for the headboard and plinth for the bed, helping them to read as a single piece. The wardrobes are only distinguishable by two subtle leather handles placed on the front of each one.
    Find out more about Mountain View Double Gable Eichler Remodel ›
    Photo is by Andy StaggKennington House, UK, by R2 Studio
    These bedroom cupboards follow the sloped edge of a giant corner window, introduced to Kennington House in London as part of a renovation and loft extension project.
    Designed by R2 Studio as one of many storage facilities for the house, they help residents keep the room clutter free and have white-coloured fronts that are disguised as part of the wall.
    Find out more about Kennington House ›
    Photo is courtesy of Matt GibsonWellington St Mixed Use, Australia, by Matt Gibson
    Drawers and full-height wardrobes are incorporated into this floor-to-ceiling storage unit, which runs the length of a bedroom in the Wellington St Mixed Use house in Melbourne.
    Its design means it doubles as a tactile wooden wall for the room, which forms a part of a large multi-generational home by architect Matt Gibson. The other bedrooms have similar wardrobe layouts, ensuring plenty of storage for inhabitants.
    Find out more about Wellington St Mixed Use ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with arched openings, bathrooms with statement sinks and living rooms in Victorian and Georgian-era homes.

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    Four homes haunted by ghostly apparitions

    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

    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

    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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