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    Ten homes featuring clever wine storage solutions

    For those who don’t want to keep their wine collection hidden away, our latest lookbook showcases some of the most inventive ways of showcasing wine bottles within a contemporary home interior.

    Wine storage solutions can be created in homes of any size, by cleverly integrating shelving into wall niches or built-in furniture.
    For those with enough space for a wine cellar, or even just a dedicated wine fridge, well-designed glazing and lighting can turn these spaces into focal points.
    A more casual wine drinker could simply slot a small wine rack into a kitchen island or bookshelf.
    Read on for 10 examples to suit homes of any size, including a wine cellar that doubles as a lightbox and a blue wine-rack wall.

    This is the latest in Dezeen’s lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from our archive. Other recent editions showcase serene bedrooms and wood-panelled dining rooms.
    Photo by Maxime BrouilletMaison du Parc, Canada, by La Shed Architecture
    Visible from both the staircase and a grand basement bathroom, this wine room was designed to be a key feature in a three-storey home in Montreal.
    With frosted glass walls and stark lighting, it makes the bottles visible but partially obscured. They appear as a grid of spots across the surfaces of the bright white volume.
    Find out more about Maison du Parc ›
    Photo by Pedro KokAML Apartment, Brazil, by David Ito Arquitetura
    Bright blue wine storage extends floor to ceiling in this apartment in São Paulo, lining up exactly with a doorway in front.
    The wine rack sits alongside a utility area but it is also visible from the living and dining room, so it made sense to make it a feature. It offers space for 108 wine bottles.
    Find out more about AML Apartment ›
    Photo by Agnese SanvitoGallery House, UK, by Neil Dusheiko
    Wine bottles are not the primary focus in this kitchen extension in north London, which features an entire wall of treasured objects including ceramics, glassware and framed pictures.
    Instead, they neatly slot into 10 circular cubby holes within the oak kitchen island. These holes extend through, creating room for two bottles in each opening.
    Find out more about Gallery House ›
    Photo by Nelson KonCasa em Cotia, Brazil, by Una Arquitetos
    The kitchen of this family home in São Paulo centres around a full-height glass-fronted pantry, offering plenty of storage space for food and crockery.
    Wine storage is located within the front cupboard, slotted in underneath shelves for mugs and glasses. This places it within easy access of the adjacent dining room.
    Find out more about Casa em Cotia ›
    Photo by Jack LovelCity Beach Residence, Australia, by Design Theory
    Hexagonal terracotta modules are stacked up to create storage space for 50 wine bottles in this renovated 1960s beach house in Perth.
    The arrangement slots into a niche in the wall, with the clay-based material helping to keep the wine at a stable temperature.
    Find out more about City Beach Residence ›
    Photo by Mark WickensRaft Loft, USA, by Dash Marshall
    There is plenty of space for storing wine in this two-level home in New York’s Tribeca, which was converted from two previously separate apartments.
    In addition to the main kitchen, the residence has a kitchenette that features both a wine fridge and a wine rack that slots in above the wall-mounted high cupboards.
    Find out more about Raft Loft ›
    Photo by Dror BaldingerSki Slope Residence, USA, by LaRue Architects and Britt Design Group
    The owners of this lakeside cabin in Austin, Texas, also own a vineyard in Argentina, so they were understandably keen to put their wine collection on full display.
    A wine room takes pride of place near the main entrance. It is visible behind a glass door that extends from floor to ceiling, creating an unusual backdrop to a grand piano.
    Find out more about Ski Slope Residence ›
    Photo by Adam ScottCharred House, UK, by Rider Stirland Architects
    In this London home, wine storage forms part of a bespoke kitchen created by Plykea, a British brand that specialises in customising IKEA kitchens.
    The bottles are held in place by simple supports that sit within a series of shelves, offering space for 30 bottles.
    Find out more about Charred House ›
    Photo by Asier RuaSalva46, Spain, by Miel Arquitectos and Studio P10
    Storage helps to organise the floor plan in this highly compact Barcelona apartment.
    A very simple wood-framed wine rack slots alongside a set of drawers, which together create a soft divide between the entrance lobby and the kitchen.
    Find out more about Salva46 ›
    Photo by Michael Moran and Julian King ArchitectSoho Loft, USA, by Julian King
    This warehouse apartment in New York offers a highly simple wine storage solution.
    The living space features a series of shelves that together form a sizeable bookcase. A wooden rack slots into the bottom shelf, allowing wine to sit alongside the literature.
    Find out more about Soho Loft ›
    This is the latest in Dezeen’s lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from our archive. Other recent editions showcase serene bedrooms and wood-panelled dining rooms.

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    Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor adds colour to 1980s Stockholm apartment

    An all-lilac kitchen and bright geometric storage solutions feature in this colourful Stockholm apartment renovation by local studio Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor.

    The two-bedroom apartment, which is housed within a 1980s prefabricated concrete building in southern Stockholm, was transformed by the architecture studio for a family with four-year-old twins.
    Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor renovated the apartment for a family with twinsAs part of the renovation, Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor created a number of space-saving storage solutions. For example, the original floor plan featured an enclosed storage space in the middle of the apartment.
    The studio converted this into a trio of smaller storage units for the living room, the kitchen and the pantry. This was achieved by decreasing the size of the hallway but maintaining a corridor to the open-plan living room and home office.
    A see-through bookshelf and the studio’s bespoke Elephant sideboard feature in the living space”The original floor plan was robust and quite deep, with a load-bearing wall separating the living room and bedrooms into two halves,” studio co-founder Jesper Westblom told Dezeen.

    “We didn’t want to close off the spaces by making tiny enclosed rooms, but rather make light additions. The aim was to use small adjustments to make the rooms more defined spatially.”
    Red, yellow and blue tones feature throughout the apartmentA palette of hues created from a mix of the three primary colours – red, blue and yellow – features throughout the home, with the colours offset by white-painted flooring.
    Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor also chose a combination of pine wood and red medium-density fibreboard to create bespoke joinery and furniture.
    An all-lilac kitchen creates a statement accentThe kitchen was finished in a floor-to-ceiling shade of bluey lilac that also characterises a built-in geometric bench next to the dining table and a tall cupboard concealed behind a “secret door”.
    A large bookshelf divider decorated with organically shaped vases creates a partition between the open-plan living room and office area, with a burnt-orange shelving system providing extra storage.
    The office area can also be cordoned off with a curtain to create extra peace and quiet.
    Matching doors provide separate entrances to the twins’ shared bedroomThe architecture studio’s Elephant sideboard – a chunky blue table that owes its name to its sturdiness and colour – was also included in the living space.
    The family’s twins share one bedroom, which can be entered through two tall and narrow doors, adding a playful touch to the apartment.
    Small windows were also added above these doors to increase the natural light in the apartment.

    Seven vibrant homes that use colour to make a statement

    Inside the twins’ bedroom is a sleeping zone and a play area, which are separated by a low wall to create a clear delineation between the two spaces.
    “One of the biggest – and most fun – challenges was to make every single space useful and effective and make room for both play and recovery,” reflected Westblom.
    Subtle storage solutions define the apartmentWestblom and Robin Krasse founded their eponymous Stockholm-based studio in January 2021.
    The firm previously completed the interiors for a local hair salon, which takes cues from architect Carlo Scarpa’s geometric designs and the muted colours of 1920s swimming baths.
    The photography is by Jesper Westblom.

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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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    Maison Pour Dodo by Studio Merlin is a north London flat with a “spectrum of storage”

    Studio Merlin has revamped a Stoke Newington flat for its founder, Josh Piddock, by incorporating an abundance of storage to form serene, clutter-free living spaces.

    The project’s nickname, Maison Pour Dodo – which loosely translates from French to “house for sleep” – was inspired by Piddock’s desire for a tidy, restful home that had little material noise.
    To achieve this brief, Studio Merlin decided to install a range of storage throughout the two-floor flat that could comfortably accommodate Piddock’s and his girlfriend’s belongings.
    A tall bookshelf has been erected in the living area”The ‘spectrum of storage compression’ idea was taken from previous work assessing museum collections where some objects are in dense storage and others are on display and readily accessible,” explained Piddock, who founded Studio Merlin in 2020.
    “We all filter and organise to some degree and the answer is more cupboards and shelves, but specifically repurposed for a domestic setting,” he added.

    “The real principle is of auditing one’s possessions to create a hierarchy between household articles that reflect their value, favour and practical needs on a daily basis.”
    An opening looks through to the kitchenOne of the first rooms Studio Merlin tackled was the flat’s living and dining area, where a large floor-to-ceiling shelf has been erected to hold the inhabitants’ collection of books and ornaments.
    At the heart of the space is a plump blue sofa by Muuto, which directly faces onto a wall where the inhabitants will project tv shows and movies. This solution was chosen instead of a television to avoid the space becoming “dominated by consumer electronics”.
    The room’s warm, plaster-coloured surfaces and pale Douglas fir floorboards are also meant to add to the calming ambience.
    The cabinetry features smoke-blue cupboards fronts from ReformA newly created opening looks through to the kitchen, where there’s a wall of deep-set IKEA cabinets with smokey blue door fronts from Danish brand Reform.
    Matching low-lying cabinets run along the other side of the room, topped by a concrete counter from Caesarstone where food can be prepared.
    In the corner of the kitchen, there’s also a small seating nook above which are a series of open, pantry-style shelves where the owner can display jars of cooking ingredients.
    Blue paint forms a faux balustrade in the stairwellA paint in a similar shade of blue as the kitchen cabinetry has been applied on the white walls of the apartment’s stairwell to form a faux balustrade.
    Stairs on the first-floor landing are fitted with what the studio describes as “in and out storage”, designed to hold day-to-day essentials that inhabitants need to grab before heading out the door.
    An arched cut-out leads to the cat’s litter trayThe second-floor landing houses more storage cupboards, one of which has been punctuated with an arched cut-out through which Piddock’s cat can access its litter tray.
    There’s also a small study nook for working-from-home days, complete with a desk and Douglas fir stool.
    A small study nook offers a place for inhabitants to take work callsThis second level of the home accommodates the sleeping quarters. In the principal bedroom, built-in wardrobes help to neatly conceal the inhabitants’ clothes.
    Douglas fir offcuts have also been used by the studio to fashion custom curved bedside tables, where books and other trinkets can be tucked away.
    Built-in wardrobes conceal clutter in the bedroomPart of the original bedroom was sectioned off to allow space for a tub in the adjacent bathroom, which features terrazzo-style flooring and gold-tone hardware.
    Storage has been considered here, too – above the toilet is a series of vanity cabinets that have been made to sit flush against the room’s dark green walls.
    “The effect is a composed space where each thing has a home; sometimes concealed, densely packed and understated, others as pride of place, carefully curated and easily physically or visually accessible,” concluded Piddock.
    The bathroom subtly incorporates more storageLondon’s trendy Stoke Newington neighbourhood is host to a number of design-focused homes.
    Others include Two and a Half Storey House, which has an extension that’s hidden from the street, and Gallery House, which features a huge storage wall where the owner can display his personal collection of ceramics and glassware.
    Photography is by Richard Chivers.
    Project credits:
    Architect and interior design: Studio MerlinEngineer: Elliott WoodMain contractor: H Quality Construction

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    Ten well-organised bedrooms with clever storage solutions

    For our latest lookbook, we have rounded up 10 bedrooms from the Dezeen archive that make use of smart storage solutions, including custom-made headboards and floor-to-ceiling wall units.

    From basement one-bedroom apartments that use bookshelves as room partitions, to a plywood insertion in a children’s bedroom that combines work, play and sleep, these interiors all feature clever storage.
    Small cupboards inserted into headboards, below stairs and even within bed frames are also used to provide discreet additions to traditional storage units.
    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 interiors by Ukranian designers, coastal hotel interiors and self-designed homes by architects and designers.
    Photo is by Yiannis Hadjiaslanis and Point SupremeAthens apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme

    Greek architecture firm Point Supreme transformed a basement storage space in a suburban neighbourhood in Athens into a one-bedroom home.
    The 56-square-metre sunken space only receives light from above on one side. In order to make the space to feel as bright and big as possible, Point Supreme used curtains, sliding doors and open shelving units as wall partitions.
    The studio also added smart shelving below the ceiling of the bedroom, making full use of the height of the room.
    Find out more about Athens apartment ›
    Photo is by French+TyeTwo and a Half Storey House, UK, by Bradley Van Der Straeten
    Bradley Van Der Straecten Architects added a half-storey extension to this home in London’s Stoke Newington.
    The studio lined the interior of the extension in plywood and incorporated built-in wardrobes, bookshelves and a platform bed frame to maximise the space in this children’s bedroom.
    Find out more about Two and a Half Storey House ›
    Photo is by Draper WhiteGammel Dam, US, by CCY Architects
    This holiday home in Colorado by CCY Architects features floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the hilly terrain.
    The interiors are lined in pale wood and include clever storage solutions throughout. Wooden cupboards were built into the bed frames to maximise the use of the space, while keeping the minimalist feel of the interior.
    Find out more about Gammel Dam ›
    Photo is by Rafael SoldiWhidbey Dogtrot, US, by SHED
    Named after its location on Whidbey Island, which is just north of Seattle, this single-storey home was designed by American firm SHED for a couple that is soon to retire.
    In the bedroom, a large reading nook, fitted with rows of shelving, opens to the sleeping area and offers views across the serene landscape. Fixtures and architectural elements were painted black and provide a striking contrast against the white walls.
    Find out more about Whidbey Dogtrot ›
    Photo is by Ståle Eriksen.London apartment, UK, by Jonathan Tuckey Design
    Architecture studio Jonathan Tuckey Design overhauled this Marylebone apartment in London, adding pastel storage walls that curve and dip between each room.
    Instead of standard shelving, the studio opted to use built-in furniture throughout the space in the form of MDF storage walls.
    The primary bedroom was divided in two by storage walls to house a walk-in closet and sleeping area, which is now accessed through a pistachio-hued arch.
    Find out more about London apartment ›
    Photo is by Michael SinclairA Room for Two, UK, by Studio Ben Allen
    Studio Ben Allen built a wooden structure inside a London flat to create a shared bedroom for two children.
    The structure, which was constructed using pale birch plywood, features arched openings, steps fitted with shelving beneath, a fold-down desk and a desk-cum-platform.
    The plywood insertion provides the children with a place for sleep, work and play, without compromising on tidy storage.
    Find out more about A Room for Two ›
    Photo is by Shannon McGrathCentral Park Road Residence, Australia, by Studio Four
    Australian practice Studio Four used dark surfaces and large storage volumes throughout this Melbourne family home.
    In the primary bedroom, a full-height storage unit doubles as a headboard and includes a horizontal opening that serves as a shelf for a single row of books.
    The dark-painted volume, which was placed in the centre of the room, conceals a walk-in wardrobe as well as an ensuite bathroom.
    Find out more about Central Park Road Residence ›

    Smolenka Apartment, Russia, by Peter Kostelov
    Russian architect Peter Kostelov renovated this apartment in Moscow, adding a raised living room in a wooden capsule as well as built-in furniture units.
    The bedroom was finished in oak and divided into sections that have smooth, rounded passages between the ceiling, floor and walls forming shelves, closets and a bed. A television was neatly tucked into the wall unit opposite the bed.
    Find out more about Smolenka Apartment ›
    Photo is by Lisbeth GrosmannFlinders Lane Apartment, Australia, by Clare Cousins
    Clare Cousins Architects inserted a timber box and mezzanine platform into this one-bedroom apartment in Melbourne to create three additional sleeping areas.
    The 75-square-metre flat includes a hoop-pine plywood volume that houses two small bedrooms – each the length of a bed.
    Inside the volume, recesses in the walls form shallow shelves for small items, while hooks are spread across the panels for hanging clothes and personal items.
    Find out more about Flinders Lane Apartment ›
    Photo is by João Morgado.Musico Iturbi, Spain, by Roberto Di Donato
    London-practice Robert Di Donato used a large pair of wooden storage units in this Valencian apartment to complement the aged and weathered interiors.
    One wooden unit divides the bedroom from the main living area and extends to the full height of the space. It features sliding doors that can be closed to provide the sleeping area with complete privacy.
    Find out more about Musico Iturbi ›
    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 modernist living rooms, interiors by Ukranian designers and homes designed by architects and designers.

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    i29 designs Amsterdam home around owner's extensive art collection

    Double-height shelving and custom glass vitrines create ample storage space in this Amsterdam apartment, which was designed by local studio i29 to accommodate the owner’s vast collection of art and books.Located in a former industrial area in the north of the city, the 180-square-metre apartment is on the second floor of a residential block and belongs to a writer and art collector.

    Above: double-height storage walls divide the space. Top image: they include a mixture of cabinets and open shelving
    Built in 2020, the apartment block was set up as a Collectief Particulier Opdrachtgeverschap (CPO), which means collective private commissioning. In the Netherlands, this is a form of social project development in which a group of individuals act as the client for a new-build project.
    The building is developed as a group and each owner buys an empty shell. They can then design and build partitions in their own apartment according to their specific needs.

    A green couch anchors the open-plan living room

    Local studio i29 was commissioned to create a custom interior that would showcase the owner’s expansive personal library and an art collection of around 100 pieces.
    “Having such a huge collection of artworks, our client wanted only one thing: to have the ultimate display and storage space,” i29 told Dezeen. “We started making a programme of requirements and calculating the exact amount of shelving we would need.”

    i29 created a mezzanine level to house two bedrooms
    The designers were presented with an open loft space with double-height ceilings and no fixed layout.
    On the ground floor, i29 created an open-plan space for the entrance area, kitchen and living room. A series of small sculptures are displayed on glass shelves in the kitchen, while larger artworks are placed up against the walls or mounted on them.

    The apartment accommodates more than 100 artworks
    A mezzanine level was inserted within the double height space, housing a bathroom, two bedrooms and an office.
    Two custom-designed larch wood storage walls span the full height of the apartment and include a mixture of cabinets and open shelving. They help to create a visual connection between the two levels, while concealing an integrated staircase that runs up to the mezzanine level.

    The bespoke kitchen is finished in larch wood and matt grey HPL
    The bespoke kitchen and all of the cabinets throughout the apartment are finished in a combination of larch and matt grey high-pressure laminate (HPL).
    The floor is made from matching resin, as i29 wanted to keep the material palette deliberately neutral in order to let the art take centre stage.

    i29 and Spacon & X named interior designers of the year at Dezeen Awards

    “The stark and simple spatial interventions stand in contrast to the colourful pieces of art, balancing and supplementing each other,” the studio explained.

    The mezzanine also houses a home office
    In a similar apartment project featured on Dezeen earlier this year, EBBA Architects used structural ash and pine joinery – including a staircase, mezzanine and double-height storage wall – to connect the levels within a refurbished, open-plan apartment in London.
    Photography is by Ewout Huibers.

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    Ten living rooms with statement shelving that is both practical and beautiful

    For our latest lookbook, we’ve rounded up ten living rooms that have solved the storage dilemma with bespoke shelving that define the room. This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbook series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous articles in the series showcased designer bathrooms, colourful kitchens and living rooms with calm interiors.
    Whether they’re used as room dividers, to show off the owners’ book collection or as a hiding place for shy pets, built-in or custom-made shelves create a design statement.
    Read on for our round up of the ten best from Dezeen’s archives (plus a bonus eleventh one, above, which features the spectacular floor-to-ceiling bookcases at Olson Kundig’s Wasatch House in Salt Lake City):

    Mermaid Beach Residence, Australia, by B.E. Architecture
    The living room of Mermaid Beach Residence in Queensland’s Gold Coast region is a study in clever material use, with its concrete surfaces and timber flooring.
    The monolithic built-in wooden shelving that fills one wall creates a decorative grid-effect on top of the concrete. It rests on a stone slab above wooden storage units at floor level.
    Find out more about Mermaid Beach Residence ›

    Artist’s studio, Russia, by Ruetemple
    Architecture studio Ruetemple looked to “drawing and architecture” when designing this artist’s studio in Moscow, which is dominated by a large plywood partition that incorporates both furniture and shelving.
    As well as separating the lounge area from a workspace, the partition works as both storage space and furniture. It has a built-in sofa, shelving, and a set of steps that lead up to a suspended sleeping platform.
    Find out more about Artist’s studio ›

    Spear Building Loft, US, by Ravi Raj and Evan Watts
    This former factory in New York was renovated to create a bright, open living space. In the living room, simple built-in shelves were painted in a creamy pastel-yellow hue that harmonises with the white storage units and the fireplace.
    Rather than building the shelves into a separate wall panel, they have been attached to the white wall on one side, which creates an airy feel and helps open up the room.
    Find out more about Spear Building Loft ›

    Sierra Negra, Mexico, by Hemaa
    Two built-in shelves with wooden panelling serve a decorative function in this Mexico City living room, which has matching wooden floorboards and wood-clad walls.
    Its minimalist interior and simple colour palette, which blends beige, brown and grey hues, means the books in the shelves stand out as a splash of colour. The shelves also hold speakers and picture frames, helping to keep the rest of the room free from clutter.
    Find out more about Sierra Negra ›

    Sausalito Outlook, USA, by Feldman Architecture
    In the living room of this hillside home in Sausalito, California, Feldman Architecture added plenty of storage space for the owners’ book collection, while the white panelling in the middle hides the TV from sight.
    The walls and kitchen space next to the storage wall have been painted a matching glossy white, complemented by more natural hues such as a beige rug and brown Ligne Roset Togo seating.
    Find out more about Sausalito Outlook ›

    Mayfair apartment, UK, by MWAI
    In small apartments, built-in shelving can be the perfect space-saving solution. For MWAI’s design of a 37-square-metre home in London’s Mayfair area, it covered one wall of the open-plan kitchen and living area in a pale-wood storage unit that also includes a desk.
    Colours were kept neutral to reinforce the studio’s idea to look at the design as that of a hotel room where “all functions are carefully and discreetly planned to provide a functional response.”
    Find out more about Mayfair apartment ›

    Kew Residence, Australia, by John Wardle
    Architect John Wardle renovated his own Kew Residence home to make its wood-lined first-floor study the focal point of the house. Built-in shelves hold books and bric-a-brac on one side of the room and the architect’s art collection on another.
    Neutral wood colours were used for the shelves and the built-in reading nook in the room, where the architect said he spends “just about all his daylight hours.”
    Find out more about Kew Residence ›

    House for Booklovers and Cats, USA, by BFDO Architects
    The built-in storage in this colourful home lives up to the project name – it doesn’t just have space for books and art, but also for the owners’ two cats to hide away from visitors.
    The custom-made shelf has dozens of cubby holes while projecting shelves form a staircase for the cats to ascend to the ledge at the top, where they can sit and observe the goings-on below.
    Find out more about House for Booklovers and Cats ›

    The Hide Out, US, by Dan Brunn Architecture
    Dan Brunn Architecture renovated The Hide Out, which was originally designed by Frank Gehry in the 1970s, to pay homage to its initial simple material palette.
    In this living room and bedroom overlooking a meditation garden, the lush walnut seating nook is complemented by a built-in white bookshelf that also hides a fold-out bed.
    Find out more about The Hide Out ›

    Fin House, UK, by RA Projects
    The blue steel staircase in the middle of the living space in this home designed for fashion designer Roksanda Ilincic was designed to look “like a sculpture in a gallery.”
    As well as a staircase, the piece functions as a shelving system with multiple shelves in different sizes. Its back wall is broken up rather than solid, which lets light pass through and stops the colourful piece from feeling too solid.
    Find out more about Fin 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 peaceful bedrooms, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.

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    EBBA Architects remodels London apartment with bespoke joinery

    Structural ash and pine joinery – including a staircase, mezzanine and double-height storage wall – delineate the space within this refurbished, open-plan apartment in London by EBBA Architects.Located in an old matchstick factory in the city’s East End, the one-bedroom, 80-square-metre apartment belongs to a young professional couple, who asked the emerging local firm to “completely reimagine” its layout.

    The apartment features a bespoke wooden staircase, top image, and a double-height shelving unit, above
    The former plan featured subdividing walls, which created a small kitchen and lounge area, and a dark bedroom upstairs. An enclosed staircase took up almost a quarter of the floor space.
    EBBA Architects began by removing most of the walls and the large, existing staircase to provide a more functional and flexible living space.

    A dining area is tucked under the mezzanine

    The remodelled apartment is split across a ground floor and mezzanine level, both finished in a palette of subdued neutrals. A double-height living area is located downstairs alongside a dining room and kitchen, which are tucked under the mezzanine.
    Upstairs, a bedroom and en-suite bathroom sit next to a desk area, dressing room and a snug that doubles as a guest bedroom and can be sectioned off with a curving curtain.

    The staircase is made from white-stained ash
    “Key to the brief was extending the mezzanine to add space upstairs and rearrange the bedroom from the dark corner of the flat,” EBBA Architects founding director Benni Allan told Dezeen.
    “The need to extend the floor upstairs prompted us to imagine the new stair and mezzanine as a large, functional piece of furniture.”

    New Affiliates renovates Bed-Stuy Loft with plywood mezzanine and rough materials

    Made from a slender framework of white-stained ash, the staircase helps to prop up the new joists to the mezzanine, which the architects left exposed.
    The apartment’s bespoke joinery also includes a double-height shelving unit made from white-stained pine that helps to emphasise the height of the main living space.

    The shelving system stands next to the open kitchen
    “We looked at the brief as a way of questioning how to provide a mix of spaces in the compact plan, including places to rest and work,” added Allan.
    “Budget was tight, so we maximised the potential to express features in the project through the joinery and exposing all the timber.”

    White-stained pinewood was used to create the storage unit
    According to the architects, the white-stained ash serves as a “soft background to the apartment”, which is in harmony with the interior’s other neutral-toned materials.
    This spans everything from the cement floor to the kitchen counter – a terrazzo-like slab made of translucent aggregate and fine black basalt – and is complemented by simple, unobtrusive lighting fixtures.
    Other interiors where furniture merges with structure include the Spinmolenplein penthouse in Ghent by Jürgen Vandewalle, where a “bed-cabinet”, kitchen island and boxed-in bathroom help organise the floor plan.
    Photography is by Benni Allan.

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