From graphic tilework to hand-painted wallpaper, architects and designers have found a myriad of ways to create striking surfaces in the bedroom. Here are seven standout examples in our latest Dezeen Lookbook.
Duplex in NYC, USA, by Crosby Studios
Crosby Studios founder Harry Nuriev and his partner Tyler Billinger combined white tilework with a gold-lame headboard to create a statement wall in the bedroom of their New York apartment.
Nuriev and Billinger didn’t hold back when it came to designing the rest of the room, which boasts ultraviolet side tables and throw cushions, as well as a hand-shaped light.
Find out more about Duplex in NYC ›
Hygge Studio, Brazil, by Melina Romano
Tan-coloured bricks that feature in the communal living spaces of this Sao Paulo apartment continue through to the bedroom to form a rustic feature wall, finished with a lengthy headboard upholstered in terracotta-red fabric.
Interior designer Melina Romano explained that the warm medley of materials and colours are meant to channel a sense of hygge – a Danish term for a feeling of cosiness or contentment.
Find out more about Hygge Studio ›
Chelsea Pied-à-Terre, USA, by Stadt Architecture
Gold paint seems to ooze down the painterly, deep-green statement wall that features in the bedroom of this New York apartment.
The owners, who originally hail from southwest Canada, had wanted to bring the lush verdancy of the landscapes in their hometown into the apartment’s interior.
“We couldn’t literally accommodate a green living wall into the living areas,” Stadt Architecture explained. “However, we reconsidered ‘landscape’ as a custom hand-painted wall covering.”
Find out more about Chelsea Pied-à-Terre ›
Apartment A, Belgium, by Atelier Dialect
The unusual open-plan bedroom and bathroom inside this Antwerp apartment includes a statement wall clad in contrasting black and white subway tiles.
It serves as a graphic backdrop to the room’s freestanding tub, wrapped in shiny panels of mirrored steel.
Find out more about Apartment A ›
Heat 360, Ukraine, by Azovskiy & Pahomova Architects
Blotches of rust colour the dark slate-tile wall that extends across the back of this master bedroom, which is set inside a family home in Ukraine’s Dnipro region.
The floor-to-ceiling windows that run along the front the bedroom act as another statement wall, providing uninterrupted views out towards the landscaped garden and a nearby river.
Find out more about Heat 360 ›
Shkrub, Ukraine, by Sergey Makhno
Rows of rounded ceramic tiles create an almost scaly surface finish on the wall of the guest bedroom in architect Sergey Makhno’s family home.
This is one of several statement walls Makhno has incorporated in the property – a plaster wall in his own master bedroom has been sculpted to resemble the craggy face of a cliff.
Find out more about Shkrub ›
Casa A12, Spain, by Lucas y Hernández-Gil
A large cobalt-blue circle forms a simple but striking feature wall in the bedroom of this Madrid duplex apartment.
This shade of blue and coral orange have been applied across the rest of the home in homage to the colours used in Number 14, a painting by 20th-century abstract artist Mark Rothko.
Making improvements to your home because you’re spending so much more time there? In our latest Dezeen Lookbook, we’ve rounded up 30 bathrooms designed by architects to give you some ideas.
Minimal Fantasy apartment by Patricia Bustos Studio
Designed by Patricia Bustos Studio, this pink bathroom has shiny pink curtains and mirrors with pink frames to match the rest of the apartment in Madrid, which is almost entirely pink.
Find out more about Minimal Fantasy apartment ›
Botaniczna Apartment by Agnieszka Owsiany Studio
This bathroom in a Poznań apartment designed by Agnieszka Owsiany Studio for a couple working in medicine has travertine marble walls and a travertine basin.
Find out more about Botaniczna Apartment ›
House 6 by Zooco Estudio
Zooco Estudio covered the walls and floors of this bathroom in Madrid with white tiles and blue grouting. A geometric counter clad with blue tiles snakes across the ground and up the wall to form a storage closet in the space.
Find out more about House 6 ›
Porto house by Fala Atelier
Fala Atelier used square white tiles for this bathroom in a house in Porto. The tiles are paired with marble countertops, blue cupboard doors and a large round mirror over the sink.
Find out more about Porto house ›
Makepeace Mansions apartment by Surman Weston
The bathroom in this apartment designed by Surman Weston is finished with hand-painted tiles that are arranged to form a black-and-white graphic pattern that mimics the housing block’s mock-Tudor facade.
Find out more about Makepeace Mansions ›
Unit 622 by Rainville Sangaré
Set in an apartment within Moshe Safdie’s brutalist Habitat 67 housing complex in Montreal, this bathroom designed by Rainville Sangaré has colour-changing shower screens.
Find out more about Unit 622 ›
Rylett House by Studio 30 Architects
Created as part of the renovation of a Victorian maisonette in London, this small en-suite bathroom is finished with a black grid of tiles and a bright yellow wall.
Find out more about Rylett House ›
Cats’ Pink House by KC Design Studio
This holiday home in Taiwan is designed with a focus on the owner’s cat and includes cat ladders, a rotating carousel-shaped climbing frame and a fluffy pink swing. Its bathroom combines larger square pink floor tiles with a wall made from terrazzo with large flecks of pink and grey.
Find out more about Cats’ Pink House ›
Borden house by StudioAC
This en-suite bathroom at the front of a house designed by StudioAC has pitched walls covered in grey tiles.
Find out more about Borden house ›
Spinmolenplein apartment by Jürgen Vandewalle
This bathroom in an apartment in Ghent’s tallest building is enclosed within a white lacquered-wood box and is accessed by a set of barn-style doors. Internally the bathroom is finished with earthy, pink-tone micro cement to contrast the white wood.
Find out more about Spinmolenplein apartment ›
Cloister House by MORQ
The rammed-concrete walls of Cloister House in Perth have been left exposed in the bathroom where they are softened with timber slatted floors and a timber-clad bath and sink.
Find out more about Cloister House ›
Akari House by Mas-aqui
Designed by Architecture studio Mas-aqui as part of a renovation of a 20th-century apartment in the mountains above Barcelona, this small bathroom combines red floor tiles with white wall tiles.
Find out more about Akari House ›
Louisville Road house by 2LG Studio
Created by 2LG Studio as part of a colourful overhaul of a period house in south London, this bathroom has pale marble walls and a baby-blue tiled floor. The baby-blue colour was also used for the taps and mirror surround, which contrast with the coral vanity unit.
Find out more about Louisville Road house ›
Apartment A by Atelier Dialect
This en-suite bathroom, which forms part of a large open-plan master bedroom in an Antwerp apartment designed by Belgian studio Atelier Dialect, has a rectangular freestanding tub at its centre.
The bath is wrapped in mirrored steel to compliment a stainless-steel basin, while the walls are finished with subway tiles and mint-green paint.
Find out more about Apartment A ›
House V by Martin Skoček
Martin Skoček used salvaged bricks throughout the interiors of this gabled house near Bratislava, Slovakia. The master bedroom has a dramatic en-suite bedroom with a freestanding bathtub that is alined with the apex of the pitched timber roof.
Find out more about House V ›
308 S apartment by Bloco Arquitetos
The bathroom in this 1960s apartment renovated by Bloco Arquitetos in Brasília incorporates white tiles as a reference to architecture in the city in the 6os. The white walls and ceiling are combined with a vanity counter and floor made from Branco São Paulo – a matte-finished granite.
Find out more about 308 S apartment ›
Mexican holiday home by Palma
This slim shower room is tucked behind a bedroom in a holiday home designed by architecture studio Palma. It has slatted wooden doors that open directly to the exterior.
Find out more about Mexican holiday home ›
South Yarra Townhouse by Winter Architecture
This bathroom designed by Winter Architecture in a Melbourne townhouse combines exposed-aggregate grey tiles and thin, horizontal white tiles with towels rails and taps made from gold-hued brass.
Find out more about South Yarra Townhouse ›
Edinburgh apartment by Luke and Joanne McClelland
The main bathroom in this Georgian apartment in Edinburgh has glazed green tiles on the lower half of the walls and the front of the tub. Alongside the bath, a sink was placed on a restored 1960s wooden sideboard by Danish designer Ib Kofod Larsen.
Find out more about Edinburgh apartment ›
Ruxton Rise Residence by Studio Four
Built for Studio Four’s co-director Sarah Henry, this tranquil house in the Melbourne suburb of Beaumaris has bathrooms with surfaces covered in tadelakt – a waterproof, lime-based plaster that is often used in Moroccan architecture to make sinks and baths.
Find out more about Ruxton Rise Residence ›
House with Three Eyes by Innauer-Matt Architekten
In House with Three Eyes, the bathroom has a full-height glass wall that has views out across the surrounding Austrian countryside. The marble-clad bath is positioned right next to this window so bathers can enjoy the views.
Find out more about House with Three Eyes ›
Hygge Studio by Melina Romano
Brazilian designer Melina Romano designed this fern green coloured bathroom to extend from a bedroom in a São Paulo apartment. It features a striking black toilet, a corner mirror and a vanity unit built from red brick that has an open slot for storing towels and toiletries.
Find out more about Hygge Studio ›
Ready-made Home by Azab
This en-suite bathroom in Azab’s Ready-made Home is separated from the bedroom by an angled blue curtain. The triangular bathroom space is differentiated from the bedroom by its blue tiles on the floor, which extend up the front of the bath and walls.
Find out more about Ready-made Home ›
Immeuble Molitor apartment by Le Corbusier
This small bathroom was designed by Le Corbusier in the Immeuble Molitor apartment in Paris that was his home for over 30 years. The room, which has walls that are painted sky blue and covered with small white tiles, has a short bath and sink.
Find out more about Immeuble Molitor apartment ›
Apartment in Born by Colombo and Serboli Architecture
Colombo and Serboli Architecture added a new guest bathroom to this apartment in Barcelona’s historic El Born neighbourhood, which has by blush-toned tiles and a circular mirror.
Find out more about Apartment in Born ›
130 William skyscraper model apartment by David Adjaye
Built within an apartment in David Adjaye’s 130 William skyscraper in New York, this bathroom is lined with serrated grey marble tiles and has a wooden sink unit with a matching profile.
Find out more about 130 William skyscraper model apartment ›
Pioneer Square Loft by Plum Design and Corey Kingston
The bathroom facilities in this loft apartment in Seattle are located in a custom-built L-shaped wooden box in one of the room’s corners, which is topped with a bedroom.
A washroom, shower, toilet and sauna are each located in different boxes that are each clad in wood charred using the traditional Japanese technique known as Shou Sugi Ban.
Find out more about Pioneer Square Loft ›
VS House by Sārānsh
The bathroom in VS House by Sārānsh in Ahmedabad, India, combines two clashing Indian stone finishes. Floors and walls are made from flecked grey tiles, while an emerald-coloured marble surrounds the toilets and mirror.
Find out more about VS House ›
Nagatachō Apartment by Adam Nathaniel Furman
Forming part of the brightly coloured Nagatachō Apartment, which Adam Nathaniel Furman designed to be a “visual feast”, this bathroom combines blue and milky-orange tiling. A sky-blue vanity unit, lemon-yellow towel rail and taps, and a pink toilet complete the colourful composition.
Find out more about Nagatachō Apartment ›
Kyle House by GRAS
This holiday home in Scotland was designed by Architecture studio GRAS to have a “monastically simple” interior. This is extended into the bathroom, which has grey walls and a shower space clad with large black tiles.
Cool-toned industrial materials such as aluminium and concrete are paired with marble surfaces and translucent pastel shelving in this eyewear store in Melbourne, Australia.
Designed by local firm Studio Edwards, the first flagship store by optometrist Vision Studio is housed in a shopping centre in the city’s Glen Waverley suburb.
Vision Studio’s perforated aluminium facade (top image) hinges open to reveal a jewel-like interior (above)
Half of the store’s 3.6-metre-high perforated aluminium facade hinges open to reveal what the studio describes as a “jewel-like” interior, framed by marble tiles that contrast with the raw concrete of the existing shell.
Inside, Studio Edwards set out to create a space reminiscent of a gallery, including enough display space for 200 spectacles and storage for an additional 800 pairs alongside three consultation rooms with waiting areas and a staff and store area.
A bright orange tap and pastel pink doorframe act as pops of colour in the otherwise monochrome interior
To accommodate these functions, the floor plan is split into two zones with the store and display area at the front, and the optician and consulting spaces at the rear.
“The space is zoned via an angular plan configuration with the areas requiring most privacy to the rear and semi-private consulting spaces tapering to the front,” Studio Edwards founder Ben Edwards told Dezeen.
“One challenge was to work with the existing air conditioning ceiling ductwork – we chose to expose them and include them within the overall aesthetic.”
Pastel-coloured accents are applied to the shelving and cabinets that run along the walls on either side of the Vision Studio store.
The material palette, which the studio described as “a balance between raw and refined”, blends industrial materials such as aluminium and concrete with marble surfaces and translucent shelving that seems to hang in midair.
The shop is located in a Glen Waverley shopping centre
Other studios that have combined industrial materials and soft, powdery colours include Spanish studio Lucas y Hernández-Gil, which contrasted pastel furnishings against concrete walls in this restaurant in Seville.
In our latest Dezeen Lookbook, we’ve rounded up 10 residential kitchens by designers who have experimented with bright tiles and coloured cabinets to challenge the ongoing trend of all-white cooking spaces.
Plaster Fun House, Australia, by Sans-Arc Studio
A pink-terrazzo breakfast bar is complemented by duck-egg blue cabinetry, spherical pendant lights and abundant brass detailing in this kitchen by Sans-Arc Studio.
It was built as part of an extension to a cottage in Torrensville and takes its cues from art deco and P&O architecture – a style that emerged following the popularity of cruise liners in the 1930s.
Find out more about Plaster Fun House ›
Delawyk Module House, UK, by R2 Studio
R2 Studio introduced mustard-yellow cabinets to the cooking space of this 1960s home on a London council estate, as part of a playful redesign of the dwelling for a young family.
The kitchen units are teamed with retro, orange splashback tiles, minimal silver handles and an oak floor has been stained dark for contrast.
Find out more about Delawyk Module House ›
Nagatachō Apartment, Japan, by Adam Nathaniel Furman
A bubblegum-pink kitchen suite sits at the heart of this Tokyo apartment that Adam Nathaniel Furman designed as “a place of happiness, joy and lightness” for a retired couple.
The units are paired with slender, blue wall tiles that are arranged in a herringbone pattern and a stripy watermelon-green floor. There is also an adjoining breakfast nook with a lilac carpet that is intended to resemble icing.
Find out more about Nagatachō Apartment ›
House P, China, by MDDM Studio
MDDM Studio combined vibrant yellow walls with earthy terrazzo fixtures made from green, orange and beige stones to create this colourful kitchen in a Beijing apartment.
Contrasting turquoise accents, seen on the cabinets and sliding doors to the room, were also added to accentuate the colour of the green stone in the terrazzo.
Find out more about House P ›
Klinker Apartment, Spain, by Colombo and Serboli Architecture
Terracotta-coloured cement lines the ceiling, wall and floor of the kitchen inside of Klinker Apartment, a holiday home by Colombo and Serboli Architecture in an art-nouveau building in Barcelona.
These warm surfaces are complemented by matching cabinetry and a central breakfast island but contrasted with the surrounding patterned floor tiles that were saved from the flat’s previous fit-out.
Find out more about Klinker Apartment ›
Belgian Apartment, Belgium, by Carmine Van Der Linden and Thomas Geldof
The birch-wood cabinets and shelving that line this apartment’s kitchen have been stained a murky shade of green to evoke seaweed and marram grasses, paying homage to its setting on the Belgian coast.
They are paired with a dusky plaster wall finished in the same colour, alongside chunky industrial steel detailing, light marble worktops and a speckled grey floor.
Find out more about Belgian Apartment ›
Kennington House, UK, by R2 Studio
Kennington House’s multi-coloured cooking space was designed by R2 Studio as “a kitchen that doesn’t scream ‘kitchen'” by avoiding the use of cold and shiny surfaces.
Instead, it is lined with birchwood cupboards that have cobalt blue, lemon yellow and sage green matt finishes, adorned with coral-hued stools and concrete countertops.
Find out more about Kennington House ›
Esperinos, Greece, by Stamos Michael
This kitchen is one of several rooms in a guest house in Athens that Greek designer Stamos Michael overhauled to evoke a gallery-style space.
Warm plum-purple walls are animated by a large piece of modern art and set against emerald-hued cabinetry and black, industrial-style shelves.
Find out more about Esperinos ›
Apartment in Born, Spain, by Colombo and Serboli Architecture
Blush-coloured quartz was used to craft the flecked breakfast island and splashback inside this kitchen in a 13th-century apartment in Barcelona.
They are offset with grey kitchen units with brass handles, exposed oxblood-hued extraction ducting and a coral-coloured arched volume on one side that conceals a small toilet.
Find out more about Apartment in Born ›
White Rabbit House, UK, by Gundry & Ducker
A large green kitchen island with an overhanging monochrome worktop made from terrazzo is positioned at the centre of this kitchen in Gundry & Ducker’s White Rabbit House.
The island is teamed with a backdrop of matching built-in wall cabinets, arched windows and doorways, and a floor lined with large slabs of luminous white, blue and grey terrazzo.
Looking for inspiration for your dream kitchen? In our latest Dezeen Lookbook, we’ve rounded up 30 architect-designed kitchens from our archives.
This roundup is the latest in a series of stories that bring together visual inspiration for the home. See our recent posts showcasing ten colourful kitchen interiors, thirty bathrooms designed by architects and seven bedrooms with statement walls.
Home Farm by John Pawson
British architect John Pawson designed three kitchens for his own retreat, Home Farm, including this minimal example with pale lime plaster walls.
Find out more about Home Farm ›
Paris Apartment by Atelier Sagitta
An emerald-green apartment is the focal point of this apartment in Paris overhauled by Atelier Sagitta, which features grooved oak cupboards made by a local cabinet maker.
Find out more about Paris Apartment ›
Makers House by Liddicoat & Goldhill
Deep blue cabinets provide a contrast to the exposed brick walls, steel beams and polished concrete floor of this London home.
Find out more about Makers House ›
Stine Goya’s House by Reform
Danish brand Reform gave a standard IKEA kitchen set a glitzy golden makeover for the house of a Copenhagen-based fashion designer.
Find out more about Stine Goya’s house ›
Caroline Place by Amin Taha
Cherry wood cabinets and a kitchen island topped by dark brass surfaces feature in this 1950s house in London updated by Amin Taha Architects.
Find out more about Caroline Place ›
Shelter by Vipp
An all-black kitchen sits underneath a light chimney in this steel-framed prefabricated cabin with floor-to-ceiling glazing.
Find out more about Shelter ›
Slab House by Bureau de Change Architects
Every surface of this kitchen designed for a London house extension by Bureau de Change Architects is blue, including the ceiling and the resin floor.
Find out more about Slab House ›
Oscar Freire Apartment by Claudia Bresciani and Júlia Risi
Bright white square tiles and baby pink cabinets define this kitchen in São Paulo, which has a walk-in pantry that’s painted turquoise.
Find out more about Oscar Freire Apartment ›
The Olive Houses by Mar Plus Ask
The sink and stovetop of this off-grid house in Mallorca, Spain, overlook an ancient olive grove framed by pink stucco walls.
Find out more about The Olive Houses ›
House in Los Velos by Ryue Nishizawa
A jaw-dropping view of the ocean provides the backdrop to this kitchen made of wood in a house built on a spit of land jutting into the Pacific Ocean in Chile. All the kitchen elements are housed in three central islands, leaving the windows unobstructed.
Find out more about House in Los Velos ›
The Parchment Works by Will Gamble Architects
This kitchen built in the ruins of a cattle shed and a 17th-century parchment factory in England features exposed timber beams.
Find out more about The Parchment Works ›
Glyn House by Yellow Cloud Studio
Yellow Cloud Studio created a kitchen island using black terrazzo with oversized chunks as a counterpoint to the pale oak cupboards and splashback of terracotta tiles in this London extension.
Find out more about Glyn House ›
Kew Residence by John Wardle Architects
The founder of John Wardle Architects used specially sourced Japanese ceramic tiles for the kitchen while remodelling his house in Melbourne, Australia.
Find our more about Kew Residence ›
Cabin at Rones by Sanden+Hodnekvam Arkitekter
Big windows make the most of the views from this kitchen in a cabin on a rocky outcrop in Norway, featuring simple birch plywood furniture and a concrete floor.
Find out more about Cabin at Rones ›
House P by MDDM Studio
Chunky terrazzo used for the island and the splashback contrasts with the bright yellow walls and teal cupboards of this kitchen for an apartment in Beijing by MDDM Studio.
Find out more about House P ›
Hood Cliff Retreat by Wittman Estes
The kitchen opens right out onto the deck of this cabin in the Pacific Northwest designed by Wittman Estes. A pass-through window allows the outdoor grill to become a seamless culinary extension.
Find out more about Hood Cliff Retreat ›
Parisian Apartment by SABO Project
SABO Project designed this apartment in Paris to be as kid-friendly as possible with a birch plywood kitchen complete with a cosy nook for the family’s pet cat to retreat to.
Find out more about Parisian Apartment ›
Z House by Geza
Z House is a gabled house set into the slopes of an Alpine village in Italy. The dark kitchen of steel and wood is designed as a backdrop to the sweeping views of the mountains.
Find out more about Z House ›
Mixtape Apartment by Azab
Architecture studio Azab gave a 1960s apartment in Bilbao a fun makeover centred on a baby-pink kitchen with wood-trimmed cupboards and a mosaic-style herringbone tiled floor.
Find out more about Mixtape Apartment ›
The Mantelpiece Loft by Note Design Studio
The sage-green kitchen of this reconfigured apartment in Stockholm, Sweden, has contrasting countertops of terrazzo flecked with orange stone.
Find out more about The Mantelpiece Loft ›
Edinburgh Apartment by Luke and Joanne McClelland
This refurbished Georgian townhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland, has an open plan kitchen with herringbone floors made of oak and affordable kitchen units from IKEA.
Find out more about Edinburgh Apartment ›
Flat House by Practice Architecture
The hemp walls of this house on a farm in Cambridgeshire are a feature in the kitchen, which has sunshine-yellow cupboards below floating wooden shelves.
Find out more about Flat House ›
Marine Extension by David Barr Architects
David Barr Architects used pale birch plywood for this bright kitchen in Perth, Australia, which displays a crockery collection on open shelves hanging from the ceiling.
Find out more about Marine Extension ›
Duplex in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi by Arquitectura-G
Bright yellow is a theme in this Barcelona apartment designed by Arquitectura-G. The kitchen is no exception, with lemon-coloured square tiles to contrast the brushed steel worktop.
Duplex in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi ›
Casa Mille by Fabio Fantolino
Copper handles accent the blue-green cabinets of the kitchen with herringbone floors in this Turin flat renovation by Italian architect Fabio Fantolino.
Find out more about Casa Mille ›
Hygge Studio by Melina Romano
Brazilian designer Melina Romano used terracotta flooring and vertical brick walls in the kitchen of an apartment in São Paulo themed around the Danish concept of cosiness.
Find out more about Hygge Studio ›
Apartment XVII by Studio Razavi
Studio Razavi overhauled an abandoned apartment in Lyon, France, plastering the walls and creating a serene kitchen with sea-green coloured MDF cabinets and a patterened splashback to match.
Find out more about Apartment XVII ›
Belgium Apartment by Carmine Van Der Linden and Thomas Geldof
This duplex in the dunes of the Belgian coast has a kitchen with seaweed-coloured birch cabinetry and a marble-topped steel island.
Find out more about Belgium Apartment ›
Paris Apartment by Sophie Dries
French architect Sophie Dries renovated a 19th-century flat in Paris, France, using bold colour blocking of dark grey cabinets against rusty-orange floors, walls and countertops for the kitchen.
Find out more about Paris Apartment ›
Apartment on a Mint Floor by Fala Atelier
As the name suggests, this two-bedroom apartment in Porto, Portugal, by Fala Atelier has a mint-green epoxy resin floor complimented in the kitchen by the two shades of turquoise used for the kitchen cabinets.
With winter approaching in the northern hemisphere, wes selected eight snug living rooms with cosy features including fireplaces and wood-lined walls as our latest Dezeen Lookbook.
This is the latest roundup in a series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous articles in the series showcased colourful kitchens, bedrooms with statement walls and domestic bathrooms designed by architects.
Villa Weinberg, Denmark, by Mette and Martin Weinberg
The inviting living room inside this 1940s cottage in Aarhus is almost entirely lined with oiled oak boards.
Although it is devoid of sofas, the seating bench that runs around the room’s periphery has been topped with comforting tan-leather cushions and woolly throws. There are also a couple of beanbags for inhabitants to relax on.
Find out more about Villa Weinberg ›
Ocean House, Australia, by Rob Mills
Concrete isn’t typically associated with cosiness – but architect Rob Mills has applied it throughout the living room of this house on Australia’s Great Ocean Road, adding homely details like a plump sofa, a shaggy rug and a fireplace.
“I don’t see the design as being stark,” Mills said. “The interior is organic and tactile, and incorporates neutral fabrics.”
Find out more about Ocean House ›
Carriage House, USA, by Workstead
Exposed-brick walls smattered with remnants of paint and plaster lend a cosy, lived-in quality to this lounge, which sits inside a Charleston home that dates back to the 1800s.
Cane cabinetry, red-leather armchairs and an olive-green sofa provide extra touches of warmth.
Find out more about Carriage House ›
Avalanche House, New Zealand, by Intuitive Architects
Pitched ceilings and plywood-lined walls make this holiday home in Wanaka feel much more like an intimate cabin.
Intuitive Architects have finished its lounge with more cosy decor elements like fluffy cushions, a wood burner and even a trio of tree branches, which have been stood in the room’s corner.
Find out more about Avalanche House ›
North Bank, UK, by Elliott Architects
Walls washed with pale-brown plaster give a rustic warmth to this living area, despite its lofty proportions and large windows which look out to the countryside of Northumberland.
Tucked in the corner of the space is a daybed dressed with a patchwork blanket, fur throws and plush cushions, forming a perfect spot for inhabitants to snuggle up.
Find out more about North Bank ›
Central Park Road Residence, Australia, by Studio Four
Studio Four orientated the design scheme of this Melbourne home around the concept of hygge – a Danish term used to describe feelings of cosiness, comfort and general contentment.
Its living area rather aptly features a warm mix of blackened timber surfaces, copper light fixtures and tan-leather armchairs. The focal point of the room is a huge fireplace topped with a five-metre-high steel flue, where inhabitants can gather on chilly winter evenings.
Find out more about Central Park Road Residence ›
Cottage in Hai Zhen, China, by Sun Min and Christian Taeubert
The creative pair behind the renovation of this cottage on the rural outskirts of Beijing opted to retain the property’s rustic features, while introducing slick contemporary elements.
In the lounge, cracked plaster walls, worn ceiling beams and an old wood burner have contrastingly been paired with wire-frame chairs and steel cabinetry, forming a cosy yet balanced space.
Find out more about the cottage ›
Seaside Abode, Denmark, by Norm Architects
Weathered beams of dark-stained timber clad the central gabled wall of this living room. Just in front are a couple of marble side tables, a thick fringed rug and taupe-coloured sofas.
These earthy, tactile details are meant to foster a sense of warmth within the space, but also reflect the rugged coastal landscape of Denmark’s North Zealand region, which can be seen through the home’s expansive windows.
With glimpses of the seaside to views of the Rocky Mountains, our latest Dezeen Lookbook rounds up 10 dining rooms in American houses that would be spectacular settings for a Thanksgiving dinner.
This is the latest roundup in a series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous articles in the series showcased cosy living rooms, domestic bathrooms designed by architects and colourful kitchens.
Bayhouse, New England by Studio Rick Joy
A dramatic wood-covered ceiling covers the dining room in New England residence Bayhouse designed by Tucson-based Studio Rick Joy.
When seated at the long table – which forms part of a wood palette throughout the house – diners enjoy views out to the sea.
Find out more about Bayhouse ›
Dawnridge House, California by Field Architecture
The dining room of this house, in a suburb of Silicon Valley, is designed so that it is always open to the outdoors and frames a large oak tree.
Food can be served up from a built-in barbecue or from the kitchen, which adjoins the space via sliding glass doors.
Find out more about Dawnridge House ›
Hale Lana, Hawaii by Olson Kundig
An expansive roof provides shade to a wooden deck furnished with a dining area in this residence Seattle firm Olson Kundig has completed on an old lava field in Hawaii.
Suited to a large gathering, the wood table and benches mirror the form of the surrounding wood architecture.
Find out more about Hale Lana ›
Hudson Woods Home, New York by Magdalena Keck
A more intimate gathering would suit this foldable Finn Juhl dining table – one of a number of Danish mid-century designs furnishing the holiday home in a Catskill Mountains development.
The table is placed to make the most of a square window framing a view of the outdoors.
Find out more about Hudson Woods home ›
Ledge House, Connecticut by Desai Chia
Placed between the kitchen counter and a concrete fireplace with a wood-burning stove, the dining table forms the heart of this home in Connecticut.
The pale wood table extends to large rectangular windows that span the length of the house providing views of the hilly landscape.
Find out more about Ledge House ›
Little Peek, Maine by Bernman Horn Studio
Weathered metal chairs and a weathered wood table form a simple, stripped-back setting for diners in Little Peek House.
The area is an enclosed patio that is sandwiched between two cedar volumes to form the holiday home that the founders of Berman Horn Studio built themselves on an island in Maine.
Find out more about Little Peek ›
Shaw Mesa, Idaho by Michael Doty Architects
The Rocky Mountains in Idaho are visible through sliding glass doors from the dining table in this Shaw Mesa residence by Michael Doty Architects.
Metal slices through the wood table top referencing the materiality of the house, which includes charred-black timber walls and a corrugated metal roof.
Find out more about Shaw Mesa ›
Sheffield House, Masschusetts by Vincent Appel
The dining room in Sheffield House is furnished with warm, red-hued wooden chairs with woven seats and a glossy black table.
With these bold hues, which provides a contrast to the house’s bleached cedar exterior, the dining area provides an anchor in the open-plan living space.
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Valley Street House, California by Síol Studios and Levy Art and Architecture
Black gridded windows and doors wrap a corner of the dining room in this residence in San Francisco.
They open onto a terrace with glass railings, ideal for hanging out before or after a feast.
Find out more about Valley Street house ›
Wasatch House, Utah by Olson Kundig
Set in Salt Lake City, Utah, Wasatch House by Olson Kundig is furnished with a circular table for four diners.
Hues of green, orange ad brown pick up the tones of woodland visible through the window.
A Shaker-style sleeping space and a bed chamber with a colour scheme informed by California deserts are among the ten serene, architect-designed bedrooms in our latest Dezeen Lookbook.
This is the latest in a series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous articles in the series showcased visually inspiring dining rooms, cosy living rooms, domestic bathrooms designed by architects and colourful kitchens.
Guadalajara House, Mexico, by Alejandro Sticotti
Architect Alejandro Sticotti designed Guadalajara House around two existing trees, and closeness to nature was an important aspect of its layout.
This can be seen in the master bedroom suite, which has large floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open up onto a private deck on the northern side of the house. Wooden panelling and a soft grey and white colour scheme create a relaxing place for sleep.
Find out more about Guadalajara House ›
Pound Ridge House, US, by Tsao & McKown
This house in upstate New York was designed with an open layout, but its master suite is separated from the more public areas by a private sitting area.
Here, the owners’ bed sits up against a wall painted in dark, moody hues, close to a veranda that can be accessed through a set of sliding doors. A fireplace completes the bedroom.
Find out more about Pound Ridge House ›
Prism House + Terrace Room, Chile, by Smiljan Radíc
The main bedroom in Prism House by Chilean architect Smiljan Radíc overlooks a dead river of lava from a previous eruption of the nearby Llaima Volcano.
The dramatic view, seen through Prism House’s glazed rear wall, is offset by a simple interior that features a blackened Oregon pine wood floor and a wooden bed that also functions as a seat or shelf.
Find out more about Prism House ›
Xiang Jiang House, China, by Claesson Koivisto Rune
Swedish architecture and design studio Claesson Koivisto Rune went all-in on natural materials for this Beijing house, where a bedroom features timber panelling on both floor and walls as well as a large, four-poster wooden bed frame.
The pared-down colours are matched with contemporary design pieces from Scandinavia, Japan, China and Italy.
Find out more about Xiang Jiang House ›
Spanish holiday home, Spain, by YLAB Arquitectos
A walnut slatted ceiling decorates the master bedroom of this holiday home in southeast Spain with coastal mountain-range views.
Grey sandstone was used for the wall, and a contrasting headboard and storage unit in black behind the bed was decorated with brass accessories. “The interplay of materials and brass elements make it feel very luxurious, but it’s also cosy, almost like a wooden holiday retreat,” said the studio co-founder Yolanda Yuste López.
Find out more about the Spanish holiday home ›
Bermonds Locke, UK, by Holloway Li
California deserts informed the design of Bermonds Locke, a hotel in London’s Bermondsey area. Colours throughout its rooms were taken from desert sunsets, as seen on the warm terracotta-hued rug and multicoloured bedspread in the bedroom above.
Bermonds Locke rooms are used to sleep in but also for eating and working, so the studio separated the bed from the rest of the room by creating bespoke black bed frames that can be enclosed using linen drapes.
Find out more about Bermonds Locke hotel ›
Forest House, Thailand, by Shma Company
The plant-filled Forest House accommodates seven people and 120 trees on just 300 metres. In this peaceful bedroom, steel louvres cover the windows to create privacy, while two narrow balconies hold an assortment of potted plants.
A wooden headboard with built-in bedside tables adds practical storage space. Colours were kept to white, with brown rugs that match the wood detailing.
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Klinker Apartment, Spain, by Colombo and Serboli Architecture
Colourful tiles create a vibrant floor decoration in this bedroom in Klinker Apartment in Barcelona, where a sage border warps around the room and even envelops the headboard.
The ceiling was painted a matching green hue, and decorations kept to a minimum to allow the colours to speak for themselves – two white spherical lamps illuminate the bed and a bedside table in a darker green holds Alexander Calder-style mobiles.
Find out more about Klinker Apartment ›
Kawakawa House, New Zealand, by Herbst Architects
The dramatic bedroom of Kawakawa House is clad in dark birch panels. It features clerestory windows that let in the dappled sunlight from the canopy of pōhutukawa trees outside, as well as smaller windows next to the bed.
With such striking views, the walls could be kept empty of pictures and the only other details are hanging bedside tables in a lighter wood.
Find out more about Kawakawa House ›
Círculo Mexicano Hotel, Mexico, by Mabrosi Etchegaray
There’s a monastic feel to the Shaker-inspired Círculo Mexicano Hotel, with its white-painted floors and beds covered in beige linens with exposed seams. Barrel-vaulted ceilings clad in red tiles add a touch of colour to the serene surroundings.
“Originally all the design process was inspired by an ecclesiastical aesthetics,” architect Jorge Ambrosi told Dezeen. “With that premise, we imagined an architecture free of ornament, where the correct use of simple materials enhances the quality of the space.”
In our latest Dezeen Lookbook, we’ve rounded up 10 living rooms with calm, relaxing interiors, including rooms with soothing colours and natural materials that create a peaceful environment.
This is the latest roundup in a series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous articles in the series showcased peaceful bedrooms, dining rooms in American homes, and kitchens and domestic bathrooms designed by architects.
Budge Over Dover house, Australia, by YSG
Interior design studio YSG opened up the kitchen and living room into one large, open-plan space that connects to the garden to create a “fluid” sense of space in the Budge Over Dover House in Sydney.
The studio used warm, deep colours to create a sense of calm, including dark wood detailing and aubergine hues. Marble surfaces add a luxury touch and look intriguing next to the simple brick floor.
Find out more about Budge Over Dover house ›
Esperinos Guesthouse, Greece, by Michael Stamos
Greek designer Michael Stamos used a moss-green colour for the living room walls in the Esperinos guesthouse in Greece. The colour gives the room a relaxing feel and picks up the green from the plants that are dotted around the space.
A nearby staircase has been painted black as a contrast, creating a moody atmosphere that’s contrasted by the colourful cushions on the large sofa.
Find out more about Esperinos Guesthouse ›
Whidbey Island Farm, USA, by MW Works
MW Works wisely designed Whidbey Island Farm to make the most of the surrounding nature, with large windows and a pared-back interior design that lets the view speak for itself.
Simple wooden furniture sits both inside the living room and on the connected terrace, while woven blankets and a furry throw adding a cosy touch. The open fire means the owners can enjoy the view of the surrounding forest in comfort even in the depths of winter.
Find out more about Whidbey Island Farm ›
VS House, India, by Sãrãnsh
Architecture studio Sārānsh used local Kota tiles in the living room of the VS House in Ahmedabad to create a sense of tactility. The interior was kept minimalist, but the studio created interest by combining a range of different natural materials.
The discrete grey hues of the plush furniture cushions work well against the rattan armrests and wooden furniture bases, while a decorative wall in dark wood adds a refined touch.
Find out more about VS House ›
Nithurst Farm, UK, by Adam Richards
Nithurst Farm might have been inspired by both Roman architecture and Soviet-era science fiction, but its living room has a more traditional look.
Architect Adam Richards, who designed Nithurst Farm as his own home, took advantage of the high, concrete ceilings as a calm background onto which he’s projected bright splashes of colour in the form of paintings and curtains. A baroque-style chair and a fabric-clad footstool help soften the space.
Find out more about Nithurst Farm ›
Williamsburg schoolhouse, US, by White Arrow
The living room of this schoolhouse in Brooklyn, which studio White Arrow’s founders designed for their own home, has plenty of patterned textiles, but their creamy pastel hues means the space still doesn’t feel busy.
A large palm tree is a fun detail and picks up the dark wood of a small sideboard and a floating TV-bench. Clean, white walls and a selection of modernist white lamps, as well as glass sofa table, create a restful atmosphere.
Find out more about Williamsburg schoolhouse ›
Bismarck House, Australia, by Andrew Burges Architects
With its floor-to-ceiling glass walls that open out onto a garden in Bondi, Sydney, the living room of Bismarck House has the feel of a terrace. Andrew Burges Architects kept the details simple, adding galvanised steel columns and a concrete floor to “reinforce a robust outdoor character.”
Furniture is in the same laid-back style with wooden chairs and a daybed creating comfortable resting spots. A terracotta-coloured wall lends the space more privacy and adds to the comfortable holiday-vibe of this inviting living room.
Find out more about Bismarck House ›
Riverside Apartment, US, by Format Architecture Office
The living room of Riverside Apartment, set within a 1920s building on New York’s Upper West Side, owes much of its quiet charm to the beautiful wooden floorboards. The theme was taken up in both furniture in various types of wood and a woodclad doorway.
Crisp white walls are decorated with graphic art that perfectly matches the mid-century modern furniture to create a soothing environment.
Find out more about Riverside Apartment ›
Casa Meco, Portugal, by Atelier Rua
The enormous sitting room in Casa Meco, a holiday home south of Lisbon, Portugal, has three different vistas surrounding it and plenty of space for socialising and relaxing.
Earthy colours were used for the interiors, which work well with the exposed-concrete ceiling and floor and make for a laid-back space. Glazed panels can be slid open for easy outdoor access.
Find out more about Casa Meco ›
Residence for Two Collectors, US, by Wheeler Kearns Architects
The living room of this Chicago penthouse is filled with art, collected by its owners, and features a striking view of the city skyline.
In front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, a sofa group in pale colours is combined with a matching rug in calm grey and white hues, while a seagreen glass coffee table picks up the light from the windows.
A Georg Nakashima bench from the owners’ collection adds an organic touch to the elegant space.
Find out more about Residence for Two Collectors ›
This roundup is part of our interior inspirations series that aims to provide ideas for people renovating or decorating their homes. For more inspiration read our pieces focused on bathrooms, bedrooms, dining rooms and home offices.
In our latest Dezeen Lookbook, we’ve rounded up 10 minimal bathrooms with incredible views, including a house on the Isle of Skye with a bath overlooking a loch and a jungle cabin with a glass-walled shower.
