interiors Archives

Ten Mexican holiday homes characterised by earthy hues

From a brutalist dwelling nestled in a pine forest to a beachy weekend retreat with a rooftop swimming pool, our latest lookbook features 10 holiday homes across Mexico.

While known for their often vibrant colours, Mexican interiors also include many examples of more muted designs. These earthy hues are often created through the use of natural and local materials, such as wood and stone.

Holiday homes are located all over the country, which has a varied landscape and is famous for its escapist destinations. Here are 10 Mexican holiday homes that combine pared-back colour palettes with getaway-style luxury.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring metal furniture, breakfast nooks and living spaces with swings.

Built-in couch in concrete home — Top and above: photos by Rory Gardiner

Casa Alférez, Alférez, by Ludwig Godefroy

This holiday home is a brutalist dwelling clad in board-formed concrete and located in a pine forest in the country’s Alférez region.

French architect Ludwig Godefroy, who is Mexico City-based, added a conversation pit to the cathedral-like living area, which features a spindly double-height fireplace.

Find out more about Casa Alférez ›

Holiday home, San Simón El Alto, by Estudio Atemporal

Local architecture office Estudio Atemporal designed a weekend retreat in San Simón El Alto village with an oversized gabled roof.

Inside, the studio created a statement brick wall in the angular, open-plan living space defined by timber and concrete accents. Generous glass doors lead to a covered outdoor patio.

Find out more about this holiday home ›

Villa Cava, Tulum, by Espacio 18 Arquitectura

Neutral tones and textures define this house in Tulum that was informed by cenotes – ancient sunken water-filled limestone pits and caves found across Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.

Espacio 18 Arquitectura carved a circular window into one of the home’s ceilings, which reveals a rooftop swimming pool. Blue-coloured light filters through the opening, emphasising the cavernous atmosphere.

Find out more about Villa Cava ›

Interior design by Gala Sánchez-Renero — Photo by Diego Padilla Magallanes

La Extraviada, Mazunte, by Em-Estudio

Architecture firm Em-Estudio stepped a pair of concrete residential volumes down a rocky hillside overlooking the coastal town of Mazunte, Oaxaca.

Called La Extraviada, the holiday home includes an eclectic kitchen and dining space flanked by floor-to-ceiling timber shutters that open onto a terrace with a swimming pool.

Regional materials, including guapinol wood and local stone obtained from nearby quarries, feature throughout the earthy-hued project.

Find out more about La Extraviada ›

Lounge with red sofa, Casa Tres Árboles in Valle de Bravo by Direccion — Photo by Fabian Martinez

Casa Tres Árboles, Valle de Bravo, by Direccion

Architecture studio Direccion took cues from “monastic” sanctuaries when renovating this weekend retreat in Valle de Bravo.

The open-plan living space includes exposed warm-toned wooden ceiling beams, which contrast against dark-painted walls. A soft-red sofa adds a rare pop of colour to the otherwise muted interiors.

Find out more about Casa Tres Árboles ›

Los Terrenos by Tatiana Bilbao — Photo by Rory Gardiner

Los Terrenos, Monterrey, by Tatiana Bilbao

Mexican architect Tatiana Bilbao added a multifunctional ceramic screen to the interior of Los Terrenos – a holiday home in Monterrey with mirrored glass facades that reflect the surrounding wooded site.

“[The screen] works as solid and permeable floor, a screen partition, a structural wall, and as a semi-open wall that allows ventilation and sunlight to bathe the interior spaces,” explained Bilbao’s eponymous studio.

Find out more about Los Terrenos ›

Tonalli House staircase — Photo by Ansatz

Tonalli House, Jalisco, by Moises Sánchez

This stucco-clad holiday home was punctuated with strategic openings and takes cues from architecture commonly found in Mexican villages, according to its designer Moises Sánchez.

Sánchez created an understated interior palette referencing the nearby architecture surrounding Lake Chapa, where the home is located. For example, the blocky terrazzo staircase doubles as a stepped plinth for sandy-coloured ornaments.

Find out more about Tonalli House ›

CO-LAB Design Office made the house out of concrete — Photo by César Béjar

Casa Areca, Tulum, by CO-LAB Design Office

Local studio CO-LAB Design Office created Casa Areca to merge with its lush Tulum setting.

The open-plan ground floor includes pivot doors and retractable glass walls, which enable the social area to flow into the jungle-like garden. Creamy walls and polished concrete floors were paired with local tzalam wood, jute accents and ceramic vases filled with hand-selected wild grasses.

Find out more about Casa Areca ›

Living space of El Aguacate — Photo by Dove Dope

El Aguacate, El Barrial, by Práctica Arquitectura

El Aguacate – or “The Avocado” – is a holiday home in El Barrial village made almost entirely out of concrete.

Práctica Arquitectura topped the main living area with a tall pyramidal roof featuring a boxy skylight. The studio added a built-in fireplace and alter-like dining table to the space – also made from smooth concrete.

Find out more about El Aguacate ›

A large table in the shady dining area — Photo by Rafael Gamo

Casa Cova, Puerto Escondidio, by Anonimous

When designing Casa Cova in Puerto Escondido, Mexican studio Anonimous took cues from pre-colonial architecture.

Inside, the central living space is kept cool by a traditional thatched roof made of dried palm leaves, called a “palapa.” Tiny square openings were also cut into some of the walls, creating “a dynamic light pattern from dusk till dawn”.

Find out more about Casa Cova ›

Reference

Interior Design

Eight home interiors where full-length curtains add a touch of drama

By Zarkon Group,16/03/2024

From a glitzy Parisian apartment to a converted garage in Buffalo, New York, our latest lookbook collects eight residential interiors where floor-to-ceiling curtains inject a theatrical feel.

Curtains aren’t just for covering windows. A set of statement drapes can be an easy way to significantly change the mood of a room, particularly in apartment renovations.

The selection below features curtains in stage-like living rooms, rough-edged bedrooms and cosy working nooks.

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 statement carpets, furry walls and colourful bedrooms.

Ready-made Home by Azab — Photo is by Luis Díaz Díaz

Ready-made Home, Spain, by Azab

Duck-egg blue curtains help to create a flexible open-plan layout at this apartment in Bilbao that was overhauled by architecture studio Azab, running the length of the living-dining-kitchen area to conceal storage space and a bathroom.

“The curtains have theatrical and playful connotations and invites the inhabitant to perform with it, to change the space and to play with the mysteries, contradictions and paradoxes that privacy offers us beyond morality,” said the studio.

Find out more about Ready-made Home ›

Ruckers Hill House by Studio Bright — Photo by Rory Gardiner

Ruckers Hill House, Australia, by Studio Bright

In this extension to an Edwardian family home in Melbourne, architecture practice Studio Bright raised the sitting room on a curved plinth, giving it a stage-like quality.

Enhancing the effect is a heavy green curtain hung from the ceiling, which can be drawn across to turn the space into an impromptu theatre for the children to play in.

Find out more about Ruckers Hill House ›

Uchronia renovated a Haussmann-era apartment in Paris — Photo by Félix Dol Maillot

Avenue Montaigne apartment, France, by Uchronia

Sheer, rainbow-effect curtains cover the balconies of this opulent Haussman-era Parisian apartment, renovated by local studio Uchronia.

Even the walls echo the curtains’ gradations of colour, while the brightly toned furnishings are designed to resemble pieces of jewellery.

Find out more about this apartment ›

Roksanda Ilincic penthouse apartment in London's King's Cross — Photo by Michael Sinclair

Gas-holder apartment, UK, by Roksanda Ilincic

Fashion designer Roksanda Ilincic brought her proclivity for bold colours and shapes to this London penthouse inside a former Victorian gas holder.

Pale pink Kvadrat curtains over the full-height windows cast a rose-tinted hue over the rooms, where the colour palette is kept mostly neutral apart from some pops of bright yellow.

Find out more about this apartment ›

Big Space, Little Space by Davidson Rafailidis — Photo by Florian Holzherr

Big Space, Little Space, USA, by Davidson Rafailidis

Peeling paintwork, uneven concrete floors and distressed wooden beams lend a distinctly rough-and-ready feel to this home-slash-workspace in Buffalo created out of a garage conversion by design studio Davidson Rafailidis.

For the most part, the space is minimally furnished, apart from a set of high and wide drapes that introduce a luxurious twist.

Find out more about Big Space, Little Space ›

Silver curtains in hallway at Landscape House in Japan — Photo by Norihito Yamauchi

Landscape House, Japan, by FORM/Kouichi Kimura Architects

Upon entering Landscape House in central Japan, designed by Japanese studio FORM/Kouichi Kimura Architects, one is greeted by a lengthy corridor lined entirely on one side by a full-length silver curtain.

The fabric echoes a raw concrete feature wall on the opposite side of the corridor, as well as referencing the extensive use of metal throughout the building.

Find out more about Landscape House ›

Kitchen in Pops apartment by Furora Studio — Photo by ONI Studio

Pops, Poland, by Furora Studio

Furora Studio wanted the design of this holiday apartment in Kraków to be slightly more outrageous than the standard residential interior.

A velvety, salmon-pink curtain dresses an entire wall in the open-plan kitchen and living room, adding to a plethora of sugary colours and rounded edges.

Find out more about Pops ›

Maison-Boutique Coloniale by Michael Godmer and Mathieu Turgeon — Photo by Maxime Brouillett

Maison-Boutique Coloniale, Canada, by Michael Godmer and Mathieu Turgeon

Most of the spaces inside Maison-Boutique Coloniale in Montreal – renovated by designers Michael Godmer and Mathieu Turgeon as their own residence and studio – are pared-back and neutral.

But in an office space on the basement level, plush orange curtains line the walls, combined with dim pendant lighting and a black table arrangement by Muuto and &tradition for an intimate effect.

Find out more about Maison-Boutique Coloniale ›

Reference

Interior Design

Isern Serra completes “serene” office for eyewear brand Gigi Studios

By Zarkon Group,13/03/2024

Sculptural custom-made furniture adds artistic flourishes to this otherwise minimal showroom and head office, designed by Spanish interiors studio Isern Serra for eyewear brand Gigi Studios.

Isern Serra was tasked with creating a holistic scheme for the 900-square-metre headquarters, occupying one floor of a building in the town of Sant Cugat del Vallès just north of Barcelona.

Isern Serra has filled the Gigi Studios headquarters with custom furniture

The brief called for a design that creates a sense of spaciousness and comfort while reflecting founder Patricia Remo’s vision of Gigi Studios as a brand.

“It is also serene, warm and elegant and conceptually close to the idea of a studio and away from the concept of a traditional office, without losing the practicality and functionality,” Isern Serra explained.

Rows of desks were replaced with more intimate work areas

The building’s rectangular floor plan features a central service core housing the lifts and toilets, with the workspaces, meeting rooms, kitchen and showroom occupying the surrounding O-shaped open space.

Serra and his team positioned the kitchen and showroom at one end of the plan and placed the meeting rooms and client areas at the other, leaving the longer sides open to optimise circulation.

Concrete bases for the work tables were cast in situ

Various bespoke furniture pieces, conceived by Isern Serra as “small works of art”, bring a distinct personality to the different formal and informal spaces.

These interventions were designed to embody Gigi Studios’ design ethos while standing out against the warm and minimal backdrop.

“The project aims to experiment with the limits of the workspace and seek a new concept that goes hand in hand with the idea of domus and museum,” Isern Serra explained.

Curtains can be used to cordon off the lounge area

A large circular sofa framed in stainless steel provides a bold statement in one of the reception areas.

The sculptural piece fulfils a dual function as a seating area and a space for working, with tables and book storage integrated into the backrest around the perimeter.

Similarly, the building’s central core is wrapped in a layer of built-in storage units including circular stainless-steel niches that incorporate shelves for displaying books and materials.

Rather than a typical office layout with rows of workstations, the large open spaces are separated into more intimate zones with a more domestic scale.

A Boa Pouf by Sabine Marcelis provides informal seating

Next to the lobby is a design area featuring tables made from concrete that was cast in situ. Task seating surrounds the work table and a taller table is accompanied by stools, while lenses for the different glasses are stored in a custom-made unit.

The second workspace features a large C-shaped sofa with a concrete base that was also cast in situ. Custom-made tables and one of Sabine Marcelis’s Boa Poufs complete this lounge-style space, which can be visually separated from the rest of the office using curtains on either side.

The showroom is visible from the office through a circular window

A circular window with rounded edges provides a glimpse of the showroom, which is dominated by two sculptural tables with concrete tops supported by rough chunks of travertine stone.

A built-in tiered display is used to highlight different Gigi Studios’ eyewear. The rest of the collection is housed in a backlit cabinet, while a mirror-fronted unit conceals a large screen used for presentations.

The kitchen is located next to the showroom so that the two spaces can easily be used together for events. Here, a homely, Mediterranean feel is created via a five-metre-long sharing table, custom-made alongside the accompanying stools.

Display tables in the showroom are held up by rough chunks of travertine

The sizeable kitchen island is finished in micro-cement and features a curved base that enhances its sculptural presence.

A curved corridor incorporating a sofa niche on one wall provides access to offices and a meeting room positioned to have the best views of the surrounding countryside.

Internal columns are used to support one end of concrete tables built in each of the workspaces, furnished with classic designs including Marcel Breuer’s Wassily and Cesca chairs.

Large sharing tables allow for communal eating in the kitchen

Interior designer Isern Serra founded his self-titled studio in Barcelona in 2008 and works across architecture, interiors and industrial design.

Previous projects including a rose-coloured shop for Barcelona’s Moco Museum that was based on a computer-generated image and a minimalist office for digital artist Andrés Reisinger, which was named small workplace interior of the year at the 2023 Dezeen Awards.

The photography is by Salva López with art direction by Aasheen Mittal.

Reference

Interior Design

Seven playful living spaces where swings provide dynamic seating

By Zarkon Group,11/03/2024

This lookbook compiles seven living spaces where swings show they have a place beyond children’s playgrounds by providing a gleeful alternative to static seating.

Swings typically consist of a seat made from a flat piece of metal, plastic, wood or canvas, but can also be made from found materials such as tyres and sometimes feature a wraparound design for added safety.

This seat is then suspended by sturdy lengths of rope or chain from a frame, ceiling or tree.

Swings have been used for hundreds of years by cultures across the world for both leisure and ritual-related purposes, and are enjoyed by people of all ages, from children in play areas to older people who might have swinging benches in their gardens.

From basic playground swings transplanted into grown-up interiors to intricately crafted bench swing seats that look out over lush courtyards, read on to view a selection of interiors on Dezeen that feature suspended seating.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring interiors animated by indoor slides, living spaces featuring metal furniture and spaces with oversized windows.

Covered walkway with swing seat looking out onto an open-air courtyard with trees — Photo by Ishita Sitwala

Gujarat house, India, by Design ni Dukaan

A wooden swing seat covered in pillows is suspended from the concrete ceiling of this house in the Indian state of Gujarat.

The swing is situated in one of the house’s covered walkways and was positioned to allow the sitter to enjoy views of its open-air courtyard.

Find out more about Gujarat house ›

Kenwood Lee House by Cousins & Cousins (RIBA house of the year longslist) — Photo by Jack Hobhouse

Kenwood Lee House, UK, by Cousins & Cousins

A cantilevered floating stair anchors a swing inside the hallway of this house in north London by local studio Cousins & Cousins.

The wooden seat is suspended by softly frayed rope, creating a subtly rustic composition that compliments both the poured-concrete finish of the walls and the wood used on the ceiling, cabinets and front door.

Find out more about Kenwood Lee House ›

Covered living space beside courtyard with swing seat — Photo by Yash R Jain

Karai, India, by Rain Studio

Local office Rain Studio hung a polished wooden swing seat overlooking a verdant courtyard in this house near the city of Chennai in southern India.

The seat is suspended from all four corners by ornately cast metal hooks and links, some of which feature animals such as elephants.

Find out more about Karai ›

Living room with concrete fireplace and a swing — Photo by Chase Daniel

Austin House, USA, by Melanie Raines

Rustic Californian barns provided reference points for this house in Austin, Texas, which features a lofty double-height living space complete with multiple seating options.

A metal-framed lounge chair flanked by integrated side tables is suspended from the ceiling’s wooden rafters by two long lengths of rope, adding to the interior’s whimsical atmosphere.

Find out more about Austin house ›

Living room interior of Out of the Blue apartment in India — Photo by The Fishy Project

Thane apartment, India, by The Act of Quad

Rigid metal uprights, each threaded with a cobalt-blue sphere, tie this swing seat in with the rest of the apartment’s blue-themed interior scheme, created by design studio Act of Quad.

The seat is softened by a slim cushioned pad and has been attached to the ceiling with metal hardware.

Find out more about Thane apartment ›

The Perch by Chadbourne + Doss Architects — Photo by Kevin Scott

The Perch, USA, by Chadbourne + Doss

A pair of swings are strung up on the boundary between a covered entryway and a courtyard pond in this house in Seattle.

The seats themselves were made from sheets of walnut timber and intended to provide the sitter with the experience of floating above the water.

Find out more about The Perch ›

Living room in a high-ceilinged apartment with a swing hanging in it — Photo by BCDF studio

Parisian loft, France, by Isabelle Heilmann

Hooks, carabiners and thick, knotted ropes affix this swing to the tall ceilings of this Parisian apartment’s living room.

The suspended seat slots in comfortably with the rest of the eclectically-chosen furniture, including a mid-century cantilevered chair and a slouchy, ribbed sofa.

Find out more about Parisian loft ›

Reference

Interior Design

22RE invokes “stillness” inside green Miami golfing boutique

By Zarkon Group,10/03/2024

Los Angeles studio 22RE has used pale-green stucco informed by Miami’s colours and golf courses for the interiors of a golf clothing boutique in the city.

A few blocks from the ocean, the Malbon store in Coconut Grove serves a large customer base for the brand in South Florida – a popular golfing destination thanks to year-round warm weather.

Store interior with green stucco columns and radial grey floor tiles — The Malbon Miami store revolves around a central area, from which handmade tiles emanate in a radial pattern across the floor

The verdant neighbourhood and Miami’s distinct architecture provided 22RE with a starting point to build upon, aiming to create a tranquil space amongst such vibrancy.

“We intended to create an oasis within the city, one that invoked stillness – a feeling that Malbon customers are accustomed to while they’re out on the green,” 22RE founding principal Dean Levin told Dezeen.

Golf clothing boutique with green stucco walls — Pale green stucco covers the walls, columns and ceiling beams

The store’s most striking feature is the pale green stucco that covers the majority of vertical surfaces and ceiling beams that form square archways overhead.

“The shade of green used throughout the space was inspired by the studio’s first visit to the location, and inspired by the vibrant hues associated with Miami as a city,” said Levin.

Accessories displayed on stainless steel shelves, surrounded by green stucco — Merchandise is kept to the perimeter of the store, displayed on stainless steel rails and shelves

The placid hue is contrasted with stainless steel elements including the sales counter and a doorway to the stock room.

From the centre of the space, mid-grey handmade Mexican tiles are laid across the floor in a radial pattern, emanating from a circular plaque that displays the brand’s monogram.

Filleted stucco surfaces contrast an aluminium open-cell grid ceiling — Filleted stucco surfaces contrast the aluminium open-cell grid ceiling

A ring-shaped installation above, suspended from an aluminium open-cell grid ceiling, also bears the Malbon logo scribed repeatedly in white neon.

Four columns and a pair of stainless steel benches define this central area, which is intentionally devoid of merchandise to create a moment for pause and conversation between customers.

Clothing and accessories are kept to the perimeter, displayed in illuminated niches on stainless steel rails or shelves.

“In retail stores, there is a predominantly unchanging relationship between salesperson and customer,” Levin said. “We wanted to consider and account for the things we could – foot traffic, merchandising and general flow.”

Detail of a stainless steel bench made from perpendicular planes — A pair of stainless steel benches offer a place for pause and conversation in the middle of the boutique

Behind the street-facing windows, white stones cover the floors and plants so that the store “feels like a natural extension of the vegetation and foliage” in the surrounding area, said Levin.

“Through juxtaposing a variety of different materials both organic and industrial, the Malbon Miami storefront is an accurate reflection of the values we celebrate and preserve as an architecture and design firm,” he added.

Storefront with greenery behind large windows — The storefront contains greenery to create a natural extension of the verdant surroundings of Coconut Grove

Miami has grown significantly as a retail destination over the past decade, with a large concentration of new luxury stores in the city’s Design District.

Brands including Louis Vuitton, Off-White and Christian Louboutin all have distinctly designed outposts in the neighbourhood.

The photography is by Erik Stackpole.

Reference

Architecture

geometric stone informs the interiors of retail store by tens atelier in china

By Zarkon Group,10/03/2024

Tens Atelier designs VeVelte Yintai Center Store’s interior

VeVelte Yintai Center Store by Tens Atelier focuses on curating a collection of quality brands, including those from emerging Chinese fashion designers, with the aim of showcasing Chinese design globally. Tens Atelier took on the task of redesigning the VeVelte store in Hefei‘s Yintai Center, emphasizing its role not just as a brand showcase but also as a salon for VIP members, fostering interaction between the brand and consumers.

The site presented challenges, such as a large smoke pipe near the entrance and irregularly arranged structural columns. The design concept introduced the idea of a ‘boulder’ to guide customer flow and views, strategically minimizing the impact of columns. The ‘boulder’ form also serves to delineate distinct brand display and functional areas, optimizing the use of space.

all images by MRC

Tens Atelier draws from abstract geometrical stone forms

The symbolic character of stone is incorporated into the space, not by directly introducing natural stone but by refining an abstract geometrical form inspired by the concept of a stone. Tens Atelier’s approach integrates the abstract concept of stone with the identity of VeVelte, conveying the symbolic meaning through the overall spatial experience.

Considering the seasonal theme changes for each brand, the designers opted for a uniform warm yellow overall color, while maintaining flexibility with white walls for display and posters, allowing for easy adaptation to evolving brand themes.

VeVelte Yintai Center Store by Tens Atelier showcases quality brands, promoting Chinese design

the redesign of VeVelte in Hefei’s Yintai Center creates a VIP salon to enhance brand-consumer interaction

site challenges prompted the design of a ‘boulder’ concept to guide customer flow and views

the ‘boulder’ form minimizes the impact of columns and optimizes space by delineating distinct display areas

Reference

Interior Design

Home Studios refreshes The Wren pub on NYC’s Bowery

By Zarkon Group,09/03/2024

Brooklyn-based Home Studios has remodelled a bar and restaurant in New York’s East Village, using dark wood and velvet seating to retain a “worn-in and aged appearance”.

The Wren on the busy Bowery thoroughfare has become a neighbourhood staple since opening in 2012, but was ready for an interior revamp.

Entrance area of The Wren with walnut wall panelling and hardwood floors — The Wren has been remodelled in a way that retains its rustic charm

Home Studios refreshed both levels of the upscale pub, including the upper-floor dining and drinking area, and private lounge downstairs.

“Despite the changes in the city and the evolution of the neighbourhood, The Wren has maintained its timeless appeal, offering visitors a glimpse into the past and an authentic pub experience,” said Home Studios, led by founder Oliver Halsegrave.

L-shaped bar with a marble counter and surrounded by wooden stools — The L-shaped bar has a marble counter and is surrounded by GAR Products stools

Across the main level, dark and moody materials have been used to retain the pub-like quality of the spaces, assisted by the exposed wooden ceiling beams and columns, and hardwood floors.

Either side of the entrance, black-painted, booth-style benches are installed against the walnut wall panelling, creating cosy nooks for pairs or small groups to occupy.

Chocolate-coloured velvet banquette featuring ribbed cushions — Towards the back, a chocolate-coloured velvet banquette features ribbed cushions

The bar area features an L-shaped marble counter surrounded by GAR Products stools, opposite black wainscoting that runs below vintage-looking wallpaper.

Towards the back, a long banquette is dressed in ribbed cushions that form the seating and backrests, all wrapped in brown velvet.

Row of custom mirrors alternated with disk-shaped sconces above tables — Custom mirrors alternate with disk-shaped sconces by In Common With

Custom arched shaped mirrors mounted on the walls alternate with disk-shaped sconces by In Common With, against a beige textured plaster backdrop.

A variety of other sconces throughout were sourced from lighting brands including O’Lampia, Shades of Light, Allied Maker and Rejuvenation.

U-shaped both below two windows — Guests can choose from a variety of booths, two-tops or standing areas

“With a worn-in and aged appearance, the space now exudes a moody winter-like atmosphere,” said Home Studios.

Downstairs, the mood is even more “sultry” and intimate, thanks to darker surfaces and a variety of dim, warm lighting sources.

The bar counter is made from Black Portoro marble and the wood floors are also stained black, while the banquette upholstery is a lighter tone than found on the upper level.

Between the two floors, guests can choose from a variety of seating or standing spots for enjoying their beers, cocktails and bar food.

Banquette below walnut panelling and candle sconces — In the private area downstairs, the mood is more sultry and the banquette upholstery is lighter in colour

“Home Studios has seamlessly blended nostalgic and rustic charm throughout The Wren’s interior, creating an inviting and distinctive ambiance that pays homage to the bar’s storied history,” said the team.

Home Studios is no stranger to refreshing beloved establishments, having completed interiors for The Bird in Montauk and The Pearl in Nantucket.

Downstairs area featuring dark-stained floors and a black marble bar counter — The downstairs area features dark-stained floors and a black marble bar counter

The firm also recently turned a conference centre in Northern California back into a luxury hotel, as originally intended by the property’s founder: the inventor of the radio.

The photography is by Brian W Ferry.

Reference

Interior Design

Erik Bratsberg fills Persona restaurant with tactile materials

By Zarkon Group,08/03/2024

Interior designer Erik Bratsberg has created unique artwork for the interior of the Persona restaurant in Stockholm, which also features asymmetrical terrazzo and patinated brass details.

Bratsberg, who worked in finance before moving into interior design, wanted the fine dining restaurant in Stockholm’s upmarket Östermalm neighbourhood to have a warm and welcoming feel.

Terrazzo floor at Persona — Persona is located in Stockholm’s Östermalm area

“The inspiration is drawn from a mix of personal experiences, subconscious imprints from admired styles, particularly mid-century Italian design, and a desire to integrate a homely warmth into a hospitality environment,” he told Dezeen.

“The design philosophy centres around creating a timeless, inviting space that enhances the dining experience while maintaining a sense of personal touch and intimacy.”

Bar in Stockholm restaurant — Green tones feature throughout the interior

Green hues are used throughout Persona‘s 120-square-metre interior, complementing its cream-coloured walls and numerous wooden furniture pieces and panelling.

“Green is my go-to when I want to arouse a sense of calmness and comfort,” Bratsberg explained.

Soft white chairs in front of curtained window — Designer Erik Bratsberg used furniture pieces with rounded and organic shapes

“It’s a tertiary colour, a mix of a cold and a warm colour, which allows it to go well with both warmer and colder hues and materials – a yin and yang of colours somehow,” he added.

“Green also brings the mind to nature and I guess my love for green relates to the joy of seeing the leaves back on the trees after a long Swedish winter.”

Wood-panelled wall in Östermalm restaurant — “Honey-tinted” oak shelving is filled with crockery and art

The restaurant, which feels more like a living room than an eatery in parts, also features plenty of natural materials such as stone and wood, which are interspersed with terrazzo and brass to create tactile interest.

This material mix was chosen to evoke a sense of “casual elegance”, Bratsberg said.

“For the floor I played around with the possibilities of terrazzo, using shades of green and warm greys and whites forming an asymmetrical pattern,” the designer explained.

Bratsberg clad the walls of the Persona restaurant in an off-white plaster with a mottled surface, designed to contrast the “silky honey-tinted oak” used for the wall shelving and tables.

“Patinated brass together with details in yellow ochre acts as an accent,” Bratsberg added. “Sheer curtains, patinated leather and textured textiles round it all off.”

Living-room like corner in Persona eatery — Bratsberg created his own artworks for the restaurant

Custom-made abstract artworks also decorate the interior. Bratsberg made these himself from watercolour paintings that he had made, which were then screen-printed onto acoustic panels.

“In my multidisciplinary practice I strive to interrelate my art, design and interior work – why not make a lamp into sculpture, or a bar front as a painting, or a plain wall a relief?” Bratsberg said.

Jagged shapes decorate Stockholm restaurant — Cut-out geometric details add extra interest to the bar

Also notable in the interior is the variation of shapes, with the angular tables and counters contrasting against round and jagged lamps, cut-out geometric details and smaller tables made from organically shaped burl wood and stone.

“Perfectly straight lines and symmetry bring order and calmness for the eye, but never have I been particularly intrigued by squares and straight lines,” Bratsberg said.

“On the other hand, too much asymmetrical geometries and organic shapes can bring the feeling of disorder. But balancing the two – as with many opposites or contrasts – can create an interesting harmony,” he added.

Bathroom of Persona restaurant — The bathroom features undulating mirrors and a mix of different shapes

In the bathroom, undulating mirrors match a wavy sink and are juxtaposed against square wall niches and angled, jagged cut-out wall decorations.

“Forms, lines, colours and materiality speak to us in mysterious ways, but an interior without any sculptural form and asymmetries is like a language without exclamation marks, gestures or emotional expression to me,” Bratsberg concluded.

Other Stockholm restaurants with interesting interiors featured on Dezeen include an “unexpected” restaurant in a historic food hall and a decadent Italian restaurant located in a former cinema.

The photography is by Erik Lefvander.

Reference

Interior Design

Lucas y Hernández Gil adds multi-use greenhouse to Casamontesa

By Zarkon Group,06/03/2024

A renovated 1970s bungalow with “kitsch character” and a greenhouse that doubles as a living room feature in Casamontesa – a weekend home designed by Spanish studio Lucas y Hernández Gil.

The project began when a couple asked the studio to overhaul a single-storey house that was once part of a hotel complex on the outskirts of Madrid.

Kresta Garden House doubles as home office — The renovated bungalow and a multifunctional greenhouse (above) make up Casamontesa

The brief later expanded to include a multifunctional greenhouse that can be used as a workspace, a guest bedroom, a gym or simply as a garden room.

Lucas y Hernández Gil, led by architects Cristina Domínguez Lucas and Fernando Hernández-Gil Ruano, developed a distinct character for each building.

Casamontesa renovation of 1970s bungalow — The main house is a bungalow built in the 1970s

Casamontesa’s renovated bungalow has a warm, playful style that draws on the 1970s aesthetic while the garden pavilion has a more utilitarian feel.

“The owners, a young urban couple who love design and live and work in the centre of Madrid, were looking for a functional and compact getaway within a fantastic garden,” Lucas told Dezeen.

“They wanted a very comfortable and flexible home that would be useful for both working and getting together with friends.”

Casamontesa house kitchen island — The interior centres around a new kitchen island

The bungalow renovation involved simplifying the interior layout to create a combined kitchen, dining room and living room, with a bedroom and bathroom off to one side.

“The house, in addition to being small, was very compartmentalised,” explained Lucas.

To unify the newly open-plan living space, the designers installed an island that serves as a worktop, dining table and social gathering place.

This island features a countertop made from Portuguese pink marble while its sides are covered in the same handmade burgundy tiles that line an adjacent window recess.

Casamontesa house with arched fireplace — An arched fireplace provides a focal point in the living room

“The rest of the surfaces – Campaspero stone floors and waxed tinted plaster walls – establish a dialogue by contrast with the colourful and shiny surface of the tiles,” added Lucas.

Key details in the living room include an arched fireplace and a tadelakt plaster coffee table, while the bedroom features semi-circular marble nightstands.

For Casamontesa’s garden room, the design team customised a prefabricated greenhouse.

A pergola extends the building volume outwards in a bid to blur the boundary between inside and out, and is topped with wooden blinds to provide shade.

Kresta Garden House greenhouse with pergola — A pergola extends the width of the greenhouse

A wooden box on wheels provides an additional bedroom, described as a “small Shigeru Ban-style mobile room”.

Other additions include thermal curtains and an automatic shading and ventilation system, which allow for versatile use of the space throughout the year.

Kresta Garden House creates extra living room with mobile sleep space — A “Shigeru Ban-style mobile room” provides an additional sleeping space

“By complementing the programme of the original bungalow, a more complete and flexible program is achieved, overcoming the limitations of a weekend house,” added Lucas.

Other recent projects by Lucas y Hernández Gil include a bar featuring extreme colour blocking and an apartment with a hidden closet.

The photography is by José Hevia.

Reference

Interior Design

Kingston Lafferty Design includes “sensual” red kitchen in home renovation

By Zarkon Group,05/03/2024

Dublin studio Kingston Lafferty Design has transformed the architecture and interiors of this family home in Cork, Ireland, which features 1970s-style shapes and colours informed by the work of designer Verner Panton.

Positioned on Lovers Walk hill overlooking the city of Cork, the townhouse – called Lovers Walk – was renovated by Kingston Lafferty Design.

Living space with a green marble feature wall — Kingston Lafferty Design completed the renovation in Cork

The studio originally planned to just update the interiors, but decided that a more extensive architectural transformation was needed after discovering structural instabilities in the home.

Kingston Lafferty Design removed all of the floors, which lacked foundations and insulation in their concrete slab, and completely reconfigured the two-storey property’s layout.

Oak-lined hallway with colourful accents — Rooms on the ground floor were designed around an oak-lined hallway

“As the building was originally built in the 1970s, we wanted to return to its roots,” studio founder Róisín Lafferty told Dezeen.

“We thrived on inspiration from Verner Panton with his use of strong clashing colour, playful shapes and oversized elements,” she added.

Quartzite-clad kitchen by Kingston Lafferty Design — One of these spaces is a “sensual” red kitchen

The ground floor was adapted to include an open-plan kitchen defined by a counter, island and splashback finished in veiny red quartzite.

Ruby-toned timber was used to create the geometric cabinets. When layered with the quartzite, “it sounds like a disaster, but it’s a delight,” said the designer.

Living space with floor-to-ceiling curtains — The living room follows a similar design to the kitchen

The space, described by the studio as a “sensual red-toned jewel kitchen”, is one of several rooms on the ground floor of Lovers Walk that were designed around the central, oak-lined hallway.

“We used the hallway as the core of the house, which grounded the space with pops of colour stemming from it. Each room leading from the core appears like a framed view or window of colour,” explained Lafferty.

Marble feature wall designed by Kingston Lafferty Design — It includes a green feature wall that takes cues from Mies van der Rohe’s iconic Barcelona Pavilion

The living room includes blue velvet sofas and a green feature wall clad in swirly book-matched marble, which was fitted with an alcove reserved for a subtle fireplace.

When creating the polished stone wall, the studio took cues from the seminal Barcelona Pavilion, completed in 1929 by modernist architect Mies van der Rohe.

Green headboard in the main bedroom — A floor-to-ceiling headboard takes centre stage in the main bedroom

“We used green as an overall thread throughout the house, inspired by the surrounding landscape,” added Lafferty.

“Although depending on the time of year, the colours tend to change and so we were able to add in other rich colours that anchor the green such as burgundies and bright oranges,” she added.

En-suite marble-clad bathroom — Stonework also defines the en-suite bathroom

“One would assume this mix of colours would clash, but we choose the tones and textures of each to ensure that all of them would blend harmoniously,” Lafferty said.

Upstairs, the main bedroom and en-suite bathroom were dressed in the same eclectic interiors as the communal spaces. A floor-to-ceiling headboard, finished in diamond-shaped green tiles originally designed by 20th-century architect Gio Ponti, frames the bed.

Playful bed design in Lovers Walk by Kingston Lafferty Designs — A playful bed was added to the bedroom created for the occupants’ child

Balloon-like coloured glass vases were positioned on two bedside tables, which were topped with the same slabs of Rosso Levanto marble as the geometric vanity desk.

The bedroom designed for the occupants’ child features an alternative bed – a playful green structure with two stacked levels and half-moon openings that reveal a cosy sleeping area on the bottom level.

Other accents featured throughout the home include burl wood, terrazzo, plaster and brass. The repetition of 1970s-style thick pile carpets emphasises the dwelling’s textured material palette.

Lovers Walk is the studio’s “closest nod” to the work of Panton, explained Lafferty – “down to the selection of every tile, light fitting and exquisite piece of designer furniture”.

Deep blue-coloured guest bedroom by Kingston Lafferty Design — Deep blues characterise the guest bedroom

“Although there is such an array of materiality, it is balanced by repeated colour, shape and form,” she said.

“Every space in this house is an assault on the senses, in the best way possible.”

Lovers Walk by Kingston Lafferty Design — Lovers Walk was informed by the work of Verner Panton

Founded in 2010, Kingston Lafferty Design has completed projects ranging from a Dublin restaurant with oversized lollipop-like lamps and a co-working office in Belfast that includes a yoga studio.

The photography is by Ruth Maria Murphy.

Project credits:

Interior architecture and design: Kingston Lafferty Design
Woodwork: DFL
Stonework: Miller Brothers

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