Statement Archives

For our latest lookbook, we’ve trawled the Dezeen archive for bedroom interiors that don’t sleep on the potential of a good headboard – whether wooden, upholstered or mirrored.

Far from just being a practical furniture piece, headboards can help to highlight the bed as the centre of a room and fulfil the same decorative function as a piece of art.

While plush upholstered versions nod back to the grandeur of beds past, more modern interpretations fitted with integrated shelves and peg boards can also provide practical storage.

Read on for eight examples of bedrooms with headboards that add new meaning to the concept of beauty sleep.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring bedrooms with regal four-posters, bunk beds for kids and wardrobes disguised as walls.

La Palma house, Australia, by YSG

Australian studio YSG used a painting in the living room of this holiday home in Sydney as a guiding light for the textile selection throughout the entire property.

In the main bedroom, the artwork’s striped red border is picked up in the lampshades and bedside tables, while the headboard is upholstered in wildly clashing botanical and zebra prints.

Find out more about La Palma house ›

Sacha apartment by SABO Project — Photo by Alexandre Delaunay

Sacha apartment, France, by SABO Project

Plywood pegboard walls are a recurring feature throughout this family-friendly duplex in Paris, with an interior designed by local studio SABO Project.

In the primary bedroom, one of these partition walls doubles up as the bedhead while providing adaptable storage via movable slot-in shelves.

“The owners are a young, hard-working couple that is also pretty laid back,” the studio’s founder Alex Delaunay told Dezeen. “So the idea of utilising a simple and humble material in a way that puts forward good custom design rather than ostentatious luxury was fitting.”

Find out more about the Sacha apartment ›

Puro Hotel Stare Miasto Kraków by Studio Paradowski — Photo by Pion Studio

Puro Hotel Kraków, Poland, by Paradowski Studio

Long metal piping cinches in the upholstered bedhead of this guestroom at the Puro Hotel in Kraków to give it a more curvaceous silhouette.

This textile backdrop is framed by natural oak wall panelling, which in turn is layered with integrated lights and graphic artworks in matching wooden frames.

Find out more about Puro Hotel Kraków ›

Hygge Studio by Melina Romano — Photo by Denilson Machado

Hygge Studio, Brazil, by Melina Romano

Brazilian designer Melina Romano used the same rust-red fabric to upholster the bed frame and the panelled header of this bed, which extends out to one side to envelop a long nightstand.

The warm, muted colour was chosen to blend in with the creamy brick walls and terracotta-tiled floors of this São Paulo apartment, creating an interior that Romano describes as both “modern and bucolic”.

Find out more about Hygge Studio ›

Bedroom of ER Residence by Studio Hallett Ike includes a study — Photo by Ståle Eriksen

ER Residence, UK, by Studio Hallett Ike

Instead of relying on artificial colours or patterns, visual interest in this bedroom-cum-study is delivered via the naturally swirly graining of the Douglas fir wood that acts as the headboard.

The same wood was also used to form four integrated nightstands and a window seat that looks out over the garden of the Victorian terrace house in north London.

Find out more about ER Residence ›

Bedrooms inside Hotel Les Deux Gares in Paris — Photo by Benoit Linero

Hotel Les Deux Gares, France, by Luke Edward Hall

British designer Luke Edward Hall strived for an “anti-modern” aesthetic when converting an abandoned five-storey building in Paris’s 10th arrondissement into the Hotel Les Deux Gares.

Each of the guest rooms features a candy-striped headboard with swooping corners – contrasted against sky blue, violet or olive green walls – as well as dainty reading lamps personalised by Hall with doodles of martini glasses and the Eiffel Tower.

Find out more about Hotel Les Deux Gares ›

Central Park Road Residence by Studio Four — Photo by Shannon McGrath

Central Park Road Residence, Australia, by Studio Four

The largely open-plan layout of this Melbourne home is interrupted by only a few partitions, helping to form a handful of enclosed living spaces.

A wall of floor-to-ceiling cupboards conceals the kitchen while another full-height storage volume with an open bookshelf doubles up as a headboard in the bedroom.

Find out more about Central Park Road Residence ›

House on the street Reig i Bonet, Barcelona by Arquitectura-G — Photo by José Hevia

Reig-i-Bonet apartment, Spain, by Arquitectura-G

A mirrored wall provides a voyeuristic backdrop and functions as a headboard in this apartment, renovated by Spanish studio Arquitectura-G for a young couple in Barcelona.

The bed itself sits on a platform covered in pale grey carpet, helping to blend it with the surrounding floors and a sunken lounge nearby.

“The flat was conceived as a unique space distributed on different platforms that meet the needs of a young couple,” the studio said.

Find out more about Reig-i-Bonet apartment ›

Reference

Nicolai Paris bedroom apartment by NOA with a bath on a wooden step and a double bed with white bedding

Interior Design

Eight bedrooms with bathtubs that make a lavish statement

By Zarkon Group,11/06/2023

A steel bathtub in a grey carpeted bedroom and a marble bath positioned on a wooden plinth are included in Dezeen’s latest lookbook, highlighting luxurious bedrooms with bathtubs.

Typically confined to bathrooms with splash-safe surfaces, a bathtub in a bedroom has an air of grandiosity and indulgence.

It is often seen as an impractical design trend due to ventilation considerations, the need for a strengthened floor and the transition of moving from a soapy bath soak to fresh bed sheets, but this roundup showcases different ways baths in bedrooms have been achieved in homes and hotels.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring cherry red interiors, minimalist bedrooms and concrete kitchens.

Nicolai Paris, France, by Network of Architecture

Architecture studio Network of Architecture added curved lines and custom oak furniture to this Parisian apartment, including a curved wooden plinth for a Botticino Fiorito marble bathtub in the main bedroom.

Located in the former Hotel Nicolai, the studio transformed the interior into a two-level family home that “reflects the elegance of the Parisian ambience in the flat”.

Find out more about Nicolai Paris ›

Bedroom and adjacent open-plan ensuite at Apartment A by Atelier Dialect with a rectangular bathtub — Photo by Piet-Albert Goethals

Apartment A, Belgium, by Atelier Dialect

For the Apartment A residence in Antwerp, Belgian design studio Atelier Dialect placed a shiny steel rectangular bathtub in the carpeted open-plan bedroom, offsetting the surrounding green walls.

Behind the tub is a partition wall covered in white and black subway tiles, creating a graphic backdrop and concealing a walk-in shower.

Find out more about Apartment A ›

Lundies House guesthouse in Tongue by Wildlands and Groves-Raines Architects

Lundies House, UK, by Groves-Raines Architects

Scottish studio Groves-Raines Architects combined Scottish vernacular and contemporary Scandinavian design when converting a former clergy living quarters into the Lundies House guesthouse, complete with a slipper bath in the main bedroom.

With views out the nearby window of the Scottish highlands, the freestanding tub is a luxurious addition to the calming neutral-toned interior.

Find out more about Lundies House ›

Concrete bedroom with a rectangular bathtub by a window looking out to rocks — Photo by Gaudenz Danuser

Concrete Cabin, Switzerland, Nickisch Sano Walder Architects

A deep polished concrete ledge with a sunken bath stretches the width of this holiday cabin bedroom, which is sunken into a rocky site in the Swiss Alps.

Architecture studio Nickisch Sano Walder Architects designed the Concrete Cabin as a stark hideaway for up to two people. Timber salvaged from a log cabin previously on the site was used as the formwork for the cast concrete walls.

Find out more about Concrete Cabin ›

Studio Hagen Hall 1970s-style townhouse bedroom with a bathtub and glass screen — Photo by Mariell Lind Hansen

Primrose Hill townhouse, UK, by Studio Hagen Hall

The owners of this refurbished London townhouse can draw a pink curtain to separate the cork-tiled bathtub from the rest of the bedroom, designed by architecture office Studio Hagen Hall.

The pastel-toned bedroom has a paired-back appearance compared to the rest of the home, which features elm, velvet and fluted glass surfaces informed by 1970s Californian modernism.

Find out more about the Primrose Hill townhouse ›

Standard Studio use patio and skylights to funnel light into Amsterdam loft

Amsterdam canal house, the Netherlands, by Standard Studio

Local firm Standard Studio converted a canal house in Amsterdam into an apartment with rooms arranged around a central courtyard, including a bedroom with an oval bath and freestanding bath tap.

Large glazed doors open the bedroom and bath area to the courtyard, and both interior and exterior spaces were finished with polished concrete floors.

Find out more about the Amsterdam canal house ›

Tiled bathroom inside Open Heart Lisboa's artist residence — Photo by Ricardo Oliveira Alves

Open Hearts, Portugal, by AB+AC Architects

Open Hearts is a wellness centre in Lisbon that doubles as an artists’ residence, designed by Portuguese practice AB+AC Architects.

The studio added terracotta tiling to a corner of the white bedroom, visually separating the bath area from the rest of the space.

Find out more about Open Hearts ›

Dark, red-toned bedroom in the Mona hotel in Athens with a freestanding bath — Photo by Ana Santl

Mona Athens, Greece, by House of Shila

Located in a former 1950s textile factory, design studio House of Shila created luxurious open-plan rooms with freestanding baths for the Mona Athens hotel.

A change in floor level and translucent drapes separate sleeping and bathing areas, creating a “certain balance of comfort and drama” according to the studio.

Find out more about Mona Athens ›

Reference

Interior Design

Ten interiors that make use of statement carpets

By Zarkon Group,22/01/2023

A bright red carpet covering the interior of an abandoned Mexico City mansion, a sisal carpet stretched over furnishings and a carpeted bathroom are among the floor coverings in our latest lookbook of 10 interiors with bold carpets.

Not only can carpets bring more texture and statement colour to an interior setting, but they can also help to insulate homes, especially if used in combination with a layer of underlay.

These interiors showcase how carpets in unusual shades and carpets displayed in unexpected ways can bring a unique look to homes and offices.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring hotel interiors with decadent jewel tones, kitchens with marble surfaces and residential interiors informed by biophilic design.

Arches Apartment, Spain, by PMAA

Spanish architecture studio PMAA overhauled the interior of this top-floor apartment in Barcelona’s Raval neighbourhood. The apartment is characterised by white-painted partitions with arched openings that run through and divide the interior of the home.

The living area, which is raised on a slight platform, was blanketed in a cool, sea green-toned carpet juxtaposed against the stark white walls. A large modular sofa wraps around the columns of the arched partitions.

Find out more about Arches Apartment ›

Nagatachō Apartment by Adam Nathaniel Furman — Photo is by Jan Vranovsky

Nagatachō Apartment, Japan, by Adam Nathaniel Furman

London designer Adam Nathaniel Furman renovated the interior of this formerly “claustrophobic” Tokyo apartment, adding a bold, pastel and sugar-sweet colour palette.

A low-pile, lilac carpet extends through the interior of the home and serves as a base for a rainbow of pastel hues that cover the walls, joinery and furniture throughout.

Find out more about Nagatachō Apartment ›

New York office by Halleroed — Photo is by Erik Undehn

New York Office, US, by Halleroed

In New York City, Stockholm studio Halleroed made a bold feature out of plush blue carpets and wood panelling throughout the interior of an office building that covers almost 17 stories.

The interior scheme was informed by movies created by American filmmaker David Lynch. Most of the walls and surfaces of the interior were clad in veneer panels made from Makore wood, which is native to central and western Africa.

Find out more about New York Office ›

Antwerp A by Atelier Dialect — Photo is by Piet-Albert Goethals

Apartment A, Belgium, by Atelier Dialect

A rectangular stainless-steel bathtub sat on top of a heavy grey carpet form part of this Antwerp apartment, which underwent a contemporary renovation by Belgian design studio Atelier Dialect.

The primary bedroom has an open-plan design that adjoins an en-suite bathroom. Both spaces are linked by a grey carpet that covers the floor, and minty-green lacquer that stretches across the walls and ceiling of the open-plan spaces.

A reflective tub sits in the middle of the room in front of a wall of subway tiles.

Find out more about Apartment A ›

Mexico City manasion by Masa — Photo is by Genevieve Lutkin

Mexico City mansion, Mexico, by Masa gallery

This 1970s mansion in Mexico City was used as a setting for the inaugural exhibit from Masa gallery. The venue was decorated with bright red walls and also features expanses of red and golden-hued carpets.

The mansion, which had been vacant since the 1970s, was kept as the gallery found it and decorated with works by a number of Mexico City-based designers and architects.

Find out more about Mexico City mansion ›

Barcelona apartment by Arquitectura-G — Photo is by José Hevia

Barcelona apartment, Spain, by Arquitectura-G

Located in the Ensanche district of Barcelona, this 149-square-metre apartment was renovated by Spanish studio Aqruitectura-G, which was assigned with opening up the interior and drawing in natural light.

The studio adapted the floor levels of the home to zone different areas across each floor. In the living area, a warm-hued sisal carpet extends across the stepped levels of the space, while also covering and wrapping around built-in seating, tables and other surfaces.

Find out more about Barcelona apartment ›

New York apartment by Harry Nuriev and Tyler Billinger — Photo is by Dylan Chandler

New York apartment, US, by Harry Nuriev and Tyler Billinger

Crosby Studios founder Harry Nuriev and his partner and CEO Tyler Billinger renovated their NoLita apartment in Manhattan, New York City, in shades of violet. A heavy-pile purple carpet was fitted in the living area amid grey tile-clad surrounding walls and floors.

“We wanted a space that was not only elegant, but also liveable – we wanted to create a cosy sanctuary, which is why we used a warm grey as the base colour, and a vibrant purple as the supporting to give it that Crosby signature boldness,” said Billinger.

Find out more about the New York apartment ›

London townhouse by Studio Hagen Hall — Photo is by Mariell Lind Hansen

London townhouse, UK, by Studio Hagen Hall

Architecture office Studio Hagen Hall transformed this townhouse in north London, decorating its interior with a scheme that nods to 1970s Californian modernism.

The lounge includes a custom sofa upholstered in a mustardy, orange-hued velvet. Beneath the sofa and across the walls, a peach carpet covers the surfaces as well as a circular ottoman at the foot of the sofa.

Find out more about London townhouse ›

Casa Lana by Ettore Sottsass — Photo is by Gianluca Di Ioia

Casa Lana, Milan, by Ettore Sottsass

In 2022, the Triennale di Milano museum reconstructed the interior of a Milanese apartment that was designed by Memphis Group founder Ettore Sottsass.

A magenta-coloured carpet runs through the interior of the replica apartment, while wood-clad and boldly upholstered soft furnishings in contrasting blue hues were also placed in the room.

Find out more about Casa Lana ›

Winona House by Reigo and Bauer — Photo is by Lisa Petrole

Winona House, Canada, by Reigo and Bauer

At Winona House, a family home in Toronto that was designed by local architecture studio Reigo and Bauer, residents and visitors are met by a bright blue carpet in the entrance hall that covers the stairs to the home’s upper levels.

Pops of colour were added throughout the home, including on the exterior, which features a hot pink-painted entrance that is surrounded by black shingles.

Find out more about Winona House ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring pop-up shop interiors, kitchens with marble surfaces and interiors with stone furnishings.

Reference

Private House in Cologne by SMO Architektur

Interior Design

Ten homes with staircases that have statement balustrades

By Zarkon Group,16/10/2022

In our latest lookbook, Dezeen has rounded up 10 home staircases that incorporate contemporary and non-traditional balustrades from circular perforations to bold colour blocking.

A balustrade is a railing that runs alongside a staircase and prevents a person from falling over its edge. Balusters are vertical posts that typically support a bannister or handrail above, balusters traditionally have a lathe-turned form that results in a bulbous and curving profile.

Although often focal points of interior settings, balustrades can be relatively similar from home to home. In this lookbook, we have highlighted 10 alternative balustrades that bring a non-traditional and statement look to homes.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring maximalist interiors, homes that use tiles as a decorative feature and interiors with ornate ceilings.

Private House in Cologne, Germany, by SMO Architektur

This perforated balustrade complements the rigid and cubic form of this house in Cologne, which was designed by architecture practice SMO Architektur and informed by Le Corbusier’s Plan Libre.

A staircase that runs through the home was bounded by a seamless, perforated balustrade that is constructed from a singular sheet of material. The perforations within the balustrade contrast against the square and angular shape profile of the staircase.

Find out more about Private House in Cologne ›

Mo-tel House by Office S&M — Photo by French + Tye

Mo-tel House, UK, by Office S&M

This brightly coloured staircase sits within a Georgian townhouse in the London borough of Islington, which was renovated by London studio Office S&M.

Titled Mo-tel House, the home has a brightly coloured interior scheme with a geometric and boldly coloured staircase. Its vertically slatted balusters were painted pink while a bright yellow handrail folds over and into the staircase’s end post.

Find out more about Mo-tel House in London ›

Tel Aviv townhouse by David Lebenthal — Photo by Tal Nisim

Tel Aviv townhouse, Israel, by David Lebenthal

In Tel Aviv, architect David Lebenthal suspended a staircase behind a wall of vertically organised steel rods that function as the staircase’s balustrade.

The home was designed for Lebenthal and his family and was organised around an exposed concrete party wall that hosts the metal staircase that runs through the home. Steel rods stretch between each floor of the home and were fixed to and intersect with the outer edge of the metal-folded tread.

Find out more about Tel Aviv townhouse ›

White Rabbit House by Gundry & Ducker — Photo by Andrew Meredith

White Rabbit House, UK, by Gundry & Ducker

Architecture studio Gundry & Ducker fitted a cantilevered staircase into this 1970s house in London.

Its balustrade is comprised of green-painted vertical rods that run the entire length of the staircase and a one-piece wooden bannister that was placed on top of the green balusters and pierces through an overhanging lip on the tread of the base step.

Find out more about White Rabbit House ›

Bonhôte House by AOC — Photo by Tim Soar

Bonhôte House, UK, by AOC

Angular brass rods, arranged in a zigzagging formation, flank the sides of this staircase that ascends above an open-plan living and kitchen area in a north London townhouse.

The home was designed by architecture studio AOC within a contemporary family home. It has an open-plan design with its brass-wrapped staircase used to divide the ground floor living spaces

Find out more about Bonhôte House ›

Hearth House, UK, by AOC

Architecture studio AOC incorporated a negative relief-style balustrade into the staircase at Hearth House in Golders Green.

On the upper levels of the staircase, the profiles and silhouettes of traditional spindle balusters were laser cut into plywood sheets creating voids where ornamental spindles would sit. Elsewhere, a lamp extends from the handrail of the bannister.

Find out more about Hearth House ›

O12, Germany, by Philipp von Matt

German architect Philipp von Matt fitted a golden-hued, perforated-brass bannister to a solid concrete staircase at O12, an artist’s home in Berlin.

The mesh brass bannister zigzags along the side of the concrete stairwell from the front door of the home through to its first and second floors. As a result of its perforations, light can travel through the bannister and filter into the monolithic stairwell.

Find out more about O12 ›

Ash House by R2 Studio — Photo by Andy Stagg

Ash House, UK, by R2 Studio

A full-height ash bannister, which was pierced with circular cut-out openings lines a wooden stairwell that connects two storeys of an Edwardian house in Lewisham, London.

Architecture studio R2 Studio mimicked the stair profile when creating the hole pattern across the ash bannister, incorporating larger holes at eye level for both adults and children. A groove was cut into the opposite side to form an inset handrail.

Find out more about Ash House ›

Maryland House by Remi Connolly-Taylor — Photo by James Retief

Maryland House, UK, by Remi Connolly-Taylor

A red metal staircase at designer Remi Connolly-Taylor’s home in London has a weightless look. It has a red folded tread that sits on top of the home’s stone floors. Besides the tread, a tubular, pipe-like hand rail-cum-balustrade has a similarly weightless look and protrudes from the ground and follows the profile of the steps below.

The staircase is encased within a glass block-clad stairwell that Connolly-Taylor explained was used to bring light into the interior while also providing privacy from neighbours.

Find out more about Maryland House ›

Coastal House by 6a Architects — Photo by Johan Dehlin

Coastal House, UK, by 6a Architects

A wooden staircase sits at the heart of this home, which was renovated by London-based architecture studio 6a Architects. Thin tapering spindle-shaped balustrades were organised at alternating angles creating a wave-like rhythm across the entire staircase.

The bannister and balustrade were made from oak and have an unfinished, rustic quality that ties the staircase to the home’s original beams and textural stone walls.

Find out more about Coastal House ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring deliberately unfinished interiors, maximalist interiors and walk-in wardrobes.

Reference

Interiors of Polychrome House, designed by Amber Road

Interior Design

Ten colourful living rooms that make a statement with bold hues

By Zarkon Group,25/09/2022

Flamingo pink walls in a Greek seaside apartment and a living space in Italy defined by primary colours feature in our latest lookbook, which collects colourful living rooms that are designed to stand out.

From the pastel colour palette used in a Tokyo dwelling to the clash of reds and greens seen in an Athens apartment, these 10 living rooms from across the world are defined by their colourful interiors.

While using strong colours in a living room can seem like an intimidating prospect, these examples show how even just a few splashes of colour can create a warmer atmosphere and work as a contrast against traditional white walls.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing brutalist interiors, terrazzo eateries and residential atriums.

Polychrome House, Australia, by Amber Road and Lymesmith

Pops of colour feature in every room of Polychrome House, a 1960s property in Sydney that was renovated by architecture studio Amber Road and colour consultants Lymesmith.

“Bright primary colours, which were layered throughout the interior, became the heartbeat of the joyful experience we were all committed to creating,” Amber Road co-director Yasmine Ghoniem told Dezeen.

Find out more about Polychrome House ›

Waterfront Nikis Apartment by Stamatios Giannikis — Photo is by Kim Powell

Waterfront Nikis Apartment, Greece, by Stamatios Giannikis

Flamingo pink walls and accents take centre stage in the living room of Waterfront Nikis Apartment, a Greek seaside dwelling set within a 1937 listed art deco building.

Architect Stamatios Giannikis paired a neon-pink hammock with a soft fluffy rug and rosy plant pots in the living room that overlooks the sea.

Find out more about Waterfront Nikis Apartment ›

Nagatachō Apartment, Japan, by Adam Nathaniel Furman

Designer Adam Nathaniel Furman used a sugar-sweet colour palette to liven up a Tokyo apartment he renovated for a retired expat couple.

Located opposite the open-plan kitchen, the combined living space and dining area features a plush lilac carpet that was chosen to contrast a bold green and blue chair and footrest, which Furman said “has the feel of sponge cake and looks like icing”.

Find out more about Nagatachō Apartment ›

Levine by Hendricks Churchill — Photo is by Tim Lenz

Connecticut house, USA, by Hendricks Churchill

American firm Hendricks Churchill sought to combine the aesthetic of a traditional farmhouse with more contemporary details at this Connecticut house.

Dusty blue cabinetry meets reddy orange furniture in the home’s living room while a textured blue rug was placed on neutral wooden floorboards.

Find out more about this Connecticut house ›

Trevi House apartment in Rome designed by Studio Venturoni — Photo is by Michele Bonechi

Trevi House, Italy, by Studio Venturoni

Thick bands of terracotta and sand-coloured paint wrap around the walls of Trevi House, a one-bedroom apartment in Rome that is defined by warm, earthy hues.

The living room includes a contrasting rectilinear blue and cream rug, which is positioned underneath a statement oversized sculpture, reminiscent of traditional marble statues.

Find out more about Trevi House ›

The Karine Vilas Boas Apartment, Brazil, by Studio Julliana Camargo

A large rug with a bright geometric pattern by Portuguese brand Punto e Filo features in the living space of this large apartment in downtown São Paulo.

Studio Julliana Camargo placed a crescent-shaped pink sofa and vivid green armchairs around the rug, emphasising its bold, technicolour appearance.

Find out more about the Karine Vilas Boas Apartment ›

Trikoupi apartment by Point Supreme — Photo is by Yannis Drakoulidis

Trikoui apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme Architects

Local firm Point Supreme Architects designed this vibrant Athens apartment to include a single open-plan space combining the living, dining and kitchen areas.

To make up for the absence of partition walls, the apartment includes colourful built-in custom furniture to help delineate spaces, including a stained-green plywood storage wall and a table with a bright red top.

Find out more about this Trikoui apartment ›

House for Booklovers and Cats by BFDO Architects — Photo is by Francis Dzikowski

House for Booklovers and Cats, USA, by BFDO Architects

American studio BFDO Architects added splashes of pink, orange and blue to the living room of House for Booklovers and Cats, a Brooklyn home designed to include various nooks for a pair of shy cats to retreat to.

A higgledypiggledy bookshelf featuring brightly painted alcoves was built into one of the room’s walls, which was designed to house the owners’ extensive reading collection.

Find out more about House for Booklovers and Cats ›

Retroscena apartment renovation by La Macchina Studio — Photo is by Paolo Fusco

Retroscena, Italy, by La Macchina Studio

Retroscena is a distinctive 1950s apartment renovation in Rome, completed by Italian architecture office La Macchina Studio to reveal the home’s original terrazzo floors.

Primary colours were celebrated in the interior design, where the living room can be screened off by a yellow curtain and is decorated with a circular red wall hanging and a squidgy blue sofa.

Find out more about Retroscena ›

Husos Arquitectos Madrid apartment — Photo is by José Hevia

Madrid apartment, Spain, by Husos Arquitectos

Playful lime green deck chairs and bold yellow and orange accents feature in the large living room of this Madrid apartment by Spanish studio Husos Arquitectos.

While its plywood-board cabinetry and pinewood floors mean that natural hues dominate in the room, the studio painted some of the shelves in vibrant colours to brighten up the wood.

Find out more about this Madrid apartment ›

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 green bedrooms, gardens with swimming pools and homes with glass extensions.

Reference

Architecture

From the Top: 7 Way Statement Ceilings Can Add an Architectural Punch

By Zarkon Group,04/07/2022

The A+Product Awards is open for entries, with a Late Entry Deadline of July 22nd. Get started on your submission today!

One thing that ties together the Sistine Chapel, The Peacock Room and The Romanian Athenaeum is their majestic ceilings. These buildings are proof that these surfaces can serve a purpose beyond just holding light fixtures. However, excessive embellishments and traditional techniques can look out of place in contemporary homes or restaurants. Below are just a few modern alternatives that ensure that the ceiling takes center stage.

Bella Italia Weine by Ippolito Fleitz Group – Identity Architects, Stuttgart, Germany

Gallery walls are a common occurrence in the Pinterest home décor search results. Another trend is creating a composition of mirrors featuring different design styles to create interest and play with the dimensions of the space. One interpretation of this trend is to adapt it to the horizontal plane or the celling of a room.

This approach is showcased in the Bella Italia Weine in Stuttgart. 90 different mirrors obtained from several rummage sales are mounted on the ceiling, ranging from large rectangular framed ones to decorative handheld mirrors. One of them even features hanging crystal lights to replicate a chandelier. They create broken reflections of the activity below and also imitate the comfort and intimacy offered by the home-style cuisine served here.

ARKHE Beauty Salon by Moriyuki Ochiai Architects, Chiba, Japan

While a sculpture can enhance the look of any space, turning an entire element of architecture into a sculpture can leave a significantly stronger impact. Using different materials, textures and forms in ceilings can create a captivating effect, reflect light in new ways and also help give dimension to an otherwise plain space. In ARKHE Beauty Salon, the firm uses strips of recycled aluminum curled and twisted over and over again on the entire surface to create almost a fluid composition. The firm wanted to replicate the movement of water and the lightness of the hair. The reflection of light on the metal’s surface also mimics the visual of light falling on the surface of the ocean.

Zafar Dental Office by ReNa Design, Tehran, Iran | Images by Reza Najafian

Zafar Dental Office is a great example of how even subtle introductions in a space can make a big difference. Here, they have used small cutouts in the ceiling to hold lights, much like simple cuts in a sheet of paper. These cuts have both sharp profiles as well as sinuous curves. The form is then continued n shelves and seating throughout the space to unify the design. This proves that even small changes in lighting design and geometry can create interest in spaces where it is difficult to add color or protrusions either due to the nature of the function or lack of height.

Over View by FreelandBuck, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Art has been shown to be a successful way of decorating ceilings throughout history. It compels people to stop and look up, changing the way they use and perceive space. Taking this one step further, using optical illusions on the horizontal pain can not only trick people into believing there is a 3D form instead of a plane but also create movement. This helps create the perception of greater floor height as well. Over View, an installation composed of printed textile pieces, transforms the lobby of the Carnegie Library into a Renaissance-era spectacle. When seen from the center of the room, it appears to have depth and go higher. When seen from other angles, it looks as if it is protruding toward the floor.

Tsujita by SWeet Co, LTD, Los Angeles, California

Being able to look at clouds when dining can make for a thoroughly enjoyable experience. But outdoor dining can also be challenging when grappling with uncertain weather. Interior decorators have often tried to bring the outdoors in by painting murals on walls and ceilings or bringing in greenery. This technique can be altered to better fit fine dining establishments by using a more abstract version of natural elements to add more whimsy. In Tsujita, 25,000 wooden sticks of different lengths are used to create the imagery of clouds. This image changes when seen from different angles due to the space between the sticks.

:PM Club by MODE, Sofia, Bulgaria

Vaults and domes have been significant structural elements in religious and cultural buildings throughout history. Now, we can see modern versions in interiors that are purely aesthetic. It can be done by padding beams to create vaulted tops or using wooden panels to add curves to flat surfaces. Another way to add dimension is by using hexagonal and pentagonal forms to create geometric domes as in :PM. The panels also diffuse the color-changing lights placed in this arrangement. This technique combines the charm of conventional domes with the grandeur of chandeliers.

Banq by Office dA, Boston, Massachusetts

There has been an emergence of designs that allows floors, walls and ceilings to blend into one another. Pirogovka Appartment does so by allowing paint from the walls to crawl up the ceiling and floor and a bakery in Oporto continues vertical panels from the wall as swooping curves on the ceiling. Banq in Boston uses wooden slats to create a contouring canopy that continues upwards from the columns. This system also serves an additional function of concealing the old mechanical and structural systems from the previous design. The design also features a wine storage area in the center that becomes a part of this system.

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Reference

Interior Design

Seven bedrooms with eye-catching statement walls

By Zarkon Group,25/06/2021

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 ›

Statement walls roundup: Chelsea Pied-à-Terre

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.

Find out more about Casa A12 ›

Reference

Duck-egg blue kitchen with pink terrazzo breakfast bar

Interior Design

Ten home kitchens that use colour to make a statement

By Zarkon Group,24/06/2021

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 ›

Mustard yellow kitchen with orange splashback tiles

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 ›

Bubblegum-pink kitchen with parquet blue tiles

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 ›

Terracotta-coloured kitchen and breakfast bar

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 ›

Seaweed-coloured kitchen with marble worktops

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 ›

Multi-coloured kitchen with concrete countertops

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 ›

Plum-purple kitchen with green cabinetry

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 ›

Bright green kitchen with terrazzo detailing

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.

Find out more about White Rabbit House ›

Reference

Interior Design

Watch our video roundup of living rooms with statement shelving

By Zarkon Group,21/06/2021

This one-minute video showcases ten living rooms with statement shelving, as featured in a recent Dezeen Lookbook.

The video rounds up examples of bespoke shelving that are both beautiful and practical, including a bookcase with cubby holes for cats and a sculptural blue staircase with built-in storage.

Dezeen Lookbooks is a new section featuring roundups of home interiors and decor trends to help designers and design lovers plan their projects.

Published each Saturday, each lookbook presents images of contemporary interiors selected from Dezeen’s vast archive of over 750,000 images.

Check out the lookbook to find out more about all the projects ›

Reference

Interior Design

Domestic interiors with statement plants that bring nature indoors

By Zarkon Group,20/06/2021

If your home doesn’t have a garden or a balcony, a well-chosen houseplant can bring the natural world inside. The second of a trio of spring lookbooks this Easter weekend showcases 10 domestic interiors with carefully chosen plants.

The projects feature plants ranging from full-sized trees to smaller houseplants such as aloe, peace lilies and ferns.

This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbooks series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous articles in the series feature stylish home offices, children’s bedrooms, inspiring outdoor living spaces, and living rooms with beautiful statement shelving.

The Gymnasium by Robbert de Goede

This ground-floor apartment in Amsterdam was once a gymnasium. Converted by architect Robbert de Goede, the airy dwelling features a couple of statement potted plants.

A narrow-leafed fig (Ficus maclellandii Alii) is located next to the glass doors that lead to the terrace while a large fiddle-leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) is placed beside the staircase.

Find out more about The Gymnasium ›

Orange apartment interior with a large peace lily

Trevi House by Studio Venturoni

A peace lily (Spathiphyllum) in a raised silver planter complements a Nemo chair by Fabio Novembre in this one-bedroom apartment in Rome designed by Studio Venturoni. The room also features a corn plant (Dracaena Fragrans).

Find out more about Trevi House ›

A white-walled bathroom with a snake plant

Yurikago House by Mas-aqui

Architecture studio Mas-aqui transformed this Barcelona apartment into a multi-level home featuring a variety of materials including ceramic, plywood, terrazzo and steel.

A single plant, a snake plant or mother-in-law’s tongue (Dracaena trifasciata), guards the entrance to the bathroom.

Find out more about Yurikago House ›

A bedroom overlooking a plant-filled courtyard

A Forest House by Aquiles Jarrín

This spectacular apartment in Quito by architect Aquiles Jarrín features several large, architectural plants. Swiss cheese plants (Monstera Deliciosa) are clustered around the indoor pool while an internal courtyard is filled with umbrella trees (Schefflera), ferns and more Swiss cheese plants.

The apartment also features hanging baskets planted with a chain of hearts (Ceropegia woodii).

Find out more about A Forest House ›

A white-walled apartment with a large Kentia palm

Apartment in Lavapies by Leticia Saá

Architect Leticia Saá’s conversion of a Madrid apartment features a plant in every room. A large Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana) occupies a bright corner in the dining area while a giant white bird of paradise plant (Strelitizia nicola) is a key feature in the living area.

Smaller plants are dotted around the rest of the apartment (although it looks as if the photographer has used the same specimen in several of the photos).

Find out more about Apartment in Lavapies ›

A white kitchen with plants and wooden cabinetry

Newry House by Austin Maynard Architects

Austin Maynard Architects transformed a narrow Melbourne house by adding a raised indoor bed beneath a glass roof over the dining area.

Planted with a range of species including a philodendron and ferns, the border creates a leafy, living backdrop to the built-in banquette.

Find out more about Newry House ›

A minimalist apartment with a giant cactus

Apartment A by Atelier Dialect

Atelier Dialect chose a spectacular cereus peruvianus as the finishing touch to its elegantly minimal conversion of an Antwerp apartment.

The giant cactus is the only plant in the home, which is otherwise finished with materials including cement, exposed-aggregate concrete and mirrored steel.

Find out more about Apartment A ›

A white-walled living room with indoor plants

Casa SD by Escribano Rosique Arquitectos

There are more plants than furnishings in this spartan house near Valladolid in Spain by Escribano Rosique Arquitectos.

Arranged around an open courtyard and featuring open-sided living spaces, the white-brick interior is dotted with including various species of ficus including a rubber plant (Ficus elastica) as well as a snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata).

Find out more about Casa SD ›

A concrete living room with a large screw pine tree

Brutalist Tropical Home by Dan Mitchell and Patisandhika

A large screw pine (Pandanus utilis) grows out of the living room floor in this brutalist home in Bali.

Created by designer Dan Mitchell and architectural studio Patisandhika, the concrete dwelling sits amid lush tropical vegetation and features a terrace planted with palms.

Find out more about Brutalist Tropical Home ›

A White House, A Growing Home by RIGI Design

An aloe plant in a raised planter has been paired with a white Hee dining chair by Hay in the bedroom of this converted Shanghai home by RIGI Design.

The succulent is one of many plants artfully placed around the home, which also features a courtyard scattered with more plants in containers.

Find out more about A White House ›

Reference

Statement

Eight bedrooms defined by their statement headboards

Eight bedrooms with bathtubs that make a lavish statement

Ten interiors that make use of statement carpets

Ten homes with staircases that have statement balustrades

Ten colourful living rooms that make a statement with bold hues

From the Top: 7 Way Statement Ceilings Can Add an Architectural Punch

Seven bedrooms with eye-catching statement walls

Ten home kitchens that use colour to make a statement

Watch our video roundup of living rooms with statement shelving

Domestic interiors with statement plants that bring nature indoors

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