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In Wroclaw, Poland is a lively terraced house that reflects the youthful energy of the couple who owns it. Designed by Znamy się for the owners, and their two dogs, who love to cook, entertain friends, and play board games. Drawing inspiration from the whimsical world of Playshapes (wooden blocks that can be moved, layered, or combined), this modern home now boasts a fusion of structures, forms, and vibrant colors that bolster creativity, socializing, and play.
The new interior holds many elements that allow the owners to play with form. Moveable furniture sets the stage with shelves on wheels that enable the couple to create flexible arrangements and new spaces. The kitchen island is not only the place for food prep and cooking, it stores board games and houses water dispensers for their beloved dogs. The dining table’s top lifts to play games and work puzzles.
Geometric shapes and a strong palette of colors intertwine forming layered spaces rich in textures and visual intrigue. The inclusion of lots of wooden elements gives nod to Playshapes, while adding organic charm.
Three shelves set within a blue painted alcove hold a large selection of plants and objects for a touch of biophilia.
The square dining table lives under one of the hanging grids that holds plants. Similar gridded structures live alongside the wooden staircase adding a pop of color while providing safety for those climbing the stairs.
The bathroom features similar wooden cabinets as the kitchen island with geometric patterns adorning the fronts. An inset cabinet is painted a playful pink on the inside, pairing nicely with the black and white floor tile.
Photography by Migdal Studio.
A Brutalist-inspired apartment in the suburbs of Rome in Tor de’ Cenci recently received a complete renovation by STUDIOTAMAT. Designed for a lawyer couple, the project consisted of renovating the 120-square-meter apartment, along with a coveted 40-square-meter terrace. The Casa Rude residence overlooks the Castelporziano Nature Reserve offering both wooded and sea views, an ideal locale after years of living in small apartments in the heart of the city. Now, their space is filled with natural light, original character, and modern conveniences.
“What guided us in the design was the desire to enhance the distinctive features of the unique terraced building, dating back to the 1980s, which houses the apartment. We wanted to restore fluidity to the spaces, encourage the opening, and the discovery of pre-existing materials and details, on which to set a new vision,” says STUDIOTAMAT co-founder Tommaso Amato.
The main living area is designed much like a open plan loft with unfinished walls and the support structure’s exposed concrete visually connecting the spaces.
Paired with the original Brutalist details are a variety of tones, textures, and materials that add up to a visually enticing space. The roughness of the terracotta tiles on the oval island and concrete pillars are juxtaposed with the smooth Patagonia marble countertops that connect the two.
A custom dining table with a Shou sugi treated wood top rests on a black base and a glossy red ceramic leg for a sleek look.
A large, multifunctional birch wood cube is built to hide the pantry, hold coats, provide storage, and house a TV.
A wall of perforated bricks separates the living room and home office allowing natural light to pass through. A custom desk extends out from the built-in shelves and is held up by a circular red wheel, complementing the dining table’s leg a few feet away. The wheel allows the desk to roll along on a track to a new position.
A pivoting door visually separates the public areas from the sleeping area, which houses a main bedroom with ensuite bathroom, and a guest room.
In the primary bedroom, sliding ribbed glass doors offer privacy to those in the bathroom while allowing light in.
The large terrace features an outdoor kitchen, seating areas, dining space, and outdoor shower, all of which benefit from sunset views.
STUDIOTAMAT \\\ Photo: Flavia Rossi
Photography by Serena Eller Vainicher.
Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida at a bill-signing event this month.
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To reimagine a dated, 1970s ranch in Pleasanton, California, Destination Eichler partnered with Eyerly Architecture to bring this split-level house into today’s times. While the young family appreciated the 70s character of the home, they desired a fresh spin with added functionality seen in today’s builds. The updated abode now features modern details, mid-century furnishings, and a plethora of beautiful tile from Fireclay Tile.
A glass wall opens out from a multipurpose room offering views of Mount Diablo. The room’s other focal point is a double-sided fireplace that was updated with vertical wood slats and tile in a large, circular pattern.
The kitchen is renovated with light wood cabinets and a mosaic wall made with hexagonal tiles that complement the blue range.
The main living room features an angled wood ceiling and the other side of the double-sided fireplace. Clad in matte black tile, the fireplace has a minimalist aesthetic that is perfectly juxtaposed with the white walls and beams.
In the basement, which the original architect named “Rumpus Room,” a new kitchenette and bar is there to entertain guests.
Photos by John Shum.
Students walking between classes at the University of Idaho. The state will ban student ID cards as a form of voter identification, one of few successes for Republicans targeting young voters this year.
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When an adjacent property went up for sale next to a young family of five, they bought it in order to create their dream Hideaway House. They hired Cera Stribley who utilized the excavated lot to design an underground living space that could house everything an adult could dream of, including an indoor pool, bar and lounge, gold room, and gym. The original home’s basement has been converted into a new guest suite and connects the house to the new underground space.
In order to maintain privacy in the subterranean space while bringing in natural light, a tall wall is spaced far enough away to allow light to filter down through the windows. A planter box adds nature to help soften surrounding hard surfaces. Whether lounging by the pool or swimming laps, the greenery makes one feel connected to nature.
Behind another wall of glass windows is a sitting area and bar, both of which benefit from the plants and natural light.
A glass-fronted wine cellar lives behind the massive marble bar. Blue leather bar stools complement the blue Cassina chairs and rug featured in the seating area.
In addition to the original basement’s transformation, the ground floor of the Hideaway House has been reconfigured to seamlessly join the backyard, which includes a tennis court.
Paola Navone brass pendants hang above the dining table, which is rounded out with Mies van der Rohe’s cantilevered chairs.
The design purposefully disguises all TVs in order to minimize the family’s screen time.
Architecture & Interior Design by Cera Stribley.
Landscape Design by Eckersley Garden Architecture.
Styling by Jess Kneebone.
Photography by Timothy Kaye.
Welcome Home is a recently completed project by No Architects, who designed a modern apartment for a family with small children. The Prague apartment received a reconfigured layout that includes a new multipurpose room that works as a study, playroom, and guest room. Sliding doors can close to hide the room from the living room when it’s not in use or for privacy when someone is visiting or needing to work. Even with the doors closed, the open kitchen, dining room, and living room provide ample space for the family to enjoy.
The unique kitchen boasts an oval, angled island with two bases in different finishes. The larger white base rests upon an elevated floor decked out in a patterned tile, while the wood column base sits on the main herringbone floor. The cabinets include a row of wood fronted uppers with light blue cabinets surrounding them.
The blue cabinets curve at one end, complementing the curves of the island and raised tile floor.
A double-sided, navy blue leather sofa floats in the center of the living room surrounded by built-in storage and display cabinets. One side of the sofa faces the television, while the other looks towards the windows with views of Prague.
The combo room just off the living room houses an elevated, built-in bed with storage under and behind it. On the opposite side, a light blue desk setup lives beside a large wooden storage cabinet with red legs.
The all-white hallway gets a boost from a cobalt blue console table that rests against the wall.
A seating nook with storage is built into the hallway near the front door, offering a good place to drop belongings after entering the apartment.
More wooden storage cabinets with red legs outfit the entryway.
A child’s room features a modern bunkbed that’s complete with storage, stairs, hidden lighting, and a privacy screen.
No Architects
Photos by Studio Flusser.
There are those people that love their car… and then those that really, really love their car. The latter is the case for the owner of this vacation house in Chiba, Japan, designed by Hitoshi Saruta of CUBO design architect. The 24-sided volume resembles a circus tent, making its name – The Circus – right on point. In lieu of a typical, built-in garage, the architect opted to unite both people and cars in a unique, relaxed environment. Now, they can “spend time with cars” and appreciate them while doing so.
The dome-like space allows for all types of layouts that can easily be changed. An elevated, round table lives in the center to create the second floor, while forming a circular bar situation below.
The roof and frame give the feeling of looking up into the inside of a paper umbrella, a nod to Japanese design.
No support posts were required due to the slanted outer walls that maintain the tension.
The main floor acts as a garage and living space with all functionally lining the perimeter and central core. A staircase leads to the open, second story which houses the owner’s bedroom with a jacuzzi and waterfall shower.
Photos by Koji Fujii / TOREAL.
Dagmar Štěpánová of Formafatal recently completed the first rammed earth structures in Costa Rica that can be yours to rent for your next vacation. Achioté is a pair of minimalist villas in Playa Hermosa that look as if they’re levitating above an overgrown cliff by the Pacific Ocean. The homes are situated in a jungle-like environment with lush greenery all around for ultimate privacy. Throughout the design and building process, Formafatal paid careful attention to sustainability and protecting the wild locale.
Each villa’s design is based on the energies felt in their locations by Štěpánová before construction even began. The vibrations led to two opposing designs – the Jaspis Villa (jaspis = jasper, bright villa) reflecting a yin energy connected to the sky and ocean with shades of sand being the standout color, while the Nefrit Villa (nefrit = jade, dark villa) reflects the yang energy with connection to the ground and the surrounding jungle and featuring a red-terracotta color.
Cantilevered roofs extend out like the floors to provide protection from the sun and weather conditions.
All of the outer walls are built using the clay soil they excavated during the construction process, thereby reducing materials that needed to be imported in for the build. New tropical plants were added once the villas were complete.
The layers of the rammed earth walls stand out, adding texture while telling the home’s story one layer at a time.
The 90-square-meter (approx. 969 square feet) villas are identical in size, layout, and orientation, while each structure utilizes its own choice of materials and color scheme.
The center of each design is the bed, which can be sectioned off with sliding curtains for privacy and mosquito protection. The endless views can be enjoyed from the bed through the frameless glass walls. There’s another bed on the terrace if one wanted to relax in nature.
Just off to the side of the villas are built-in pools which will make you feel like you’re swimming right in the jungle.
To make the rammed earth walls happen, Formafatal enlisted Brazilian specialist, Daniel Mantovani of Terra Compacta, to help train local craftsmen to complete the work.
Behind the beds, the kitchens and bathrooms live with no doors separating the spaces.
The bathroom sinks, shelves, kitchen counters, and beside tables are all custom made from concrete.
The Nefrit Villa features a much darker and moodier color palette, despite the villas being identical.
Dagmar Štěpánová of Formafatal \\\ Photo: Eva Wong
To book the villas, visit achioteproject.com.
Photos by BoysPlayNice.
What began as a kitchen renovation and floor replacement in 2021, turned into a major renovation of a condo in Southwest Portland, Oregon. Overhauled by Casey Keasler, founder of interior design studio Casework, the once dated apartment needed its spaces reevaluated to make it work for the long time owners. The results of the bold transformation have brought about a modern and fresh aesthetic seen throughout, most notably in the main living space.
Homeowner Ana Quinones
The contemporary kitchen stands out with its cabinets painted soft Rushing River green by Benjamin Moore. Paired with the marbled Dolomite countertops, island, and backsplash, and walnut elements, the kitchen feels high end yet livable.
Casework worked with general contractors, Hammer & Hand, to complete the transformation, which was inspired by some of the homeowner’s favorite museums and spaces, including The Walker in Minneapolis, SFMOMA, Portland’s Snow Peak store, and Stockholm’s Ett Hem. The couple loves clean, contemporary interiors and the use of natural materials, which Keasler incorporated into their new space. The design theme can be broken down into three works – purposeful, clean, and cultivated.
White oak flooring throughout the main areas and bedrooms, lightened the overall appearance of the space.
The main bathroom is contemporary with a classic feel, thanks to the mix of the textured marble pattern, rich wood details, and clean, white and grey tiles.
Rich shades of blue outfit the main bedroom, alongside lighter elements like the flooring, headboard, nightstands, and art piece above the bed.
Photos by George Barberis.
The 645-square-foot MARVILA ATTIC did not begin like this. Prior to KEMA studio renovating the space, it was an attic in disrepair in an old industrial area of Lisbon, Portugal. Finally, the neighborhood is undergoing a revitalization and this project is a part of it. KEMA studio transformed the unlivable attic into a bright and airy apartment with views of the nearby Tagus River.
The renovation required a brand new roof and interior structure, leaving behind the only salvageable components, the floor structure and gable walls. A full bathroom and private entry were added to round out the space’s function.
To maximize the natural light and airiness of the new design, the private areas are contained in a separate volume, leaving the public space open.
A separate volume in the living area houses storage, an embedded sofa, and the kitchen behind fluted wood panels. That leaves the remaining space as open and minimal as possible.
Four new skylights and two dormer windows are added to fill the space with daylight.
There’s even hidden storage in the wall by the entry stairs, perfect for jackets and shoes.
A window above the bedroom volume and a mirror on the back wall keeps the stairs well-lit.
Overall, the minimalist design comprises natural tones and sustainable + eco-friendly materials, like fiber cement panels, colored wood fiber panels, plywood, metal, brick tiles, and wooden floor.
Before:
KEMA studio \\\ Photo: Agata Mendes
Photos by Alexander Bogorodskiy and Eliza Borkowska – KEMA studio.
Athenia Rodney at her new home in Snellville, Ga., with her husband Kendall and three children. They moved away from New York City last summer.
Located in Prague, Czech Republic, House for Dorothy was designed by boq architekti who were hired during the late stages of construction to design the interior for a family. The interior showcases concrete and wood as the materials of choice, which are topped off with playful details throughout. On the main floor, the open living space feels bright and open with surrounding windows and sliding glass doors that lead to the outdoor space.
The designers keep the color palette neutral with the use of white, anthracite grey, and natural wood, along with the occasional curated use of color.
A cozy lounge space is situated at one end of the main floor offering a quiet space to read or relax by the fire.
The central living room features two white bookcases framing the staircase with space in the middle for a projection screen. When the screen is rolled up, the minimalist wooden staircase with glass railing stands out and cleverly disguises storage underneath.
The sofa is modular and can be reconfigured into three different setups for various scenarios.
A massive kitchen island allows plenty of space for food prep. A dropped ceiling above the island mirrors its shape and offers ambient light as it’s backlit.
The kid’s room includes a multifunctional wall unit that houses storage while creating a house-shaped nook at the head of the bed.
Photos by Tomas Dittrich.
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