Seven double-height living rooms with a sense of high drama

The article presents a curated collection of 25 grand foyers, all characterized by their high ceilings, designed to inspire elegance and drama in an entryway. Each example showcases a distinct style, ranging from classic to contemporary, and highlights various design elements that contribute to a luxurious and inviting first impression. The featured foyers incorporate diverse architectural and decorative details such as striking chandeliers, elegant staircases, and beautiful flooring. They demonstrate how different materials, color palettes, and stylistic choices can transform a functional space into a captivating area. Several examples illustrate the concept of captivating luxury, featuring oversized chandeliers as central focal points within spacious entryways. High contrast designs are explored through elements like bright white spiral staircases against dark navy walls, creating visual interest and dynamism. The inclusion of historic homes, such as one in San Francisco's Pacific Heights Neighborhood, demonstrates the integration of wood paneling and traditional chandeliers to maintain historic charm while achieving grandeur. Light and bright foyers are presented with white walls and crystal chandeliers complemented by dark wood accents and soft carpeting, emphasizing an airy and welcoming atmosphere. Glamorous entryways are detailed with custom railings, plaster walls, and marble flooring, designed to leave guests captivated upon arrival. The fusion of classic and contemporary styles is shown through black and white tiled floors in modern spaces. Modern luxury is further exemplified by shining white floors, waterfall chandeliers, and grand pianos, creating a lavish environment. The article also includes examples that integrate a splash of color, such as dark woods paired with bright blue accents in a stylish penthouse foyer. Designs focusing on striking beauty highlight crystal empire chandeliers as focal points, adding sophistication to grand foyers. Bright neutral palettes are demonstrated through light wood paneled ceilings and brown and beige flooring tiles, creating a stylish and subdued elegance. Grand elegance is achieved with gold accents, unique furniture pieces like Lalique cactus tables, and imperial staircases. Modern earth tones are showcased in foyers featuring custom staircases and large steel windows, providing a natural yet contemporary feel. Crisp white aesthetics are featured with custom designed handrails and all-white interiors, emphasizing cleanliness and sophistication. Bright and spacious entryways are illustrated by airy foyers in estates, designed to maximize light and openness. Gorgeous grays are presented in entryway hallways with tall, modern, and sophisticated gray walls. Farmhouse-style interiors with double-height foyers and wood-beamed ceilings offer a rustic yet grand appeal. Modern style foyers incorporate statement wallcoverings, intriguing lighting displays, and floating wooden staircases. Traditional beauty is conveyed through columns and barrel-vaulted ceilings, lending a classic touch to the space. Contemporary charm is captured in designs featuring modern aesthetics in picturesque locations like Aspen, Colorado. Chic and captivating foyers draw attention with black and white gallery walls and eye-catching chandeliers. The article also touches upon midcentury retreats with floor-to-ceiling windows, red hot interiors with bold carpeting, neutral gray schemes, and spaces that mix and match materials and finishes for elevated design, concluding with traditional palace designs featuring intricate murals, gold accents, and classic columns. #FoyerDesign #HighCeilings #LuxuryInteriors #HomeDecor #EntrywayIdeas #InteriorDesign #ArchitecturalDetails #StaircaseDesign #ChandelierLighting

The blog post details the formal living room reveal in the author's new home, a bright and spacious room located off her office and visible upon entry. The author aimed to create a formal living room that was impactful, peaceful, and feminine, also intending to use it for work meetings. The design concept centered around an ultra-feminine aesthetic with pink as a primary color, combined with an elevated tropical vibe reminiscent of vintage Hollywood Regency style. The envisioned space was for relaxing with friends or reading a magazine. A key element in achieving the elevated design was sourcing materials from Kravet, a company known for its quality and selection in design since 1918. The author had a positive prior experience with Kravet for wallpaper in her previous home's mudroom and stair tower. For this formal living room, she selected a Kravet sisal wallpaper featuring palm leaves, which perfectly integrated the elegant and beachy aspects of the Hollywood Regency theme. This choice was aimed at creating a significant visual impression and a sophisticated atmosphere. Complementing the wallpaper, the author chose Lee Jofa “New Bradbourne” fabric in blush for the drapes, reinforcing the feminine vision for the room. The drapes were further enhanced with Kravet’s “Daintree” fringe in Ivory/Natural, adding a retro touch to the overall decor. The selection process involved narrowing down numerous options from Kravet's extensive range of wallcoverings, fabrics, and trims. All the furniture in the formal living room was carefully chosen to align with the desired aesthetic and contribute to the room's overall ambiance. The author expresses extreme satisfaction with the final outcome, noting that the room effectively sets the tone for the entire house without being overwhelming. She describes it as her ideal tranquil space, where she enjoys relaxing with a glass of wine and a coffee table book. The blog post provides a detailed list of design credits for various elements within the room, including the wallpaper, curtain fabric and trim, their respective installers, and specific furniture pieces such as the couch, chairs, coffee table, bar cart, side table, and cabinets. Decorative items like the rug, pillows, blankets, artworks, faux fiddle trees, planters, and various candles and vases are also listed, along with styling books. The article concludes by inviting readers to ask further questions about the design details, emphasizing the successful realization of her vision for a personalized, elegant, and comfortable formal living space. #FormalLivingRoom #HomeDecor #InteriorDesign #KravetFabrics #HollywoodRegency #FeminineDesign #RoomReveal #DecorInspiration

Double-height ceilings introduce a significant stylistic element into interior design, creating expansive and dramatic spaces. This architectural feature presents numerous possibilities for decoration, accommodating large-scale elements like grand chandeliers and bold surface treatments. The article showcases 19 distinct examples from the archives of Architectural Digest, illustrating how various designers have leveraged the generous verticality of these rooms across different settings. Each example highlights unique design choices and inspirations, ranging from sophisticated urban residences to rustic estates and modernist layouts. One featured space is a New York pied-à-terre, where interior designer Jean-Louis Deniot collaborated with SPAN Architecture. The double-height living room features a Deniot-designed daybed, vintage pieces such as a FontanaArte side table, an Ado Chale cocktail table, and an Edward Wormley sofa. Art by Mauro Perucchetti, 1950s table lamps, and a custom silk rug complete the elegant ensemble. Another illustration is a Tennessee house renovated by DA|AD and decorated by McAlpine Booth & Ferrier Interiors, where a floral light sculpture by U-Ram Choe is a focal point in the double-height living room, complemented by Great Plains fabric curtains, a Chista cocktail table, and vintage Tommi Parzinger and William Haines Designs seating. A Los Angeles home, renovated by Commune, exhibits a double-height living room with reclaimed-oak paneling for a rustic feel, contrasted by dark custom-blended Benjamin Moore paint on beams and trim. Notable furnishings include a custom floor lamp by Downtown, a cocktail table by Alma Allen for Commune, a Vladimir Kagan Contour chaise, and an overscale floor lamp by Bottega Veneta. The residence of decorator Laura Santos in New York features a curvilinear Vladimir Kagan sofa, a vintage cocktail table, a 1940s French floor lamp, and a Dune bench, all set against walls painted in Benjamin Moore white. John Mellencamp's South Carolina house, designed by Monique Gibson, includes a double-height living hall inspired by a church nave. This space is furnished with a custom dining table adorned with a whale-rib sculpture and various wing and armchairs from Lucca Antiques. In a Long Island home redesigned by Thierry Despont, a barrel-vaulted great room boasts a custom Jeff Zimmerman light fixture, an ottoman clad in cowhide, and Guglielmo Ulrich wood-frame armchairs. Architect Benedikt Bolza's Umbrian estate features a double-height master bath with custom-designed mirrors, heated copper towel racks, and travertine-top washstands. A Toronto home by Katherine Newman and Peter Cebulak presents a double-height library with mahogany- and satinwood-inlaid paneling. India Mahdavi's renovation of a Connecticut estate includes a double-height formal dining area with Hans J. Wegner chairs and a custom table by Mahdavi. A Los Cabos, Mexico, home designed by Olson Kundig Architects and Terry Hunziker incorporates an overhead alder trellis in its double-height living room, which opens to the beach. An entrance hall in a Los Angeles home, renovated by Oscar Shamamian and Michael S. Smith, blends American and English furniture with contemporary art. A Russian country retreat by Gabhan O’Keeffe features a drawing room with a double sofa and Charles Edwards floor lamps. In a Manhattan duplex by ODA-Architecture, a Luceplan USA light fixture illuminates a double-height living room with Poltrona Frau sofas and a marble cocktail table. Frédéric Fekkai and Shirin von Wulffen's villa near Aix-en-Provence includes a double-height solarium with a Marie Christophe chandelier and antique furniture. Darren Star's Hollywood home, renovated by Mark Rios and Waldo Fernandez, has a double-height family room centered around a bronze-clad fireplace. A Manhattan apartment by David Mann features a splendidly austere double-height entrance hall with an Hervé Van der Straeten pendant light and gray onyx floors. An Aspen getaway by William Sofield showcases a double-height living room with custom-made sofas and a blackened-steel cocktail table. Francis D’Haene transformed a barn-inspired home in Remsenburg, New York, into a minimalist haven with a double-height living area. Finally, a Manhattan penthouse by Delphine Krakoff and Mark Ferguson features a double-height tower room with George Smith sofas and a vintage Tobia Scarpa cocktail table. These examples collectively demonstrate the versatility and aesthetic impact of double-height ceilings in creating dramatic and functional interior spaces. #DoubleHeightCeilings #InteriorDesign #HomeDecor #LuxuryHomes #ArchitecturalElements #LivingRooms #DesignInspiration #HighCeilings #RoomDrama

This lookbook presents a curated selection of eight living rooms that embody the opulent and distinctive design characteristics of the 1970s. These spaces draw on retro aesthetics, featuring rich, vivid colors, diverse textures, and period-appropriate furnishings to create decadent interiors. The collection showcases various residential projects, from urban apartments to renovated townhouses, illustrating how designers and homeowners have embraced and reinterpreted 1970s style. The featured designs include Helios 710, a London penthouse by Bella Freud and Maria Speake, which incorporates striking hues like glossy black sofas with burnt orange cushions and an emerald-green carpet, aiming to evoke 1970s glamour. Univers Uchronia, a Paris apartment by Julien Sebban, highlights an eclectic approach with oversized flower-shaped cushions, low-slung coffee tables, bold colors, and shiny surfaces, reflecting the Uchronia studio's signature style. Another example is the Oscar Freire apartment in São Paulo, reconfigured by Claudia Bresciani and Júlia Risi for an illustrator. This space utilizes black-and-white geometric flooring and orange-hued furniture to integrate the kitchen, lounge, and studio areas, drawing inspiration from classic 1970s interiors. In Ireland, the Lovers Walk townhouse, renovated by Kingston Lafferty Design, features blue velvet sofas and a green swirly book-matched marble wall in its living room, influenced by Verner Panton's use of playful shapes and clashing colors. The Mossel Bay home in South Africa, designed by architect Yvette van Zyl for her own residence, employs a curved and sculptural approach for its tactile 1970s-style interior. This design includes custom-framed glass louvres, paper lanterns, and orange seating, completing a modernist-informed aesthetic. Ben Garrett and Rae Morris's Zero House in the UK pays homage to its mid-century origins with a dark red and brown color palette inspired by Stanley Kubrick's films, incorporating a geometric maze-patterned rug and reeded 1970s-style glass for windows. Club Unseen, an immersive installation by Studiopepe during Milan Design Week, presented three chic living spaces that captured the essence of 1970s nightclubs through graphic shapes, grid patterns, pastels, and metallic finishes. Lastly, the Primrose Hill townhouse in London, refurbished by Studio Hagen Hall prior to Zero House's transformation, adopted a 1970s California modernism approach. Its open living area features bespoke velvet sofas on a raised conversation platform with hidden storage and custom-made elm recesses, showcasing classic 1970s materials. These projects collectively demonstrate a contemporary appreciation for the distinctive and often extravagant design elements of the 1970s, applying them to create visually rich and characterful residential interiors. #ResidentialInteriors #RetroDesign #1970sStyle #LivingRoomDesign #InteriorDecor #Lookbook #MidCenturyModern #HomeFurnishings

As the northern hemisphere experiences a rapid cool-down, a lookbook featuring eight distinctive fireplaces installed in living spaces from diverse locations such as Lithuania and Chile is presented. These fireplaces are chosen for their striking visual appeal and their function in anchoring and warming interior spaces as winter approaches. The compilation is part of a broader series that offers visual inspiration from the publication's archives, including previous features on double-height living rooms, homes in former factories, and Halloween-themed bedrooms. One featured project, The Cornwall Retreat in the UK by De Rosee Sa, showcases a coastal house designed with barn-like volumes. Its sandy-hued living area is defined by a central Portland stone fireplace, complemented by oak carpentry and timber ceiling beams, contributing to a tranquil color scheme. In Chile, Casa Malalcahuello, designed by Guillermo Acuña Arquitectos Asociados, is situated on a mountainside and constructed from CNC-cut wood. The living space features a conical fireplace partially clad with stones, creating a dramatic chimney that extends to the roof's height. Queen's Park House in London, renovated by Daytrip, an Edwardian property, includes a unique geometric glass box topped with a chunky chimney flue, which is partially camouflaged to blend with the white walls. A thick shelf next to the fireplace provides space for logs. Melina Romano's Hygge Studio in São Paulo, Brazil, incorporates gentle terracotta flooring and tan brick walls, contrasting with a black floating fireplace suspended from the ceiling. The living space also features a decorative block screen, a cobogó, functioning as both artwork and room divider. El Aguacate, a house in northern Mexico by Práctica Arquitectura, is constructed almost entirely from concrete. The interior, including the open-plan living and dining area, maintains this material theme, with a monolithic concrete fireplace seamlessly integrated into the walls. In Lithuania, After Party designed House and the River, a creekside home featuring a boulder at the base of a black fireplace set within a gold alcove, reflecting the dwelling's characterful design. The Yellow House in the Apple Garden in Oslo, Norway, by Familien Kvistad, showcases a blocky mustard-yellow fireplace clad in fluted Kaufmann tiles. This sculptural element complements the interior's solid ash joinery and speckled terrazzo surfaces. Lastly, The Garden House in West Hollywood, USA, designed by Olson Kundig and furnished by ATRA, features a large bronze fireplace as the focal point of the living space, which includes a green-brown velvet sofa and a stone coffee table. This lookbook highlights how fireplaces can serve as significant design elements, enhancing the aesthetic and comfort of various living environments. #Fireplaces #LivingSpaces #InteriorDesign #HomeDecor #ArchitecturalDesign #Lookbook #ResidentialArchitecture #ModernInteriors

This article explores the aesthetic and functional benefits of cathedral ceilings, showcasing 12 distinct examples from various residential projects around the world. Cathedral ceilings are highlighted for their ability to create a profound sense of space and provide abundant natural light, often emphasizing the beauty of exposed wood. The featured designs range from reclaimed farmhouses and refreshed residences to modern country retreats and ski chalets, each demonstrating how this architectural feature integrates with diverse interior styles and settings. The first example is a 19th-century Dutch farmhouse redesigned by Kiki & Joost, where a dilapidated structure was transformed into an open, flowing residence centered around a living area with a cathedral ceiling. The designers reconstructed much of the interior themselves, creating a new home within an old shell. Next, a Paris residence originally designed by Kenzo Takada was refreshed by Kengo Kuma, who introduced a stunning wood cathedral ceiling to a minimal space, allowing the exterior views to dominate. NBBJ's Rysia Suchecka reinvented a centuries-old French farmhouse, converting a dilapidated barn into a modern salon with a cathedral ceiling that draws the eye upward towards a grand fireplace. A California country retreat by Pfau Long Architecture features a main house with a gable-ended, two-story barn-like structure and a cathedral ceiling. The design prioritizes clarity through a simple materials palette of wood, dark gray metal, and concrete, deferring to the architecture and views with clean lines and muted hues. Jennifer Post Design's Palm Beach residence showcases a white lacquered cathedral ceiling that contributes to a serene, beachy aesthetic, characterized by a minimalist approach with nuanced textures and a striking backdrop for art. In Nova Scotia, MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects designed a trio of gabled structures with cathedral ceilings, echoing local vernacular while incorporating modern Corten cladding and minimalist detailing. Walker Warner Architects and Philpotts Interiors perfected a Kona Coast compound in Hawaii, where a pitched wooden cathedral ceiling balances vibrant furnishings and complements the ultramodern yet traditional design, inspired by traditional Hawaiian villages. Architect Mathias Klotz created a pair of cottages on a remote island in Chile, utilizing exposed rough-hewn wooden frameworks and whitewashed cathedral ceiling boards to blend with the pristine natural setting and provide a timeless design. Humbert & Poyet designed a Swiss ski chalet with public spaces on the top floor to maximize mountain views, paneled almost entirely in rustic reclaimed barnwood, including the cathedral ceilings, which add a touch of luxury to the rustic environment. BarlisWedlick Architects designed a secret pool house discreetly tucked into a hillside in New York, featuring deceptively tall interiors with a wood cathedral ceiling and a tree-trunk colonnade that supports the nature-inspired concept. Jan Henrik Jansen designed an unconventional round house in Denmark, strategically curved to face a green meadow and incorporating exposed wood beams in its cathedral ceilings, offering a welcome mix of textures. Finally, Peter Bohlin's design for Tusen Takk, a family compound on lakeside dunes in Michigan, includes a staircase next to a double-height cathedral ceiling library, combining clear-finish maple treads with dyed-red risers. These examples collectively illustrate the versatility and visual impact of cathedral ceilings in various architectural and interior design contexts. #CathedralCeilings #InteriorDesign #ArchitecturalFeatures #HomeRenovation #LuxuryHomes #ResidentialDesign #WoodCeilings #ModernArchitecture #FarmhouseDesign

The article presents a lookbook showcasing eight living rooms where oversized sofas serve as the central design element. These living rooms feature couches that are significantly larger than standard furniture, often making a bold design statement within their respective spaces. This collection is part of a series that provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive, building on previous lookbooks that explored paper lamps, sculptural furniture, and 1970s decor in living spaces. The first example is the DN Apartment in Brazil, renovated by BC Arquitetos. It features an olive-green, sickle-shaped sofa by Jader Almeida in an open-plan living room, set against a backdrop of classic Brazilian art and furniture. This apartment, part of a 1970s building, also includes a Petala coffee table by Jorge Zalzupin and a bronze head sculpture by Florian Raiss, blending modern design with historical context. Next, the Canal Saint-Martin apartment in France, designed by Rodolphe Parente, showcases a sculptural vintage sofa that wraps around a pearlescent coffee table. This Parisian apartment, a Haussmann-era classic, integrates contemporary art with original architectural features. A black-and-white graphic rug completes the living area, highlighting the juxtaposition of styles. From Scottsdale, Arizona, the Hotel Valley Ho, renovated by 3rd Story, incorporates generous U-shaped sofas with colorful upholstery in its suites. Anissa Mendil's design aimed to complement the hotel's modernist architecture with contemporary furniture, creating inviting and comfortable spaces. The Gale Apartment in Brazil, by Memola Estudio, uses a super-long sofa to anchor a living room with double-height ceilings, a mosaic wall, and an extensive art collection. Despite vibrant wall hangings, the sofa maintains a neutral color palette for the room, balancing various design elements within the São Paulo apartment renovation. Gabriele Salini's G-Rough hotel in Rome, located in a 17th-century palazzo, merges historic elegance with Italian modernism. The entertaining spaces feature an extra-deep sofa that can also function as a spare bed, serving as an intriguing focal point that reflects the hotel's rough-yet-refined aesthetic. In Madrid, the Radikal Klassisk apartment by Puntofilipino offers an unconventional take on Danish design with an intense color and material palette. A curving NORR11 couch, composed of three separate parts upholstered in different fabrics, dominates the sparsely furnished living room, contributing to a brooding atmosphere. The Breezeway House in Australia, designed by David Boyle Architect, features a built-in sofa that lines the living room wall. This design, reminiscent of patio furniture, blurs the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces, a theme continued throughout the holiday home on the Australian east coast. Finally, the Design Space AlUla 2024 exhibition in Italy, a collaboration between Sabine Marcelis and architecture studio Cloud for Milan design week, presented a massive modular seating area by Hall Haus. This piece, which bears similarities to Pierre Paulin's Ensemble Dune, was one of several large-scale sofa installations seen in Milan that year, including a yellow sofa platform by Panter & Tourron, demonstrating contemporary trends in flexible and expansive seating designs. #LivingRoomDesign #OversizedSofas #InteriorDesign #HomeDecor #ModernLiving #FurnitureDesign #ApartmentLiving #ArchitecturalInteriors

Metal furniture, typically associated with industrial applications, is increasingly being integrated into home interiors, offering a unique blend of rawness and refinement. This trend is explored through eight diverse living spaces from around the world, showcasing how steel, aluminium, and chrome furnishings can complement various design aesthetics, from rustic log cabins to minimalist apartments. The growing interest in industrial metals among young designers highlights a movement towards sustainable practices, often involving the use of a single material left raw and unfinished to facilitate recycling. Designers such as Paul Coenen, Annie Paxton, and David Taylor are at the forefront of this trend, creating pieces like Coenen's steel furniture that folds from a single sheet, Paxton's unique chainmail-fringed side table, and Taylor's award-winning Knuckle light made of bent aluminum tubing. One example is the Relogged House in Ukraine by Balbek Bureau, which reimagines the traditional log cabin. Here, warm timber paneling is juxtaposed with an industrial palette of concrete and metal, featuring custom stainless-steel consoles in the bedroom that frame a low-lying bed. This project demonstrates how industrial elements can be harmoniously integrated with natural materials. In London's Highbury House, a renovated Victorian terrace by Daytrip, a vintage zinc-plated lamp and a brushed aluminum console by American sculptor Jane Manu introduce a gallery-like minimalism. This setting artfully contrasts modern metallic furnishings with organic textures and forms, achieving a refined yet edgy interior. The Frederic Chopin Apartment in São Paulo, designed by Tria Arquitetura, features an entire column enveloped in stainless steel sheets. This striking element provides a cool, sharp contrast to the apartment's warm wood tones and serves as a backdrop for the owners' extensive art collection, allowing the artworks to define the space. Studio Okami Architecten's renovation of a duplex apartment in Antwerp's brutalist Riverside Tower showcases a blend of different metal finishes. The exposed concrete structure of the building is complemented by sleek metal surfaces, including a baby-blue painted spiral staircase and raw metal cabinets and a sculptural kitchen island, creating a dynamic interplay of textures. In Melbourne, the Kerr Street apartment by SSdH, located in a former chocolate factory, uses eclectic metal furniture as a focal point. Pieces like folded aluminum stools, an armchair with an undulating frame, and Annie Paxton's chainmail-fringed side table add a distinctive character to the industrial-inspired space. Apartment A in Antwerp, by Atelier Dialect, adopts a more subdued approach, combining a chromed metal floor lamp with a steel-bottomed, velvet-upholstered daybed. The bedroom features a unique mirrored steel-wrapped bathtub, adding an unexpected, luxurious industrial touch to the mint-green room. The Canal Saint-Martin apartment in Paris, designed by Rodolphe Parente, extensively uses metal, particularly in the kitchen. The living room includes an unlacquered aluminum stool, and the bathroom features an aluminum chair polished to a mirror-like shine, reflecting light and expanding the space. Finally, the Gale Apartment in São Paulo by Memola Estudio integrates a custom metal bar in a converted balcony area. This element, matching the kitchen cabinetry, introduces an industrial edge to the lounge area, balanced by soft furnishings. These projects collectively demonstrate the versatility of metal furniture in contemporary home design, proving its ability to add industrial flair, modernity, and a touch of refinement to diverse living environments when contrasted with natural materials or used to highlight architectural features. #MetalFurniture #IndustrialDesign #InteriorDesign #HomeDecor #SustainableDesign #ModernInteriors #ArchitecturalRenovation #ContemporaryLiving #DesignTrends

This lookbook showcases eight living rooms that utilize board-marked concrete to introduce textural interest and a unique aesthetic. Board-marked concrete, or board-formed concrete, is a technique where timber boards are used during the casting process, imprinting the wood's pattern onto the concrete surface. This method results in a more organic and less industrial appearance compared to smooth concrete. The featured interiors demonstrate the versatility of board-marked concrete as a stylish backdrop. One example is Casa Meco in Portugal, designed by Atelier Rua. This holiday home features a large living room with board-marked concrete walls and ceiling, complemented by a stone floor and furniture in earthy tones, creating a natural ambiance. In Mexico, Ludwig Godefroy's Casa Alférez is a brutalist holiday home constructed entirely from board-formed concrete. The material defines a double-height living space that surrounds a green conversation pit. Similarly, the Pedro Reyes House in Mexico City, designed by architect Pedro Reyes, incorporates coarse concrete for a staircase and library within the living room, alongside an irregularly paved stone floor and abundant greenery. OFIS Arhitekti's Villa Eternal Way in Slovenia features an entire entrance floor dedicated to a living room with board-formed concrete walls and ceiling. This grey concrete is juxtaposed with black cupboards and soft textures from a boucle sofa and leather dining chairs. IGArchitects in Japan designed the Building Frame of the House, where exposed board-marked concrete walls support stepped mezzanine levels, allowing for flexible living and working spaces within what is conceived as "one big room." The AT House in Oaxtepec, Mexico, by Laurent Herbiet, is characterized by 10 glazed sections separated by board-marked concrete walls. The living room maintains a warm, muted palette, enhanced by wooden furniture. Design ni Dukaan's "citadel-like" house in Gujarat, India, features a board-formed concrete ceiling in its formal living and dining room, which opens to a central courtyard. This tactile ceiling is paired with a polished floor and a sculptural coffee table. Finally, Casa Golf in Argentina, by Luciano Kruk, presents a living room dominated by a pale grey palette. Board-marked concrete covers the ceiling and walls, harmonizing with a polished stone floor and mid-century modern furniture, including an Isamu Noguchi coffee table and Eames chairs. These diverse projects illustrate how board-marked concrete can be integrated into various residential designs to create distinctive and visually engaging living environments, moving beyond its industrial connotations to offer tactile and aesthetic depth. #BoardMarkedConcrete #LivingRoomDesign #ConcreteInteriors #ResidentialArchitecture #InteriorDesign #HomeDecor #ArchitecturalDetails #TactileMaterials

Floor-to-ceiling windows are a design element that maximizes natural light and offers expansive views, making a space feel larger and more connected to its surroundings. This architectural feature is particularly impactful when a home boasts a spectacular vista, whether it's a sprawling forest, a serene beach, or a vibrant city skyline. The glass panels often extend both vertically and horizontally, creating an almost alfresco living experience. Beyond the visual appeal, these windows bring abundant light into interiors throughout the day. A kitchen, for instance, can be bathed in bright, cheerful morning light, while a living room can be imbued with a warm glow as the sun sets. To further enhance the aesthetic impact of floor-to-ceiling windows, design considerations can include painting the window sashes and mullions in a dark hue. This choice creates a striking contrast against the outdoor scenery, making the vista pop even more. However, the inherent beauty of the view itself often negates the need for elaborate additional adornments. The article showcases 25 diverse examples from the Architectural Digest archives, illustrating how floor-to-ceiling windows are integrated into various residential settings. These examples highlight a range of interior design styles and geographical locations, demonstrating the versatility of this architectural element. In a Connecticut house by Carrier and Co., cube chairs by Desiron are positioned to face the living area's floor-to-ceiling windows, inviting inhabitants to engage with the exterior. Kara Ross and Stephen Ross's New York apartment, designed by Ingrao Inc., features city views through curtained windows, complemented by vintage French mahogany floor lamps and a papier-mâché sculpture. A San Francisco residence, furnished by Ken Fulk, boasts a 27-foot-tall window in the great room, offering sweeping cityscapes. The master bedroom of a New York Hudson River Valley retreat, designed by architect Joel Sanders, includes a Poliform platform bed and a CB2 Peekaboo table by the windows, paired with a vintage Frank Gehry Wiggle chair. An art-collecting couple's home in Amagansett, New York, by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, features a sun-drenched open living area framed by Duratherm doors and windows, with custom-made sofas upholstered in Rubelli fabric and a Stark rug. In Laguna Beach, California, a home by Ehrlich Architects integrates a window wall in the master bedroom that slides open to blend indoor and outdoor spaces, with beds by Roche Bobois. Designer John Barman's Miami Beach apartment utilizes a retractable, floor-to-ceiling door to provide immediate ocean views from every room, showcasing Thonet chairs and vintage accessories. A Los Angeles house decorated by Dan Fink features a Poul Kjærholm leather-top stool and a Vladimir Kagan sofa within a great room that connects to the outside through large windows. A Manhattan apartment by Tony Ingrao and Randy Kemper incorporates a Jeff Koons sculpture and vintage Fritz Henningsen chairs at a window wall. Architect Antoine Predock designed a New Mexico home with a master bedroom offering mountain views, where coyotes have been observed walking outside the windows. Jamie Drake’s New York City living room combines a custom cocktail table and sectional sofa with a Pedro Friedeberg Hand chair and gold-leafed floor lamps, all benefiting from ample natural light. A home by Lake|Flato Architects near Austin, Texas, provides broad views of downtown through expansive windows, accented by a large-scale artwork by Vik Muniz. The Florida living room of Judy Blume and George Cooper, renovated by Thomas E. Pope and Malcolm James Kutner, is bordered by a garden rich with palms and orchids, visible through its windows. Adam Levine’s Hollywood Hills living room, designed by Mark Haddaway, is a carefully curated space of vintage pieces, illuminated by natural light. Lee F. Mindel of Shelton, Mindel & Assoc. designed a New York City apartment living area with stools and wicker lounge chairs by Poul Kjærholm, arranged on a custom-made V’Soske carpet. In Nashville, Tennessee, a family room by McAlpine Booth & Ferrier Interiors features a Sutherland lounge chair and a Flexform sectional sofa, with Donghia fabric curtains. A Commune-designed house in Los Angeles incorporates reclaimed-oak paneling in its double-height living room, benefiting from large windows. Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan’s Shelter Island, New York, home features custom-made ceramic tiles in a sunken living area that is brightened by natural light. A New York City pied-à-terre by Jennifer Post Design Inc. includes a vintage Stilnovo light fixture and a Minotti sofa in a living room filled with light. The kitchen of a New York City residence by ODA-Architecture features red-lacquer cabinetry and stainless-steel counters, with light streaming in through large windows. Gilles Mendel’s Manhattan apartment living room showcases an Earl Reiback artwork between nearly floor-to-ceiling windows, offering unobstructed northern city views. A Manhattan apartment’s master bath, designed by Cooper, Robertson & Partners and De la Torre Design Studio, is clad in Jerusalem Gold stone and features custom-made mirrored cabinets. A Sagaponack, New York, home by Christoff:Finio Architecture has a dining area with a Geoff Kuzara mobile and vintage Walter Gropius chairs, situated to take advantage of natural light. Lastly, a Shelter Island, New York, master bedroom by Michael Haverland Architect and Philip Galanes is lined with Carolyn Ray wallpaper and benefits from significant window space, and a New York City living room by Len Morgan features a George III sofa and antique Irish armchairs, illuminated by the natural light from the windows. #FloorToCeilingWindows #HomeDesign #InteriorDesign #NaturalLight #ArchitecturalFeatures #LuxuryHomes #ModernLiving #ResidentialArchitecture #StunningViews

This lookbook explores eight distinct living room interiors, each featuring wood-clad ceilings that contribute to a sense of warmth and texture within the home. While wood is frequently utilized for flooring, its application on ceilings introduces rich hues and tactile qualities, fostering inviting and cozy living environments. The selection showcases a variety of timber types, including cedar, larch, and oak, and demonstrates diverse architectural approaches to integrating wooden ceilings. One example is the House in Serra, Portugal, designed by Cimbre, a single-storey residence in rural Portugal. Here, a vaulted ceiling, wrapped in warm-toned birch wood, contrasts with exposed concrete walls, creating an interplay of materials and aesthetics. A statement black metal fireplace further accentuates the living space. In Mexico, Estudio Cristina Grappin's Casa Quinto Sol features locally-sourced wood on its ceilings, complemented by cool-toned marble floors that extend throughout the interior and exterior, allowing coastal breezes to flow through large openings and connecting the home to the Pacific Ocean. Naturehumaine's Palissade in Québec, Canada, incorporates cedar planks on both ceilings and walls in its open-plan living space. This design choice aims to cultivate a warm and cozy atmosphere, enhanced by a pyramidal roof that draws natural light into the lakeside home. In East Sussex, England, Michael Kendrick Architects designed the Looking Glass Lodge, a holiday retreat where timber ceilings and birch plywood partition walls and cabinetry echo the surrounding forested landscape. GRT Architects undertook the renovation of the historic Rectory of St Thomas in Harlem, New York, transforming the derelict four-storey structure into a modern home. The living space within this conversion boasts reeded oak panelling and an oak-wrapped mezzanine library, adding historical elegance and warmth. Ménard Dworkind's Q8 Residence in Québec, Canada, features larch wood-clad ceilings in its partially-outdoor seating area, with a combination of cedar, larch, and pine woods used throughout to integrate the home with its forested site. Destudio's Ático Curvo penthouse in Valencia, Spain, showcases a minimalist interior with wood-clad ceilings in the open-plan living areas. This design provides a clean, contemporary aesthetic while maintaining a warm ambiance. Finally, Johan Sundberg Arkitektur's Yngsjö holiday home in southern Sweden, blends into its wooded surroundings through the use of natural materials. The interior features oak floors, trimmings, and carpentry, alongside larch ceilings, creating a harmonious and organic living space. #WoodCladCeilings #LivingRoomInteriors #HomeDesign #TimberArchitecture #InteriorDesign #CozyHomes #ArchitecturalDetails #ResidentialArchitecture #MaterialityInDesign

This article details the transformation of a 1970s project home in Fingal on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula from an understated coastal cottage into a contemporary masterpiece. The property, situated on 2.4 hectares, was initially acquired by a professional couple a decade ago despite its neglected state. They initially converted it into a simple white cottage and lived there for ten years before embarking on a more ambitious renovation and extension project. The renovation aimed to create a family home that fostered connection while accommodating entertaining needs, particularly for their adult children and friends. Interior designer Deanne Penberthy Jolly, in collaboration with architects S Group, led the twelve-month project, completed in 2019. The design strategy involved retaining the original house, reimagining it as a tranquil 'sleeping pavilion,' and adding a new U-shaped wing. This new extension features an open-plan kitchen with a butler’s pantry and mudroom, as well as airy living zones, including a sunken lounge with a fireplace. These new areas are characterized by soaring raked ceilings with exposed beams and offer views of a swimming pool, tennis court, and a winter garden equipped with a pizza oven, making the home suitable for all seasons and various entertainment scenarios. The interior design focused on creating a warm and highly textured environment with a neutral base, drawing inspiration from the natural surroundings. Deanne Penberthy Jolly layered organic materials such as timber, stone, concrete, and leather. A consistent color theme of Dulux Deep Bottlebrush was applied to kitchen cabinetry, joinery, and mudroom walls, referencing the property's olive and tea trees and imparting a sense of harmony. The designer intentionally aimed for an 'understated' decor that would not feel 'overworked,' prioritizing calmness and relaxation. Polished plaster walls, striking pendant lights, tactile wallpaper, and large-scale artworks further contribute to the home's aesthetic appeal. A key aspect of the project's success was the strong collaborative relationship between the homeowners and the design team, particularly with Deanne. The homeowners emphasized the importance of being actively involved in the design process, fostering a sense of shared excitement and breakthrough moments. This close partnership ensured the final design aligned perfectly with the couple's vision for a family-oriented, entertaining space deeply connected to its natural environment. Although the family has since moved, the transformed coastal farmhouse remains a significant project for both the homeowners and the designer. #HomeRenovation #1970sHome #MorningtonPeninsula #CoastalLiving #InteriorDesign #ModernArchitecture #OpenPlanLiving #SustainableDesign #OutdoorLiving

This lookbook explores ten examples of suspended fireplaces used as central design features in contemporary and cozy living rooms, ranging from rural residences to urban dwellings. These fireplaces, also known as hanging or floating fireplaces, are mounted on ceilings and lack support from below, making them a popular choice among architects and interior designers. Their appeal lies in their ability to introduce warmth into a space and transform otherwise unused ceiling areas into compelling focal points. The showcased examples demonstrate a variety of shapes, though a bold black finish is consistently favored for its versatility across different home aesthetics. The featured designs begin with Hygge Studio in Brazil, where Melina Romano integrated a striking black suspended fireplace into a São Paulo apartment's lounge, creating a rustic yet modern ambiance against brick walls and a cobogó screen. In Spain, Marià Castelló positioned a pivoting log burner at the core of the living room in Ca l'Amo, contrasting its sculptural form with the home's lightweight, exposed cross-laminated timber structure. Atelier Data's Varatojo House in Portugal utilizes a floating stove in its open-plan living and kitchen area to serve as a gathering point without obstructing the scenic valley views. Leopold Banchini Architects designed Marramarra Shack in Australia with a tall, floating fireplace as the centerpiece of a wood-lined interior, complemented by tiered seating and an industrial-style window. David Guerra employed a suspended fireplace in Valley House II, Brazil, to subtly delineate the sitting and dining areas, its vertical lines echoing the room's structural columns and the veranda. Wood Marsh incorporated a conical suspended flue over a circular firepit in the Towers Road House in Australia, enhancing a snug conversation pit with retro-inspired curved forms and polychromatic elements. ARTechnic's Shell holiday home in Japan features a winding seating area centered around a floating fireplace, whose curves harmonize with the home's distinctive oval-sectioned concrete structure. Inês Brandão Arquitectura designed the Cork House in Portugal with an open-plan living area where a suspended fireplace's black finish accentuates white walls and sliding doors, complementing dark furnishings. Villa K in Finland, by Mer Architects and Ettala Palomeras Architects, uses a log burner suspended between the living and dining rooms to add warmth and coziness, fitting seamlessly with the home's minimalist aesthetic of exposed concrete and monochrome decor. Finally, Lund Hagem's Geilo Cabin in Norway features a fireplace hanging from its sloped ceiling, creating a strong focal point in a lounge designed with blackened-timber, black concrete floors, and dark oak paneling to evoke an intimate, sheltered atmosphere. These diverse projects collectively illustrate the aesthetic and functional versatility of suspended fireplaces as a design element. #SuspendedFireplaces #LoungeAreas #InteriorDesign #HomeDecor #ContemporaryLiving #ArchitecturalFeatures #DesignInspiration #ModernFireplaces #Lookbook

This lookbook explores eight diverse living spaces that incorporate industrial Crittall-style windows and doors, showcasing their enduring appeal and versatility in contemporary home design. Crittall windows, characterized by their gridded metal frames typically made of steel with a bold black finish, originated in the late 19th century and became prominent in Art Deco and modernist architecture. Today, they are experiencing a revival, valued for their clean graphic lines that inject an industrial aesthetic into modern residences worldwide. The featured projects highlight various applications of Crittall-style elements. The Ghost House in the UK, designed by BPN Architects, features a double-height Crittall-style window that serves as a wall to an open-plan living and dining area within a concrete house, contributing to its "ethereal presence." In Tel Aviv, interior designer Maayan Zusman and architect Amir Navon utilized gridded black window frames to create an "airy yet framed" interior in an apartment renovation, complemented by other delicate black furnishings. Xu Fu-Min's Returning Hut in rural China offers a peaceful retreat with a living room featuring a giant wall of glazing framed by gridded metal, which slides open to connect seamlessly with the garden. Surman Weston's Ditton Hill House in the UK integrates Crittall-style windows with exposed steel floor decks, overlooking the garden in an open-plan living area, reflecting the client's preference for industrial aesthetics and nodding to nearby mock-Tudor homes. Little Peak in the USA, a holiday home designed by Berman Horn Studio, features black gridded windows and doors that punctuate its facade. These elements were chosen for their industrial look and to draw focus to the natural textures and colors of the surrounding landscape. Will Gamble Architects' Burnt House in the UK, a residential extension inspired by a Japanese tea house, employs Crittall-style windows and doors to achieve a minimalist aesthetic, reminiscent of a shoji screen, paired with a blackened wood window seat. The Binh Thuan House in Vietnam by MIA Design Studio uses white gridded frames on sliding doors, harmonizing with its industrial all-white, modular structure designed for future modification. Finally, the Harrison Residence in Florida, designed by Jeffrey Dungan Architects, showcases black Crittall-style windows as a focal point in its living space. These windows frame the surrounding tall trees, introducing color into an otherwise monochrome interior with black shelving and a coffee table, and white walls and sofas. Collectively, these examples demonstrate how Crittall-style windows and doors can be adapted to various architectural styles and interior design visions, enhancing spaces with light, connection to the outdoors, and a distinct industrial character. #CrittallWindows #IndustrialDesign #InteriorDesign #HomeRenovation #ArchitecturalFeatures #LivingSpaces #WindowFrames #ModernHomes

The mid-century modern aesthetic is characterized by clean lines, warm woods, and muted colors, effectively merging retro appeal with modern functionality. While iconic designs like the Eames chair are frequently associated with this style, this article demonstrates that it is not essential for achieving the look. The piece presents eight different living rooms that embody the cool, timeless essence of the mid-century modern era through various approaches. One example is the Mid-Century Modern Living Room With a New England Lean, a 1968 home in Vermont known as BauschausVT. Designed by Carl L. Bausch Jr., this home features signature elements of the decade, such as cantilevered skylights, extensive custom bookshelves, and a freestanding fireplace which serves as the primary heat source, illustrating a blend of design and practicality unique to its regional context. The Manifested Mid-Century Modern Living Room highlights how marketing executive Erin Starkweather furnished her Los Angeles apartment, located in a building by modernist architect Craig Ellwood. She filled her living room with vintage pieces she had collected, including Wassily chairs, a Noguchi table, and a custom Donald Judd–inspired daybed, showcasing a personal curation of period-appropriate furniture. Patrick O’Neill, creative director and owner of the Richard Neutra–designed Hailey Residence, undertook a significant restoration to return his home to its original mid-century grandeur. His team revitalized mahogany and redwood elements and integrated glass panels, while O'Neill added his own "Pop-infused" inspirations. A 1968 TV built into the den wall further serves as a vintage screening room, contributing to the authentic retro atmosphere. Another example is the Hawaiian Mid-Century Modern Living Room, a stilted house built on an Oahu mountain slope in 1960. Designed by architect Stephen Oyakawa, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, for floral designer Ren MacDonald-Balasia’s grandparents, James and Tomi Kaizawa Knaefler, this home utilizes redwood, mahogany, teak, and knotty pine. This design choice celebrates natural materials and reflects the family's Japanese heritage, offering a distinct cultural interpretation of mid-century modernism. The Chromatically Remixed Mid-Century Modern Living Room, designed by Pamela and Ramin of Shamshiri Studio, presents a revitalized 1961 mid-century modern residence. The designers stained posts and beams an almost-black hue to emphasize the architecture, installed an off-white stone floor to enhance light, and painted the walls with Benjamin Moore’s Turtle Green to connect the interior with the outdoors, fostering a sense of calm. The Art-Filled Mid-Century Modern Living Room showcases designer Robin Heller’s Baltimore home, which acts as a gallery for her and her husband’s art and furniture. The space features auction-sourced fireplace pieces, vintage mid-century chairs, a custom coffee table by Sherwood Kypreos, and a 46-inch Noguchi lantern as a central light fixture, highlighting the integration of art and design. The Fashion-Forward Mid-Century Modern Living Room is found in a 1963 Robert Lee–designed home. Owner Brynn Jones, a vintage fashion retailer, collaborated with Frances Merrill of Reath Design to refresh its features. They retained the dark wood paneling and brickwork, adding color and pattern influenced by fashion icons like Gloria Vanderbilt, Diana Vreeland, and Diane von Furstenberg to infuse a 1960s charm. Finally, The Decade-Melding Mid-Century Modern Living Room, located in Julia Rouzaud’s family home near Paris, combines a Napoleonic hunting lodge with 1950s reinforcements. Rouzaud extended the mid-century lines of a nearby steel-framed sunroom by cladding the original fireplace with a walnut flue and concrete hearth, typical of the 1940s, successfully merging disparate historical styles into a cohesive mid-century aesthetic. #MidCenturyModern #LivingRoomDesign #InteriorDesign #VintageHome #ArchitecturalRenovation #HomeDecor #DesignInspiration #EclecticStyle