Contemporary Interior Design
House with Wonderful Views of the Desert
By Magaly • Oct 3, 2018

The Ghost Wash House, as this private property is called, was designed by Architecture – Infrastructure – Research, Inc., which is an architecture and urban design firm focused on applying advanced research methods and sustainable practices into designs that cover the needs and wishes of each client, and which was founded by Darren Petrucci in 2001. The home is located along the lower hillside of the north side of Camelback Mountain in Paradise Valley, a small, affluent town in Maricopa County, Arizona, in the United States. It was completed in 2017 and covers a total ground area of 8,500 square feet.


The site is flanked by two desert washes that move water from the top of the mountain into the valley below. A third topographic condition — a “Ghost Wash” — runs through the center of the site, giving the property its name, and is framed by brick bars.











The eastern of these two protects the wash from the desert sun that shines upon it in the morning. It also houses the garages, the kitchen, an office, and the family room. The western bar shields the property from the intensely hot west sun as it sets in the valley. In turn, it houses the private areas of the home, such as the bedrooms, another family room, and a recreation space. The living room and dining room are house in the interior of a long sequence of courtyards and gardens that flow along the Ghost Wash from the south entry to the north pool house.








- View of the main entrance
- View of the main entrance
- Entrance with glass wall
- Entry in concrete and glass
- View of the landscape from the terrace
- Furnished terrace with views
- Modern and spacious lounge
- Living room with modern furniture
- Rest area
- Hallway in wood
- Large kitchen in white
- Modern dining room
- Bathroom with glass walls
- Study with views
- Modern desk in wood
- Nighttime views from abroad
A House with Open Doors to Enjoy Nature
By Magaly • Oct 2, 2018

Deloia, as this private residence is called, is a home located in Duluth, a major port city in the state of Minnesota, in the United States. The home consists of the second project that Salmela Architect, a local architectural firm that was in this instance led by Souliyahn Keobounpheng, completed for these clients. It was finished in 2017.

Previously, Salmela Architect had completed an extensive renovation for a rural home for these clients. Now that they decided to move into the city, the clients purchased a lot with views of Lake Superior, and decided to work with the architectural firm once again.

This new project is divided into three structures which are themselves interconnected by glass corridors which in turn create two distinct – yet visually connected – courtyards, with one oriented toward the lake and the other tucked into the graduated slope of the hill.

The interior of the home is spacious and brightly illuminated, with clear glass walls that allow natural light to flow freely into the interior, while also blurring the dividing lines between indoors and outdoors.
The wood pegged timber frame pavilion located in the backyard was handmade by the client’s husband years before in a folk school timber framing class, but had not been properly assembled before. Once they set off to build this home, however, they realized it would be the perfect addition for their home — and even served to host their daughter’s wedding.
















- Frontal view of the house
- Small terrace with wooden furniture
- Glass walls
- Spacious living room with glass walls
- Modern kitchen in white
- Minimalist kitchen in white
- Dining room in wood
- Dining room with views toward the garden
- Gallery with both windows and floor in wood
- Bedroom with large glass window
- Exterior night view of the house
- Night view from the gardens
Renovation of an Atypical House to Reorganize its Spaces
By Magaly • Oct 1, 2018

Dank Architectes, a La Mulatière-based French architectural firm, have designed this home — EDUT — in Caluire-et-Cuire, the fifth largest suburb of and commune of the Metropolis of Lyon in the Auvergne – Rhône – Alpes region in eastern France. The project was lead by the architect Steven Guigoz, and was completed in 2017.

The motivation was to renovate an originally atypical three storey home by transforming its existing small living room into a large contemporary and minimalistic space. This took the re-organization of the living spaces, making the utmost use of the interior light. Additionally, the terrace became an extension of the living room.


While the exterior is surrounded by lush vegetation and has a bit more of a rustic feel, the interior is strikingly modern by comparison, seeking a more minimalistic aesthetic and focusing on the play of contrast between black and white. Clear glass walls allow the living room, kitchen, and dining room to enjoy uninterrupted views of the exterior landscape. Through glass doors, residents and visitors alike can step out and enjoy a bit of fresh air from the terrace.
A glass ceiling allows light to flow into an underground office, austerely furnished with a small desk and chair, a small window looking out into the living room and other social areas.













- Exterior view of the old construction
- Entrance with glass door
- Modern living room in gray
- Small bar area in black
- Kitchen with glass walls
- Stairs in black
- Bedroom with wooden floor
- Studio area
- Bathroom in pastel colors
- Night view of the interior
- Night view of the exterior
Remodeling an Old Farm to Turn it into The Home of a Large Family
By Magaly • Sep 28, 2018

House EKC, as this project is called, was designed by Ralph Germann architectes, an architectural firm based in Martigny, in the canton of Valais, in Switzerland. The project itself is located in Val Ferret, the name given to the two separate valleys, departing from the Col Ferret on the border between Italy and Switzerland, on the southern and eastern sides of the Mont Blanc Massif, in Switzerland. It was completed in 2016 and covers a total ground area of 200 square meters.


The home was built to house a family of five consisting of a couple and their three children who live in the village of Orsières. Previously an old barn originating from the 1920s, the upper part of it was used to store hay, while the lower end served as a stable for goats, sheep, and other animals. The size of the barn, however, was not enough to house such a large family (five members), so Ralph Germann architectes added a contemporary wooden annex to the barn, which is connected by a gangway on two levels.
The interior was completely refurbished and refurnished with a reinforced concrete structure of walls and slabs in order to meet the seismic requirements of the Swiss region.












- Living room with wooden floors
- Modern fireplace in black
- / Dining area in wood
- Large and open kitchen
- / Gallery
- Wooden stairs
- Wooden stairs details
- / Bathroom in wood
- Exterior night view
Redesigned Private Residence that Still Maintains Traces of the Traditional Architecture of the Area
By Magaly • Sep 27, 2018

House P is a private residence located in Styria, in southeastern Austria, as evidenced by the spectacular rolling hills that characterize the landscape by which it is surrounded. It was designed in 2015 by Irene Nikolaus of Gangoly & Kristiner Architekten, an Austrian architectural firm with offices in Vienna and Graz, and covers a total ground area of 330 square meters.

The home resembles, in structure, an old barn, and so recalls and preserves the architectural traditions of the area. The complex consists of a main home and four annexes, which were once farm buildings themselves. It is this main building which continues to hold the main residential areas of the property, whereas the old barn has been adapted and converted into a garage and storage space. The remaining structures – which were previously used for the production and storage of wine – have been repurposed and are now used as a guest house, and a pool and wellness house.


The interior of the building mixes contemporary design and a rustic country feel seamlessly, creating an atmosphere that is unique and innovative. Scarce decorative accessories, including tasteful works of art, allow the home to have a sense of serenity and amplitude, and the floor to ceiling glass walls provide it with an easy relationship with the exterior.









- Exterior view of the residence
- Side view
- Details of the old construction
- Bright and spacious interior
- Large kitchen with glass wall
- Large bathroom with glass walls
- Exterior night view
- Night view of the swimming pool area
Modern and Elegant Offices Designed by the Firm TheDesignGroup
By Magaly • Sep 26, 2018

These modern and elegant offices belong to the DHL company, known worldwide as one of the leading international transport companies that offers international courier, parcel, and express mail services. For its design, the company hired the interior design firm TheDesignGroup, who were responsible for designing, building, and carrying out the project of its new offices located in Warsaw, Poland.

For the team in charge, the interior of an office is a combination of a multitude of styles that create an elegant space for the employees, while simultaneously being a less formal space. Elegance and modernity prevail in the reception area, the first point of contact with any potential client. The work areas have a uniform gray and white style with visible yellow elements. The social interiors, recreational areas that include games like table football, and the resting areas of the employees are designed in a slightly more varied climate.

Based on this, the design was carried out, respecting each of the details and thus reaching a truly modern result. They’re definitely spaces that reflect a clear and distinct personality, while at the same time offering functionality.










- Elegant relaxation area
- Modern and elegant reception area
- Rest area in gray and yellow
- Modern office areas
- Relaxing area full of color
- Shared office area
- Meeting room
- Cafeteria area in industrial style
- Games area
Offices Where the Industrial Style Gives a Touch of Originality
By Magaly • Sep 25, 2018

These modern offices with a distinct and charming industrial style have been designed by the firm Squire & Partners in collaboration with the design firm Oktra in 2018. They have an area of 50,300 square feet and are located in Southwark, in London, England.

The offices belong to Ministry and are part of a recently opened coworking space and an exclusive club. In them, the professionals and creatives of the industry could gather and collaborate; this had been one of the requirements for these spaces. To do this, the firm worked directly with the designers, and created spaces for entertainment and coworking for the next generation of creative rebels.


It was important to expose the original fabric of the building to comply with the design specifications, so it was sought to maintain existing materials as much as possible. The plaster and the masonry were preserved in many places with several bare walls to reveal the history and the rawness of the building. The result: original spaces full of charm.
The sound booths, the space for events, the cinema, and the external and internal bars with a fully equipped kitchen will support the complex as an entertainment space, promoting functions and events within the music industry.





- Entrance with aged brick walls
- Wide relaxation area
- Modern waiting area
- Offices with modern furniture and rustic floors and walls
- Modern bar area
- Cinema area
- Outdoor terraces
An Annex Designed as a Space for Leisure and Fun
By Magaly • Sep 24, 2018

This project is an annex of a house that serves as a leisure area and has an indoor pool. It is located in a residential neighborhood of Curitiba, Brazil and was designed in 2016 by the architect Jorge Elmor Neto of the architectural firm Elmor Arquitetura.

The 190 square meters that covers the space are located on a single floor, surrounded by a large area comprised of wood. In the program requested by the clients, accessibility has always been at the top of the list of requirements and all spaces, dimensions, circulations, and materials were designed to meet all kinds of special needs.



The annex is a rectangular volume of 18 meters long by 8 meters wide, executed in exposed concrete (with wooden laths) and glass (aluminum frames with double layers of glass), forming a contemporary and timeless architectural ensemble, robust in durability but lighter in compositional lines. Living room and dining room are integrated to host social activities. The large, sliding glass doors open completely, allowing free access to the outside, doubling the size of living room. The swimming pool, the garden, and several adjoining terraces offer multiple uses and occupations for various activities. Its occupants can float between spaces while the sun and light move until nightfall.
















- Entrance through small curved street
- Large living room with access to the terrace
- Modern and spacious living room area
- Modern minimalist kitchen
- Dining room in wood with access to the garden
- Kitchen-dining room with concrete walls and glass
- Large indoor pool
- Swimming pool with terrace
- Large wooden terrace
- Night view of the terrace
- Exterior night view
Its Wonderful Views are its Most Outstanding Point
By Magaly • Sep 21, 2018

In the “Region of the Lakes”, located on top of a mountain on the Peninsula of Lonconaos Lake, about fifteen kilometers from the city of Futaleufú, in the Chilean Patagonia, this small but charming cabin frames its main view towards the lake and everything else is forgotten before the wonderful views.

It has 65 square meters of construction and was designed by the architectural firm Paul Steel Bouza Arquitecto in 2017.
The living room and the master bedroom are connected to a terrace above the lake, with a glass wall providing an absolute and free view. The restroom and other rooms are at the back of the house, which reduces the overall space space, creating an “A” form.






A backyard with an acrylic roof serves as access to the house. It is closed through a metal door that works in two ways: the first is to protect the house in periods of storms, and the second is to give privacy to the bathroom since it has an open window that leads directly to the lake.
The sloping roof rises to create a loft which is accessed by a retractable staircase, which frees up space in the small dwelling.






- View of the cottage on the top of the mountain
- View of the cabin among thick vegetation
- View of the cabin from the air
- Cottage with wonderful lake views
- Interior covered with wood
- Rustic and cozy interior
- Cozy relaxation area
- Warm and cozy room
- Exterior night view
Wonderful House Located in a Desert Landscape with Wonderful Views
By Magaly • Sep 20, 2018

US firms DeForest Architects and NB Design Group have created a home in Bend, a small town surrounded by trails and ski slopes in the Cascade Mountains in central Oregon, USA. The residence is on a large plot, covered with tall grass and low shrubs, and dotted with pine trees.

It belongs to a couple who bought the property, enchanted by its “high desert landscape, discreet local culture, fabulous food and unlimited outdoor activities.” As soon as they saw the wonderful panoramic views of the snow-capped peaks and the Deschutes River National Forest, they knew they had found their new home.






Clients had several applications for their new home, specifically covering the desert landscape and offering a high level of flexibility. The couple also wanted the house to feel “fresh, calm and collected.
In response, the company conceived a residence that has an approximate L-shaped design that is composed of rooms with clean lines and abundant natural light. Covering 3,320 square feet (308 square meters), the single-story dwelling has exterior walls lined with horizontal cedar planks, which helps merge with the natural environment.
It has sliding and rotating panels that allow spaces to expand and contract as needed for owners, a few guests or a large meeting.





- Outdoor terraces with views
- Entrance of glazed walls
- Entrance with unique decorative accessories
- Modern and spacious lounge
- Modern dining room full of light
- White kitchen in minimalist style
- Room with wonderful views
- Outside views during night hours
A House in Which Concrete and Glass are The Protagonists
By Magaly • Sep 19, 2018

This construction, in which glass and concrete act as protagonists, is located in a pericentral neighborhood of the city of Córdoba, in Argentina. It has been designed by the architectural firm Adolfo Mondejar – Architects Studio under the direction of its professionals, Adolfo Mondejar, Francisco Figueroa Astrain, Adriana Barberis, and Ezequiel Lauria. It is intended for a young family, and covers an area of nearly 350 square meters.


The program incorporates intermediate spaces such as the gallery, the green expansion of the bedrooms, and a pond in the master bedroom, which give the necessary environmental conditions. Also, there is a space of semi-open expansion in the living room, conceived with vines that refresh the interior of the house from the south and propose a new place of play and rest. The social areas of the home are accessed directly from the gallery.


A concrete staircase leads to a terrace space for events. The idea is summarized in two concrete walls that have a large slab of exposed concrete for a ceiling, 4 meters above the ground, creating the gallery. To further preserve the vision of concrete walls, three interior boxes lined with quebracho wood were designed to hold the bathrooms, toilets, and bedrooms.














- Aerial view
- Front view of the construction
- Terrace with large pool
- Entrance area with concrete beams
- Large outdoor area
- Furnished terrace
- Covered terrace with dining room
- Terrace with outdoor furniture
- Modern living room with glass walls
- Social areas connected
- Internal corridor with wooden walls
- Large bathroom
- Terrace in night hours

This fantastic remodeling of two narrow houses that were in very poor condition, as they had been used by their former owner as a rental for students who needed cheap accommodation, was carried out in 2016 by the architectural firm K2A. The interior was designed by the firm Permis de Construire and Denis Dujardin was in charge of the gardens.

The property covers a total area of 500 square meters and is located in Brussels, Belgium. It is located in a prestigious and vibrant area of the city, in a basement with little insulation, with little air and little natural light inside. The project consisted in uniting the two houses while respecting the typology of the existing buildings and making the most of their new width to offer generous and luminous spaces to the new residents.


The front façade, a beautiful 19th century brick façade belonging to a row of similar houses, was restored and remained essentially intact. However, the large rear façade opened generously to encompass the south-facing garden.
There, wide glass doors open onto the wonderful garden where a dining room and an outdoor living area have been installed to spend time with friends and family while enjoying the good weather.




















- Exterior view of the back garden
- View of the garden from the inside
- Modern and sober lounge
- Sober living room in dark tones
- Kitchen area
- Dining room with glass walls
- Studio area
- Rustic stairs
- Modern room in black and white
- Bathroom with glass doors
- Rustic style bathroom
- Walk in closet
- Study
Magnificent Construction Where Brick is in the Spotlight
By Magaly • Sep 17, 2018

This project is located in an old neighborhood of the city of Denver in Colorado, United States. It was designed by the architecture and interior firm Studio B Architecture + Interiors. Undergone in 2016, this project was mainly led by its architecural professionals Mike Piche, Joey Pruett, Scott Lindenau and Susan Okie Lindenau, and occupies a total area of 4600 square feet.

The residence consists mainly of brick walls on a small scale with a large entrance porch, in which the structure is organized around the interior space of the patio.



In opposition to many of the newer large-scale and complex projects being built with generic construction materials in a nearby neighborhood, this project is a piece of smaller architecture, with a low profile. It is a more interpretive style that respects the urban form contextual of the neighbors. It has a simple and refined palette of high quality materials consisting of handmade bricks, walnut, plaster, and glass. In an urban environment without large dominant views towards the outside, the house turns towards the interior patio and the pool with a connection to nature focusing up in the sky. This concept is inspired by the exploration of modern artists in the connection of the sky, Earth, and proportion.














- View of the house between trees
- Diagonal view of the house
- Details of brick walls
- Large glass window
- Terrace with perforated brick walls
- View of the main facade
- Exterior night view
Modern Construction With Open Spaces that Connect to Nature
By Magaly • Sep 14, 2018

Located in a lot surrounded by thick nature of the city of Vilnius, in Lithuania, is this fantastic residence occupying an area of 187 square meters. It was designed in 2018 by the architects M.Vroblevičius, D.Birutis, M.Dagys, and P.Vroblevičius of the architectural firm ArchLAB studio.


The challenge was to incorporate the new house into the existing natural landscape as much as possible. The design and concept consist of two main volumes: the main home – for the owners – and a small guest house. These two parts are connected with an open bridge, which becomes the assembly axis and the face of the house. The existing trees were also involved in the design.





The construction has a modern and very expressive style. A lot of attention has been devoted to complement the design with a subtle landscape, open fireplace, and wooden terraces, where you can relax listening to the sound of the water running nearby. As if that weren’t enough, you can also enjoy a the wonderful views the home has to offer. In the final result, the modern lines of the house are even more prominent and striking with a natural green environment.
The pine forests are on two sides of the lot. It was the customers’ desire to find an oasis in nature with a small river or stream, which became a specific task for the architects, because the flowing water divides the land into two parts.








- Side view of the house and its gardens
- Outside hall
- Modern white marble kitchen
- Bathroom with exterior views
- Modern and spacious bathroom
- Terrace with wooden floors
- Corridor that borders the house
- Night view of the interior through the glass walls
- Exterior view from the garden
- Exterior view from the garden
- Night view of the exterior
Private Residence in Which Concrete and Glass were Used to Integrate it into the Landscape
By Magaly • Sep 13, 2018

Costa Esmeralda is a private venture on the dunes of the Buenos Aires coast, 390 km from Buenos Aires. It is a recent urbanization with a young afforestation of acacias and maritime pines and some sectors of consolidated forest.

The commission was of a house of no more than 150 square meters, with an aesthetic-constructive proposal similar to the other houses built in the area by the studio, valued according to the clients both for its spatial richness and for the low maintenance required. It had to have a generous amount of space for meetings, a visually integrated kitchen, two bedrooms (one with a private bathroom) and an integrated living space to be used as an audio and video room that could also double as a guest bedroom. It should also have a grill and an expansion terrace.



The work was commissioned to the architectural firm Besonias Almeida Architects who, under the tutelage of its professionals, María Victoria Besonías and Guillermo de Almeida, went to work and using only two materials: concrete and glass. They were able to solve the integration with the landscape and respond to the formal, structural, functional, termination, and maintenance issues.
The heating system, since there is no natural gas in the area, was solved with an electric radiant floor system.












- Side view of concrete construction
- View of concrete construction surrounded by tall trees
- View of the roofed terrace
- View of the roofed terrace
- Small living room with walls and concrete roof
- Living room connected to the terrace
- Kitchen and dining room made in concrete
- Concrete dining room
- Stairs lead to private areas
- Kitchen area at night
- Night view of the exterior
Wonderful Integration of two Levels Designed for Specific Purposes
By Magaly • Sep 12, 2018

This triplex, redesigned by the firm Casa14 Arquitetura, had never been inhabited. Seeing it today, few people would say that its spaces were dark and fragmented. Architecture professionals Mariana Andersen and Mariana Guradani, together with Max Heringer and Gabriele Azevedo, were in charge of carrying out the wonderful transformation of this space that has an area of 900 square meters. Located in the city of São Paulo, State of São Paulo, Brazil, the project was undertaken by the firm in the year 2015.

The project aimed to integrate the floors and highlight the character of the materials.
The generous openings in the walls offer a visual connection between different environments in each of the three levels of the apartment. The project also emphasized the relationship between the environment, gardens and circulation. The staircase, a bent steel plate lined with wood at the bottom and white stone at the top, appears as though it were a sculptural element that joins the three decks. The vertical structure stands out.







Each floor was designed for a specific use. In this order: live, work and rest. On the first level are the rooms, the kitchen, and the service area. The second was designed to receive a library of 5,000 titles integrated in a garden where the resident works, reads, and writes. The last level brings with it the leisure area, with a music studio, whirlpool, sauna, and a barbecue, impregnated with a vertical garden in all its extension.














- Spacious living room with contrasting colors
- Lounge chairs in brown leather
- Spacious and modern living room with high ceilings
- Large kitchen area
- Vertical garden
- Modern dining room in striking tones
- Stairs made of wood and glass
- View of the living room from the upper level
- Modern room in wood
- Modern and simple room
- Large bathroom in white and wood
- Wide area of study
- Sauna
- Music room
- View of the garden at night
Fantastic Remodeling that Connects the Interior with the Garden
By Magaly • Sep 11, 2018

This remodeling, which initially sought to create a connection between the interior of the house and the backyard, has been made by the architectural firm Michael Hennessey Architecture. It is located in the beautiful city of San Francisco, in the United States, and has a total area of 2787 square feet.

In 2014, the young family that owns this ranch-style bungalow contacted the architectural firm so that they could carry out the project. Several windows and very small doors were in front of the patio that prevented the desire of the parents to spend large amounts of time outdoors with their children, taking care of the garden, the henhouse, and the landscaping. The family sought to live perfectly between inside and outside.

The proposed kitchen, the family room, the office, and the master bedroom were designed to open the house to the outdoors. A direct view from the kitchen, the living room, and the backyard allows the family to stay committed to each other throughout the day.
The natural daylight reaches deep into the existing house with large glass panels at the back of the lift, as well as more discreet skylights and windows with slots towards the center of the building. A deep projection on the back covers half the hard impact of the sun.
The backyard was designed as three specific zones: dining room / living room area, lawn / play area and orchard / chicken area.









- Interior connected to the garden area
- Modern kitchen comprised of white and light brown wood
- Large and modern kitchen
- Kitchen overlooking the garden
- Terrace with wooden floors
- View of the house connected to the terrace
- Garden
- Night view of the exterior