Contemporary Home Design Photos
HAPA ArchitectsBlack Timber House is an award-winning eco home set within the South Downs National Park. Designed with sustainability in mind, it features locally sourced materials, passive energy strategies, and striking charred English larch cladding using the Yakisugi method. The house consists of two stacked volumes, creating dramatic overhangs and a sheltered veranda. Large picture windows frame views of rolling meadows, while a vaulted first floor reaches into the tree canopy. With a handcrafted kitchen made from surplus oak flooring and a zinc worktop, the home blends contemporary design with natural textures, ensuring harmony with its rural surroundings.
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Origin - Doors and WindowsInternal Steel-style Internal Doors offer functionality and aesthetic improvements to this Botanical home
Francesco Pierazzi ArchitectsSet within the vibrant neighbourhood of Lower Clapton, this project reimagines a classic Victorian terrace, thoughtfully adapted to suit the dynamic lifestyle of a young family of four. The design harmoniously combines a ground floor extension with a carefully considered reconfiguration, blending modern functionality with the enduring charm of period architecture. Generous natural light, clean lines, and elegant detailing transform the home into a contemporary haven, while remaining deeply connected to its historical roots.
This project carefully balances traditional decorative elements with contemporary design, treating the front and rear of the house with distinct approaches.
At the front, much of the original character has been preserved, including the original stairwell, balustrade, and tiled fireplaces, all of which celebrate the home’s Victorian heritage. The drawing rooms have been thoughtfully opened up and connected with large bifolding doors, creating a flexible layout that allows for both separation and visual flow. A mirrored design of floating shelves, bypassing the chimney breasts, frames the fireplaces while reinforcing the sense of continuity between the two rooms. This enhances the interplay between old and new, respecting the home’s history while introducing modern functionality.
Conversely, the newly designed kitchen-diner embraces a modern aesthetic, featuring frameless glass, clean lines, and sharp edges that frame dynamic views. This contemporary space seamlessly connects the surrounding open areas and the brick-clad Victorian buildings with the interior, creating a striking dialogue between the old and new.
The subtly skewed geometry of the plot presents an opportunity to distort the floor plan, responding to the shift in the garden’s direction and adding a unique spatial dynamic to the design.
A palette of soft pastel tones—delicate pinks and buttery yellows—unifies the front and rear of the house, creating a harmonious flow through the spaces. This subtle colour scheme is boldly contrasted by the kitchen island, finished in a deep green and topped with a striking multi-coloured terrazzo worktop, adding a playful vibrancy.
Playfulness is employed as a deliberate design tool, evident in elements like the long bench that visually links the spaces. Its flexible design allows the dining area to shift closer to the garden or the front of the house, adapting seamlessly to the family’s needs while enhancing the connection between indoors and out.
Contemporary Home Design Photos
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