The custom cedar tub, fabricated by Dovetail, elegantly fits into the master bathroom.
Grace Boyd’s favorite room has a stunning view of Puget Sound reflected in the Hinoki tub she had custom-sized by Roberts Hot Tubs. The clean lines of soaking tubs “work well in conventional bathrooms,” says Roberts’ Andrew Harris, “no need to make the whole room Japanese-style.” Grace echoed the grey of the sea and sky in the sinks and the silvery pebbles around the tub. After 32 years in West Seattle, she asked architect Mark Travers to build her a new house in the same spot- she couldn’t bear to lose her view. Tubs are popping up in real estate listings as a selling point; new owners can have an existing tub sanded to reveal a fresh layer of pristine scented wood. Photo courtesy of: Roberts Hot Tubs
Japanese showers are usually set low down so the bather can sit on a stool and scrub, then pour cedar buckets of hot water over their heads for a refreshing rinse. This homeowner in Venice, California mounted a handheld shower head on the wall for added flexibility. The drain is under the removable cedar floor slats, keeping the room design uncluttered. Wood tubs are cleaned with a simple rinse and last for decades, as the antiseptic properties of cedar guard against mold and rot.
This ofuro was designed by Santiago Ortiz and fabricated by Bartok Design.
In the open living and dining room of a hillside family home in Japan, Eames shell chairs surround a custom walnut table by Kagura. The upholstered seating is by Arflex. The architect, Masahiro Harada of Mount Fuji Architects Studio, also designed the custom kitchen island and stove vent.
The kitchen was originally an awkward alcove facing the main living area. The architects expanded the room and installed a classic modernist ‘service core’ at the kitchen’s center; it features large appliances such as a Sub-Zero fridge and an Asko washer/dryer. This allows easy movement through the kitchen to the adjacent dining room and main hallways.
Grey laminate cabinetry is juxtaposed with claro walnut, which has a sculptural look.
Globe pendants dot the ceiling, bringing the eye up while adding a layer of softness.
A soothing color palette is achieved by mixing modern and natural materials.
This kitchen was inspired by Japanese tea houses which pair darker woods with lighter walls. To create a similar effect, we painted the walls a warm white and created high contrast with black elements.
Consider an open layout. When there’s a crowd in your kitchen, it’s important to ensure that people are comfortable and can move around and mingle with ease.
Add a wet bar. The merry making isn't complete without refreshments, so consider including a place separate from the kitchen where guests can linger and chat.
The one-time guest bedroom on the parlor level is now the kitchen, where one of the draws is the island, raised on a brushed stainless steel frame and legs.
A close-up of the kitchen's custom cabinetry, white quartz countertop and backsplash, and black metal open shelving
London-based firm Turner Architects recovered this brick-clad Georgian row house from a sad state of disrepair. The three-story residence retains its original arrangement of rooms, with studies, bedrooms, and bathrooms located on the upper levels, and the common areas below. On the ground level, the architects built out a low-slung, 45-foot-long extension with new dining, living, and kitchen spaces. The addition features a retractable wall of windows that opens to the garden at the rear, and is topped with a green roof.
The Los Angeles–based design-build company, Homestead, converts underutilized garages or backyard sheds into ADUs that can be rented out or lived in.
The walls are covered in Milestone cement plaster.
Announcing: the winners of the 2021 Dwell Design Awards! We’re thrilled to share the projects that wowed our expert judges panel and our readers this year.
Located within walking distance to the coastal village of Matanzas, the two Maralto cabins are named La Loica and La Tagua after local bird species.
An Ingo Maurer Flotation light hangs over the Keiji Ashizawa-designed kitchen table, which is lined with Carl Hansen chairs.
The upper floor layout was rejiggered so that the kids' bedroom could be relocated, and now a cantilevered addition at the back of the house hosts a library space with full-height glass capturing a view to the backyard. The built-in shelving has a rich blue laminate, and the tiled wall to the left denotes the light well into the kitchen.
