Category: Architecture

A palette of serene surfaces and earthy hues all add up to evoke a sense of tranquility and calmness throughout the Grand Bay Residences’ lobby, a residential development located in Key Biscayne, Florida.

Just two hours north of New York City a 3,000-square-foot studio within the Catskill Mountains showcases Coil + Drift’s catalog of work across a series of elevated displays that literally put the studio’s work on a platform – an office, showroom, and state-of-the-art production facility all-in-one.

Drawing inspiration from Montauk’s natural beauty, this beachfront bungalow exudes a welcoming warmth through its palette of whites, creams, and earthy tones that mirror its picturesque coastal surroundings. A blend of vintage and contemporary, the residence is an example of minimalism taken to a calm and inviting conclusion.

Designers Melissa Lee and Erika Chou revel in a New Romantic aesthetic inspired by the Norwegian and English countryside, giving this Federal-style townhouse a gently applied layer of quiet simplicity and mellow minimalism embracing the architecture’s historical context.

Emphasizing a connection to its picture perfect natural surroundings, this environmentally conscious luxury retreat on 140 acres in the Catskill Mountains, designed by architects Electric Bowery and interior specialists Ward and Gray, is furnished with inviting warm woods, handblown glass fixtures, and limewash painted walls.

Baja California Sur as interpreted by WATG and Studio PCH across 60 residence-style accommodations leans in Nobu’s identifiably Japanese tinged minimalist aesthetic, while also incorporating locally-sourced materials specific to Cabo San Lucas – a stunning fusion of Asian and Mexican cultures that may inspire your next vacation.

Designed by Burdifilek, the Forest Hill Residence in Toronto, Canada establishes a quiet dialogue through its commitment to the minimalist ethos, furnishing each space with built-in furniture accentuated with bronze cladding, Canadian black granite, and European white oak elements, alongside subtracting elements such as baseboards, moldings, and door handles to keep things on this side of the serene.

What to do when working with rooms defined by the irregular and asymmetrical? GRT Architects leaned into them within this minimal New York City apartment’s quirky layout. Establishing the foundation of a semi-open kitchen with a low cabinet on brass legs and a suspended storage system, the kitchen and the dining room have been demarcated all without the heavy weight of walls separating the spaces, a minimalist approach echoed throughout the apartment’s living room, bedroom, halls, and bathroom.

Two of three floors are harmoniously interconnected by a swirling exterior circular staircase within a minimalist townhouse located in Brooklyn, New York. Designed by architecture firm Also Office in collaboration with Colony to respect the building’s history while updating it to where the contemporary and vintage can naturally co-exist.

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Even those who identify as minimalist aspire to invite beautiful and meaningful objects into their lives, something our 2023 holiday gift guide was specifically curated to deliver across a wide variety of categories including products for reading, listening, growing, organizing, and even hammering away.

Check out the rest of Design Milk’s end of the year coverage here!

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

Hitoshi Saruta of CUBO design architect had a client that loved their cars – so much so that the architect decided a typical, built-in garage wouldn’t do. Instead, he designed a 24-sided volume that resembles a circus tent and functions as the client’s vacation home. The first floor acts as a garage and living space while the second story houses the owner’s bedroom with a jacuzzi and waterfall shower.

Bailey Hikawa takes a sculptural approach when it comes to designing these iPhone cases. Leaning more art than tech accessory, the cases are wild and amusing yet still functional and ergonomic. Would you go for the shrimp-encased cover or the Geta which gives you an ultra-secure grip?

These deliciously cute inflatable pool floats by NYC design studio Jumbo for The Standard Hotel makes us want to float around in the water with an actual bowl of pasta. They’re inspired by everyone’s favorite pasta shapes – macaroni, shells, farfalle, rigatoni, lasagna, tortellini, and ravioli – and make you feel like you’re floating in a giant “pot” of water.

Laptops get cold too! Inspired by the iconic black puffer jacket that everyone dons as soon as the temps drop, designer Nik Bentel of his eponymous studio created a crossbody bag that can also be used as a laptop cover no matter what the weather is. A testament to his design philosophy (“How can we reimagine the use and potential of everyday, mundane objects?”), the bag is a statement piece, a conversation starter, and a tribute to the timeless winter staple.

Designed by architecture studio Hassell, in partnership with 3D-printing studio Nagami and creative collective to.org, these 3D-printed pavilions are a solution to the growing problem of global plastic waste that also helps alleviate the effects of climate change on housing. The structure is constructed with recycled plastic and engineered for inclement weather and harsh climates around the world.

Who says home theaters have to look anything like public theaters? Designed by Matter Make, the Cinema Visiona challenges the norms of scale and aesthetics, inviting you to embark on a cinematic journey like no other. The undulating seating encourages users to explore around to find their perfect spot that’s comfortable to their own preferences of sitting or lounging.

This accessory dwelling unit (ADU) might be the ultimate solution for small space living. Designed by architects Juan Ruiz and Amelia Tapia, the IWI is a design project comprising two wooden modules that connect via an accordion-like folding structure. When expanded, the space acts as a small room that can function as an office, studio, yoga room, relaxation zone, workshop, guest room, etc. When not in use, it can simply be pushed back to minimize its physical footprint.

The Topolino by Fiat makes the goal of owning a car easier for younger generations who don’t want to be tied down with years of car payments. While the mini-EV electric quadricycle is closer to a golf cart than genuine automobile, the compact vehicle is attractive for its modest price – $10,770, a steep contrast from the price tag of $48,000, or what Kelley Blue Book estimates is the average cost of a new set of wheels.

You never know, your car might secretly be a car aficionado. Thankfully, Tesla has just the thing for them: a pet bed made from cardboard that’s inspired by the angled Tesla Cybertruck. Cat owners know the joy that a cardboard box brings to their furry felines and this one takes it up a notch, reductive aesthetic and all.

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Couches are often bulky pieces of furniture that take up a lot of room to store and transport. The problem then begs the question, “Can a couch be designed to go flat, be put into envelope-like packaging, and then carried around by a human?” The answer is yes. Designed by SPACE10 in collaboration with Panter&Tourron, Couch in an Envelope is a lightweight, flat-packed seating design made for contemporary living.

As the Senior Contributing Editor, Vy Yang is obsessed with discovering ways to live well + with intention through design. She's probably sharing what she finds over on Instagram stories. You can also find her at vytranyang.com.

We spoke with Valgora about the legacy and importance of cities in civic life – and about the many projects he’s taken on to make cities stronger, better places. He also talks about how architects will continue to respond to updated, flexible ideas about what a workspace can be, even as he designs a new studio for his own practice: “Offices and residential environments are converging, and we really need to create new kinds of spaces to work in and collaborate,” he says.

Catherine and VW Fowlkes of their eponymous studio are quite the powerhouse duo. They share about what it’s like working in one of the world’s power capitals and what makes DC architecturally unique from other big cities in America. The couple also explain why they can make bolder design decisions in the homes of historically preserved neighborhoods: “From an architectural standpoint, they tend to be a little bit more traditional in the front, and then clients give us license to be a little bit more daring in the back.”

Step into the dreamy, nostalgically sweet world of Helle Mardahl, who’s inspired by           and Charlie & the Chocolate Factory when designing her glass collections. The creative director reminisces about the exact moment that inspired her to create her work and how she now designs for all her senses. “Basically I think the more you can get of that, the more fun you can have, there’s so many layers to it. I’ve always thought like that: The more, the merrier,” she shares.

Founding Principal of the LA architectural practice OWIU (Only Way Is Up) Amanda Gunawan is very inspired by the aesthetic culture of Japan: “It’s their passion and their dedication to craftsmanship that really impresses me.” This mindset is what Gunawan caries over to OWIU Goods, her line of ceramic works. She also shares a helpful strategy for trying to get everything done: “I don’t aim for 100 percent. I never do – I [usually] aim for 80%. My work, or my life, is a marathon. And because of that, I kind of have to pace everything out.”

Lora Appleton is the founder of kinder MODERN, a contemporary and vintage design gallery and design studio that makes and showcases work for children. In this episode, she talks about how her son has taught her new ways of looking at design by seeing how he interacts with the built environment around him. “I thought that was really fascinating – the memory, the + of thinking, all of that really connects with kids in a way that before being a mom, I didn’t really understand,” she explains.

We step into the ceramicist’s studio in Queens, New York where she creates her highly regarded work: mugs and cups, plates and bowls, and – our favorite – her colorful tiles. Levi talks about her breakthrough moment, a chance encounter with famed retailer Steven Alan. She reflects that “since I had been making pottery for a very long time as a hobby, it kind of lit a little light bulb in me that maybe this was a path that existed.” Levi also shares how she splits her artistic identity between potter and photographer (spoiler alert: she settled on “pot-ographer”).

Like many architects, Aron Himmelfarb has been inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s work which has instilled within him a love for a total experience of design, from the blueprints to the window trim. “What’s funny about Wright is that it’s almost unfashionable to appreciate his work – or maybe easy to overlook in contemporary architecture, due to his popularity,” Himmelfarb says. “But as I’ve grown in my practice, I really find myself looking to his work for inspiration a lot more, maybe with a more mature eye.” Also in this episode, the architect expresses a love for work – his own or others’ – that deepens over time.

Rimes imparts invaluable advice and insight behind her practice: how she ensures that her design world expands rather than shrinks with time – reusing familiar ideas, practices, and motifs – and how her time at Auburn University’s acclaimed Rural Studio has informed her priority of building relationships with the members of the communities who share their lives with her buildings. She also shares how traveling influences her work: “Having just returned from Japan, I’m already seeing how some of those experiences are influencing my design work, whether it be lighting design, or transparency in architecture or connection to nature.”

Trends aren’t a priority for the Yale-trained architect. The designer, who appeared on Bravo’s Top Design in 2007, is instead focused on solving problems as part of a holistic experience. “My big thing about interior design is the whole picture,” he says. “So the mentality of à la carte is really difficult for me to kind of understand and fix. When you’re looking at interior design, I think you should step back and take a look at how things relate to each other in a larger picture.”

And the most popular DMTV Milkshake episode of 2023 is…

You all loved this chat with the CEO and founder of Gantri, the San Francisco-based lighting brand that partners with designers from around the world – like Oakland’s Prowl Studio, Felix Pöttinger in Munich, Heitor Lobo Campos in Brasilia, and former Milkshake star Bradley L. Bowers in New Orleans – to create their modern fixtures at a reasonable cost. “At Gantri, we’re rethinking how lighting is designed, made, and sold using 3D printing,” he says. “We’re supporting independent designers and studios – and making great lighting designs more accessible and more sustainable.”

Check out the rest of Design Milk’s end of the year coverage here!

As the Senior Contributing Editor, Vy Yang is obsessed with discovering ways to live well + with intention through design. She's probably sharing what she finds over on Instagram stories. You can also find her at vytranyang.com.

Bourgeois / Lechasseur architects are the firm behind this residence in Les Forges by the Saint-Maurice River in Quebec, Canada. Built within dense pine trees, the Des Forges Residence, which uniquely resembles a three-sided star or a triangular speaker found in many conference rooms, resides on the edge of a cliff with access from the main road via a long private driveway.

In Bhilai, India’s tranquil landscape, Atelier Varun Goyal designed The Courtyard House by seamlessly fusing design and functionality. Created for two brothers, this unique home redefines modern living while celebrating the essence of togetherness and individuality. The Courtyard House project was envisioned as two interconnected yet distinct homes for two brothers. The central courtyard plays a pivotal role in uniting these homes and preserving their family bond.

Photo: Jag Studio

In the the Galapagos Islands, SULA is a prefabricated A-frame cabin designed by Diana Salvador that defies convention. SULA’s two-month design build in Ecuador, resulted in approximately 2,000 custom-made components, held together by over 17,000 screws and pins. These meticulously crafted elements were then bundled into two containers, braving a voyage across the sea to Santa Cruz Island. There, SULA was erected over the span of four weeks.

Photo: Cameron Munn, courtesy The Pass Life

With its distinctive triangular shape and soaring roofline, the A-frame has captivated the imaginations of architects and homeowners alike for decades. The unique architectural style seamlessly blends the allure of nature with the cutting-edge design sensibilities of today. To celebrate this nostalgic design, we rounded up 10 remarkable modern A-frame houses that stand as testaments to their timeless allure.

Photo: Mikola Accuardi

If you search the internet for kitchen design inspo, chances are you’re going to get kitchens in all-white options, pale, muted colors, or wood being the prominent material. Then there are those rare finds where architects and designers really think outside the box and opt for a more dramatic look. We happen to love how sophisticated black can be in most modern spaces, and the kitchen is a perfect example. So, if you’re ready to jump into the abyss, we rounded up 10 modern black kitchens that might just tempt you to the dark side!

Photo: Tomas Dittrich.

Located in Prague, Czech Republic, House for Dorothy was designed by boq architekti who were brought in at the late stages of construction to design the interior for the family. The interior boasts concrete and wood as the materials of choice, which are topped off with playful details throughout. On the ground floor, the open living space feels bright and open with surrounding windows and sliding glass doors that lead to the outdoor space. The designers kept the color palette neutral with the use of white, anthracite gray, and natural wood, along with the occasional curated use of color.

Photo: Lamberto Rubino

Located in thecity of Kamakura, just outside of Tokyo, stands a pretty unique house, named A Cat Tree House. It’s a feline paradise designed for a couple in their thirties and their two beloved cats. Architect Tan Yamanouchi of AWGL has redefined what it means to design a home by taking inspiration from the clients, the four-legged kind, who don’t speak human language. Since the couple has lived with the two cats for ten years, the architects looked at them as more than just pets, instead as clients that had their own needs.

Photo: David Duncan Livingston, courtesy of v2com

California-based studio Gustave Carlson Design and Atlanta-based Atelier Davis were hired to renovate a local Eichler house in need of updating. Originally built in 1971 in the Palo Alto hills, the prized family home was a custom commission by architect John S. Lynd, a close friend of Joseph Eichler. The house received a respectful renovation that honored the history while adapting it for modern times.

Photo: Timothy Kaye

After an adjacent property came on the market next to a young family of five, they bought it 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.

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Renderings: UVISUAL

While still in the concept phase, this 484-square-foot tiny home design by Bologna-based firm STUDIOFEM was too good not to share. Architects Francesca Morsiani and Mujgan Merve Rinaldi designed The Mini with a proposed location in the village of Cavusin, Nevsehir, Turkey surrounded by mountains. Despite the project not being built yet, you all fell in love and so did we!

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.