Each of these apartment interiors has been designed by 23Design to fashion a sense of sunny serenity in the modern world. With a grey and white decor palette, sleek contemporary furniture silhouettes and a minimalist approach, these two light-filled apartment designs are calming sanctuaries to come to after a day in the bustling city. The first interior we’ll visit features a faux skylight design that creates an open and sunny feel, even on a grey day. Custom-built storage units line the walls and harbour a hidden doorway. The second serene grey and white interior is given a sunny boost with bright yellow accents, and a glass wall home office that shares the distribution of natural light.
Measuring 115 square metres (1245 square feet), this apartment interior is located in a high rise building that faces the Tamsui River in the Zhuwei District of New Taipei City. Rainy days at the end of winter used to conjure a sad mood in this place, but now it is showered by light every day from a faux skylight that stretches out above the study area and the walkway that leads to the kitchen.
On sunny days the skylight is not needed, thanks to the apartment’s wonderfully large windows. Furniture in this living room is kept pale in colour to bring light deep into the space.
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A dark greyrug lays down a contrasting base for a clean white coffee table. A black console unit floats a complementary dark accent along the living room focal wall.
A track light along the edge of the room, along with underlit floating wall shelves and wall mounted units, create a soft wash of atmospheric illumination.
Concrete walls and the matching skylight construction give the apartment interior a cool industrial appeal.
The lounge opens straight onto the dining room, where a wall of shelving creates a decorative moment.
Many more bookshelves and storage opportunities line the wall behind the study area.
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The crisp white storage cabinets and shelving units build a bright lining within the grey concrete architecture.
The white furniture finish cheerfully reflects the illumination from the massive skylight installation.
A doorway hides within the run of storage units, quietly camouflaged within the blank white finish…
… With the door slid closed, you’d never know it was there.
The criss-crossed skylight design builds a coffered ceiling effect behind the main beam.
The neat intersections of the skylight are echoed in the shelving patterns beneath it.
When illuminated, the long skylight creates an ethereal corridor of light.
The private bedroom is a cosy space with light decor. Chicbedside table lamps brighten the darkly contrasting bed.
The ceiling gains character from a curved cutaway and contrasting ceiling panelling.
The curved dropped-ceiling feature accentuates the lesser curve of the wall.
White built-in closets are stylishly cut through with black recessed handles.
This serene Scandi inspired grey and white interior has been given a colourful twist with bright yellow accents. The yellow accent living room appears sunny and warm even in wintery weather.
Simplistic lines and limited colours make a fuss-free space that feels peaceful. Black and dark grey accents sharpen the aesthetic with a balance of bold moments. Scatter cushions on the sofa lay out a trilogy of tones in light grey, dark grey and vibrant yellow. A coordinating yellow ottoman makes a sunny extension to the couch, which also serves as a window seat.
The wall in front of the sofa builds a dominating black focal point in the room. Indoor plants and a vase of foliage break up the black expanse with moments of uplifting greenery.
The lounge opens into the dining area, which is accessorised with a pair of yellow glass orb pendant lights.
A gold floor lamp has a coordinating orb shade in the lounge area.
Yellow artwork adds a flash of invigorating colour to the dark living room feature wall.
A yellow book accents the round coffee tables at the centre of the lounge to keep the colour thread going.
Behind the sofa, perforated metal plates have been used to build the home office. The perforations blur the relationship between the public living space and the private working quarters.
The metal plates create a dialogue of shared light and shadow that builds added interest in the interior.
Inside the home office, one of the yellow dining chairs serves as a desk chair.
A midcentury-inspired desk strikes a bold silhouette in front of the white metal screen wall.
The contents of the home office make intriguing shadows from the outside of the perforated panel walls.
Much like the living room, a dark focal wall commands the study. A comfortable accent chair lightens the look.
In the bedroom, dark wood wardrobes contrast the light decor scheme, along with a bespoke headboard design with atmospheric backlighting. Crisp white bed linen coordinates with a pale grey and white wallcovering across the headboard feature wall.
A dressing area is built into the wall of wardrobes and drawers at the foot of the bed. Small shelves are built into the side of the units to house a collection of cosmetics around a custom-cut vanity mirror.
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If your first thought when you hear the word ‘rattan’ is ‘1970s-style lounge chairs’, then you’re way behind the times! Modern rattan products are slick and contemporary and can take pride of place in any home.
Rattan is a sort of strong cane material, made from any one of 600 species of palm tree. You’ll often here the words ‘rattan’ and ‘wicker’ mentioned in the same breath, but while ‘rattan’ refers to the material, rattan refers to the style of weave. So a wicker basket may or may not be made from rattan! Natural (as opposed to synthetic) rattan is sustainable and actually helps to preserve the ecosystem so it’s eco-friendly too.
From a home interior point of view, it ticks the natural and textural boxes and will help to add interest to your decor. If you’d like to try it in your home, here are our top picks.
1. Ubud rattan wing chair, Ciel Shop Interiors
Ubud rattan wing chair, Ciel Shop Interiors
Woven from eco-friendly natural rattan sourced from Kubu, in Bali, the Ubud wing chair features slimmer bands of rattan to create an openwork style. £284, available in a choice of black of natural from Ciel Shop Interiors.
2. Round rattan cabinet, Sunday Living
Round rattan cabinet, Sunday Living
Perfect for bringing some texture and relaxed boho charm to your interior spaces, this cabinet is sure to bring the wow factor to your home with its unusual shape. £200, available from Sunday Living.
3. Rattan side table, Five and Dime
Rattan side table, Five and Dime
This neat little table is ideal for smaller spaces as it doesn’t look too solid and blocky. Made from woven rattan, it costs £80 from Five and Dime.
4. Stackable rattan Rossini dining chair, Sika
Stackable rattan Rossini dining chair, Sika
Lovingly handwoven, this chair features high armrests, an intricately woven seat and a rounded back for ultimate comfort. Made from the highest quality rattan sourced from sustainable Indonesian forests and handcrafted by skilled artisans, each chair looks and feels unique. Available in four colours, it costs £350 from Cuckooland.
5. Black rattan hallway bench, Kinfolk Decor
Black rattan hallway bench, Kinfolk Decor
This black rattan hallway or dining bench is produced by highly skilled craftspeople who hand weave the top of the bench. The solid mango wood comes from certified plantations so you can be sure your choice is not only a stylish one but an ethical one too. £200, available from Kinfolk Decor.
6. Ankhara double wardrobe in rattan and oak, MADE.com
Ankhara double wardrobe in rattan and oak, MADE.com
A refined combination of oak and rattan, this double wardrobe by designer Andy Boyce has a curved silhouette which feels warm and welcoming. £799, available from MADE.com.
7. Key Largo kubu rattan lidded bread bin, Maine Furniture
Key Largo kubu rattan lidded bread bin, Maine Furniture
This bread bin is an unusual kitchen feature. It is hand crafted in Semarang, Indonesia, by artisans carrying on the traditional craft of rattan weaving passed down from father to son for countless generations. Was £69, now £55.20, available from Maine Furniture.
8. Oberyn dining chair, Cult Furniture
Oberyn dining chair, Cult Furniture
The natural woven rattan seat and black hairpin metal legs of this simple chair would look perfect in your conservatory. £149, available from Cult Furniture.
9. Natural rattan tassel stool, Puji
Natural rattan tassel stool, Puji
This could possibly be the cutest stool we’ve ever seen! Made from natural rattan, it comes in two designs, short tassels or long tassels. £109, available from Puji.
10. Joy rattan pendant light, Pepper Sq.
Joy rattan pendant light, Pepper Sq.
This natural rattan lampshade (above and main image) has a woven design to allow light to diffuse through the openings creating a decorative effect. £239, available from Pepper Sq.
Main image shows the Joy rattan pendant light from Pepper Sq.
The Nightwatch is an interesting product.The lucite orb magnifies your watch’s display and turns it on when you touch it, effectively making it a great night clock. It has space to fit in the charging puck too so it can function as a charger as well. A word of warning though: it won’t work if you have a case for the watch.
Our mission is to help people visualize, create & maintain beautiful homes. We bring to you inspiring visuals of cool homes, specific spaces, architectural marvels and new design trends.
Follow us for a daily dose of outstanding homes, intelligent architecture & beautiful design.
