Parconido bakery café by sukchulmok is part European square and part quintessential Korean minimalism. Think: perfect circulature, muted stone, harmonised spatial flow, calming geometry, high functionality and an almost-weightless interior experience.

Located in northern Gyeonggi-do, South Korea the design is led by the spirit of ‘sukchulmok’, meaning ‘the space should resemble the users’. Who are the users? An owner who lived in Italy for an extended period and those who seek escape and connection among aromas of home-baked goods and strong brews. Exactly this is achieved through the use of basic materials, simple shapes, and a consistent interior language of muted, high-end furniture, finishes and lighting – a continuation of the calming narrative in the nesting bird logo and the café’s slogan “nod in a doze”.

A homage to European design but not a copy, the café takes its main inspiration from the sight of a sunlit square where people huddled to exchange joys between red brick buildings and stone pillars. In Parconido, columns surge and rounded walls in open air wrap the space. Both walls and columns have different shapes, but share a radius of 600mm for the creation of a sense of unity that simultaneously evades monotony.

Travertine limestone, suited for the fountains in squares of Europe, covers the floor, walls and ceiling. Angles in the indoor space are rolled and rounded so that the boundary of each side becomes faint and gives an illusion that it expands; an experience that induces the feeling of floating.

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House for a Sea Dog by Dodi Moss is a multilevel loft in the roof of a 17th-century Genoan building that features upcycled elements, minimalistic charm and a boundary-less layout with no doors; aside from the bathroom and the 300-year-old entrance.

Before the renovation, the loft already had an unusual layout with its two floors located on opposing sides of the six-story building. In response to this and the client’s occupation – a naval engineer that spends most of the time in cramped quarters – Dodi Moss designed the home to feature 110 sqm of uninhibited harmony where free-flowing, light-filled spaces are separated only by soft partitions and multiple levels.

A mezzanine floor was added to serve as a bed deck. Beneath, a bathroom divides the large space into two. There’s a library on one side; complete with a sun-dappled window seat and a wall of books. On the other, a private lounge and dressing room feature paintings by contemporary artist Ferdinando Maffii – a welcomed addition of colour to the simplistic space.

Odes to old are seen in the original slate staircase that leads to the upper storey, as well as the repurposed ceramic tiles in the bathroom – believed to have come from an 18th-century factory in Naples. The spacious kitchen and dining area welcomes guests and leads to two roof terraces; one alongside the kitchen and another on its roof.

The roof was restored using recycled materials from dismantled boats and sailing masts. According to Dodi Moss, it symbolises the interchange between building and naval workers when Genoa was still a republic – a fitting feature for the home of a naval engineer.

Looking for more architectural inspiration? Check out Muji’s cute-as-a-button minimalist huts here.

(h/t) dezeen.com

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Black Barn by Rigby & Rigby is an agricultural grain store turned residence in the Cotswolds featuring Nordic-style interiors, a Dutch Barn and a Japanese-inspired courtyard.

Designed with utilitarianism and preservation of old in mind, Black Barn is a 600 sqm development situated just north of the United Kingdom’s quaint Cotswolds. It’s design is at once an ode to it’s former life as a grain store and exceedingly functional. The building comprises a main house with a Dutch Barn running parallel.

The Dutch Barn is the outstanding feature, one that creates an inner shelter adjacent to the Japanese-inspired courtyard space alongside the main house. Inside, it boasts an annexe with a mezzanine bedroom, bathroom, kitchen an living facilities. Outside, a vegetable and herb garden with an orchard to the rear nestles a wild meadow outside.

In the main house, a central staircase and fireplace run along the length to reflect the scale and depth within the airy double-height space. In the mezzanine seating area, a glass walkway provides access to private bedrooms with en-suites. The southernmost part of the upper storey houses a library that boasts uninterrupted views of the undulating countryside.

Inside, Nordic design influence sees a minimalist background dressed in monochromatic hues make way for a multi-functional and open-plan living area for entertaining, dining and living. A media room with pool table and bar overlooking the scenic courtyard makes the ideal place for relaxation.

Design classics from Flexform and Poltrona Frau, as well as the new Rimedesio range of coffee tables, make interiors tastefully comfortable. A custom ‘Skyfall’ rug designed by Rigby & Rigby in collaboration with Colbourns is the perfect accompaniment to the beckoning fireplace.

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Ethical South African jewellery label Pichulik opens the doors of its new atelier retail space in Harrington Street, Cape Town, and features an interior aesthetic inspired by creative director Katherine Pichulik’s love of texture, nature and spaciousness.

Housed in a heritage building with an air of eras past, the new atelier forms a white backdrop against which the story of Pichulik is told. It’s a space born of the desire for authentic engagement in a time of pervasive digital connections; one that celebrates all that Pichulik is about: craftsmanship, community, and South Africa.

The interiors boast sculptural furniture pieces by designer Xandre Kriel that are origami-reminiscent; large shapes in bone white. The Sculp table is a monolithic altar against the white of the curtains, while the Samosa table, with its curved edges, appears to float off the floor. Directional lighting and large shapes make the experience almost ceremonial.

Here, customers can not only browse a comprehensive curation of Pichulik designs, but also take a peek behind the curtain to see where it is all made, because it’s within this atelier’s studio that everything is assembled and embellished. The brass components are cast in a foundry nearby, and up to 90% of the materials are procured locally.

Love Pichulik’s atelier? Visit on Thursdays for a special collaboration with Seed & Circus to sip Hibiscus iced tea, eat coconut bombs and play dress-up in Pichulik jewels. Find out more at pichulik.com.

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Madrid-based design studio mecanismo transformed a once dark and compartmentalised space into a more connected, light-filled home.

Located in the scenic surroundings of Ondarreta Beach in San Sebastián, Spain, the house (named Mikeletes) boasts two distinct zones that simultaneously interlace with one another, affording a subtle contrast between the spaces’s different rooms. The heart of the home is comprised of a living-dining room and kitchen that is framed by a glass enclosure. Muted hues of cream and white are contrasted by pops of luscious green, earthy woods and space greys.

Throughout the home the use of stone and wood dominates. Lacquered-wood panelling frames the entrance to the private areas of the home, comprised of bedrooms, bathrooms and an office that exudes a warm and inviting ambience, with its greenery and accents of yellow and charcoal. The office makes use of stone and wood in their more natural states, whereby the shapes have been altered, but not colours or textures.

The majority of the furniture featured in the home is also designed by mecanismo under the direction of Pedro Rica and Marta Urtasun, serving as functional architectural elements comprised of materials that are easy to care for and afford an aesthetic continuity throughout the home.

Love this minimalist space? See more projects by mecanismo here.

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