Architecture and interior design firm FCstudio, have recently completed an apartment in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and included in the design is a floor-to-ceiling shelving unit by the front door.
The eye-catching white shelf is designed with deep and wide shelves that are decorated with plants, small lights, books.
Taking a closer look at the shelves, it’s interesting to see that instead of having the LED strips visible, the designers have chosen to hide them behind a small strip of matching wood, which also creates an angled shadow onto the shelf below.
Here’s a view of the shelves that shows an angled view and how the hidden lighting shines on the shelves below.
Brosh Architects has designed the remodel of an apartment in London, England, that included clean lines and bright spaces, as per their client’s request.
To create the bright spaces and clean lines, the designers used crisp white walls and added LED lighting to highlight the straight edges, including a recessed television and floating storage cabinet.
The concealed lighting travels the length of the room, creating a seamless appearance, and adding a subtle glow to the room.
In the kitchen, lighting has been installed underneath the minimalist white cabinets, lighting the backsplash and countertop. The designers also changed the kitchen layout to expose the full height of the kitchen window and flood the kitchen and entrance hall with more natural light during the day.
The remodeled bathroom received a black and white art deco feel to resemble the age of the apartment. The vanity area has a small recessed shelf with hidden lighting, while in the shower, small spotlights highlight the items on the shower niches.
Let’s take a look at the other areas of the apartment…
The entry hallway has a wall of cabinets that can be pulled out to reveal coat hangers and shoe storage. The existing pine herringbone flooring in the apartment was damaged beyond repair, so the designers included an oak herringbone floor at a similar panel size and pattern.
Space saving pocket doors have been installed throughout the apartment, like for the bedrooms and bathroom.
In the bedrooms, the designers opened up hidden wall niches, lowered the ceilings to hide curtain tracks, and created bespoke wardrobes according to the clients’ needs.
When architecture firm REM’A and collaborator André Novais were designing a new house in Portugal, they included a bedroom with a wrap-around wood accent.
The wood accent adds a natural element to the bedroom and creates a headboard for the bed. Between the cabinets to the right of the bed there’s hidden lighting, adding a soft glow to the room and highlighting the displayed objects on the shelf.
Minimalist pendant lights hang on either side of the bed, while above it, metallic sculptures add a glamorous touch.
Photography by Ivo Tavares Studio | Architecture firm: REM’A | Architects: Romeu Ribeiro, José Pedro Marques | Collaboration: André Novais | Engineering: Fortunato & Paulo, Engenharia | Construction: Construções Bairro do Sol, LDA
Bates Masi + Architects has designed ‘Asset’, a new restaurant in Manhattan, that’s located within an old building that had architectural details hidden behind years of renovations.
“In the renovation of 329 Columbus Avenue to create Asset restaurant, we sought to excavate the existing space in search of unique textures and hints of the past that would enrich the guest experience.” – Bates Masi + Architects
Through the process of 3D scanning, they discovered that vaults of expanded metal lath were tucked out of sight above the fire rated ceiling. The vaults were reintroduced as an exposed element, helping to conceal steel girders.
The process of excavation was also applied to the oak paneling on the walls, like in the bar area. The boards were sandblasted to erode the soft earlywood that lies between the harder latewood grain, thereby enhancing its character and increasing its sound absorption.
Further into the restaurant, there’s small wooden booths for two line that have light grey upholstery.
These booth seats are also located against on of the walls, with hidden lighting behind the banquette seating, while lighting above shows off the metal details.
Black metal stairs on each side of the restaurant lead from the main level up to the mezzanine, creating an eye-catching moment the minute a guest steps into the space. The grand stair is divided in 2 parts, 1 side for service and the other for guests, with the 2 sides merging in a gentle curve reminiscent of the ceiling vaults.
Upstairs, larger wood tables surrounded by black chairs provide plenty of space for small groups.
When architect Ramón Esteve was designing this new house near Valencia, Spain, he made sure that the exterior lighting highlighted the design of the house.
You can see an example of this in the outdoor space that sits below a large cantilever of white concrete that has two perforations to allow the entrance of sunlight.
Photography by Mariela Apollonio
By including strips of hidden lighting at the base of the exterior wood walls, the architect was able to highlight the wood accents, and create a soft glow that can be enjoyed at night when entertaining by the pool.
Photography by Mariela Apollonio | Architect: Ramón Esteve | Project Team: Estefanía Pérez, Jacobo Mompó, Anna Boscà, María Parra | Collaborators: REE Tudi Soriano | Collaborators: Indigo Ingeniería, Prodein Ingeniería | Technical Architect: Emilio Pérez, Carolina Tarazona | Constructor: CH Palau | Project Manager: Luis Navarro | Audiovisual: Alfonso Calza
Corners in rooms can sometimes be overlooked as a place to add an interesting design detail. In this Spanish apartment designed by Egue y Seta, the corner has been adorned with a pair of shelves.
The shelves have a few of functions, the first is that they help to hide the odd angle where the walls meet, while the second is they provide a place to display personal items such as books, small sculptures, and plants.
The third function is the added lighting that’s somewhat hidden underneath the shelf. It not only highlights the displayed objects on the lower shelf and cabinet below, but it also helps to brighten the corner.
Photography by VICUGO FOTO | Designers: Egue y Seta with direct involvement of: Daniel Pérez, Felipe Araujo, Covandonga Díaz, Marta Elizagaray, Álvaro Sánchez, Mireia Lucas, Maria Escobar, Diana García and Verónica Galli | Construction: César Burgos Cornejo
Architect Alejandro de la Vega Zulueta was commissioned to apply his attention to detail to the interior design of a high-rise apartment in Mexico City.
One of the details he paid attention to was the shelving in the kitchen that acts as a focal point in the room.
In what would have been a blank wall, he decided to add floating wood shelves, allowing for extra storage and a place to display pots and pans, pantry items, and glassware.
The shelves, which are all different lengths, also have a strip of hidden lighting underneath, highlighting the various displayed items, as well as adding ambient lighting and a dramatic touch to the kitchen.
Photography by Jaime Navarro | Architect: Alejandro de la Vega Zulueta | Lighting: Iguzzini
Architects Patrick Planchon and Franck Deroche, together with fine woodworker Landry Gobert, has completed the renovation of CMMA Headquarters in Châlons-en-Champagne, France.
As part of the renovation, an eye-catching staircase made of natural oak and HI-MACS® takes center stage.
One of the unique details of the staircase design is the inclusion of a built-in handrail. The handrail is perfectly aligned with the inner side and includes recessed joints at the edge of the materials.
The handrail also has hidden lighting whose 60° angle illuminates the part of the handrail held by visitors.
When Studio Toggle was designing the Mishref House for two brothers in Kuwait City, they decided to include an internal courtyard that separates two separate living units.
The courtyard, which is a central gathering place for the brothers and their family, has a line of plants that follow the walls on two sides, and a water feature that’s centrally located.
One design aspect of this courtyard that can be enjoyed at night, is the hidden lighting that’s tucked away in narrow channels within the stone tiles and follows the shape of the courtyard. It also adds a glow to the outdoor space, making it welcoming and peaceful.
When looking down onto the courtyard from the higher levels of the house, it becomes almost like an art installation, with the lighting traveling to meet the water feature.
Photography by Joao Morgado | Design: Studio Toggle | Team: Hend Almatrouk, Gijo Paul George, Rui Goncalves, Pedro Varela, Fabio Verissimos, Filipe Goncalves, Dionne Pereira, Abdul Rashed, Ashlon Frank | Structural Designer: Al Thurath consultants | Architectural lighting: Spaces and Concepts
As part of their own new headquarters in Crown Point, Indiana, design firm Interior Image Group (IIG), created a conference room with glass walls and a suspended ceiling.
The conference room, which is located just off the lobby, makes use of a suspended ceiling to partially hide the exposed ducting above and allow for the addition of lighting.
The focal point of the conference room is a statement light fixture that suspends directly over the 12-foot-long quartz conference table.
In addition to the black lighting, recessed can lights have also been included in the suspended ceiling, helping to highlight each end of the table.
Photography by Royce Photography | Interior Design: Interior Image Group (IIG) | IIG Project Team Members: Patti Tritschler (President and CEO), Patrick Tritschler (CDO), Keith Roy (Principal), Allison Drwiega (Sr. Interior Designer), Jillian Schuck (Sr. Interior Designer), Kristy Sanchez (Procurement Project Manager) | General Contractor: ICS | Architect: Rohn Associates | Engineering: MECA Engineering Corporation
