Text description provided by the architects. The Bretislav Kafka Library in Cerveny Kostelec transforms a historic former inn into a bright, flexible, and welcoming public library. The design works with the building's original architecture, combining tailored interiors, playful furniture, and a distinctive color palette to create a space that is both functional and inviting.
Ever walked into a friend's studio apartment and wondered how they made 400 square feet feel like a palace? Meanwhile, your seemingly larger space feels cramped and suffocating? You're not alone. Most of us struggle with making our rooms feel spacious, especially when square footage is at a premium. Working from my apartment corner that I desperately try to convince myself is a "real office," I've become obsessed with every trick that makes small spaces feel bigger.
"I'd been looking for probably six months," he tells AD. "There are not many unique options in Western New York. A lot of it is very cookie-cutter, traditional prefab homes." Then, while touring potential properties with his friend, interior designer Caryn Dujanovich, Milano got a call: an off-market tip-and a directive to drop everything and get over here now. The duo complied and were among the first to see a 3,700-square-foot, midcentury-modern-inspired hideaway surrounded by dense forest.
In the room I'm working in, there's a feather-filled shrine to various dead hens, two candles in the shape of Saint Lucy's eyes, a stuffed Australian magpie, a wig, three pewter goats and a French revolutionary cockade made from a jam pot lid (an illustrative selection; there's much more). Other people are similarly well stocked with weirdness: my father has a lifesize wooden sheep.
They may seem like they have magical powers to some, but interior designers are not born ready to create beautiful interiors at the drop of a hat - they're human, just like any other professional. And many learn the best lessons about chic style and great function the hard way. A costly mistake is a design pro's worst nightmare (especially for a budget!), but it's a gem for everyone else in that it's an opportunity to prevent it from happening again.
One of the most perplexing design dilemmas to exist is the television - a necessary evil, to say the least. TVs are great when we need to watch movies, the big game, or binge through a viral series. When they're not in use, however, they can feel like an eyesore. DIY and brand-name TV frames have made disguising flatscreens a bit easier, but one Instagrammer just took this idea a step beyond - she tucked her TV into a bookshelf.
On October 19th, a series of Manhattan's most exquisite interiors will be on view for the biannual Fall House Tour. If you are an Untapped New York Insider, you can enter our raffle for a chance to win one free pair of general admission tickets to the kick-off party on Friday, October 18th, and the all-day tour on Saturday, October 19th a $300 value!
Choosing the right paint color can have a huge impact on your capacity for concentration, according to the experts. "Color can be a powerful, everyday way to support mental health because it speaks directly to the nervous system," says Hillary Schoninger, LCSW, an individual and family psychotherapist based in Chicago. "When we perceive color, our brain processes it as information and responds - sometimes with comfort and ease, and at other times with stimulation."
Studio Rossettini revitalizes House LB into a contemporary single-family residence with playful spaces that puts functionality and quality of life at its center. The from the early 1960s in Padua, reimagines the existing structure through its renovation, freeing up the perimeter walls and creating a fluid sequence of spaces that flow between the kitchen, dining room, and living room, with furnishings integrated into architectural niches.
English singer-songwriter Lily Allen and Stranger Things actor David Harbour have closed another chapter in the dissolution of their marriage by offloading their beloved Brooklyn abode. Two weeks after they reportedly lowered the asking price, the ex-couple finally found a buyer. Allen and Harbour originally listed the dwelling just shy of $8 million in October, but opted to sell the property, which was listed through Compass, for $7 million-a million dollars less than the initial asking price.
If there was only one interior design style setting the tone in 2026, it would be Japandi. Apartment Therapy's State of Home Design survey identified Japandi style as one of the year's top design aesthetics, according to insights from 140 designers - and it's easy to see why. As more people strive to create spaces that feel calming, intentional, and grounded in nature, Japandi's blend of Japanese restraint and Scandinavian warmth feels especially timely.
The space couldn't be more than 500 square feet, yet it feels like something out of a design magazine. Meanwhile, I know people with houses three times the size that somehow feel cheap despite the hefty mortgage. It got me thinking about what really makes a space feel luxurious. After years of observing homes that punch above their weight class financially, I've noticed certain patterns. The truth is that creating an expensive-feeling home has surprisingly little to do with actual expense.
Designed by the celebrated mannerist architect Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola, construction of the first sections of the late Renaissance Palazzo Borghese began in the 1560s. The Palazzo was among Vignola's many other important projects (he became the principal architect for St. Peter's Basilica following Michelangelo's death). It was later expanded by Cardinal Camillo Borghese, who bought it in 1596 (in 1605, he was named Pope Paul V).
For the self-build of their modern black barn just 35 minutes from Dublin city centre, interior designer Robert Glynn and his partner used a timber frame that was erected in just three days Studio 31 founder and interior designer Robert Glynn has made a name for himself by doing what many consider the impossible: taking the stress out of the design process. It's a reassuring promise
How did a material conceived for bridges, factories, and large-scale structures make its way to the living room bench, the apartment bookshelf, the café table? For centuries, metal was associated with labor, machinery, and monumentality-from the exposed structures of 19th-century World's Fairs to the productive logic of modern industry. Its presence in domestic interiors is not self-evident but rather a cultural achievement: the transformation of an industrial material into an element of everyday, intimate use, in close proximity to the body.
The best over-the-toilet storage is one that can maximize the space in a small bathroom without looking like an eyesore. Whether you have a tiny powder room or a bathroom of epic proportions in need of extra storage, the right bathroom shelf can help you create a clutter-free, organized oasis. Transform this often-overlooked area above the john with thoughtfully designed shelving that keeps toiletries neat and accessible.
Many interior designers are indeed looking towards neutral colors and "warm" minimalism in 2026, as reported in Apartment Therapy's annual design industry survey, the State of Home Design. But there are a few maximalist design trends that refuse to fade into the background this year - namely, room drenching, and, more specifically, stripe drenching. This pattern drench has design pros leaning into colorful, dizzying stripes from wall to wall.
Wood: Arguably the most common material for a coffee table, whether packed with storage or not, solid wood can be a durable and style-agnostic choice. A deeper hue, like a mahogany or cherry, can lean mid-century, while a natural oak or teak feels distinctly Scandinavian. Opt for a material that's white washed or stained for a farmhouse look. Metal: Aluminum and stainless steel are common choices for the modernist or more minimal design aesthete.
It's the place where you rest and recharge, and chances are your sleep space is probably the one area you tend to ignore, as it's more of a private zone versus a public one in a home. That's exactly why Michigan-based mother-daughter designer duo Jean Stoffer and Grace Start of Stoffer Home wanted to make sure their first collaboration with The Company Store really prioritized bedding - even though they're accustomed to designing whole homes and large-scale kitchen projects.
While the couple envisioned subtle nods to old Hollywood throughout the home, Williams found a particularly personal muse here in Talani. "She was an incredibly talented, creative, beautiful model in the '90s when it was not very common for an African-American woman to be a successful model," Williams shares. "She's a fashion diva, so she definitely needed a fabulous salon."
Most of us have a preferred kitchen style in mind when decorating our culinary space, but one of the most common kitchen design mistakes you could make is leaning into that one single style too much. Making one aesthetic your end-all be-all can turn a space with potential into a monotone room that's severely lacking character. Therefore, it's important to consider mixing materials and textures that give your kitchen personality, depth, and lots of dynamic focal points.
Tucked down a cobblestoned, tree-lined alley in the 11th arrondissement, just steps from the Place de la Nation, a Paris loft has been given a new life. The space, a former artist's studio turned residence, opens directly onto the street and is crowned by a transom window that floods the interior with natural light. Interior designer Caroline Pusset, who founded Studio Rœus with her sister, points to the soaring proportions as a starting point for the redesign.
Paris property prices can certainly stretch into the millions, and even at that level, many homes need a little imagination - or even a full renovation - to make them truly comfortable, functional and stylish. The bones are often beautiful, but layouts can be quirky, storage scarce, and finishes in need of love. Still, with the right guidance, you can absolutely find a one, two, or three-bedroom home that strikes that perfect balance of charm, location, and potential.
Ross partnered with architect and designer Suchi Reddy to reimagine the interiors, continuing a creative dialogue that has unfolded over more than a decade. Their shared interest lies in neuroaesthetics - the study of how environments affect emotional and physical well-being - and Standing Wave becomes a built expression of that. Rather than adding architectural flourish, the transformation focused inward: the existing floors and ceilings were preserved while walls were repositioned, rooms resized, and sightlines recalibrated to boost views of the ocean, rocks, and sky.
The 70-20-10 Rule is simple: 70% of a room's textures should be smooth or matte, 20% should be plush or soft, and 10% should be hard, shiny, or raw. The dominant matte texture is calming and provides the visual base (think: matte painted walls, smooth wood floors, or a linen sofa). The plush or soft elements, such as a bouclé or velvet chair, a chunky knit throw, or a deep-pile rug, invite touch and add warmth.
You know the feeling: The paint is dry, the furniture looks good, but somehow the whole thing still feels unfinished. Designers have a trick for that, and it's surprisingly easy. Called the "Sandwich Method," it helps to create a sense of balance in a room through echoing a color at the top and base of the room - and letting the center section fall into place.
Second, please also note that the Chinese restaurant Poon's, by Amy Poon, scion of the Poon's restaurant dynasty, recently rooted itself in the New Wing. Ice-skating itself I have nothing against, but we can all agree that these slippery yuletide stampedes on temporary rinks are the polar opposite of festive, so surely it would be far better to be hiding indoors in the warmth with a round of prawn wontons, a bowl of nourishing magic soup, or some wind-dried meat claypot rice.
