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The modern monochromatic home we will explore today comes to us courtesy of Japanese architect Little Nest Works. It features a stunning contemporary exterior with a very cool, urban presence. But inside, it opens up into a series of bright open living areas and unusual light placements and features.
It's a very private home and the monochromatic colour scheme permeates throughout the home. There are few views of the exterior, but nonetheless, it feels very airy and sunny. It also has the attention to detail, natural materials and occasional traditional elements that make it a very Japanese inspired home as well. Come with us on a photo tour to explore more!
The minimalist exterior has a cool, serene feel and an extraordinary level of detail. It might be composed of simple masses in shades of grey, but this is one minimalist facade with subtly and refinement. The tiny grey bricks and closely fit timber entrance create a very orderly, private exterior.
The cool facade opens up into this bright, lively entrance or hallway. The grey and dark timber textures continue, but they are brightened up with a lots of white walls, a light minimalist staircase and a few green houseplants. Many entranceways or hallways funnel people into a single direction, but here, occupants and guests are given a rather more stately welcome. The entrance is an important part of many Japanese homes.
The very open and sparsely furnished living room has some interesting windows and a monochromatic colour scheme. A series of narrow panels line one wall, while the other has a very large ground level window with frosting. This part of the living room is primarily set up for internal focus and private time. It will be a surprise then to see this room from the other side.
On this side of the living room, there is a double height ceiling that forms a sort of atrium. Large glass windows on three sides invite one to look upwards and enjoy the lovely chandelier and sky view. We presume this home is in a dense urban area, so this is a good solution for those who want the freeing feeling of seeing a purely natural view. These high windows also obviously invite lots of light to enter the living room—without sacrificing any of the family's privacy.
Monochromatic kitchens are quite popular at the moment, and here we have a great example of how easily they can be integrated into a contemporary home. It can be tricky to accommodate kitchen dining in a galley style kitchen like this, so it's good to see the broad, stylish kitchen island being extended for use in this way. Note the unusual configuration of recessed ceiling lights. It's common to add too many ceiling lights, but they can be added sparsely like this and even in configurations that reflect the other patterns in the room.
We will finish up our tour in the traditional Japanese styled room, also known as a Washitsu. It features raised tatami flooring and wooden shutters for a contemporary take on the traditional shoji walls. Aside from kitchens, bathrooms and entranceways, there are often no designated rooms in Japanese homes, so this might be used as a family room during the day and a bedroom at night.
If you're interested in Japanese homes, you must take a peek inside The Cherry Blossom House. It's a treat!
