10 beautiful houses! Key points of exterior and interior design
Many people who plan custom-built houses want to make a house "beautiful" so that people turn around despite themselves. However, it is difficult for those who do not have expertise in house design to make a house look more beautiful.
In this article, we will introduce 10 beautiful houses designed by architects and explain the key points of houses that look beautiful according to places. By the time you finish reading this article, you will be able to clearly imagine the wonderful house you would like to live in.
Table of Contents
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1.10 "beautiful houses" designed by architects
- 1-1.Appearance
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1-2.Interior
- 1-2-1.A house with large windows enjoying the beautiful ocean
- 1-2-2.A one-story house with a Japanese-style space for a serene life
- 1-2-3.House with a courtyard lit from the sky
- 1-2-4.Relaxing house with woody space and elegant lights
- 1-2-5.A second house that changes its expression depending on the angle of view
- 2.Nine points that make a house look beautiful
- 3.Five things to keep in mind for a beautiful house
- 4.Which one is better, a "house maker" or an "architect (design firm)"?
- 5.Summary
1. 10 "beautiful houses" designed by architects
First, we will introduce 10 "beautiful houses" designed by architects with a great sense of style that you will definitely want to copy devided into two parts; exterior and interior. We will also explain the key points and features of each, so please take a look at them for reference.
1-1. Appearance
The exterior of a house is the very "face" of the house. It is the part of the house that passersby and neighbors see the most. At the same time, it is the first place the residents see when they come home. If you want to make your house look "beautiful", beautiful exterior is essential.
1-1-1. A house with warm light coming in through windows
Multiple side-by-side windows, a large window installed in the second-floor atrium, and a window cut into a triangular shape. This house is designed with a variety of windows to allow warm light to come in from all directions.
In addition, the fair-faced concrete combined with the clean white exterior wall seen on the left side creates a simple yet beautiful appearance with a sense of dignity.
1-1-2. A unique box-like house with functionality
This house, located on an intricate lot and near a main road, has high acoustic effect but does not look enclosed.
At first glance, the unique shape of the house looks like a large tube with a box inside, but the windows installed in the uneven sections allow you to look up at the sky and enjoy dramatic sunsets and other changes in the day.
1-1-3. A T-shaped one-story house in chic gray with red color
This house is for a couple and their three children. Because of the spacious land, we were able to create a design that is beautiful and satisfying enough even for a one-story house. The overall color scheme is an elegant gray, and red is used as a subtle color in parts of the house to give it just the right impact.
The loft is located across the private rooms, taking advantage of the high ceiling with the slanted roof shape, and gently connects three children's rooms to create a sense of family ties.
1-1-4. A beautiful villa where you want to spend weekends
Located on a hill, this residence is a vacation house built on a golf course. Although it is mostly used only on weekends, it is a wonderful residence where you can enjoy a comfortable and extraordinary experience.
The warmth of the warm light creates a presence amidst the black exterior walls refined by the beautiful grain of the wood. There is quiet at night due to its location, the warmth of the wood and the light will make you spend a warm time.
1-1-5. Modern two-family house with white color making a contrast with blue sky
This is a two-family house with the parent family living on the first floor and the child family on the second floor. The exotic white exterior walls and distinctive shape blend well together to create a modern and fashionable impression.
Although this is a completely separate two-family house, we made an open doorway that allows people to see inside so that they can communicate with their children and grandchildren. When the children or grandchildren come home, they can easily say, "Welcome home".
1-2. Interior
Next, we will introduce the interior of a beautiful house. The inside of a house, which is not so visible from the outside, is not only beautiful, but is also designed in various ways so that the people living in the house can spend a comfortable and happy time.
For those who want a beautiful yet functional house that is comfortable, please refer to the interiors designed by architects.
1-2-1. A house with large windows enjoying the beautiful ocean
This residence, built in a location with a view of the ocean, is like a villa where you can spend special time. This is probably because the large windows are concentrated in the direction where the sea can be seen.
The quiet sea in the morning, the sparkling sea in the afternoon under the sun, and the pitch-dark sea that make you want to see forever are all yours to enjoy. You can live in an open house while relaxing.
1-2-2. One-story house for calm living in a Japanese-style space
This one-story house is designed to reduce the overall volume of the house by adding a step floor (a small raised area).
The south side, which receives natural light, is ideal for rooms where people want to spend bright time, so an open living/dining room and a guest room are designed. On the other hand, the study, bedroom, and water area are located on the north side. Although the overall design is unified with Japanese taste, each room has a slightly different nuance due to the difference in the floor level and the change in the amount of light coming in through the windows.
1-2-3. A house with a courtyard with light coming in from the sky
A simple wooden house is remodeled into an innovative and beautiful house. There is no typical entrance space in this house. The courtyard with a gentle spiral staircase is the entrance and also a part of the living room.
It will bring warm light from the sky into your daily life while also protecting your privacy. Although the site is small, you will be able to fully enjoy a rich lifestyle.
1-2-4. Relaxing house with woody space and elegant lights
This house has a woody, natural feel with a scattering of wood of different tastes. Ceiling fans are installed to circulate air, giving it the special feeling of a hotel room.
The entire room is simply lit with downlights, while the counter and kitchen are lit with pendant lights that have a strong presence.
1-2-5. Second house that changes its expression depending on the angle of view
The client who lives here spends half of the week in this office/residence due to work. The direction of the living room, kitchen, and work area with his back to the windows gives an office-like impression.
On the other hand, the bedroom, windows, and bookshelf walls are made of "lauan wood," a warm reddish wood, creating a space with a sense of warmth. It is a beautiful house where "a place to work" and "a place to relax" naturally coexist.
[ YouTube Video ]
3 Beautiful houses designed by architects (in Japanese)
2.[By part] Nine points that make a house look beautiful
Here we will explain the nine points that make a house look beautiful. If you just get the gist of how to make your house look beautiful, you can make your ideal house.
2-1. Appearance
As mentioned earlier, the exterior of a house is the "face of the house" and is a major factor in determining the first impression by others. The following are points to keep in mind in order to create a beautiful exterior.
- Shape of the house (how many floors, Japanese style, Western style, etc.)
- Type and color of exterior walls
- Harmony with the streetscape
It is advisable to decide on the shape of the house, considering that you will never get tired of even if you live in it for a long time. This is because the interior can be remodeled later, but the shape of a house is difficult to change unless it is rebuilt.
While distinctive shapes are wonderful, we recommend a simple shape that will be loved for a long time. Recently, simple and stylish appearance, as shown in the photo above, is popular.
The type and color of the exterior walls also affects the impression of a house. If you like a pop and cute impression, use "two-tone colors," use "wood tone" for a natural look, and "dark colors" in large area for cool impression.
Using a single point of color in the main color can have just the right impact.
Harmony with the cityscape is also important. If the design blends well with the surrounding houses and environment, you will be able to start your life in a new place smoothly.
2-2. Exteriors
A major attraction of exterior design is that it can fully show the particulars and sense of style of the people who live in the house.
For example, if you have a car, instead of installing a standard parking space, you can create a "built-in garage" utilizing the first floor of the house, as shown in the photo, to create a sophisticated exterior. Also, if you set lights under the trees planted in the garden, the beautifully illuminated trees will attract people's attention, just like an exhibition.
2-3. Window
A large window is an essential part for a beautiful house. Windows are an important element that connects the inside and the outside, making the interior an open space.
However, it is not simply a matter of installing large windows. It is also important to consider the direction and angle of installation.
For example, if large windows are placed facing the street, cars and passersby could see the inside of house completely. If the windows are placed in a direction where it hardly gets sunlight, the house will be dark due to the lack of enough light. It is necessary to consider the functionality and convenience of large windows.
2-4. Floor plan
The layout becomes the key point when people visit your house. Like windows, an open layout will not only allow you to enjoy the spaciousness of your house, but will also relax your mind.
If you want to create a beautiful atmosphere with a layout, we recommend "atrium living" in which the first and second floors are connected. The living room with high ceiling that can be looked up through the atrium is somewhat reminiscent of a hotel-like atmosphere.
In the house in the photo, black columns extending to the ceiling stand near the windows and bring visitors' eyes upward to the living room. This small creativity loos the ceiling even higher, giving visitors a sense of freedom.
2-5. Interior decoration
In order to create a beautiful interior, it is important to have a unity of taste, interior design, and color scheme. There are many different types of taste, including Japanese, Western, modern, and elegant.
Also, "obsessive" does not necessarily mean "stuffing in whatever you like". Each item may look fashionable, but if you cram in everything, you will lose balance. It will give the impression of being out of place, and as a result, the result will be far from fashionable.
2-6. Staircases
Staircases can also play a leading role when they are placed in the center of a room. Skeleton staircases and spiral staircases are popular as beautiful staircases. Skeleton staircases, such as the one shown in the photo above, give a sense of openness and light atmosphere.
However, safety must be considered in addition to beautiful appearance depending on a family. For example, skeleton or spiral staircases may be dangerous for small children, pets, or the elderly.
While a nice design is attractive, the safety of residents should be the first priority when choosing a staircase as they will go up and down a staircase every day.
2-7. Lighting
The lighting that supports the brightness of the room also requires a sense of style. If you want to keep the room simple, use spotlights and downlights like those shown in the photo to bring in light. Indirect lighting that makes use of the difference between the walls and ceiling is also recommended.
On the other hand, lighting can also add impact to a room if it is used as a single accent. For example, you can enjoy the presence of lighting by installing a gorgeous chandelier or a large ceiling light.
You can also use a stand light with a unique design next to the couch or in a corner of the room.
2-8. Kitchen
A kitchen is a place where you come and go many times during the day and spend long hours standing. It is thus important to design it not only for its beautifulness but also for its convenience. Spaciousness and storage capacity are important for ease of use in the kitchen.
Among beautiful kitchens, "island kitchens" are particularly popular. Many people are attracted to island kitchens, which can be accessed from either the left or right side, because they are sophisticated and facilitate the flow of household chores.
The above house has an easy-to-use island kitchen with a spacious cupboard behind the sink. In addition to its attractive storage capacity, this kitchen also has a woody, beautiful look.
2-9. Living room
To create a beautiful living room, a sense of openness and comfort is important. The living room is where the whole family gathers and is also used as a guest room when there are visitors. For this reason, it needs to be spacious enough to accommodate a large number of people.
When creating an open space, the vaulted living room mentioned earlier is recommended, as well as "high ceilings." A high ceiling refers to a "ceiling that extends higher than normal ceiling," and depending on the layout, you can make a loft.
Also, have it designed with the family's input so that everyone is comfortable. If you are the only one who feels comfortable, the other family members may stay in their own rooms, and the living room may become just a large room.
Since a living room is a place that everyone uses every day, it is important to listen to the opinions of your family members, rather than focusing solely on your own personal preferences.
3. 5 Points to keep in mind for a beautiful house
Following are five things to keep in mind for a beautiful house.
3-1. Adequate storage space
While beautifulness is important, it is also important to have adequate storage space for various items such as household items and clothing.
If you want to make your storage space beautiful without making it stand out, install wall storage that matches the walls and floors in taste instead of placing chests or colored boxes. A storage that matches well with the space creates a sense of unity.
It is also recommended to create "attractive storage". For example, glass cupboards and wall shelves can be used to display favorite tableware, glasses, and hobby items to accentuate the room.
3-2. Line of flow for housework
Many people are preoccupied with the fashionable appearance and are less care about the flow line for housewoks. If you ignore the pathways for household chores, each chore will be divided and take time.
Here is one example. Many houses have a washing machine in the bathroom, but if the laundry room is located far away from the laundry area, it takes time to move. Therefore, making a "laundry room" that combines the washing machine, a place to dry clothes, and a space for an ironing board in one place facilitates the flow of household chores.
It is also convenient to have a large closet for storing the family's clothing so that there is enough space for all family members' clothes. Although you can make a closet in each room, it is less time-consuming to store all the clothes in the same place after washing and putting them away.
In addition to the beautiful appearance, it is also important to consider the flow line for housework which increases comfort to realize a comfortable house.
3-3. Unity of taste and color
When building a beautiful house, we should keep in mind the importance of unity of taste and color. This prevents a mismatching house.
As we mentioned earlier, "particularity" does not necessarily mean "fill it with what you like". You may have a preference for a Scandinavian style, but you may also like an elegant room. If you mix completely different tastes, your house will end up with a crowded space.
In particular, a living room, dining room, kitchen, and bathroom, which are all in the same space, should have matching tastes and colors, or the entire room will look small. If you want to create rooms with different tastes, consider using independent rooms such as children's rooms and bedrooms that do not affect the concept of the house too much.
3-4. Overall balance
When thinking about creating a beautiful house, it happens sometimes that the overall balance is lost. People need to be careful if they are very particular about a flooring material, wallpaper, or a color for the accent cloth.
As mentioned above, if you take this and that, you will end up with a unique house. If colors and patterns are different everywhere in a room, the house cluttered and not relaxing.
Therefore, it is important to consider the overall balance of the space by using simple materials for large areas such as walls and floors, and using materials that are particular to the place that you want to highlight in the space.
3-5. Priority and cost allocation
When you are planning about your house, remember to allocate costs according to priorities such as "what do you want to be most particular about?" When building your own house, a large amount of money moves, so that your financial sense may become numb.
However, please note that if you do not pay much attention to the budget "as this is a special occasion," it may have a significant impact on your subsequent life plans.
Sometimes it is important to find areas where you can compromise, such as "I've wanted a beautiful built-in washbasin, but I'll give that up because I'm going to have a vaulted ceiling". If you think carefully and discuss your decision with your architect or designer, you will be able to achieve a balanced cost allocation.
Which one is better, a "house maker" or an "architect (design firm)"?
Architects (design firms) can help you to make requests such as "I want to make a beautiful house". This is because architects have a high degree of freedom in design and construction methods, and can build a house from scratch with the utmost care.
Of course, there are many house makers who have built beautiful houses. With their standardized building materials and specifications, house-makers have the advantage of a shorter construction period while maintaining a certain level of quality. Architects (design firms) however, have more freedom in design.
House makers generally offer a variety of plans according to your own preferences. This is suitable for people who are not sure what kind of house they want to make.
On the other hand, architects (design firms) can respond to even the most cursory requests, such as "I have this image" or "I want this material to be used in this part of the house".
You may think "More freedom in design leads to higher prices." Some people may feel uneasy about this. However, it is not generally true that architects are more expensive. If you consult with the architect, including your budget, he or she will try to reduce the cost of materials in places that are not the main focus of the project. The architect's skill is to respond to the client's request while making a trial-and-error approach to resolve the cost problem as well.
If you want to know more about the advantages and disadvantages, see Full comparison: house makers, local builders and architects .
5. Summary
Everyone longs to have a "beautiful house". There are many points that accentuate the sense of design, such as a living room with a vaulted ceiling and large windows that add a sense of openness.
However, if you think only about the fashionable appearance, you may end up with a lack of comfort. It is important to consider the layout taking into account ease of living and the flow of housework.
We "japanese-architects.com" introduces architects to customers who plan a custom-built house. Our professionals, who have a great deal of experience in the field, will make your dream come true. Please use our service to find the best architect for you.
