# Rectangular All-Black Abodes The Minakuchi House in Japan Has a Dark Aesthetic By Jamie Danielle Munro | Published 2014-05-22 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/minakuchi-house References: [designboom](http://www.designboom.com/architecture/alts-design-office-minakuchi-house-shiga-05-22-2014/) & [alts-design](http://alts-design.com/) The Minakuchi House in Japan takes on an extremely [dark aesthetic](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tallowwood-cabin) with two rectangular shapes as the main sections of the abode. The structure certainly stands out from its [rural surroundings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stanfordville-house). From the side, the house looks like it consists of one larger rectangle, and another that cuts right through the center of the design. The house is situated with a balcony at the very front of the place, and also has [wood accents](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/house-in-saidera) in certain sections. This definitely helps to lighten up the place, as without it the entire place would consist of a black finish. Due to the darker hues used, the house appears to be aimed toward a more male demographic. Hopefully the ventilation is sufficient here too due to the heat-attracting coloring used. Photo Credits: [designboom](http://www.designboom.com/architecture/alts-design-office-minakuchi-house-shiga-05-22-2014/), [alts-design](http://alts-design.com/) ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.0/10 - Popularity: 63% | Activity: 20% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen X - Top markets: Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Architecture](https://www.trendhunter.com/architecture) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **All-black Architecture:** Architects can experiment more with using bold, dark colours to create truly standout homes that cater to different demographics. - **Rectangular Shapes:** Rectangular shapes can be used to add a sleek, modern feel to traditional architectural forms. - **Natural Wood Accents:** Designers can add natural wood accents to balance out the starkness of using all-black color schemes in homes and buildings. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Architecture:** Architects and designers can use this dark aesthetic trend to create homes, buildings and structures that stand out from their surroundings. - **Decoration:** Decorators and interior designers can create all-black or dark spaces that cater to a male demographic by exploring the use of bolder color schemes, lighting and decor. - **Construction:** Construction companies can explore using non-traditional colors and shapes to create unique structures that stand out among other traditional homes and buildings. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Black-Metal Angled Holiday Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shadow-box-house.md) - [Raw Blackened-Wood Family Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/yamaguchicho-house.md) - [Concrete Block-Formed Residences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/blockwall-house.md) - [Black-Concrete Mountain Houses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/black-house-1.md) - [Spacially Contrasting Home Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/barwon-heads-house.md) - [Raw Concrete Industrial Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/house-in-nishizaki.md) - [Concrete Boxes-Overlapping Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/house-in-tsurumiku.md) - [Traditional Japan-Honoring Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/c4l-house.md) - [Angled Concrete Forest Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/block-wall-house.md)