Local designer, Kate Smith wrapped a house with a dark tonal cypress dubbed the Svart Hus located in Door County, Wisconsin, which is also her personal residence. Svart Hus is Swedish for 'Black House' and the design was originally finished in 2021. The team talks about the design to Dezeen, "The two exterior finishes tap into the surroundings and reflect the interior program while adding to the visual interest of the house with the juxtaposition of light and dark.
The number one priority was having the living and sleeping spaces separate. The other driving force in layout was having the overall land to work within, which created a sense of flexibility because we weren't limited to setbacks or restrictions. We wanted the flow to feel organic."
Image Credit: k.smith | x
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Dual Tonal Homes
- Opportunity to explore designing and building homes with contrasting exterior finishes that reflect the interior program and add visual interest.
- Flexible Layouts
- Opportunity to design spaces that are not limited to setbacks or restrictions, allowing for a sense of flexibility in the layout.
- Organic Flow
- Opportunity to create spaces with an organic flow, prioritizing the separation of living and sleeping spaces.
Where This Applies
- Architecture
- Architects can explore and incorporate contrasting exterior finishes and flexible layouts in their designs, creating spaces with an organic flow.
- Interior Design
- Interior designers can use contrasting exterior finishes as inspiration for creative and cohesive interior design choices.
- Construction
- The construction industry can adopt flexible layouts and explore the use of contrasting exterior finishes to create visually interesting and functional homes.
