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Wood is a natural material that's readily available in the market and sometimes in our backyard! These days, however, there has been a heavy reliance on stronger materials like concrete to build residential structures. And with modern architecture, one can easily spot stylishly-made concrete edifice. Regardless of these supposedly stronger materials, wood has maintained its solid reputation as being the go-to material for homes and even commercial buildings. Celebrating and utilizing both of these materials, HAWS Architectural Design Office in Japan constructed an enviable home that might inspire you to begin collecting wood and concrete.
This facade does little effort in catching your attention. Its minimalism already stands out! Structured in a horizontal manner with vertical strips of wood adorning the front, the exterior somehow tells us a story with a literal humble beginning. The flat roof with one attaching beneath the other create a subtle design to complement the composed white and brown color palette.
Tread the brick-paved walkway and it'll lead to this impeccably-joined pieces of wood that extend on opposing ends to compose a small shed by the main door. The slits, in particular, sift the sun's glare evoking a picturesque scene in this very spot. Its also a smart and stylish way to conceal your entrance area to give you and your family a bit of privacy, even though all is not absolutely covered.
True to our prediction, this interior oozes with refined elegance. Inspired by Asian design, particularly Japanese, this living area gets our thumbs up with the clean application of wood and the complementary white coating that paints the walls. There's minimal lighting used, with the exemption of this dining table lamp, and they create a cozy atmosphere. Besides, the shōji doors already help filter and allow some light inside.
Here's an opposite view of the living area where the lines from the ceiling and floor extend all the way to the dining and kitchen side. These same lines elongate the space. Since Japanese interiors are known for their minimal use of furnishings, this house adheres to the tradition by only using the necessary pieces of furniture which come in neutral tones.
Far back on the opposite end is the gray brick backsplash by the kitchen counter which conveys a nice contrasting texture and color to the rest of the elements. We also love how they divided the space neatly through the cylindrical wooden column and its adjoining white low wall.
Another desirable part of the house is this reading corner equipped with white-coated wooden shelves occupying an entire side and a wooden bench where you can obviously spend hours reading. The white color of the shelves not only organize the books, but also use them as subjects to decorate an otherwise dreary all-white wall. Meanwhile, a convenient window on the side allows natural light in to keep your sight in good condition, with the help of the hanging light fixture.
One interesting part of Japanese houses is that they have a room which can basically be used for different purposes. This one, for example, can be used as an extended living room, a bedroom, or perhaps as an entertainment room. The exposed beams and column here provide style alongside the adorable industrial-themed light fixtures. If you haphazardly stare at it, the spacious room looks so asymmetrical that the center where the column stands might as well have an encompassing floor-to-ceiling mirror on it. It doesn't have one though and it's cooler that way.
The house includes a backyard to which these remarkably large glass sliding doors open to. From the looks of it, the finely-built fence tells us that careful measurements were made to approximate absolute tranquility in this relaxing area.
Here's a better look at the back terrace that's characterized by the same fine pieces of wood that adorn the interiors. We won't question the quality moment shared by that family just sitting by those well-made steps. In fact, we'd like to be the ones sitting there and marveling at this backyard haven.
If you're interested to see another Japanese-styled house, check out this low budget home that is refreshingly spacious.
