The white wooden house that's charming and warm

Leigh Leigh
平井の家, 株式会社kotori 株式会社kotori Modern houses
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Today, we are going to visit Japan and figure out how design professionals Kotori managed to build the most simple home with the most stylish results.

With a combination of light wood with white tones, this home is bright, cheerful, practical and charming. It envelopes visitors in its natural, earthy colours and warm ambiance. 

This project is also a wonderful example of how things are not always as they seem. Architects and designers have the ability to play with the space available to them, creating a different layers and levels throughout their building creation. The results are quite surprising!

Simple and stylish

From this angle, we can see that the home is single-storey with a very neatly packed design and warm, subtle and neutral colours including a white plastered wall, grey roof and light, wooden finishes. 

The interior of the home spills out onto a charming terrace thanks to the large glass sliding doors that we see throughout the facade. This connects the interior and the exterior spaces, resulting in a home that feels that much bigger and more spacious.

We can see that the surrounds of the home are also very minimalist and functional, with the designers choosing a simple green tree and a pile of wood to enhance the design. This is a great example of how less is more.

Cozy interiors

The interior of the home is very charming and warm with beautiful, light wood used throughout. The use of wood creates a cocoon-like effect, enveloping visitors in warmth and charm.

The light wooden floors and finishes work in harmony with the white walls and the natural light that flows into the home. We can see that the interiors feel very charming and light, which makes it seem that much more spacious and expansive.

For the evening, the designers have invested in beautiful and trendy lamps and dimming lights. This provides enough light for functional purposes, while creating a homely ambiance.

Open spaces

The interior of the home is open plan, with the kitchen, dining room and living room flowing into one another. This adds to the space perception.

The kitchen is partially separated from the rest of the living area thanks to a gorgeous and functional kitchen island—a great design tip! It also provides the room with extra surface space for cooking and preparing food as well as extra storage space for kitchen items. 

Have a look at these kitchen islands to treasure for inspiration for your own home!

A cozy living room

The living room is very stylish and functional, achieving that fine balance between the two concepts.

The designers have introduced grey tones into this space, which are elegant and sophisticated without drawing away from the homeliness of the neutral colour palette. A lightweight glass coffee table adds a contemporary and modern touch to the space.

The focal point, however, is the fireplace. This is a great example of how a functional item can double up as a decor item. It brings a charming, country-style touch to the very sleek and minimalist home.

The beautiful terrace

If we head back outside, onto the terrace, we can see that it has been furnished with a comfortable and cozy hammock. This is the perfect spot for relaxing with a good book or enjoying an afternoon nap.

While the designers had the option of furnishing this space with a full-on dining room table and chairs or outdoor living room furniture, they've chosen instead to go the simple route, which is very characteristic of Japanese design. This is very effective!

Star light, star bright

In the evening, we can see how the lighting contributes to a beautiful and stylish home, illuminating the clean lines and the simple details of the architecture and design.

Your outdoor lighting is very important for any modern home, ensuring that guests can find their way to the door in the evening. It also allows the kids to play in the garden in the safety of light, even after the sun has gone down.

Lastly, as we've already mentioned, lighting enhances the look and feel of the home.

Have a look at these outdoor lighting ideas for modern houses for inspiration!

A whole new home

From this side, the home takes on a whole new look and feel! Do you see what we mean about playing with space to create different perceptions?

This side of the home looks slightly more grand, extending over two storeys. This side of the home is slightly more private, even though the windows still allow a connection between the interior and exterior spaces.

The entrance to the home is under cover and well-lit, ensuring guests and family members receive a warm welcome when they visit. This is very important!

Have a look at these 15 simple ways to create an inviting entrance to your home.

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