Having a contemporary, minimalist inspired home set amongst aged stone walls and near the Great Wall of China is something else, isn’t it? This new project by the Beijing based MDDM Studio called for an extension of a house, transforming a nearby storage unit (for the fruit trees of the village) into multi-level, sleek and modernistic living space.
The extension is connected to the main house by a short tunnel, some structural alterations were made to allow an abundance of natural light to penetrate into the premises, but most of the original stone walls were preserved to give textural, warm context to the modern space flow. The dynamic play of levels, steps, and smooth surfaces allow the simple furniture shapes and restrained color palette to stand out.
The open floor plan of the main living premises connects the freestanding and trendy black silhouette of the kitchen island with the dining zone and, in a sink-in level, the inviting sitting area. The sleek entwinement of concrete ceilings, white plaster, and lacquer surfaces and black accents is balanced by the warmer presence of decorative wooden panels, timber clad partitions and original stone constructs. The layering of the house’s composition is enhanced by different levels in the ceilings configurations and the partial walls and angles throughout this dynamic modern ambiance.
The colors’ selection is also minimal, fresh and modernistic- black and white are framing different nuances of gray and beige, and the stone and wooden insertions introduce a warmer hue. The large panoramic windows framing one of the walls in the main social area give a gallery exhibition-like vibe to the long sequence of functional zones. The elegant and fashionable shapes of furniture and appliances – including the freestanding and suspended fireplace cone and the expressive, jet black kitchen island- stand out on the smooth and minimalist backdrop of the decor composition.
The two bedrooms and their adjoining bathrooms offer warmer and richer in a textural sense feel without compromising with the minimalist aesthetic of the decor scheme. Trendy and futuristic lighting installations with flexible lamps give additional luminosity to the dynamic layering of the design.
