This Home Is A Minimalist Hybrid Of Indoor And Outdoor Spaces

Sarah Tolle – Homify Canada Sarah Tolle – Homify Canada
Kofunaki House, ALTS DESIGN OFFICE ALTS DESIGN OFFICE Eclectic style corridor, hallway & stairs
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The ALTS Design Office architects began this project with the goal of creating a space that instilled a sense of connection with the natural world, and they've done a masterful job at manifesting their vision! In this homify tour, you'll explore a natural, minimalist space that embodies an organic atmosphere everywhere you look, in a home that's been nicknamed the Kofunaki House or small Funaki eco-village. With natural woods in both the ceiling and the floors, as well as a large courtyard that invites enjoyment of the outdoors, it's no wonder these architects have chosen the name of eco-village: this home is built as an interconnected series of separate rooms that all converge at a central plaza – the courtyard. The main sentiment in the construction of this home is one of enrichment; the architects place a strong focus on realizing a rich and engaging space that provides a healthy environment for a family to grow and flourish in their surroundings. 

Most notable about this home's design is the way that these architects have created a hybrid space that blends the indoors with the outdoors, with several rooms enjoying access to the courtyard. This creates a space where you can feel the forest, feel the nature, and enjoy the four seasons no matter where you are in the home.

The Village

In this first image, you can clearly see why the architects have thought of this home as embodying a village character. The interconnected spaces that you see here conduct the family members throughout various parts of the home in an intricate web that's as separate and distinct as it is friendly and social, with open hallways permitting you to see down into multiple living spaces, as well as interior windows that allow a person on the upper floor to peer down into the interior courtyard below.

Dynamic Space

Advancing further into the main floor, you come across a gauzy white curtain that acts as a light and subtle partition between the courtyard and living room areas of the bottom floor. Since the courtyard is actually an entirely enclosed space, there's no need for a heavy glass door or water-tight seal; this curtain is just enough! 

Here, you get a sense that this area has been created as a blank canvas to allow the family to create any sort of lifestyle that suits them – chairs can be placed in the high-ceilinged courtyard area, as shown, or they can choose to spend time on the elevated platform that distinguishes the living room underfoot. Wherever you choose to be, you're surrounded by mentions of nature, as you can see creeping vines curling down from the upper mezzanine, as well as healthy sprouting of young trees in the courtyard.

Luminous Courtyard

Wondering how these clever designers have achieved an outdoor ambience in this interior courtyard space? Look no further than the dazzlingly bright window on the side of the home, which allows plenty of light to flood the space. Not only does this help the plants in the courtyard grow, but it fills the space with a sense of spaciousness and freshness that's usually attributed to an outdoor space – an optical illusion that'll make you look twice at this unique hybrid space.

Intrigued by the way this home blends the natural with the man-made? Have a look at this ideabook, featuring a list of 8 Homes That Coexist with Nature

Communicative Hallways

While most hallways are designed to get you from point A to point B, this hallway has been designed to give you a fresh perspective of a beautiful space! This open design allows you to peer down into the courtyard, enjoying the soft, muddled textures in the grey flooring, the smooth wooden planks that create a walkway of wooden stepping stones, and the rounded pebbles that pick up both the grey and tan tones of their surroundings. 

Devoid of wires, cords, and appliances, this nature-infused room conveys nothing but the utmost sense of peace, acting as a distraction-free area of the home.

If this unique design of wooden stepping stones has got the wheels turning, perhaps you'd like a look at this ideabook, featuring a list of 8 Charming Garden Paths On a Budget!

Open Upper Floor

The upper floor, in a dialogue with the living space below, also uses a light white curtain as a partition to separate open concept rooms in a soft, almost ethereal way. This room is reminiscent of something you'd imagine in a pharaoh's temple in ancient Egypt with its tent-like peak, flowing white curtains, and sandy colored floor. 

A view further into the room reveals another example of how the architects have created an interconnected feeling that draws energy through each room, as there's a window that looks down into the courtyard, as well as a square cut-out in the wall that opens a conversation with the room beyond.

Refreshing Bathroom

This simple, bright bathroom is everything that a bathroom need be! Plants add a lively and refreshing touch against the clean white of the walls, with soft grey tiles on the floor providing a high-quality and waterproof surface for any splashes and drips. Design in a narrow space, the bathroom features an elongated sink and table that press close the wall, accentuating the length of the room without intruding into the narrow standing space.

Night Glow

One last view into the lower floor living room at night shows how the yellow-hued lights of the home create a warm, almost tropical atmosphere, causing you to question whether you're inside a house, or outside in a quiet garden! In the far left, you can view the cozy space that the architects have created by inserting a wooden platform in the space overhead, forming a false ceiling that, along with the brown shelf that partially covers the wide windows, provides more shelter for a more cozy area of the room. 

At night, this natural home seems to glow with soft light, transforming itself into a quiet jungle where you can enjoy the beauty of lush plant life of various shapes and sizes wherever you go.

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