Minimalist Japanese House

Sample palette: This is no little-girl pink. Make it even more grown up and sophisticated by pairing it with cool grays and black. Clockwise from top left (from Yolo Colorhouse): Stone.07, Petal.03 and Petal.04, with ebony-stained wood.

The fascia of the house is an imposing box like structure, punctured by large windows and glazed doors to allow bags of light into the modernistic home.

Beyond the entryway a simple hallway unfolds, decorated in gallery white and pinewood, which is seen throughout the rest of the home.

The living room enjoys views out over a wooden garden deck, perfect for barbequing on, to a carpet of lawn beyond.

At the center of the house the architects have designed an atrium where natural illumination floods an open living area that is furnished in neutral tones and limited decorative accessories. The lounge and dining zones are overlooked by a large mezzanine landing to capitalize on the generous height of the dual level room.

The kitchen storage shelves and appliances can be hidden away behind frosted glass doors, to maintain the calm and uncluttered atmosphere of the rest of the interior once the cooking is done.

The bedroom schemes continue in the same uncomplicated fashion as the reception areas, evoking a cool and relaxing feel.

Out on the mezzanine the home office area is combined with an open plan closet; the two areas are divided by stepped modern shelving to define the zones without obscuring the flow between the two spaces.