Houzz

Once the sole preserve of rustic agricultural buildings, the humble barn door has been elevated in recent years and we’ve seen it cropping up in homes across Houzz. If you like the idea of using one in your own home, here are some sliding barn door ideas to inspire you.

Homes with Striking Architectural Features and How They Can Inspire Your Next Project. See just some of the many ways in which good design can give your home a striking creative twist.

‘You shall go to the ball’ fantasies pretty much have to feature a sweeping staircase – with the house naturally of the proportions and style to match. Beautiful materials and arresting forms give these designs the wow factor.

A range of techniques are available to designers connecting or separating spaces both inside and outside your home: walls, doors, windows and level changes can be effective architectural devices

Newsflash! Window frames really don’t have to be painted white all of the time! If black feels too harsh, especially against a white painted exterior, go for a dark and moody heritage shade that has other tones in it, too

A staircase will always play a starring role in the look of a home, so be captivated by these stunners. These spectacular staircases show the design possibilities in contemporary homes, as well as in modern extensions to older properties.

Considering a sliding door in your home? Take a look at these hardworking examples. They can be the unsung hero in a room scheme, freeing up valuable floor space, sliding away discretely when not in use and allowing greater connectivity between rooms when required

Check out these clever ideas for finding extra space around your home for everything from storage to another sleep area.

Glazed doors will open up a home, transforming its look and blurring the boundary between inside and out, but which type should you pick?

Why don’t we give our ceilings the attention we give our walls and floors when designing a room? Be inspired to think differently…

French windows never go out of fashion, and for good reason. They’re a natural way to create continuity between your interior and exterior. The best ones make even a modest garden seem ultra-inviting, plus they let the light flow in and add character and romance to an ordinary room.

Are you looking for ways to modernise your Victorian or period home? This pretty London terrace, home to interior designer Holly Canham and her family, is packed with clever ideas on how to modernise an older property

Article about connecting your interior to the garden using a room: how to rework the traditional conservatory. A lean-to glazed dining area can link a kitchen to the garden. Consistent flooring and joinery detailing can assist connection.

A terraced property can be short on natural light, so be creative and discover ways to brighten your interior. With windows only at the front and back of the property, the middle section of a terraced house or flat can sometimes appear gloomy.

Add-ons giving larger, more open kitchen spaces with loads of light and great garden views are transforming homes.

Where once kitchens were small spaces to be concealed, people now love to have large, open cook spaces that form an important part of living.

Although style periods never have fixed beginnings and ends and tend to overlap into other movements, the Tudor period is generally agreed to have taken place between the late 15th century, with the accession of Henry VII to the throne in 1485, and the end of Elizabeth I’s rule in 1603.

The following projects explore these boundaries in some thought-provoking and controversial ways. Some might argue they’re unsafe or take unnecessary risks. But the very nature of architecture is that it challenges us to see the world differently.