7 home projects with colourful structural elements - Grand Designs Magazine

7 home projects with colourful structural elements

Explore 7 self-builds and renovations, each with a different colourful element included in its design.

By Hugh Metcalf | 6 July 2020

These self-builds and renovations all have something in common – bold colour has been used on a key structural element to bring personality to their project.

mulroy architects muswell hill grand designs TV house - home improvements

Image: Fraser Marr 

Where there’s an opportunity to remodel or self-build a home entirely, many homeowners opt for a simple, neutral colour palette to best showcase the architecture. However, even with this modern aesthethic in mind, there’s certainly a way for colour to elevate an architectural space.

These 7 projects have each used colour to highlight a key structural element, not only creating a feature that brings something different to the space, but also adding a sense of fun and joy which means these homes can’t help but make you smile.

Staircase

Grand designs TV house with yellow metal staircase

Image: Fraser Marr 

In Mulroy Architects’ Haringey House project, featured on Grand Designs in 2017, a bright yellow staircase creates a central focal point at the heart of the house, made bespoke from laser-cut metal sheets. You can read more about this project in the August issue of Grand Designs Magazine.

Watch the episode: Haringey House, Mulroy Architects

These self-builds and renovations all have something in common – bold colour has been used on a key structural element to bring personality to their project.

mulroy architects muswell hill grand designs TV house - home improvements

Image: Fraser Marr 

Where there’s an opportunity to remodel or self-build a home entirely, many homeowners opt for a simple, neutral colour palette to best showcase the architecture. However, even with this modern aesthethic in mind, there’s certainly a way for colour to elevate an architectural space.

These 7 projects have each used colour to highlight a key structural element, not only creating a feature that brings something different to the space, but also adding a sense of fun and joy which means these homes can’t help but make you smile.

Staircase

Grand designs TV house with yellow metal staircase

Image: Fraser Marr 

In Mulroy Architects’ Haringey House project, featured on Grand Designs in 2017, a bright yellow staircase creates a central focal point at the heart of the house, made bespoke from laser-cut metal sheets. You can read more about this project in the August issue of Grand Designs Magazine.

Watch the episode: Haringey House, Mulroy Architects

Image: Adam Scott

Structural beams

As part of the Poulsom Middlehurst’s work in renovating this two bedroom masionette in Hackney, a central load-bearing wall was removed to allow an open plan living and kitchen area overlooking the garden, however, the resulting structural beam was left exposed, and coloured in a vibrant green to make a statement feature within this invigorating space.

External doors

exterior of white rabbit house by gundry + drucker with green crittall doors - grand designs

Image: Andrew Meredith

The White Rabbit House by Gundry + Ducker uses an intriguing mixture of texture and colour throughout the lower floor restoration, including terrazzo, which can be seen on the exterior extension and flooring, and a forest green, which makes up many of the key features of the space, including the kitchen cabinetry and the exterior glazed doors.

Ceiling

conservatory room with green grid ceiling - home improvements - grand designs

Image: Joseph Carr

This conservatory room by David Leech Architects uses a simple, but effective structural design for the ceiling to create a focal point for an otherwise minimal space. Intersecting beams have been left exposed to create shallow coffers, painted in green, which also accomodate one large and 3 smaller roof lights in a loose constellation.

Front door

family architects black timber house - home improvements - grand designs

Image: Family Studio 

With an internal space of 56 sqm, this two-bedroom house by Family Architects in Belfast has given new purpose to a former brownfield site known for antisocial behaviour. Clad in black larch, a vibrant yellow front door plays up this simplified, classic ‘house’ shape.

Windows

exterior of quirky house with cladding and arch yellow frame window - grand designs - home improvements

Image: FRENCH+TYE

Briefed with creating a child-friendly house, Office S&M’s renovation of this home in Ealing brings a playfulness to proceedings, even from the exterior. Cedar shingle cladding and arched windows in an energetic yellow make this an eye-catching home from outside, and the frames make a dynamic addition to the interiors of the property too.

Extension

Blue Tile House extension by beasley dickson - home improvements - grand designs

Image: Agnese Sanvito

An unusual cladding choice for an extension, this project by Beasley Dickson has a faceted facade inspired by Victorian faience, tiled in a cerulean blue.

Considering a colourful structural element in your build? Share your thoughts with us by tweeting us @granddesigns or post a comment on our Facebook page.

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