A young family of four envisioned a modern interior design that would be both cohesive and transformative. Their brief encompassed the complete interior build-out and furnishings, along with custom kitchen planning, a comprehensive strategy for colour, materials, and lighting, plus expert guidance on integrating art throughout the home. When interior designer Barbara Middel first met with the family, she quickly identified a critical issue: the planned floor layout needed refinement. Though the entrance had been generously proportioned, it lacked meaningful storage—something every family needs. Middel proposed an elegant solution: expanding the home by 65 cm. The architect filed a supplementary building permit, establishing the foundation for proper storage allocation. The designer realized this primarily through a bespoke wardrobe system stretching across the entire west facade and soaring into the 6.90-metre-high void of the dressing room. It delivers abundant storage while reinforcing the home's minimalist aesthetic. The white lacquered unit features an integrated door providing seamless access to the double garage. An open, illuminated shelf with a mirrored backing punctuates the façade and echoes the void's window, while vertical light lines embedded in shadow gaps emphasize the dramatic height. A delicate suspended luminaire adds a refined accent to the soaring space. Adjacent stands a 5-metre oak bench—also storage-equipped—that visually extends another 2 metres toward the guest bath, separated by satin glass. Layered with textural furs and vibrant cushions, it anchors the generous entrance while doubling as a playroom the children love.

Middel grounded her colour and material strategy in the family's desire for seamless polished screed flooring, which flows throughout the ground floor and harmonizes with light, hand-brushed oak. Two shallow steps mark the threshold between living and dining zones—a purposeful transition articulated through a material shift introducing raw steel into the palette. The tunnel fireplace sits flush within this threshold, its dark lime-rendered surface creating visual continuity while functioning as both spatial divider and, when flames glow inside, an unexpected focal point that unites the space. This dialogue between cool and warm surfaces permeates the entire home. Recognizing lighting's profound impact on spatial atmosphere, Middel distributed asymmetrical white LED recessed fixtures throughout—their geometry nearly dissolves into the ceiling plane while walls bounce light back into the room, creating a luminous backdrop that showcases the modern art to striking effect.

www.barbaramiddel.de

Photography Credits:

Daniel Stauch
www.danielstauch.com

(Published in CUBE Stuttgart 02|22)