Welcome to our gallery highlighting the exquisite contemporary Zhao House, a home design by Awork.

This modern high rise home, in Taichung, Taiwan was designed for an animal lover with an eye toward high end craftsmanship and quality. Before even settling on a designer, the owner made his highly specific selection of furniture and appliances.

The choices of furniture and especially of audio-visual equipment display a strong preference for modern style and high functionality. The designers took this into consideration when crafting the look of the interior.

Integrating elements of this forward-leaning nature into the space itself, the layout and interplay of distinct elements, the designers were able to craft a bold personality of modern style.

Bespoke, thin stone slabs and oak bark with conspicuously natural patterns appear on walls and flooring throughout, adding a layer of primitive ruggedness to the modern design. This creates the perfect environment for a relatively timeless look.

The ceilings were shaped with sharp-edged geometry in an effort to emphasize the combinations of intersecting lines and dimensions of the overall home design. Taken with the other major surface-level accoutrements, this style philosophy helps echo the style of the furniture.

The spacious open floor plan ties the living room, dining, kitchen, and study into a singular, central area within the home. Being the center of all activities, the broad canvas of flooring not only connects everyday activities; it also provides ample space for the owner’s dog to roam and relax.

Because of the owner’s specific preferences for both rustic-tinted and minimalist style flourishes, the design incorporates copious amounts of natural light.

Natural materials appear in broad sections of the home, on walls or otherwise, setting the tone from any angle. Cast-iron detailing acts as connective tissue while enhancing the sophisticated nature of the home.

The thoroughly streamlined combination of rustic, natural, and high end modern elements make this home a uniquely appealing space to reside.

Photography by Siew Shien Sam / MWphotoinc

The expansive open design leaves plentiful room for the bespoke modern furniture, which was the inspiration for the design in the first place. The living room is flanked on this side by an ornate full-wall bookshelf.

Viewing the entire open space from over the dining table, we see a broad array of textures and tones, united by the themes of natural stone, wood, and sharp edged metallic flourishes. The full height windows spill ample light into the room.

The ceiling is carved into sharp geometric shapes, with embedded lighting spilling down the cut edges. A pair of ultra-modern pendant lights hang above the dining table in foreground.

This close view of the dining table emphasizes the close relationship that natural materials and modern style have in this home. The minimalist design of the table is complemented by the warm wood tone.

The entryway, seen in the left corner, hosts dark stained wood shelving for utility and a warm embrace to visitors. The flat stone wall covers an immense space, making a strong statement in the home.

The dining table hosts both a pair of modern metal framed chairs as well as a lengthy wood bench, upholstered in light brown leather. Above, a lowered ceiling panel glows from within.

The low-slung modern sofa complements the neutral hues of the home, and is backed against an innovative desk design, acting as a room divider within the open floor plan.

The desk design clearly delineates the home office from the living room. Here we see a closer view of the immense wall-size bookshelf, spiked with bursts of orange paneling.

The home office itself features a discreet window bench seat in natural wood, with built-in storage. The lengthy desk houses enough workspace for two people, flanked as it is by a pair of mismatched modern chairs.

The bookshelf is a true centerpiece item within the grand open space, housing an asymmetrical collection of open shelving and closed cabinets from floor to ceiling. The sleek panels in orange and beige add a crucial modern twist to the classic design.

Here we see one of several rest spots for the owner’s dog, a small cubby set into the desk that provides solace and comfort for the animal while the owner is busy.

Viewing straight down the center of the home, we can appreciate the unifying elements of rich natural wood and stone, tying the wide open space together.

The stone wall houses the audio-visual equipment, including the pair of ultra-modern, conical floor speakers in white. These flank the floating media shelf in natural wood, a seamless expression of the design philosophy of this home.

Because so much of the design here stems from the owner’s preferences, we see the inspiration appearing in tangible form across the home. Here, a high end turntable sits below the television, a sharply designed instrument reflecting the values behind the home itself.

The engaging textures of both the flat stone wall and the dark hardwood flooring adds a nuanced touch to the clean lines and sharp design of the architecture. In front of the large windows, a high tech recliner claims attention.

Moving down the hall toward the private areas of the home, we see the muted hardwood flooring continuing unbroken throughout. Splashes of brighter natural wood and sleek white paneling add contrast.

The bedroom is naturally lit via more of the full height windows, at left, and features direct access to the balcony. Both a minimalist desk and sloped storage/end table combination are built into the white paneled wall.

The sleekly modern storage and table combination rises at an angle to accommodate space for the owner’s dog to sleep below, near the window.

In addition to the uniquely cut white panels, the wall features a recessed shelf in natural wood, with lighting built in. The desk at right fits neatly into the minimalist design, lining up perfectly with the storage platform.

The owner wanted his bed, like many other components of the home, to be accessible for the dog. Thus, it’s a low-slung floor mounted design, perfectly of-a-piece with the general style of the home.