Old wooden beams as an accent in a Japanese guest house

This time we present you an extraordinary project from Japan, in which old wooden beams worked very well as a highlight in the interior design during the renovation of a 120 year old guest house. Located near Nijo Castle in Kyoto, the building combines traditional architectural elements with modern accents. Thanks go to “td-Atelier”, a Japanese architecture firm that did a fascinating job. The interior design relies on visible old wooden beams that bring a certain warmth to the rooms. The wood paneling and the modern designed staircase add to the contemporary decor. A Japanese garden expands the outdoor area and creates a zen atmosphere.

Old wooden beams are present in every living room

When renovating the “Khaki Guest House”, the architects Tada Masaharu and Endo Shojiro relied on the coexistence of old and new elements. In addition, the abstract paintings on the doors are among the masterpieces of the artist Misaki Yurina. Characteristic of Japanese architecture, there are sliding doors in the house, which accordingly separate different rooms from one another.

Mainly, however, there are old wooden beams made of dark oak in contrast to the light wooden elements in the rooms. Another impressive highlight is the modern and minimalist wooden staircase, which combines two different materials to create a combination of cold and warmth. This created an alliance of steel and wood, which gives the interior a slightly industrial and trendy look. Furthermore, the white support next to the stairs actually works as a toilet at the same time. In the immediate vicinity is the dining room, which is also furnished in Japanese style with furniture made of solid wood. These furnishings offer an incomparable cosiness and, above all, combine tradition with modernity.

As you can already see, the “Khaki” guest house is full of surprises. So let’s discover another unusual detail that seems to play the role of a connection between the two rooms on the second floor. The same is a peculiar steel bridge that was accordingly installed during the renovation of the building. We also notice old wooden beams and still sliding doors, which we can almost consider to be the heart of the house.

During the tour we told you a few words about the garden of the Japanese guest house that adorns the outdoor area. The house also has another roof garden, which you can see in the photo in the example above.

The “Khaki” guest house viewed from the outside

Old wooden beams on the ceiling in one of the bedrooms

The dining room glorifies solid wood

Sliding door and minimalist wooden stairs

The Japanese garden creates the zen ambience

The steel bridge connects the two chambers

Pictures of the house before the renovation

Project plan

*Architecture office: td studio