![This apartment in Taiwan was renovated in a moody grey color palette, and the basement space was refreshed to make it functional This apartment in Taiwan was renovated in a moody grey color palette, and the basement space was refreshed to make it functional](https://i.digsdigs.com/2020/08/01-This-apartment-in-Taiwan-was-renovated-in-a-moody-grey-color-palette-and-the-basement-space-was-refreshed-to-make-it-functional-775x436.jpg)
This apartment in Taiwan was renovated in a moody grey color palette, and the basement space was refreshed to make it functional
This apartment, named House H, is set within a residential block in Taipei’s Shilin district and is occupied by a family of four. The neglected basement of this dwelling has been overhauled by KC Design Studio to feature a series of greyscale rooms and an indoor courtyard.
The studio decided to carve several openings into the basement’s ceiling. One large rectangular opening towards the front of the basement allows sunlight to stream down from the windows on the ground-floor facade. This opening also accommodates a staircase that connects the apartment’s two floors. An L-shaped opening has then been made in the ceiling at the rear of the basement, topped with gridded metal sheeting so that air can circulate from the ground floor above. The area directly beneath the opening has been fronted with glass to form an indoor courtyard. Inside, it’s filled with an array of leafy green plants and a small chinaberry tree. The thick foliage acts as a natural privacy screen between the daughter and the son’s bedrooms, which have been relocated to the basement.
Elsewhere at basement level is the apartment’s kitchen, living area, laundry room and additional wash facilities. The ground floor now largely acts as a master bedroom suite for the parents, complete with its own walk-in-wardrobe. There is also a prayer room for the family at this level. A moody color palette has been applied throughout the home. Walls have been loosely rendered with grey plaster and a majority of the floor has been poured over with concrete. Almost all of the lighting fixtures are black, apart from a row of metal pendant lamps that dangle above the dining table. Slate-colored cabinetry features in the kitchen behind.
![The material palette is simple, with concrete, stone and metal, all of them are in dark and the lamps are dark, too The material palette is simple, with concrete, stone and metal, all of them are in dark and the lamps are dark, too](https://i.digsdigs.com/2020/08/02-The-material-palette-is-simple-with-concrete-stone-and-metal-all-of-them-are-in-dark-and-the-lamps-are-dark-too.jpg)
The material palette is simple, with concrete, stone and metal, all of them are in dark and the lamps are dark, too
![The spaces are vast, the materials and furniture create a cohesive look and the views are focused on the inner courtyard The spaces are vast, the materials and furniture create a cohesive look and the views are focused on the inner courtyard](https://i.digsdigs.com/2020/08/03-The-spaces-are-vast-the-materials-and-furniture-create-a-cohesive-look-and-the-views-are-focused-on-the-inner-courtyard-775x479.jpg)
The spaces are vast, the materials and furniture create a cohesive look and the views are focused on the inner courtyard