A Quiet World of Pure Contours
In a realm untouched by color, where the resonance and meaning of reality are not conveyed through hues, everyday objects become unfamiliar. This shift invites us to appreciate the interplay of light and shadow contours through a fresh perspective.
Grey: The Shared Shadow of Black and White
This design emphasizes simplicity by minimizing the complexity of colors and maintaining the fundamental binary logic of black and white. Guided by the owners’ preference, Water Phase Design advocates for spatial tones that align with the artistic language of monochrome painting—where colors take a back seat to contours, textures, and the three-dimensional effects shaped by light and shadow.
Refining color is not limited to stark black and white contrasts. It requires creating nuanced gray zones in between, much like Picasso’s black-and-white portrait “Mary Theresa, Front and Side,” where layers of gray blend seamlessly to express shadows across moving surfaces. These simple tones soothe complex forms, inviting appreciation for subtle details. Grayscale thus becomes a minimalist yet evocative interpretation of reality.
Black: The Color that Best Represents the Purity of Light
Black anchors the space, expressing texture and tension. A four-meter-long dining table with a natural volcanic rock surface runs through the public area. The sparse, raw texture of the mineral rock stands out against a clean, monochrome backdrop. This strong black element disrupts conventional spatial arrangement by creating a visual center that connects the window-facing reading nook near the entrance to the bedroom axis at the opposite end, allowing fluid movement on both sides of the layout. Beneath the table, a subtle touch of Burgundy red introduces a cold yet vivid dramatic tension—a fleeting momentum in an otherwise serene environment.
Extending from this dominant black, the matte black VIPP kitchen stands on a 90-degree axis with its pure facade. Its furniture contours continue the dialogue of black elements throughout the open space. Various textures of black are layered and combined—dark mist black, burnt black, primitive rough black, fine hairline black, cold hard black, and creamy rich black. Once merely shadows in paintings, these textures now purify color while liberating black from its limitations. The sunlight refracting on their surfaces animates the shadows with rhythmic variations in intensity.
White: The Gentle Reflection of Vast Silence
The gray-white wall extending along the dining area, perpendicular to the main plane, creates soft shadows with its loosely spaced cut lines. This is complemented by a ceiling system in matching tones, including gray handmade painted beams and columns, along with an expansive beige floor area. These pale elements stand opposite the black features, offering not pure white but nuanced interpretations of light on the canvas. They introduce richer layers between the binary opposites of black and white, light and dark, blending harmoniously with the contours of the space.
Life unfolds as a continuous scroll of memories woven through everyday moments. Even within a high-contrast black-and-white home, materials can enhance the subtlety of monochrome tones, creating endless depth and timelessness. Layers of varying gray soften the sharpness of black and white, akin to shadows of different lengths and intensities captured at various moments within a single image, blending seamlessly into the tenderness essential for real life.
△ Conceptual Design
△ Plan View
Project Information
Space Design: Li Zhixiang / Water Phase Design
Owner: Mr. Huang
Type: Residential
Location: Taiwan
Indoor Area: 264 m²
Layout: Living room, dining room, kitchen, master bedroom, secondary bedroom, balcony, bathroom
Design Period: March 2019 – July 2019
Construction Period: October 2019 – June 2020
Main Materials: Black iron baking paint, gray handmade paint, white handmade paint, black-dyed oak solid wood veneer, white-dyed horizontal wood veneer, oak solid wood flooring, dark stone
Photography: Li Guomin Space Photography Office
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