10 of Japan’s most cleverly designed homes

“This apartment isn’t a bespoke standalone house, but a standard 1970s 3LDK apartment made radical,” Giraldeau tells the BBC. The acronym LDK – living, dining, kitchen – describes the open-plan format that became standard during Japan’s postwar urbanisation, with the number denoting bedrooms. Mass-produced for a booming urban workforce, these units are ubiquitous and often generic. Design firm Roovice creates individuality and zoning by using colour, exposed concrete, flexible lighting, custom storage and a cobalt-blue floor strip. “The canon of Japanese interiors is material-led, not colour-led,” Giraldeau explains. “Here, colour is structural rather than decorative – it organises movement, connects rooms, and turns a standard unit into something personal.”