Smart Casual: Exploring Latvia’s Nature-Inspired Private House








Explore Smart Casual, a private house by Labs Dizains in Cēsis, Latvia, envisioned in 2023. This modern home seamlessly blends nature with innovative architecture and interior design. With three levels following the terrain’s contours and large windows inviting sunlight, the design emphasizes open spaces and natural materials. The heart of the house, a cozy fireplace, connects kitchen, living areas, and an outdoor hot tub, creating a perfect harmony between indoor comfort and the beauty of the Gauja valley.






A cozy, modern cabin in an autumn forest, with a wood deck, chairs, and a fireplace.



A sleek, modern entryway with minimalist design details, clean lines, and a concrete accent piece.




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A modern, minimalist living room with a concrete coffee table and lush, potted plant.



Minimalist living room with large window, plush furniture, and abstract accent pieces.



A sleek, modern black slatted screen frames a wooden credenza with a sculptural vase.




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Sleek, modern kitchen design featuring black cabinetry, integrated lighting, and natural wood accents.



Sleek, modern dining space with floor-to-ceiling windows offering scenic woodland views.



Minimal bedroom with dark paneled walls, recessed lighting, and a clean, modern corridor.



Cozy modern bedroom with textured wall panels, gray curtains, and floor-to-ceiling windows.



Minimalist bathroom vanity with white countertop, black fixtures, and expansive window overlooking forest.



A minimalist bathroom with a black and white color scheme, wall-mounted shelves, and a sleek shower enclosure.



Modern minimalist bathroom with sleek black fixtures, freestanding basin, and large glass window.


About Smart Casual

Embracing Nature in Every Corner

At the heart of Cēsis, Latvia, the Smart Casual project by Labs Dizains redefines living spaces. Designed in 2023, this private house holds nature, innovation, and harmony as its pillars. Spread over three levels, it adapts to the Gauja valley’s landscape, ensuring every room has a distinct connection with the outdoors. The central fireplace ties the kitchen, living room, and an inviting terrace together, promoting a communal living experience while maintaining privacy in the two bedrooms, each with its en-suite bathroom.

Seamless Interior Design Meets Functional Layout

Labs Dizains goes beyond traditional interior design, creating a space where architecture and nature coalesce. Large sash windows without curtains allow uninterrupted views and sunlight, blurring the lines between inside and out. Transparency is a key theme, seen in the kitchen island’s openwork lattice design, seemingly levitating above the floor, embodying the house’s airy essence. Furniture reaches maximum height, preserving the ceiling’s clean lines and integrating naturally with the Baltic-sourced finishing materials.

Sustainable Materials and Subtle Elegance

The house features eco-friendly lime plaster from Italy on walls and ceilings, achieving a seamless effect without visible seams. This choice enhances the uniform horizon line, despite the non-standard geometric structure of the building, including varying floor levels and sloping ceilings. The kitchen island and customized storage solutions were designed early, anticipating the future needs of a family while perfectly serving the current occupant’s dynamic lifestyle.

The integration of natural tones across the interior—browns, greys, muted greens, and black accents—alongside the lack of curtains, complements the seasonal landscape. Advanced wireless lighting controls offer a personalized ambiance, highlighting the sophisticated yet functional furniture designed to “levitate,” enhancing the space’s fluidity.

A Living Breath of Sustainability and Privacy

Innovation extends to the building’s architecture, shaped by the land and preserving every tree and shrub during landscaping. The Smart Casual home exemplifies a passive house, featuring solar panels, a heat pump, and an efficient heat recovery ventilation system, mirroring the project’s commitment to sustainability. Outdoor blinds, cleverly concealed within the facade, ensure privacy, prioritizing minimalism and environmental integration. This project is a testament to Labs Dizains’ vision of creating a space where design meets nature, offering a timeless living experience.

Photography courtesy of Labs Dizains
Visit Labs Dizains


– by Matt Watts



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