Business on the Outside, Party on the Inside: The Fun House in Kamnik, Slovenia by Alto Design Studio.

From the street, the Fun House gives absolutely nothing away. It’s a newly built, three-storey family home with a gable roof, sitting politely among neighbours of similar size and materials on the edge of Kamnik, a small town in Slovenia. Very well-mannered.

Inside, however, is another story.

Alto Design Studio, led by Nina and Mirza Eminagić, tagged the project as “fun” from day one—the clients were open to bold design choices and wanted a lounge and game room in the mix. The young couple both work from home, cook, exercise, love a home cinema session and entertain often. That’s a lot of living for 240 square metres, so the studio gave each level its own job while keeping the whole house visually connected.

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The exuberant components and bold shades work in perceptible and vibrant tension with the existing architecture, without diminishing it.

The ground floor is almost entirely open, loosely zoned into foyer, living room, and kitchen and dining. Instead of walls, a bright curtain marks one edge and a Yves Klein blue fireplace holds the centre—exactly the kind of confident move I wish more homeowners would sign off on. A full-length sliding window opens the entire level to the terrace and backyard.

Upstairs is quieter and more private, with home offices, bedrooms and the main bathroom lined along a hallway. I love that the hallway doesn’t simply end—it widens towards the upper terrace to form a second living and reading area.

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The three level home showcases a playful exploration of the architectural language and a complete disregard for geometric symmetry.

The basement is where things get even more interesting. The starting point was a subterranean white box with two small windows set high in the wall—hardly the stuff of dreams. Thankfully, the clients said yes to the studio’s full palette: blue liquid linoleum underfoot, walls lined in teal moiré fabric wallpaper, and a billiard table in dusty pink felt. A rug and a run of low cupboards doubling as a bench layer checks and stripes over all that colour blocking. The room is fully sound insulated and fitted with loudspeakers, so the neighbours need never know.

A smart home system and energy recovery ventilation run throughout, keeping the practical side firmly in hand. What I appreciate most is the tension between a house that behaves itself on the street and lets loose behind the front door. More clients like these, please!

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[Images courtesy of Alto Design Studio. Photography by Ana Skobe.]