Dark wood floors have been popular for the last few years, but it's more rare to see a dark wood ceiling. This house in Japan by Yashima Architects incorporates wood paneled ceilings, stained with the same dark molasses color as the floors...

The effect highlights the angles of the home, particularly in the spaces with vaulted ceilings. Some areas, such as hallways, incorporate standard white ceilings as a pause between spaces. Although wood paneling tends to darken a room, the wood grain in these photos actually seems to reinforce the vertical lines of the roof. The white walls (punctuated by windows that frame the landscape) seem to recede into the distance. For more information and photos from the Hayama House, click here.

Photos: Yashima Architects