Kim Kardashian and Kanye West Insist Their "Futuristic Monastery" Is Perfect for Their Kids

Architectural Digest's latest cover features what appears to be a standard curved staircase, but it's actually Kanye West and Kim Kardashian's house, though fans probably wouldn't be able to connect the over-the-top reality star to the stark, modern abode. Without the trappings of her sisters' extravagant homes, Kardashian's pad, probably thanks to West's discerning eye, appears to be a museum more than a place the family calls home. However, Kardashian explains that while it looks like a spaceship out of an SNL sketch, it's designed so that the kids can do their thing.

"We passed by this incredibly extravagant house while strolling through the neighborhood. I'd just had North, and we were doing a lot of walking so I could work off some of the baby fat," Kardashian told AD, which has an entire photo gallery of the place, of her first impression. "I didn't really know Kanye's style at that point, but I thought the house was perfection. Kanye was less enthusiastic. He said, 'It's workable.'"

West describes the austere design as a "futuristic Belgian monastery," and the AD spread is proof of it, with no colors other than white, beige, and grey, and plenty of curved lines and wide-open space. It may look cold, but West insists that it's not. In fact, they're welcome to get up on the furniture and ride their scooters inside.

"The kids ride their scooters down the hallways and jump around on top of the low Axel tables, which they use as a kind of stage," West said. "This house may be a case study, but our vision for it was built around our family."

"When I was growing up in Chicago, before the internet, I'd go to my local Barnes & Noble to check out Architectural Digest and other design magazines, along with the fashion and rap titles,” he continued. "My father encouraged me. He always had graph paper around for me to scribble on."

And while the house looks serious, West assures everyone that it's not just for show. Everything is meant to be lived in and enjoyed.

"Everything we do is an art installation and a playroom," he said.