This is an apartment for a couple without children. One is a psychiatrist and the other is an accountant. The couple's intention was to integrate the spaces as possible, preserving the two bedrooms – one for the couple and the other as an office.
We were faced with the challenge of demolishing as the apartment's original walls as possible, so that there was complete integration between the living rooms and kitchen. In the original plan of the property, the kitchen, with generous square footage, had independent access to the common hall on the building's floor and was connected to a service area and bedroom with a service bathroom. Everything was demolished to expand living room and create an island in kitchen, leaving laundry area with just enough space to meet the couple's routine. The reform was radical. Little remained of the original property, with the exception of the parquet floor which was covered by a wooden laminate. We removed all the existing laminate and restored the original herringbone sucupira wood block, which is a major highlight of the project.
In the private area, the apartment only had one bathroom, facing a common circulation area for the two bedrooms. We divided the bathroom in two, creating a toilet for the living room and a suite for the couple's bedroom. For the second bedroom, we designed a carpentry that would be versatile as a home office and could also receive guests.
As it is an old property, practically everything has been changed. All wiring was replaced to include new circuits, now with automation and sound. As the couple's intention was to be able to receive friends and without worrying about the noise that could disturb the neighbors, we removed the parquet floors, applied acoustic insulation to the subfloor and relocated the parquet floors again. All frames were redone, now standardized and with noise protection. Hidden drains were built in the bathrooms, hydraulic points were redone to accommodate the new mixers and the addition of a basin for the toilet. Gas pipes, diversions of water points for the kitchen and laundry area and a hood exhaust system in the kitchen were also part of the project.
The final aesthetic of the project is very eclectic. We always try to understand the particular tastes of the family that will live in the space we are designing and it was no different with them. The couple really liked specific elements from several different styles. There is a mix of classic elements, as the boiseries applied to the walls, but contrast with the geometric paintings on the walls and ceilings. The furniture is contemporary but contrasts with the original wooden flooring. The colors are vibrant and strong, there is an explosion of blue covering the walls and allowing total integration between living rooms and kitchen. In the bathroom, marbled porcelain tiles in coffee tones contrast with a black granite countertop and a rustic brushed finish. In the suite bathroom we did the opposite: the countertop is in white polished quartz and contrasts with the rustic green hydraulic tile floor.
In the bedroom, the walls with boiseries moldings and low-relief cabinet doors are contrasted by a geometric green painting that goes beyond the headboard wall to the ceiling and side walls. In all environments there is always a mix of styles, including classic, rustic and retro, and as a result the combination predominates in contemporary style.
The starting point was defining the layout, and how the new spaces would be distributed in the house. By optimizing each square meter of the apartment and defining uses and circulation, everything else became easier to design.
The recovery of the bat revealed after removing the wood laminate covering that covered it. The initial difficulty was having to remove the floorboard without damaging it to prepare the acoustic insulation on the subfloor and subsequently reinstall the wood. There was also a need to expand the settlement area and find the same wood to make the complement.
There is a wide combination of coating materials. Marbled porcelain tiles used on the TV panel and covering washing walls; more neutral porcelain tiles covering the kitchen floors and bathroom walls of the suite; and hydraulic tiles on the walls of the laundry area and floor of the suite's bathroom. On the kitchen island and on the living room wall we used an ecological coating, three-dimensional panels from Arkos. These are produced from ecological reforestation wood, HPDE (high-density polypropylene, non-toxic and flame retardant) and additives to increase the durability of the composition. On the countertops in the kitchen and bathroom of the suite we used Silestone White Storm quartz. The wash bench is carved from brushed black São Gabriel granite.
Team:
Architects: Ricardo Abreu Architects
Project Team: Camila Kogima, Danilo Iadocicco, Fernanda Souza, Gabriel Tavares and Marcos Neves.
Photographer: Grutz Photography
Materials Used:
Living and dining room
Existing and restored sucupira hardwood flooring
TV room panel made of plasterboard panels and covered with Portobello Porcelain
Gray textured panel applied to the wall and door of the intimate circulation, by Arkos
Boiseries on the walls, by Gart
Romam Sofa by Ilustre
TV rack – DOTS #2 multifunctional unit, DOTS #2 living room shelf and Fold G and Fold M wall-mounted tray are from FStudio
Lapa armchair, by Alexandre Kasper
Side table in steel and stone top by Botik Home
Lótus Oval dining table covered in walnut veneer, Serafina chairs and Nô bench are from Fernando Jaeger
Vases and sculptures, cushions and blanket from Botik Home
Painting supported on the bench, blue work supported on the TV rack are by DS Visuals (Dri Ferraz and Sandra Galvão) by Botik Home
Footers are from Santa Luzia
The carpet entitled Dom Pedro is the creation of Ricardo Abreu Arquitetos, developed by By Kamy, and is part of the Urban Rugs series made up of 7 different examples.
Samsung TV
Floor sculpture (bear holding a balloon) by Botik Home
Sound and Automation by Cttech Service with Sonoff equipment
Technical lighting by Electroforça
Amorim blinds, by Ogden Persianas
Silenzio frames
Floor lamp next to the sofa is from Tok Stok
Photography on the dining room wall is Bubblle, by Gabriela Drewes and Lucía Dalel
The pendant was purchased on Ali Express
The bar objects resting on the tray fixed to the wall are from Botik Home
Kitchen and service area
Kitchen back wall covering in porcelain tiles by Portobello
Service area walls covered in Rochebeton hydraulic tiles
All bespoke joinery was carried out by MPA Rocha
Cosentino Silestone White Storm countertops benefited by Gran Ramos
Production objects on countertops: Botik Home
Metals are from Bela Metais
Cuba by Tramontina
Samsung, Electrolux, Panasonic and Brastemp household appliances
Rinnai gas flow heater
Double bedroom
Headboard upholstered in natural leather by Scheneidermann
Brass bedside tables and lamp with natural quartz base are from Botik Home
Box box bed is from Mattress One
Bed linen is from Casa Moisés by M Martan
Toilet
Box executed by Silvestre Vidros
Floor and wall coverings are porcelain tiles from Portobello
Mirror on countertop is from Lattoog
Brushed black São Gabriel granite countertop benefited by Gran Ramos
Suite bath
Rochebeton hydraulic tile flooring
Cosentino Silestone White Storm countertops benefited by Gran Ramos
Lattoog countertop mirror
Roca Crockery
