In Jardim Vitória Régia, São Paulo, architect transforms a 312-square-meter home into a welcoming residence for a family of four, preserving the existing architecture while creating a composition shaped by design, memory, and affection
Amid the greenery of Jardim Vitória Régia, in São Paulo’s Morumbi area, a 312-square-meter home reveals an atmosphere that is somewhat unusual for the city. Wood, stone, exposed brick, and abundant vegetation bring the interiors closer to the language of a country house, while Brazilian design pieces, works of art, family heirlooms, and contemporary elements create a distinctive narrative throughout the home.
It was within this setting that architect Thaís Helena Ribeiro, founder of Thaís Helena Ribeiro Arquitetura e Interiores, developed the renovation, interior design, and styling project for the residence, completed in 2025. Rather than completely transforming the property, the proposal was based on the opposite principle: recognizing the personality the house already possessed and creating a space where the new resident and her three children could truly feel at home.
“Because the house already had so much personality, my intention was never to erase what was already there,” explains Thaís. The approach focused on carefully targeted interventions capable of adapting the residence to the family’s new configuration without compromising its architectural identity.
The house already had a story of its own. The original architecture was designed by Marcos Tomanik, while a previous interior renovation had been carried out by designer Vanessa Buarque, who is also the property’s owner. When Thaís first visited the residence, accompanying the client even before the lease had been finalized, the initial challenge was to understand whether the existing architecture could meet the needs of the new family.
The answer came through a precise intervention: the creation of a fourth suite. Originally featuring three suites, the house needed to accommodate the client and her three children. On the lower floor, a former studio and storage room were integrated to make room for a new suite for the eldest daughter, with custom cabinetry designed for its new purpose.
From there, the project expanded to include interiors, lighting, furniture, and styling. Painting, lighting adjustments, new layouts, furniture curation, vintage finds, the incorporation of inherited pieces, and the reorganization of spaces were among the strategies employed.
A Home Built in Layers
If there is one word that can translate the essence of the project, it is mixing. Thaís avoided framing the residence within a single style and instead developed the composition through the meeting of different eras, materials, and stories.
“The existing architecture has a Tuscan or country-house feel, with plenty of wood, stone, greenery, and a very close relationship with the outdoors. For the interiors, we created a more eclectic and contemporary composition,” she says.
The home’s original material palette already provided a strong foundation, with exposed brick, reclaimed wood, wood, stone, and marble flooring. Rather than competing with these elements, the project introduced fabrics, natural fibers, woven textures, varied surfaces, and furniture that bring color and personality to the rooms.
The result is a contemporary home that remains far removed from the appearance of a showroom. “I would define TH_CAREZZA more by its mix and layers than by any specific style. It is a contemporary home, but without that feeling that everything was purchased at the same time,” says Thaís.
This layered approach is particularly evident in the living room. The space brings together the Moleca Armchair by Sergio Rodrigues, purchased at Galeria Teo; the Gomos Sofa and Plissadas Armchairs, by Suíte Design for Líder; a vintage sideboard that had its natural wood restored; and an old sewing machine inherited from the client’s grandmother, which was given a new role as a sideboard.
In the dining room, the Serpentina Table, by FGMF for Líder, is paired with the Curved Buffet, by Estúdio Líder, and Cantu Chairs by Sergio Rodrigues, found at an antique shop. The composition reinforces one of the project’s premises: not having every piece belong to the same collection or period.
“The entire house has this kind of encounter between design, art, memory, and everyday objects,” says the architect.
Memories That Change Places
The family’s personal collection plays a fundamental role in the interiors. Paintings, books, travel souvenirs, objects, and inherited pieces were distributed throughout the rooms, creating an identity that could not be replicated at another address.
In the wine cellar, for example, the glass-front cabinet and bar belonged to the client’s grandmother. The trunk was a vintage find, while the Costela armchairs by Martin Eisler came from the family’s previous home. The space, which was already part of the original architecture and has an almost cave-like atmosphere, was also given a new function: in addition to storing wine, it became a space for gathering and socializing.
“I find this kind of personal collection just as important as new furniture because these are precisely the things that keep a home from looking like a showroom. The architecture may be new to the resident, but the story of the person arriving there does not begin at that address,” explains Thaís.
This relationship with memory can also be seen in small gestures. A shelving unit that originally served as a library beneath the staircase was transformed into a china cabinet. Chaise lounges from the previous home were incorporated into the outdoor area. In the living room, the grandmother’s sewing machine went from being a stored object to becoming part of everyday life.
Interiors Designed for Real Life
The family’s routine guided many of the project’s decisions. Because the residents enjoy entertaining, the living room received multiple seating areas while maintaining comfortable circulation. The two TV rooms — one on the lower floor and another upstairs — allow the family and the children’s friends to use the spaces simultaneously.
The outdoor area, already enhanced by the architecture and landscaping, was also designed for entertaining. Furniture by Tidelli, featuring marine-grade ropes, woven textures, and performance fabrics, was selected to complement the architecture without competing with it while withstanding exposure to the elements.
In the master suite, existing elements such as the carpet and the low TV cabinet were preserved. Furniture by Líder, new fabrics, and curtains completed the space, which opens onto a balcony surrounded by greenery — a view that, according to Thaís, almost makes you forget you are in São Paulo.
A Project Developed in 30 Days
Another distinctive aspect of the project was its timeline. The initial development of the project took approximately 30 days, during which the layouts, new suite, furniture, pieces to be brought from the previous residence, family heirlooms, and main adaptations were defined.
The speed of the process was also facilitated by the long-standing relationship between architect and client. This is the 10th project Thaís Helena has developed for Rosana, in a professional partnership that began more than a decade ago.
“I already knew which furniture she had, which pieces made sense to bring, how the family used the spaces, and how important entertaining was to them. Likewise, she already knows my process and trusts my decisions,” she says.
More than a renovation, TH_CAREZZA thus emerges as a continuation. A house that already carried its own history welcomes new residents without having to start from scratch. Through inherited pieces, Brazilian design, vintage finds, and objects brought from other chapters of life, Thaís Helena Ribeiro’s project creates a home where past and present coexist naturally — and where each room seems to have been assembled gradually, even though the time available to create it was short.
