1960s apartment receives modernist décor and is full of design

When they got married, the couple of doctors wanted to exchange their rental in Leblon (RJ) for their own apartment also in the south zone of Rio. They found their dream property in the little piece called by locals Copanema, right where Copacabana and Ipanema meet. The 300 m² apartment, originally from the 1960s, had a bad layout, but a lot of potential and the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room that were indispensable for the couple. To carry out the renovations and leave everything else just the way they wanted, architects Bernardo Gaudie-Ley and Tânia Braida, from Beta Architecture and the cast of CASACOR Rio de Janeiro, came on board and completed a total renovation over nine months. "When we first entered the apartment, we loved the high ceilings and wooden floor and realized all the potential of the property, despite the bad layout, with a huge living room, a tiny kitchen, one single suite, and a gigantic social bathroom, which is very typical of properties from the 1960s," highlights Tânia. To modernize the layout and bring functionality to the couple's daily life, the architects integrated the social area with the kitchen, which gained more space, more natural light, and the possibility of being closed off whenever necessary by a sliding door. Another request from the couple, who love to cook and entertain friends, was to have a barbecue grill in the living room.

"To include it, we made an island right next to the dining room and created a small gourmet space with a grill, beer cooler, and wine cellar. Since this space is next to the window, we installed a ducted hood there to facilitate ventilation," explains Bernardo. In the interior design, the architects kept design pieces from the 1960s that already belonged to the couple, such as the Mole armchair by Sérgio Rodrigues and the Pétala coffee table by Jorge Zalszupin. They opted for a palette of neutral and soft colors that highlight the large freijó panel in the living room and the entry hall, which was entirely clad in wood, creating a more intimate entrance. In the intimate area of the apartment, the original bathroom was divided to create two new suites, which could eventually accommodate the couple's children, in addition to a powder room. The master suite was also expanded to include a closet and a large bathroom with a soaking tub and separate areas for toilet and bathing, separated by a natural straw door that adds a special charm to the projects.