Clean decor favors the sea view in this apartment

When their children left home, the owners of this 290 m² apartment in Ipanema decided to modernize their home for the daily lives of two people and create spaces for their seven grandchildren to visit. For this mission, the architects Camila Simbalista and Paula Wetzel, from Studio 021 Arquitetura and the CASACOR Rio cast came into play. "The clients asked us to update the decoration and lighting throughout the apartment, which were dated, and make some changes to the floor plan, originally with four rooms, for the day-to-day life of two people, such as creating a larger and more complete master suite," Paula reveals. "They also asked for a light non-wood floor and for the spaces to be decorated in neutral tones, prioritizing materials that are easy to clean and low-maintenance, with moderate use of wood," adds Camila. With the renovation, the kitchen with integrated pantry was expanded and gained a china cabinet, the entire service area was repositioned, as was the toilet and the master suite, which gained an anteroom that gives access to the closet and two bathrooms (one for each spouse), transformed into bath and relaxation rooms. In the space previously occupied by the other bedrooms, the architects created an office and a comfortable TV room.

In the decor, with a timeless contemporary style, with the exception of the dining table and chairs and the sofa in the TV room, practically everything is new. Among the signature design pieces in the living room, it is worth highlighting the Bertioga armchair (by Jean Gillon), the Matriz coffee table and bench (by Jader Almeida) and the Sonia stool (by Sérgio Rodrigues). Another highlight, also by Sergio Rodrigues, is the Vivi armchair in the office. With the aim of creating a visual unity in the apartment, the architects covered the entire floor with white Piguês marble, including the kitchen. "As this material is cold and light, to balance it out and bring warmth, we used natural wood in all the rooms," explains Paula. To reinforce the feeling of lightness, softness and elegance with simplicity, the joinery designed by the architects was made of natural American oak, the upholstery and carpets are made of light materials (without any prints or patterns) and the walls were painted with white paint, with the exception of the side wall of the living room, which was covered with a floor-to-ceiling mirror. "These choices were fundamental to maintaining the prominence of the front and side views of the sea, which is the property's greatest asset," concludes architect Paula Wetzel.