Colorful and vibrant decoration brings life to a 240 m² apartment

The family consisting of a couple with two daughters already lived in Leblon (RJ), but they were looking for a larger apartment in the same neighborhood until they found this property of 240 m². As soon as the new owners received the keys, architect Bianca da Hora (from the cast of CASACOR Rio and São Paulo) was called to make a general renovation project, including the decoration of all the rooms. “Since the client knew very well what she wanted and from the beginning showed to have extreme good taste, the project was done with four hands, and the decoration turned out just as she wanted,” says the architect. Among the main modifications in the property's layout, Bianca created a powder room that did not exist, annexed the space of a bedroom to the social area to transform it into a TV room, and opened the kitchen to the living room, installing, between the spaces, articulated doors that allow them to be isolated when necessary. The architect also increased the intimate corridor to accommodate wardrobes that serve as linen closets and added a closet with an integrated bathroom in the suites of the two daughters. The master suite now features a shared closet and two bathrooms. Even being an integrated space, the living area was sectioned into living, bar (with round table and four chairs), TV room, and dining area. “During the demolitions, we found a beam near the entrance of the apartment that we disguised by lining the ceiling and the walls with wooden panels, creating a box effect,” reports Bianca. By annexing a bedroom to the social area, the demolition of another wall revealed a column, which the architect also clad with wooden paneling and attached a screen made of slatted material (in the same material), creating a backdrop for the support bench at the bar. The overall concept of the project sought to create a modern and cozy apartment, with a neutral color palette punctuated by vibrant tones to reflect the taste and personality of the client. “Our biggest challenge was to meet the desire for a colorful apartment, without the colors overwhelming the spaces or breaking the harmony of the project,” reports Bianca. [caption id="attachment_186932" align="alignnone" width="4480"][/caption>A good example is the white tile panel with cobalt blue designs (ordered from visual artist Herbert Sobral) installed under the living room window and replicated on the bar counter. “Most of the furniture is new, and in the social area, we were able to take advantage of several pieces from the family’s collection, such as the pair of antique chairs, the dining table, the center table that we painted black, the TV room sofa, some objects, and the works of art,” informs the architect. [caption id="attachment_186930" align="alignnone" width="4481"][/caption> Regarding materials and finishes, the walls were painted white, the floor of the living room and kitchen was replaced with off white porcelain tile, and in the intimate area, the original floor, made of peroba-mica wood, was preserved and restored. [caption id="attachment_186938" align="alignnone" width="4480"][/caption> Most of the custom cabinetry designed by the office is finished in natural freijó, featuring smooth panels and slatted dividers in the social area, and a floor-to-ceiling shelving unit in the TV room filled with niches. The kitchen received dark gray melamine cabinets and light gray ultracompact stone countertops with a marbled effect. [caption id="attachment_186936" align="alignnone" width="4480"][/caption> Colors appear pointwise but in a striking way, highlighted by the trio of paintings by artist Duda Moraes (above the living sofa), the large painting by artist Marcelo Solá (on the side wall of the dining table), the client's objects, the dark green lacquer panel with a round mirror near the living room window, the two overlapping green rugs in the TV room (one solid and one patterned), the Pitu chaise with an ottoman (by Aristeu Pires) upholstered in dark green suede, the cushions in shades of blue and green, the two antique armchairs upholstered in pistachio green fabric, and especially the intimate hall that doubles as a linen closet (with closet, walls, and ceiling painted in the same shade of bluish green) and the couple's bathroom, with a blue-painted wall and blue and white striped tiles. “The powder room is one of the 'darling' rooms of the house. The small space surprised with its unusual mix of materials and textures, featuring brass metal, wood ceiling lining, and a Victoria Régia marble countertop with a sink sculpted in the very material, supported by an aged golden metalon structure. To top it off, the walls received romantic artisanal painting, composed of flowering branches and little birds,” concludes the architect.