145 m² apartment gains charm with bricks, hydraulic tiles and patchwork

The initial idea of this couple, who have two college-age children, was to make only minor changes to this 145 m² apartment in Laranjeiras (RJ). However, after a few meetings with architect Mariana Junqueira, from Casa Ninho Studio , they ended up changing their minds and agreed to make considerable changes. “The clients were looking for a new home where they could spend the rest of their lives, with comfortable spaces that reflected the personality of the family as a whole in the living areas and the tastes of each child in their respective bedrooms,” says Mariana. “The son, for example, asked for plenty of space to store his books, while the daughter wanted a more cheerful room. The couple asked for a tatami bed to make it easier for the family’s pet dog to access it,” she adds. The room that was previously open to the living room was closed off with a drywall wall to become the son's bedroom and, on the inside of this new wall, two niches were created : one to house a bookshelf and the other to house the queen-size bed, with built-in lighting above. In the contemporary style of the décor, the architect used some retro references , such as hydraulic tiles , patchwork and fluted glass , to create a unique and striking project, but always with the aim of bringing these elements into the present. “One solution was to play with colors, textures and lighting, but always with the concern that the final result not be visually heavy”, she explains.

Among the new furniture , as the architect used a lot of color and texture in the project, priority was given to wooden pieces or pieces in light tones to create harmonious compositions and not clash with the rest of the decor. In the social area and bedrooms , the original parquet flooring was maintained and revitalized. The kitchen has a new hexagonal-shaped hydraulic tile floor in two pink patterns that complement each other and connect with the cabinets' finish, in an antique pink tone. "To avoid visually weighing down the space, we left the walls and countertops white and made the most of the natural light in the space," emphasizes the architect. The balcony already had a very original feature that was also maintained: the Portuguese stone floor that reproduces the Copacabana boardwalk, on a small scale.