By the sea, minimalist apartment takes on the air of an art gallery

“The client’s main request was to create an art gallery atmosphere in the social area to display and enhance the collection of works she already had,” says João Panaggio , an architect from CASACOR Rio who designed this 220 m² apartment in Leblon (RJ). To create larger spaces and also enhance the ocean view, the first step was to eliminate the walls and partitions that separated the entrance hall from the living room – this way, the ocean is in the field of vision of those entering the apartment. Another change was to alter the layout of one of the bedrooms to transform the room into a family room, with a TV. To create the desired art gallery atmosphere, Panaggio used interior architecture in light tones and adopted a clean, minimalist aesthetic with few adornments . From the beginning, there was also a concern that the works of art would reflect the designer Brazilian furniture that the client already had. “The client has always been an admirer of great Brazilian designers, especially Sergio Rodrigues . The Oscar chairs on the dining table and in the living room with TV, for example, have been with her since the first apartment,” says the architect. From the previous apartment, the Guanabara dining table by Jorge Zalszupin , the Gap pendant by Cláudia Moreira Salles , the Mole armchair by Sérgio Rodrigues , and the Gaivota armchair by Ricardo Fasanello also came.

The project prioritized natural materials to establish a direct connection with the external landscape, without taking away the prominence of the sea. The existing floor in the living room, made of solid wood planks , was restored and covered with a large hemp fiber rug in an off-white tone, to create a subtly beachy atmosphere. The floor of the entrance hall and dining room was covered in Roman travertine marble to visually delimit these spaces. The joinery was executed with a natural freijó finish and the walls were painted with plain white paint to enhance the works of art. The master suite was kept at the front of the apartment. As the view through the L-shaped window reaches from Arpoador to the end of Leblon beach, the architect avoided creating any kind of visual barrier, using, for example, a low bed and furniture at the ends . In the bathroom , the old bathtub was removed and the new tiles are in light tones to make the space cleaner and full of natural light. The exception is the cabinet under the counter, which has a natural wood finish to bring a touch of coziness.