When her daughters left home, architect Ana Moura – from the Ana Moura Ana Higino office and cast at CASACOR Pernambuco – decided to move with her husband to a smaller apartment in Recife (PE). “We visited at least 15 apartments until, in October 2020, we found this property from the 1980s, which had been closed for 20 years and has a side view of the sea”, says the architect. The 216 m² apartment has enough space to comfortably receive daughters, relatives and friends, especially during the holiday months, when the house is usually full. But it needed a good renovation to keep it looking like a family. Originally, the room was very dark and had a carpeted floor. Another annoyance was the absence of a toilet and closet in the master suite. On the other hand, the architect discovered that city hall had approved the opening of a window in the room to increase the entry of natural light, but it was never implemented, an idea that she put into practice herself. With the renovation, the balcony (where the dining room is today) and the kitchen were integrated into the social area, the pantry was transformed into a toilet, part of the laundry area became the closet of the couple's suite and two suites were created. Canadians to welcome their daughters. In addition, the electrical and hydraulic networks were redone and all frames were replaced, as well as the floor and wall coverings and plaster ceilings. As the family lived in Rio de Janeiro for years, the Rio de Janeiro decoration style permeates the apartment, with a neutral base and light woodwork, touches of color in the artwork and in some pieces of furniture. “It was in Rio, in fact, that we started our collection, mining and researching new artists and bringing travel objects, which reflect the family we are. Each piece has a story or an emotional memory. Our house has a little bit of every place we go. I have three blue Murano crystal vases, for example, which we bought separately on three trips we took to Venice”, says Ana Moura.

In terms of decoration, the dining table, chairs and trolley in the dining room are new and designed by designer Jader Almeida . The Italian Minotti sofa, the Jangada armchair (by Jean Jillon ), the Mole armchair and the Oscar chairs (by Sergio Rodrigues ) and the Up armchair (by Gaetano Pesce , also known as Mama or Donna) came from the old apartment. “In the living room, one of the challenges was positioning the red Up armchair in a prominent place, without disturbing circulation, as the piece is quite bulky”, recalls the architect. “On our bookshelf, we have books from our grandparents, from our childhood and from the girls' childhood until adulthood,” she says. “Usually, each work of art we acquire represents an achievement, a celebration. It doesn't matter if it's a canvas or a clay sculpture purchased from an artist from Pernambuco. Here, everything or almost everything has meaning”, he adds. For the color palette, as the house is always changing depending on the residents' collecting, Ana Moura adopted a clear and neutral base to highlight and enhance the works of art – with emphasis on the creations of artists Cruz Diez, Miró, Beatriz Milhazes and Adriana Varejão – and thus prevent spaces from becoming visually polluted or heavy. Therefore, the option was for an almost white cement slab floor, white walls and white matte lacquer joinery in the living room, leaving only the entrance door in a vibrant tone, which was finished in red lacquer. Natural wood appears in some antique and modern (Brazilian) furniture, sculptures, bathroom walls and bedroom floors. “I also applied Feng Shui techniques to the project to stimulate good energy. It’s no surprise that people comment that they love being in our home and feel welcomed”, says Ana.

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