A childless couple of doctors bought this
210 m² duplex penthouse in Icaraí (municipality of Niterói, RJ) shortly after their wedding and commissioned architect
Amanda Miranda – from
CASACOR Rio – to renovate the first floor, which is
150 m² .
“They asked me for several things. First, that the
decor be predominantly white , with some classic elements. To achieve this, we used
light wood finishes and a little color in the rooms, but still in soft tones,” says the architect.
Another wish of the couple was to have a
kitchen integrated with the
living room (which were separate in the original plan) and to change the location of the existing staircase. Finally, they also asked to modernize and enlarge the barbecue area on the covered balcony to better accommodate friends, including a side table for meals, with a small seating area next to it.
To make the list of requests viable, Amanda says that she had to make some significant changes to the property's layout. Previously isolated, the kitchen, for example, was integrated into the living room and its side facing
the balcony gained sliding doors in metalwork and transparent glass , also to promote integration of the spaces.
Changing the position of the staircase to the opposite wall, where the dining room is today, was essential for the architect to redesign the new
layout of the spaces.
According to the architect, the project was inspired by
interior architecture that mixes classic elements with a Mediterranean atmosphere and boho style , resulting in neutral, light and bright environments.
The
wooden and natural fiber elements served the purpose of making them more welcoming. “The decor is all new. Nothing was taken from the previous address,” says Amanda.
In the
color palette , the architect highlights the
porcelain kitchen countertop with subtle veins in shades of gray . To contrast with the white cabinets in the kitchen and gourmet balcony, the architect used porcelain tiles that imitate oak wood on the floor throughout the apartment with the intention of "warming up" the spaces.
Colors are a key feature of the decor, especially in the small ornaments in
shades of aqua green and earthy tones . To evoke the boho style, some natural straw and wood elements were also used.
In the social area, the architect highlights the
large bench under the stairs (designed by her and made in carpentry), which serves as the dining table and also has drawers under the seat for storage. And also, the
reading corner installed near the living room window with TV , decorated with plants, a floor lamp, side shelves and white painted wooden blinds.
On the gourmet balcony, Amanda highlights the slightly classic style replicated in the kitchen and the
high dining table, which is an extension of the kitchen's porcelain countertop . Note how there is a narrow gap between them to fit the sliding doors with white frames and transparent glass, which allow the two spaces to be integrated or isolated, according to need.
“Our biggest challenge in this project was to join the kitchen and living room smoothly, since there was a pillar between them that could not be removed,” concludes Amanda.
