30 m² loft designed for 80-year-old administrator who lives alone

For years, the administrator, who is in her 80s, lived in a large duplex penthouse with a swimming pool in Ipanema (RJ), which became too big for her, until she began living alone. Cool and modern, she decided to move into a one-bedroom apartment, measuring just 30 m² , practically across the street from her old property, but she didn't immediately venture into major renovations. That was until her son bought a one-bedroom apartment in the same building and commissioned a major renovation project from architect Richard de Mattos, from Casa Cururu Arquitetura , who transformed it into a mini loft. “As her son’s construction progressed, I believe she got excited and decided to renovate hers too, inviting me over for a chat. Always in a good mood, she immediately warned me that she was a classy person and would cancel on me if I suggested anything tacky. Obviously, I loved her spontaneity and a great friendship was born from that,” says Richard. “During the construction, the client rented another property in the same building for four months,” he points out. The resident made a few requests for the project: a whiskey bar with two comfortable armchairs for her to drink and chat with her friend; a counter in the kitchen instead of the dining table; space to work; lots of custom carpentry, with storage spaces .

Originally, the property was very compartmentalized, with tiny, poorly distributed rooms with no natural light. The architect knocked down practically all the walls to create a more open and spacious floor plan. The kitchen , previously enclosed, was moved and incorporated into the living area . The bathroom layout was changed to offer more comfort, both in the countertop and bath areas. Designed by the firm, the cabinets were finished in neutral tones – from off-white to natural and melanin-colored freijó, and grayish blue – so as not to visually weigh down the spaces. Bright colors appear in specific ways, such as the pastel-colored rug of Pakistani origin, the terracotta cushions on the armchairs, the green-toned canvas by artist João Fasolino, the decorative ceramics by the D'Tuani sisters, and the ochre and terracotta bed linen. “Our biggest challenge in this project was meeting all of the client’s needs in such a small kitchen, including a minibar, freezer, cooktop, microwave and a well-lit bar,” concludes the architect.