Green and blue walls mark this casual 81 m² apartment

The couple, a doctor and a designer, bought this 81 m² apartment in Laranjeiras (in the southern part of Rio de Janeiro), which was already in disrepair and sought out architect Ketlein Amorim to oversee a complete renovation after seeing their neighbor's apartment. "They loved the changes I made to the floor plan of a property in the same building and asked me for something similar," she says. The new owners made several requests to the professional, the main one being to integrate the living room with the kitchen and create as much counter space as possible . In addition, they also wanted a spacious and comfortable bathroom, a room that could be used as an office and guest bedroom, a super king-size bed in the suite and a leather sofa in the living room. Finally, they asked to reopen the lower window that was visible on the building's facade and had been blocked. The old service room was incorporated into the kitchen to make it wider and deeper and allow the architect to design a large counter area, with one part intended for preparing and cooking food and the other so that guests could be close to whoever was cooking. The new service area was hidden behind the kitchen, out of sight of those in the living room. In the private area, a suite was created that did not exist before, with the bathroom and closet arranged so as not to disturb anyone who was sleeping, since the clients have different work routines. “As I had already renovated another apartment in this building, I knew that in the hallway area I would find a robust structure that I would need to make the most of or hide. So, when we demolished part of it to enlarge the bathrooms, we hid a large beam that had appeared in a recess. That’s why the ceiling height of the closet, hallway and part of the dining room had to be lower,” reveals Ketlein.

According to the architect, the unobstructed view of the mountains, the abundant natural light and the excellent ventilation of the property were her main inspirations when developing the project, as well as the high spirits of the couple, who love to welcome friends into their home and enjoy a more laid-back decor, with colorful, eclectic environments full of elements that reinforce the personality of the couple, without much concern for fads and trends. Speaking of decoration, practically everything was purchased according to the project specifications, with the exception of the tray-sideboard, the two paintings and the dining room chairs, and the retro furniture leaning against the pillar in the living room, which were already part of the clients' collection and were kept. Among the new pieces, Ketlein says that she prioritized those that best harmonized with the finishes and colors chosen for each space, also considering the fact that the clients like rustic elements made of wood and iron. Among the designer pieces, she highlights the Trip coffee table, by Bruno Faucz , and the Carbono C221 armchair, by Estudio Ninho . In the color and material palette, the color green , in a strong tone, appears on some walls in the living room and kitchen, while the color blue , also in a strong tone, was applied to the walls of the couple's bedroom. To avoid visually weighing down the space, a large format porcelain tile with a neutral and light tone and the appearance of burnt cement was chosen for the flooring. The wood finish of the kitchen cabinets was replicated in the carpentry that extends across the entire TV wall in the living room. To “warm” and bring a welcoming feel, the sofa was upholstered in natural leather and most of the furniture is made of wood. “From the beginning, the clients set a budget for this project, so we looked for solutions to reduce the cost of the renovation, such as covering the bathrooms up to half the wall, with the exception of the shower enclosure. For the same reason, some of the kitchen walls were painted,” says architect Ketlein Amorim. “Our biggest challenge in this project was to create a large bathroom in a relatively compact apartment, as well as a functional kitchen with plenty of counter space, without compromising the circulation of the space,” she concludes.