This project meant a complete makeover of a standard apartment in a residential hotel, which turned it into an urban getaway filled with personality.
The relatively small space, comprising roughly 450 square feet (or 42 square meters), is divided into 4 sections - bedroom, bathroom, living room/kitchen and balcony. The type of structure used in the building means all the interior walls are load-bearing and could not be removed, limiting the extent of the remodelling.
In order to effectively transform the place despite this limitation, we chose to replace the entirety of the floorings (the whole apartment now features an elegant agglomerate stone floor), bathroom tiles and all other sorts of finishings, while also repainting the walls and adding new touches, such as the beautiful wallpaper that now covers the bedroom walls. Furthermore, the living room area was rearranged so that it would integrate more seamlessly with the kitchen and the layout of the bedroom was completely reworked.
The living room/kitchen space used to have a stone countertop separating the two. It was removed and replaced by a new, more aptly located one. The ending result is an open room that now serves multiple functions - it can also work as a reading room or an office when necessary.
A contributing factor in achieving this versatility was making the kitchen as compact as possible. The cabinets were replaced and the kitchen appliances were carefully chosen as they had to be small and unobtrusive. The fridge, for instance, is a special model made to be concealed inside the cabinets. Nothing disturbs the attention and the space is kept low-key, cozy and inviting.
Speaking of cozy and inviting, the walls in the entire apartment are now covered in wood paneling. Each piece of interlocking wood is 3.5 centimeters wide (slightly under 1.5 inches) - the exact same size as the light fittings, meaning these can be conveniently placed at regular intervals and integrate perfectly with the paneling. The choice of furniture aimed for a healthy balance between classic and contemporary works. What keeps everything together is the fact that every single piece is signed by a Brazilian designer, turning the space into a showcase of the best the country has to offer.
