Ficus Apartment | Angá Arquitetura

 The building is from the 70's and the apartment's floor plan didn't seem to have undergone major renovations. It had a very large staff room, three bedrooms, and the kitchen was isolated. We proposed a more contemporary layout that would meet the client’s needs.

BRIEFING:
The client loves gathering friends and family and throwing parties, so a large and open apartment was a necessity for hosting everyone comfortably. Since she was going to live alone, there was no need to keep the existing three bedrooms. Therefore, we were able to keep one guest bedroom and take advantage of the space of the third bedroom to improve the master suite and gain more space for the social area.

CHALLENGES:
The original plan of the apartment was pretty traditional: a closed off kitchen, staff bedroom, three bedrooms and a small living room. The client was looking for a larger space: she didn't need a staff bedroom and wasn't a fan of cooking. In order to give her that, we made big changes to the layout.

SOLUTIONS:

In the new layout, we tore down the third bedroom, increasing the space in the living room and adding a walk-in closet to the primary suite. We moved the kitchen back, taking the space from the former staff bedroom, and creating a larger dining room area. Next to the table, we added a pantry and a wine cooler. We opted for an open kitchen, adding a high counter and integrating the space with the living room. To maximize the kitchen’s storage area, we removed the staff entrance door.

The entrance hall, with lowered ceilings, had a piece especially designed for the space. It can hold keys, bags, coats and even an umbrella. A bench right at the door provides a place for comfortably putting on shoes even on the busiest days.

A large slatted panel that extends throughout the living room and dining area brings unity to the project. In addition to having various uses: TV rack, technical closet and storage, it hides the access door to bedrooms.

The open kitchen brings a touch of color to the apartment's palette. The taller counter divides the rooms and works as a table for quicker meals, in addition to hiding a possibly messy sink. The U-shaped counter organizes all the necessary equipment and appliances. They were arranged respecting the triangulation (refrigerator - stove - sink) that facilitates the use of those who are cooking.

The laundry room door allows the resident to hide the clothes hanging on the clothesline, and every detail was designed to make everyday life easier and ensure storage space. The sink and washing machine are side by side on the same counter. On the other side, we created a tall cabinet with space for cleaning products, vacuum and brooms, as well as a place for ironing.

Leaving the room, we enter the bedroom hall, which gives access to two bedrooms and a bathroom. In addition to the entrances to the bedrooms there is a linen closet. We chose a door with caning that keeps it ventilated, aside from also bringing some extra flair.

The primary suite was designed to meet all the resident's wishes. The double bed has a set of nightstands with drawers and in front of it the TV with a top shelf for decoration and arrangement of the necessary equipment. Next to the bed, another piece was carefully designed: a table with drawers serves as a working space, as well as a vanity, with a mirror and space to store makeup.

The walk-in closet had each section designed together with the client to fit her needs and a large mirror runs along in front of it. 

For the primary bathroom, we designed an under-counter cabinet with doors and drawers, ensuring space for a laundry basket and all of the client’s products. On the wall, there is a niche with shelves for cosmetics and perfumes.We wanted to bring a spa feel to this environment, so we chose a natural stone cladding for the shower area and soft led lighting in the niche.

For the guest bedroom we designed a new closet and took the opportunity to create space to store the client's winter clothes and larger suitcases, which are not used very often.

The second bathroom serves the guest bedroom and doubles as a powder room.

We picked the granite flooring and designed the cabinet and mirror, which complements the terracotta sink. The towel rack with trays for displaying items adds the final touch!

Throughout the apartment we kept a neutral base and worked with different textures and materials: slatted paneling, caning, smooth wood, stone and granite. Colors appear occasionally in specific environments while also following a sober and earthy palette, complementing the moodboard.