Apartment in Perdizes Showcases Customized Design Solutions and Bold Color Accents

Completed in 2024, this 100-square-meter apartment in São Paulo by Zalc Arquitetura was developed for a stylish, creative couple who brought clear requests to the table: an open connection between the kitchen, terrace, and living area; an integrated bathroom in the primary suite; and customized solutions that would also accommodate Rocco, the family pet, including a built-in space within the kitchen island with filtered water access. With a contemporary, industrial style, the design adopts black and blue as its main colors.

Handmade hydraulic tiles take center stage in the entry hall, nicknamed the “pool,” and also appear in the powder room, primary bathroom, and even the headboard in the bedroom. Materials such as polished concrete flooring and black millwork panels with engraved patterns balance textures and create a harmonious, functional look. Layout changes included reducing the guest bathroom to enlarge the powder room and entry hall, as well as integrating the terrace with the living area and the primary bathroom with the bedroom.

Reworking a Compact Urban Plan

Apartment interiors of this scale ask the designer to make every square meter perform more than one role, and the choices here reflect that discipline. In dense cities like São Paulo, where land is scarce and vertical living is the norm, renovation often means redrawing partitions rather than expanding the footprint. Removing or shrinking secondary rooms to give common areas more light and breathing room is a familiar strategy in contemporary interior design, and Zalc Arquitetura applies it to open the social spaces while keeping the private suite cohesive.

A standout feature is the custom-designed island sofa in the living room, with movable modules that allow different configurations. The powder room, fully clad in patterned tiles, becomes almost a playful installation, standing out for its attention to detail. The project also features technical innovations, such as a suspended urinal in the primary bathroom supported by a metal pillar, and a stainless-steel niche built into the kitchen that can be concealed when not in use. Landscaping was strategically incorporated, with tropical plants arranged in the suspended shelving of the living room and even in the bathroom.

The bold use of hydraulic cement tiles alongside raw concrete gives the home a tactile, crafted character that resists the blandness of generic renovations. By tailoring built-in furniture, fixtures, and even a pet station to the couple’s daily routines, the apartment reads as a precise portrait of how its residents actually live. Photos: Guilherme Pucci | @pucciphoto