Apartment Leblon in Rio de Janeiro by Felipe Hess

Apartamento Leblon, designed by Felipe Hess in collaboration with Pia Quagliato, stands as a calm and inviting home for a young family. Curving oak, chunky marble, and creamy white finishes are just some of the features that make the list of deliciously neutral materials combining in a dreamy wonderland perched above Leblon beach in Rio de Janeiro.

Based in Sao Paulo, the design office of Felipe Hess works across multiple locations and project scale. Each scheme acts as a distillation of the unique identity of his clients, allowing his work to speak with a diverse language. Apartamento Leblon is no different. The 190 square metre interior unfolds in a relaxing series of spaces, offering the opportunity for shared family time and intimate escape as desired by the client.

The apartment exists as an island, running on its own time schedule – the slow, relaxed pace of life within its walls perpetuated by a layering of hazy semi-sheer curtains and linen furnishings. It is as if upon entering, the buzz of the outside world fades away, silenced by the soft pull of the pair of Ondine armchairs by Polish/Brazilian architect and designer Jorge Zalszupin. The reading area in the opposite corner features a 1930s design classic – Bruno Mathsson’s Pernilla chaise lounge.

The living room features a large curving wall of glass that frames the ocean view. Hess emphasized the existing sinuous language with the addition of a long wooden bench that mimics its shape. The result is a multi-use space perfectly suited to sun blanketed afternoon naps and early morning coffee lounging.

The adjacent dining area features a heavy solid-timber table – it’s heaviness offset by the lightness of the Noguchi ceiling lamp hanging above, and the delicate portions of Cantu dining chairs by another famed Brazilian designer Sergio Rodrigues.

The lightness of the colour palette is offset by the chunkiness of the oak cabinetry and the solid marble island bench. The kitchen and bathroom both unfold in a series of meticulously detailed blocks, the beauty of their clean exterior concealing the messy parts of life hidden within. This subtle juxtaposition brings a delicate balance to the scheme, as Hess is able to maintain a deceivingly effortless feel within a highly nuanced design.