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    Green tiles fill renovated São Paulo apartment by Casulo

    Green tilework in multiple rooms is contrasted with terracotta plaster at this São Paulo apartment, renovated for a couple by local studio Casulo.

    The 220-square-metre apartment was overhauled for friends of the designers, who made it clear that the space “should not have a minimalist atmosphere”.
    Renovations to the apartment included opening up the kitchen”Shortly after their wedding in early 2020, the couple bought an apartment at a closed-door auction, without knowing the actual status of the property,” Casulo partner Camila Abrahão told Dezeen. “On the first visit, we realised that the state of the apartment did not reflect its profile at all.”
    Therefore, the studio overhauled the interiors, keeping only the positions of the rooms and the wooden floor in the bedroom suite.
    Terracotta plaster was chosen to contrast the areas of greenThe most drastic improvements were made to the kitchen, which was previously subdivided into non-functional spaces including a small balcony with a barbecue.

    Casulo opened up the room to create a large space that integrates the grill, while a series of sliding, fluted glass panels were installed to close off the cooking area as desired.
    Furniture was sourced from various vintage stores in São PauloGreen tiles cover the floor, the sides of the central peninsula and the back wall. In contrast, a terracotta volume begins in the kitchen and wraps around to the entryway, concealing the powder room.
    “Almost all the references brought by [the client] had a green colour,” said Abrahão. “We brought the earth colour to balance and contrast it.”
    The green-tiled bar overlooks a view of the city’s skylineVarious shades of green are also used in the living area for the dining table, sofa and a tiled bar adjacent to the full-height windows that enjoy views of the skyline.
    Flooring in this social space was swapped for black slate, while the remaining walls and a masonry bench that connects to the enclosed balcony were painted white.

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    Although re-lacquered, the dining table was the only piece of furniture retained from the original apartment, because it was too heavy and cumbersome to remove.
    “The furniture was almost entirely extracted from antique dealers in the city of São Paulo and we combined these pieces with some of the contemporary design,” Abrahão said.
    The wood floor in the bedroom was one of the only elements retained during the renovationStandout vintage finds included the midcentury Wave Bank bench by Jorge Zalszupin and a 1970s Italian coffee table with striped cylindrical legs.
    In the bedroom suite, the same tiles from the bar were applied to the walls and tub in the bathroom, where the black slate flooring and fluted glass panels are also repeated.
    The same green tiles used for the bar cover the walls and tub in the bathroomApartment living is extremely common in São Paulo, Brazil’s largest city, and renovations there often involve injecting colour and personality into the homes.
    Examples include an interior filled with peach, green and purple for a fashion editor, and another with burnt pink ceilings in the bedroom.
    The photography is by Joana França.

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    Kelly Wearstler makes “bold and eclectic choices” for Downtown LA Proper hotel

    American interior designer Kelly Wearstler paired the rich history of Downtown Los Angeles with other colourful global influences when creating this hotel, which features 136 unique types of tile.

    Part of the Proper hotel group, Downtown LA Proper sits between Downtown Los Angeles’ South Park District and the city’s Fashion District.
    Kelly Wearstler designed the eclectic interiors of Downtown LA ProperThe 148-room hotel is located within a former private club that was designed by architecture studio Curlett & Beelman in the 1920s.
    Real estate developer The Kor Group teamed up with Wearstler to transform the building into Downtown LA Proper, with Wearstler spearheading the interior design.
    Morgan Peck created a chunky graphite reception deskAccording to Wearstler, the hotel’s interiors take cues from LA’s “creative scene”, as well as the colours and forms of Mexican, Moroccan, Spanish and Portuguese design.

    “My point of reference for the Proper Hotels is always the location, so Downtown LA Proper really called for bold and eclectic choices,” she told Dezeen.
    Guest rooms feature patterned headboards”As the design of the hotel was greatly inspired by the community and history of the area, I used a deep, warm, colour and feel throughout to speak to this rich culture and history,” added Wearstler.
    “The [hotel’s overall] design comprises 136 unique types of tile, from vintage to custom.”
    Wearstler used a colourful palette throughout the hotelVisitors enter the hotel via the building’s original ornate archway, which is flanked by column-like cacti in rustic pots, where they are met with a graphite reception desk designed by ceramicist Morgan Peck.
    The original pink and white checkerboard floor tiling was retained in this area, while the ceiling is decorated with a hand-painted multicoloured mural designed by Abel Macias, which drew on the flora and fauna of Mexican folktales.
    Caldo Verde includes a bespoke stained-glass doorwayThis eclecticism is also reflected in Downtown LA Proper’s guest rooms. Wearstler blended contrasting elements such as chunkily-patterned headboards with smooth wooden floors, while the walls vary within a spectrum of charcoal, mauve, dusty blue, umber and ecru.
    The building contains three eateries including the lobby-level Caldo Verde restaurant and bar, which Wearstler designed to reflect the rest of the hotel’s interiors.

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    A collection of vintage rugs and seating, cocoa and sandstone tiles and jungle-like plants are set against a bespoke stained-glass installation by Judson Studios that makes up the restaurant’s doorway.
    Other design elements that create Downtown LA Proper’s bright and bold atmosphere include Mexican brutalist hand-carved chairs, woven pendant lights from the south of France and stone mosaic tables.
    Brutalist hand-carved chairs add to the project’s eclecticism”The building itself is a historic-cultural monument, so we wanted to maintain some of the original integrity and fabric, like the window casing and brickwork, while elevating it with contemporary jewel tones, patterns and plasterwork,” said Wearstler.
    “I truly wanted to embark on a spirited exploration of materiality, colour and form, to share with guests a hyper-localised flavour of the city and create a hub for local creatives.”
    The work of emerging artists features throughout the hotelWearstler founded her eponymous interior design studio in 1995 and is responsible for the eclectic interiors of several other Proper hotels including its San Francisco and Santa Monica outposts.
    The designer also recently transformed a 1950s beachfront cottage in California into a bohemian retreat for her family.
    The images are courtesy of Kelly Wearstler.

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