Colourful Apartments That Are Popping With Homeowner Personality [Includes Floor Plans]

Even though they are decidedly on the small side, these two colorful home designs have massive success in showcasing the bright and quirky personalities of their creative owners. The eye-catching colour palette in apartment tour number one is inspired by the homeowners favourite art piece, leading to a sensitive palette of rosé coupled with brighter notes of ochre, cobalt blue, and black. The next home is a mini loft dashed with bold and carefree accents of purple and red, which contrast richly against the green forest view out of large windows. We’ve included the floor plans at the end of each interior image gallery to help inspire creative use of spaces under 45 square metres.

Architect: Renato Mendonça Arquitetura Photographer: Photographs

Our first home is a 45 square metre apartment in Santa Cecilia, Brazil. The design was created for a first time homeowner, a young man, who stipulated his desire for a unique space to reflect his very own personality. The colour palette was the first focus; inspiration came from an Abaporu engraving, acquired by the client during his travels. To balance out perceived femininity of the blush colourway, green, grey, black and rustic elements were employed to add weight and shade. The tonal contrast can be observed all around the colourful living room. The plant stand and planter amalgamates the two ends of the home accent spectrum.

Indoor plants introduce their own riot of colour to the room. Green, pink and orange foliage bursts from every nook. A silver watering can stands by to give them all a drink, and makes an attractive shelf accessory at the same time. A retro typewriter brings in another splash of green on top of the base cabinets, which also reflects the homeowners intellectual character and nods to his love of literature.

A bookcase extends from a central support column in the centre of the living space, its edge resting on the rustic dining table.

A display of trunks at the other end of the dining area harks to the clients travel escapades. A linear suspension light bridges the length of the tabletop.

The live edge dining table is coupled with modern black and grey dining chairs.

The client requested a visually large yet intimate feeling environment. To do this, all inner walls of the apartment were removed, and colour and texture became the defining moments instead. Wood effect panels stylistically separate the dining room from the lounge.

The kitchen is composed in colour blocks. Red housing holds the fridge-freezer unit, whilst wall cupboards run green above blue open shelving and yellow base cabinets.

A light backsplash and countertop allow the colourful cabinets to maintain a starring role.

The Abaporu engraving that inspired the interior palette is displayed in a much used reading nook, which is simply furnished with an easy canvas armchair and a black metal floor reading lamp.

A small side table completes the ensemble.

Glass sliding partitions were brought into play to replace solid walls, to promote a sense of open space and light whilst providing privacy.

Another unique feature of the home is how the bedroom is tiled identically to the bathroom, which integrates the two spaces.

Nature and whimsy are brought to the bedroom scheme via an illustration by Sandra Jávera.

Books rest on a rustic bedside table.

A raw concrete pillar contrasts with earth-tone wall tiles. Pink bedroom carpet and neutral rugs warm the cement floor.

A teal corner table injects a moment of richer colour.

Wooden wardrobes line the wall at the foot of the bed.

A modern home office is situated on a covered balcony, where the urban view becomes a great source of inspiration for the writer.

The bathroom is an earth-tone box of floor, ceiling and wall tiles.

An Itaúnas granite basin in an irregular faceted shape sits above a boxy vanity unit.

Floor plan illustrating integrated spaces after the removal of walls and balcony doors.

Kitchen design.

Living room storage design.

Bedroom design.

Bedroom wardrobes and ensuite.

Glass wall for bathroom.

Bathroom design.

Designer: October Design Studio Photographer: Norbert Tukaj

This 36 square metre mini loft project, entitled “Valley”, was completed early 2020. The living room is a chic space with surprising colour, with grey elements employed to bring balance and calm. A sofa bed makes the lounge into the bedroom of the small home.

A large characterful shelving unit dominates the room in a solid purple finish. Cube coffee tables dot the centre of the lounge/bedroom, which builds a sculptural aspect.

A unique vertical radiator climbs by the windows and stunning forest view.

In the adjacent dining area, red dining chairs contrast with the green landscape.

The L-shaped kitchen contributes to the purple aspect of the room across one of it walls, though the other side is completely neutral and understated. A swing arm wall lamp extends over the prep area here to extra height and interest.