A White House With A Void Ground Floor For Entertaining Guests

The thing that defines this residence is a lack of unusual and extraordinary details, visually at least. It’s a simple white house and that’s pretty special as it is. The residence is located in Pato Branco in Brazil, on a sloped site that overlooks the city and offers panoramic and unobstructed views of the valley. It was built here by Barbara Becker Atelier Arquitetura.

The house, white all around, sits on a sloped site with panoramic views of the city
The house, white all around, sits on a sloped site with panoramic views of the city
The upper floor cantilevers to form a covered entertainment area with direct access to the yard
The upper floor cantilevers to form a covered entertainment area with direct access to the yard

The main idea of the project was a house that would allow its owners to relax and to entertain friends and the structure of the building reflects that. The house is organized on two floors. The ground level doesn’t contain any specific space. It’s a large open area with no walls to divide it from the outdoors. This allows it to serve as a multipurpose space ideal for entertaining guests.

A white exterior staircase leads to the upper floor where all the main spaces are situated
A white exterior staircase leads to the upper floor where all the main spaces are situated
The ground floor is completely open, being supported by thick, exposed columns
The ground floor is completely open, being supported by thick, exposed columns

The upper floor contains all the functions of the house. The entrance hallway is connected to all three main zones. It has access to the bedrooms, to the social area and also to the exterior area. It’s decorated with crisp white walls, a concrete ceiling and red and white patterned floor tiles. A red pendant lamp is the focal point of the hallway.

The entrance hallway is white with an exposed concrete ceiling and red accent details
The entrance hallway is white with an exposed concrete ceiling and red accent details
The concrete ceiling was cast in place and has this beautiful wood-like texture
The concrete ceiling was cast in place and has this beautiful wood-like texture

The living room, kitchen and dining area form a large and open social space. They have large sliding glass doors which reveal panoramic and unobstructed views of the surroundings and let in abundant natural light while also ensuring natural ventilation inside the house.

Sliding glass doors open up the social areas and expose them to the panoramic views
Sliding glass doors open up the social areas and expose them to the panoramic views
The dining area feels very home-like and cozy, featuring wooden furniture and a patterned floor
The dining area feels very home-like and cozy, featuring wooden furniture and a patterned floor

The interior design is simple. The rooms have white walls and light-colored floors. The ceiling is very interesting. It’s made of concrete and it’s been cast in place. It has a distinctive wood-like texture which creates a nice visual effect, adding warmth to the rooms and deceiving the eye in an unexpected way.

The ceiling, although made of concrete, looks a lot like wood and this adds warmth to the decor
The ceiling, although made of concrete, looks a lot like wood and this adds warmth to the decor
Some elements such as the stove add a touch of rusticity to the space and contrast with the rest of the decor
Some elements such as the stove add a touch of rusticity to the space and contrast with the rest of the decor

The furniture throughout the house is both practical and good-looking. The kitchen is mostly white. It has minimalist and modern cabinetry, a wide window and a low backsplash that adds a touch of color and pattern which enhances the decor. The bathroom is small without feeling tiny thanks to the large mirror and textured white tiles on the wall.

The kitchen has a low backsplash with red details matching the hallway decor
The kitchen has a low backsplash with red details matching the hallway decor
A large mirror visually enlarges the small bathroom while the textured tiles give it character
A large mirror visually enlarges the small bathroom while the textured tiles give it character