A Small And Open House Full Of Memories And Charm

Home is where you feel most comfortable and where you go to store all of your mementos so you can keep and enjoy them forever. It doesn’t need to be a big place, it just needs to be yours. One of our favorite home interiors was designed by studio Yamagata Arquitetura. It was for a small house in Sao Paulo which measured only 699 square feet (65 square meters) across.

This small house has an L-shaped floor plan and no dividing walls between spaces
This small house has an L-shaped floor plan and no dividing walls between spaces

The project was completed in 2018 and it looks like this. It seems like everything is combined into one large space. There’s a dining area, a living room with a fireplace hanging from the ceiling, a walk-in shower encased in glass, a kitchen and a sleeping area all in one open space. It’s definitely an unusual type of organization but it’s one that suits the owners’ lifestyle which is everything that matters.

The bedroom and related functions occupy one side of the house and are seamlessly combined into a single open space
The bedroom and related functions occupy one side of the house and are seamlessly combined into a single open space
The other side houses the social areas, namely the living room, kitchen and dining area
The other side houses the social areas, namely the living room, kitchen and dining area
There's lots of storage along the walls and throughout the house, cleverly integrated into the decor
There’s lots of storage along the walls and throughout the house, cleverly integrated into the decor

On closer inspection, you can see that even though all these functions are clustered together, each zone has its own identity and there’s also a clear distinction between them. The kitchen and dining area are merged together and the table can double as a counter and work surface to save space and to maintain a clean design. There’s also a ceiling beam which breaks off the area from the rest of the floor plan. There’s also an oversized feathery feature hanging from the ceiling that looks absolutely amazing and serves as a focal point for the entire house. From there, the living room enjoys its own space with light gray flooring and a modern painting hanging above the sofa. Opposite to the sofa it’s the sleeping area which takes up the rest of the floor plan together with the bathroom that’s been split into different sections.

The house is also packed full with lots of mementos and items brought by the owners from their trips
The house is also packed full with lots of mementos and items brought by the owners from their trips
Lots of memories are stored on shelves and in the open, adding lots of character to the house
Lots of memories are stored on shelves and in the open, adding lots of character to the house
The dining area and the kitchen are fused together, the latter blending in seamlessly
The dining area and the kitchen are fused together, the latter blending in seamlessly
The kitchen sink and counter are placed in front of the window and take up little space
The kitchen sink and counter are placed in front of the window and take up little space
The different areas of the house have their own individual character and they're all very warm and inviting
The different areas of the house have their own individual character and they’re all very warm and inviting
The lack of dividing walls or partitions between some areas is controversial but seems to suit this place
The lack of dividing walls or partitions between some areas is controversial but seems to suit this place
There are bookshelves running across the walls, above the windows and along the ceiling
There are bookshelves running across the walls, above the windows and along the ceiling

Photographs: Denilson Machado – MCA Estúdio