House Design in The Countryside with Cozy Space And Large Garden

A country retreat. This was the dream of the young couple with children, when they approached us to design the interiors of their country house, back in 2019. Long-time clients of the office, expressed from the beginning their desire for a cozy space, which had the same amenities from his home in the city, but that provided other sensorial and aesthetic experiences, prioritizing a more direct interaction with nature. Under the advent of the pandemic, this desire strengthened and translated into the search for lightness and tranquility in each environment. A neutral palette was then adopted that dictated the entire decor of the residence. Avoiding any element of color – so as not to compromise the aura of peace that was intended to be accentuated –, the design approach focused on exploring different forms, framings and plasticities, especially through the use of natural materials. As in a complex compositional exercise, the definition of the internal layout, the layout of the floor, the design of the joinery and the curation of furniture and works of art were meticulously tailored, so that the neutral approach of the project did not result in monotony – on the contrary, enable stimulating synesthetic experiences. Touch was largely emphasized, through the variation in texture between the materials used, from the different finishes of wood and natural stone (in their more rustic or more polished states, depending on the use), to the variety of touch between straw, linen, leather, velvety fabrics and ceramic or clay elements. Visuality was not neglected either. The selected design pieces sought to compose an elegant and bold decoration, mobilizing different periods in the history of furniture and examining volumetric variations – such as the lounge area , in which the arrangement of four armchairs with different languages ​​enriches the visual perception and gives originality to the space. Furthermore, some architectural resources were used to create interesting perspectives of the project, such as the design of the ebonized wood panel that creates an envelope for the service block, serves as a scenic background for the staircase volume, frames the cellar niche and also brings out the color black, strongly present on the facades of the house. The large garden was also a requirement of the family, as a leisure space par excellence for days spent in the countryside. In this sense, the landscaping should be as natural as possible, with a vast grassy area, native species and the impression “that it had always been there”, in the owner's terms. Missing an outdoor living area, where you could feel the sun, the wind, the rain – given the absence of balconies in the main house – the clients asked the office the challenge of designing an annex to meet this need. To achieve this, our initial concerns were, on the one hand, to ensure that the proposed volume did not obstruct the view of the lake at the bottom of the lot, and on the other, that its shape did not compete with the design of the main house, but that neither represented a mere miniature replica of its structure. Therefore, a horizontal annex was designed, with a light structure and eaves – characteristics that refer to the visuality of the residence –, located in the alignment of the main living room, to guarantee cohesion between the elements built on the land. The proposed structure is divided into two volumes, with the swimming pool between them, in order to divide the spaces between the living and gourmet areas, and the SPA area. However, the creation of a single cover, which lightly spans the pool, reinforces the horizontality of the complex, taking absolute care not to cause unwanted shading of this leisure space. Exploring different materials and closing elements, the annex has only one solid wall axis, to install the necessary gourmet infrastructure, create an external bathroom and protect the sauna space. The rest of the construction is completely permeable, with extensive use of wooden louvres , which do not create a border between interior and exterior, on the contrary, they function as a mere visual obstacle, ensuring full perception of the external climate.