00:01I wanted the space to be flexible so we could easily welcome friends and family.
00:08With that in mind I designed a movable kitchen island that separates the living room from the kitchen
00:14but can be moved aside whenever we have a party.
00:21The cream tones together with the oak wood were chosen to respect the palette of the original house design.
00:30This is our dream home. Even though it is small, it keeps us close together and makes life simple and
00:37practical.
00:43My name is Angela. I am an interior designer and the owner of this apartment.
00:51The apartment is located in Esposente. It is the closest beach to Braga.
00:58Braga is one of the most important and historical cities in Portugal.
01:04The first time I walked into the apartment I fell in love with the large window.
01:10However, because there was a wall separating the living room from the kitchen, the space felt darker and less functional.
01:19There was a narrow kitchen that was enclosed in the corner of the apartment, which lacked functionality and light.
01:28After the wall was removed, the kitchen became a part of the open plan space.
01:33An island on casters was added and works as a divider between the spaces.
01:40The hallway was shifted to the side so the bathroom is a little smaller.
01:45But it gave us space to add another bathroom in the main bedroom.
01:53This episode is brought to you by Rayon Design.
01:56We used Rayon to recreate the floor plan for this week's episode.
02:00A home carefully redesigned to create stronger connections between cooking, working and family life.
02:06Rebuilding the space in Rayon gave us a better understanding of how the layout was opened up, refined and made
02:12more flexible for everyday living.
02:14Rayon is a professional-grade online CAD tool built for interior designers and architects.
02:19Rayon is the ideal end-to-end design software to take projects from early concepts through to execution documents, all
02:25within a single editing environment.
02:27You can quickly test layouts, move furniture, refine plans and explore ideas in real-time, making it easy to experiment,
02:34adjust and refine things as you go.
02:36Floor plans, schedules and documentation all live together in one streamlined workspace.
02:41Rayon also integrates AI tools directly into the workflow, while presentation boards, schedules and documentation layouts can all be assembled
02:49in one connected workspace.
02:52Want to explore Rayon yourself?
02:53You can jump into the floor plan we made for this episode, or create your free Rayon account today.
02:59Links in the description.
03:10At the entrance, there is an oak panel that acts as an entry storage where we can keep bags, shoes
03:18and Gorilla's leash.
03:20There is an open section for a coat rack with a bench where we can sit to take off our
03:26shoes and store them in the drawer.
03:30We feel that the house is bigger because we have only one corridor aligned.
03:36The panel was made to hidden the door and to be aligned with the kitchen island.
03:46The other side function as a drop zone where we leave our keys, sunglasses and coins.
03:53I added a secret drawer that opens toward the entrance for storing small everyday items.
04:05The main part of the kitchen has everything we need.
04:09I added storage all the way up to the ceiling to make most of the available space.
04:16I designed this pantry as a dry fridge.
04:21It's very useful because when I'm cooking, I can just pick spices from here.
04:28I designed it this way because it's more important for me to have the fridge near the sink.
04:34So I can pick some vegetables, I can wash them, prepare it and cook.
04:44Nick Wu likes to climb up and sit on the top of the island to watch us cook.
04:51As the apartment is small, I designed a ceiling mounted shelf above the island that is accessible from both the
04:59kitchen and the living room.
05:02On the island there is a side drawer designed to hide our vinyl player and records.
05:08We can quickly turn it on and hide it away from Nico.
05:16The island can be moved aside whenever we have a party.
05:24On the kitchen side, the island includes a drawer for storing our Tupperware and it also conceals our microwave.
05:36The table is painted in white to help brighten the room.
05:42Our dining table features a built-in bench with storage underneath,
05:46allowing us to always fit one more guest while maximizing space.
05:53The living room is where we spend most of our time, so it had to be comfortable.
06:01Our coffee table is actually a multifunctional piece that also works as an eco-high chair.
06:13I custom designed a sofa to fit this space.
06:19It is modular, so can be used in lots of configurations depending on the situation.
06:29We haven't renovated the balcony, but it is still our favorite spot in the house.
06:36When the weather is nice, we spread a blanket on the balcony to play with Lego or enjoy a small
06:42picnic.
06:47Here is the office.
06:50Before, it was just a laundry in a closed balcony.
06:54It was a wall here.
06:55The space had no connection.
06:59When I close the door to have some privacy,
07:04I can keep an eye here and I can see Nico's bedroom.
07:13Above the desk there is a niche where I store the samples I use for my projects.
07:19This office can also become an extra bedroom for guests.
07:24With its large size, we were able to create a laundry area,
07:29where we have a washing machine, a water heater, as well as a dog food.
07:40Nico's bedroom has a mountain-shaped headboard.
07:43It was made by his grandfather and future trees and few animals.
07:50I put this IKEA wardrobe here to have space to fit all Nico's clothes.
07:58We have even more storage for our winter coats and Nico's coats and towels, more medicines there.
08:13The main bathroom features a countertop head in the same beige tiles used on the walls.
08:19It is narrow, but very long, running across the space and making the room feel larger.
08:26The cabinet was intentionally designed not to extend fully to the back,
08:31leaving space to store the baby bath and the potty.
08:37The floor is finished in micro-cement and there is no shower tray,
08:43so that the circulation space can flow more freely.
08:49Retro wall lamps with a wooden accent were introduced to create a warmer atmosphere.
09:00For the main room, I wanted to create a space that not only is to sleep,
09:05but also as a dressing room, a bathroom and a hideaway.
09:10There is also a clever use of space for shoe storage behind the door,
09:15which was planted in the new layout moving the original walls.
09:19The wall in front of the bed is free because we have a projector to watch movies on it.
09:28There is also storage under the bed, accessible by lifting the bed base.
09:33This is where we store our seasonal clothes.
09:38I use the mirror to make the bedroom feel larger.
09:42Before the renovation, it was a deeper wardrobe here and it was not necessary.
09:50Now, I save space, but using the space to the ceiling.
09:56I did this U-shape to have more space on this side.
10:02Also drawers here.
10:06By reducing the size of the bedroom corridor, I was able to create a new bathroom in my bedroom.
10:14Dividing the shower from the cabinet unit with a sink.
10:17In the shower, I designed the half wall with a niche to storage the shampoos.
10:24This unit has a drawer handle that also functions as a towel rail.
10:33When designing a small home, I believe the most important thing is not to follow standard conventions,
10:40because every family or individual has their own habits and preference.
10:48The house should adapt to the person, not the other way around.
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