Laranjeiras House, continuity and renewal on the Brazilian coast

Overlooking the ocean within a private residential community in Paraty, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Laranjeiras House is a summer residence designed in 2009 by Bernardes + Jacobsen, one of the leading names in contemporary Brazilian architecture.

The recent intervention, led by Studio Marina Salles Arquitetura e Interiores, responds to the need to update spaces and materials without altering the home’s original character, preserving the relationship between architecture, landscape, and domestic life.

Laranjeiras House, a respectful intervention

Over time, a twofold need had emerged: on one hand, the natural deterioration of materials and finishes caused by sea air, coastal humidity, and prolonged use; on the other, the desire to adapt the spaces to the family’s changing habits.

The project unfolds as an operation of continuity. Marina Salles, who worked for more than a decade at the firm behind the original design, approaches the intervention with a deep understanding of the existing architectural language. Her role becomes a mediation between different moments in time: preserving the house’s identity while introducing contemporary solutions.

The guiding principle is an absolute respect for the original architecture. The intervention focuses on the restoration of materials, the updating of finishes, and a chromatic redefinition oriented toward neutral, earthy tones, reinforcing a relaxed atmosphere in harmony with the natural setting.

The lighting scheme – originally developed by Lightworks – has been preserved in its conceptual logic of indirect and accent lighting, while the fixtures have been replaced with more efficient systems suited to contemporary technologies.

Contextual sensitivity

The intervention extends across the ground floor and sleeping quarters, while maintaining a strong connection to the coastal landscape. The living and dining areas were restored through the recovery of existing furnishings –design pieces and craft objects – reinterpreted with new fabrics and finishes. The veranda, a central element in Brazilian homes, is enhanced as a natural extension of the interiors, with updated furnishings and a color palette that evokes sand, sea, and vegetation.

The kitchen was completely redesigned with custom millwork incorporating slatted and ventilated cabinetry, offering an effective response to the region’s humidity, while the service areas were updated without altering the original layout.

On the upper floor, the bedrooms and suites adopt a unified language of textured surfaces, wooden headboards, and natural fabrics, with design solutions carefully conceived to ensure continuous ventilation, essential in a tropical climate.

The restoration of the wooden brise-soleil and the widespread use of natural materials further anchor the house to its setting, while the bathroom interventions introduce new finishes – silver travertine, sand-colored ceramic – and contemporary details without modifying the spatial distribution.

In this way, Studio Marina Salles’ intervention stands out for its ability to operate without rupture, building a fruitful dialogue between past and present. Laranjeiras House emerges as a renewed organism in its materials and finishes, while remaining consistent in its identity, memory, and contextual rootedness.

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