Apartamento Paulo Afonso

Apartamento Paulo Afonso is a 77 square metre home in an older building in the Santo Antônio neighbourhood of Belo Horizonte, completed in 2019 across a single floor. Designed by Pedro Haruf for himself and his partner, the flat is rented rather than owned, so the brief avoided costly structural work in favour of changes that give the space a strong identity at low cost.

The central move is an unusual, almost diagrammatic use of paint. A strip of red marks the line of circulation through the apartment, while in the bathroom a strong yellow picks up the original hexagonal hydraulic floor tiles in the same colour. These simple, reversible interventions suit a rented home, allowing personality without expensive alteration.

The interior is shaped as much by its contents as its surfaces. The apartment holds a collection of art and objects gathered over time from friends and admired makers, alongside prototypes of furniture and products the studio has developed, including the MFSD sofa, the Ide armchair, the Cobogó and Fragmento benches, the Maria lamp and the Eufémia table. These sit beside classic pieces such as Jean Prouvé chairs and lighting and a Ray and Charles Eames rocking chair, together with a 1950s rosewood armchair re-upholstered in knit by Regina Misk. Plants run throughout, giving the small home a green, lived-in character.

Architecture and interiors by Pedro Haruf, Estúdio Pedro Haruf. Photography by Dentro Fotografia.