With the pandemic, we experienced two moments in architecture and decoration: the first was to bring the color and green of plants into the house. Then came the desire to create a serene space free from excesses.
This is how the journalist specialized in the subject Amanda Sequin, defines the transformations we have witnessed since we were forced to look inside, also from home, in these almost two years since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.
She calls this movement the new minimalism (or “tactile minimalism”), which presents in the decor a woody background or colors that refer to natural pigments and lots of texture — elements, according to her, ideal for calming the senses and the frantic mind of the pandemic times. To deal with the frustration and fear, which came both from the outside and from the inside, with the excess of information, the house became an individual refuge, “almost like a personal temple”, says Amanda.
Monochromatic, minimalist spaces full of textures multiplied, and were also one of the great highlights at CasaCor SP, an important decoration exhibition that comes to an end this Sunday (15), after three months on display. “Among the 56 projects in this edition, spaces emerged with small variations in tonality, with more or less incidence of white, presenting here the ‘heated minimalism”’, describes Amanda.
This is what happens, for example, at “Casa Olaria”, signed by Nildo José, a Bahian architect based in São Paulo, who participated in this edition.
With 200 m² and inspired by ceramics and crafts, the space is covered in sandy beige and pigmented white tones. Even the works of art and design pieces signed by Brazilians there have that tone. But those who think that such an environment would be cold or boring are wrong: Nildo’s premise is that the various volumes and textures become tactile invitations for visitors.
For Amanda Sequin, environments like this have everything to do with the post-pandemic moment. “We created a desire to create a calm and peaceful space, almost like a spa. It’s not the house that looks like an art gallery, empty. It’s a minimalism that reflects our desire to empty our minds, slow down, let go of excesses, but without ceasing to activate our touch, a sense that outside the home we were forced not to use it”, she says.
Who has been betting on the trend at home since 2014 is the creative director and set designer Michell Lott. In his home in São Paulo, the environments painted with a predominance of one tone are starring, from the pinkish lilac in the living room, through the green kitchen to an orange laundry room. Lott, who also works as a color consultant, says that “as we are used to living with white walls, when we find ourselves surrounded by colors, it’s as if they transport us to another universe”.
According to him, when an environment is covered entirely by a tone, the space gains a lot: “Colors are a great (and cheap) way to change the architecture — for those who live in rented accommodation, like me, it’s wonderful. When you paint the ceiling, the wall, the cabinets in the same color, these elements merge, the light and shadow become more interesting and the space takes on an atmospheric feel”, he says. It’s with that in mind that he’s already got a brush, paint and roller in hand and delivers the color he believes he believes will be trending next year: Eclipse pigment green, his choice to color his home room soon.
For Vanessa Ribeiro, architect at Quattrino Arquitetura, one of the highlights of the monochromatic trend is the ability to inject identity. “I think it’s here to stay because people are opening up more to colors. Everyone has a story, a feeling, a favorite color and taking that to the address is very important”, he says.
In one of her recent projects, the service area and the kitchen, which are interconnected, gained a vintage pink hue — which brought even more personality to the environment, which was already full of affective memory, the result of the objects mined by the owners. “Using the same tonality creates a box, marks each space, brings depth”, describes Vanessa.
In addition, she says that the possibility of using colors in an immersive way helps to project the personality of customers into spaces, transforming them into their homes. “We greatly respect the wishes, desires, stories of our customers and use color as a form of extremely democratic and personalized decoration”, he says.
Since 2015, Vanessa has been mainly focused on the home improvement market and color has always been present. “It’s what makes each project unique.” However, according to her, it has only been in recent years that this has intensified.
Research reflects this greater experience of the house: according to the National Confederation of Commerce of Goods, Services and Tourism (CNC), all areas that involve the dwelling – from construction materials to trade in pillows – have shown an intense growth since the beginning of 2020. A survey carried out by Ebit/Nielsen shows that the bed, table, bath and decoration sector had an expressive growth in the 1st half of 2020: 23.5% — and the trend is that for 2021 this number will have folded up. What is expected, according to the research bodies, however, is not an accumulation of assets, but a transformation in the way we live.
Brazilian objects
Brazilian design has also contributed to making it easier to apply the trend: from small objects to sofas, the colorful pieces help to create an immersive atmosphere in the places they enter.
This is the case of the EVA table, created by the architect Melina Romano in 2020, with green and reddish colors. “The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated an already anticipated movement: the home office. Designed and signed by our studio, EVA comes as a response to the need to adapt and change habits”, says the description of the piece made by the studio. With organic shapes and tactile coating, the piece features, for example, Michell Lott’s home office, contributing to the unique aesthetic of the house.
The project for Casa Alma Duratex, at CasaCor SP, also belongs to Melina. Whites pigmented with yellow and with a touch of gray on 160 m² create an ethereal atmosphere for the senses. “The moment we question what is essential to us, this house that instigates sensations beyond aesthetics. Textures, warmth, light colors and minimalism are the pillars of the project: our need to go slower and focus on well-being”, describes the project.
For those who want to experience the fluid layout space and see the colors in person, the show runs until this Sunday. For those who will observe from home, photos of the 56 environments can be found on the event’s website.
After all this experience, the house that awaits us may be more inspiring than we imagine. According to Michell: “When we paint everything in one color, it seems like we create a dream space. In 2022, we are about to go through a kind of rebirth, a return to the world in a possible post-pandemic. Our house will certainly reflect this, being a refuge and at the same time a space of pure expression. Painting the house in just one color, betting on monochromatic, is a bold choice, but one that can transform the house into a unique place.”
Reference: CNN Brasil
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