A Decorator’s Organic Modern Apartment in Switzerland

updated Jul 10, 2019

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About this tour

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Home Type

Apartment

Location

Geneva, Switzerland

Style

Minimal

Bedrooms

N/A

Square feet

1507

Sq ft

1507

Name: Pedro De Matos
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Size: 140 square meters (1,507 square feet)
Years lived in: 3 years; Rented

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Walking into Pedro’s Geneva home feels like entering an airy sanctuary, floating in a symphony of calming grey tones and stunning, century-old architectural details, where textured walls and polished hardwood floors steal the show. In Pedro’s work as an interior decorator, consultant and contractor, he creates simple, beautiful and functional spaces. For his own home, Pedro desired a place to receive friends and family, but also a calm and inspiring environment to conceive new projects, nurture ideas and dream about new surf destinations.

(Image credit: Anik Polo)

Thanks to his decades of experience in the construction industry working side-by-side with renowned architects, Pedro has deep knowledge in all areas of renovation, which is evident in his work. His passion for noble materials and his aesthetic response to details allow him to create luminous and sober interiors for clients around the globe.

Three years ago, Pedro discovered this space located in a turn-of-the-century building. The apartment was in terrible shape—abandoned since the ’70s—with peeling wallpaper, moldy carpets and just a lonely vintage bathtub left standing.

Pedro immediately saw the potential, signed the lease, reorganized the entire floor plan and got busy. With the help of two craftsmen, he worked night and day for two months, built the kitchen and bathroom from scratch, and replaced the entire plumbing and electrical systems.

It was then time to sand down and revarnish the wood floors, strip away old wallpaper, and re-plaster and texturize the walls with a final application of luxurious organic colors to give warmth in specific areas. He even brought the antique bathtub bath to life by re-enameling it.

When it was finally time to move in, Pedro chose to let the space’s raw beauty and exquisite details shine and furnished his home with only the essentials.

Apartment Therapy Survey:

Our Style: Contemporary, simple, pure, organic, functional.

Inspiration: Great architecture, travel, landscape, nature, surfing.

Favorite Element: Textures, with a strong emphasis on natural color tones.

Biggest Challenge: To create something beautiful and minimalist, visually and financially.

What Friends Say: They love it, they feel relaxed and comfortable.

Proudest DIY: Remodeled the kitchen one week before Christmas.

Biggest Indulgence: Spending more on little details, because details are very important.

Best Advice: Don’t have too many distractions in the house such as too many objects and appliances like TVs. Clear space gives so much more room for thinking, dreaming, and working on new projects.

Dream Sources: Traveling, Internet