Bruno Rocha never saw himself living in a house, but when the lifelong apartment-dweller came across a cosy property in Rio’s Jardim Botânico area, he was converted. ‘It wasn’t massive and it reminded me of my grandma’s house, with a pool and green lawn,’ he says. ‘I instantly felt like I was home.’
The journalist and TV presenter, known by the pseudonym Hugo Gloss, runs one of Brazil’s most popular entertainment websites, with a 20-million strong following on Instagram. He appreciates the importance of having a home that’s a place of respite, but which also has space to display his cherished stuff – a lifetime’s worth of books, toy art, photographs and memorabilia amassed on his globetrotting adventures.
To realise his vision, Bruno turned to his friends: brothers Carlos and Caio Carvalho, and Rodrigo Beze, partners at Studio Ro+Ca. It’s this trio he had previously consulted when designing his first two apartments in Rio’s lively Barra da Tijuca and Lagoa districts.
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‘I love their creativity and great attention to detail,’ he says. ‘They really understand my style and personality and how to transform my vision to reality.’
With no structural changes needed to the three-floor, 600-square-metre house, the focus was on creating a series of light, bright rooms, including a home cinema and library, grounded by warm wood panelling. Studio Ro+Ca already had an understanding of his taste, but Bruno gave them a clear brief anyway.
‘I requested wooden furniture and white walls to hang my collection of art,’ he explains. ‘I wanted a cosy atmosphere with functional spaces, a harmonious colour palette and Brazilian design objects and furniture. It had to be a contemporary sanctuary of comfort.’
Bruno couldn’t be happier with how they found ways to incorporate his treasured possessions into the scheme and present them in a new light. ‘I’m in love with the whole project,’ he says. ‘I never thought I’d have my own pool and garden, and also, a library – I always dreamt of having one.’
What this very public figure now has is a home where he can retreat from the red carpets and flashbulbs of his day job to enjoy his collection of memories. ‘I’m usually a quiet person but now and then I like to invite some friends over for dinner and drinks. I shall throw a party someday. It hasn’t happened yet – I’ll invite you!’ studioroca.com.br
