An Interior Designer's Simple & Modern Beijing Flat

An Interior Designer's Simple & Modern Beijing Flat

Name: Coro Urdaneta and Marco Cortavitarte

Location: Sanlitun — Beijing, China

Size: 1,500 square feet

Years lived in: 2 years, renting

It's hard to find an expat in Beijing who doesn't know about the Moka Bros, or the Venezuelan siblings behind it. When the restaurant first opened in 2013, it flipped the capital's healthy café scene on its head, largely thanks to its refreshingly bold and trendy creative concept. The woman behind that design, and that of many other successful eateries in the city, is Coro Urdaneta of her namesake studio CoromotoAD. With more than 30 projects behind her in just a few years, it's hardly a surprise that some of this design wisdom — as well as the furnishings themselves — would spill over into the Beijing home she shares with her husband Marco Cortavitarte.

Almost everywhere you look there are samples and prototypes (mostly chairs) from the restaurants she designed, like a wood chair from the popular Mexican restaurant QMex, a light-gray cushioned seat from Japanese bento box establishment Obentos, and a chair from Moka Bros's sister restaurant Mosto. Coro, who studied architecture in Venezuela, even commissions her own pieces through her studio's suppliers.

Of course, a home is always so much more than its furniture, and this couldn't be more true for Coro and Marco. This apartment in Sanlitun's former diplomatic residence compound is their first place together in Beijing — they spent years apart as a married couple after Coro found out she couldn't move back to the U.S.. Marco eventually left his life in Miami to join her in China, bringing with him some of her prized possessions that now dot their apartment. Alongside decorations from Venezuela, the U.S., Peru, and Spain are pieces accumulated from their new life chapter in Asia, making for a space with no shortage of personality.

Apartment Therapy Survey:

Our Style: Simple and modern, although a bit eclectic.

Inspiration: Travels and my everyday work as an interior designer.

Favorite Element: The circle on the living room wall.

Biggest Challenge: A small kitchen and bathroom.

What Friends Say: That it's so bright and feels very cozy. They love that I have so many custom-designed pieces (mainly designed by me), especially since in China, most expats rent and they don't want to invest too much in their homes.

Biggest Embarrassment: The guest room closet. It came with the apartment, and I always promised myself that I'll fix it (DIY style), but it never happened.

Proudest DIY: The circle on the wall and the cabinets in the entrance (I designed them, but I didn't build them).

Biggest Indulgence: The light fixtures.

Best Advice: Keep it simple. Less is more. Always try to bring a touch of your personality, even if it's in a little corner. I really love to make little corners in every room to display all the little things I bring from my travels. The perfect way to create this corner is using a tray to unify them.

Dream Sources: If we're talking about sources in the U.S., I love DWR (Design Within Reach) for big pieces, but if I could really splurge, I would go for the Scandinavian brands like Muuto, Note Design Studio, and Australian designers. To be honest, as an architect and interior designer, there are so many brands I love, and I'd use them according to my influence or mood that year. My personal taste gets influenced a lot by my travels and the design projects I get involved with every year.

Resources:

PAINT & COLORS

Dulux — 50YR 26/023 Ominous (Circle in Living Room)

ENTRY

Circle Mirror — Custom made by CoromotoAD

"Hello" Sign — Target in Australia

Cabinets — Custom made by CoromotoAD

Bench — Replica Nelson Platform Bench

LIVING ROOM

Cabinet — Gaobedian, Beijing

Plant Stand — Local flower market

Entry Table — Custom made by CoromotoAD (Find similar at Target)

Rug — IKEA

Couch — QM store, Beijing (Find similar at West Elm)

Coffee table — Replica Elliptical Table ETR Vitra

Wall Light — Taobao (It's similar to the Aasen Wall Lamp)

Pillows — Pillows are a mix; some are custom made with local fabrics, the black ones are from IKEA, and the colorful ones are from Spain

Magazine Basket —Vintage find from a Beijing market.

Ceiling Lights — Taobao (Find similar at Target)

Print above dining table — Bought in San Sebastian, Basque Country

Dining Table — Custom made by CoromotoAD (Find similar at Target)

Salt and Pepper Shakers — West Elm in Australia

Small Stools — Pangjiayuan Antique Market, Beijing

Mirrors — Bought in Peru

Chairs — Mix of pieces from restaurants Coro's studio has designed. Yellow armchairs are Tolix in a custom yellow color. Find similar chairs in 13 colors at Target.

BEDROOM

Bedspread — H&M Home

Yellow Stool — Lily's Antiques (Find similar on Amazon)

Nightstands – Gaobeidian, Beijing (Find similar at West Elm)

Ceiling Lights – AIM by Flos

Three Prints Friend and Venezuelan artist Gustavo Rugeles

Bean Bag – Taobao (Find similar on Amazon)

White Lamps — Sourced from a local lamp market (Find similar at IKEA)

Pillows — Custom made in Beijing with local fabrics

White Dresser — IKEA

Mirror — Taobao

Rug — IKEA

Green Shelf — Gaobedian

Bull — From Barcelona

Kaleido Tray — HAY

Candle Holder — Bought in Australia from a local designer

"Detective Comics" Print — I got it in Barcelona for my husband who's a comics fan

GUEST BEDROOM

Yellow Nightstand — Taobao (Find similar at IKEA)

Blue Rug — Loft, Japan

Floor Lamp — DIY from lamp pieces from local market

Chair — The first prototype for Beijing's QMex restaurant, designed by CoromotoAD

Table — Upcycled from office (Table top is upcycled and legs are from IKEA)

White Stool — Taobao (Find similar on Amazon)

Pink Paper Tray — IKEA

Small Tray — Urban Outfitters

My Cinema Lightbox — Bought in Australia (Find similar on Amazon)

& Sign — Bought in Melbourne, Australia

Photograph – Bought at Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne, Australia

BATHROOM

Yellow Bench — Pangjiayuan Antique Market

Blue Bench – Vintage find at a Beijing market

Rug — H&M Home

Tray — Peru

Black Laundry Bag — H&M Home

Shower Curtain — H&M Home

Bath Mat — Zara Home

Magazine Basket — IKEA

Thanks, Coro and Marco!

Original article and pictures take www.apartmenttherapy.com site