The apartment is located on the ground floor of a typical Haussmannian residential building in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Paris, that dates back to mid-19th century. The clients, a family of five, sought a renovation that would add modern features while respecting the building’s vernacular and omnipresent heritage.
The layout of the apartment unfolds around an imposing central corridor that separates the house in two wings: the south wing that accommodates the communal and living areas and the north wing that hosts the bedrooms.
The corridor was given particular attention as it effectively constitutes the core of the house. A white stretch ceiling was introduced to reflect and bring more light to the longitudinal space which lacks direct access to natural light.
The overall colour scheme revolves around light tones on the walls, interrupted by intense colour spots on the furniture and art pieces. Different colour palettes were chosen for different rooms, creating contrasts with the period’s ornamental details, painted in white.
The details on the walls, ceilings and doors were preserved and highlighted, juxtaposing the introduced modern furniture and joinery. All the original metalwork pieces were restored along with the old hardwood flooring.
The kitchen is a social area for this house – it’s a space where the whole family often gathers during the day, so it was decided from early on to move it to a more prominent, center-weighted space on the layout. The kitchen furniture now introduces a contemporary design in an otherwise ornamented but very spacious room. A long island bench sits on the longitudinal axis of the space. The white seamless kitchen cabinets highlight the original intricate fireplace.
In the family room the inchyra blue bookcase, lighted by the iconic lamp de Marseille, creates a dark backdrop adding depth to the space. The dining table, a family antique centerpiece, sits under a contemporary chandelier. In the living room, selected paintings surround classic design furniture pieces.
