architecte desa
The flat's 140 square metres were frozen in time, with the counter stuck in 1969. Although located in a Haussmann-style building, all its classic features had disappeared in favour of a retro-futuristic decor: steel bar, bookcase and fireplace, carpeted podium, smoked glass doors, brown kitchen and bathrooms. After the initial dazzle, tinged with amusement, came the fateful question: are we going to enjoy living in a museum for long? The owners opted for a contemporary version of ‘nouveau moderne’, and entrusted this interpretation to Camille Hermand.
While in the 70s, the futuristic total look was a clean sweep of the past, today's architecture pays homage to it. The mouldings and herringbone parquet flooring have reappeared, reconstructed as they were originally, putting the flat back in the style of the building. On this basis, the large living room has been given a much more designer look. The kitchen now extends across one side of the room, arranged like a painting. Its lines form a graphic composition between the marble splashback and the walnut units and shelves, set against a backdrop of white cupboards. In front, the beautiful dining room table is the centre of activity.
Another painting marks the presence of the symmetrical living room just opposite. Just as graphic as the former library, the building is arranged around a central chimney flue, with open or closed shelves, a bench and a wood chest on either side, in a contrast of dark blue and white. The fireplace is no longer in sculpted marble as in the 19th century, nor in metal as in the 20th, but is very refined and environmentally friendly, with its closed hearth bearing the Flamme verte label. Three designer hanging lights punctuate the space above the coffee table.
The space vacated by the old kitchen has become a family room, connected by a large bay window. The living space is multiplied tenfold, with double exposure to daylight. You can play, watch TV or read in peace and quiet, while still being within easy reach of the family's activities. The dark blue of the entrance hall is matched by the same colour at the back of the living room bookcase. The alternation of light and half-light is deliberate, accompanying the variations in brightness of the rooms that are blind or have natural daylight, and accentuating the effect.
Where the flat once played out a symphony of brown and steel, the new layout features a palette of blue and white. The children's bedroom is bright and soft. Bespoke joinery has been painted sky blue to match the curtains. The two bathrooms feature navy and white graphics, enhanced by marble tops. Washbasin units and navy walls contrast with white metro tiles, while patterned floor tiles create cabochons or geometries. We're looking forward to the next fifty years.
Text : Caroline Tossan
Photos : © Pauline Le Goff
Project : Henri IV
