Rehabilitation of a house in the heart of Paris

An incredible place. When the clients first showed us their project, we were captivated by the building. A stone's throw from the Élysée Palace, this house had served as storage for a pre-Columbian art gallery. The floors were bare earth, the façade had smaller windows, and a garage stood where the living room is today. We guided the clients through the administrative steps required to transform the house, alongside the design of the project itself. The brief was as follows: a scheme with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, plus a flexible ground-floor space that could be converted into a guest bedroom.

Reclaiming the garage provided a substantial volume and made it possible to fulfil the brief. The ground floor of the house was arranged into a series of flexible spaces, with no compromise on comfort or ergonomics. You enter into a bright, airy living space. The floor is laid in Ampilly Burgundy stone, set in Opus Incertum. This traditional technique gives the impression that the stone has been there since the house was built. The space holds a large dining table and a bench seat that we designed and had made to measure. The sitting area, useful when the guest bedroom is occupied, becomes a connecting thread between the different spaces.

Cobbled courtyard of a stone townhouse with lounge chair and potted trees – house in Paris, by Cotrel Studio, interior designer

The great living space

The living space is framed by the kitchen to the left and the main sitting room to the right. The latter is flanked by a shower room and can be closed off from the living area by a large oak-veneered sliding door. This solution gives the occupants a third, entirely self-contained and spacious bedroom. The area is set apart from the rest of the house by a change in flooring. Here we chose the end-grain wood block technique, once used to pave city streets. The wood is laid vertically, making it extremely hard-wearing and opening up strikingly graphic laying patterns. We gave the technique a modern twist with a deconstructed pattern that contrasts with, and perfectly complements, the Burgundy stone.

Open dining room with marble table, blue velvet chairs and flagstone floor – house in Paris

Living room with exposed stone walls, oak slat screen and off-white sofa – house in Paris

Dining area with brass and glass pendant, marble table and built-in bench – house in Paris

Dining nook with sage bench, marble table, blue velvet chairs and oak doors – house in Paris

Living room with oak slat wall, white sofa, blue rug and natural stone floor – house in Paris

Oak staircase with black handrail and wooden slat partition – house in Paris

Oak stairs and a bright living room with tall windows and marble coffee table – house in Paris

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We called on highly skilled craftsmen, whose quality of work is immediately apparent. The existing façade was altered by enlarging the window openings, bathing the whole house in a soft, warm light. Delicate sheer curtains, lined with blackout drapes, turn the place into a true cocoon.

Relaying all the floors also allowed us to install underfloor heating throughout. Beyond the comfort it provides, it does away with visible radiators altogether.

Open kitchen in gray oak with white counter, bar stools and flagstone floor – house in Paris

Contemporary gray oak kitchen with white countertop and glass pendants – house in Paris

Upstairs, the sleeping quarters

The main staircase was entirely rebuilt. We designed it first and foremost for comfort, with deep treads and a recessed handrail. Its second virtue is discretion: it is screened from the living room by a filter of oak battens that conceals it while letting the light through. The oak treads are pleasing to the touch, and a skylight above completes its illumination.

The upper floor was conceived like a hotel suite: two bedrooms, each with its own desk area, dressing room and shower room.

Bedroom with white paneled walls, beige fabric headboard and brass sconces – house in Paris

Bedroom detail with fabric headboard, brass side table and marble bath beyond – house in Paris

Alcove desk nook with wooden console, blue velvet chair and linen curtain – house in Paris

Bedroom desk nook with black console, wire armchair and book shelves – house in Paris

White bedroom with recessed bookshelves, black desk and gray linen curtains – house in Paris

Bedroom seen from the bed with bookshelf niche, brass sconce and desk corner – house in Paris

Bedside detail with textured fabric headboard, brass sconce and black table – house in Paris

Paneled bedroom with fabric headboard, brass sconce and molded door – house in Paris

White bedroom opening onto a terrace through shuttered French doors – house in Paris

Minimal bedroom with linen curtains, oak floor, gray rug and brass floor lamp – house in Paris

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Materials run as a true connecting thread throughout the project. The bathrooms were all executed in natural stone, with its timeless charm.

In lighter, more feminine tones, the bathroom of the first bedroom was realised in Calacatta marble. The shower tray is carved from a single block and the basin is integrated directly into the countertop, combining design with durability. The fabric work received particular care: the curtains run continuously, extending well beyond the windows and creating a wonderfully comforting feel. A true cosy nest! The upholstered headboard integrates the switches with great finesse. A skylight was also created in this bathroom, bringing in natural overhead light.

The second bedroom is slightly more masculine, while respecting the codes of the project. Here, “Serpeggiante” marble takes centre stage, lining the entire shower room.

Bathroom with travertine vanity, black-framed mirror wall and tube sconces – house in Paris

Bathroom with large round mirror, brass fixtures, white marble and oak vanity – house in Paris

White marble bathroom detail with round mirror and brass tube sconce – house in Paris

Walk-in shower in beige stone with black fixtures and metal-framed mirror – house in Paris

Veined white marble shower with glass screen and brass fixtures – house in Paris

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