Nouvelle Athènes

Paris

lieu :: paris
date :: 2025
type :: apartment

An apartment in the heart of the Nouvelle Athènes

Neighbourhood life. Our clients came to us as neighbours. In love with the Nouvelle Athènes, this quarter of Paris’s 9th arrondissement between Saint-Georges and Pigalle, they were looking for a locally rooted practice for their apartment. From the very first visit, it was clear this would be a beautiful story. This project is the meeting of clients, architects and place. And what a place!

A Parisian apartment with undeniable qualities. Location, light, views, proportions. Every space conveyed an emotion, an invitation to creativity.

After a sketch phase — the essential first step of any interior architecture project — we got down to business. The plan was settled, and so was the budget. On to the materials! Stone, natural wood: our clients’ wishes were in perfect harmony with our values. And so we brought this magnificent project to life like a score for four hands… if not many more!

Dining room with oval marble table, blue velvet chairs and crown molding – apartment in Paris, by Cotrel Studio, interior designer

Dining room with red marble fireplace, mirror and globe chandelier – apartment in Paris

Detail of a red marble mantel with antique bust and ceramics – apartment in Paris

Where to begin… the entrance? No — the dining room!

It sits on the courtyard side. The steel bow window was, of course, already there. Facing north, the light it diffuses casts no shadows and caresses the furniture with a radiant softness. It is beautiful. But we cannot take all the credit — everything was already there. The light, the parquet, the cornices, the doors, the fireplaces. What a joy to have the good fortune to practise this profession in the most beautiful city in the world! The kitchen is not far away. Though it opens slightly onto the dining room, we wanted to make it a “real room”. The two spaces are separated by an opening whose pier panels were reproduced in plaster. You might think it had always been there.

Light-filled dining room with marble table and navy velvet chairs – apartment in Paris

Red marble fireplace opening onto the living room, herringbone parquet – apartment in Paris

White daybed by the window with antique bust on an oak plinth – apartment in Paris

Kitchen in light oak and gray marble with counter and wood stools – apartment in Paris

Kitchen detail with gray marble backsplash and light oak cabinets – apartment in Paris

Entryway with leaded glass windows, black marble side table and leather stool – apartment in Paris

0106

Dining room opening onto the kitchen, large abstract canvas and paneling – apartment in Paris

On the street side, the study and the salon

We designed this bookcase, which takes its place on either side of the fireplace. Executed in natural wood veneer, it rises to graze the plaster cornices without ever overwhelming them. This space invites rest and relaxation. Adjoining the living room, it is nonetheless separated by a partition we chose to keep.

The salon has no television. Richly decorated, it is a space made for welcoming friends. Fine connoisseurs of art and vintage furniture, the clients took the time to hunt through the neighbourhood’s galleries for pieces that reflect who they are. The sofa comes from Écart International, the magnificent French house that produces Jean-Michel Frank’s “Club” sofa.

Living room with molding, white bouclé armchairs and gilded mirror – apartment in Paris

Living room with ornate ceiling, cane armchairs, jute rug and parquet – apartment in Paris

Detail of a white marble mantel with antique vase and gilded mirror – apartment in Paris

Living room with ivory curtains, wood armchairs, white sofa and parquet – apartment in Paris

Detail of a black lamp on a wood pedestal against carved molding – apartment in Paris

Detail of a travertine coffee table, jute rug and cane armchairs – apartment in Paris

View through to the living room, white curtains and herringbone parquet – apartment in Paris

Haussmann living room opening onto the library, bouclé armchair – apartment in Paris

Library study with white marble fireplace, gilded mirror and graphic rug – apartment in Paris

Oak library with black rolling ladder and bouclé chaise lounge – apartment in Paris

Bouclé chaise lounge by the window, molding and herringbone parquet – apartment in Paris

Library study with glass desk, black ladder and patterned rug – apartment in Paris

0112

The master suite with dressing room and bathroom

The master suite extends on from the salon. It unfolds across three spaces: a bedroom, a dressing area and a bathroom, separated from the bedroom by a glazed partition. Its ribbed glass lets in a soft natural light while preserving privacy. The headboard is composed of oak-veneered panelling. Aligned with the doors, it echoes the dressing room’s materials and brings all the warmth this room calls for.

The entire bathroom was executed in Serpegiante Grey marble. Natural stone is always a good idea in a bathroom: timeless, it lends a character that endures over the years. And finally, this bathroom, finished in terrazzo. It is naturally lit by a window overlooking a small courtyard, where an outdoor planter was arranged to compose one last tableau.

Bedroom with oak headboard wall, navy cushions and throw – apartment in Paris

Detail of oak closet, framed artworks and alabaster pendant – apartment in Paris

Bedroom with oak paneling and rattan nightstand opening onto the closet – apartment in Paris

Bathroom in gray travertine with black-framed glass shower and niches – apartment in Paris

Detail of a gray stone sink with black faucets and tube sconces – apartment in Paris

Walk-in shower in gray travertine with black-framed glass panel – apartment in Paris

Detail of a backlit gray stone shower niche in the bathroom – apartment in Paris

Detail of a shower niche in veined gray travertine – apartment in Paris

Bathroom with white freestanding tub, black fixtures and gray stone – apartment in Paris

Bathroom with sky blue walls, terrazzo and freestanding tub by the window – apartment in Paris

Sky blue bathroom with oak vanity, terrazzo and round mirror – apartment in Paris

Bathroom seen from the doorway, terrazzo, black ladder and round mirror – apartment in Paris

0112