Rehabilitation of an apartment in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Paris

It was love at first sight for this apartment, conceived as a little jewel in its case. We are in the very heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, in Paris. A quiet street, a historic building, beautiful light, and a raw space simply waiting to be shaped.

This apartment belongs to a building that underwent heavy rehabilitation in the 1990s, so its typically period details had disappeared. The perspectives, however, deserved to be celebrated by creating "pictures", as I often like to say. In a home, I find it important to create lines of sight — like paintings that could be admired independently of the rest. So we played with textures, colours and vanishing lines. With our clients, we decided to highlight pale wood and soft, restful tones. Oak panelling dresses the north-facing walls, creating continuity between the various pieces of furniture.

Living room with light oak shelving, glass partition and kitchen bar, pale parquet – apartment in Paris, by Cotrel Studio, interior designer

This 60 m² apartment lives like a much larger one. Thanks to the layout we designed, it comprises a comfortable kitchen, a living room and a dining room, completed by a main bedroom, a separate WC and a laundry room. The kitchen sits right in the entrance of the apartment, separated from it by a reeded-glass partition whose dimensions were such that it very nearly never made it through the door!

The worktop return, open to the living room, creates an ergonomic and pleasant spot for working from home, bathed in light. Even the cat feels at home there!

Living room with light oak bookcase opening onto the dining area, caned armchair – apartment in Paris

Light-toned living room, oak media unit, gray sofa and black poufs – apartment in Paris

Living corner: light oak TV niche and bouclé stool by the window – apartment in Paris

White marble kitchen with brass faucet behind a glass partition – apartment in Paris

Marble kitchen bar with navy velvet stools and glass partition – apartment in Paris

White glass partition with ribbed glass over the kitchen counter, beige cabinets – apartment in Paris

Detail: cat asleep on an ecru tubular chair under the marble table – apartment in Paris

Dining area: marble table, ecru chairs and light oak wall shelves – apartment in Paris

Living room with light oak bookcase, gray sofa and bouclé armchair – apartment in Paris

White marble kitchen with brass faucet, glass partition and built-in oven – apartment in Paris

Detail: oval mirror reflecting the light oak shelving – apartment in Paris

Dining nook: light oak shelves, white sideboard and glass pendant lights – apartment in Paris

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The main bedroom follows the same spirit: understated, noble materials, simplicity and softness. A joinery unit separates the bedroom from the shower room; it houses a wardrobe and conceals a sliding door. The ceiling was treated in colour, with a tone that flows down onto the top of the walls, lending the space intimacy.

For this project, all the floors were redone. In this kind of context, we pay particular attention to preserving the soul of the place. Using entirely new materials could bring an impersonal note we are determined to avoid. That is why, to give just one example, we only use solid oak parquet of fine quality, but with a patina. The edges of the boards are lightly burnt to darken them. It is a detail that makes all the difference.

Bedroom: white closets and sage-green ceiling, view into the terrazzo bathroom – apartment in Paris

Bedroom with white walls and sage-green ceiling, round nightstand and closets – apartment in Paris

Nightstand detail: round white side table, dried bouquet and glass sconce – apartment in Paris

View from the bedroom toward the dining area, white closets and green ceiling – apartment in Paris

Shower detail: glass panel with brass trim on gray terrazzo floor – apartment in Paris

Bathroom: turquoise pedestal basin, terrazzo floor and linen shade – apartment in Paris

Bathroom: white basin, wall-mounted brass faucet and storage niches – apartment in Paris

Bathroom seen from the door: light oak vanity, brass sconces, terrazzo floor – apartment in Paris

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