One of the major challenges of the transformation was to accommodate some of the quirks of the original Haussmannian design while making the apartment contemporary and efficient. The plumbing was all located on one side of the unit, requiring some creative thinking to integrate new installations without compromising the aesthetics of the space. The project took advantage of the existing circulation of the living areas while removing certain elements to highlight the visual depth of the adjoining rooms. Openwork shelves, integrated into the entrance, maintained this impression of spaciousness while adding a modern touch.
To create a space that makes a break with the traditional design of many apartments in Paris, the agency chose to introduce 1970s pop elements including orange accents that punctuate each room. Rounded elements contrast with the rigid lines of the Haussmann-era design, while the color orange appears throughout the apartment, including on the half-moon handles in the kitchen, entrance, and bedroom. All were designed by Bonnemazou-Cambus and are painted in a vibrant tangerine hue. The rounded shape is also found in other elements of the apartment: quarter-circle storage units, the half-moon marble slab in the kitchen, and the curves of the bench in the breakfast area. These rounded, colorful accents introduce a refreshing dynamic and infuse the apartment with its own eclectic personality, while also highlighting the characteristic features of the Haussmann style (including moldings, right angles, and geometric parquet flooring). This bold approach creates a dialogue between the past and the present, between classic elegance and vibrant modernity. It’s also a conversation between color and its absence, between straight lines and curves.
