00:01The client has a strong passion for arts, architecture and design and he loves
00:07collecting art pieces and books. He wanted an apartment that gave him an
00:11opportunity to display his favorite art pieces. He was able to trust us to propose
00:17an interior outside the usual framework. Together we came up with the idea of an
00:23open space designed like an art gallery, where your pathway through the space is
00:27subtly guided by design choices, as well as the placement of artworks and design
00:33pieces. My name is Alexandre Moret and I am Lola Guishto. We are architect and
00:39interior designers. We are co-founders of Studio Ida.
00:50The apartment is located in the Charenton district in Paris. The neighborhood is
00:56lively and green, known for its many alleys and large open-air markets.
01:02The apartment is part of an old workers' building, like the ones that could be found
01:07in the 19th century. It's a typical building of that era, with a simple façade,
01:14almost without ornamentation, and many small apartments.
01:19The apartment had remained untouched since it was constructed in the 1800s. Although, the overall
01:27condition was ok, the floors and windows were in a bad state, and the layout was not suitable
01:33for a modern lifestyle. The apartment consisted of a small living room and bedroom. There was a small
01:40closed-off kitchen tucked in a corner, a toilet, and a separate bathroom.
01:46We completely rethought this apartment. We placed the toilet right beside the entrance.
01:53Along one of the walls, we installed a wall-to-wall low console.
01:58The bathroom and dressing room is in the fuzzest corners of the apartment. It has a L-shaped layout
02:05to offer privacy, without the need for doors.
02:14The entryway is a luminous corridor. Right beside the door, a large set of floor-to-ceiling mirror
02:21closets have room for coats and suitcases. You can catch a glimpse of the long, old console,
02:27where the client drops its keys as he walks into his home.
02:32As you enter the living room, you can see the full extension of the oak console.
02:38This large wall of wood adds a lot of warmth and breaks up the coldness of the white walls
02:44and polished concrete floor. The round coffee tables fit perfectly within the L-shaped platform,
02:50which allows for comfortable circulation in and around the living area.
02:55The concrete platform was created in order to distribute the electricity and plumbing
03:01throughout the apartment, as these services were originally only located in the entrance.
03:10Behind the sofa, a short wall act as a wooden backrest, in the same oak as the console.
03:18The sofa was custom made to fit within the platform. It is the size of a single bed and made
03:26out of foam
03:27from Bultex, which is a popular mattress company here in France. The platform also creates a threshold
03:35between the living area and the kitchen dining area. In between the windows, we decided to bring up the
03:43wood of the console and cover the whole wall with it. Together with slim white shelves, we were about
03:50to create a display area for art pieces and design objects. This allows Nicolas to easily swap out
03:56some of the art pieces in his home, something he loves to do as his collection grows.
04:02The oak console runs the entire length of the apartments and guides your eye to the artwork at the end
04:08of the space.
04:10This makes the apartment feel a lot larger and grander. In the living room area,
04:15the console provides a lot of storage as well as hiding the radiators.
04:23The kitchen is discreet and straightforward. The client doesn't do a lot of cooking
04:29and didn't want a large kitchen, hiding visual clutter.
04:33The appliances for the kitchen are fully concealed within the central block.
04:39Within this kitchen, we install a full-size fridge and freezer,
04:42an oven with a two-burner induction hub and a small microwave.
04:46The doors open to 180 degrees, allowing them to be fully open without taking up space.
04:53Even though Nicolas doesn't cook much at the moment, we designed it to be a fully functional kitchen.
05:01The dining area was made to look like a design object.
05:05In the middle, we install a table-height kitchen island, made from stainless steel and marble mosaic tiles.
05:13This surface can be used both for cooking and dining.
05:16We choose the yellow plexiglas to match the color palette of the artwork.
05:21The transparent materials feel light and gives the whole piece a contemporary and sculptural vibe.
05:27The wood-covered back wall is slightly inset.
05:30It adds a touch of warmth and softness compared to the other material of the island.
05:37The track lighting on the ceiling is commonly used in galleries.
05:42It illuminates the space evenly without being distracting.
05:47We heat the old chimney floors within a large partition.
05:52The partition also defines the living, dining and sleeping areas.
05:59The bedroom is compact and cozy.
06:03Before you enter, you go through a small hallway, which makes it feel like you are entering a more secluded
06:11and private part of the home.
06:13It is separated from the rest of the space by a wall with a large opening that allows a lot
06:19of natural light inside.
06:22Right below the ceiling, we installed a wall-to-wall storage unit with an open shelf in the middle.
06:28That holds the projector.
06:32The opposite wall was kept white to be used as a projector screen.
06:37Besides the bed, we designed a small niche with shelves that the client can use as a bedside table and
06:43boot shelf.
06:46The bed itself also has drawers below where the client stores his seasonal items.
06:54The bathroom is in the furthest, most private corner of the apartment.
07:00Because of the layout, it didn't really need doors to add privacy.
07:04At the entrance, the custom vanity sits in front of a wall of mirrors, which gives the illusion of a
07:11larger bathroom.
07:12The counter sits a few centimeters below the wooden structure to avoid water running from down the side of the
07:19vanity and is made out of the same kalakata marble tiles.
07:26Nicolas had mentioned he really wanted a walking wardrobe, so we decided to combine it with the main bathroom to
07:33essentially double its functionality.
07:36We placed a stool in the corner to complete the dressing room fill.
07:42At the furthest corner, we placed a simple walking shower.
07:47We added a shelf for toiletries, which was made with leftover material from the kitchen items.
07:57The toilet is a small, simple room.
08:00We placed it beside the entrance, giving the guests more privacy.
08:05Previously, the apartment did not have space for a laundry, but we were able to use the space under the
08:11communal stairs of the building to add a washing machine.
08:16We always take great pleasure in designing small spaces.
08:20In these spaces, we must combine all the constraints of life, all the needs of our clients, their desires, their
08:26habits, and create something that works all together.
08:31You also have to understand, to listen, to extract.
08:35But at the end, it allows you to get the most out of a small space.
08:46See you.
08:54Let's make this music very interesting.
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