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Once an uninhabited and dirty attic space, Villa Saint-Michel was transformed by Nicolas Bossard into a bright, compact and fluid space with a combination of earthy tones and playful colours. After modifying and reinforcing the structure, Bossard added a separation wall, an attic and a feature floating birchwood staircase, designed to take up minimal floorspace. On one side of the staircase is a neatly tucked away small home office with a mustard coloured wall and on the other a luminous yellow archway leads to the surprisingly large stand alone kitchen. The living room, with its feature burgundy wall, birchwood shelves and fireplace is designed to maximise comfort, whilst the ashwood dining chairs and linen curtains all combine to create the Scandinavian beach-side cabin feel that the client envisaged.

#smallapartment #architecture #interiordesign

Project Name: Villa Saint-Michel
Architect: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasbossardarchitecture

Produced by New Mac Video Agency
Creator: Colin Chee
Director/Camera Operator: Matthieu Torres
Producer: Lindsay Barnard
Editor: Jessica Ruasol
Music: To Lay Down Everything You've Built by Dear Gravity
Transcript
00:02The apartment is located on the penultimate and last floor of a Fabergian building in the 18th district of Paris,
00:11near the Place Pigalle and the Grand Carrières district.
00:17The building was built in 1880. It has always been an apartment building.
00:24The apartment had been abandoned when the owner found it, with only a worn and weathered structure and frame remaining.
00:35When the client approached me, she already had an idea.
00:40She imagined a small duplex between a cabin perched under the roof and a beach house.
00:57The emerging Grand Carrières neighborhood revolves around the Montmartre cemetery, where historical figures such as François Truffaut are buried.
01:10Its quiet residential streets are lined with Osmanian and modern buildings, many of which house local cafes and supermarkets.
01:23The client is a woman in her 30s, and she lives by herself.
01:33When I first came to the apartment, it was an uninhabited and dirty Hivik space, with pretty good structure and
01:42framework.
01:45I wanted to create a compact and fluid space with lots of natural light.
01:51We reinforced and modified the structure and framework to add a staircase and an attic to the space.
01:59The owner also wanted a real separate kitchen, which is not common today where we tend to place them in
02:06living rooms, especially in small spaces.
02:13When we enter the apartment, we are greeted by the feature floating staircase, made out of birch and white plywood.
02:22We purposely made part of the staircase like a floating staircase, so it doesn't take up too much floor space
02:30in the living room.
02:33The living room is designed to maximize comfort for the client.
02:39We created a feature burgundy wall with shelves made out of birch wood, and we added some storage space underneath.
02:49We installed a contemporary ethanol fireplace and a TV corner as well.
02:57At the corner of the living room, we created a rounded corner cupboard for more storage.
03:05For a bit of Scandinavian touch, we used ash wood chairs in the dining area.
03:10The table is illuminated by bell suspension lighting.
03:15We used a linen curtain along the windows.
03:19It really gives you the seaside atmosphere.
03:23Next to the staircase, we have a sturdy home office area with the wall painted in mustard color.
03:31Above the study, we have a little opening through to the kitchen.
03:36It helps with air circulation and light when you're walking at the desk.
03:41We also integrated a storage space under the staircase, where the client can hang her coats or storage for shoes
03:50or other belongings when she enters the apartment.
03:56The kitchen is separated from the living room by this luminous archway painted in yellow color.
04:02Small niches have been arranged to accommodate decorative objects.
04:09We have all you need in the kitchen, like white cooktop, full oven, fridge, dishwasher, and lots of storage.
04:20We installed a mirror splash back to increase the feeling of space.
04:27The floor is covered with terracotta tiles and we used white quartz for the kitchen bench top.
04:34We made a range hood with rounded soft edge.
04:39We even built a wine cellar made from birch melamine.
04:46Across the arch, above the dining area, we can see the beams that reinforce the wooden structure to support the
04:55mezzanine room.
04:57Glass windows have been installed to let the light penetrate through to the upper level.
05:04On the upper level, we continued using the plywood as the balustrade and it also allows light to come into
05:12the upper level.
05:14The client wanted a compact bedroom, but that ticked all the boxes of functionality.
05:20A skylight installed in the bedroom maximizes the natural light along with glass windows to bring in natural light from
05:31the living room windows below.
05:34The space is minimal, but it's optimized with a large linear storage unit that presents a smooth, calm and soft
05:43facade with its matte lacquered doors in the same brick tones used in the living room.
05:52The bathroom occupies the greatest height below the ridge.
05:57We wanted to be the most spacious as we imagine a seaside home to be.
06:04We designed a spacious and minimalist room with marine echoes.
06:10The walking shower is separated by a partition that incorporates the beams of the original frame.
06:21The green tile is an arrow model from Equipe Ceramicas.
06:26It evokes watercolour fish scales.
06:31A tiny dressing room has been created next to the bathroom.
06:38We also included a washing machine in the dressing room.
06:45It offers storage while hiding the chimney flues.
06:52It's not so easy to meet the demands of clients who want a comfortable kitchen, a nice living room, an
06:59airy cozy space as well as practical storage in a few square meters.
07:04But it's a fun challenge.
07:06In order for everything to harmonize in the right way, without wasting space, the project is designed to the centimeter
07:14in its entirety.
07:18As our population is growing and the property price continues to grow in Paris,
07:24Architects have a role to play in this challenge so these small spaces can offer high quality of life and
07:32experience.
07:32We are turning to theated small thickness.
07:50The vast majority of the buildings have been created in the hands of the living room.
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