00:02For this apartment, I imagined soft dark wood and warm walls.
00:07I was looking for a timeless look and materials and finishes that could stand the test of time.
00:16My name is Vivian Cella Gopien and I am an interior designer.
00:23My client is a very kind and handsome entrepreneur in his 40s.
00:27His hobbies, including reading, listening to music and doing sports,
00:32they are not just a pastime but something he completely organizes his life around.
00:38He wanted to make sure there was an ideal spot to read and store his books.
00:44He wanted the reading experience to be enhanced by high-end music listening.
00:50Together, we found a way to create a design that could house his hobbies comfortably.
00:54They are at the heart of the design of this flat.
01:04The apartment is at the foot of the Canal Saint Martin.
01:08It is away from the obvious tourist path and it has a lot of coffee shops and one of the
01:14most famous Parisian bakeries.
01:17The main attraction of the neighborhood is the lock, made famous by the film Amélie.
01:24It is an Osmanian building from 1875 that has always been residential.
01:30The owner found the place when it was still divided in three parts.
01:37There was a one bedroom apartment, a corridor and a studio.
01:41He was able to buy all three of them together all at once.
01:45The apartment had great natural lighting with tons of windows and even a small skylight in the corridor.
01:51However, they were dingy with old flooring and crinkly paint and although they had retained their original moldings and fireplaces,
02:00they needed to be completely gutted.
02:04The first thing we did was to enclose the previously opened corridor into the apartment.
02:11The bathroom in the studio was enlarged and divided in two to create a main bathroom with a new window
02:18and a separate toilet.
02:20We decided to keep the bedroom entirely in what used to be the studio apartment
02:26and turn the other apartment into a large open living, dining and kitchen area.
02:37The entrance immediately sets the tone.
02:41Because of the thick insulation in the apartment, the window sills are quite deep,
02:46which made this a perfect spot to install a built-in bench to take your shoes off.
02:52Beside the door, a mirror coat closet bounces light in this small entryway,
02:57keeping the entryway clean and uncluttered.
03:01From the entrance, a low wooden passage invites you to step directly into the open living dining kitchen area.
03:10Where a fireplace once stood, we installed a custom-built music wall.
03:15We worked with a speaker company to create bespoke integrated speakers that would fit seamlessly into the piece.
03:23We designed the lower shelf specifically to fit his turntable and the amplifier,
03:28which is also integrated into the piece as well as a ledge to display the vinyls he is currently listening
03:35to.
03:38The music wall also holds one of the many bookcases in the apartment.
03:44On the lowest part, a slim set of smoked glass doors hide the more unsightly tech pieces.
03:53The large blank space serves as the projection screen.
03:59We also took advantage of a small spot above one of the speakers to add hidden closed storage.
04:08Below a slanted wall, a large wall of books captures your attention.
04:15Inside it, we placed a beautiful lamp designed by Jean Nouvel.
04:22The small cabinet has perforated wood doors that, aside from adding texture to the design,
04:29allow for a better music listening experience.
04:35The apartment walls are entirely covered in lime wash finish,
04:39making it incredibly sustainable and resistant to wear.
04:45Because the client often helps a friend look after their dog,
04:49putting rugs down in this place wasn't an option.
04:52I ended up sourcing end grain wood tiles,
04:55like the ones that were originally used in the street of this apartment in the 1930s.
05:00This felt like a clever way to add the warmth of rugs,
05:04as well as a wink to the history of the apartment.
05:08After we removed a load-bearing wall,
05:10we had to install a beam across the entire living area to replace it.
05:15We decided to take advantage of it by creating a small drop ceiling
05:20that holds a 5.5 meter long bookshelf.
05:24Inspired by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright,
05:26the bookshelf is purposely tilted to make book titles easier to read.
05:33Because there wasn't much space in this room,
05:35we decided to condense a lot of functions into one single piece,
05:40allowing for better circulation.
05:41We created a bespoke piece that looks like a natural extension of the MUTO sofa.
05:47It holds a small library as well as an indented side table,
05:51which is specifically requested to avoid knocking his drinks off the table.
05:56The bespoke furniture piece wraps around the sofa
05:58to create a bench for the dining area,
06:01which made it so there were less chairs and visual clutter in this space.
06:05We decided to pair it with a slim glass table
06:08and a set of classic apostate chairs.
06:14The kitchen blends into the dining room
06:16and feels more like a design piece than a regular kitchen.
06:20Because the client doesn't do a lot of cooking,
06:23we kept its functional features to a minimum,
06:27including only two stovetops with an under-counter oven,
06:31a small dishwasher, a washing machine and a small fridge.
06:38The kitchen doors have a wood framing with white laminated veneer
06:43that closely matches the chairs in the dining room.
06:46It adds a little sophistication to the whole space.
06:52The true showstopper here is the Patagonia granite used for both the countertop and backsplash.
07:01Its spectacular artistic effect turns the wall into a beautiful painting.
07:08Above the counter, instead of a range route, we decided to prioritize the projector.
07:14Because the kitchen is close to a window, it ventilates the area quite well.
07:24The sleeping area is hidden behind a pocket door.
07:29As soon as you step through the sliding door, you can see the low bed,
07:33which makes this room feel even larger than it is.
07:37We decided to place it right below the tilted skylights,
07:41so that the client can gaze at the stars during the night.
07:46The custom bed frame and side tables were purposely built to look like a single large piece of furniture,
07:52which helps to make the room feel like one cohesive space.
07:58The wall behind the bed is covered in a rich textured faux-heel leather wallpaper from Elitis
08:04that serves as a soft, integrated headboard.
08:10The platform also houses a custom-built dresser with bespoke handles
08:14where he stores his clothes and his gym equipment.
08:21A large mirror wraps around the back wall to help him check his postures during his workouts.
08:27It also makes this narrow space feel a lot wider.
08:34In the corner of this room, we decided to create a hidden gaming area
08:37that isn't visible from the bed or upon entry.
08:42To do this, we designed a custom media unit that holds the large TV screen
08:46and gaming consoles.
08:49To complete this nook, we placed a bench along the wall
08:53that has a dedicated spot to put away the controllers
08:56and a simple speaker system.
08:59The unavoidable amount of cables are hidden behind a wooden panel
09:03accessible from the back to make cable management easier.
09:09The bathroom is very narrow but functional.
09:14Beside the wash basin, a hidden shallow cupboard serves to hide his toiletries.
09:20We utilized the curve of the communal stairwell behind the wall
09:24to design a unique structure
09:26that integrates a bench, a planter and a wash basin all in one.
09:35The toilet was made to be extremely simple as the client didn't want this to be a spot for lingering.
09:42It has a simple floating toilet and some storage that hides cleaning products and a water softener tank.
09:52Directly across from the toilet, there is a highly functional hidden drying cupboard.
09:57It provides a secret space to dry clothes and swimwear quickly.
10:06For a decade, I lived in a 19 square meter apartment and my life was beautifully simple.
10:11Everything was practical and within reach.
10:14If I needed something, I only had to extend my arm.
10:17This experience taught me that we don't need more space than what is absolutely necessary.
10:23As someone born and raised in Paris, I've always held this conviction.
10:27In a city like this, there simply isn't space for more.
10:32Upgrading and repurposing existing tiny spaces is crucial for the future of urban living
10:38because it challenges the notion that we need excessive space to live well.
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