Claude Bernard flat
The Claude Bernard flat is a masterpiece of the Haussmann movement. The layout of the parquet flooring, the moulded cornices and all the other masterly details make this an exceptional place to live. The layout of the rooms was no longer adapted to our lifestyles, so we had to rethink the layout while preserving the soul of the place.
After a few months' work, a soft, warm, earthy hue announces the tone on the entrance ceiling. This approach immediately gives visitors an enveloping, reassuring feeling. This colour visually lowers the height of the ceiling and creates an effect of openness towards the living room through a play of contrasts. The entrance hall is transformed into a cocoon thanks to its soothing dimensions and the treatment given to the ceiling.
The living room, meanwhile, attracts with its vertiginous volumes, free and bathed in light. This attraction invites you to move naturally into the living area, without formality, in complete conviviality.
The living room is the beating heart of the flat. Its layout was slightly modified to unite it with the kitchen. Although the two spaces were aligned, the orientation of the building and the urban environment were such that the sun came in unevenly. The partition separating the two rooms also obstructed the flow of the sun's strong rays into the kitchen. This separation was reshaped to create three openings between the two rooms, allowing more light into the kitchen. What's more, these new passages completely free up circulation in the space. A loop has been created to make the most of the generous volumes of this central room.
To complement this, we have retained part of the partition to accommodate a bench on one side, with a generous dining area, and storage space on the other. A solid oak skylight sits between the two, allowing the mirrors in the living room and kitchen to communicate with each other, giving an air of the Hall of Mirrors and absolute perspective.
In the kitchen, a large central island designed like an anchored ship encourages culinary discovery and memorable exchanges, a room at the centre of everyday life. Storage units swarm in every direction to delight kitchen enthusiasts. Although the palette of neutrals takes centre stage, it's an explosion of materials that brings out the full flavour of this room: solid wood, terracotta, gilding, staff, brass, metal, hand-crafted ceramics and much more.
On the night side, the children's bedrooms were already very much marked by admirable historical details. We therefore limited our intervention to the design of a subtle aesthetic and a few missing storage units, to give pride of place to the period architecture. Only the children's bathroom benefited from a complete renovation with a monochrome concept.
The master bedroom was the forgotten room in the flat, but there was a cute little
feature that attracted a lot of attention even before the renovation work. Despite the two storeys separating the flat from the ground, a wild flora invites itself through the window of the wet room, a poem. Everything has been rethought to give this poem the lyricism it deserves. Today, a large basin and mirror face the entrance. Above this mirror, the window becomes a natural spotlight that immerses the person entering in a halo of light, a romantic moment. On leaving the shower room, the redesigned layout offers a pathway to the bed, creating a feeling of self-sufficiency.
