This 538-Square-Foot Apartment In France Uses Coffee As Its Color Palette

In a beautiful and historic building dating from the 19th century in Courbevoie, near Paris, a 538-square-foot apartment has been restored to its former glory. Neglected for many years, the property was in desperate need of a thorough renovation. The challenge, however, was to update the interior while enhancing the existing features like typical Parisian moldings, and an unusual fireplace, which includes a Komodo dragon relief. Starting with this “superb shell,” in the words of Atelier Opale co-founders Alexandra Gérard and Alice Lefebvre, the firm enjoyed total carte blanche on the part of the owners and focused on creating a design that embraced the unique identity of the home. Having made small spaces their specialty, the experts put their know-how at the service of the young couple who had little expertise when it comes to design but knew they wanted a home that is unique and appealing.

A soothing, historic envelope

“From the outset, we decided to keep the moldings and the unusual fireplace,” explains Gérard. “We wanted to preserve this historic envelope while creating a monochrome box.” The designers used the same soft, luminous, and sensual cream tone for the floors, walls, and ceilings while “keeping as many traces of the past as possible,” she explains. The layout has also been extensively reworked to create a more fluid circulation, consistent with the desire to soften the space. “We’ve created a sense of movement that wasn’t there before. After all, the apartment is small, so this circulation gives a feeling of spaciousness while creating perspectives that didn’t exist before.” In the kitchen, which was deliberately left open to the rest of the apartment, the glass roof also contributes to the fluidity between the different spaces and it allows light to fill the home.

A renovation with graphic contrasts

“We used some graphic elements to create a sense of contrast,” Gérard says. In fact, Atelier Opale’s work stands apart from the historic elements of the apartment by adding sober lines and dark colors, while the original parquet floors maintain a link with the past. The chocolate brown used in the living areas is the result of varnishing and then staining MDF panels, a process increasingly used in renovations, particularly in small spaces, as it’s economical while offering an intriguing raw look. “Even with the furniture, we kept to very warm tones, to contrast with this cream-colored box,” adds Gérard. The coffee and cream checkerboard credenza in the kitchen embraces that same spirit.

A cocoon-like sleeping area

In the bedroom and bathroom, as well as in the study created for the couple, Atelier Opale opted for a softer touch, without the bold contrasts found in other rooms. “We wanted the bathroom to have a very soft feel to it. We didn’t want to use MDF there because it’s a bit intense, a bit too graphic. We only used it for the headboard, which we also designed; that’s all.” The sleeping area is like a cocoon in tones of butter and cream, enhanced by a few darker cocoa notes. “They were very happy for everything to be white because their dog’s also white,” says Gérard with a laugh. The bathroom is the most audacious and colorful of all the rooms, “because the clients still wanted some color, so we had some fun with that room.” The result is an pattern of gray, brown, and powder pink tiles.

Decorative design

While the interior designers kept the furnishings minimalist, and an emphasized graphic, contemporary lines, they also envisioned a somewhat playful decor, as evidenced by the stainless-steel candlestick by Axel Chay for Monoprix and the vintage Tulip chair. Above the sideboard in the living room, a Sarah Moon photograph belongs to the couple’s collection of artworks. One element is not the work of the designers, though their design emphasizes it. Gérard explains: “The light is incredible. We’re only on the second floor, but the light is so soft. That’s really the first word that comes to mind when you enter this apartment: softness. It envelops you.”