In the heart of a beautiful Parisian building with plenty of wood, this 32 m² apartment was completely redesigned by interior designer Charlotte Astrak for a retired couple looking for a comfortable and bright second home. A breathtaking renovation story.
Enjoy the charms of the capital without the drawbacks: this was the plan of this retired couple who wanted to move to the countryside to have a house with a garden, but still keep their little villa in Paris. They really wanted to be able to continue their Parisian lifestyle, including cultural trips and visits with their grandchildren. So they started looking for a small area to renovate, in an ideal location near their daughter. Accompanied by interior designer Charlotte Astract, whom they found through the website Houzz.fr, a leading renovation platform that provides tools for homeowners to find the right service providers and contractors for their job, they visited another apartment. It’s on the second floor of a building dating back to 1910 in the Oberkampf district. The apartment is not very functional, designed as a student share apartment and has no real charm. But thanks to the advice and vision of Charlotte Astract, they managed to see the advantages of this address. Its location is quiet, in a charming neighborhood, facing a beautiful tree-lined courtyard. And perfect details. Behind this small, narrow and dimly lit three-room apartment, the architect saw “an interesting plan that could be completely open.” It’s the perfect place to leave your suitcases behind once in a while and enjoy the charm of the capital while feeling like you’re in the countryside. The original entrance hall was practically non-existent. Entering the apartment, there was a modest dining area and, to the right of the first room, a small old-fashioned kitchen. Behind this false wide entrance hall was the first bedroom, which had no space at all, but a beautiful and large window overlooking the building’s charming courtyard.
Before: an apartment without a real entrance
Imagination was needed to invest in this 32 m² apartment divided into several bedrooms. The lack of space due to the narrow layout literally made the client “anxious” and struggle to find his bearings, but interior designer Charlotte Astruc had no problem in completely rethinking the layout of the rooms and functions.
After: a real entrance arranged around a dual-function piece of furniture
The interior designer redesigned the apartment as if it were a blank sheet of paper that could reflect all the wishes of the new owner. To meet her expectations, especially to meet the desired number of beds, she tried to add as many perspectives as possible to enliven the living space. The partition wall between the first entrance hall and the first bedroom was removed and instead a clever double-sided bookcase was installed. This dual-function piece of furniture is airy with a deliberately open design with minimalist lines and chrome pipes, and has everything to please. Its presence suggests a subtle separation between the entrance and the living room, and its lightness does not block the view or the light.
Additional arguments: closed base. It is filled with cupboards and has space to store shoes, internet boxes and grandchildren’s toys. It is the perfect piece of furniture for an entrance that always enjoys style.
