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    Gharib Studio outfits Austin jewellery store with pink walls and arches

    Los Angeles design studio Gharib Studio has contrasted concrete floors and exposed ceilings with soft-pink walls and clean lines for a jewellery store in Austin.

    Created for the friendship jewellery brand Little Words Project (LWP), Gharib Studio used elements of the merchandise to inform the store’s pink material palette and incorporated arches throughout the space to contrast the industrial elements of the building, which were left exposed.
    Gharib Studio has outfitted a jewellery store in Austin with dusty pinkAccording to Gharib Studio founder Nora Gharib, the team followed the common phrase “everything is bigger in Texas” when designing the concept store.
    “I wanted to amplify the brand in a grand way by taking the LWP brand aesthetic and localizing it to Texas by pushing the standard design elements, such as the brand’s bracelet arches and beading table experience, then accentuating it,” said Gharib.
    Arches and soft tones contrast with the space’s industrial elementsVisitors enter the store into a large, primary space, where built-in display cases were integrated into the walls.

    On one side, the display resembles small bookcases and on the other, the bracelets are displayed throughout a series of arches.
    Long tables lead to the seating area at the back of the spaceAt the centre of the primary space are two long tables with metallic-coated bases, also used for display. A circular display table in the middle was created to resemble a vanity, with merchandise incorporated throughout.
    Gharib inserted three arches along the back of the space, in part to accentuate the height of the space, and to draw visitors to the space beyond them, which serves as a beading area.
    Metallic details were informed by the charms found on the braceletsThis space was outfitted with CB2 Castell Chairs in burgundy, with similar tables as the main space, except with pink bases instead of silver.
    A neon sign that reads, “You can sit with us” hangs above the tables.

    Side Angle Side transforms mid-century Austin post office into restaurant

    Textured dusty-pink wallpaper by Belarte Studio was used to line the space, while the remaining interior was covered in a rose pink hue.
    Metallic accents throughout the store, including aluminium light pendants, a metal trimmed mirror and the display table’s metallic bases, were informed by the metal charms found in LWP bracelets.
    It is the brand’s first store in AustinThe space’s utility elements were left exposed on the ceiling, with red track lighting running the perimeter of the space.
    Other retail projects recently completed in Austin include a mid-century post office turned grocery by Side Angle Side.
    Gharib Studio is a Los Angeles-based studio founded by Nora Gharib in 2023, focused on retail and brand design.
    The photography is by Casey Woods Photography 
    Project credits:
    Architectural designer: Gharib Studio
    General contractor: Paco Santander Construction

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    Bijoy Jain creates bamboo hut and stone furniture for Paris exhibition

    Bijoy Jain, founder of Indian architecture practice Studio Mumbai, has created a series of structures and furniture made from natural materials for the Breath of an Architect exhibition at Paris’s Fondation Cartier gallery.

    Most of the pieces on display in the Jean Nouvel-designed building were designed by Jain specifically for the exhibition and made in his studio in Mumbai.
    Bijoy Jain designed a bamboo hut for the exhibitionUniting them is a use of natural materials, including graphite, basalt, lime, sandstone, bamboo and fired clay.
    “No material was bought,” Jain told Dezeen. “It’s all been harvested from whatever was needed to be available.”
    Pieces in the exhibition were made from natural materialsOn display until 21 April, Breath of an Architect was spread across two exhibition spaces at ground floor level – with views of the Fondation Cartier gardens through the building’s glass facade – and two rooms in the basement.

    A bamboo hut with silk thread woven into the walls forms the centrepiece of one of the ground floor spaces.
    Jain created a large chalk floor slab painted with cadmium pigmentArchitectural models and furniture made from stone, asphalt and tar surround the hut. Inside, more furniture was displayed with a bamboo sphere coated in cow dung, string and turmeric.
    A large chalk floor slab decorated with stripes of cadmium pigment was placed at the centre of the adjacent ground floor space.

    Junya Ishigami’s architectural models feature in Fondation Cartier exhibition

    On the level below, stone animal sculptures were lined up in the middle of the room, and decorative woven bamboo mats coated with cow dung, lime, and pigments were displayed on the walls.
    Turkish-Danish ceramicist Alev Ebüzziya Siesbye created ceramic bowls for the exhibition, displayed on brick tables by Studio Mumbai.
    Stone animal statues were displayed in the basementIn the other basement room were graphite drawings by artist Hu Liu, and small stone sculptures by Jain were placed around the room’s edges.
    Jain told Dezeen that he expects different visitors to come to the exhibition with different perspectives, ultimately leading to different interpretations of the work.
    Many of the pieces were made by Jain in his Mumbai studio”[The purpose] is to evoke different viewpoints, so everyone will have a different response to the work,” Jain said.
    “There’s no singularity here. This is not about being exclusive to an idea, it’s about being inclusive to the possibility of many viewpoints, many different ideas.”
    The exhibition also includes works by ceramicist Alev Ebüzziya Siesbye and artist Hu LiuMany of the pieces in the Breath of an Architect exhibition were designed to evoke Jain’s memories or hold a personal connection for him.
    “I have a relationship with every piece in the exhibition,” he said. “My creations are about transmitting ideas. Architecture has the capacity to embed sentiment.”
    Previous exhibitions at Fondation Cartier include a collection of architectural models by Japanese architect Junya Ishigami and an installation on the impact of climate change on nature by Dutch artist Thijs Biersteker and scientist Stefano Mancuso.
    The photography is by Marc Domage.
    The Breath of an Architect exhibition is on display at Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain in Paris, France, from 9 December 2023 to 21 April 2024. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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    Crosby Studios looks to the “signature red” of David Lynch for Silencio New York

    New York-based Crosby Studios has utilised gold accents and rich-red fabrics and lights informed by director David Lynch for the interiors of Silencio nightclub in Manhattan.

    Silencio NYC is located between Times Square and Hell’s Kitchen and is the second location for the club, whose Paris flagship was designed by Lynch.
    Crosby Studios founder Harry Nuriev wanted to respect Lynch’s original design while fusing the “essence of French flair into the character of New York City,” according to the studio.
    Red carpet covers the walls and floor of Silencio NYC, while red lighting outlines the spacesEvoking the same mystery and allure as Silencio’s first Paris location, Nuriev created sumptuous interiors that are saturated with Lynch’s signature hue.
    “Being the next designer for Silencio, Harry wanted to have a dialogue with the director through the movies he grew up on,” said Crosby Studios.

    “The signature red colour of [David Lynch] was heavily used to capture the true essence of modern-day New York. Harry wanted to create a space that felt sexy and as if you were in a movie.”
    Raised private rooms are lined in gold and can be concealed by drawing red velvet curtainsThe newly opened space is situated near the former location of iconic nightclub Studio 54, which also informed the design of New York’s Silencio.
    Expected to face a strict door policy, those who make it over the threshold will experience a series of spaces where the walls and floor are covered in plush red carpet.
    Thin strips of glowing red lighting follow the outlines of the rooms, framing doorways and openings to a variety of small lounge spaces.
    Another VIP area is located behind the minimal DJ boothThese raised private areas are lined entirely in golden metal panels and surfaces including curvy built-in seating.
    “In New York, as in Paris, Silencio tunes into the ambient air,” said the club’s team. “Its agenda celebrates the moments that make the city pulse; the club becomes a nighttime landmark.”
    “Inside, you will find Silencio’s signature universe – minimal and contemporary – expertly reimagined by the aesthete Harry Nuriev,” the team added.

    Public Records in historic Brooklyn building pairs vegan cafe with nightclub

    Red velvet curtains can be drawn across to conceal those desiring privacy, but when open, the gold nooks reflect the cinematic red lighting elsewhere. The same gold was used for the dance floor.
    In the main room, mirrored walls create the illusion of more space and upholstered benches allow guests to rest their feet if needed.
    A larger niche is positioned behind the minimal DJ booth, offering an area for VIPs to party during music performances from local and international talents.
    The cinematic interiors by Crosby Studios are intended to evoke the spirit of legendary NYC nightclub Studio 54Silencio also recently opened a beach house in Ibiza, and a second Paris outpost in Saint-Germain-des-Prés on the Left Bank of the Seine.
    Its original address is on Rue Montmartre in the second arrondissement of Paris and was opened in 2011 by Arnaud Frisch and Antoine Caton.
    Silencio offers a membership program for those wishing to enjoy all of its locations, and gain access to cultural offerings and events that include concerts, performances, talks, screenings, exhibitions, dinners, private tours and more.
    Silencio NYC is expected to host local and international DJs as part of its varied programming”Resolutely multidisciplinary, Silencio fosters free movement of ideas and the birth of new projects,” the club said. “Its curious and eclectic programming generates a unique energy in confidential venues.”
    Nuriev has risen to prominence through collaborations with brands like Nike and Balenciaga and has previously designed hospitality spaces such as a Moscow restaurant where gleaming sheets of pink corrugated metal contrast with rough plaster walls.
    The designer also added his “signature boldness” to his own NYC apartment, which features tiled walls, purple carpeting and leathery cabinets.
    The photography is by Pauline Shapiro.

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    IKEA unveils “powerful” first photos by artist-in-residence Annie Leibovitz

    Swedish furniture brand IKEA has released two images from a series of photographs taken by Annie Leibovitz, its first-ever artist-in-residence, showing people in their homes across the world.

    The American photographer, who is best known for her portraits, travelled to twenty-five homes around the globe to take photos of people in their residences. She visited houses and apartments in Sweden, India, Italy, Japan, Germany, England and the US.
    “The home has always been important in my work,” Leibovitz said when appointed artist-in-residence in 2023.
    “I’ve been photographing people in their homes since I began,” she added. “It’s a way to understand who a person is. The advice I give to young photographers is to photograph their families. It’s one of the best ways to start.”
    Annie Leibovitz photographed 25 homes for IKEA, including this one in GermanyLeibovitz’s photos for IKEA show a variety of different interiors in seven different countries.

    “The result is a powerful photographic document that illuminates the nuances of life at home – across borders, ethnicities and professions,” the furniture brand said of the project.
    The series, which comprises 25 photos in total, was commissioned by IKEA after its IKEA Life at Home Report showed that 48 per cent of people globally don’t feel the media represents their home.
    The first two images released by IKEA, show the homes of Yusuke Onimaru in Japan and Maria Arrechea in Germany – specifically Onimaru’s ceramic workshop and Arrechea’s living space filled with friends.

    IKEA and H&M’s design incubator unveils products by 22 emerging London studios

    Leibovitz’s photos will be shown as part of the IKEA+ exhibition in Paris, which will take place during Paris Fashion Week.
    It will also feature a collaboration with online radio station Rinse and showcase the Tesammans collection made by IKEA together with Eindhoven-basd design duo Raw Color.
    Six emerging designers from the Casa93 fashion education program are also taking part in the IKEA+ showcase. They worked with “home furnishing mentors” from IKEA to create designs that focus on upcycling and sustainable design.
    The photography is by Annie Leibovitz for IKEA.
    IKEA+ will take place on 28 Rue de Lappe, Paris, from 29 February to 3 March. For more worldwide events, exhibitions and talks in architecture and design, visit Dezeen Events Guide. 

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    Barde vanVoltt gives historic Haarlem house a contemporary update

    Interiors studio Barde vanVoltt has renovated this early 1900s house in the Dutch city of Haarlem to forge a strong connection between the building’s past and present, grounding the space with warm woods and tactile textures.

    The owners – a young family of four – wanted a home that would stand the test of time while telling Dutch practice Barde vanVoltt to “surprise us”.
    Barde vanVoltt had overhauled an early 20th-century house in HaarlemIn answer, the studio worked to create an interior that fuses the past and the present.
    “Stepping into this house is a journey through time, a reminder that architecture is a dialogue between generations,” the studio told Dezeen.
    “Meticulously preserving its historical charm, the house’s design seamlessly integrates contemporary features, creating a harmonious blend that transcends eras.”

    The studio added an extension to the rear of the homeTo address the narrow footprint of the house – a typically Dutch feature – internal walls were either removed, widened or replaced with glass panel doors.
    The back of the property was transformed with an extension and concertina glass doors to maximize the sense of light and space.
    The extension houses the kitchen and dining area”With the extension on the ground floor, we wanted to create contrast with the original architecture,” said Barde vanVoltt. “The understated square modern architecture, due to its shape and angular position, blends perfectly with the past.”
    “With the historic facade at the front, we took advantage of the space at the rear, extending the kitchen and living areas into the garden.”
    A vintage sandstone table centres the living roomThe practice carefully aligned the new design elements with shapes drawn from the architectural features of the house, with the new full-height door openings echoing the proportions of the living room’s original windows.
    In the attic, a guest room doubles as a playroom. Barde vanVoltt infused this once-dark space with natural light via a skylight, “allowing guests to sleep under the stars”.
    Barde vanVoltt retained Haarlem House’s original stained glass windows”Dutch houses are noted for their sloping attic roof lines,” the studio said. “For the children’s bedrooms, we followed this structural line and created custom bunk beds that combine sleep, storage, and space for play.”
    The material palette includes a range of mid- and dark-toned timbers that bring a sense of warmth and tactility to the home.

    WillemsenU submerges house under the ground in the Netherlands

    These are complemented by natural materials including stone and linen.
    “Our colour scheme always consists of earthy colours like moss green, a faded terracotta, grey concrete and off-whites,” the studio said. “For this residence, we brought them in line with the original colours from the existing tiles and stained glass.”
    Custom bunk beds feature in the children’s bedroomsThe furniture edit features Barde vanVoltt’s favoured mix of statement pieces alongside handmade and bespoke elements.
    Selected pieces reflect the architectural style of the building such as the Lot table by Tecta in the study, as well as Gerrit Thomas Rietveld’s 1934 Zig Zag chair and his Steltman chair from 1963, which was the last chair ever created by the Dutch designer.
    The playroom, dining area and bedroom all have specially-made seating upholstered in Kvadrat fabrics, while the bedrooms and study feature bespoke beds and closets.
    Wooden blinds mirror the linear pattern of the bathroom tiles”We love creating interiors full of handmade, bespoke furniture pieces with refined details,” said Barde vanVoltt. “The headboard of the master bedroom is an art piece in itself. The walnut slats are slightly curved and give it a very sophisticated look.”
    The square coffee table in the living room – made from a single piece of sandstone – is a vintage piece from Atelier Uma.
    Barde vanVoltt created a custom headboard in the primary bedroomFor the lighting scheme, Barde vanVoltt set out to create the right balance between functional and decorative lighting, collaborating with lighting experts PSLab to create a “warm and cosy atmosphere.”
    Other Dutch homes that have recently been featured on Dezeen include a house with a hexagonal footprint in Amsterdam and a Hobbit-style residence that is partially buried underground.
    The photography is by Thomas de Bruyne.

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    Studio Paolo Ferrari designs Toronto restaurant as a “world unto itself”

    Toronto-based Studio Paolo Ferrari has created cinematic interiors for a restaurant in the city’s Downtown area, combining influences from filmmakers that range from Stanley Kubrick to Nancy Meyers.

    Unlike a typical restaurant layout, Daphne unfolds as a series of rooms with distinct identities, each borrowing references from different cinema styles.
    Daphne is laid out across several spaces, including a Great Room designed to feel like Nancy Meyers movieStudio Paolo Ferrari intended each space to offer a different experience for guests, and custom-designed all of the furniture and lighting for the restaurant to make it feel even more unique.
    “Daphne is an elevated and exceedingly creative take on the American bistro, fusing the nostalgia of New England prep with wonder and eccentricity,” said Studio Paolo Ferrari. “At once intimate and grand, eccentric and sculptural, convivial and experimental, the deeply imaginative space is reminiscent of a great residence that’s evolved over time.”
    Studio Paolo Ferrari designed custom furniture and lighting throughout the restaurantGuests arrive into an intimate space that features a transparent full-height wine cabinet, which offers glimpses of the dining area beyond.

    They then move through to the Great Room, a cavernous room framed by a dramatic vaulted ceiling and decorated in a warm neutral palette.
    The Drawing Room is fully enveloped in a burnt orange hueThrough the centre is a line of dining tables, each paired with a rounded striped sofa and two boucle-covered chairs.
    The open kitchen is fully visible through the arches on one side, while a darker, cosier dining area coloured a burnt orange hue runs along the other.
    A mirrored corridor with a hand-painted landscape mural leads to a separate bar area”The grand space is reminiscent of the warmly luxurious spirit of a Nancy Meyers film, with custom furnishings that are deeply residential in feel and varsity-inspired checkerboard tiling,” said Studio Paolo Ferrari.
    The Drawing Room beyond continues the burnt orange colour, fully enveloping the walls, ceiling and seating upholstery to create a monochromatic space.
    The mural continues across the wavy walls of the bar room and green banquette seating follow the curvesCove lighting is installed behind louvres that cover the upper walls, adding texture and shadows as well as hint of “Cape Cod Americana”.
    The bar area is reached via a long corridor that’s mirrored from floor to ceiling along one wall, and is lined with a hand-painted landscape mural across the opposite side.
    The glass bar countertop is illuminated from within, while the counter front is flutedThis verdant rural scene continues across the wavy surfaces in the bar room, above green banquettes that follow the flow of the wall.
    “Daphne is a world unto itself, awaiting discovery,” the studio said. “Stepping into the bar is almost akin to stepping into an exquisitely-designed film set.”

    Omar Gandhi designs a “light-filled wood cathedral” for Toronto restaurant

    The snaking glass-topped bar counter is illuminated from within, as a nod to the bar in the fictional Overlook Hotel from Stanley Kubrick’s movie The Shining.
    The counter front is fluted in reverence to Beaux-Arts architect Henry Bacon, while reflective stainless steel across the back bar matches the circular tables and chair feet in the room.
    An adjacent dilapidated building was razed to create an expansive outdoor terraceA dilapidated building adjacent to the restaurant was demolished to make way for an expansive outdoor Garden Terrace with a dining area and bar.
    Sandwiched between two brick structures, this exterior space features comfy yellow and white-striped seating surrounded by plants, and a row of tall trees in the centre – continuing the botanical theme from inside.
    Plants behind the yellow and white-striped seating continue the botanical theme from insideA separate entrance from the street leads guests between tall columns clad in dark blue-purple iridescent tiles into the alley-like space.
    “It was important that the space had depth and a quality of experimentation,” said Paolo Ferrari, founder of his eponymous firm. “Daphne is truly an active experience of discovery, where guests can uncover thoughtful and innovative details throughout.”
    Columns of blue-purple iridescent tiles form a gateway from the street into the alley-like outdoor terraceThe designer’s earlier projects in Canada have included a lake house with wood and granite interiors, and a showroom for a development in Ottawa that appears more like a home than a sales gallery.
    Other recent additions to Toronto’s dining scene include Prime Seafood Palace, which features a vaulted-wood interior by Omar Gandhi Architect.
    The photography is by Joel Esposito.

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    Ten inspiring living spaces punctuated by structural columns

    From monolithic concrete pillars to ornately decorated columns, this lookbook collates ten living room interiors that embrace existing structural columns.

    It is not always cost-effective or practical for designers and architects to remove preexisting columns from interiors, especially if they are load-bearing and thus vital to the structural integrity of the building.
    In the past, the structural components of buildings were often concealed within walls; however, this changed with the increase in popularity of open-plan spaces over the course of the 20th century.
    Columns are sometimes placed at irregular intervals, especially in older buildings, and consequently the interior design scheme must be adapted to fit around them.
    Pillars can provide a strong focal point that can be enhanced by both the choice of interior finishes and the placement of furniture around them.

    Depending on their materiality and style, they can also serve as an immovable reminder of the building’s design style and the historical period in which it was built.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors animated by textural burl wood, multicoloured interior design schemes and contemporary interiors that make a feature of historic ruins.
    Photo by Pier CarthewKerr, Australia, by SSdH
    The industrial past of this mezzanine apartment in Melbourne is apparent thanks to the I-beams that crisscross the space and the pair of thick plastered columns in two corners of its living room.
    The functional aesthetic of the pillars is complimented by the presence of streamlined metal furnishings and offset by floor-to-ceiling wooden panelling.
    Find out more about Kerr ›
    Photo by Jose HeviaJJ16, Spain, by Lucas y Hernández-Gil
    Situated in the Salamanca district of Madrid, local studio Lucas y Hernández-Gil created a playful interior for a high-ceilinged 19th-century apartment that combines pops of colour with original features.
    A pair of elegant columns made from cast iron frame the entrance to the walk-through kitchen, contrasting the contemporary units with their fluted shafts and ornamented capitals.
    Find out more about JJ16 ›
    Photo by Fran Parente Curitiba apartment, Brazil, by Leandro Garcia and Amanda Dalla-Bona
    Eclectic furniture and glossy herringbone flooring contrast the weathered concrete pillar that sits on the boundary between the living and dining spaces of this apartment in the Brazilian city of Curitiba.
    It has a rectangular footprint and a characterfully rough surface, which are both echoed in a gnarled wooden stool sitting at its base.
    Find out more about Curitiba apartment›
    Photo by Sarah ElliottTribeca Loft, USA, by Andrea Leung
    Public and private zones have been delineated by a partially mirrored wall tucked behind a sequence of three original, intricately formed columns in this loft apartment in New York’s Tribeca area.
    The Corinthian-style iron pillars are characterised by gracefully fluted shafts topped by opulent capitals that feature acanthus leaves. The style was popular in ancient Greek and Roman architecture.
    Find out more about Tribeca Loft ›
    Photo by Felix Speller and Child StudioMews house, UK, by Child Studio
    A quartet of smooth, statuesque pillars blend in seamlessly against a backdrop of art deco and mid-century modern furnishings in the living area of this mews house in London’s Mayfair area.
    The thick, pale pillars bring a dramatic air to the space, which was designed for lounging as well as hosting, entertaining and dining.
    Find out more about the mews house ›
    Photo by Seth CaplanDumbo Loft, USA, by Crystal Sinclair Designs
    Walls made from floor-to-ceiling glass panels and an opulent crystal chandelier create a sense of luxury in this Brooklyn apartment.
    The living room is grounded by a double-height structural pillar, which has a bottom half clad in pale pink vertical, subway-style tiles.
    Find out more about Dumbo Loft ›
    Photo by José HeviaCan Santacilia, Spain, by OHLAB
    A pillar with a faceted stone shaft and an ornately carved and painted wooden capital is the focal point of this living area inside an apartment in Palma de Mallorca by local studio OHLAB.
    The stately pillar and dramatic coffered ceiling are contrasted by the sleek modern kitchen, but united by the use of stone in both the column and kitchen island.
    Find out more about Can Santacilia ›
    Photo by Nao TakahashiCasa Nano, Japan, by Bosco Sodi
    This modest home in Tokyo features slender struts made from wood that form part of the building’s exposed structure.
    Wooden seating, tables, cabinets and shelving create a harmonious interior scheme, which is dominated by both the skeletal wooden frame of the building and an open-tread staircase.
    Find out more about Casa Nano ›
    Photo by Salva LópezCasa Vasto, Spain, by Mesura
    This apartment in Barcelona (above and main image) is studded with white-rendered columns dating from the 18th century, which anchor the unique vaulted ceiling to the expansive floor.
    Low-slung furnishings provide a horizontal emphasis in the interior while the columns create a rhythm of upright pillars, which nod to the building’s industrial heritage.
    Find out more about Casa Vasto ›
    Photo by Johan DehlinBrutalist Chelsea townhouse, UK, by Pricegore
    London-based architecture studio Pricegore refurbished the interior of this brutalist townhouse to celebrate its concrete materiality.
    In the lofty, double-height living space, a cylindrical pillar stretches from floor to ceiling in front of the backdrop provided by the house’s verdant garden.
    Find out more about Brutalist Chelsea townhouse ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with textural burl wood, colourful interior design schemes and contemporary interiors that make a feature of existing historic ruins.

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    Isabelle Heilmann converts Parisian textile workshop into loft apartment

    Interior designer Isabelle Heilmann has used glazing and level changes to turn a former textile workshop in Paris into an open-plan apartment with a dedicated home office.

    The owners of the property on Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud asked Heilmann’s studio Epicène to rationalise the interior and create a space for home working while maintaining the apartment’s quirky layout.
    Isabelle Heilmann has completed the Timbaud apartmentThe existing loft featured several impractical and dilapidated spaces including a cramped bedroom and three mezzanines with low ceilings that were once used for storing rolls of fabric.
    Heilmann removed some of the existing structures and introduced changes in floor height to delineate the new spaces while adding internal windows that retain a visual connection between the rooms.
    A raised platform houses the home office”Using differences in level and glass partitions allows you to demarcate the different living spaces while allowing light to circulate,” the designer told Dezeen.

    “Now, from the moment you enter, you have a global vision of the volume of the apartment,” she added. “It’s a way to have a very open plan without the disadvantages of the loft.”
    A bright green door in the dining space conceals a WCThe partitions enclosing the existing bedroom were removed and a platform built in their place now contains a home office housing two workstations and a wall of library shelving.
    Two of the mezzanines were also demolished, leaving just one beside the entrance that was transformed into a room for gaming and accommodating overnight guests.
    Throughout the interior, Heilmann sought to preserve the spirit of the old workshop that had attracted the owners to this space. The raised platform recalls the height changes of the old mezzanines, while geometric sculptural elements evoke the original layout.
    The kitchen and living room are separated by a glass partition”The partitions and interlocking shapes of the old workshop have been simplified, but we find this play of asymmetrical cubes in the shape of the headboard or the glass partition between bedroom and living room,” she explained.
    “The industrial spirit is also suggested in the choice of lighting fixtures or the sobriety of the bathroom tiling.”
    Examples of the recurring geometric motif include a series of cubic volumes containing cupboards and storage niches on either side of the steps leading up to the platform.

    Uchronia conceives Haussmann-era Paris apartment as “chromatic jewellery box”

    An asymmetric window creates a bold feature that connects the living room with the new bedroom, where a stepped headboard creates shelf space for books, paintings and objects.
    The kitchen is located opposite the office platform and features a simple L-shaped layout that slots in underneath the mezzanine and windows.
    A swing in the living room capitalises on the apartment’s tall ceilingsThe cupboard units have birch plywood doors and a marbled Corian worktop that complements the minimal, industrial look of the interior.
    A full-height glass-and-steel wall that was part of the original workshop was carefully preserved and now separates the living room on one side from the kitchen and dining area on the other.
    A door in the central glass partition leads into the living area, where a swing suspended from the ceiling makes the most of the room’s height.
    The owners wanted a blank canvas for showcasing their collection of vintage objects, so walls and floors throughout the apartment are painted white to provide a muted, minimal backdrop.
    A green bedspread catches the eye in the bedroomThe scheme also aims to create a playful, relaxed and creative atmosphere evocative of 1960s modernism, with classic pieces such as Achille Castiglioni’s Snoopy lamp and an Enzo Mari print providing pops of colour.
    In the bedroom, a yellow-painted door and green bedspread catch the eye, while a bright green door in the dining space conceals a WC with a sink set against punchy pink cement tiles.
    The bedroom features a large dressing area with cupboards made from birch plywood, which is housed in a space previously occupied by a bathroom.
    Curved tiles by Pop Corn clad the sinkThe main bathroom offers a playful take on the geometric theme used elsewhere in the apartment, with its geometric sink clad in rounded tiles from French firm Pop Corn.
    Isabelle Heilmann studied at the École Boulle in Paris before founding her agency Epicène in 2018. The studio designs public and residential spaces that combine a minimalistic sensibility with a love of colour and characterful statement pieces.
    Other Parisian home interiors that have recently been featured on Dezeen include an apartment with a wine-red kitchen and another that was designed to resemble a “chromatic jewellery box”.
    The photography is by BCDF studio.

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