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    Paris apartment merges “minimalism with the grandeur of Napoleon-era architecture”

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    French architect Joris Poggioli has renovated his Paris apartment, aiming to preserve its historic features while integrating modern design elements.

    Poggioli sought to renovate the apartment located in a mansion that was once Napoleon Bonaparte’s office, while preserving its “historic soul”.
    Joris Poggiolio has renovated his apartment in Paris”It was an opportunity to merge my passion for minimalism with the grandeur of Napoleon-era architecture,” Poggioli told Dezeen.
    “The goal was not just to restore but to allow these historical elements to shine once more in a contemporary context, while also bringing forth the voice of our generation, our era, through my intervention.”
    The apartment is located in a mansion where Napoleon Bonaparte had an officePoggioli aimed to restore the 90-square-meter apartment’s original features, which had been obscured by years of modifications.

    “When I first stepped inside, it was like entering a fortress with layers of flooring, insulation, and makeshift walls,” explained Poggioli.
    “Slowly, I peeled away these layers, revealing original parquet, mouldings, and architectural details that had been hidden for decades”.

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    Influenced by Napoleon’s historical connection to the building, he sought to honour its heritage while introducing a modern touch.
    To achieve this, Poggioli focused on subtly highlighting features of the apartment, including the grand proportions, the flow of light through large windows, and the overall sense of space.
    “I wanted my design to feel like it was embracing the historical skeleton of the building, enhancing its spirit rather than competing with it”.
    It has high ceilingsThe 4.2-metre-high ceiling, a focal point of the apartment, heavily influenced his design choices.
    Elements like an oversized headboard in the bedroom and a mezzanine-like upper floor were introduced to accentuate the tall ceiling.
    “The soaring ceiling height was one of the most striking features of the apartment,” explained Poggioli. “It immediately influenced how I approached the design, giving me room to think on a grander scale”.
    “The void, the space itself, became necessary for thought—it allows mental images to escape and flow freely,” he continued.
    The bedroom features an oversized headboardThe apartment also features sculptures borrowed from a client, a collector of Amerindian art, whose pieces have been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
    Puiforcat also lent a series of bowls designed by American artist Donald Judd, while the other pieces come from Joris’ collection.
    “These pieces were selected because they represent a bridge between tradition and modernity, much like the apartment itself,” said Poggioli.
    “Amerindian art brings a sense of deep-rooted culture and craftsmanship, while the Puiforcat bowls, with their sleek, timeless design, add a layer of refinement,” he continued.
    “Together, they create a balance that reflects the overall philosophy of the space—a harmonious coexistence of the past and the present, each enhancing the other.”
    Various sculptures can be found in the apartmentOther apartment renovations recently featured on Dezeen include an apartment in Barcelona by architect Raúl Sánchez and a brutalist apartment in Canada by architect Jean Verville.
    The photography is by Alice Mesguich.

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      Claves evokes classic Parisian bistro interiors at cafe Le Cornichon

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      French design studio Claves has transformed the interior of a Paris cafe, introducing bespoke retro-style decor that mirrors the architecture of local bars and tobacconists from the 1930s to the present day.

      Claves founders Laure Gravier and Soizic Fougeront were assigned to craft a space fuelled by nostalgia and French tradition for the reopening of Le Cornichon, a contemporary neighbourhood cafe, bar and restaurant owned by Bertrand Chauveau and Paul Henri.
      Claves has redesigned a contemporary neighbourhood cafe to evoke Parisian bistros”As the owners’ aim was to create a place where people from all backgrounds could come and go from morning to night, every day of the week, the decor had to lend itself to all kinds of scenes”, the design studio told Dezeen.
      “The morning coffee while reading the paper, the business lunch, the aperitif with friends, the romantic dinner, the evening out.”
      The interior of Le Cornichon incorporates nostalgic chrome fittings and laminate detailsLe Cornichon is positioned on a corner site, its facade and architecture designed to be indistinguishable from that of a local Parisian bar or tobacconist.

      “These are highly identifiable but timeless places, which don’t refer to any particular period, or rather which cross the eras by adjusting as they go along”, said Claves.
      Touches of different period styles are reflected in the cafe’s decor. Its interior was completely redone from floor to ceiling, and Claves also redesigned the bay windows and blinds for its facade.
      A glossy lacquered wave ceiling is highlighted by painted walls with textured plasterClaves designed the cafe’s speckled mosaic flooring to reflect the typical architecture of the 1930s, while the creation of a glossy lacquered wave ceiling was a nod to 1950s Italy.
      Textured plaster was applied to painted walls to create contrast and highlight the ceiling.
      “We used the classic palette of Parisian bistros, including Bordeaux red, bottle green, cream and chrome details”, said the design studio.

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      The counter and waiter station of the bar are covered in laminate travertine effect panels in matt red, with walnut effect worktops in gloss black.
      Le Cornichon’s bar was clad in laminate fittings reminiscent of Formica, a material invented at the beginning of the 20th century and used in many post-war bars and tobacconists.
      Neon green bar lights pay homage to the space-age design style of the 1960s”We wanted customers to feel comfortable and at home very quickly, that there would be ‘regulars’,” said Claves. “That’s why we’ve taken the codes that everyone knows and built a space that’s rhythmic, harmonious and punctuated with amusing details.”
      1980s-style mirrors and chrome rod strips, inside and on the facade, add shine and give rhythm to the space. The studio also added neon-green lights to evoke the space-age design style of the 1960s and lend a party atmosphere to the cafe.
      A decorative ‘smoke’ frieze aligns the velvet-padded banquette seating area”We also wanted to create a very cinematic space, like in Cédric Klapisch’s film Un air de famille,” explained the design studio. “This is reflected in strong markers such as the painted ‘smoke’ frieze and the fresco in the toilets.”
      The decorative frieze, which evokes wisps of smoke, was created by decorative painter Mauro Ferreira.
      Le Cornichon’s toilet displays a fresco mural paintingAccompanying laminate tables are green banquettes padded in thick velvet, which were custom-designed and produced by a Parisian workshop in the style of typical comfortable cafe bench seating.
      Wave-shaped backrests echo the ceiling design and the wisps of smoke in the frieze. Chromed steel and black artificial-leather chairs were also custom-designed and made by another local workshop.
      Numerous items were hunted down by the design studio to add a patina element to the interior, including the washbasin, mirror and bar lights.
      “The pinball machine was hired from a vintage arcade game enthusiast and the postcard holder was bought from a specialist website,” said Claves.
      Before founding Claves in 2022, Gravier and Fougeront gained experience working together over several years for French interior designer Pierre Yovanovitch.
      Other retro cafe, bar and restaurant interiors that have recently been featured in Dezeen include the Fika restaurant in Almaty, Kazakhstan, by NAAW Studio and the Sant Ambroeus Coffee Bar Aspen in Aspen, Colorado, by Giampiero Tagliaferri Studio.
      The photography is by Matteo Verzini.

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      Rudy Guénaire draws on American modernism for Matsuri restaurant interior

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      French designer Rudy Guénaire has created the interiors of Japanese restaurant Matsuri in Paris, combining wooden furniture covered in lacquer with pastel-coloured domes informed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

      Located in Paris’ 16th arrondissement, the 200-square-metre restaurant was given a full redesign by Guénaire.
      As the menu focuses on “Japanese sushi from a Californian angle”, Guénaire drew on Japonisme – the Western fascination with Japanese design – for its interior.
      Matsuri is located in Paris’ 16th arrondissement”I drew on everything that has marked me from these two countries that I adore,” Guénaire, who runs Nightflight Studio, told Dezeen.
      “From Japan, I took this idea that fascinates me, which is that the Japanese frame everything,” he added.

      “As if everything had to be an island, firmly delimited by something that protects it and makes it unique.”
      Rudy Guénaire referenced American modernist design for the interiorThe American influence comes across in the shapes used to decorate the interior, which features colourful ceiling domes that are lit from the inside.
      “From California, I took these incredible obliques that make me melt,” Guénaire said. “The kind you find in Frank Lloyd Wright or John Lautner’s work.”
      “A slant that recalls the Native American tent, the primordial shelter,” he added.
      “American modernists loved Japan and sometimes, they’d never even been there. It’s this Japonism that I wanted to prolong.”
      The restaurant features Japanese postersAt the centre of Matsuri is the kaiten – conveyor belt – on which the sushi comes out. The designer used wood throughout the restaurant and covered it in lacquer for this centrepiece.
      “The kaiten is covered in high-gloss lacquer, reminiscent of the beautiful lacquer worshipped by the Chinese and then the Japanese,” he said.
      “I used wood throughout because in Japan, everything is made of wood, that’s just the way it is and has to be!”
      The central kaiten was covered in glossy lacquerPastel-hued domes decorate the ceiling above the kaiten, creating soft lighting and adding a touch of colour to the mainly white and wood interior.
      “For the ceiling, I think I got the idea from the amazing ceiling of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Penfield House,” Guénaire said.
      “I used industrial skydomes that I turned upside down and lit from the inside.”

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      The colour was toned down to create the right atmosphere for the restaurant.
      “We set up a sophisticated lighting system with very subtle colour control,” Guénaire added.
      “I chose cheerful, very American colour bases, and then, we subtly desaturated them to approach the Japanese aesthetic where nothing is ever garish.”
      Guénaire added pastel-coloured domes to the ceilingGuénaire also designed chairs for Matsuri that draw on those found in traditional Izakayas – Japanese pubs – though he says the original ones don’t correspond to his memories of them.
      “While searching for photos of Izakaya, I never found this chair shape,” the designer said.
      “Yet, as I recall, it’s exactly this chair that I’ve seen everywhere. All small and cute,” he added.
      “Maybe that’s what Japonism is all about. You invent a lot when you think you’re bringing back memories.”
      The designer created chairs that reference Izakaya furnitureThe interior of Matsuri, which is part of a restaurant chain founded in 1986 by a French-Japanese couple, is also decorated with old posters brought back from Japan.
      “We always have friends coming back from Japan. We asked them for a little help!” Guénaire said.
      Other Japanese restaurants on Dezeen include a sushi restaurant and sake bar with oxblood tiles and the Aragawa steakhouse selling “UK’s most expensive steak”.
      The photography is by Ludovic Balay.

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      Jakob Sprenger embellishes Aesop store with salvaged plaster medallions

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      Austrian architect Jakob Sprenger has installed 1920s plaster medallions above a large sculptural sink as the centre of skincare brand Aesop’s store in Paris.

      Located within a residential neighbourhood in the district of Ternes in Paris’ 17th arrondissement, Sprenger designed the store to “create a feeling of simple domesticity”.
      The space was designed around four 19th-century painted gypsum ceiling medallions that the team found during the initial stages of the project.
      The flooring was made from reclaimed French tomette tilesThe baroque-style medallions were originally made in 1923 for the now-demolished Hotel de la Guilonniere in central Paris.
      They were placed directly above a sculptural sink that sits at the centre of the triangular store.

      “At first, we weren’t sure how to incorporate them, but their artistic quality and provenance immediately caught my attention,” Sprenger told Dezeen.
      The medallions were attached to the ceiling and one of the wallsAs is typical of most Aesop stores, the sink can be used by customers to trial and test the brand’s products.
      Above the sink, a large elliptical cut-out in the ceiling was designed as a frame for both the sink and the medallions above.
      “The triangular floorplan with a wide south-facing facade has a rather unusual geometry but allows for an impactful arrangement of functions and exciting perspectives,” explained Sprenger.

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      The design team organised the space into two “differently proportioned” sections, with the primary sales area at the front of the store and the billing and checkout nook at the back.
      Sprenger explained that the two sections were “flanked by softly rounded geometries, harmonising the visual tension of the triangular room with narrow corners”.
      Millwork and accent walls across the store were painted in burgundy-red lacquerBurgundy-toned window bays were created at either end of the space, where there is seating for customers.
      Adjacent to one of the windows is a fragrance armoire, where customers can test the brand’s perfume range.
      The checkout nook has a curved counterThe billing and checkout nook was created as an intimate space painted in burgundy red lacquer, featuring visible brush strokes.
      Candles and incense are displayed on recessed shelves on one side of the nook.
      Recessed shelves display the brand’s candles and incense rangeAccording to Sprenger, the main design challenge was amending the facade, which was added in the 1990s.
      The design team aimed to create an “inviting ambience” by adding textile awnings and lacquered paneling above a plinth clad in lutecian sandstone.
      An alabaster-coloured Aesop street sign contrasts the dark background of the facade.
      The facade features a plinth of lutecian sandstoneSprenger previously designed Aesop stores in Rome and Salzburg.
      “Our mission is to create lasting values that resonate meaningfully with their surroundings,” he explained.
      “We approach every project as a unique entity embedded in its historical, architectural and cultural context,” Sprenger said.
      Aesop stores recently featured on Dezeen include an outpost in Seoul informed by traditional Korean pavilions and another covered in mint green materials in Los Angeles.
      The photography is by Ludovic Balay.

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      Necchi Architecture takes cues from retro nightlife at Hôtel Château d’Eau in Paris

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      Interior design studio Necchi Architecture has combined lacquer, chrome and retro design accents to evoke the “uninhibited atmosphere” of the disco era at the Hôtel Château d’Eau in Paris.

      The 36-room hotel is located on Rue du Château d’Eau in an area that was the hub of 1970s nightlife with the iconic club Le Palace, frequented by Yves Saint Laurent and Kenzō Takada, and the home of French musician Serge Gainsbourg, nearby.
      Necchi Architecture chose black lacquer panels to make the bedrooms feel more spaciousIt is this avant-garde attitude of Parisian nightlife that Necchi Architecture aimed to imbue into the sultry and highly stylised interiors of Hôtel Château d’Eau.
      “[We aimed] to reflect an attitude, rather than a particular décor; one that is reflective of the Château d’Eau areas recent history and character,” Necchi Architecture co-founder Alexis Lamenta told Dezeen.
      The lobby area is filled with collectible furniture and flea market findsUpon entry guests are greeted at a curved reception desk clad in chrome panelling and bookended by matching chrome lamps.

      The space, wrapped in a dark burgundy gloss, flows into an “intimate fumoir” featuring chrome columns, mirrored panels and wall mounted vases.
      Leopard print is used throughout the hotel’s interiorThe lounge area, which also doubles up as a breakfast room, is filled with antique and collectible furniture and decorative pieces, intended to create the feeling of a “suave and lived-in space” where guests can relax.
      Leopard print is introduced as a key design element with the placement of a pair of antique Italian ceramic leopards in the lobby area. This 1970s print is replicated throughout the decor, featured in soft furnishings, the hotels exterior signage and the winding staircase carpeting.
      Hôtel Château d’Eau’s interior nods to iconic nightclubs of the 1970sThe bedrooms are defined by deep pile carpets, with lower level floors featuring lime green, ascending to deep purple on the next floor, then graduating to a bronze-toned orange on the hotel’s top level.
      This statement carpet envelopes the lower portion of the bedrooms, covering the skirting, the bespoke side tables and the bedstead.

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      “We imagined a scenario for the bedrooms where all needs are focused around the bed,” explained Lamenta.
      “The mini bar is integrated into the bedside tables, the wardrobes are exposed, and the desk is a mobile tray to place on the bed,” he continued.
      “This is a bit of a break from classic hotel traditions but we wanted the space to feel tailored to our daily actions.”
      Black lacquer was chosen to distort the ceiling height in the bedroomsMirrored glass and high gloss black lacquer panels were chosen in the bedrooms as a “functional detail rather than an aesthetic choice.”
      “We chose the black lacquer because it helps distort the ceiling height and increase the architectural space,” said Lamesta.
      “The gloss also brings in natural light at any time of day,” he continued. “We used lacquer and mirrors to eliminate any notion of volume, making the natural light more sensual, and – depending on the time of day – it has a vibrant effect.”
      Bronze-toned deep pile carpets are used on the top floors of the hotelNecchi Architecture also collaborated with Paris-based artist Géraldine Roussel on a series of geometric artworks hung above the beds, made from clear glass and inspired by the Op Art movement.
      The graphic identity of the bedrooms continues into the bathrooms with chequered wall tiles, which contrast polished stainless steel basins.
      The bedroom artworks are by Paris-based artist Géraldine RousselThe project is Necchi Architecture’s debut hotel and the seventh opening for Parisian group Touriste.
      Following Touriste’s previous more playful interiors, including Luke Edward Hall’s Hôtel Les Deux Gares and Beata Heumans Hôtel de la Boétie, Necchi Architecture were chosen to “bring something a little moodier and more grown up” to the group’s repertoire, Touriste founder Adrien Gloaguen told Dezeen.
      Necchi Architecture created custom stainless steel basins for the bathroomsOther retro-inspired interiors featured on Dezeen include Bella Freuds penthouse apartment designed by Piercy & Company and a north London townhouse by Studio Hagen Hall.
      The photography is by Ludovic Balay.

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      Highstay designs Paris holiday apartments for Olympics visitors and holiday makers

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      Hospitality brand Highstay has brought a contemporary spin to these 19th-century Parisian apartments, which its team has renovated to offer accommodation during the Olympic Games and beyond.

      The holiday apartments are intended for short- and long-term stays of up to one month, offering an alternative to hotels “for those coming to the city this summer for the Olympics”, Highstay said.
      Highstay’s has created holiday apartments within historic buildingsThe apartments are spread over four central Paris locations: Champs-Elysées, Saint-Honoré, Louvre and Marais.
      The majority are located within historic Haussmann-era buildings typical of the French capital and were designed by Highstay’s in-house team to retain their character while offering a contemporary twist.
      Each apartment is designed with a neutral palette and contemporary furniture”Our interior designers combine the quintessential Parisian style of 19th-century architecture with contemporary materials and modern equipment,” said the Highstay team.

      “The association of natural stones, elegant woods and high-quality fabrics shapes the atmosphere of a room and best connect our guests to the spirit of a place.”
      Parquet floors, bronze mirrors and marble accents are common throughoutRanging from one to three bedrooms, the apartments are decorated in a neutral palette, combining classical mouldings with minimally detailed stone and pale wood surfaces.
      Common materials and elements found in most of the interiors include arched architectural features, parquet flooring, travertine surfaces and dramatic marble used across fireplaces, bathrooms and kitchens.
      The buildings’ classical mouldings were retained”Each high-end pied-à-terre positions the kitchen area as the focal point and central hub, inviting conviviality while suite-style bedrooms offer a warm and intimate ambience through carefully selected wood materials, varied fabrics and textures,” said the team.
      Unique features tailored to the different contexts of each location range from large-scale upholstered or wooden headboards to full-wall panelling, bronze-tinted mirrors and various contemporary furniture and artworks.
      The kitchen area is positioned as a focal pointIn the two-bedroom Louvre I apartment, which overlooks the famous museum on Rue de Rivoli, a grand salon room contains the kitchen and living area.
      A ring-shaped light hangs over the centre of the tall space, which is vertically emphasised by the kitchen millwork and full-height windows.

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      Arched niches display decorative items on either side of the dark stone fireplace, from which the TV emerges at the touch of a button.
      The primary bathroom is wrapped almost entirely in richly veined black-and-white marble accented by black fixtures while the second is clad in warm-toned travertine.
      Highstay’s Louvre I apartment includes a bedroom with dark walnut panellingParis is gearing up to host the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games over the summer and is preparing by renovating many of the city’s iconic sites and landmarks including the Grand Palais, which is set to host the fencing and taekwondo events.
      Only one permanent new sporting venue – a timber Aquatics Centre by VenhoevenCS and Ateliers 2/3/4 –  is being constructed for the event, in a bid to minimise its carbon footprint.
      Louvre I also has a bathroom with walls and floors lined entirely in dramatic black and white marbleOther accommodation options across the city for design-minded travellers include the Canal Saint-Martin hotel designed by Bernard Dubois, Hôtel de la Boétie by Beata Heuman and Hôtel Madame Rêve by Laurent Taïeb.
      The photography is by Thomas de Bruyne.

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      Airbnb creates rentals based on famous places and movies for guests

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      Rental platform Airbnb has announced the addition of its Icons program, a category that provides a range of international experiences including a stay in the house from Pixar’s Up and an overnight in the Musee D’ Orsay in Paris.

      The first 11 Icons experiences include recreations of houses from popular culture, such as the floating house from Pixar’s film Up, and visits with celebrities, such as a night out with comic Kevin Hart.
      Airbnb has created 11 “extraordinary” experiences for its new Icons category. This photo and top photo by Ryan LowryOf the 11 Icons, house rentals include a full-scale model of the house from Pixar’s Up, which is suspended by a crane during a breakfast picnic, to a stay in the clock tower of Paris’s Musee D’ Orsay, which was transformed into a bedrom by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur and will be available for the opening of the upcoming summer Olympics.
      The experiences will be awarded to guests through a selection process, with approximately eight additional Icon experiences being rolled out throughout the year to join the first batch. Each Icon is free or under $100 (£80).
      The category includes recreations of houses from popular culture and experiences with celebrities. Photo by Ryan Lowry”Icons take you inside worlds that only existed in your imagination – until now,” said Airbnb co-founder Brian Chesky. “As life becomes increasingly digital, we’re focused on bringing more magic into the real world. With Icons, we’ve created the most extraordinary experiences on Earth.”

      The launch follows the platform’s release of recreations of Barbie’s Malibu Dreamhouse and Shrek’s swampland cottage, as well as previous overnight experiences in an Ikea showroom and the last remaining Blockbuster.
      Rentals include an overnight stay at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris. Photo by Frederik Vercruysse”These experiences captured people’s imagination and they allowed people to step into someone else’s world,” said Chesky. “And at its best, this is what Airbnb does. And what it’s always been about.”
      To create the spaces, the brand employed a variety of strategies. In the case of the Up house, it was built from scratch, while other properties were renovated or outfitted with a particular theme such as the X-Mansion from the X-Men movie series or Prince’s Purple Rain house.
      The rental was designed by Mathieu Lehanneur and will be available during the opening of the summer Olympic Games. Photo by Frederik Vercruysse”The Up house is one of the most iconic homes in any film ever,” said Chesky. “You’re gonna be able to stay in Carl and Ellie’s home and it will feel like you’re stepping inside the movie.”
      “This is a real house we built from scratch. We had to literally paint every detail in the home to match the exact Pantone colours used in the film, from the roof tiles to the siding,” he continued.
      The rentals include houses built from scratch or outfitted in a particular style. Photo by Max MiechowskiFor the X-Mansion, the team searched for a home in Upstate New York that looked like an approximation of the house from the movie series and then covered the interior in comic-strip style illustrations by artist Joshua Vides.
      According to Airbnb VP of design Teo Connor, it took approximately two weeks for Vides and his team to hand-paint each room.
      For the X-Mansion from the X-Men movie series, the interior was painted with comic-style illustrations. Photo by Holly Andres”Each Icon has a different timeline because they’re all so unique, so different,” Connor told Dezeen. “[There was] a huge amount of effort to bring these things to life and I think it really shows.”
      “With these types of things, we’re really wanting to immerse you in a world and for it to feel authentic,” she continued.

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      Other Icons include a stay at the Ferrari museum in a custom-made circular bed that is surrounded by various Ferrari models and a visit to Bollywood star Janhvi Kapoor’s “childhood oasis” in India.
      To visit the various experiences, travellers must submit a written entry through Airbnb during a timed submission period. 4,000 guests will be selected and awarded a “golden ticket” to attend the experiences over the coming year.
      Other experiences include a stay in Prince’s house from the movie Purple Rain. Photo by Eric OgdenThe brand also released several updates in order to make booking and organizing group trips easier for travellers, including multiple users being able to message the host and a ranking system when selecting a rental together.
      Last year, Airbnb co-founder Brian Chesky warned against designers failing to embrace AI and announced a program that called to designers and creatives to rent out their spaces for supplemental income.
      The photography is courtesy of Airbnb.

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      Uchronia founder designs own home as “love letter to French craft”

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      Glossy walls, ruched curtains and oversized flower-shaped cushions characterise this eclectic 1970s-style Paris apartment, designed and owned by Uchronia founder Julien Sebban.

      Called Univers Uchronia, the apartment is in the city’s 18th arrondissement, close to the Uchronia office – a Parisian architecture and interiors studio known for its bold application of shape, colour and reflective surfaces.
      Julien Sebban designed Univers Uchronia as his homeSebban designed the dwelling as his home, which he shares with his husband and Maison Royère artistic director Jonathan Wray.
      The Uchronia founder created the apartment as an extension of his studio – “it’s truly a manifesto of our universe,” he told Dezeen.
      Colourful interiors anchor the apartmentSebban worked with local studio Atelier Roma to create all the walls and ceilings, which are either lacquered and glossy or made of matte pigmented concrete, respectively reflecting or absorbing light throughout the day.

      Finished in hues ranging from cloud-like pale blue to lemony yellow, the walls and ceilings complement the poured-in-place resin floor that spans the apartment and features a bold motif that “waves and moves in relation to the architecture”.
      A metallic island features in the open-plan kitchenThe home is anchored by a predominantly pink living space, which includes Uchronia-designed pieces such as low-slung interlocking coffee tables made from walnut burl and orange resin.
      Translucent and gathered pink curtains were paired with a geometric vintage bookshelf and a blocky but soft sofa finished in purple and orange.
      A bespoke onyx dining table was created for the home”The apartment is very colourful with ’60s and ’70s inspirations and a mix of our contemporary pieces and vintage objects,” said Sebban.
      In the open-plan kitchen and dining room, a veiny Van Gogh onyx table was positioned next to a metallic kitchen island, illuminated by a blobby seaweed-shaped table lamp.
      Ornamental jellyfish decorate the home officeA portion of the otherwise orange wall was clad with tiny, mirrored tiles. Reflected in the gleaming ceiling, the tiles have the same effect as a shimmering disco ball.
      Opposite the dining area is Sebban and Wray’s home office, characterised by a bright orange, built-in day bed topped with silk flower-like cushions and a wave-shaped backrest.
      The dwelling’s bathrooms follow a similar designAbove the bed, ornamental jellyfish were suspended like planets against a constellation of gold stars, which decorate the ombre orange and yellow wall that nods to the colour-drenched interior of the city’s Cafe Nuances – also designed by Uchronia.
      The dwelling’s bathrooms follow a similar design. Accents include dusty pink alcoves and ceramic tiles depicting underwater scenes, as well as a lily pad-shaped rug and a mirror resembling a cluster of clouds.

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      “The apartment defines the codes we have tried to develop at Uchronia over the last four years,” concluded Sebban.
      “It’s a play on colours, textures and materials, and a love letter to French craft.”
      Univers Uchronia is “a love letter to French craft”Uchronia was named emerging interior designer of the year at the Dezeen Awards 2023. The studio previously renovated a Haussmann-era apartment for a pair of jewellery designers with multifaceted furniture pieces created to mirror the appearance of precious stones.
      Various architects have designed their own homes, such as John Pawson, who created this minimalist second home in the Cotswolds in the UK.
      The photography is by Félix Dol Maillot. 

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      Bernard Dubois designs Canal Saint-Martin hotel to feel “far from Paris”

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      Belgian architect Bernard Dubois designed bespoke 1970s-style wooden furniture and interiors for the revamped Bouchardon hotel in Paris, which references mountain hotels.

      Located in the Canal Saint-Martin district of the French capital, the Bouchardon is an aparthotel containing 11 suites. Every apartment has its own kitchen and dining area.
      Each suite has a private dining areaThe entire building has been rebuilt and Dubois was appointed to create its interior, which he wanted to provide “both refuge and an intimate feel,” the designer said.
      “The place is inviting, showcasing wood, brown fabrics and green carpeting,” Dubois told Dezeen.
      Wood panels line the walls of the corridorsAt first, Dubois designed the entire project in wood, before deciding to introduce a material palette of contrasting textures, using lacquer on some pieces to add gloss.

      This shiny element balances the various wood textures.
      While pairing opposing finishes, Dubois aimed to keep the space cohesive by using the same colour palette throughout.
      “Coherence is all about finding common grounds between references – [to] create a family with shapes and materials referencing different periods and contexts,” he said.
      Yellow soft furnishings and custom lamps also feature throughout the spaceDubois designed all of the furniture specially for the space and had them manufactured by two millworkers.
      The architect also designed all of the interior architecture details for the Bouchardon.

      Beata Heuman designs colour-drenched Hôtel de la Boétie in Paris

      As part of this tailor-made approach, Dubois created a focal point for each bedroom using statement headboards made from terracotta.
      The terracotta-coloured headboards are uniquely shaped for each room and “evoke the 1970s in both their shape and glossy lacquer finish,” Dubois said.
      The bedrooms each include a unique large statement headboardDubois also took cues from the aesthetics of mountain hotels combined with American cinema references.
      “The concept of this space was to break away from conventions, far from Paris,” he explained.
      “You can imagine opening a window in the morning and suddenly discovering a landscape reminiscent of Twin Peaks or Colorado.”
      The aim was to give visitors an experience evocative of a ski holiday.
      “The colours and materials evoke mountain hotels, with carpeted hallways and entrances where one can hear the warm muffled sound of ski boots,” Dubois added.
      A rail-like wooden partition separates the bedroom and living areaDubois studied photography before moving into architecture and set up his eponymous firm in 2014.
      For this project, he borrowed from the principles of photographers William Eggleston and Stephen Shore, known for their simple compositions and highly saturated photos respectively.
      Dubois describes his design approach for the Bouchardon, and more broadly, as “creating universes”.
      “Designing is all about creating stories, universes,” he said. “Like a film-maker, a photographer, it’s about digesting references and coming up with something different that, although rooted, creates its own identity and its own story.”
      Other projects from the studio recently featured on Dezeen include a Parisian clothing store that features nods to nightclub interiors and a yellow-bricked store for skincare brand Aesop.
      The photography is by Ludovic Balay.

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