For Sloft+ members only
This guided tour was created in collaboration with Sloft Projets.
For his first purchase, Benjamin opted for a 37-square-meter one-bedroom apartment in Saint-Ouen : “I was looking to buy, but the prices in Paris quickly pushed me to the other side of the périphérique,” he says. “I knew Saint-Ouen a little, I liked its atmosphere, its human-scale architecture … and it’s very well connected. I get around by bike, so it didn’t change my routine much.”
When she visited the apartment, its dilapidated condition was immediately apparent: “It hadn’t been renovated for at least ten years. The bedroom had blue carpeted walls and a polystyrene ceiling, the bathroom was entirely panelled, the kitchen was yellowed with a large old-fashioned sink… Part of the floor in the entrance hall had even rotted away.“ Despite all this, the apartment had its charms: old parquet flooring, moldings in the living room, two marble fireplaces, and beautiful natural light: “As someone who works in interior design, I immediately saw its potential,” recalls Benjamin.
To take on this challenge, he called on Sloft Projets, who put him in touch with Camille Saucereau from Rosso Studio. “We got along really well, and most importantly, she was able to work within my budget, which was no easy feat, especially in 37 square meters,” Benjamin explains. The goal was ambitious: to improve traffic flow, connect the kitchen and living room, and create an open, functional space, while keeping the bedroom as a private cocoon. The transformation is nothing short of radical. The bathroom is now at the center of the apartment, and the custom-made kitchen wraps around this central block, opening naturally onto the living room, where it transforms into a multifunctional console. Storage space has been optimized in every corner, and the space gained a visual continuity that seems to almost enlarge the volume: “Camille completely redesigned the flow of the space, which was very well thought out and very fluid,” notes Benjamin. The bedroom, for its part, has a cozy atmosphere.
“I wanted something more intimate, a box of color,” continues the owner. Farrow & Ball’s Bansha green, painted up to the ceiling, envelops the space, while the two-part dressing room creates a subtle separation between the sleeping area and the numerous storage spaces.
“This is crucial in small spaces,” adds Benjamin.
The style of the apartment perfectly reflects the owner’s tastes: “I love the charm of old things, but I wanted to contrast that with contemporary materials, such as stainless steel and 1970s furniture.” The result: antique wall plates, a retro wooden sideboard, a rattan armchair, a stainless steel kitchen, and a bright green bookcase all blend together harmoniously. Even the bathroom, with its all-brown look, is impressive: “I was a little apprehensive about this bathroom, but I decided to trust Camille and I have zero regrets. It works really well: it’s soft and warm. It has a very vintage feel, especially with the glass tiles that bring in a bit of natural light from the kitchen.”
Today, Benjamin revels in his renovated apartment, a perfect blend of old-world charm and contemporary style, where every detail has been designed for fluidity, light, and comfort: “It really suits me – understated, elegant, and contemporary, while still leaving room for my decorating tastes, which combine different styles and eras,” he concludes.
