Marie and Guillaume had just bought their first apartment in Paris: a charming but outdated 54-square-meter Haussmann-style apartment that needed complete renovation before they could move in. As renovation novices, they wanted guidance and reassurance throughout the project: “The apartment hadn’t been renovated since the 1970s; there was a lot to do, but the space offered several possibilities for the layout. Given the scale of the project, we preferred to have help with the design and supervision of the work,” they explain.
To guide them, the couple called on Sloft Projets, who put them in touch with Atelier Philibert, the agency founded by Thomas Christiaen. They hit it off right away: “They had lots of ideas and some very colorful references. They were looking to go with something bold,” recalls the architect.
The trio thus embarked on what would be a close collaboration.
The apartment had remained unchanged: an isolated kitchen, two awkwardly proportioned rooms, a poorly laid-out floor plan, and lots of hidden potential. Everything had to be reconsidered, from the layout to the atmosphere, while staying within the young owners’ budget. Thomas knocked down unnecessary walls and reorganized the entire space around a large living room facing the street, which is now open, bright, and airy. The old kitchen became a guest room (and potentially a future nursery), while the primary suite was resized to accommodate a more generous bathroom.
But it was color that really guided the project. The owners’ sensibilities translated into bold combinations: celadon green baseboards that extend to the ceiling, pink and red bookshelves, a statement backsplash by Elisa Passino, and a bathroom with multicolored chevron tiles: “The more vibrant references they showed me, the more I wanted to play around,” Thomas says with a smile. Rounded false ceilings connect the spaces, recesses between utility ducts become built-in niches or storage areas, and off-the-shelf wardrobes are transformed into custom units with a simple makeover.
As the project progressed, a structural surprise complicated matters: load-bearing beams had been eaten away by woodworm, requiring urgent intervention by a specialized contractor. This scare was quickly overcome … and almost forgotten when Marie and Guillaume adopted Philibert, the architect’s dog after whom the agency is named, as the project’s mascot—to the point of considering adopting their own dachshund. Today, the apartment has been given a new lease of life. Now more open, bright and cheerful, it perfectly reflects the couple’s creative world: “The light comes in so much more, and the large room has become a very convivial living space,” they say. In sum, tailor-made interior, designed to evolve with them and accompany the next chapters of their lives.
