At the confluence of Japanese and Mediterranean influences
48 m²
Paris, France
60 000 €
Contemporary classic
One-bedroom
Studio Trame
For Sloft+ members only
Nestled on the top floor of a nine-storey building adjacent to the iconic Buttes-Chaumont park, it was love at first sight between this apartment and interior designer Michel Ward, founder of Studio Trame, and his partner. For this purchase, the couple were looking for a bright, spacious property close to
“a fairly large green space.” Although the apartment was smaller than the desired surface, for Michel Ward,
“the double north-east/south-west exposure and the large French window opening onto the balcony with a view of the Buttes made all the difference.” On the other hand, some work was required, as the interior was still in its original state. But this did not deter the designer, who wanted to give the apartment a new lease on life.
"Being in the business, I wanted to have some fun. It was the perfect playground." The couple thus reinvented the space from scratch, carving out an interior in their own image. In all, the work lasted three months, enough to decompartmentalize, reconfigure the space and redo the floors, walls and ceilings:
“I wanted to give the apartment a strong identity, particularly through the wall coverings,” explains Michel Ward, who regularly works on beige bases in his projects.
“On the walls, we opted for a soft, creamy beige (Joa's white by Farrow and Ball),
which brings a lot of warmth, especially with the beautiful northeast morning light. There's an intensity about it." The bedroom is a different story: a deep green covers the walls of the
“more intimate, hushed” rooms, in echo to the Buttes-Chaumont that can be seen through the window. As for the decor, the couple dared to go for a fusion of influences.
"
My partner and I are very fond of the Mediterranean spirit in terms of textures and colors, given that I'm of Lebanese origin and grew up in the Nice region. But we also appreciate the features and shapes of Japanese aesthetics, a country we've both traveled to. The challenge was to successfully blend these two cultures and their expressions." Japanese minimalism thus rubs shoulders with the warmth of furniture inspired by the Mediterranean region: Croatian sofas, Moroccan rugs, Lebanese chairs, Italian splashback.
