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Renovating an older apartment to suit its residents’ lifestyles better is the challenge of this Parisian project. The couple—he’s an airline pilot, and she’s a flight attendant—entrusted Sylvain Marceau’s Studio M with designing an interior that accommodates their way of life with all its departures, arrivals and irregular schedules.
With its generous space and natural light streaming in from the west, this 60-square-meter apartment in the 11th arrondissement already had a lot to offer. But its layout needed to be reworked. The kitchen was still separated from the living room, while the large entryway—trapped by a load-bearing wall—blocked the flow of traffic. For interior architect Sylvain Marceau, the renovation therefore began with a careful analysis of how the space was used:
“Before starting any work, we ask questions, we think things through, and we take our clients’ habits into account.” Here, that approach takes on a very concrete form: a space where the bedroom promotes restful sleep, where the bathroom retains its privacy, and where the living area feels more spacious!
The project began with a decluttering process: “Once stripped down, the floor plan regains its full spatial volume to create new perspectives within this apartment,” the architect explains. The load-bearing wall was opened up, the plumbing was rerouted to accommodate the kitchen in the living area, and the hardwood floors were refinished. All of these changes were designed to serve a single purpose: “To create a more fluid flow, work with the light, and play with perspectives.” As the floor plan opens up, a new sense of calm takes hold. The entryway becomes a natural transition to the living room, the solid hardwood floors reclaim their presence, and the pale blue of the sky flows through the apartment, from the balcony to the far end of the space. Dear readers, welcome aboard this two-room apartment designed for a smooth landing!
