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Japanese spirit meets 70s design in a Parisian 34 m² apartment

A refreshed 34 m² in Paris' Belleville district 34 m² Paris, France 40 000 € Retro-contemporary One-bedroom Sv.bt Studio

Noémie and Aurélien, founders of SVBT Studio, began their master's degree in architecture in Japan. Upon returning to Paris, they sought to live as close as possible to neighborhoods that had historically been home to populations of Asian origin, so that they could easily enjoy the products and restaurants that would remind them of their Japanese sojourn. Initially tenants, they soon began looking for an apartment to renovate in the Belleville area.

"After visiting a number of them, we came across this one, which had all the features we were looking for spatially."

Bonus point: it's located on a particularly quiet street, with a large number of studios (the famous Belleville studios) and galleries. In its original state after thirty years of occupation by the same owner, the apartment was very partitioned for 34 m²: two rooms, a bathroom, a separate kitchen and a storeroom. Facing north-west, it is nevertheless quite bright. In fact, it benefits from four large windows (one of which was split in two by a partition and partially obscured by plasterboard,) potentially allowing maximum daylight into this compact volume.

“We needed a functional apartment, with as much living space as possible and a real kitchen, as we love to cook. We also wanted to be able to work in it occasionally and put all the objects and books we love in it. We wanted a legible space, with lots of wood and forms that would remind us of Japanese interiors."

The couple embarked on a complete restructuring. The absence of load-bearing walls and the length of the layout made it easy to open up partitions and redefine spaces, optimizing the use of available light. As the building's downspout was very poorly located on the living room side, they raised the floor under the kitchen and shower room to allow the pipes to pass through. As a result, the kitchen area opens onto the living room, while maintaining privacy with an L-shaped layout. And to keep the living space as large as possible, they chose to restrain the bed in the sleeping area with a separating piece of furniture serving as both dressing room and storage spaces that are either closed or open.

“We wanted to make the most of the natural light provided by the apartment's windows, so we played on transparency with cathedral glass and okoumé wood furniture.”

The cathedral glass gives the room a sense of intimacy, while respecting the desire for uniqueness of volume and circulation of light. For the decor, they counterbalanced the raw materiality of wood, waxed concrete and glass with a more 70s inspiration, bringing back blue and pink. Metal is also present throughout the apartment in discreet touches: storage compartments in the niches of the kitchen and bathroom units, magazine rails, etc. In the end, Noémie and Aurélien have succeeded in combining functionality and aesthetics in a space that has regained its simplicity and light.

Omedetō!

Rising above the Parisian cobblestones, the 1902 building’s sleek stone facade. Germaine Tillion’s portrait on the front of the bookshop seems to be looking out over this peaceful crossroads, which is said to have been the site of the last barricade during the Paris Commune in 1871.

The apartment is on the third floor. On the way up, we take our time to appreciate the curves of the beautiful wooden staircase, gently bathed in sunlight.

Noémie and Aurélien Souverain welcome us to their home, of which they are both the residents and architects.

Light welcomes visitors at the front door, reflected as it is by the kitchen’s waxed concrete countertop and glossy white tiles. On the varnished okoumé cabinet, the edges have been kept visible to emphasize the structure.

The light-reflecting floor is also finished in waxed concrete. On the right, “we left the dividing wall with the shower room in exposed brick painted white, to restore some of the original texture”… and save as much space as possible, since the bricks are only four centimeters thick!

On the right-hand side of the kitchen is the refrigerator, the cooking area and storage cupboards, also with varnished okoumé doors. The floral curtain conceals the microwave. The condiments and maneki-neko on the shelf reveal the owners’ taste for Asia.

When designing compact surfaces, the key is to create ample storage space. Here, shelves house spices, dry goods and a collection of recipe books. The door hides the vacuum cleaner and cleaning products.

A ceiling-height shelf emphasizes the separation between the kitchen and living areas, warming up the white of the walls and providing yet another storage option. At the far end, the entrance door (whose floor is also treated in waxed concrete) stands alongside three Coat Dots coat hooks (Hella Jongerius for Vitra).

Tucked away behind the countertop, an unobstructed view of the living room and the multi-function cabinet, beyond which lies the bedroom. The soft, serene ambiance is enlivened by touches of blue (thrift-store armchairs, Ball Chair pouf by Finn Stone for XL Boom) and pink (PH5 suspension by Louis Poulsen).

On the living room side, the same countertop acts as a bar, complete with Zara Home stools. Its compartments hold crockery, the washing machine, two concealed drawers and magazines. And on the high shelf, among the plants and crockery, is a video projector.

Two original elements have been carefully preserved: the parquet floor, which was sanded and glazed, and the fireplace.

On the midnight-blue rug (Nordic Knots,) a vintage tempered-glass table sits alongside a pink Pilastro stool (Ettore Sottsass for Kartell.) The cabinet’s niches and shelves display the couple’s favorite objects: Ibbki and Goicoechea ceramics, Argot Studio vases, a flower by artist Lane Walkup… Above it all is a roll-out screen for movie nights. On the table, a pink ceramic Loewe candle and a blue Ibkki vase from Monoprix.

The centerpiece of the living space, this piece serves as storage, bookcase, dressing room (which, through transparency, becomes a playful decorative motif) and partition. On this side, access to the bedroom is through a door, which nonetheless lets in light through its cathedral glass.

Varnished okoumé makes another appearance on the dressing-room doors and bedside table, highlighted by an Artemide Teti wall lamp. A restful, minimalist ambience.

From this side of the bed, the eye glides to the entrance. The white armchair is a Monoprix re-edition of a Prisunic armchair by Claude Courtecuisse.

Back into the living, we see the other side of the bed. There are no doors on this side, as priority is given to light, with all the windows illuminating the same volume.

Using depths and transparency effects, the custom-built unit opens in four directions, opening onto the living room, creating dressing rooms at either end and serving as a bookcase on the bedroom side.

Chosen for its woodgrain lines and similarity to the color of the parquet, okoumé spreads its warm reflections across an entire wall of the bedroom. To preserve its raw beauty, no handles were added to the doors.

The office is accessed via the bedroom. ”Still with the idea of putting all the windows in the same volume, we removed the door. And we replaced it with an Asian wood bead curtain, in homage to the neighborhood’s culture. “

The good thing about this former storeroom, despite its awkward shape, is its large window, which provides plenty of natural light. So, naturally, the workshop-like office found its place here. Okoumé plywood shows up once more, and perforated metal plates are hung on the wall to free up the workspace. B33 leather chair by Marcel Breuer.

Clutter becomes décor with this colorful array of tools, illustrations and Serax glass bubbles.

Back to the entrance via the living room to discover the shower room, behind the kitchen.

Some light reading for this pair of architects…

“The shower room is designed as two alcoves. The vanity area is tiled in cream and the WC/shower area in pink. “The transition between the two cubicles is demarcated by a fir-wood frame. The varnished okoumé sink unit, covered with a white waxed concrete worktop, is topped by a pink basin. Muji metal baskets.

“We chose to contrast the tiles with black fittings and shower door.”

Walls, floor and ceiling were covered with Ce.Si. 10×10 tiles, with the aim of making no cuts. “There was a small mistake towards the ceiling!” To optimize space, the door is composed of two small pine panels on a pivot. A tilting transom in fir and cathedral glass facilitates ventilation and, here again, brings in light.

Noémie and Aurélien’s neighbourhood haunts
 
For authentic, quality products: Chen Market. The perfect Asian supermarket to stock your fridge and shelves with the finest sauces, spices, vegetables and other ingredients that are vital to Asian recipes.
120 rue du Faubourg-du-Temple, 75011 Paris
 
To get together with friends: Paloma. The best bistro in the neighborhood, with delicious, inspired dishes to share in the evenings, and a particularly affordable lunch menu. A special mention goes to the baba au rhum.
93 rue Julien Lacroix, 75020 Paris
 
For the best desserts: Le Petit Grain: we love this bakery that uses sourdough for its delicious pastries. The pecan kouign-amann is incredible.
7 rue Denoyez, 75020 Paris

Bookshelf Brick Cathedral glass Closet Fireplace Marble Metal Mirror Open kitchen Polished concrete Tiles Wood

Photos : Juan Jerez
Text : Edwige Nicot
Architect : Sv.bt Studio

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