The apartment is finally ready for prime time, according to owner Joseph Chalhoub – incidentally Sloft’s very own creative director. So what should we expect from an interior designed by the same man who created the very layout of the magazine you are holding in your hands? An equally exacting vision that kept us languishing for three issues before we could feature the 40-square-meter apartment, so apt for entertaining that it has even inspired him to take up a new creative hobby – in the form of cooking.
When Joseph decided to buy his first apartment in a quiet 19th-arrondissement street, he first asked his friend and architect, Paolo Remogna, for his expert opinion. The pair was won over by the two huge windows that frame the rounded corner of what was then the bedroom, bathing the space in light, and setting the tone for the entire renovation project.
Paolo and Joseph decided to knock down all the partitions and reorganize the floor plan, swapping the living room and bedroom to prioritize the living space and give it the best view, reducing the sleeping quarters to a minimum. The light oak parquet floor laid in a symmetrical herringbone pattern unifies all spaces and usages, starting at the entrance.
In addition to a sofa and armchairs in the living room, Joseph wanted a dining table for four despite the limited space. To Joseph’s great delight, Paolo designed a dark oak sideboard that runs along two walls and acts as a bookcase, storage unit and bench for entertaining up to six guests around the round black marble table.
Joseph has no regrets about moving from the rather staid 15th arrondissement to the much more dynamic 19th. And when he needs a bit of fresh air and calm, the Buttes Chaumont park is right around the corner!
The apartment of Joseph, Sloft‘s creative director.
Joseph was won over by this 1950s building – and its stairwell reminiscent of the Mallet-Stevens style.
Paolo likes his entrances to be “very clean.” Right from this room, the parquet floor pattern sets the tone: throughout the apartment, it guides circulation, unifies spaces and broadens perspectives.
Natural materials and exotic elements – like a huge Japanese canvas light fixture and a raffia wall treatment – dress up the bedroom.
To preserve the illusion of space, a virtual headboard is created from a 120-centimeter-high raffia wall treatment, while a large white cupboard serves as a dressing room. On the wall, two photos of Lebanon’s Faraya mountains – Joseph’s favorite place on earth.
In the bedroom, Joseph has set up his desk area facing the large window. It consists of a set of light wood furniture with a chair by the Bouroullec brothers.
“I like working facing the window, the view clears my mind.”
The stylish shower room had to have a spacious Italian shower. On the floor, large 60 by 60-centimeter terrazzo tiles add color and a touch of cheerfulness.
The walls are covered with white 5 by 5-centimeter tiles separated by terracotta colored grouting that echo the floor’s terrazzo aggregates.
In the middle of the living room, the chrome-plating of the two USM coffee tables adds a cooler note to the natural-wood surroundings.
The built-in baseboard that frames the living room extends into a bench that signals the start of the dining room.
Joseph steadfastly wanted a green kitchen. It had to be repainted five times before the right shade was found, following failed attempts like “apple green” and the dreaded “Transavia green.”
The countertops are in white, green and yellow veined marble from Tibet, perfectly complementing the victorious green shade.
Joseph preferred to emphasize the visible part of the kitchen: custom-made fronts, a marble credenza and countertop, and taps and sink in matte black finish. The cabinets, meanwhile, are full-height Ikea.
Above the black marble table, Joseph installed a disproportionately large, 40-kilo chandelier, which he brought back from a trip to Lebanon. He had to dismantle each Murano glass slat to fit it in his luggage.
The custom-built sideboard does quadruple duty as a storage unit and bench on the kitchen side, and as a bookcase and radiator cover that extends into a banquette. It structures the living area while embracing its curved angle, further highlighted by the black line of the curtain rail above.
Joseph is fond of 1980s Italian furniture, such as his Afra and Tobia Scarpa chair set or his Achille Castiglioni table lamp.
Joseph’s neighborhood favorites:
To stock up on excellent coffee LA BRÛLERIE DE BELLEVILLE
14 rue Lally Tollendal, Paris 19th arrondissement
The ideal place to smell good coffee and replenish your stock. You’ll get excellent advice.
For a taste of the Mediterranean PALOMA
93 rue Julien Lacroix, Paris 20th arrondissement
A very good bistro-style restaurant.
To go green
FRICHE
La Caserne, 12 rue Philippe de Girard, Paris 10e
Super florist. Vincent and Dali, his corgi, make us feel very welcome.
For a refined coffee break
CANDLE KIDS COFFEE
107 rue des Couronnes, Paris 20th arrondissement
New café overlooking a charming little square. The interior is beautiful, and both the coffee and the cookies are very good.
A cultural interlude
CHAPEL XIV
14 boulevard de la Chapelle, Paris 18th arrondissement
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