Claire and Julien live in a high-rise building in Paris’ 20th arrondissement in a meticulously-designed and -decorated apartment. Claire, a founder of Arnaud & Delrue Architectes, and Julien, are architects and the space is a joint vision of the two — the couple actually met in architecture school. Julien explained that the stain colors they selected for the wood in the home represents natural elements — the blue for the sea/sky, yellow for earth.

The couple found this apartment on a real estate site, but it was going to need renovating, having not been renovated since the construction of the building in the late ’60s. But for a couple of architects, it was a great opportunity. They ended up designing a beautiful home they love spending time in. “We love to chill in the living room, doing yoga facing the city, snoozing on the mat in the sun, reading on the balcony, painting in the bureau, but the best is probably the kitchen we designed as to be as functional as possible to cook in front of the view,” the couple writes. “Every day is a new discovery.”

My Style: Functional, elegant, and funny

Inspiration: Retro ’60s-’70s

Favorite Element: The corner shelf between the entrance and the living room with objects collected from our trips.

Biggest Challenge: To create three rooms in a two-room apartment. We moved the kitchen to generate a new room (in the original kitchen). The new kitchen now faces the living room and the view. As we were on a small budget, we decided to keep the existing flooring surface by removing the carpet and polishing the concrete.

Proudest DIY: We designed all the shelves and storages to fit exactly with our needs.

Is there something unique about your home or the way you use it? In the summer, we work on a table outside on the balcony.

What are your favorite products you have bought for your home and why? For this apartment, we bought three specific things: A convertible sofa: a mid ’50s Coen de Vries and two Formica tables with a marble pattern. One is used as table in the living room and the other one is used as a desk.

Please describe any helpful, inspiring, brilliant, or just plain useful small space
maximizing and/or organizing tips you have: The wooden kitchen block — on one side, the kitchen with its specific elements, and on the other side there’s storage for the dishes and the broom closet.

Does your home reflect your home country/city in any way? The color of the furniture reflects the landscape: blue for the sky, gray for the concrete of the ground, and yellow for the sun.

What are your favorite places to shop for home décor that can only be found in your country? The Vitra showroom and Leboncoin.fr THE French website that combines Craigslist and Etsy.

Finally, what’s your absolute best home secret or decorating advice? We would recommend finding objects that you’ll love to see everyday.

• All the apartment — Tollens white “velours satiné”

• Uten silo by Dorothee Becker — Vitra
• Palomba light — Foscarini
• Ceramic clock by Georges Nelson — Vitra
• Yellow Frisbee — Amoeba

• Convertible sofa by Coen de Vries, Devo — Secondhand from leboncoin
• table with Formica marble pattern — Secondhand from leboncoin
• DSR Chairs by Charles & Ray Eames — Vitra
• Vegetal armchair by Bourroulec brothers — Vitra
• RAR armchair by Charles & Ray Eames — Vitra
• Occasional table by Charles & Ray Eames — Vitra
• Akari 1A lamp by Nogushi — Sentou
• Lamp IC LF 1 by Anastassiades — Flos
• Pink column by Ettore Sottsass — Kartell
• Blue column — Secondhand from leboncoin
• Teti by Vico Magistretti — Artemide

• Teti by Vico Magistretti — Artemide
• Most of the kitchen tools by Ettore sottsass — Alessi
• Toaster – Sowden — Hay
• Kitchen tap — Grohe

• Bed NORDLI — IKEA
• Lamp cloud by Gehry – Belux
• Wall lamp by Charlotte Perriand – Nemo lightings
• On the wall, some artworks from Julien, family and friends and other artists.

• Lamp Akari 50 EN by Nogushi – Sentou
• Table with formica wooden pattern — Secondhand from leboncoin
• Lamp – Charlotte Perriand

Thanks Claire and Julien!

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity. Share Your Style: House Tour & House Call Submission Form