A 460-Square-Foot Paris Pied-à-Terre’s Color Palette Is Perfect

A 460-Square-Foot Paris Pied-à-Terre’s Color Palette Is Perfect

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Home Type
Bedrooms
Square feet

460

Sq ft

460

Name: Laurence Moinet-Saussereau
Location: Paris, France
Size: 460 square feet
Years lived in: 0 years, owned

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This apartment was my father’s originally. He bought it in the ’80s for work purposes—a pied-à-terre as we call it here—and kept it even after he moved out of Paris since it was a sound investment. In the last few years, we started talking about renting it out and he donated the apartment to me and my sister to handle its remodel and subsequent rental. It just seemed like such a shame to keep this perfectly good apartment empty for no reason since neither he nor we lived in Paris to enjoy it regularly. And when we do visit, I’d rather stay with my kids anyway. Also to be fair, despite its good bones, it wasn’t exactly the homiest spot: very old carpeting everywhere, a pink tiled bathroom (before pink was cool!), and no living room space to speak of…

As luck would have it, my daughter started her interior decorating business last year, so we decided it would be a great gift to her; trust me you’ll never make a decorator happier than giving them carte blanche! [Her daughter Marie Lacote is the owner of Velvet Jungle Interiors and though based in Paris, is available for e-design in the US via Havenly.] The added bonus being that she got to share this process with her beloved grandfather and make him proud in the process. Unfortunately, he passed away about a month before visiting the finished space for the first time, but we like to think of this project as a great tribute to him and our family.

See what this space looked like beforeA Small Studio Is Turned into a Terrifically Modern One Bedroom

She did treat us like clients and made sure we were all on board for her ideas along the way. It was a lengthy labor of love and we couldn’t be happier with the result. The apartment was rented out in less than two days by long-term holiday rental agency Book-a-Flat. It’ll be occupied for a year, but if you’re planning a stay in Paris in the future and want to make it your temporary home, keep your eyes peeled for the next available slot!

Apartment Therapy Survey:

My Style: Since this place was going to be rented out, we wanted something approachable but anything but boring. Like a pretty Parisian hotel that’s just for you!

Inspiration: We wanted it to be an homage to the neighborhood—a very chic district in Paris with views of the Eiffel Tower nearby, so we decided to mix classic Parisian elements, like parquet, marble, subtle molding, with modern and colorful pieces to keep it current.

Favorite Element: Too many to name! From the bold Farrow & Ball wallpaper in the bedroom, to the opulent globe lighting… although the yellow paint in the entryway is really a showstopper in person. My daughter had her heart set on it from the start and I wasn’t sure until I saw it finished. Having the wall painted halfway and that glossy black rail detail was the perfect little add-on. It’s so cozy!

Biggest Challenge: Working with small spaces always has its challenges but I think it’s worth really going for it. Most people in Paris, and in big cities around the world, live in small spaces so it’s important to remind everyone you can really achieve big changes despite the small square footage. We had to lower the ceiling, create a new room altogether, and break a lot of drywall overall but we went from a poorly planned, uninviting studio, to a comfortable, cohesive one-bedroom that feels homey and chic, and twice as big.

Proudest DIY: My daughter actually did a lot of the work herself once the workers were done, like spackling, painting, wallpapering, putting together all the furniture, including the kitchen and a giant IKEA dresser, standing at 4’11”, that’s no small feat!

Biggest Indulgence: The cement tiles in the bathroom and kitchen. They were the priciest item on the list since they’re handmade in Morocco, but they really make those smaller rooms come to life and inject so much fun and color. And since we only needed small quantities because of the square footage, it wasn’t that pricey overall.

We were able to make room in the budget for those indulgences by having really affordable elements and you’d never be able to tell! The wood flooring and marble for instance are from the equivalent of Home Depot, we have quite a few IKEA pieces and furniture and decor from shops akin to Target or HomeGoods!

Best Advice: I think what I took most from seeing the final result is: Don’t be afraid of color. This apartment is chock-full of yellows and blues but it really works and doesn’t feel overwhelming at all. I’m usually more of a neutral gal myself when it comes to walls or big pieces, but this gave me ideas for shaking things up in my own home!

See what this space looked like beforeA Small Studio Is Turned into a Terrifically Modern One Bedroom

Resources:

PAINT & COLORS
India Yellow(n°66) — Farrow & Ball
Green Blue (n°84) — Farrow & Ball
Wallpaper — Lotus BP2064 from Farrow & Ball

ENTRY
ALIENOR Black Console — Maisons du Monde
Light Wood Credenza — Westwing
LEJONGAP Linen Curtains — IKEA
Beni Ourain Rug — Etsy
Round Gold Mirror — Vintage
Keops Pendant Lamps — Habitat
Black Candle Holders — Bouchara
Succulent Art Print — Jenny’s Print Shop in KNOPPANG IKEA Frame
Fashion Art Print — Society6 in KNOPPANG IKEA Frame
SKUGGIS Wall Hooks — IKEA
Small Black Vase — H&M Home
High Beige and Black Vase — BHV

LIVING ROOM
Yoko Sofa — Made.com
CAPPUCCINO TV Stand — Maisons du Monde
LOTHAR Coffee Tables — AMPM
Rug — Etsy
Yellow Curtains — BHV
Curtain Rods — BHV
ELLIOT Black Adjustable Sconce — Maisons du Monde (available at Pottery Barn)
LUXORE Pink Velvet Pouf — La Redoute
GLATTIS Gold Tray — IKEA
Velvet Burgundy Pillow — H&M Home
Pink Knit Pillow — Maisons du Monde
Black & White Throw —H&M Home
Black & White Frames — BHV
Hands Art Print — Society6 in KNOPPANG IKEA Frame

DINING ROOM
Circle Dining Table — Maisons du Monde
Uma Dining Chairs — Tikamoon
Chandelier — Westwing (available at West Elm)
Art Prints — Etsy in KNOPPANG IKEA Frames
GLITTRIG Gold Candleholders — IKEA
Bar Cart — Vintage

OFFICE SPACE
KLEUR Ladder Desk & Bookshelf — Made.com (hand-painted black)
Waste Basket — Bouchara
RANARP Clamp Spotlight — IKEA
BEGAVNING Glass Domes — IKEA

KITCHEN
KALLARP High Gloss Turquoise Kitchen Cabinets — IKEA
BARKABODA Countertop — IKEA
BORGHAMN Black Pulls — IKEA
Coffee Cups — Monoprix
Kitchen Appliances — IKEA
Cement Tiles — Mosaic Del Sur

BEDROOM
Nightstands — AMPM
Pendant Lamps — NV Gallery
Bedding — Caravane
Black & White Pillows — Leroy Merlin
Yellow Curtains — BHV
Curtain Rods — BHV

BATHROOM
GODMORGON White Cabinets — IKEA
BARKABODA Countertop — IKEA
Sconces — Westwing
Butterfly Stool — MyFaktory
Waste Basket — Bouchara
Bathroom Accessory Set — Bouchara
POMP Vase — IKEA
Wall Hooks — Amazon
Drawer Pulls — Anthropologie
Wood Shelves — Handcut
Gold Brackets — Amazon
Lavish Cotton Candle — H&M Home
Linen Robes — H&M Home
Marble — Leroy Merlin
Cement Tiles — Popham Design

BALCONY
BROMMÖ Outdoor Chaise — IKEA
TOPIG Lanterns — IKEA
Fake Plant — Leroy Merlin

Thanks, Laurence and Marie!

See what this space looked like beforeA Small Studio Is Turned into a Terrifically Modern One Bedroom


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