Studio Castille has turned an ordinary and sad Parisian apartment into a small cocoon for a couple and two children. Trade secrets.
Studio Castile style. Bring light, joy, fluidity. And it’s nice. agency multiplies sites. One of the last ones. A Parisian apartment in the 11th arrondissement, old-fashioned and dimly lit, transformed into a bright, family-friendly space at the request of the new owners. A visit with Studio Castille co-founder Matilda Abel.
The starting point
“We had to transform this rather dark Parisian 60 m² space, which was entirely in its own juice and which had not needed renovation since the 1950s, into a bright family apartment. There should have been two bedrooms, it was already for parents and children (the couple already had a child and were expecting one). We have remodeled the space, especially on the entry and bathroom level. There was a load-bearing wall at the entrance to the living room, so we had to walk around it. We kept the floors in good condition, removed the old tiles. Finally, to lighten the whole thing, we preferred white, but with a palette that plays on rosy beige tones, with hints of pastel to avoid the sanitized side. So the whole thing is very warm. We satisfied our penchant for color only in the toilets.”
the entrance
Previously, a blind entrance serving all rooms, including a small bathroom and a cramped kitchen. Castile Studio
Before, at the end of the entrance, on the left is the bedroom, on the right is the living room and bedroom, and at the end there is a closet, which will be very useful… Castile Studio
Then, an entrance with a storage room and an open kitchen. Stanislas Gross
“The entrance served all the rooms. The door faced a large closet. On the left side, when you entered, was the bathroom, a small corridor, 80 cm wide. The second door, still on the left, served the kitchen. The toilets are accessed from the kitchen. Finally, the last door on the left led to a bedroom with a fireplace, which became the child’s bedroom. On the right, two doors lead first to the living room and then to the bedroom. We decided to create a closed cabinet that goes around the whole bathroom. That is, it can be opened from the entrance side (then making it possible to store coats, baskets, etc.) and extends to the kitchen, which we left in the same place. We installed a library along one wall of the entrance.
The kitchen
Previously. a cramped, old-fashioned kitchen with a door to a visible toilet. Castile Studio
Then, a kitchen opening at the entrance with a large work table that also serves as a counter. CASSANDRA:
Then, the kitchen, the left wall of which is occupied by cabinets that “turn around” at the entrance. Practically, these storage units also hide a mini-laundry and harmoniously harmonize with the toilet door. Stanislas Gross
“The current kitchen is in the same place as the original kitchen. We just slightly increased its footprint on the entrance to save space. We also opened it up completely on the entry to give a sense of space and allow more fluidity to go into the living room, opposite where the dining room is. It consists of this large closet that starts at the entrance. There is a storage room inside. We also packed the cooler in its thick. It also hides a mini-laundry room with washing machines. And in this district there is always the entrance to the toilet. But since the kitchen is now open, it’s less overwhelming. Opposite this cupboard is another area with low units and ample storage; it allowed us to open up the large worktop that combines the sink and the hob, which also allows you to have breakfast.”
The rest
In the past, an existence that deserves to be rethought. Castile Studio
Then, a light-flooded living room with an actual dining area. Stanislas Gross
Previously. interesting niches to exploit. Castile Studio
Then a radical change of style. Stanislas Gross
“The living room overlooks the kitchen and particularly the dining room. We enlarged it by moving the partition that separated it from the adjoining room. Initially, this living room and the adjacent bedroom were the same size, but we wanted this living room to be larger, specifically to have both a large table by the window and a seating area with a sofa. Moving this partition included moving the bedroom door. The condemned entrance door has turned into a cave. The choice of white paint allows for a lot of brightness.”
Master bedroom
Formerly a large cabinet and wallpaper from another era. Castile Studio
Then, the discreet 2.50 m long closet allows you to combine storage and relaxation. Stanislas Gross
“It is adjacent to the living room. You enter through the login. this is the room we changed the door to make the living room bigger. First there was a big blue cabinet that we removed. We created another one along the dividing wall of the entrance. It is 2 m 50, which really allows you to optimize storage. Its discreet appearance, which is very integrated with the room, does not harm the tranquility.
The bathroom
Previously, a small bathroom that was incompatible with the everyday life of a couple with two children. Castile Studio
Then, a brand new bathroom built into an old closet. Stanislas Gross
“We absolutely had to create a true family bathroom. We placed it in an old closet facing the front door of the apartment. To increase it, we moved the door a little forward and moved the partition of the next room. The bathroom consists of two parts: a shower tub and a piece of furniture with a large basin dominated by a mirror. As always, we have made sure that this “mirror” part is in front of the door. Indeed, when the latter is open, it is more pleasant to see the pool than the bathroom.
Source: Le Figaro
