Fresh out of architecture school, Hélène Pinaud and Julien Schwartzmann of Heju Studio in Paris made their mark by coming up with clever, well-designed DIY projects, such as a Brass Wall Organizer and Homemade Terrazzo Table. These led to boutique designs and the couple’s own kitchen upgrade using materials from the French equivalent of Home Depot: see Two Young Paris Architects Completely Redo Their Kitchen for Under $4,300. Their pleasingly clean-lined, pale-wood-meets-pale-pink style, in turn, earned Heju residential commissions, including this project for a young couple, both graphic designers, who have a one-year-old son.
Set in a classic Haussmann-style building in Montmartre, the one-bedroom apartment—775-square-foot—needed a new kitchen and bath, plus an additional bedroom—hence a layout rethink. And while the owners wanted to preserve original elements, such as the living room moldings, they also wanted to recast the rooms as bright and modern and interesting. In other words, they wanted the place to feel like them. Join us for a look at the colorful results.
Photography courtesy of Heju Studio.
The mustard velvet sofa is the Scott Three Seater from Made.com. Just outside the room, the front door is situated next to the wallpapered wall: “we’ve always loved Cole & Son’s architectural Miami pattern, but until now, our clients have found it too busy,” says Hélène. Here, we used it in the corner to define the hall and create a small cocoon when you enter the apartment.”
Each of the room’s has its own palette but pastel pink threads its way as a link throughout. The sconce is the Small Lamp Précieuses from Vanity Boum.
The fluted glass china cabinet is the Haze Vitrin by Ferm Living.
The pink desk chair is from a limited edition series by Goodmoods —says Julien, “it’s inspired by Breuer’s Cesca chair but in a seventies style.”
The light blue on the walls is Averse from Ressource: see Sexy Paint Colors from Paris. The crib is from Oliver Furniture of Copenhagen and the Wooden Expression Mobile is by Djeco. The watermelon rocking horse is from Maison Deux.
For another Paris apartment with eye-opening colors, see A Model at Home: A Loft Inspired by Josef Albers.
More DIY projects by Heju:
N.B.: This post has been updated; the original story ran on April 13, 2020.
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