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The Ultimate First Apartment in Paris: A Brother and Sister’s Shared Quarters Designed by Marianne Evennou

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The Ultimate First Apartment in Paris: A Brother and Sister’s Shared Quarters Designed by Marianne Evennou

January 24, 2022

A few years back, Paris interior designer Marianne Evennou worked on a family house in Neuilly and along the way became friends with the owners. When their now twenty-something-year-old daughter and son, Lola and Joseph, went in on Paris apartment together, Evennou was again summoned. Having bought what the designer describes as “the rare gem at the end of a cul-de-sac in the 11th arrondissement,” the siblings—Lola is a medical student and Joseph is a musician— wanted to make the place their own. The request this time was decidedly more complicated than tackling their teen bedrooms: “They wanted to each have their own private space and bath, a common living area including a new kitchen, and a laundry and guest toilet,” says Evennou—oh, and they asked that it all have what she describes as a “holiday spirit.”

Able to commission a reorganization and remodel, the lucky duo enlisted exactly the right person: Evennou is a specialist in using space, color, and light in mood-elevating ways, and her work is always about joie-de-vivre with an underpinning of order. Join us for a look at one of the nicest starter apartments we’ve ever seen.

Photography by Gregory Timsit, courtesy of Marianne Evennou (@marianneevennou).

the 90 square meter (968 square feet) flat is on the ground floor of a late \19 17
Above: The 90-square-meter (968-square feet) flat is on the ground floor of a late-19th century, two-story building near the rue Oberkampf. It opens to a compact kitchen designed by Evennou, who preserved the existing stone walls and exposed beams—”the atmosphere is at once a house and a workshop,” she says—and responded with an urban-rustic approach.

The front door is off the hall on the left and the aforementioned powder room/laundry is tucked behind the door to the right of the fridge. Scroll to the end to see a Before and After floor plan.

the bespoke cabinets are topped with zimbabwean black granite and the backsplas 18
Above: The bespoke cabinets are topped with Zimbabwean black granite and the backsplash is Moroccan zellige from Mosaic del Sur in Montparnasse. Evennou concealed the stove vent behind textured glass. She assembled the table using a weathered top (sourced at Atmosphère d’Ailleurs) and readymade steel table legs. The blue used throughout is Cumulus Lourd from Ressource Paints, a French brand available in the US. The cutting boards are by the designer’s husband, artist-furniture maker Frank Evennou.

Admiring the Smeg fridge? See 10 Easy Pieces: Best Skinny Refrigerators.

a signature evennou design move: inserting interior windows to spread the sunli 19
Above: A signature Evennou design move: inserting interior windows to spread the sunlight. This steel-framed example overlooks the front terrace (see below). The 70-centimeter Franke stainless steel sink has a Franke pull-down faucet similar to this one at Lowe’s. The wicker Solo Pendant Lights are from Remodelista favorite Atelier Vime.
the shelves are detailed with a plate rack. interested in adding one to your ow 20
Above: The shelves are detailed with a plate rack. Interested in adding one to your own space? See more plate racks in the Remodelista archive.
a view of the kitchen partition and the door to joseph&#8\2\17;s room. the  21
Above: A view of the kitchen partition and the door to Joseph’s room. The black wood coat hooks are Muuto’s now-classic Dots. The flooring throughout is concrete with a wax finish.
the kitchen opens to a central living area with a wood burning stove, a small b 22
Above: The kitchen opens to a central living area with a wood-burning stove, a small Brunel 1A from Stovax, against the painted stone wall. The rug is a Beni Ourain and the chairs are vintage Chinese.
the plywood music shelf was built for the space. the two bedrooms are situated  23
Above: The plywood music shelf was built for the space. The two bedrooms are situated at either end of the apartment; here, a glimpse into Lola’s quarters.
idea to copy: the simple wall mounted desk is made using clamp on metal legs fr 24
Above: Idea to copy: the simple wall-mounted desk is made using clamp-on metal legs from French line Tiptoe (available in the US from, among other vendors, The Finnish Design Shop for $79.55 each in a range of colors). Read about the chair in Object Lessons: The World’s Most Elegant Stacking Chair.
glazed steel framed doors separate the small bathroom. the bed linens are from  25
Above: Glazed steel-framed doors separate the small bathroom. The bed linens are from Caravane. The rush sconce is the Fernand Wall Lamp, €150, from Rock the Kasbah.
the zellige tiles used in the kitchen reappear in the bath. the black bakelite  26
Above: The zellige tiles used in the kitchen reappear in the bath. The black Bakelite switches and sockets throughout are by German brand THPG.
the playful floor tiles are the brasilia pattern from popham design. 27
Above: The playful floor tiles are the Brasilia pattern from Popham Design.
joseph&#8\2\17;s shades of navy bed has lampe gras model 304 sconces, \$380 28
Above: Joseph’s shades-of-navy-bed has Lampe Gras Model 304 Sconces, $380 from DWR, and bedding from Caravane.
the bedside ledges are menu&#8\2\17;s fungus inspired gridi fungi shelves;  29
Above: The bedside ledges are Menu’s fungus-inspired Gridi Fungi Shelves; they come in a range of sizes and finishes starting at $69.95. His bathroom is a variation of Lola’s in blue. The tiles are the Arch pattern from Popham Design.
Above L: A little sitting area and garden flank the entry. Above R: The building is located down a cobblestone passage. “The only sounds you can hear are birdsongs,” says Evennou. “The traffic and the hectic life feel so far away.”

Before and After Floor Plan

by taking down and rebuilding partitions, evennou was able to create two equal  32
Above: By taking down and rebuilding partitions, Evennou was able to create two equal-sized bedroom suits at opposite ends of the apartment, so that the siblings can have their own spaces with a central gathering area.

We are longtime fans of Marianne Evennou’s work. Here are three more projects:

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