Seaside cabin filled with nautical space-saving tricks
Derelict no more When architects Emil Humbert and Christophe Poyet of Humbert Poyet were tasked with renovating... Photography by Francis Amiand, courtesy of Humbert & Poyet. ...a ramshackle cabin in a prime waterfront setting on the French Riviera they took inspiration from nautical design Formerly lacking not only windows but a viable roof, it’s now an elaborately thought-out, two-bedroom hideaway that’s so oriented to the water it feels like it could float. “The space forced us to focus on what is important in life,” say the architects, who met during their first year of architecture school and are based in Monaco. Without crowding, the designers managed to fit an upright piano, built-in seating, and a hammock chair onto the three-square-meter (32-square-foot) terrace. The open-plan main floor features a glamorous kitchen with Carrara marble, brass detailing to warm up the all-white setting, and an ivory enamel Brisach woodstove. Above, L and R: Golden accents extend to the range’s brass backsplash/hood, an enamelware coffee pot, and a cachepot of flatware. The cabinetry and most of the furnishings were custom-designed for the space. The marble-topped counter is edged with brass branding and has a custom brass sink with a Leroy & Brooks gooseneck faucet. The stairs double as another set of drawers (note the inset drawer pulls under each step). The upstairs has two bedrooms with built-in platform beds. A shield-shaped antique mirror bought in Paris makes the room feel bigger. The compact bathroom has a custom patinated brass sink and Lefroy & Brooke taps. The second bedroom is decorated with a vintage model ship and has a raised bed that incorporates extra storage. Every space in the cabin is oriented to the water.