Discover the stunning transformation from cluttered chaos to minimalist marvel! Follow the journey of a 13-square-meter space in Paris as it undergoes a breathtaking before-and-after makeover into a haven of simplicity and style.
The customers bought a studio with an area of 13 sq.m. near the Père Lachaise cemetery. The small space needed a complete renovation. And quite by chance, in the same house, the owners met the architects when they were working on another project.
Before. The studio is located on the second floor of a former hotel, near Piazza Gambetta. Most of the apartments in this building have been converted from rooms and are rooms with bathrooms with an area of 13 sq.m.
When the architects first saw the studio, they were attracted by the regular layout and the presence of two windows, which make the interior bright.
After. During a meeting with clients, the architects spoke about their projects and the work that inspires them, including interiors by Le Corbusier and Alvar Aalto: “ We like minimalist geometric shapes, raw materials, playing with scale and revealing the structure .”
Before. The photo shows the previous view of the bedroom with the kitchen at the entrance.
After. The owners gave the architects carte blanche. And first of all, Sabin and Leo focused on optimizing volumes.
As a result, the bathroom area was cut off at an angle, and the free space was distributed in favor of the kitchen. The living room has become more spacious and brighter thanks to the appearance of a second window.
Before. This is what the kitchen and the door to the bathroom used to look like.
After. The architects designed all the interior items themselves and made them to order at FC renovation.
The kitchen, which is an equilateral triangle, was equipped with furniture painted with waterproof paint. Imitating porcelain stoneware marble was laid on the floor, the scraps of which were used to make countertops and baseboards.
The floor in the living room was leveled and painted with epoxy paint.
For easy access to the corner cabinet, the architects designed a one-piece, angled door. It hides the space under the sink where trash containers are located.
A water heater was installed on the left under the hob, in a hard-to-reach place. In the center of the kitchen block, under the countertop, there is a refrigerator, a microwave oven and a cabinet with pots and pans.
A mirror 2.67 m high and 2.03 m wide was placed on the wall behind which the shower room is located; a 50 cm wide wooden door seems to be hanging on it. A solid mirror creates a play of reflections and visually expands the tiny space.
“ This large, seamless mirror creates the feel of an extra room. A colleague visiting the studio clicked on the mirror wall, thinking he could go further , ” says Leo Berástegui.
Behind the door, raised 10 cm due to passing water pipes, there is a simple bathroom with a shower.
The architects compensated for the narrowness of the space using design techniques. The walls and floor were tiled with the same tiles to make the room seem larger, and the corner wall was decorated with a mirror.
The wash area was made from the remains of marble tiles, bordered by an aluminum corner. A stainless steel sink was installed as a washbasin.
Triangular shelves were hung on a supporting pole located in the corner. “ We wanted to reveal the structure of the old building and asked the company to scrape away the plaster to reveal the original construction of the concrete pillars and beams. In contrast to the smooth white new walls , this rough surface creates the right balance, connecting the apartment with the building as a whole , ” note the architects.
Before. The living room before work on the front door began.
After. After dismantling the old kitchen, the living room became more spacious. “The simplest solution was to install a sofa bed here, but making it up every day would be a pain. Therefore, we were looking for a more convenient and aesthetic option , ” recalls Leo.
The architects wanted to separate the living and sleeping areas. They were able to install a stationary sofa and a fold-out bed with built-in storage for one or two occupants.
It was not possible to find a folding bed of the right size and a suitable budget in stores, so the architects developed a folding model with a depth of 42 cm.
“ The base of the bed, measuring 120×190 cm, can be easily raised, without the need to remove the blanket. Inside the structure there is a shelf that works as a bedside table, it is equipped with sockets and lighting. Below there are several storage spaces with folding doors. Three closets located above the bed have shelves for storing things. You can put keys and other small items in the closet on the right, located next to the entrance, ” explain Sabin and Leo.
“ Working in such small spaces is challenging and interesting because the possibilities are endless. The goal is to find a balance between functionality and idea, paying attention to detail and proportions. And, of course, the budget , ” note the architects.
