A small apartment in Paris's 11th arrondissement, emblematic of 1970s architecture with its straight lines and rationalized design, has been given new life through a radical transformation by interior architect Alice Lacherez. The space, found in poor condition, featured the decade's characteristic stainless steel bay windows within a rectilinear structure that lacked Parisian charm.
"We needed to restore character to this apartment, which was rather bland originally," explained Lacherez. "To achieve this, we focused on a Japanese-inspired style, based on light wood and drawing inspiration from the existing metal fixtures." The architect capitalized on the apartment's already large and open volumes while removing unnecessary partitions to create an even more spacious feel.
The living room and kitchen were unified and optimized through a clever custom-made island-bench combination. "I incorporated the codes of Japanese aesthetics," Lacherez noted, "using light oak, mineral materials, and clean lines. I also wanted to bring a Parisian touch, something a bit more sophisticated, through graphic elements that break up the apartment's rectilinear character."
This design choice became the decorative thread running throughout the renovation, marked from room to room by the recurrence of the same playful notched pattern. The motif appears on handles, shelves, and even the Dedar fabric of the bench, which features colorful waves reminiscent of the wood's crenellations. "These volumetric waves on the fabric bring an interesting play of textures," Lacherez specified.
Throughout the space, cream-colored wall paint harmoniously dialogues with the honey-colored oak furniture. "I didn't want wood that was too light, which would have given the project too Scandinavian a character," she noted, emphasizing her goal of bringing luminosity and warmth to the space. The kitchen's mirrored backsplash, echoing the all-mirror block in the entrance, doubles the room's light input – a frequent feature in her residential projects.
"But it's the wood that sets the tone for the project," indicated the interior architect, who deliberately chose simple surfaces like marble and resin in neutral tones to complement the living room's large bookshelf. The floor-to-ceiling height of the furniture helps restore real volume to the room, as 1970s apartments generally don't have very high ceilings. The interplay of horizontal lines, solids, and voids also brings more verticality through contrast.
To enrich the decoration, Lacherez punctuated the interior with objects sourced by Sandra Agostini from Galerie Incuntra in Boulogne-Billancourt. "There are artworks scattered throughout," she noted with satisfaction, "to incorporate Japanese touches while bringing a raw element." This includes Serax lighting fixtures, whose raw concrete contrasts with chrome bulbs, and lamps painted in the same shade as the walls and ceiling "to achieve an assumed box effect that's more enveloping."
Several ceramics also recall the vegetal and wabi-sabi aspects of the Japanese-inspired ambiance. To maintain a connection with the construction era, chairs with tubular sections that reference 1970s codes were added to the ensemble. The warm minimalism extends to the bedroom, which features an oak headboard strip across the entire width of the room, simply enhanced with plaster wall sconces.
"The headboard ultimately suffices on its own in the bedroom," summarized Lacherez. The notched pattern naturally appears on the dressing room handles to carry the guiding thread to its conclusion. Finally, the bathroom also adopts pure codes with beige-toned mosaic tiles and crenellated wood. "This frieze restores volume to the room by creating a color contrast," noted the interior architect, who seeks contrasts and depth in her decorative choices.
Reflecting on the project, Lacherez concluded with appreciation for her collaborators: "I loved this project, on which there was real sisterhood between Sandra from Galerie Incuntra, Jeanne the photographer, and myself." The transformation successfully merged Japanese minimalist principles with Parisian sophistication, breathing new life into a space that exemplified 1970s functionalism while honoring its architectural heritage.
