DIVIDE & CONQUER

A reimagined floorplan and hands-on approach combine with the inviting lush greenery of jungle-inspired touches to create this refined French home

1 Natacha and Charles love the dining room’s outlook onto the garden and its banana palms, so they decided to continue the tropical feel indoors. They tracked down Cole & Son’s ‘Palm Jungle’ wallpaper, having seen a similar style while on holiday in Amsterdam. The vintage lights came from a local antiques fair. Tip: Create your own budget-friendly banquette seating with painted pallets, topped with seat and back cushions.

2

The family previously 22lived in a high-ceilinged apartment, cerneta,bteudt but bthye they tyhaer are heoemnjeo’sy enjoying isnegritehse the o cosycfo ssmy all spaces, including structural columns and beams. We find they add an“attractive perspective to the house,” says Natacha. A reading nook is set up behind the neutral IKEA sofa, while a lamp that Natacha created from an old gramophone adds a vintage touch. Tip: Paint one section of a space in a dark colour – it will recede visually so your room seems larger, and create contrast and drama.

3

Hthar ned e-mdi am de en cseim one an ltcfuloboerp tail t et serf en a at rueritn hg ea hero the kitchen, with its smart scheme of crisp black and white. “I was slightly worried when Natacha asked me to buy black paint for the kitchen, but I must admit that I really like the result!” says Charles. The couple also opened up the kitchen with a glass window that looks onto the home’s entry. Tip: Make a decorative statement on the floor, often the largest surface in a compact kitchen.

4

Natacha and Charles sacrificed one of the existing

bsototh e anlfarregeesttahnedfianmgiblyatbhaathnrdoowmalka-nind shower. They also removed an attic space to increase the ceiling height and allow for a skylight. “The bathroom is a family room, where we spend a lot of time,” says Natacha.

Tip: Plan separate zones for a shared bathroom, so multiple family members can use it at once.

5

The bedroom is an oasis of calm, with white walls, pale timber flooring and a delicate

Comfort is key, with tactile layers in different shades of green softening the space and providing contrast. Sheer curtains are a perfect choice for a space where both natural light and privacy are important and a chair and table add extra relaxation space.

Tip: Hang curtains a few inches higher than the top of the window frame to create the illusion of a taller window.

6

Lily Just and inside Mila’s the toy house col’lsecetniotrny., Npoattaactohas’ascsktsudhyo ld

is set up on an IKEA trestle table, decorated with small artworks and vintage finds. “I like cultural and bohemian styles, as well as second-hand and rustic objects,” she says.

Tip: Splash out on a sculptural designer chair for your home offffice – so much more inspiring than a standard ‘offffice’ style.

7

LdiettcloerMatiiloa’nssbmedartocohmingis tphreetwtyarinmp-teoancehd, w witahll . paper A collection of bird houses in varying sizes and colours hangs on one wall, with baskets and sacks providing plenty of toy storage.

Tip: Keep kids’ rooms flexible with furniture and storage pieces that can be reconfigured or moved around as their needs change.

8

Lily’s sweet bedroom is a study in cute and quirky accessories, some housed on rustic wooden storage boxes purchased online. Lily’s dolls have their own vintage highchair and miniature bed, with an old-fashioned metal bedframe layered with soft cushions completing the space.

Tip: Add a soft rug in a child’s bedroom – when they’re little, the floor is their main playing space.

9

The garden – a rare haven in the centre of the city – was what made Charles and Natacha fall in love with the house. “As soon as we set eyes oonurth‘heobmaeckswgeaerdtehno, m wee’ , k”nsaeyws tNhaattawcehah.aTdhfeopuanidr has made it even more inviting with an awningcovered deck area, complete with an old IKEA table setting and vintage camp beds.

Tip: Protect timber decking and furniture with specialist coating to maintain its original tone, or prepare for it to weather and turn silver.