SIX IN THE CITY
An architect’s Paris apartment – home to a family of six – cleverly ensures everyone has plenty of space
Space, storage and functionality were the challenges facing architect Camille Hermand when she came to transform a former Parisian laboratory into a home for her family of six. At just over 100 square metres the space offered the possibility of four bedrooms, if Camille could make it work. “It’s always difficult to get enough space in Paris,” she says. “Previously, we only had three bedrooms but this apartment would give us four – two for the three oldest girls, one for Honore, who was then the baby, and one for us - as well as the living area. That’s not easy to find.” Best of all, the building was located in the middle of the old Marais quarter. “We love the location with access to work, family and school all within five minutes. The buildings in this area are beautiful and it makes a big difference to me to see them every day,” says Camille.
After buying the first-floor property in 2014, the family spent six months renovating. After separating the gas, electricity and water supply from the ground-floor laboratory that still needed to run six days a week, Camille focused on the floorplan. There were originally three offices, a bathroom and a kitchen but every wall was torn down and Camille started again. An open-plan kitchen
was located just inside the entry, leading to a large living area. Next, the girls’ bedrooms were designed, with the three older girls sharing two interconnecting rooms. The master bedroom, Honore’s bedroom and a bathroom followed.
“Something that became obvious to me was the pressing need for storage space. We needed to keep all our things tucked away in order to live in such a small space,” says Camille. As well as kitchen storage, she designed a wall of floor-to-ceiling cupboards for the living area and as many cupboards as possible in every room, always ensuring they were integrated as naturally as possible so they would disappear, visually. “When you live in a small space everything needs to have a home, otherwise it just won’t work.” This is particularly true of kids’ zones, so the girls’ rooms feature fitted cupboards with loft beds built above, giving them as much floor space as possible to play on, as well as two large windows for light and airflow.
The spacious feel of the apartment is enhanced by the light from the high ceilings, which Camille didn’t hesitate to take advantage of, designing cupboards all the way to the three-metre ceiling height. Having seamless storage helps with an uncluttered feel, which in turn allows room for colour play. Camille chose to incorporate colour into the larger furniture pieces – a burnt orange sofa adds a jolt of vibrancy to the living area, while blue dining chair cushions sit with a green dining table for a touch of fun. In the master bedroom, the ever-present cupboards were covered in a many-toned wallpaper, and even a corridor bookshelf is painted in bold blue. Books are the other constant, with shelves in most of the rooms and corridors holding the family’s library. It’s these individual elements that make sure it’s a family home filled with style and personality.