Nouveau chic
Colourful Californian style meets 18th-century heritage in designer Ashley Maddox’s beautifully curated Paris apartment
‘I admire India Mahdavi for how she plays with colour’
when Ashley Maddox moved from the US to Paris in 2010 with her two young children, Eloise and Daphne, it was only for six months. ‘I kept on meaning to move back to California, but 10 years on we’re still here,’ says the property developer and interior designer. ‘I simply fell in love with the city’s bustling mode de vie. During that time, the Los Angeles native had a third child, Hugo, and more recently became the proud owner of an apartment in the oh-so chic neighbourhood of Saint Germain.
‘I went to see it and made an offer that very afternoon,’ Ashley says. ‘It’s rare for apartments of this quality in such a sought-after location to come onto the market.’ By all accounts the étage noble (first floor) abode was quite the find, positioned as it is in a 1740 building surrounded by the fabric houses and boutique galleries of Rue Jacob, with some of the original architraves and oak parquetry flooring still intact. Having previously restored a number of apartments in Paris, Ashley relished the opportunity to renovate her own, collaborating with GCG Architectes to complete the task.
Designing the new interior, she envisioned a three-bedroom family home that’s fun and contemporary yet retains as many period features as possible. ‘A lot of people today are renovating their homes in incredibly modern ways and that may make sense for a penthouse in Miami, but the whole point of Paris is that it’s Paris,’ notes Ashley.
So she removed the dropped ceiling, which was installed during a 1960s refurbishment, to reveal gloriously generous volumes almost four metres high and ripped out the linoleum that had replaced a third of the parquetry. W hile the original ‘wedding cake’ architraves were relocated to the hallway, any missing or damaged plasterwork was meticulously restored in order to retain the home’s character.
Like most historic residences though, the apartment suffered from a dark core and letting in more natural light was a priority. ‘I’m from a sunny place,’ Ashley says. ‘And I like warm colours and bright light because they make an interior feel comfortable.’ The ultimate nod to relaxation was the introduction of a delightful small jardin d’hiver (winter garden), where the kitchen once was. It not only lets in plenty of sunlight, but also provides family members with a cosy retreat. And in positioning the new kitchen adjacent to the salon/ living room and in turn removing a wall, these central areas are now also flooded with light.
Ashley may have extended a light touch in terms of structural changes, due in no small part to the apartment’s good bones and perfectly conceived dimensions, but she didn’t hold back with the furnishings. Rich colour, handcrafted detailing and strong graphics prevail; a powerfully sophisticated mix of French savoir faire and breezy Californian charm. And nowhere do they make a more compelling statement than in the living room.
Luigi Caccia Dominioni’s Toro sofa and ottoman instantly appeal for their full curves and lush blue and pink velvet upholster y, complementing the green India Mahdavi rug. This arrangement sets the pace for the overall scheme and also champions Ashley’s carefully considered green, blue and pink colour palette. ‘I’m always happy to be much more experimental with colour because I feel like it lends an interior personality,’ ref lects Ashley. ‘A nd so many things can be accomplished by using bold colour.’
Ashley masterfully mixes old and new and her respectful design is simply an extension of her passion for renovating. ‘I realised through trial and error how much fun it can be, how great it is to work with a team of architects, contractors and artisans, and what a joy it is to be able to do it all in Paris,’ she says. ‘It was an honour to work on this apartment because it is so old and in a very special location.’
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