An intimate cottage close to Versailles

Interior designer Stefano Tordiglione took inspiration from the Bauhaus movement to convert a warehouse into a modern home for a French vegetarian chef

A 160-m2 residence close to Versailles showcases all aspects of the German architectural movement of the 1920s known as Bauhaus. The conversion of a warehouse for the equipment of a large villa was conceived by interior designer Stefano Tordiglione, who splits his time between Europe and Hong Kong, where he is based. In an interview with Ville&Casali, he recalls that “A French chef with homes in both Hong Kong and Paris co-owned with his sister a family villa not far from Paris with an abandoned warehouse. Two years ago, I suggested converting it into a cottage, leaving the original walls intact but extending upwards to create a second floor. The installation of large windows and roof openings has made the building extremely light and airy.” On the ground floor, Tordiglione has created a large living room that flows into the kitchen that he himself designed, featuring an island that incorporates a professional kitchen and fireplace-oven. The house is a cube interconnected by a beautiful structural concrete staircase that supports the two floors and serves to separate the two rooms without blocking the passage of air and light. The applications of the principles of the German architectural movement can be seen in the floors, made of waxed concrete in the living room (“with solid wood slats that run around the entire perimeter of the house,” Stefano Tordiglione points out) and in the bathrooms. The doors, bookcases and dining table in the kitchen, as well as the ceiling beams, were designed by Tordiglione and some were made by expert Portuguese cabinetmakers. The end result is a simple yet refined space.