How do you design an elegant home that's still fun for the kids who live there? That's the challenge designer Diane de Sédouy faced when designing a Paris apartment for a family of five. The flat, located in a traditionally Parisian building near Parc Monceau, would need to incorporate traditional influences while still feeling fresh. "The Haussmannian style of the apartment reflects the spirit of the area," says de Sédouy.
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The clients had a number of must-haves for the project including a dedicated entry space, bedrooms and a bathroom for the kids, and a cozy but sophisticated living room. The foyer was particularly challenging, as the space is oddly shaped. De Sédouy gave it a splash of bold color with terra cotta-hued paint and coordinating wallpaper by Casamance. She painted the moldings in Farrow & Ball's Hague Blue, which created a color connection with the living and dining areas. She then furnished the space with a console and mirror from La Redoute.
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When it came to the living room, de Sédouy chose an eclectic mix of furnishings and accented the space with deep blue hues. "I wanted something strong that creates a contrast with the high ceilings and the Parisian style already in the apartment," she says.
In the dining area, she installed a scenic wallpaper from Anabô. "I wanted to play with all the panels and use this long wall to create a painting," de Sédouy explains. The dining table and chairs were found at a flea market in Paris and the brass pendant is by Gervasoni.
The kids' rooms needed to be individualized and functional, with each bedroom maximizing space with lofted bed-and-desk combos. "I tried to find a style that will last over the time," de Sédouy says. "Kids grow very fast and you can't change the wallpaper and the colors every morning!" In one bedroom, she used a muted pink color for the woodwork and added wallpaper from Photowall behind the desk.
Another bedroom brings in cooler tones, with Farrow & Ball's Oval Room Blue and wallpaper from Boråstapeter.
In the third kid's room, a fun, tropical wallpaper from Arte lines a reading nook beneath the bed.
De Sédouy repeated the wallpaper from the entry in a bathroom, adding black floor tiles.
For the kids' bathroom, the designer chose a playful geometric tile from CasaLux. The vanity was custom-made to fit the small space and the mirror.
The parents' bathroom brings in muted green elements, including the shelves and CasaLux floor tiles.
With a clever use of color and plenty of creative spacial solutions, de Sédouy was able to give her clients all their must-haves — and so much more.