How An Architect Turned IKEA Into Bespoke Storage In His 48sqm/517sqft Strasbourg Apartment

With the original space renovated for rental purposes, Luc’s first thoughts were along the lines of “horrendous…,” but he soon spotted potential. “I saw that there were no structural partitions, the ceilings were high, and the light was great, and I said, I can make something out of this.” And Luc did.

Even though Luc didn’t start with a specific design idea, there was one thing he was always clear on. “The architecture is a backdrop – I wouldn't want to not put in artwork I love just because the colours clash – it has to allow for that flexibility, that's what I tend to do in my projects.”

With a €35K budget and the help of friends and a builder, Luc reorganised the layout into a practical space brightened with natural light and decor with meaning.  

The result is a compact home that feels intentional but relaxed — where integrated storage and thoughtful details allow two very different daily rhythms to coexist comfortably. With friends just down the road, Valentin’s mother nearby, and even Luc’s hairdresser next door, it’s no surprise sentimentality comes first in this bright, flexible, and very special home. 

An Entrance That Expands and Organises

To counter first-floor darkness, Luc brightened the entrance with a floor-to-ceiling mirror that both reflects light and expands the space. Opposite the door, shoes and jackets are enclosed in built-in shelving for easy entry-exit reach. Equally within grasp is a pigeon-hole that holds Luc’s scarf and gloves for bike riding, and hanging on top is his old bike. Above, the electric box is blended into the art wall – a collection of photographs and artwork, including a painting from an unknown New Zealand painter. “I look for things that I like, it doesn't really matter if they're worth anything, or not”. Within stepping distance is a small terrazzo-tiled platform that conceals underfoot plumbing. Luc calls this his “catwalk”.

A Living Room Shaped by Display and Flexibility

At the centre of the living space is adjustable hardware-store shelving – economical, flexible, and easy to reconfigure. This is an expansive space for Luc and Valentin to display pieces of sentiment – including a US licence plate from where they once lived abroad and an “adorably cute” picture of Luc’s sister from when she was young. Below, a television is deliberately modest, chosen not to dominate the room, to let the other objects hold the space instead. Double-glazed windows throughout both brighten the space and keep the room quiet, while sheer curtains balance privacy with light, allowing the nearby desk to work away from neighbouring eyes.

A Kitchen And Dining with IKEA Centrepieces

“I love to design integrated fixtures, integrated kitchens, and integrated wardrobes into my projects, but often that's where the budget lacks.” And that’s where IKEA comes in, in the form of a large black kitchen unit. “I often explain to [my clients] that I, as an architect, have an IKEA kitchen at home and that we just used a carpenter for finishes to feel bespoke.” Like the terrazzo splash-back. IKEA appreciation extends into the dining space where his family’s 1990s IKEA table has found another life, topped with a vase from his grandma, and a bouquet from the couple's 15th anniversary. A neighbouring string shelf is illuminated with more special pieces, including a pink lamp from the discontinued French brand, Habitat, which brings lightness to the darker-toned kitchen.

A Bedroom Designed Around Storage and Routine

The central black unit doesn’t end in the kitchen — it extends back into the bedroom as a large statement wardrobe, where the carefully considered piece holds long-term items high above, and daily essentials within reach. And each clothing category has its own “particular place”, belts included. The black wardrobe continues outside the sliding bedroom door, as a quiet cupboard just for Valentine. Positioned close to the entrance and bathroom, Valentine can prep, change, and gather luggage for work without disturbing the bedroom or Luc’s sleep. Dotted around the Fritz Hansen bed is more clever storage – above is a Mikado-style shelf Luc built himself, below is linen and towels, and behind is a built-in headboard that both holds rucksacks and displays more precious items, like a signed cone that Luc was gifted for his 18th birthday.

A Bathroom That Finds Light, And Peace

Behind the bedroom is the bathroom. A narrow space without access to natural light, that is, until Luc came up with a remedy – an internal frosted window that allows the sun to filter from the bedroom into the bathroom. Should the need arise, there’s also a blind for extra privacy. A curved natural timber counter conceals the washing machine and laundry basket below, and on top, a leftover terrazzo tile has become a tray for more little display items. Another choice driven by sentiment was the bathtub. Despite it’s generous footprint and rare use on Luc’s behalf, it was kept for Valentine, who likes to decompress there after long trips.

As Luc says, “downsizing wasn't [about] going minimal – it's keeping things that have a story, and a memory.” Whether that be the old, the new or even the intangible, like the dinners around the family’s 1990s IKEA table.