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There is only one solution for an apartment damaged by water: some magic. Architect Charlotte Guillochon worked hers in the transformation of this 42sqm courtyard apartment in Paris’s 10th arrondissement – taking it from muted to minimalist and multipurpose.
“For the inspirations, we drew from various styles, including Charlotte Perriand’s design for specific details, as well as Scandinavian and Japanese architecture.”
“In the evenings, the room looks like a light box from the living and kitchen areas.”
“We firmly believe that rehabilitating and transforming small living spaces in the city centre offers a multitude of opportunities to address the current and future challenges of urban housing.”
Tucked away on the ground floor of a Parisian courtyard, this 42sqm (452sqft) home feels far removed from the lively 10th arrondissement beyond its gates. This wasn’t always the case though. Once part of a series of artists’ studios in a Haussmann-era building, the apartment, while charming, suffered from a dark and cluttered layout. The owner, Maud, had lived here for years before water damage made a full renovation unavoidable. She turned to architect Charlotte Guillochon, co-founder of atelier apara, with a brief for warmth, privacy, and a design that suited her lifestyle.
Guillochon created a space that feels open but still cozy enough to curl up in – somewhere Maud could move around freely without losing that sense of home. She kept the apartment’s basic layout but tweaked it to improve flow, splitting it into two complementary halves. One side is an open yet cosy living, dining, and kitchen area with bespoke Okoumé plywood joinery, while the other hides the walk-in closet, bedroom, and bathroom – a more private, cocooned zone. The two are connected by an interior window with a curtain that can be drawn for privacy.
Maud, still finding her footing as a cabinetmaker, threw herself into the project. “She contributed valuable input that helped refine and enhance the apartment,” Guillochon notes. The result? A home where every cabinet, shelf, and nook carries a touch of Maud’s hand, blending functionality with personality in a way only she could achieve.
While brimming with the owner’s own touches, the apartment also borrows from a playful mix of styles: the functional ideas of French architect Charlotte Perriand, along with Scandinavian and Japanese touches. These inspirations shine through in the material choices – lime paint, polished concrete, and uninterrupted wood grain – but they really come to life in the living room. The star of the show is a custom, multi-purpose corner bench that snakes along both walls. Its pull-out drawers hide storage and even a bed for overnight guests, while the flat top serves as a surface for plants, books, or art projects – basically eliminating the need for a coffee table.
The kitchen follows the same clever logic. Okoumé plywood furniture reads as one single, refined piece. A white ceramic countertop keeps the space bright, while integrated appliances like the fridge and dishwasher quietly blend in, keeping visual clutter to a minimum. The cabinetry stretches under the window to form a modular desk, which can expand into a larger working surface with a clever pivoting panel. Up above, a high-floating shelf attached to a structural column subtly zones the kitchen from the dining area while offering a space for books, décor, or plants, and, sometimes even doubling as a drying rack. Every detail is carefully designed, making it easy to flow from lively social hangouts to quiet hideaways.
To access the bedroom, Guillochon created a hotel suite-inspired walk-in closet with floor-to-ceiling storage, built-in lighting, and even a radiator for comfort in the winter. With no direct light in the bedroom, the architect aimed to bring light from the front of the apartment through a vertically sliding glass partition and fluted glass door. A plywood headboard with integrated shelves keeps the bed area minimal, while Charlotte Perriand wall lights add a soft, warm glow. “In the evenings, the room looks like a light box from the living and kitchen areas,” the architect says.
For Guillochon, small spaces are a chance to go beyond efficiency. “We firmly believe that rehabilitating and transforming small living spaces in the city centre offers a multitude of opportunities to address the current and future challenges of urban housing,” she says. The Lancry apartment proves that with the right vision and craftsmanship, a compact Paris home can feel spacious, private, and deeply personal.
