Many of us aspire to an organized life, but for those living in open lofts, it’s the only way to stay sane. Nine hundred square feet for a family of four never seemed so airy and spacious as in this Paris loft renovation by Septembre Architecture. With the perimeter of the space lined with multi-functional cabinetry, there's a place for everything, leaving the open quarters super organized and clutter free.
Photography by Maris Mezulis via Septembre Architecture of Paris.
Above: The loft is in a former manufacturing warehouse that sits in a Paris alley. The apartment has one large, open, multi-functional space for living, cooking, and dining. The bathroom is behind the black kitchen wall, and the bedrooms are situated offthe other end of the room.
Above: Floor-to-ceiling open and closed storage along one wall is accessed by a library ladder. See 5 Favorites: Library Ladders in the Kitchen for more.
Above: The kitchen wall and appliances are all in black to contrast with the white island, which, in addition to providing additional counter space, creates a separation from the overall space.
Above: The library ladder hooks onto a rail that runs the length of the cabinets.
Above: The planks of the whitewashed wood floor run lengthwise, giving the illusion that the room is longer than it is. (Learn about wood floor patterning tricks in Remodeling 101.) A long window bench extends for the length of the room; it incorporates underseat storage and becomes a desk at one end. On the other side of the room, mid-height cabinets demarcate an area for a wall hanging and the television.
Above: The ribbon bench and desk are designed to take advantage of the views. Meanwhile, a projector suspended the ceiling takes advantage of the opposite wall for movie screenings.
Above: An Eames Molded Plastic Rocker does double duty as a desk chair.
Above: A detail of the desk shows a pull-out keyboard tray and ventilation holes for heat from a radiator.
Above: Glass-and-metal partitions and doors allow natural light—and the sense of openness—to flow into the bedrooms.
Above: Curtains provide privacy and sound absorption between the bedrooms and living space. A window in the wall between the two bedrooms allows natural daylight from the children's bedroom into the master bedroom.
Above: An Eames Chair provides comfortable seating. Read more about The Iconic Eames Lounge and learn why it's the chair of choice for readers, psychiatrists, afternoon nappers, and writers (it's Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Michael Chabon's work chair).
Above: A walk-through closet area outside the bathroom provides efficient wardrobe storage.
Above: The wood bench and desktop detail in the living area are repeated in the white-tiled bath. See creative uses for white subway tiles in Remodeling 101: White Tile Pattern Glossary.
Above: A small window between the bathroom and the main space brings in natural daylight.
Above: The remodeled loft floor plan by Septembre Architecture.
Interested in more chic Parisian living? See Designer Visit: Paris Meets Provence, A Scandi Furniture Designer at Home in Paris, and A Minimalist (and Soulful) Loft in Paris.
Curious to see more of novelists Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman's quarters? Go to The Mysteries of Berkeley: A Literary Couple at Home.
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