Until recently, Isabelle Eilmann worked as a marketing specialist in a large publishing house, producing beautiful books. But she decided to change her profession: she received a diploma in interior architecture from the Boulle school in Paris, l’École Boulle, and created the Épicène agency. Small apartment 46 sq. meters in Paris – one of her first projects.
Apartment 46 sq. meters on Boulevard Voltaire in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, Isabelle Eilmann designed for an art student. The main problem with the original was the layout: the tiny kitchen line was especially inconvenient. Designer Isabelle rebuilt the “technical” block: she made the bathroom and toilet smaller, allowing her to place a kitchen island. A hob and sink are built into its countertop, and an extractor hood is installed on top of the ceiling.
The island is the first thing that catches the eye when entering a small apartment. The striking decor of white tiles with terracotta grout is, according to Isabelle, inspired by the Italian Memphis movement of the 1980s. But you can also see in it an homage to the Superstudio designers: their Quaderna tables and consoles, which became a symbol of the 1970s, are now produced by the Zanotta company.
The casing of the ceiling hood is varnished to match the terracotta seams of the island; the tiles on the floor, which replace parquet in the kitchen and bathroom areas, are of a similar shade, as well as the upholstery of the sofa. The strong graphics of the island decor are softened by a gray arch that forms the entrance to the bathroom.
For the living room, the designer developed a structure made of plywood covered with beech veneer: it stretches along the window, combining the functions of seats, shelves, and radiator screens, as well as steps providing access to the courtyard. A similar, but larger-scale system is in the bedroom, includes a shelving unit and a desk, and flows into a built-in closet. Overall: simple yet sophisticated furnishings. The small apartment brings pleasure to its young owner, a future art critic, and embodies the image of an “art laboratory.”
