Duplex apartment

Parisian duplex apartment: minimalist comfort overlooking the City of Light

Paris is famous for its wide boulevards and spacious squares that were built in the 19th century – a time when the narrow alleys of the Middle Ages were considered passé. One of the many other influential architectural styles that can still be seen throughout the city today is the 1960s era. High-rise apartment buildings with open yet playful interior design concepts redefined modern city living. This style is clearly in evidence in a recently redesigned duplex apartment on the 19th and 20th storeys of a Parisian high-rise with stunning views of the city skyline. To reimagine this space, French interior designer Véronique Cotrel selected light-coloured walls, walnut elements and furniture from Thonet. 

The open-plan kitchen and dining area has striking floor-to-ceiling windows. Cotrel has used walnut elements to create a strong contrast with the white walls and to showcase the structural elements, including the free-standing counter in the kitchen and the internal doors. The use of walnut is also a nod to the period when the building itself was constructed. The clean, minimalist aesthetics, however, ensure that the apartment is firmly placed in the here and now – just like the chairs from Thonet. For the 118 M wooden chair, Sebastian Herkner took Michael Thonet’s original idea of making a chair out of as few parts as possible and went a step further. Herkner added finishing touches that make the design less dominant but all the more distinguished. The shape of the chair legs is another particular feature. They are rounded at the front with straight edges at the back, picking up the horseshoe shape of the seat. Made using a single piece of bentwood, the seat frame creates an immediate connection to Thonet’s long tradition of bentwood furniture. Here in this apartment, the stained black chairs stand around an oval table, creating a space for sociable evenings and busy family life.

Two high barstools, also from Thonet’s 118 range, line the free-standing kitchen counter. Just like the 118 chairs, the clean lines of Sebastian Herkner’s 118 H barstools add elegance to the space without overpowering. In contrast to the dining table chairs with their moulded plywood shells, the barstools have a canework seat, which is made of Calamus rotang or rattan palm. The decorative, cut-out pattern in the canework gives the furniture a transparent look, and its natural irregularities in colour and texture bring it to life. The subtle shimmering honey tone exudes a lovely warmth and combines with the walnut wooden elements to create a cosy, homely space. And here in this apartment, high above the rooftops of Paris, designer Véronique Cotrel has created a modern living space that embodies warmth, comfort and respect for tradition.