Paris 10e Arrondissement
Designer Ludivine Billaud has created a personal style based on
utilitarianism and functionality – a personalisation of what she calls
"public style."
The building, which dates from the 1930’s, offered Ludivine a bare, light
filled, open space of 110m2 interrupted only by two concrete pillars. Up
until that moment it had served as a fashion workshop in the textile
industry. “There was nothing to preserve-not even a door or window
handle. I immediately removed the plaster from the concrete beam
structure which allowed the play of frames drawn by the beams and the
pillars” traces of the original 1930’s construction," the designer explains,
The space was divided into private and public areas, whilst maintaining
a fluidity between the two. Guests can be comfortably welcomed at
the front of the house, whilst the lounge and sleeping areas remained
present, but concealed – the suggestion of much more, without an absolute
exposure.
The solution was to construct a bathroom area between the public and
private realms of the home. The curved form manifests on both the
bathrooms interior, bending the available natural light into the shower
space but also providing value on the structure's exterior. Covered in clay
brick, it becomes a feature providing strong sculptural relief in both private and public areas of the home.
In the lounge and bedrooms, plush woollen carpets and curtains
accentuate the ambient comfort of the private spaces. Conversely, the
"public areas" are served by a hardscape of patterned ceramic flooring,
that is both practical and visually stimulating.
Ludivine stamps the ensemble with a strong design language spoken with
elements common to both the public and private domains. Tiled horizontal
surfaces extend between rooms providing small storage units, shelving
and practical places for simply displaying.
“I was inspired by the architecture of ‘Residences’ of the 1960’s and
70’s; those big entry halls that welcome residents into large apartment
buildings, where the furniture is fixed and space is considered and
designed. I wanted this space to feel like that kind of public space,” the designer adds.
With no wall surface painted, Ludivine relied on the various of textures
rendered by different concrete based wall renders playing with the
grain, stain, and in the case of the kitchen, even creating strong and
abrupt lines between tints, and integrating the mirror which creates a
strong modernist fresco. Colour highlights provided by the lighting fixtures, soft furnishings,
curtains and ceramic surfaces have the effect of bringing extra depth
and extending the available space.
The attention to detail, the noble quality of the materials used, and
the care given to the decor elements and the tailor-made design of all
the carpentry and furniture reinforce the sentiment of living in an
environment that is unique. The furniture, which is mainly fixed and
integrated into the partitioning (cupboards, bench, sofa, sills, niches)
amplifies the serenity that emerges from the ensemble. Furniture becomes secondary, privileging volume and circulation.
