No Comments »

Design Dilemma: A Big Small Loft in Paris

• Tweet

• Tweet

We’re used to thinking of lofts as gi-normous spaces featuring miles and miles of square footage. But increasingly, and especially in Europe, small lofts are the norm. They are open, light-filled and airy, but often fail to crack 50 square meters (or about 600 square feet). Here’s one such example in Paris where, architects Gianluca Gaudenzi and Sandra De Giorgio of Nzi Architectes have transformed an old artist’s studio located in the 20° arrondissement on the Right Bank of the Seine. It may be a small space, but the architects were able to maximize every inch, including massively high ceilings that are 5 meters tall.

The architects created a loft on three levels, each within view of the other. The lowest level consists of a kitchen and dining room. Two steps take you to a comfortable living room with a built-in cherry bookshelf. A flight of narrow steps on the kitchen level takes you to the uppermost level, which is where a bedroom and study are located, closed off with a glass wall.  Here’s a view below:

And here’s another view:

Here’s a view giving you an idea of the entire landscape. On the far left hand side are the stairs leading up to the bedroom. To the right are the kitchen, dining room, and at the far end of the loft on another level reached by two steps is the living area with built-in bookshelf.

Another view of the living room:

And here is a view of the living room as seen from the little study area in the bedroom above:

There’s a lot to love about this little loft, and we love it all!

• It’s minimal without being cold. Punches of bright color, the use of warm wood, the liberal use of antiques like the theatre chairs and old stove give the loft warmth without clutter.

• It’s industrial without going over the top. The industrial look has become a big trend these days, but this little loft indulges without seeming trendy. Iron supports and frames around windows provide just the right amount of factory flavor against the stone walls and wooden built-ins.

• It’s filled with light. Thanks to a careful planning of space, there are no dark corners in this loft. A skylight on the top level also brings light into a space that might have otherwise been dark.
• It looks like someone actually lives here. We’ve seen too many lofts that seem so picture perfect it’s hard to believe anyone could ever live there. This space, on the other hand, is unassuming in its grandeur. When can we move in?

Images: Courtesy livingcorriere.it