Houzz Tour: A Clever New Layout Enhances a Tiny Flat
Before and after shots show a studio flat turned into a comfortable home with a separate bedroom and zoned living area
A father bought this Parisian studio apartment for his daughter, a student. Situated in the centre of Paris in a 1970s building, it consisted of a bright living room with an open kitchen and a disproportionately large bathroom.
Having lived in the apartment as it was for two months, the young woman came to realise two things: the noise from both the street and the other floors was awful, and sleeping in the living room, and therefore having to remake the sofa every morning, was very annoying.
So she and her father asked architect Emilie Melin, whose previous projects they’d seen on Houzz, to come up with some solutions. The result was a new bedroom separated from the living room by a glass partition, plus enhanced sound insulation.
Having lived in the apartment as it was for two months, the young woman came to realise two things: the noise from both the street and the other floors was awful, and sleeping in the living room, and therefore having to remake the sofa every morning, was very annoying.
So she and her father asked architect Emilie Melin, whose previous projects they’d seen on Houzz, to come up with some solutions. The result was a new bedroom separated from the living room by a glass partition, plus enhanced sound insulation.
After: The original 54 sq ft (5 sq m) bathroom was disproportionately large for the apartment. So the owners asked architect Emilie Melin to turn some of that space into a new sleeping area.
The owners wanted a steel-framed glass wall in order to open up the sleeping area and bring light in from the living room windows.
“It’s a really great solution that creates a pleasant and bright sleeping area,” Melin says.
“It’s a really great solution that creates a pleasant and bright sleeping area,” Melin says.
The new bedroom takes up part of what used to be the bathroom and encroaches slightly on the living room to create a 75 sq ft (7 sq m) space. This made it possible to fit in a double bed with integrated storage, as well as shelving and a wardrobe (on the left of the photo). The headboard also divides the sleeping area from the new, smaller bathroom.
Before: The old bathroom had included a bath, a large vanity unit and a toilet.
After: The bathroom has been reduced to 22 sq ft (2 sq m). Melin recouped some space by choosing a narrow vanity unit and a walk-in shower.
What this new version lacks in space, it makes up for in refined details: oak cabinets, an enamel basin, black zellige tiles on the shower wall and marble-look tiles on the floor.
The toilet is now separated by a partition, and can be accessed from the entrance area of the apartment. “This arrangement was more practical than having to go through the sleeping area and the bathroom to get to the toilet,” the architect says.
Enamel basin, Jacob Delafon. Bathroom fittings, Grohe. Marble-look tiles, Porcelanosa. Zellige tiles, Mosaic del Sur.
What this new version lacks in space, it makes up for in refined details: oak cabinets, an enamel basin, black zellige tiles on the shower wall and marble-look tiles on the floor.
The toilet is now separated by a partition, and can be accessed from the entrance area of the apartment. “This arrangement was more practical than having to go through the sleeping area and the bathroom to get to the toilet,” the architect says.
Enamel basin, Jacob Delafon. Bathroom fittings, Grohe. Marble-look tiles, Porcelanosa. Zellige tiles, Mosaic del Sur.
Before: The second major challenge was soundproofing. The student could hear her neighbours both above and below as clearly as if they were inside her flat, and noise from the street only added to this.
Melin tackled this problem by padding the walls and ceiling with about 4.5cm of Rockwool and two soundproofing plates – from French company Placo – one on top of the other. She also laid oak flooring on a 5mm cork underlay.
“It’s impressively effective. The owner doesn’t hear noise from other parts of the building anymore,” Melin says. “On the other hand, a lot of work went into it: we had to cover the whole apartment with two layers of plasterboard sheets and carry each of them up the stairs because the lift was too small. Two out of the 10 weeks of the renovation were devoted to insulation-related work.”
In addition, double-glazed, soundproof windows were put in to block noise from the street.
“It’s impressively effective. The owner doesn’t hear noise from other parts of the building anymore,” Melin says. “On the other hand, a lot of work went into it: we had to cover the whole apartment with two layers of plasterboard sheets and carry each of them up the stairs because the lift was too small. Two out of the 10 weeks of the renovation were devoted to insulation-related work.”
In addition, double-glazed, soundproof windows were put in to block noise from the street.
Before: The kitchen had always been on the left when viewed from the entrance. The original worktop jutted out into the space, making it narrower and slightly impeding free movement. The owner wanted to modernise this area, but liked the idea of the kitchen being open to the living room and wanted to keep a similar layout.
After: The original L-shaped plan of the kitchen was maintained, but the peninsula was moved from the entrance to the living room end to create more room for movement and to visually separate the kitchen from the seating area, an effect enhanced by the inset tiled flooring.
A large mirror now hangs in front of the kitchen. “It’s a nice trick to visually enlarge the space,” the architect says.
Like the bedroom, the kitchen has been expanded into the living room slightly.
A large mirror now hangs in front of the kitchen. “It’s a nice trick to visually enlarge the space,” the architect says.
Like the bedroom, the kitchen has been expanded into the living room slightly.
The new kitchen is fitted with adapted Ikea cupboards. The small space has all the equipment of a much larger kitchen: a combination microwave oven, an induction hob, a fridge with freezer, a dishwasher and a washing machine.
See another small kitchen packed with functionality and style
See another small kitchen packed with functionality and style
The owner agreed to a black-and-white colour scheme with light wood finishes adding warmth. She particularly liked two of the details the architect proposed: cement floor tiles with a 3D motif that blend creatively with the floorboards; and the zellige tile splashback, which contrasts well with the kitchen’s smooth surfaces.
Cement tiles, Mosaic del Sur. Wood flooring, La Parqueterie Nouvelle. Voxtorp kitchen cabinets; Ekbacken laminate worktop, all Ikea.
Cement tiles, Mosaic del Sur. Wood flooring, La Parqueterie Nouvelle. Voxtorp kitchen cabinets; Ekbacken laminate worktop, all Ikea.
The owner wanted the upper kitchen cabinets to merge seamlessly with the living room. Melin suggested using Ikea cabinets for a cascading TV stand and storage space. The neat finishes are made of birch plywood.
The new lighting is particularly noticeable in the living room. “Lighting always has a great impact on the atmosphere and general comfort, and I like to pay particular attention to it,” Melin says. “As we had soundproofed the ceiling, I didn’t want to make new holes for spotlights. We hung a single pendant light above the breakfast bar and elsewhere installed wall lights and LED strips.”
10 things Houzz designers have taught us about living rooms
The new lighting is particularly noticeable in the living room. “Lighting always has a great impact on the atmosphere and general comfort, and I like to pay particular attention to it,” Melin says. “As we had soundproofed the ceiling, I didn’t want to make new holes for spotlights. We hung a single pendant light above the breakfast bar and elsewhere installed wall lights and LED strips.”
10 things Houzz designers have taught us about living rooms
Despite being downsized, the living room still measures about 170 sq ft (16 sqm), so Melin decided to include two sofas, so friends could be entertained in comfort. To optimise storage space, a custom-made, birch plywood cabinet surrounds the glass wall of the sleeping area.
What do you think of this studio transformation? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
What do you think of this studio transformation? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Who lives here A student
Location The 8th arrondissement of Paris, France
Size About 390 sq ft (36 sq m)
Duration of work 10 weeks, completed in June 2017
Budget About £50,000 excluding tax
Architect Emilie Melin
Project manager Maxime Gaffory, from the general renovation company Mon Concept Habitation
‘Before’ photos by Emilie Melin
‘After’ photos by Stéphane Vasco
Before: The apartment is a large, relatively square space, which still had its original 1970s layout when the student moved in. The front door is in the background here, the open kitchen is on the right, and the bathroom is on the left behind the wardrobe. Behind the photographer, wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the street.