NAVARIN
Aesthete and demanding, Anne-Sophie and Franck were looking for a new apartment to accommodate their blended family, in a lively neighborhood with a village feel. But above all, they were dreaming of a comprehensive renovation project, to create a living space in their own image.
Anne-Sophie and Franck’s schedule being punctuated by their professional commitments, they chose ARCHIK to accompany them in this adventure.
It all began with Raphaëlle’s finely orchestrated search for the perfect gem, followed by the sale of their respective apartments. At the same time, it was architect Bapstiste Legué whom the agency selected for his precise taste in materials and timeless style, dear to the couple’s hearts. A seamless experience that culminated in the curation of design pieces that now adorn the apartment.
Eighteen months of support later, here we are on rue des Martyrs, telling a new ARCHIK & Vous story.
Tell us about your encounter with ARCHIK, and how it all began?
F – I owned an apartment and had a real estate project. I consulted several ads, and was blown away by the quality of ARCHIK’s photos, which showed apartments that matched what I was looking for. I thought it stood out in the panorama of ads and it was on this basis that I called ARCHIK. I met Raphaëlle, with whom I had a positive exchange. I said to myself, if I sell, I’ll call her back.
And Raphaëlle had recorded it! (laughs). She contacted me when Anne-Sophie and I were thinking about buying an apartment together. We felt her commitment, her determination and her energy, and we liked that. And naturally, she introduced us to the ARCHIK world. A-S – We even entrusted her with the search for another apartment, that of my daughter. She sold our two apartments and found us two others.
Let’s be clear, ARCHIK for us is a bit like Raphaëlle (laughs). We’re fans of the agency, its support and the quality of the site.
Did you fall in love with this apartment? What was your first impression when you visited it?
We’re very good at projecting ourselves into spaces, and we quickly saw the apartment’s potential. As we’re both very sensitive to light, we were seduced by the sky, which you can see everywhere, right in the heart of the 9th district! What’s more, we found it really nice to have an entire side of the apartment overlooking a garden. You can breathe in the incredible calm. The apartment has twelve windows!
“You can breathe and it’s incredibly quiet. There are twelve windows in the apartment!”
ARCHIK chose architect Baptiste Legué for your project: how did the collaboration go? Was it a carte blanche or did you have specific ideas?
We knew that ARCHIK offered this renovation service, and Raphaëlle was quick to think of Baptiste, who she felt was exactly what we were looking for. The great thing about working with ARCHIK is that it happened very early on, right from the start of the purchase. From the outset, Baptiste gave us a great deal of confidence, particularly with his well-prepared meetings, in addition to his creativity. He gave us a lot of suggestions for materials and layouts, with very precise ideas.
We let ourselves be guided. When you have a very busy schedule, you’re happy to have great ideas come to you. We wanted something chic with a certain sobriety, and it matched what he liked too. He has a very creative and slightly disruptive side, which we embraced since he was also looking for a certain timelessness. Simple designs, coherent but not fussy proposals. He went beyond what we would have done ourselves.
For example, in this apartment with its Haussmann-style features, he immediately suggested keeping only one or two, and breaking up the rest. At first, we were surprised, but the result proves that he was right!
“We wanted an impression of volume. To achieve this, the architect extrapolated the openings, creating very high doors that rise to the ceiling.”
There are bold, precise choices. Did Baptiste have to convince you or were you immediately seduced??
I wanted a wall of color, and Baptiste kept convincing me that we’d get bored with it. In the end, there were two very subtle touches, including an absolutely neutral verdigris. In the kitchen, on the other hand, we all agreed on a dark color. Baptiste had been suggesting black from the start, but we told him no. So he had the color we wanted installed. The more the work progressed, the more we found it too green and ugly. Franck finally told Baptiste, and on the last day we had the kitchen repainted to follow his advice!
We also wanted a sense of volume. To achieve this, Baptiste extrapolated the openings, creating very high doors that rise 2.90 m to the ceiling. When the doors are open, you can see from one end of the apartment to the other, creating an incredibly fluid space.
How did you go about decorating your new home, and where did your inspiration come from?
From us! (laughs) Baptiste gave us some advice on lighting fixtures to complement the ones we had, and we were very appreciative. (Editor’s note: Like the Charlotte Perriand sconces and the IDA lamp by designer Axel Chay, which Maison ARCHIK Paris was exhibiting at the time). But all that’s here is the coming together of our two apartments, and it’s come together rather well. We used quite a lot of color, although Baptiste would have liked a more neutral look …
What’s the most pleasant thing about living in an apartment?
We love the kitchen! You don’t feel like you’re in a kitchen. It’s very beautiful, as is the view from the window. And it’s a completely open room, where everyone comes to sit and talk when we’re cooking.
Do you have any advice for people embarking on a project like yours?
To invest time and effort in decisions upstream of the project. Be present to fully understand what’s going on, and available to exchange ideas with the architect. During the execution of the project, we were there very regularly, and were constantly in a short-loop exchange mode, aware of all the details. We were involved in every decision, even the little things that are actually important. For example, we discussed handle heights, and approved all the drawers and cupboards. The details don’t really matter, because the result is clear: in everyday life, it’s easy to see that it meets our needs as closely as possible.
THE 3 FETISHES
THE APARTMENT ROOM
The kitchen, without hesitation. When you have guests, everyone spontaneously gathers there, seated or standing, a glass in hand around the central island.
THE OBJET
A ludion unearthed from a junk shop! It’s a kind of glass bottle from the late 19th century, filled with gas and floating elements to test Archimedes’ principle.
THE ADDRESS
Château Sablé on rue Labruyère. A former pastry chef who has dedicated himself to making shortbread… a delight!
Crédit photos – Manon Delaune