French architect Florent Chagny renovated a one-bedroom, top-floor Paris apartment with a lofted bed, taking advantage of everything that the existing space had to offer.

Originally constructed around 1830, the apartment hadn’t been renovated since the 1990s, and it featured an oversized, unusable fireplace and a spiral staircase. However, the space had a lot of potential with its very high ceilings, abundance of natural light, historic exposed wooden beams, and structural window elements.

Chagny decided to keep the existing layout, with the kitchen and living space on the lower level, and a lofted bedroom and closet on the upper level. The modular kitchen features oriented strand board cabinets, black countertops, a black backsplash, and select furnishings with the same finishes.

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Oriented strand board, a composite material made of chips of wood pressed and glued together to form a strong type of plywood, is not a material that is typically exposed. However, the material is budget-friendly and offers visual warmth and a pattern that makes for a playful and industrial palette.

The kitchen also features a countertop island on casters that can slide out for use as a dining table with a bench made of oriented strand board. The existing spiral staircase was not the best use of the space, nor the safest, so Chagny replaced it with a black steel staircase with open treads and integrated shelving.

The new stairs lead up to a glass and steel partition that allows the bedroom to be closed off from the area below, while still bringing in light from two dormer windows. The lofted space features exposed wooden beams painted white, oriented strand board cabinets, and a custom bed frame. A skylight above the stairs, and another in the vestibule and closet area, ensure that the upper level receives enough sunlight.

Related Reading: Built on a Budget, This Belgian Cabin Is Straight Out of a Fairytale

Project Credits:

Architect of Record, Interior Design: flca

Project Team: Marion Bernard and Florent Chagny

Photographer: Camille Gharbi

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A Tiny Parisian Loft Strikes Industrial Vibes With a Surprising Material Palette