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Designers Emma Collet and Thomas Diettert renovated a Haussmannian apartment in Paris that had not been updated since the 1970s. They opened up its fragmented layout while keeping its black recessed kitchen, sculptural travertine fireplace and the client’s family heirloom central to a mix of contemporary and vintage elements.
Designers Emma Collet and Thomas Diettert have reworked a Haussmannian apartment in Paris that had not been renovated since the 1970s, opening its tightly divided rooms and giving a recessed, nearly all-black kitchen a strong visual presence. The project, reported by Livingetc, pairs contemporary changes with original features and objects from the client’s life rather than recreating a single historical period.
Before the renovation, the apartment’s rooms were separated, movement through the home felt fragmented and the layout limited how light traveled. The client wanted a brighter, more comfortable home while retaining the character of a traditional Parisian apartment. Collet and Diettert opened up the plan and integrated storage into the architecture, according to Livingetc’s report.
The entrance, a small windowless space, is painted entirely black. Beyond it, the living room is kept light with Farrow & Ball’s School House White and All White. The designers told Livingetc that dark colors can add depth and draw attention to architectural elements rather than necessarily making a room feel smaller. A black-framed opening marks the view toward the kitchen.
That kitchen sits in a recess open to the living room. Its black cabinetry and Zimbabwe granite countertop make it a distinct feature, while upper cabinets and technical elements are concentrated on the side away from the living room. The designers left the facing wall uncluttered, saying they chose not to fill every available space. In the living room, a bespoke travertine fireplace, mirrored panels behind built-in shelving and existing architectural details bring together different materials and periods.
A Dark Kitchen Defines the Layout
The renovation offers a specific response to a common constraint in compact homes: how to give an open kitchen a clear identity without crowding the room. Instead of hiding the kitchen or using light finishes to make it blend in, the designers made the black cabinetry and granite counter a focal point, then kept the wall facing the living area clear. The result, as described in the report, treats restraint and a deliberate use of dark color as part of the layout rather than as decoration alone.
The project also shows how a renovation can update circulation and storage while retaining a home’s connection to its past. The client’s antique red ceramic family heirloom was given a pedestal rather than tucked onto a shelf. Alongside vintage pieces and original features, it gives the apartment a personal history that new finishes alone could not supply. That balance matters to readers considering older homes: the design does not frame character as something that must be preserved unchanged or stripped away.
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From 1970s Layout to Open Plan
The apartment had not been renovated since the 1970s, according to Livingetc. Its enclosed rooms impeded movement and light, while the client’s brief called for greater brightness and comfort without losing the feel of a traditional Parisian home. Collet and Diettert’s response was to open the plan and build storage into the architecture, rather than simply apply new finishes to the old arrangement.
The designers said they were not aiming to make the home appear to belong to one period. They described their approach as blurring the sense of time, bringing contemporary interventions together with vintage pieces. The fireplace illustrates that choice: the client first imagined a traditional Haussmannian marble mantel, but the designers proposed a bespoke travertine feature intended to create a dialogue between periods. The source does not provide a project completion date or renovation budget.
“We prefer to blur the sense of time.”
— Emma Collet and Thomas Diettert, as quoted by Livingetc
Project Details Not Reported
Livingetc’s account does not specify when the renovation was completed, how long the work took, its cost or the apartment’s exact size. It also does not give further detail about the construction process or identify the client beyond describing the client’s preferences and family heirloom. The design outcomes and quoted explanations are reported by Livingetc; the source material does not include independent measurements of changes to daylight, storage or circulation.
No Further Milestone Listed
The source presents the apartment as a completed design project but does not report a future construction phase, opening date or other scheduled milestone. Readers seeking more specifics on materials and the finished rooms can consult Livingetc’s original report, which credits the design to Diettert Collet and the photography to Clément Gérard. No additional statements or later updates are included in the material provided.
Key Questions
Who designed the Paris apartment renovation?
Emma Collet and Thomas Diettert designed the renovation, according to Livingetc.
What was changed in the apartment?
The designers opened up a fragmented layout and integrated storage into the architecture. They also created a recessed black kitchen open to the living room and added a bespoke travertine fireplace.
Why is the kitchen black?
The designers wanted the open kitchen to have a distinct character rather than disappear into the surrounding space. They kept the wall facing the living room clear and placed upper cabinets and technical elements on the opposite side.
How does the renovation retain the apartment’s history?
The design keeps original features in conversation with contemporary work and vintage objects. The client’s red ceramic family heirloom, for example, is displayed on a pedestal rather than stored away.
When was the renovation completed, and what did it cost?
Livingetc’s report does not state the completion date, project duration or cost.
Source: rss
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