In Paris, studio noa* has been asked by a young Italian family a flat located at the hôtel Nicolai, one of the typical family palaces built in the 18th century: it occupies part of the second floor and the attic.
Following the nomadic spirit of the client, the architects took inspiration from the logarithmic spiral shell of the Nautilus, one of the rare creatures to have survived the Cretaceous period, due to the shape of its shell, which allowed it to feel at home all the time.
The shell, which symbolizes domestic comfort, together with Parisian inspirations have led to a project with a timeless character, where the curved line becomes the stylistic signature of the apartment.
In choosing the fittings and designing the oak furniture, noa* wanted to convey the elegance of the Marais district, where the property is located: the colour of the blue-grey marble, the fabrics of the cushions and upholstery, the choice of materials and colours for the floors, ceilings and walls are all inspired by the roofs of Paris.
The ground floor has a service and guest entrance, and from both perspectives, the chromatic and material division of the floor stands out: the living area is in bleached oak parquet in a French herringbone pattern, while the circulation corridor is in terrazzo.
This runway seems to divide the floor into two islands: on one side, a niche overlooking the Seine, where people can read or chat, furnished with oak seating and black leather cushions; on the other side, the kitchen and living room area, where the gaze rests on the elegant grey blue marble “Bardiglio Imperiale”, used for the fireplace cladding and the kitchen top. The Chester sofa and a cosy dining area with a bench complete the furnishings.
The connection between the lower and upper floors is represented by a sinuous, organically shaped staircase visually extends the terrazzo corridor: the service area (laundry, toilet, walk-in wardrobe) follows the course of the stairs and is enclosed by a curved wall; also on the lower floor are two bedrooms and a bathroom.
The master bedroom is furnished with a freestanding bathtub, carved from a single block of “Botticino Fiorito” marble, and also the washbasins and shower surfaces are made of the same material, with a careful distribution of the loads created by the bathtub.
Finally, the upper floor houses a multifunctional room equipped for home cinema and a guest room with bathroom, both lit by skylights on the roof.
In this welcoming atmosphere, the curved lines and the scent of wood created a flat where you feel immediately at home.
