Houzz Tour: A Genius Layout Turns a Garage into a Family Home
Before and after pictures reveal how an empty concrete shell has been transformed into a stylish, two-bed flat
Looking to buy their first home, this family discovered a rare gem: the empty expanse of a former garage built in 1958, just behind Montmartre in Paris. The building still bore traces of access ramps and raw concrete surfaces, but, attracted by its industrial feel, the new owners saw the opportunity to tailor it to their needs and create a contemporary, loft-style home.
To ensure their purchase would be in safe hands, they called on interior designers Céline Pelcé and Géraud Pellottiero to brave the renovation with them. “They chose us because we’re a team,” Géraud says. “They didn’t hesitate to tell us about their lifestyle, and we got the chance to work on a project that fully corresponds to the kind of architecture we believe in,” which is centred on bespoke solutions to create the perfect space for the owners.
To ensure their purchase would be in safe hands, they called on interior designers Céline Pelcé and Géraud Pellottiero to brave the renovation with them. “They chose us because we’re a team,” Géraud says. “They didn’t hesitate to tell us about their lifestyle, and we got the chance to work on a project that fully corresponds to the kind of architecture we believe in,” which is centred on bespoke solutions to create the perfect space for the owners.
With a ceiling that’s 3.2m at its highest point, it wasn’t hard to imagine adding a mezzanine.
The owners also liked the beams, ramps and small concrete vaults – testaments to the building’s past as a garage – and wanted to keep them.
The owners also liked the beams, ramps and small concrete vaults – testaments to the building’s past as a garage – and wanted to keep them.
The designers relax in the apartment
After The plan for the layout quickly took shape: a large living room/kitchen facing the glazed façade, two bedrooms with glass walls – in order to benefit from natural light – and a hall leading to the bathroom and utility room at the very back of the apartment (scroll to the bottom to see the floorplan).
Despite the quick work, it took four long months of planning to optimise every inch of the apartment. “To gain some space, we designed every wall and partition so as to conceal items such as the heating system, electrical wires, etc,” Géraud says. “We used partitions to hide both the electrical system and the ducts for the mechanical ventilation system, and also to provide storage space wherever possible.”
Another interesting aspect of the design is water-based underfloor heating, which is connected to the central hot-water system. “The remote-controlled heated floor is divided into five separate areas to maximise comfort,” Géraud says. “The heat exchanger integrated at the entrance of the network makes it possible to get heat from the main network while being able to control [each section] independently.”
After The plan for the layout quickly took shape: a large living room/kitchen facing the glazed façade, two bedrooms with glass walls – in order to benefit from natural light – and a hall leading to the bathroom and utility room at the very back of the apartment (scroll to the bottom to see the floorplan).
Despite the quick work, it took four long months of planning to optimise every inch of the apartment. “To gain some space, we designed every wall and partition so as to conceal items such as the heating system, electrical wires, etc,” Géraud says. “We used partitions to hide both the electrical system and the ducts for the mechanical ventilation system, and also to provide storage space wherever possible.”
Another interesting aspect of the design is water-based underfloor heating, which is connected to the central hot-water system. “The remote-controlled heated floor is divided into five separate areas to maximise comfort,” Géraud says. “The heat exchanger integrated at the entrance of the network makes it possible to get heat from the main network while being able to control [each section] independently.”
The living room faces the floor-to-ceiling glass façade overlooking the street. In it is the only furniture the couple bought new for this apartment: the comfortable, iconic Togo sofa and a geometric wall shelf. All of the other furniture is built-in. For example, the oak frame of the master bedroom’s glass wall doubles as a desk for the living room.
Togo sofa, Ligne Roset. Wall shelf, Presse Citron.
Togo sofa, Ligne Roset. Wall shelf, Presse Citron.
The apartment’s two bedrooms are separated from the main space with picture windows.
“The building on the opposite side of the street is less than 6m from the apartment. We could have tried to conceal private areas such as the bedrooms, but we decided to highlight them and make these spaces more dramatic instead,” Géraud says.
Still, curtains in the bedrooms can be pulled shut for privacy.
“The building on the opposite side of the street is less than 6m from the apartment. We could have tried to conceal private areas such as the bedrooms, but we decided to highlight them and make these spaces more dramatic instead,” Géraud says.
Still, curtains in the bedrooms can be pulled shut for privacy.
The family wanted to be able to seat up to fifteen people in the kitchen. The island’s solid oak top unfolds to double the table length to 3.5m. The details were meticulously crafted by hand by a metalworker.
The kitchen cabinet fronts are made of Valchromat and oak veneer, and the worktop is Zimbabwe black granite. “We ended up spending €13,000 [about £11,352] on the kitchen despite the original budget of only about €3,000 euros [about £2,620],” Géraud says.
Kitchen furniture, Ikea.
The kitchen cabinet fronts are made of Valchromat and oak veneer, and the worktop is Zimbabwe black granite. “We ended up spending €13,000 [about £11,352] on the kitchen despite the original budget of only about €3,000 euros [about £2,620],” Géraud says.
Kitchen furniture, Ikea.
You’ll notice a yellow line running along the top of the kitchen cabinets. The designers wanted to highlight one of the baselines of their designs. This large diagonal beam that extends into the children’s room and the bathroom was original to the space and served as a benchmark for the placement of the upper kitchen cabinets, as well as the coat rail in the children’s room and the yellow pendant light in the bathroom (see below).
The cords of the hand-blown glass globes hanging from the ceiling were modified to create a suspended design.
Ballroom pendant light, Design By Us, bought at Nordkraft. Tierras floor tiles, Patricia Urquiola for Mutina.
The cords of the hand-blown glass globes hanging from the ceiling were modified to create a suspended design.
Ballroom pendant light, Design By Us, bought at Nordkraft. Tierras floor tiles, Patricia Urquiola for Mutina.
Just behind the kitchen, to the right of the white MDF column that hides the fridge-freezer, is the children’s room’s sash window. The 60cm-wide frame made it possible to put storage in its base.
The children love to perch on the ledges on both sides of the glass wall. “Our idea was to open the spaces up as much as possible and transform this window into a fun structure,” Géraud says.
The children love to perch on the ledges on both sides of the glass wall. “Our idea was to open the spaces up as much as possible and transform this window into a fun structure,” Géraud says.
The children’s room was designed to have two levels: a playroom at the bottom and a nest-like sleeping area at the top.
The yellow line that runs from the kitchen has been highlighted by a light wooden coat rail. Wallpaper by Alexia de Ville, an artist from Brussels, brightens the space with pink parakeets on a grey background.
Wallpaper, Tenue de Ville.
Wallpaper, Tenue de Ville.
As the playroom is small, it was necessary to think of a way to reach the mezzanine without sacrificing any storage units or taking up too much floor space. Thus, this double ladder was designed to run over storage boxes. The first section is high enough to allow an adult to give out goodnight kisses. The children nimbly climb the four remaining rungs to get onto their perches.
On the mezzanine are two twin beds, protected by safety nets. It’s a post and beam construction made out of steel welded on-site. The designers built a 1:50 scale model of the set-up and checked its structural alignment before building the real thing.
A hall leads from the children’s room to the back of the home. A family of four in a small apartment requires plenty of storage space, which is why part of the 4m-long hall has been retrofitted with cupboards.
The small off-centre window near the top of the cupboard wall sits above one of the children’s beds and lets a little light into their room.
The small off-centre window near the top of the cupboard wall sits above one of the children’s beds and lets a little light into their room.
The semicircular door in the master bedroom is similar to those in ferry cabins. “We designed this arched pocket door ourselves and had it made by a craftsman. It was one of the biggest challenges of this project for Céline and I, because the drawing is quite technical,” Géraud says.
In the master bedroom, the old coffered ceiling, with its rounded beams, was carefully preserved. On the floor, a cosy loop-pile carpet has replaced the laminate flooring of the rest of the home.
Laminate oak flooring, Quick-Step.
Laminate oak flooring, Quick-Step.
The glass wall was designed to let in as much light as possible. “We didn’t use a classic glass wall to partition the rooms because we already had a façade that imposed a marked pattern. We did not want to impose a second pattern of positive and negative spaces with narrow, high windows. In addition, they would have blocked part of the light,” Géraud says.
The bed in here is a storage one. The carpenter designed it to flip up to reveal a roomy space that the owners call their “cellar”.
Storage bed, Ikea.
Storage bed, Ikea.
The bathroom is in the lower-right portion of the apartment. The walls still retain some of the architectural features of the old garage, which did not make the design easy. Despite the lack of space, the owners wanted to both a shower and a bath.
Ceramic basin, masalledebain.com.
Ceramic basin, masalledebain.com.
To save on space for bathroom fixtures, nothing beats custom-made. “We hired craftsmen that only do this type of work,” Géraud says.
Hexagonal cement floor tiles, Mosaic del Sur.
Hexagonal cement floor tiles, Mosaic del Sur.
To bring light into this room while still turning it into an exceptional little corner, one side of the shower has been fitted with glass tiles back-painted in gold.
Glass tiles, Emery & Cie.
Glass tiles, Emery & Cie.
Ceramicist Marie Lautrou (PMPM workshop) made the cloakroom’s basin and counter to measure out of enamelled sandstone and solid oak respectively. The green feather wallpaper is another Alexia de Ville creation.
Wallpaper, Tenue de Ville.
Wallpaper, Tenue de Ville.
Next to the bathroom is a small utility room, which also serves as a place to hang coats and bags. There are two different peg rails at comfortable heights for both adults and children.
From the entrance of the utility room, a ladder leads to a second mezzanine, an extension of the one in the children’s room.
Protected by safety nets and equipped with two mattresses one on top of another, it can accommodate up to two adults at night. Most often it serves as a play area for the children, almost like a treehouse.
The floorplan shows how cleverly everything has been fitted into this one space.
“This project developed perfectly. The owners knew how to convey their wishes, so we could design to their needs, so our work was built on a solid foundation,” Géraud says. “Their trust allowed us to work as we like: doing things right and allowing our clients to discover artisanal work, which is something we hold dear. Each job site is an opportunity for cultural and educational discovery if we are willing to be sensitive enough to see it.”
Tell us…
What do you think of this garage conversion? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
“This project developed perfectly. The owners knew how to convey their wishes, so we could design to their needs, so our work was built on a solid foundation,” Géraud says. “Their trust allowed us to work as we like: doing things right and allowing our clients to discover artisanal work, which is something we hold dear. Each job site is an opportunity for cultural and educational discovery if we are willing to be sensitive enough to see it.”
Tell us…
What do you think of this garage conversion? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Who lives here A couple in their thirties and their two young children
Location The 13th arrondissement of Paris, France
Size Two bedrooms and one bathroom; about 700 sq ft (65 sq m)
Duration of work Planning: 4 months; work: 6 months; completed July 2016
Budget €1,800 (about £1,572) per sq m, all included; kitchen: €13,000 (about £11,352)
Interior designers Céline Pelcé and Géraud Pellottiero of Atelier PelPell
‘Before’ photos by Géraud Pellottiero
‘After’ photos by David Foessel
Before The place was originally a huge rectangle with a large floor-to-ceiling window, which faces the street, as its only light source. The designers immediately decided to lay out the space so, as in an artist’s studio, all living areas would face this luminous façade.