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Designers Emma Collet and Thomas Diettert renovated a Paris Haussmannian apartment that had not been updated since the 1970s, opening its divided layout to improve light and movement. The redesign pairs a nearly all-black recessed kitchen with original architectural features, contemporary materials and the client’s vintage family heirloom.
Designers Emma Collet and Thomas Diettert have reworked a Haussmannian apartment in Paris that had not been renovated since the 1970s, opening up its tightly divided rooms and making a recessed, nearly all-black kitchen a defining part of the home. The redesign addresses the client’s request for a brighter, more comfortable apartment while retaining the character of a traditional Parisian interior, according to Livingetc’s report.
The original layout separated rooms and limited how light could move through the apartment. Collet and Diettert opened up the plan and integrated storage into the architecture. Rather than making every new element match a single historical period, they combined contemporary work with vintage objects and existing architectural details.
The entrance, which has no windows, is painted black. It recedes visually when seen from the living room, whose walls use Farrow & Ball’s School House White and All White. In that room, a bespoke travertine fireplace replaces the traditional marble mantel the client initially pictured. Mirrored panels behind built-in shelving reflect the room and add visual depth, the designers told Livingetc.
The kitchen sits in a recess open to the living room. Its black cabinetry and Zimbabwe granite countertop give it a strong presence rather than disguising it against the surrounding walls. The designers left the wall facing the living room uncluttered, placing upper cabinets and technical elements on the opposite side. Elsewhere, polished concrete walls and a mineral-cast vanity bring textured finishes into the bathroom.
How the Dark Kitchen Shapes the Plan
The project offers a specific response to a common design challenge in compact apartments: how to make an open kitchen feel intentional without filling every surface or forcing it to disappear into the living area. Here, the kitchen’s dark finishes define its own character, while its recessed position and open connection to the living room keep it part of the larger plan.
The same approach links the apartment’s contrasting choices. Black paint marks the small entrance, while light walls and reflective panels give the living room a different visual quality. These are the designers’ stated intentions, not measured claims about the apartment’s brightness. The report does not provide dimensions, construction details or before-and-after measurements.
The renovation also makes room for personal history without treating the interior as a period replica. A red ceramic object inherited by the client, which he had expected to put on a shelf, now stands on its own pedestal. That decision gives an existing family object a prominent place alongside the new fireplace and finishes.
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From Divided Rooms to Open Living
The apartment had not been renovated since the 1970s when the designers first saw it, according to Livingetc. Its rooms were separated, movement through the home felt fragmented, and the layout restricted the way light traveled. The client wanted improved comfort and brightness while preserving the qualities of a traditional Parisian home.
Collet and Diettert said they aimed to blur the sense of time rather than recreate a particular historical period. The design therefore places original features, contemporary interventions and vintage pieces together. The living room’s travertine fireplace illustrates that choice: the client initially imagined a traditional Haussmannian marble mantel, but the designers proposed a more contemporary feature intended to work in dialogue with the apartment’s older elements.
Livingetc’s report identifies the designers as Diettert Collet and credits photography to Clément Gérard. It describes the materials, layout decisions and objects, but does not give the apartment’s address, floor area, renovation budget or completion date.
““We prefer to blur the sense of time.””
— Emma Collet and Thomas Diettert, as quoted by Livingetc
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Project Details Not Reported
Livingetc’s report does not state when the renovation was completed, how long the work took, or what it cost. It also does not identify the apartment’s size or give technical information about structural changes, lighting, ventilation or the kitchen installation.
The design descriptions and explanations are attributed to Collet and Diettert; the report does not provide independent measurements showing how much the renovation changed natural light or usable space. No details are given about the client beyond the objects and preferences described in the article.
mirrored wall panels for living room
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No Further Project Milestones Listed
The source report presents the completed interior and does not announce a pending construction phase, opening or follow-up project milestone. It is not clear whether the designers or client plan to release further details about the renovation’s schedule, budget or technical work.
For readers assessing the project, the next available information would be any additional documentation from Diettert Collet or the client, particularly floor plans, project dates and construction details. Livingetc’s account does not say whether such material will be published.
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Key Questions
What changed in the Paris apartment?
Designers Emma Collet and Thomas Diettert opened up the divided layout, integrated storage into the architecture and combined contemporary elements with existing features and vintage objects.
Why is the kitchen black?
The designers said they wanted the recessed kitchen to have a distinct character instead of blending into the living room. It has black cabinetry and a Zimbabwe granite countertop.
How did the designers make the layout feel more open?
They opened up the plan and left the kitchen wall facing the living room uncluttered, moving upper cabinets and technical elements to the opposite side. The report says the original rooms were tightly separated and restricted light movement.
What is the living room’s main new feature?
A bespoke travertine fireplace anchors the living room. The designers proposed it instead of the traditional marble mantel the client had initially imagined.
When was the renovation completed, and what did it cost?
The report does not specify the completion date, project duration or budget.
Source: rss
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