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A 19th Century Timber Frame House Adapted To A Contemporary World

By Simona Ganea | Published on

This beautiful maison à colombages dates back to the late 19th century and is located in Paris, France. In 2015 its interior has been renovated by 05AM Arquitectura. The project’s main objective was to improve the functionality of the house and this was done in the most graceful way. The architects were careful to preserve as much of the original charm of the building as they could. They made a few changes to the floor plan and took some time to identify the characteristic elements in each space before making any modifications which might alter the character of the structure.

The exterior of the house was left pretty much intact, reflecting the original 19th century designView in gallery
The exterior of the house was left pretty much intact, reflecting the original 19th century design
Inside the house, a section of a partition from the ground floor was removed in order to connect the living areasView in gallery
Inside the house, a section of a partition from the ground floor was removed in order to connect the living areas
Now the kitchen, dining room and living area form a single large spaceView in gallery
Now the kitchen, dining room and living area form a single large space

The term maison à colombages describes a type of house with timber framing, a style typical to buildings from the 19th century and earlier. In this case, there were many elements worth preserving such as the alcoves on the first floor and, obviously, that unique exterior design. The changes made were primarily meant to increase functionality without visually transforming the house too much. Have a look at the images and see for yourself.

Marble was used strategically in some parts of the house, being chosen for its simple eleganceView in gallery
Marble was used strategically in some parts of the house, being chosen for its simple elegance
The first floor features a series of alcoves which were preserved and more than that highlighted by the new designView in gallery
The first floor features a series of alcoves which were preserved and more than that highlighted by the new design
The bedroom alcoves give the rooms a very cozy look and they're integrated into the new design in a very natural wayView in gallery
The bedroom alcoves give the rooms a very cozy look and they’re integrated into the new design in a very natural way
To put an emphasis on these cozy alcove nooks, the designers painted them in eye-catching colorsView in gallery
To put an emphasis on these cozy alcove nooks, the designers painted them in eye-catching colors
Dark marble was used to create this stylish fireplace nook which is great for storing firewood View in gallery
Dark marble was used to create this stylish fireplace nook which is great for storing firewood
White marble was used in the bathroom to create an elegant shower and bathtub nookView in gallery
White marble was used in the bathroom to create an elegant shower and bathtub nook
The new interior design focuses on simplicity and functionality and aims to highlight the remarkable architecture of the houseView in gallery
The new interior design focuses on simplicity and functionality and aims to highlight the remarkable architecture of the house
The kitchen island doubles as a space divider and has a marble topView in gallery
The kitchen island doubles as a space divider and has a marble top
The staircase and the ornate railings keep the original character of the house aliveView in gallery
The staircase and the ornate railings keep the original character of the house alive
The kitchen is long and narrow and has large windows which let in lots of natural lightView in gallery
The kitchen is long and narrow and has large windows which let in lots of natural light
The marble kitchen is detached from the rest of the furniture and serves as a focal point View in gallery
The marble kitchen is detached from the rest of the furniture and serves as a focal point
A corner fireplace adds charm to this room, maintaining a symmetrical lookView in gallery
A corner fireplace adds charm to this room, maintaining a symmetrical look
The dining area is open to the kitchen and the living roomView in gallery
The dining area is open to the kitchen and the living room
In the living room, a pair of comfortable two-seater sofas form a cozy sitting areaView in gallery
In the living room, a pair of comfortable two-seater sofas form a cozy sitting area
The sofas frame the fireplace, once again emphasizing the symmetry of the layout and decorView in gallery
The sofas frame the fireplace, once again emphasizing the symmetry of the layout and decor
The ground floor is mostly monochromatic and, by comparison, the upper floor is quite colorfulView in gallery
The ground floor is mostly monochromatic and, by comparison, the upper floor is quite colorful