Historic Apartment Redefined By A Wood Ribbon Wall

The challenge of transforming an old apartment into a contemporary home can be faced in a lot of different ways. The strategy chosen by the team at Toledano+Architects was to keep the old shell of the apartment intact as much as possible and to fill it with all sorts of new features. The apartment is located in Paris and has a total surface of 130 square meters. By preserving a lot of the historical elements such as all the moldings on the ceiling and the walls, the architects gave the apartment lots of character. At the same time, they made sure to turn this into a contemporary home with all the bells and whistles and a suitable aesthetic.

Some of the original internal walls have been removed during the refurbishment process
Some of the original internal walls have been removed during the refurbishment process
The undulating wooden wall has become the new partition between the major sections of the apartment
The undulating wooden wall has become the new partition between the major sections of the apartment
Although the internal walls have been removed, the moulding on the ceiling remained
Although the internal walls have been removed, the moulding on the ceiling remained

The most prominent design element would have to be the wood and plywood ribbon which forms an undulating wall that divides the large open space into two main sections. On one side of it stands the master suite with an open bathroom and a dressing room and on the other there’s an area dedicated to kids as well as a bedroom and a bathroom. The common area is large and open, composed of the typical living room – dining area – kitchen trio. This ribbon wall is lower than the ceiling and not only decorative. It also incorporates lots of storage for the kitchen and other areas and it also conceals the entrances to some of the rooms.

There's herringbone parquet flooring all throughout the apartment
There’s herringbone parquet flooring all throughout the apartment
All the preserved historical details are now complemented by contemporary additions
All the preserved historical details are now complemented by contemporary additions
The ribbon wall is multifunctional and also includes some storage for various areas
The ribbon wall is multifunctional and also includes some storage for various areas
The soft curves and wooden surfaces were also incorporated in lots of other forms throughout the rooms
The soft curves and wooden surfaces were also incorporated in lots of other forms throughout the rooms
The ribbon wall also conceals the entrances into the various rooms adjacent to it
The ribbon wall also conceals the entrances into the various rooms adjacent to it
All the moldings and the preserved ornaments give the apartment a lot of character
All the moldings and the preserved ornaments give the apartment a lot of character
The open kitchen, dining room and living area are all connected into a single large space
The open kitchen, dining room and living area are all connected into a single large space
The ceiling and wall moldings that keep the historic beauty of the apartment alive along with other details
The ceiling and wall moldings that keep the historic beauty of the apartment alive along with other details
The entrance leads into a narrow corridor which then connects it to the living area
The entrance leads into a narrow corridor which then connects it to the living area