A young Parisian family approached Belgian interior designer Nathalie Deboel to lead an outdated park-side apartment into the next phase of its life. The aim was to give it back its grandeur while also injecting a sense of warmth and comfort – grounding it firmly in the present. The result is a balanced family home in the heart of the city, with consideration for both functionality and aesthetics.

The apartment was built in the early 19th century and consisted of a series of boxy, formal rooms, which did little to maximise the floor space. At the same time, the kitchen was tucked away at the rear, separated from the main living area. Nathalie thoroughly considered how the family would like to live in the apartment, specifically how they would like the spaces to be laid out.

Nathalie has replaced the old kitchen with a home office and integrated the new kitchen into the dining and living spaces, improving flow and connectivity.Not only that, each of the three bedrooms now has an ensuite bathroom, rendering them separate entities to which the family can retreat to.

The designer has combined existing traditional elements such as mouldings, panelling and ironwork with contemporary touches – marble countertops, sculptural furniture and artworks – to situate the apartment in both the past and the present. Timeless materials such as timber, linen and steel tie the knot between the two worlds.

Spaces like the kitchen, dining and living enact togetherness through soft, sober tones and plenty of natural light. In contrast, spaces like the home office and the connecting guest bedroom are bathed in dark tones to promote intimacy and respite.

Interiors:Nathalie Deboel

Photos:Thomas De Bruyne

Words:Holly Beadle