At Margaux de Fouchier's, in Paris
She is one of those people who elevate everything they touch. Give her a bossa nova melody, and she turns it into an inspired opus. Words and ordeals: here is a novel you read without putting down. A gift for influence? She now heads her own agency, guiding brands on their journey. Little wonder, then, that Margaux de Fouchier has transformed a 1970s flat that, until recently, had little more to offer than the qualities of modern construction. A carefully curated moodboard crafted hand in hand with her partner, Nicolas, the expert support of her architect sister, and a few litres of paint were all it took to bring her vision to life — a cocooning retreat in which raw materials serve as a setting for designer pieces. Proof, if any were needed, that one can create an interior that is both pared-back and full of personality. A guided tour.
New chapter
5 metres long and just over a metre tall: at Margaux's place, the centrepiece can be spotted… from the window. Perched on the heights of Ménilmontant, her 70m2 flat opens onto the rooftops of Paris. A harmony of blues and slate greys, which she chose to bring inside by playing with an oversized mirror placed above the bench seat. "The bookcase was already there, but it stretched across the entire wall. We carved into it!" The structure itself was extended up to the ceiling to create a sense of height, before being varnished.
Food for Thought
Wood on the floor and in touches throughout, polished concrete in the kitchen and bathroom, and a palette of natural tones… Minimalist and pared-back, the moodboard put together by Margaux and Nicolas placed a strong emphasis on materials. Interior architect Pascale de Fouchier translated this into bold structural elements that reinforce the organic feel, such as the doors transformed into arches that follow one another in a row from one end of the apartment to the other.
Daytime box
If the doors serve as a common thread, the sense of cohesion also comes from the colours chosen by the couple, applied all-over in every room. From the living room to the bedrooms and along the hallway, our Ivory has been applied from the walls to the ceiling. "We didn't want white, but we didn't want a shade that would overpower everything either. It's very enveloping and warm, and incredibly bright!"
Page after page
A blank canvas — or almost! — that serves as a setting for the design pieces carefully sourced by the couple. While Margaux has mastered the art of mix and match to perfection, slipping an Ikea sideboard between a coffee table by Ettore Sottsass and Roly Poly armchairs, she refuses any compromise: "No fakes, ever, and Nico is even more uncompromising than I am!"
Russian Dolls
Like a box within a box, the Lin kitchen stretches its colour from floor to ceiling, facades included. Even the worktop plays the tone-on-tone card. "It allows us to introduce bolder colour accents, on wall lights or artwork, for example." A design choice that enabled the couple to play with graphic dividers to give rhythm to the whole.
Chameleon
Here too, Pascale de Fouchier's eye made all the difference. Out with the technical elements. The unsightly water heater has disappeared behind a trimmed cabinet designed to conceal it, before being dressed with Plum Living facades. The bench seat, meanwhile, was designed with everyday life in mind, suspended rather than mounted on cabinets, so that you can fold your legs with ease. "And hide a little clutter in there!"
Welcome aboard
"I dreamed of a boat cabin!" With its outdoor-style wall lights and compact layout, the bathroom reflects the aesthetic so dear to the young woman. On one side, Pascale designed a vanity unit created with Ikea cabinets integrated into a plasterboard structure covered in polished concrete. On the other side, the full-height honey oak storage is lightened by a niche designed to slide in the changing table for Théodore, aged 1.
Well framed
If it ain't broke, don't fix it! Like a distillation of everything that makes the apartment so special, Margaux & Nicolas's bedroom embodies all its hallmarks, including the picturesque view. Numerous yet never overwhelming, the wardrobes act as chameleons, blending seamlessly into the Ivory walls and ceiling. This gives centre stage to the details, which are anything but accessories: here, stainless steel handles paired in twos to add a twist to the cabinet fronts; there, a headboard made from honey oak Edge doors simply glued onto an MDF panel, behind which the electrical outlets are neatly concealed. Quite the story!
The ideas that inspire us
- Rooms conceived as boxes, painted all-over in neutral colours to give them personality without overdoing it
- The bathroom niche that lightens the layout whilst being ultra practical on a daily basis
- The water heater concealed in a cabinet, hidden from sight
- The unexpected handle duos
- The headboard created with Edge fronts to add depth and style without losing space.
