SO-AN is the architecture and interior design studio of Isabelle Stanislas and Leiko Oshima, and one of their latest renovations has my heart and soul all-a-flutter with dreams of living la belle vie in amazingness that is Paris. The residence, which used to be a former office inside an 18th century building, rests along Rue de Rivoli (find the street on Google Maps) and faces the sprawling Louvre Museum, and if that’s not enough, the space enjoys a ceiling height of 4.45m (14′-6″). Just let that soak in for a second, mes amis.
SO-AN is known for their careful consideration of existing properties which come with a strong architectural heritage and rich interior detailing, and their ability to merge this old world opulence with a fresh, new contemporary aesthetic. The images below will give you a great sense of how they pull this off so effectively, and worth noting is that all mouldings, wood flooring, and detailing have been meticulously preserved. Part of this preservation was restoring and celebrating the gigantic Versailles-like mirrors which are found throughout the space. In the living room, for example, the gold-plated life size mirrors at opposite ends of the space bring an incredible sense of grandeur into the area. Furniture and art work adorn the home, including a Rick Owens chair, a leather marquetterie gaming table (a unique Deuce piece), a Galerie Fortin armchair and Pierre Chareau wall lighting.
But one of the most gorgeous elements of the residence is the phenomenal bathroom of white polished marble throughout, the exposed shower, black sliding floor to ceiling partitions and inset day bed. You can see more photographs of the space by visiting Yatzer. All photos are courtesy of Olivier Löser. To see more of SO-AN’s work be sure to visit their website at SO-AN.fr. All I can say is, if I lived in Paris this is exactly what I would want for my surroundings. Period. And discovering a space like this that brings you to your knees is similar to falling in love at first sight I would think. For the first few months at least, I would spend my mornings rolling out of bed to a plate of croissants and café, have a two-hour bubble bath while the music of Edith Piaf wafts through the windows towards the Louvre right outside, and spend the rest of my afternoon busy planning my decadent night on the town. Waking up the next morning with my hot French lover (this guy would do quite nicely), the first thought that would come to mind is: “Je ne regrette rien!”
