Architectural Digest Russia recently profiled this gorgeous Paris loft apartment owned by Yvan Mispelaere, former Creative Director for the Diane von Fürstenberg fashion house. I try and maintain a good balance of design stories here on FEELguide, but every now and then I come across one in particular that strikes a personal chord where I find myself screaming: “Oh my God, that is sooooo ME!” And this is one of those spaces.
The detailing and structure of the apartment (located in a Paris side street near the Canal Saint-Martin) are in terrific condition, which is impressive considering it was constructed in the 1800s. One of the most charming aspects of the apartment’s history that inspired Yvan to make the purchase is that at some point in its history the space was used as a school for the Vozmozhno circus. Yvan called upon his friend and Paris-based architect Stéphane Ghestem (Stéphane helped discover the space as well) for the redesign, and Stéphane brilliantly managed to incorporate a wide spectrum of Yvan’s interests, from Moroccan living rooms, to the architecture of ancient Greece, to the work of Le Corbusier, and much more. Stéphane tells AD: “And all of this is reflected in the decor of the apartment. I wanted to make it look chic and modern, but quite unusual — surreal.”
One look at these photos and I felt as if Stéphane had been reading my own mind, and hats off to Yvan for choosing such a talented designer to take on the project. Yvan also tells AD: “I like modernism, and again, I wanted to have a modern apartment,” he explains. “But somewhat cool materials associated with the this style, I do not like. So I chose the man-made stuff, warm and luxurious. My apartment is a cozy and strange little nest, where I can escape from the bustle of Paris.” To learn more about the designs of Stéphane Ghestem be sure to visit his site at Abstrakt-Architecture.com.
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