At Pauline Dupond Bischoff's
Stepping through Pauline Dupond Bischoff's door on a rainy day feels like a defiant two fingers up at the weather. A radiant journalist, she has created a vibrant cocoon in the heights of Montmartre, where her passion for colour takes on the feel of an ode to the Mediterranean. Here, white serves as a backdrop for primary hues, lifted by a flair for mix & match she has honed through her travels. All of which adds to the distinctive character of this inverted duplex, designed to balance working from home with family life. Time for a guided tour!
In the deep end
Books, colour and a happy mix of patterns: Pauline Dupond Bischoff's entrance hall sets the tone. Far from being a mere passageway, it has established itself as the heart of this 110m2 home. The bedrooms are on one side, and on the other, the staircase leading up to the living spaces on the first floor. "We spend a lot of time here! The bookcase was already there when we moved in, but it was dark, which made the room feel gloomy." A few brushstrokes later, and the imposing structure disappears behind a bright, almost turquoise blue.
White is white
A few steps up to enjoy a view over the Parisian rooftops! Nestled on the top floor of the building, the living room opens onto the kitchen and dining area. Out with the dark, worn parquet: Pauline chose to repaint it and create an immaculate box from floor to beams, to further enhance the ceiling height. "It develops a patina over time, that's what gives it its charm".
Wood and nothing else
Once the backdrop was in place, the journalist was able to add touches of colour here and there to enhance her neutral base, along with wood to warm the whole space up. Designed with family life in mind, the natural Walnut kitchen makes the most of every nook and cranny. The filler panel placed at the end of the run has been transformed into a broom cupboard thanks to a few well-placed hinges, while the back of the island conceals storage cleverly designed to make colouring books and modelling clay disappear.
The art of mix & match
Nestled behind the Knoll table, the bench echoes the look of the kitchen. A pairing of walnut and linen that Pauline has given a twist to by adding a block of colour on the wall, highlighted with an unexpected frieze. “I repurposed rattan coasters and simply glued them on!”. Made at the Marché Saint-Pierre, just a few steps away, the bench cushions, for their part, reflect her love of mixing and matching graphic and animal prints.
A sequel and some ideas
Back to the first floor. Hidden behind a secret door in the library, the master suite was just waiting to be furnished. “The space was there, but we completely renovated it.” The former powder room was transformed into a minimalist bathroom, in which Pauline created a vanity unit from a Metod cabinet simply clad with honey oak fronts. Our quarter-round shelves allow us to create storage while maintaining a sense of flow.
The Usual Suspects
Same player – play again! The shelves make a reappearance in the bedroom, where they have found their place in the corner of the wall. "I have a problem with bedside tables! I always find them too: too bulky, too ugly, too vintage." Light and graphic, the quarter-round shelves allow you to work around this pitfall while making the most of the room's constraints.
The Office
Picture a couple who both work from home. Add four hours of meetings for one, and the writing of in-depth articles for the other. A recipe for disaster when you have to share the dining room table. "We needed a proper office!" That was all it took to give a new purpose to the few square metres tucked away at the back of the master suite. A banquette corner to let the imagination run wild, storage that makes the most of the ceiling height to sort press releases and archives, and a desk surface facing the window for writing. Add a touch of colour, and the job is done!
The ideas that inspire us
- The almost primary colour palette, which awakens a harmony of whites, beiges, and wood tones.
- The compact yet optimised desk, to create a remote working corner away from the hustle and bustle.
- The quarter-round shelves repurposed as bedside tables.
- The bench upholstered with mismatched fabrics to add a touch of whimsy.
- The back of the island designed to store the children's games.
