RESIDENCE TUILERIES
NECCHI ARCHITECTURE
As discerning travellers are increasingly in search of unique experiences, luxury boutique hotels and residences are too on the rise. In Paris, Pied a Terre is one of the latest boutique providers in Paris that offers its clients noteworthy stays - unlike what any hotel or Airbnb can deliver. Designed to accommodate the demands of the modern traveller without any compromises, they are the new alternative. The experience of staying at their residence is designed to feel like a private designer home. The residence is quite remarkable, as even the iconic Carla Bruni has made a guest appearance.
Residence Tuileries is the first in the series of townhouses by Pied a Terre and has been designed by Necchi Architecture. As its name suggests, the townhouse is situated in the 1st arrondissement, a neighbourhood that is the epitome of Paris, and conveniently located just a step away from the renowned Tuileries Gardens and the Louvre Museum.
Formerly, the two-storey 19th-century townhouse was once a sound engineer’s studio, that underwent a major renovation, where even the exterior windows and doors were replaced. The architects, Charlotte Albert and Alexis Lamesta, reimagined the 100m2 residence, by reinterpreting the floorplan to offer guests a luxurious stay. The townhouse now comfortably accommodates guests with its two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and three lounge rooms.
Charlotte and Alexis decided to craft the interiors with an ode to the 90s, by reinterpreting the era with a contemporary twist. Simple materials that were reminiscent of the 90s have been applied to articulate and reference this period. Glass bricks which were once so commonly used, have been expressed as partition walls in the bathroom. Small square-shaped format tiles have been applied to the flooring, as well as black and white tiling within the bathroom. Other statements that reference the era include small details such as the polished chrome in the selection of door knobs and electrical switches, as well as plexiglass sheets used for shelving, which cumulatively define this era’s expression.
To balance and modernise this, Charlotte and Alexis have curated the interiors with a mix of furniture pieces that were purchased through galleries, as well as the famous Saint Ouen Flea Market. Their seasoned creative direction includes an eclectic mix of items of high-low cost design, such as custom table lamps by London designer, Elliot Barnes to 90s IKEA lamps sourced from the markets. Other furnishings within the residence, such as the green lacquered side table were chosen by the architects as a nod to the Art Deco period, especially to Jean-Michel Frank.
Residence Tuileries is certainly unlike any residence or hotel, as one would ordinarily expect. On the contrary, Necchi Architecture has cultivated a space that is ultimately bespoke, which could easily have been mistaken for arriving at the private home of a seasoned collector. It grants its guests the opportunity to experience what it is to live like a Parisian in a designer townhouse in Tuileries, even if it is for just a few nights.
PHOTOGRAPHY | LUDOVIC BALAY