Reinventing the Family Apartment: Renovations Where Heritage Meets Modern Living

Costaud Rénovation
1 day ago
3 min read

Parisian apartments tell stories. From classic Haussmannian mouldings to stone walls steeped in history, each detail bears witness to a bygone era. Yet, today’s families are transforming these interiors, reinventing their layouts to reflect contemporary lifestyles. At Costaud Rénovation, we believe that a renovation should never erase the past but rather reveal it — while creating spaces tailored to new needs: open-plan kitchens, modular playrooms, cosy reading nooks, and inventive storage solutions. This is an invitation to discover inspiring transformations where heritage and modernity coexist beautifully.

Preserving Character While Reimagining Volumes

The challenge in renovating a family apartment in Paris often lies in balancing architectural heritage with functionality. Mouldings, herringbone parquet floors, marble fireplaces — these iconic elements shape the apartment’s identity. At Costaud Rénovation, we see them as an asset, integrating them into layouts that make sense for contemporary families. Take the Abel project: a high-ceilinged bedroom where we preserved ceiling cornices while creating a custom-designed mezzanine. This raised sleeping area freed up floor space for a reading nook and clever under-bed storage, transforming the room into a multifunctional haven.

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Open Kitchens, the New Heart of the Home

Another key request from families is an open-plan kitchen, which naturally becomes the apartment’s epicentre. Merging kitchen, dining, and living areas enhances togetherness and allows spaces to evolve as children grow. In the Hauteville project, we opened up the kitchen onto a spacious, light-filled living room. The existing stone wall was left exposed, framing a sleek, minimalist kitchen in matt graphite tones. The result: a warm yet contemporary living space where family life unfolds naturally.

Designing Modular Playrooms

Family apartments often need to adapt over time: a nursery today, a study corner tomorrow, a teenager’s den in a few years. To address this, our teams favour modular designs. For example, in the Saint Martin project, Costaud Rénovation created a playful, graphic children’s bedroom featuring a striking red and white checkerboard motif and mushroom-shaped pendant lights — a whimsical nod to fairytale worlds. Behind custom-built wardrobes with clean lines lies a hidden bathroom designed for the children, and we considered integrating a cosy reading nook in this secret alcove, allowing the space to evolve with the family’s needs.

The Rise of Inviting, Multifunctional Bedrooms

Parents, too, seek multifunctional spaces: bedrooms that double as home offices, private lounges, or personal libraries. One of the current trends we embrace involves incorporating custom carpentry to structure these rooms without weighing them down.

In several of our projects, we designed headboards that seamlessly incorporate bookshelves and lighting, as well as alcoves that double as desk areas, all while preserving original features.

Smart Storage and Invisible Doors

In a family home, storage is non-negotiable. However, it needn’t be cumbersome. Costaud Rénovation integrates floor-to-ceiling wardrobes with discreet doors, bookcase walls that frame a fireplace, and hidden passageways leading to laundry rooms or bathrooms.

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The Return of the Nursery and Gentle Materials

Parisian families are once again placing importance on beautifully designed nurseries. At Costaud Rénovation, we favour noble, tactile materials: limewashed walls, natural oak furniture, rounded shapes, and light textiles.In our recent projects, we’ve created serene, poetic spaces featuring natural tones, vintage finds, and warm lighting. A place where children feel cocooned without sacrificing aesthetics.

Embracing the “Less Is More, Full of Meaning” Ethos

The new Parisian family apartment no longer accumulates decorative objects. It selects a few pieces with soul: a designer chair, a vintage ceramic lamp, a hand-knotted rug. The emphasis is on meaningful simplicity. In all our renovations, we strive to strike this delicate balance. We preserve aged mirrors, restore antique parquet floors, expose raw beams, and juxtapose them with contemporary lines, understated lighting, and soft, natural hues.

Costaud Rénovation: Bespoke Renovations for Modern Families

Each family has its own rhythm, rituals, and needs. Our mission at Costaud Rénovation is to design interiors that reflect those nuances, while respecting the unique identity of each apartment. Whether you dream of a secret playroom behind a wardrobe, a reading nook beneath a mezzanine, or a kitchen opening onto a sun-drenched courtyard, we bring those visions to life. Contact us to discuss your next project or visit our website to discover more family renovations that tell beautiful stories.