In Paris, this mansion with a garden lights up with golden reflections

“We only need two rooms, one for us and one for friends. But we absolutely need two offices. And large reception rooms.” Their seven children having left the nest, Xavier and Guilaine want to treat themselves and swap their family apartment for a house just for them. They adopt at first glance this private mansion of 400 m2 located in a private cul-de-sac in the 16th arrondissement.

A house spread over three levels

“It feels like a charming English street lined with gardens, and not at all in Paris!” Very active, they each need a real workspace. On the three levels of the house, theinterior designer Santillane de Chanaleilles devotes almost an entire one to their offices. Xavier's even includes a small living room with television. “When it’s just the two of us, that’s where we settle in because it’s more intimate.” The entire ground floor is dedicated to receptions, as the couple hosts a lot of business dinners.

Textured materials, caramelized biscuit shade and marbles featured

Now that they finally have a garden, they want to take advantage of it: this is why Santillane does not put curtains on the living room windows, “especially since they are magnificent, it would have been a shame to hide them”. To ensure maximum brightness, the architect worked with white in all its nuances, and coupled it with textured materials, marble featured. “It had to be refined but not ostentatious.” On the other hand, she wanted to “bring warmth with this caramelized biscuit color of the staircase”, and in Xavier's office which is softened with golden nuances.

But the surprise of this renovation is the couple's bedroom under the roof. “We valued the framework. » A singularity which contrasts with the very urban universe of the lower floors. Under their canopy, Xavier and Guilaine enjoy a new tranquility…