private tour of Jeanne Damas’s Parisian duplex

A popular neighborhood in eastern Paris, shops, a discreet building door, a small corridor, a courtyard, building A, steep stairs and, at 3^e floor, at the top of the building… paradise. Eden perched, nestled between the roofs, by Jeanne Damas. The creator of the Rouje brand, who plays Paloma Picasso in the series Becoming Karl Lagerfeld (on Disney+), moved into this beautiful space four years ago.

“I was pregnant, and with my lover, Édouard, we were looking for a family apartment. It was a real step for both of us, because we were living separately at the time. This search for a place to live together was an opportunity to discover compromise! I loved my interior at the time, full of antique objects, velvet, dried flowers, and he loved his, with works of art – he is a collector and art dealer – in a quite setting. refined,” says Jeanne. However, two criteria put them in agreement: they shun the Haussmann style, preferring what is quirky and crazy, and they want a terrace.

“It’s a luxury in Paris. This is why we contacted agencies in districts known to be more affordable, such as the XIX^e and the XX^e. One day, one of them arranged to meet us in the Avron district, which I didn’t know at all even though I didn’t live very far away. We were seduced by the atmosphere. And if the building doesn’t look like much, upstairs, we both fell in love immediately, despite our very different tastes. There was this contrast between the calm of the place and the bustle of the street, a country house feel with the large wooden frame. During the visit, the owners’ children were having breakfast in front of the fireplace where a fire was crackling. We felt that the place was full of life!”

Hanging garden

However, it took several months for the couple to put the apartment to their liking, supported during a few stages by the architect Maxime Bousquet. “Everything was there, but the style was rather industrial, very 2000s, not really in keeping with the times,” emphasizes Jeanne. Today, apart from the metal staircase which leads to the upper floor, everything has been redesigned. Even the terrace. “We wanted it to evoke the South. We replaced the black tiles on the floor with terracotta tiles. There are a lot of plants, including an olive tree, a round zellige table, a striped sofa… We almost have the impression of being on the edge of the Mediterranean.”

The first level of the apartment which overlooks this hanging garden is completely open. “It evokes a loft organized into several spaces. The kitchen with its fireplace, which we have completely redesigned, is friendly, with beautiful materials: we spend most of our time there. In the center, there is a large table and its wooden benches that the previous owners had custom-made: it is perfect for gathering with family and friends. In the central living room, we have a Mah Jong sofa, by Hans Hopfer for Roche Bobois, dating from the 1970s and having belonged to Édouard’s grandparents. We bought the rattan coffee table for 150 euros at Puces thinking it would be a temporary piece of furniture. But ultimately, we like it, and since it’s all round, the kids aren’t likely to get hurt by the angles. With the library corner, I made one of my dreams come true! I was allowed to put the chaise longue that I had in my old apartment there. I can sit there to read in a very pretty light. We have also set up a space for watching films, and Édouard also has his office on this floor.”

The art of associations

What is striking here, apart from the fact that we feel that the couple likes to entertain there, is the art of combinations: antique furniture and accessories, works of art from the 1930s and 1940s… Jeanne likes mixtures. And this is confirmed on the upper level, where a very soft atmosphere reigns and where surprising elements interact, such as a lamp with a leopard print lampshade with a large old tapestry. On the floor, pink carpet. “It’s Édouard’s idea. He’s always lived in places with carpet, so it’s a bit like his madeleine! This brings an enveloping boudoir feel, reinforced by the painted paneling.”

Jeanne’s favorite room is the bathroom which extends her bedroom. “I had carte blanche, because Édouard decorated the other bathroom with Italian green tiles. I have a special bond with her. The day we moved in, I got in the bathtub fully dressed and felt like an adult! Besides this memory, I like this bathroom, because it is spacious and bright. When our son, Ulysses, takes his bath, we can all be together. As someone who loves taking photos, I immortalized many moments of life between Édouard and Ulysses.”

Harmony of details

Every detail is enchanting, and we feel, between these walls, a harmony. “This apartment was, for Édouard and me, an opportunity to get to know each other better. We really designed it together, we made all the choices together.” Obviously, sometimes concessions had to be made. So, Jeanne likes the cottage spirit and the way the British know how to use colors. She would have liked to play this card upstairs, but, not having mastered the exercise, she did not do it to avoid tensions.

“Maybe I’ll dare in a future project,” she laughs. However, she won her case for the fabric headboard in the bedroom, even if Édouard is still not convinced! And despite this tiny annoyance, he can sleep soundly: there is no noise here. Only the song of birds penetrates this contemporary and warm nest, a perfect cocoon for this family which will soon expand.

fr.rouge.com