A stunning mini-apartment perched on the seventh floor of a 1970s building in Paris's famous Montmartre district proves that small spaces can feel grand when designed with ingenuity. The 323-square-foot (30-square-meter) apartment features an equally impressive 215-square-foot (20-square-meter) terrace that offers breathtaking views over the French capital.
The remarkable transformation was orchestrated by GCG Architectes, a Paris-based studio founded by Dev Gupta, Olivia Charpentier, and Alexandre Goulet. "From the hill, you can see the city in the distance; with the course of the sun and the passing clouds, the lighting conditions change, the colors also become different, it looks almost abstract," explains Gupta about the apartment's spectacular setting.
The clients, who own a triplex apartment designed by the same firm on the same street, commissioned GCG Architectes to renovate this space as a guest accommodation. The apartment had remained in its original 1970s condition, complete with a deteriorated zinc roof terrace and a cramped layout divided by thin partition walls into separate kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and living room spaces.
"From the redesign of the terrace, the creation of openings for an even better view to the interior design, the furniture – yes, from the cutlery to the bed linen," describes Olivia Charpentier about the comprehensive scope of the project. The clients gave the architects complete creative freedom, with only the key handover date as a constraint.
The original compartmentalized layout presented significant challenges for creating a sense of flow in such a limited space. No matter how the apartment was divided on paper, a fluid spatial feeling simply wouldn't emerge. The architects' solution was revolutionary: they eliminated the partition walls and created an open space, then added curved elements to the two windowless walls, behind which storage space is now hidden.
The technical installations were placed in the rear part of the apartment, opposite the terrace. The kitchen and bathroom with shower are directly adjacent to each other, forming a kind of block that also houses air conditioning and a sliding door. This bathroom-kitchen construction represents the only rectangular element in the apartment, as the rest of the interior is characterized by curves and flowing lines that all lead toward the outdoor area.
The floors and ceilings are uniformly designed and connected with windows facing the courtyard – the architects managed to create five openings in one space. "We wanted to enhance this effect even more by covering the window frames with mirrors that emphasize the view and reflections even more, so that the boundary between inside and outside disappears and the windows appear larger," explains the design team.
In the bedroom, a new opening was added by raising a piece of wall from below and covering it with marble, creating a kind of bench where residents can sit directly by the terrace and enjoy the sun. One of the windows can even be retracted sideways, allowing the indoor and outdoor areas to merge in summer, effectively expanding the living space from 323 to 538 square feet (30 to 50 square meters).
The material palette plays a crucial role in creating the apartment's warm and sophisticated aesthetic. Fluted wood elements lacquered in Grès Rouge meet Rosso Lepanto marble and light oak parquet flooring. The seating niche is clad in American walnut veneer lacquered with Sepium MT12-22, furnished with a bench upholstered in Pierre Frey's Alizon Canard fabric, and illuminated by a Thèbes ceramic wall light by Léa Zeroil.
"We wanted to highlight human craftsmanship, with all its irregularities, like the stone and marble mosaics and the stucco on the walls that absorbs and reflects light," explain Charpentier and Goulet. The white stucco walls effectively reflect natural light throughout the space, while rough Verde Alpi marble mosaics adorn both the bathroom walls and shower area.
The new open floor plan encompasses both living and sleeping areas, which can be separated when needed using a large curtain. "Due to the narrowness of the space, a certain flow of movement was needed – there couldn't be too many spatial obstacles, and we wanted the walls of the apartment to invite you to follow them; they should be more of a support than a barrier," the architects explain.
To prevent the space from appearing overloaded, the curtain track was integrated into the suspended ceiling, while discreet ceiling spots provide brightness even in the evening hours. The curtain, made from the same Pierre Frey Alizon Canard fabric used for the living room bench cushions, creates interesting volumes as it gently undulates.
The apartment was designed to have a gentle radiance and feel like a continuation of the outdoor area. Natural and high-quality materials were used throughout – wood appears in various forms, from solid parquet flooring to glossy lacquered veneer in niches and fluted structures on walls. Stone elements include a travertine worktop, marble window sills, and mosaics in the entrance area and shower.
Velvet and embroidery provide intimacy and warmth, such as in the entrance area, while light curtains in the bedroom contrast with the dark-lacquered walnut wood in the living room. The space-saving designs, combined with numerous curves and gentle contrasts, create a calm and sensual look that radiates both warmth and dynamism.
The entrance door is cleverly concealed behind the main curtain, with a decorative mosaic by Mathilde Herrero adorning the floor immediately behind the threshold, creating a gentle transition to the light oak parquet. The terrace, completely renovated with Ipé wood decking, is large enough to accommodate a small dining area with views over Paris.
Mirrored window frames reflect glimpses of the magnificent view, making the space appear even larger. On summer days, an awning provides shade, while the three-element folding window front creates seamless indoor-outdoor living. This ingenious renovation demonstrates how thoughtful design can transform even the smallest urban spaces into luxurious, light-filled retreats.
