In the heart of Paris, just a stone’s throw from the unexpected waterfalls and suspension bridges of Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, I found a forgotten shell of a home. It was built in 1949—a residential relic of one-bedroom layouts, laminate floors, and sterile white walls that felt like they hadn’t been cared for in a lifetime. But where others saw a cramped 29 square meters, I saw a canvas for a dream I called the “Dolce Vita Suite”.
My creative process began not with a floor plan, but with a memory of light. I wanted to escape the gray pulse of the city every time I turned my key. My heart was still in Italy, wandering through Venetian palazzos, mesmerized by their arches, dark woods, and the play of pink and green marbles. I wanted my home to be a sensory feast—a whimsical hybrid of a high-end hotel suite and a vibrant Italian gelato bar.
The first act of love was a destruction of the old to make way for the optimized. We knocked down the walls, stripping the space to its bones so we could rebuild it with intention. I didn’t just want a room; I wanted a “sanctuary.” We created a “color box” entrance in a deep strawberry pink. It was a deliberate choice to give the entrance substance, creating a transition—a psychological distance between the bustling Parisian streets and the softness of my private world.
Every inch of this 312-square-foot space was a lesson in aesthetic sensitivity and functionality. In the main living area, I dreamt of versatility: a place to work from a hidden, integrated office, to chill on benches that double as storage, or to host five of my closest friends for dinner. To keep the space from feeling cluttered, the “workhorses” of life—the fridge, microwave, and washing machine—were tucked away behind seamless cabinet doors. Even the entertainment is a secret; a projector screen hides in the ceiling, lowering only when the sun sets.
I chose a palette that felt like a summer afternoon—pistachio green and strawberry ice cream pink. These “flavor-inspired” colors brought a soft, culinary warmth to the rooms. To navigate the small footprint, I leaned into the illusion of air and light. Fluted glass arches separate my bedroom, allowing light to circulate from one side of the apartment to the other throughout the entire day. I chose to “float” my bedside tables, a small trick to maximize the feeling of floor space in a compact room.
Perhaps my favorite detail is the bathroom door, inspired by the curved entries of boats. It protects the bedroom from splashes while maintaining the arched motif that defines the home. With its curved walls and soft hues, the ensuite feels like a single, continuous space—a private “one lap” retreat.
Building this home taught me that the mindset of luxury is shifting. I’ve realized that you don’t need a sprawling estate to experience a luxurious life. True luxury is found in the care put into the details, the high-end quality of the materials, and the way a space can rise to meet your emotional needs. In this tiny corner of Paris, I haven’t just decorated an apartment; I’ve curated a feeling of “sweet life” that is entirely my own.