Très Chic: A Smart, Stylish Parisian Apartment Designed for a Young Family (and Cat, Too)

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When we first encountered this exceedingly clever Paris duplex by SABO project, we wondered why it had been dubbed the “Sacha Apartment.” Is that the client’s name? Was it inspired by the street address? Turns out, Sacha is the name of the clients’ beloved cat.

We should have guessed. Among the most salient features of this gut renovation, which combined two apartments into one, are the unexpected feline-sized pass-throughs carved into multiple walls on the first floor. The owners, a young couple expecting their first child at the time, wanted a home that would be kid- and cat-friendly. SABO project delivered with a thoughtful but playful design that that is truly singular.

Below, Alex Delauney, founder of the firm, which has offices in both Brooklyn and Paris, walks us through the details.

Photography by Alex Delauney, courtesy of Sabo project. Follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

Sacha Apartment by Sabo Project in Paris, Front Entrance Above: The view from the kitchen to the entry (the front door is to the left; on the right is a powder room and a coat closet). The round enclosure marks the spiraling stairs to the lower level, where the bedrooms are; a curved door keeps Sacha, the family cat, upstairs. Sacha Apartment by Sabo Project in Paris, Sliding Door Above: The upper level is an open space comprised of the kitchen, living, and dining areas. Baltic birch plywood built-ins are in nearly every room for cohesiveness. Here, a large sliding door is used to partition off the kitchen if necessary. The arched cat opening on the left is where the litter box resides. Sacha Apartment by Sabo Project in Paris, Cat Doors Above: Even with the sliding door closed, Sacha can roam freely. Concrete ceilings were left exposed. Sacha Apartment by Sabo Project in Paris, Kitchen Above: The breakfast nook, opposite the kitchen, with views of the 15th arrondissement. The Result Chairs are from Hay. A Grain Pendant Light from Muuto hangs over the table. Sacha Apartment by Sabo Project in Paris, Kitchen Above: “The owners are a young, hard-working, and successful couple [and] also pretty laid back. So the idea of utilizing a simple and humble material in such ways that puts forward good custom design rather than ostentatious luxury was fitting,” says Alex, of the birch plywood cabinets and built-ins through the home. Sacha Apartment by Sabo Project in Paris, Dining Above: The view from the dining and living areas, looking toward the entry and kitchen. The floors on the upper level are entirely white poured-in-place resin—except for in the living area, which is delineated by birch plywood flooring. Sacha Apartment by Sabo Project in Paris, Hero Image Above: “Only a light satin polyurethane varnish for protection and natural finish” was used on the plywood. Both the dining table and chairs are from Hay. Sacha Apartment by Sabo Project in Paris, Living Above: Pegboard walls appear in the living room, entrance, and master bedroom for flexible storage and display. The Can Sofa and Armchairs are by Ronan & Erwan Bourollec. Sacha Apartment by Sabo Project in Paris, Stairs Above: The waterfall-like spiral staircase, as seen from the lower level, which features traditional oak flooring throughout. Sacha Apartment by Sabo Project in Paris, Bedroom Above: A cleverly designed pegboard-cum-headboard in the master bedroom. It conceals closets behind it. Sacha Apartment by Sabo Project in Paris, Bathroom Above: More birch plywood cabinets in the bathroom. Note the cutout handles. Sacha Apartment by Sabo Project in Paris, Upper Level Layout Above: The upper level layout. The entire apartment totals 1,658 square feet. Sacha Apartment by Sabo Project in Paris, Lower Level Layout Above: The lower level. The finished project combines two identical apartments (one on top of the other) for a duplex.

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