Public/Private Apartment | Ludivine Billaud

Designer Ludivine Billaud has created a personal style based on utilitarianism and functionality – a personalisation of what she calls "public style."

The space was divided into private and public areas, whilst maintaining a fluidity between the two. Guests can be comfortably welcomed at the front of the house, whilst the lounge and sleeping areas remained present, but concealed – the suggestion of much more, without an absolute exposure.

The solution was to construct a bathroom area between the public and private realms of the home. The curved form manifests on both the bathrooms interior, bending the available natural light into the shower space but also providing value on the structure's exterior. Covered in clay brick, it becomes a feature providing strong sculptural relief in both

private and public areas of the home.

In the lounge and bedrooms, plush woollen carpets and curtains

accentuate the ambient comfort of the private spaces. Conversely, the "public areas" are served by a hardscape of patterned ceramic flooring,

that is both practical and visually stimulating.

Ludivine stamps the ensemble with a strong design language spoken with elements common to both the public and private domains. Tiled horizontal surfaces extend between rooms providing small storage units, shelving and practical places for simply displaying.

“I was inspired by the architecture of ‘Residences’ of the 1960’s and 70’s; those big entry halls that welcome residents into large apartment buildings, where the furniture is fixed and space is considered and designed. I wanted this space to feel like that kind of public space,” the designer adds.

With no wall surface painted, Ludivine relied on the various of textures rendered by different concrete based wall renders playing with the grain, stain, and in the case of the kitchen, even creating strong and abrupt lines between tints, and integrating the mirror which creates a strong modernist fresco. Colour highlights provided by the lighting fixtures, soft furnishings, curtains and ceramic surfaces have the effect of bringing extra depth and extending the available space.

The attention to detail, the noble quality of the materials used, and the care given to the decor elements and the tailor-made design of all the carpentry and furniture reinforce the sentiment of living in an environment that is unique. The furniture, which is mainly fixed and integrated into the partitioning (cupboards, bench, sofa, sills, niches) amplifies the serenity that emerges from the ensemble. Furniture becomes secondary, privileging volume and circulation.

Company name:  LUDIVINE BILLAUD

Website:  ludivinebillaud.com          

Photo credits:  CECILE BORTOLETTI
http://cecile-bortoletti.com 
@cecilebortoletti