The Oum apartment in Paris has been furnished with jeweller’s precision. The Uchronia collective created this 240-metre interior for the owner, a jewellery designer. Inspiration drawn from precious stones can be seen in the furniture, the patterns of the carpets and the colours, which blend seamlessly on the walls and other surfaces.
The flat is situated in Paris’s Golden Triangle. The Triangle d’Or is the unofficial name for the most exclusive and luxurious area of the French capital, located within the boundaries of the 8th arrondissement. The apartment’s high ceilings, stucco work, grand doors and wooden parquet floors are reminiscent of the tradition of Haussmann-style flats. Against this elegant backdrop, vibrant blues, greens and reds feature, alongside objects with surprising shapes. The designers have drawn on the geometry of cut stones: octagons, trapeziums and sharply defined edges. These are complemented by soft upholstery and clear, coloured glass.
In the dining room, the eye is drawn to a bespoke resin table, adorned with an oversized malachite pattern. Its organic tabletop is divided into seven sections, which can be arranged together or used separately. The base of the piece, meanwhile, is crafted from hammered steel. Its form is reminiscent of the prongs in a ring that hold a diamond in place. The green pattern on the tabletop harmonises well with the delicate colour scheme of the walls and the wooden floor.
The living room features a multicoloured sofa by Edra, whose angular segments resemble the facets of a cut gemstone. The octagon motif recurs in a large mirror decorated with silver flakes tinted green and blue, as well as in the rug and the sculpture by Wendy Andreu set within a metallic alcove. The lacquered TV cabinet has a trapezium shape and small gold beads along its upper edge. A similar detail adorns the iridescent floor lamp designed by Kazuhide Takahama.
The use of colour does not stop at the furnishings. In collaboration with Atelier Roma, the walls have been finished so that one shade gradually blends into the next. A similar effect is seen on the airy curtains designed by the artist Justin Morin and on the console table by Odd Matter. Glas Italia’s glass side tables and a milky-blue Murano glass chandelier further enhance this play of reflections. In the kitchen, light filters through a multicoloured stained-glass window, casting patches of pink, yellow and blue onto the floor.
The bedroom, meanwhile, has been given a calmer ambience, though it remains full of references to minerals. The bespoke upholstered bed has been matched with a rug featuring a wavy pattern inspired by onyx. Carved alabaster lamps have been placed at the corners of the bed. Opposite stands an Ettore Sottsass dressing table, whose decoratively arranged wood veneer resembles the pattern of stone. Other striking accents include a red, fold-away plastic armchair with an egg-shaped form and a lamp reminiscent of a planet. Even in this more intimate part of the Parisian flat, there is a surprising touch of the unexpected and a sense of humour.
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About the studio:
Uchronia is a Paris-based collective founded in 2019 by Julien Sebban, a graduate of the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London. The team specialises in architecture, interior design, set design and bespoke furniture. Their projects are easily recognisable by their vibrant colours, undulating lines and free-spirited combination of materials. The studio’s portfolio includes private homes, restaurants and retail spaces, and the designers collaborate with French craftsmen in the production of their furnishings. The name ‘Uchronia’ derives from the concept of an alternative, imaginary time – a fitting clue to a body of work in which historical inspirations meet fantasy and pop aesthetics.
Project: the Uchroniacollective
Location: Paris, France
Area: 240 sq m
Photographs: Félix Dol Maillot
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