When Michel contacted me, he was living and working in Geneva, but he wanted to make his apartment in Annecy his main home. After many years of living in the city, he wanted to enjoy the beauty of this small town overlooking its lake and surrounded by the Alps on a daily basis.

The 1960s apartment had been rented out for many years and as soon as I saw it, it was clear that it was in a bad state of repair. Together we decided to opt for a complete turnkey renovation with my Sur Mesure service.

We worked to completely redesign the layout, over 68 m2, with a radical overhaul of every part of the home:

• The kitchen was replaced with a state-of-the-art built-in solution in white Fenix, enhanced by a few alcoves in brown shades. The granite worktop with its green touches echoed the ceramic floor tiles.
  
• The living room was enlarged by incorporating a small bedroom. We were therefore able to create an office space in the living area with a load-bearing pillar, originally badly positioned in the room, integrated into the bookcase.
  
• The main bathroom was renovated to give direct access from the bedroom. This change meant we could use the space in the corridor - which originally led to the bathroom - to replace the old bathtub and install a shower.
• In France the toilet is traditionally separate from the bathroom. So I played with this small enclosed space, completely covering it with tropical-patterned wallpaper and turning it into a little virtual indoor garden! An original idea that Michel liked a lot.
• The hallway was clad with wall panelling and a false ceiling with recessed spotlights, with pinpoint lighting making the atmosphere more intimate and cosier.
  
  

The wall and floor coverings also featured prominently in the design. The floor was completely covered with solid oak parquet in warm shades, the kitchen and bathroom tiles were replaced, and the walls painted in a palette of sage green, brown and grey tones, on a dominant white base.

Michel also involved me in choosing the furniture, asking me to match his new purchases with a selection of period pieces from his previous home.
Finally, I suggested my own team of craftsmen and supervised the site work until all the furniture, including items from the previous home, arrived and were in place.  

This work transformed Michel’s home into a completely renovated space that reflected his personality, in the layout of the spaces and the style choices, that made him feel good about moving in and starting his new life.