It was a chance advertisement that led Dolores, iconographer and tango dancer, to discover her current Paris home. After having always lived in quiet areas, she wanted to be somewhere that was more lively — though not noisy. It just took one visit for her to fall under the spell of this former lingerie factory, housed in a nineteenth century building located on a busy street. It had all the features beloved of loft dwellers — large windows, beams, concrete floors — but what was the clincher was the central courtyard, surrounded by the industrial premises. In short, it was a peaceful place in the heart of Paris. Dolores immediately bought the factory and asked the architect Valerie Mazerat to restructure the space for a home. Her only requirements — a wooden floor, a fireplace and a kitchen that was close beside the fireplace so that she didn't have to leave it at the last moment when preparing an impromptu dinner. With these three requirements in mind, Valerie divided the space into two distinct areas, defined by two existing walls. The first area is devoted to more private rooms (bedrooms, study and bathroom) while the second encorporates the living, kitchen and dining area — meant for entertaining. For decoration, Dolores has indulged her love of richly colored fabrics, various furniture styles plus an eclectic mix of paintings, photographs and kitsch objects, all reflecting the personality of its owner — generous and cheerful. More (in French) here at Marie Claire Maison.
(photography by Mai-Linh)