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Designers Emma Collet and Thomas Diettert redesigned a Paris Haussmannian apartment that had not been renovated since the 1970s. They opened up its tightly divided layout and made the recessed kitchen a defining feature with black cabinetry and Zimbabwe granite, while retaining original character and incorporating vintage pieces and a family heirloom.
Designers Emma Collet and Thomas Diettert have reworked a Paris Haussmannian apartment that had not been renovated since the 1970s, opening its divided rooms to improve movement and let light travel. The redesign’s most distinctive move is a recessed kitchen in black, which gives the compact home a strong visual identity without trying to erase its traditional character, according to Livingetc’s report.
The apartment’s previous layout kept rooms tightly separated, leaving movement through the home fragmented and limiting how light passed between spaces. The clients wanted a brighter, more comfortable home while preserving the character of a traditional Parisian apartment. Collet and Diettert opened up the plan and incorporated storage into the architecture, while avoiding a design tied to a single historical period.
The kitchen sits in a recess open to the living room. Its black cabinetry and Zimbabwe granite countertop create a deliberate contrast with lighter surroundings. The designers left the wall facing the living room uncluttered, placing upper cabinets and technical elements on the opposite side. That choice gives the small kitchen a defined presence while leaving part of the room visually open.
In the living room, original features meet a bespoke travertine fireplace and built-in shelving backed by mirrored panels. The client had initially pictured a traditional marble mantel, but the designers proposed a contemporary fireplace as a way to bring different periods together. Elsewhere, light-colored walls and a black-framed opening mark the connection to the kitchen. The report also describes a red ceramic family heirloom displayed on its own pedestal, rather than tucked away on a shelf.
How the Dark Kitchen Shapes the Plan
The project offers a specific design response to the challenge of updating a compact, historically styled apartment: open up the circulation, then give a small kitchen character instead of disguising it. The black finishes set the kitchen apart, while keeping the living-room-facing wall clear helps maintain a sense of openness. The designers’ decisions show that the remodel was not simply about making every surface light or filling every available space.
The approach also preserves room for the home’s existing architectural character and personal objects. The travertine fireplace adds a contemporary focal point, while the family vase brings the client’s history into the redesigned interior. These choices matter because they show how a renovation can change a home’s layout and appearance without making every element feel newly installed or historically matched.
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From a 1970s Layout to Open Rooms
Livingetc reports that the apartment had not been renovated since the 1970s when the designers first saw it. Its separated rooms restricted movement and interrupted the flow of light. The clients’ brief combined two aims: make the home brighter and more comfortable, but retain the feel of a traditional Parisian residence.
Collet and Diettert say they did not want the result to appear as though it belonged to one particular period. The combination of original details, contemporary interventions and vintage objects reflects that stated aim. The report identifies the designers as Diettert Collet and credits Clément Gérard for the photography; it does not provide a project address, construction timeline or budget.
““We prefer to blur the sense of time.””
— Emma Collet and Thomas Diettert, as quoted by Livingetc
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Project Details Not Reported
Livingetc’s account does not specify when the renovation was completed, how long the work took, its cost or the apartment’s precise size and address. The available report also does not describe structural changes or identify contractors. The designers’ statements explain their intentions, but the source does not provide measurements or other data to quantify how much the redesign changed daylight or circulation.
The article presents the kitchen and living room in detail, along with selected bedroom and bathroom finishes, but it does not provide a complete project specification. Those details should not be inferred from the images or design descriptions alone.
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No Further Project Milestone Listed
The source reports the completed design but does not announce a further construction phase, opening date or follow-up milestone. For now, the reported development is the redesign itself: a previously dated, compartmentalized apartment has been opened up, with the black kitchen, travertine fireplace and preserved personal objects defining its new interior.
Additional information about the project’s timeline, budget or construction may emerge in later coverage, but Livingetc’s report does not say that further updates are planned.
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Key Questions
Who redesigned the apartment?
Emma Collet and Thomas Diettert of Diettert Collet redesigned the apartment, according to Livingetc.
What was changed in the apartment’s layout?
The designers opened up the apartment’s previously separated plan and integrated storage into the architecture, addressing a layout that had restricted movement and the flow of light.
Why is the kitchen black?
The designers said they wanted the recessed kitchen to have an identity of its own rather than blend into the surrounding rooms. It has black cabinetry and a Zimbabwe granite countertop.
What happened to the client’s family heirloom?
The client’s red ceramic heirloom, which he had considered putting on a shelf, was given a pedestal so it could be displayed as a feature of the redesigned home.
How long did the renovation take, and what did it cost?
Livingetc does not report the project’s duration or cost. The source also does not give the apartment’s precise size or address.
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