Designer Rudy Guénaire has unveiled his latest residential interior, transforming an apartment on the penultimate floor of a 1920s building in Paris into a refined living space that layers historical references with contemporary design. Overlooking the city’s iconic zinc rooftops and offering views towards the Panthéon, the project combines bespoke furniture, rare materials, and carefully curated artworks to create an interior that transcends a single architectural period.
Rather than restoring the apartment to a single era, Guénaire developed an environment that draws on multiple design traditions. Consequently, the residence balances early 20th-century influences with Brazilian modernism and contemporary craftsmanship through a rich palette of wood, stainless steel, glass, and natural stone.
Bespoke interiors combine Brazilian modernism with historic references
The apartment is anchored by six-metre-long German oak floorboards that introduce warmth, softness, and acoustic comfort throughout the living spaces. In contrast, the geometric stainless-steel entrance references Gae Aulenti’s celebrated Palazzo Pucci intervention in Florence, establishing a dialogue between modern industrial materials and classic architectural detailing.
Most of the furniture was designed exclusively for the project, allowing Guénaire to create a cohesive interior language inspired by the sculptural forms of Brazilian modernism. The living room features a custom coffee table crafted from marble and smoked pearwood, inspired by Elsa Peretti’s iconic Bean form. Above, cast acrylic lighting integrated into stainless-steel fixtures recalls the meticulous lighting design characteristic of the 1920s.
The interiors are further enriched by a carefully selected collection of art and collectible design, including the Esther armchair by Esther Hess, paintings by Peter Marcasiano from DS Galerie, and a pendant from the Solomon Islands sourced through Galerie Lucas Ratton.
Rare materials define bedrooms and bathrooms
Material craftsmanship continues in the private areas of the apartment, where monumental bedroom doors combine stainless-steel marquetry with handmade glass panels by Raphael Barrois on one side and amboyna burl with brushed stainless-steel inlays on the reverse.
Inside the primary bedroom, custom bedside tables featuring concealed hinges and suede-wrapped bed panels create a calm, understated atmosphere. Meanwhile, the bathrooms introduce bold natural stone surfaces that contrast with the restrained living spaces. The parents’ bathroom is clad in lagoon-blue Iranian onyx, while the daughters’ bathroom features strawberry-pink Iranian onyx, celebrating the expressive character of natural materials within an elegant Parisian setting.
Through its combination of bespoke furnishings, collectible design, and meticulously crafted finishes, Rudy Guénaire’s latest apartment demonstrates a contemporary approach to luxury residential interiors, where timeless materials and cross-cultural influences shape a sophisticated domestic environment.