Normandy micro-apartment gets earthy makeover
Discover how a 592-square-foot Normandy micro-apartment was transformed into a modern, functional home while preserving historic details.
A 592-square-foot garden apartment in Le Havre, France, has been redesigned by local studio Atelier Orzan. The project balanced preservation with modern needs, turning a cramped 19th-century layout into an open, functional home while keeping its historic details.
Preserving history, rethinking space
The owners, a couple in their 30s who relocated to Le Havre for work, wanted to keep the original moldings, herringbone parquet floors, and high ceilings. The existing enfilade layout—a series of rooms connected in a straight line—made the space feel tight. The living room served as a passageway, the kitchen opened directly into the bathroom, and storage was scarce.
Architect Thibaut Blondet, cofounder of Atelier Orzan, said the aim was to create a more generous, better-organized space. The studio worked around structural limits, avoiding major demolition while improving the flow. One change involved repurposing the chimney flue between the kitchen and living room into a dual-function cabinetry unit. On the kitchen side, it functions as a sideboard; in the living room, it becomes a bookshelf. Recessed mirrors on both sides reflect light, and the radiators are concealed inside.
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Another wall-to-wall unit across the living room provides extra storage and shelving. It also features a recessed mirror to expand the sense of space. Both units were built from olive green Valchromat, a fiberboard material dyed throughout. The choice adds warmth without overshadowing the original details.
Subtle materials, hidden storage
The kitchen uses a quieter design. Cabinetry made from okoume wood matches the tones of the existing American yellow pine floors, which had darkened over time. Blondet noted the floor already had strong character, so no staining was needed.
The bedroom, accessed through a hidden door in the living room’s storage unit, presented its own challenge. The space couldn’t fit a full wardrobe, so the team designed a thick headboard with built-in storage. The okoume piece adds geometric contrast to the all-white room. A sheer curtain along the wall visually connects the bedroom, living room, and kitchen.
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Polished concrete floors in the bathroom and kitchen reflect light, making the small areas feel larger. The bathroom continues the muted palette with okoume wood, stainless steel, and green tiles against off-white walls. Built-in niches conceal the radiator, toilet, and washer-dryer, while a linen curtain screens the shower.
Despite updates, the apartment keeps its historic charm through preserved decorative elements such as restored cornices, rosettes, and the original patterned hardwood flooring.
The redesign shows how a small space can feel expansive. The apartment’s limited size became an opportunity rather than a constraint.
