Interior designer and architect Léonie Alma Mason of LA.M Studio has completed a stunning renovation of a 1,880-square-foot Art Deco apartment in a 1930s Parisian building. The project successfully balances the preservation of the space's original Art Deco character with contemporary design elements, creating what Mason describes as an exceptional family sanctuary.
Mason discovered the apartment in a state of neglect, having remained largely unchanged for many years. Despite lacking distinctive original details and suffering from poor natural lighting, the building itself exemplified the Art Deco style that Mason particularly admires. The geometric patterns in the building's railings provided the initial inspiration for the renovation, serving as what she calls the "fingerprint" that guided the entire project.
The renovation focused on finding the perfect balance between Art Deco heritage and contemporary living. Mason reimagined the reception areas to ensure natural flow and create a sense of well-being by opening up sight lines throughout the space. Subtle decorative elements express the Art Deco influence through custom-designed moldings, carefully selected materials and furniture, and flooring borders inspired by the building's ironwork that highlight the vestibule.
A centerpiece of the renovation is the rotunda, which Mason created entirely from scratch as a tribute to 1920s architecture. Decorated in deep red and black tones, this enveloping space serves as a central hub where family members gather and intersect. The rotunda connects three bedrooms that were designed to provide both the comfort and privacy that modern families seek.
The material palette reflects the recognizable Art Deco aesthetic of graphic black and white or cream tones, enhanced by deep burgundy as the project's foundational color. This burgundy appears throughout the rotunda, furniture selections, and artwork. Mason chose ultra-glossy burl wood veneer as a signature element, lending both warmth and elegance to the master bedroom headboard, bar cabinet, and kitchen cabinetry. In the kitchen, contemporary stainless steel anchors the design in its current era, while natural wood veneer in soft, ashy tones creates a refined atmosphere in the dressing areas.
To address the apartment's lighting challenges, Mason installed an ultra-glossy ceiling finish that reflects and diffuses natural light throughout the space. She devoted considerable attention to textile selection, including a dining room banquette in beige, taupe, and burgundy tones, custom linen curtains embroidered with copper thread, and elegant ivory velvet upholstery for the sofa that, while delicate, adds sophisticated elegance.
The furniture selection represents an eclectic mix that creates a naturally inhabited yet sophisticated atmosphere. Mason combined vintage pieces such as Carlo Scarpa's Polyhedron suspension light for Venini, Danish chairs by Louis Poulsen, and a coffee table by Paul Kingma with contemporary items like the Podium sofa by Hauvette & Madani. Custom pieces designed by the studio include the salon rug called "Françoise," the rotunda rug, solid black wood nightstands for the guest bedroom, and a hammered bronze suspended mirror in the master bathroom.
Art plays a crucial role in the apartment's design, reflecting Mason's background as an exhibition curator and personal collector. The carefully curated selection combines works by established artists like Bram van Velde from Galerie Catherine Putman with contemporary artists including Nicolas Floc'h's water color series from Galerie Maubert and Georges Rousse's graphic anamorphoses. These artworks and beautiful objects represent what Mason calls the "cultivated detail" of a project, bringing unique vibrations to the space beyond conventional decorative elements.
Mason's diverse portfolio spans private residences, hotels, restaurants, and exhibition spaces, allowing her to approach each project as a blank canvas. Her work combines client needs with inspirations drawn from furniture design, natural materials, travel memories, and broad artistic influences. This project exemplifies her ability to work across different scales and typologies while maintaining a consistent design philosophy.
Looking toward future projects, Mason continues to work on various scales, from residential apartments to an upcoming panoramic restaurant and new scenography for the Offscreen art fair scheduled for October. She particularly values opportunities to work beyond French borders, discovering new locations, materials, and craftsmanship techniques that keep her practice exciting and constantly evolving.
When asked to summarize the project in three words, Mason describes it as "subtly sophisticated, convivial, and cultivated." The renovation demonstrates how contemporary design sensibilities can honor historical architecture while creating spaces that meet modern living requirements, establishing a new standard for Art Deco revival in Parisian residential design.
