How do you furnish and design an apartment in an old building in Geneva?

Geneva has many buildings from the 19th and early 20th century, with generous volumes, old parquet floors, mouldings and tall windows. These apartments often have rooms laid out in a row, long corridors and spaces whose original purpose no longer matches the way people live now.

Interior design can transform these spaces without necessarily calling for major works: it is about organising, furnishing, lighting and bringing everything into harmony.

Reveal the qualities of the old

We first look at the light, the circulation and the original features worth highlighting. A moulding, a fireplace or an old parquet becomes the starting point of the palette: wood, linen, wool, stone and earthy tones. In the Pic Pic apartment, a japandi spirit and natural materials bring calm and warmth. At Tranchées, the work focused on comfort and elegance.

Custom storage and furniture

High ceilings and thick walls offer possibilities that standard furniture does not use. A full-height bookcase, a fitted alcove or a piece of furniture that structures the room can change how a space works:

• at Bois-Ecard, a 35 m² living room was redesigned around custom furniture;
• at Bois-Ecard 2, custom woodwork and a library work with the natural light.

Layered lighting

Large period rooms are often lit by a single ceiling fixture. We combine ambient light, task light and accent lighting to create different moods throughout the day, while keeping interventions on the original walls and ceilings to a minimum. Lamps, wall lights and integrated lighting in custom furniture often do most of the work.

Key takeaways

• Original features (parquet, mouldings, windows) guide the palette and the mood.
• Custom furniture makes the most of ceiling heights and volumes.
• Layered lighting transforms large rooms without heavy works.