19/11/2014 – The chambre de bonne, or maid’s room, is a typical French accommodation located on the upper floor or attic of a bourgeois nineteenth-century building, from the era when Paris was reshaped by major urban development. These rooms were originally intended for domestic helpers in wealthy households.
By the early 2000s, this type of room had gradually lost its original function, but it remained an ideal solution for students or people needing temporary accommodation in Paris, where real estate costs can be prohibitive.
For this reason, the two young architects of Kitoko Studiodecided to renovate a maid’s room of only 8 square meters, turning it into a mini-apartment equipped with all the comforts of a home.
Through a series of invisible furniture elements, drawers, and shelves, they were able to fit a surprising variety of functions into a very small space. A bed, table, kitchen, bathroom, and staircase are all contained in a single unit. The result is a new concept inspired by the Swiss Army knife, as the designers explain:
The idea is a multi-use object: like a simple knife that unfolds into many different tools, the apartment contains a variety of functions within a very small volume.
Maid’s room renovation, Kitoko Studio on Vimeo.
Anna Lohan
Lincoln Matheson
Theresa V. Adams
Peter Dark
