Beaune is a minimalist residence designed by the Paris-based interior designer Sara Skalli. Situated in the heart of the French capital’s seventh arrondissement, the renovation reimagines a historic duplex, once home to the French actor Jean-Louis Trintignant, through a contemporary interpretation of the traditional Parisian apartment. Spanning two levels, the project introduces a greater sense of openness and fluidity while preserving the character of the original architecture, bringing together natural materials such as wood and stone, soft, curvaceous forms, and an understated color palette to create an inviting living space.

Organized around a light-filled living space, the residence features communal areas on the upper floor, where the living room, dining area, music room, and open kitchen flow into one another beneath the space’s original exposed beams. On the lower level, the bedrooms have a more intimate atmosphere, featuring organic-formed doorways, partitions, and a rounded sculptural staircase that adds a sense of fluidity and continuity between the different spaces. 

The material palette features darkwoods, particularly “okoumé” (also known as Gaboon mahogany), with mineral plaster finishes and natural stone, which all work together to introduce a sense of warmth and tactile contrast against the apartment’s neutral-tones. Custom joinery in the okoumé appears throughout the upper level of the residence, including the entrance and living area, where a bespoke bookshelf complements a custom bench upholstered in textiles from Dedar. In other rooms such as the dining area and lower level bed rooms, custom wood furnishings continue the emphasis on craftsmanship, while the combination of vintage furniture and bespoke pieces brings additional character to the interiors. 

With this duplex project, Skalli presents a contemporary interpretation of the Parisian duplex that balances the character of its historic architecture with a more open and fluid approach to living.