A PLACE IN THE SUN

An apartment within a former luxury hotel celebrates - and updates - the style of France's Côte d'Azur

- Kate Jacobs

can a hallway ever really be truly ‘compelling’, something that stops you in your tracks and pulls you onwards? French interior design duo Bleu Gris – a ka France Bittel and Olivier Chanard – have nailed it in their own apartment in the heart of glamorous Nice.

Upon arrival you are greeted by a seductive, curving space, with light bouncing off the bronze-toned walls, a colour echoed in the bold, geometric-patterned stone floor. ‘We created a curved wall and dressed it in bronze metallic fabric, reminiscent of the luxury of old apartment entrances,’ explains France. A sculptural bench provides the cool, contemporary twist that sets the tone for the rest of the apartment.

The curving corridor, which enabled the couple to make more space for three en-suite bedrooms, leads visitors towards the main space – once chopped into two rooms, now zoned into living, dining and kitchen areas. ‘The idea was to bring this curving bronze element right into the living room – it’s the backbone of the apartment,’ says Olivier.