Art Deco Chic

identity looks inside Apartment Beethoven, a unique Parisian property that exemplifies the ethos of Rinck, an interior design enterprise founded two centuries ago.

- Jennifer Copley

Apartment Beethoven occupies a superlative Parisian location, close to the gardens of the Trocadero and overlooking the Eiffel Tower and the river Seine. The property embodies the spirit and purpose of Rinck, the 200-year-old French interior architecture firm behind the project. “This project, like most Rinck projects, has been conceived in its entirety. It was not just a question of redecorating an apartment, but of rethinking its volumes and circulation, the way it lives and functions, to bring coherence with our times and the lifestyle of the guests. Sublimate the splendour of the classic and bring a contemporary glow,” explains designer Clément Platret.

While the client’s brief for the project was simple, “to keep the charm of the classic and bring modernity,” states Platret, the transformation of the property was dramatic; “The apartment was in very bad shape – it had been unoccupied for years and the last renovation took place almost 50 years ago.” This resulted in a comprehensive and truly complete approach that saw Rinck update the infrastructure of the space, fabricate bespoke furniture and create decorative finishing touches. All the floors were replaced; the electricity and the plumbing networks were remade; and an air conditioning system was installed. All the windows and access doors were changed, and the layout of the apartment was fully reconfigured. Furniture was either sourced from around the world or created specifically for the property by Rinck. Astonishingly, the project took just six months to complete. “Our team is able to realise the impossible,” states Platret.