Creating the Nicest Apartment in Nice

Entrance Hall: Walls and Woodwork painted in Stiffkey Blue No. 281 | Kitchen: Walls painted in Stirabout No. 300 | All in Dead Flat®  

We have the pleasure of decorating all sorts of spaces, all over the world. And this project was a particular pleasure. Barbara and Bruno were looking to transform their family home — a ground floor apartment in Nice on the beautiful French Riviera. Once a medical practice, their main wish was to remove the white walls and add colour and personality. It was music to our Colour Consultant’s ears, who was more than happy to use their expertise and bring the family’s style to life.

Entrance Hall: Walls & Woodwork  Stiffkey Blue No.281 | Kitchen and Living Room: Walls  Stirabout No.300

From the moment you step foot into the hallway, it’s clear the family have committed to colour. In an attempt to set the tone for their home and avoid what they call a “space without soul”, they embraced our Colour Consultant’s suggestion of rich Stiffkey Blue. Although, it may seem like a bold colour for a hallway, it creates the warm, friendly feel they wanted to welcome them home every day. 

To make sure this busy area stays looking lovely, even with two young children, our Colour Consultant recommended scrubbable, scuff-resistant Dead Flat® . In fact, this multi-surface, ultra-matt finish is so versatile, they used it in every room.

Once used as a second entrance to the apartment, the petit salon is one space our Colour Consultant needed to think carefully about. In order to make it feel more intentional, rather than transitional, they chose to colour drench every surface in Templeton Pink . This creates a cosy, enclosed feel that helps ground the newly created room, which will eventually become a library.

Kitchen: Walls Stirabout No.300 | Hallway: Cupboards Stiffkey Blue No. 281

Bruno and Barbara wanted each room to have a distinct feel, while still keeping a sense of flow, as the house is fairly open and rooms often have a view into one another. So, they opted to paint both the kitchen and living room in Stirabout. This creates a definitive line between the hallway, kitchen and living space, while still being complementary and harmonious. The warming shade is soft and subtle, but still incredibly inviting. 

Entrance Hall: Walls and Door  Stiffkey Blue No.281 | Living Room: Walls  Stirabout No.300

The biggest challenge of this project was the main bedroom. Bruno and Barbara wanted a cosy and comforting shade, so our Colour Consultant recommended the wonderfully warm Elephant’s Breath . At first, the couple were a little nervous of the colour’s depth and thought it may be too dark. They decided to be brave and stick with the recommendation — and they’re delighted they did. The transformed room is cosy, soothing and sophisticated, without a hint of gloom. 

Last but certainly not least is the children’s bedrooms. The whole house boasts beautiful high ceilings, intricate features and lots of lovely light, so all these bedrooms really needed was a favourite colour on the walls. With Calamine in one and Cromarty in the other, these freshly painted rooms are set to inspire sweet dreams.