In … Giulia’s apartment: “In the house there are insects, under the frames, under a bell, cast in resin …”

For those who have known Madmoizelle for a while, remember our section “In the apartment of …” ? Stopped in 2017, it is back in service now.

For this fifteenth episode, we will visit Julia’s superb apartment!

In Giulia’s apartment

• What is your name and your age?

My name is Giulia and I am 27 years old.

• What do you do for a living ?

I work as an entomology researcher (yes, I know, that’s not common!)

• What is the pedigree of your apartment? (location, how many square meters, monthly fee or purchase price)

I live in a 100 m² house with 2500 m² of garden, near Orléans (45), which we bought two years ago. We bought it for 166,000 euros and carried out works for 65,000 euros.

• You live alone?

No, I live with my husband and our cat Nuts!

• If you had to give a word or phrase to describe your accommodation, what would it be?

This is our cozy little nest! We spent a lot of time imagining it, making the 3D projects, looking for every element of our decoration and above all making the work!

The structural work was carried out by craftsmen, but we did the rest with the help of our relatives (in this house everything was really redone since when it was bought it looked more like a chalet from the 70s). We are very proud of it and it corresponds exactly to our needs.

• If you were to interview your apartment, what would be its positive and negative aspects?

The good points: the house is very bright, perfect for surface or functionality for our needs.

We like the outdoor environment to come a little inside through our decorative choices which are very focused on natural materials and plants (another passion!).

Another advantage: we are 30 minutes max from the various neighboring countries, which is very practical for us who work in the city, but who love to return in the evening to our cottage in the “countryside” surrounded by meadows, fields, woods, cows and horses! It is also a perfect playground for our little Nuts.

The negative points: Another fireplace and it would be perfect. Two more rooms to give free rein to our respective passions and a laundry room would be the icing on the cake, but it’s under construction!

Can you show us one (or more) objects that we can only find at home? An object found, manufactured, inherited …

I love our solid elm dining table and its very “natural” shape! Also, we call the upper right place the “pregnant woman” place in reference to the hollow that allows you to be well installed, even with a big belly! A local carpenter did it for us.

During my studies, I had to make a herbarium and an alga that would remain at the bottom of a cupboard for a long time. When we moved in, I ran into them again and decided to give them a second life by integrating them into frames, resin objects, under globes, frame mounted, etc. the whole house.

• Do you have a decoration idea, not too expensive or even DIY that you are too proud of and want to share?

Our headboard! We made a medium box, painted the whole thing and put a nice wallpaper on it. It is very practical, unique and enhances the color of the wall.

• IS that you had a big cracked wallet for something in your house?

Yes, our famous dining table! But we do not regret it, it is our best piece and we will surely keep it for life.

• What are your decorative quirks?

We like to live in a non-overcrowded environment where everything has its place. In general, we try to create something quite timeless by playing on the balance between the different elements and colors found in nature, namely stone, metal, wood, wicker, wool (and other fibers), plants, etc.

Our goal: to bring the outside into our inside!

You can also find it here and there in the insect house (under frames, under bells, resin castings, etc.) in reference to my work!

Not to turn into too much, we have chosen to insert a “strong” vintage or handcrafted piece in each room (the table in the dining room, the desk in the bedroom, the chest of drawers in the other bedroom, etc.). We also like to choose to wear quite typical panoramic wallpapers!

• Where do you feel most at home?

In our living room, wrapped in our favorite blanket with our cat to watch a good movie.

• What is the music that plays most often in your home?

Clara Luciani and Mela.

• Do you have work or decoration projects?

Yes, a big one! we have a complete basement of which we will transform 80 square meters into living spaces, that is: a sewing workshop for me, a laundry / pantry and a room for the gentleman with billiards, games, bar, sports area and space film selection. We hope to finish within two years!

• Do you follow Instagram accounts for decoration inspiration?

No, but I like watching decorating and archiving shows on Netflix to give me ideas.

• How long do you see yourself living in your home?

Long!

Thanks to Giulia for this nice visit!