MAGAZINE
Old Bones, New Light. A Parisian Apartment Designed by Maria Beregovoy
A light and sophisticated Paris apartment becomes a reflection of its owner’s creative spirit in this latest project by interior designer Maria Beregovoy. With projects realised across Russia, Israel and France, the designer brings together an international perspective and a sensitive approach to creating deeply personal interiors.
Created for a journalist with a passion for travel, music, books and art, the apartment was shaped through a close dialogue between the designer and her client. The brief was clear: to maximise storage, create a practical and functional kitchen, preserve the client’s existing furniture, and thoughtfully accommodate an extensive collection of books and artworks.
The result is an elegant and layered interior where functionality meets individuality. Every object finds its place, while the home itself becomes a quiet backdrop for a life filled with stories, memories and creativity.
Location: Passy, Paris 16th arrondissement, France
Total area: 73 sq m
Interior designer and stylist: Maria Beregovoy
Photographer: Michael Brave
The project is a careful renovation of a 73-square-metre Haussmannian apartment, adapted for contemporary family life while preserving its original character. Historic architectural details are complemented by practical interventions and contemporary furnishings.
“The design of the apartment was inspired equally by the client herself and by the space we were working with,” says Maria Beregova. “Her travels, interests and personal collection played an important role in shaping the atmosphere, while the apartment’s natural light, curved windows and original architectural details helped define its visual language. The colour palette brings together mineral and earthy tones, natural wood and delicate shades of blue.”
A Subtle Rethinking of the Layout
The original mouldings, fireplaces and parquet flooring were well preserved, but the kitchen and bathroom required complete renovation, and the apartment lacked storage. The kitchen remained in its original location. The only alteration to the layout was a new partition in the bedroom, creating a separate dressing room. The doors between the living and dining rooms were removed to improve circulation and allow light to flow more freely. A dedicated niche for the washing machine was also introduced, and the original parquet was restored. The entire project was completed in four months.
A Dialogue Between Old and New, Personal and Mass-Produced
The client’s existing furniture was combined with pieces from BoConcept and Kartell, lighting by Artemide and Flos, and an IKEA kitchen. A bespoke bookcase was made by a joinery workshop to accommodate the book collection. The artworks, sculptures, masks and travel objects already belonged to the client. The only exception is an untitled circular painting in the bedroom, which I painted myself.
Key professional aspects and challenges
Every project comes with its own set of challenges, and this apartment was no exception. A tight four-month timeline, a limited budget and the constraints of the existing space required thoughtful and creative solutions. Working within these limitations, Maria Beregova found practical ways to overcome each challenge without compromising the character and individuality of the interior.
The bathroom tiles, for example, were selected from the stock available at Leroy Merlin and came from different collections and in different formats. To create a coherent composition, the builders individually cut each tile on site.
Another challenge was introducing sufficient storage into an apartment that had not originally been designed for it. The dressing room, bespoke bookcase and laundry niche were carefully integrated without compromising the existing architecture.
The project ultimately became a careful balance between preservation and renewal, practicality and personality. Rather than radically transforming the apartment, Maria Beregova worked with its existing character, introducing new functions and contemporary elements while respecting its original architecture and the life already embedded within it. For the designer, one of the most important aspects of the project was the dialogue between the existing and the new.
“What I value most is the way we incorporated the client’s existing furniture into the renewed interior. Its strong, precise lines contrast with the lightness of the space and the softer, more fluid forms of the new elements. Bringing these different qualities together into a coherent whole was particularly important to me,” says Maria Beregova.
The result is a home that feels both renewed and deeply personal — an interior shaped by the apartment’s history, its owner’s life and the thoughtful dialogue between old and new.
A word from the designer
Maria Beregovoy is a Paris-based interior designer and stylist. She studied at the International Design School in Moscow and has worked in interior design since 2015.
Maria’s Definition of Good Interior Design:
Personal, authentic and distinctive.
A good interior becomes a portrait of its owner, reflecting their character and interests. It should feel individual and free from overused or formulaic solutions.
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