Rue du Japon: Townhouse Renovation in Toulouse by RMGB.

Herringbone parquet flooring in the living room, Solunite resin floor in the kitchen, and custom-made island in brushed stainless steel by Francois Pouena. Tapware by Vola.

Custom-made bay window. Dining table and chairs by Jean Prouvé for Vitra. Bookcase by Charlotte Perriand for Cassina. Tableware from the Conran Shop.

Desk integrated into the wall cabinet in the kitchen, finished in natural birch veneer.

Herringbone parquet flooring in the living room. Sofa from Zanotta.

Oh BOY! Extreme love alert! You are looking at the spectacular renovation of a townhouse in Tolouse by young Paris-based duo RMGB, aka Baptiste Rischmann and Guillaume Gibert. The challenge for the designers was to completely renovate this old home while maintaining its familiar aspects in order to welcome a family with two grown children.

The ground floor features two strongly opposing aesthetics which confront and play off one another. The entrance of the house near the kitchen has a very contemporary feel finished in dark grey tones with seamless resin flooring and joinery in stained and natural birch. This minimalist aesthetic meets an ambiance that is ornate and bourgeois where the large living / dining room is decorated with mouldings and herringbone parquetry flooring. To make the transition between these two different atmospheres, a huge custom-made bay window was installed, allowing uninterrupted views of the garden.

On the first floor, the daughter’s bedroom is decorated in light and warm tones. The bathroom is finished in cement coating, featuring the Vieques bathtub designed by Patricia Urquoila for Agape. In the parents’ bedroom is a large oak door with a gloss lacquer finish, subtly reflecting all other materials used: tinted grey oak for parquetry flooring, and walnut for the large wardrobe and dressing room that extends into the bathroom.

On the second floor, the son’s bedroom is designed as a hotel room. On this level, one side of the house overlooks the garden. Everything is designed to be monolithic – the large bathroom vanity is finised in Corian, the shower is designed as a cube in black smoked glass. The dressing room is clad in light timber paneling with a niche that has a sliding base that opens up to reveal a television.

[Images courtesy of RMGB.]