Project: Loui Paris / Location: Paris, France / Interior Design: Holzrausch Studio / Munich, Germany and New York City / Photography: Salva López
Loui is a Paris townhouse renovation that doubles as a tribute to woodworking, its designer Holzrausch says.
Set behind a closed gate and past a winding path through a long courtyard, this hidden family house with a lovely garden at the end is not only unexpected, but unusual for Paris. Located in the bustling and densely populated 11th arrondissement, it stands as an oasis of peace and quiet living, a rhapsody in wood that contrasts serenely with the world outside, the firm says.
“They wanted an interior defined by calm and simplicity, deliberately avoiding anything trendy or Instagram-driven,” says Petri, cofounder and design lead at Holzrausch. “As a former model and gallery owner and a creative himself, the client was naturally drawn to our focus on material quality and restraint.”
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What stands out immediately is the use of very few materials: oak, plaster, stone and stainless steel in the kitchen.
“Despite her work in the art world, they wanted nothing to disturb the calmness of the interior—no decorative elements, no art,” Petri says.
All lighting is recessed, most of the furniture is built-in, and appliances are hidden behind wooden doors. While the designer kept the concrete floors, the façade and the skylights are new, since all the windows of this L-shaped building face only the courtyard. Bringing natural light in from above became essential, shaping the design and form of the sculptural staircase, which distributes light across all levels of the home. Its wood matches the oak used for the wall panels and furniture.
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The house spans four floors, including a small basement and measures approximately 3,800 square feet with a private garden at the front. It includes four bedrooms and four bathrooms for a family of four. Its central feature is the undulating staircase that acts as the spine of the home and introduces natural light from the skylight above. In warm weather, the doors open to the garden, shifting daily life toward indoor–outdoor living.
Craftsmen and specialists came from several countries: plasterwork from Italy, massive oak floors from Denmark, and lighting came from Denmark as well. The firm began as a modest wood workshop before expanding into interior design, integrating everything produced in the workshop. A few years later, they established their design studio, which is now their primary focus, and both the workshop and the design department operate under one roof.
“Many clients come directly to us because the distance between design and fabrication is extremely short,” says Petri. He describes Holzrausch as simultaneously interior designers, interior architects, and master carpenters. “Our philosophy has always been simplicity, minimalism, and timelessness—this project reflects that completely,” Petri says.
Holzrausch is an award-winning German design studio with in-house workshops. The firm says it conceives and crafts bespoke interior design projects for a global clientele.
