Parisian Inspired Luxury Living Room Case Study
Featuring Custom Millwork, Curated Furnishings, and Architectural Details
Miss Alice Designs
The Challenge
When my clients first reached out, they referenced a previous design project I had shared on Instagram — one where I resolved an awkward narrow floor plan with an off-center fireplace. They immediately recognized the similarity.
Their own living room faced the same issue.
The empty space was impressive — soaring 12-foot ceilings, elongated arched windows, generous square footage. And yet, something felt undeniably unsettled.
The off-center fireplace disrupted the room’s natural balance and created an awkward floor plan. Despite two tall south-facing windows and an additional east-facing window, the space lacked warmth and brightness. The adjoining piano room felt disconnected, leaving the two open areas existing side by side rather than in cohesive harmony.
Yet with a brunch gathering of over 100 guests on the horizon, the goal was clear: create a living environment that felt inviting, elegant, and effortless for entertaining.
Inspired by their time in Paris, my clients envisioned a French modern aesthetic layered with richness, color, character, and understated luxury - elegant yet deeply welcoming.
The Vision
My clients identified several essential elements that would shape the foundation of the design:
A custom bookcase with a rolling library ladder
A double-sided sofa to anchor the room and invite conversation from every angle
A daybed chaise thoughtfully positioned near the windows to maintain open sightlines, preserve natural light, and establish a serene place to rest.
A bold yet refined use of color to introduce depth and personality
A tall, high-back reading chair for quiet reading and music-filled moments in the piano room
Beyond these priorities, they entrusted me with creative freedom.
From our initial onsite consultation, it became clear that the solution required more than a good layout and beautiful furnishings. The architecture itself needed rethinking.
The Design Approach
To develop the design concept, I immersed myself in Parisian interiors — studying architectural detailing, color composition, proportion, and material harmony, translating that inspiration into a thoughtfully curated 2D mood board. Simultaneously, precise measurements of both the living and piano rooms established the technical foundation, ensuring every decision was grounded in intention.
I developed multiple furniture plans to restore balance around the off-center fireplace and refine circulation between the two spaces. Once the ideal layout emerged, the vision unfolded through carefully selected materials, detailed elevations, and 3D renderings — allowing my clients to fully experience the transformation before construction began.
Miss Alice Designs- 2D Mood Board
Color became a defining element of the project.
While my clients initially explored warm yellow tones, the design revealed a richer palette waiting to emerge — deep forest green, bold blues, crisp whites, berry wine, and grounding black accents. Though layered and varied in tone, the multiple colors worked harmoniously — creating a moody yet welcoming atmosphere that felt refined, luxurious, and deeply personal.
When retail stores and designer showrooms failed to capture the precise silhouettes, colors, and textures envisioned, we turned to custom furnishings. An antique chandelier my clients admired proved oversized for the scale of the room, so I sourced a similar handcrafted fixture from an Italian artisan who customized its proportions to fit perfectly. Crafted in a striking interplay of black and brass, the chandelier now hangs gracefully beneath a ceiling medallion — sculptural and commanding — anchoring the room with quiet confidence.
A 14-foot long custom bookcase with graceful arches was designed to echo the home’s existing arched windows, reinforcing architectural continuity. Two pull-out shelves with a walnut rolling ladder and integrated lighting under each shelf introduced depth and dimension, casting a soft glow over curated objects and books — transforming what was once a dark living room into a warm, luminous focal point.
Miss Alice Designs
The firebox was extended and projected forward with a newly constructed wall, allowing a hand-carved Arabescato marble fireplace that my clients fell in love with —featuring a delicate French floral motif to feel integrated rather than applied, elevating the space the moment it was installed. Layered moldings were introduced throughout both the living and piano rooms, bringing in the refined detailing characteristic of Parisian interiors. An 11-foot floating bench balanced the fireplace’s scale while providing generous additional seating.
Miss Alice Designs
Curved silhouettes from the chaise and double-sided sofa to the antique round coffee table and small drink tables softened the room’s original boxy geometry and sharp architectural lines. Brass and wood elements introduced depth and warmth, while berry wine chenille swivel chairs added subtle movement, inviting conversation from every angle.
A plush custom rug with subtle patterning layered the space with quiet texture, grounding the design while offering a soft, inviting foundation beneath every step.
The Result
When brunch day arrived, the spaces came to life exactly as envisioned — surpassing my clients’ expectations.
Guests moved effortlessly between the living room and piano room, perching along the floating bench, settling into the chaise, or swiveling toward conversation. The double-sided sofa encouraged dialogue from every angle, while the sculptural chandelier and custom bookcase quickly became focal points of admiration and discussion.
What was once an awkward, unbalanced floor plan evolved into a richly layered, luxurious environment designed for connection and ease.
A home inspired by Paris — thoughtfully designed with intention, harmony, and architectural elegance — yet most importantly, deeply personal and a true source of joy for my clients.
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