This 'Symmetrical' Apartment Takes Minimalist Style And Gives It A Charmingly Parisian Flourish
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Parisian design firm Le Cann reworked a small apartment on rue du Mont-Thabor for an art and design collector, shaping the layout around the owner’s collection and a central living room. The home has three independent suites and is also listed for short-term rentals on Airbnb, according to Livingetc.

Parisian design firm Le Cann has redesigned a small apartment on rue du Mont-Thabor around the art and design collection of its owner, creating a restrained, symmetrical interior that also accommodates short-term guests. Livingetc reports that the apartment, in Paris’ 1st arrondissement, has three independent suites arranged around a central living area and is listed for rent on Airbnb.

The owner, described by Livingetc as a passionate collector, wanted the apartment to serve as a pied-à-terre and provide a setting for the collection. Le Cann co-founder Guillaume Fantin said the brief was to rethink the space so it felt “both theatrical and intimate,” with the art at the center of the home’s identity. The report says the original apartment was not in a condition suited to displaying the pieces.

Rather than follow a single period or style, Le Cann drew on brutalism, Viennese Secession decoration, and the pared-back architecture of Adolf Loos. The firm also looked to the refined interiors of Jean-Michel Frank and Marc du Plantier, as well as ancient Greek and Roman ideas about proportion and symmetry. Fantin described the studio’s approach as “simple volumes and pure lines with an obsession for symmetry.”

Livingetc’s account describes an octagonal vestibule organizing movement through the home, with three suites offering separate spaces for guests and the living room acting as a shared center. The report also notes a softly gilded ceiling, geometric elements in the living room, built-in display for artworks and ceramics, and frosted glass in a bathroom. The design was initially intended for the owner, but the apartment later became available to guests through Airbnb.

At a glance
reportWhen: Reported by Livingetc; the source does…
The developmentLivingetc has reported on Le Cann’s redesign of a collector’s Paris apartment, which combines restrained geometry and symmetry with references to several historical design traditions.

A Collector’s Home Opens to Guests

The project shows how a private collection can shape more than a room’s decoration: in this apartment, Livingetc reports that the artworks and design objects informed the layout and the way the rooms connect. The central living room gives guests a shared gathering place, while the separate suites preserve privacy within a compact home.

That dual use also gives the project a practical dimension. A pied-à-terre designed for one owner is now presented as a rental, so the design has to support both personal display and hospitality. The source says the original brief already called for generous hosting, which helped the change in use fit the plan; it does not provide information about rental rates, occupancy or guest response.

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From Fragmented Plan to Central Hub

The apartment sits on the first floor of a late-19th-century townhouse in a part of Paris close to the Louvre, Place Vendôme and the Tuileries, according to Livingetc. The report identifies the building type as an hôtel particulier, a townhouse form that originally housed one family across multiple floors. Many such buildings were later divided into apartments.

That conversion can leave individual units with fragmented or awkward layouts, the report says. Le Cann treated the apartment’s existing conditions as a starting point, rather than simply trying to conceal them. The source describes circulation around the octagonal vestibule and the living room as the home’s organizing center. Its design references range across eras and cultures, including Italian design for boldness and Japanese art for ideas of emptiness and imperfection, as Fantin explained to Livingetc.

““The brief was to completely rethink the space.””

— Guillaume Fantin, co-founder of Le Cann, as quoted by Livingetc

Rental Details Remain Unspecified

Livingetc reports that the apartment is listed on Airbnb, but the source does not state when the listing began, whether it is currently accepting bookings, or how often the owner uses the home. It gives no rental price, availability calendar, occupancy figures or guest feedback.

The report also does not provide the apartment’s floor area, renovation budget, construction timeline or a detailed account of which existing architectural elements were retained. The design descriptions and project details are attributed to the publication and its interview with Fantin; the source does not include independent evaluations of the renovation or its performance as a rental.

Availability Depends on the Listing

The source identifies Airbnb as the rental channel but does not give a booking link or dates for availability, so readers cannot determine from the report when the home can next be booked. The next practical update would be information from the live listing or the owner about its current status and guest access.

For the design project itself, Livingetc’s report presents the apartment as a completed home rather than announcing a new renovation milestone. No further work, expansion or change of use is specified in the material provided.

Key Questions

Where is the apartment?

It is on rue du Mont-Thabor in Paris’ 1st arrondissement, near landmarks including the Louvre, Place Vendôme and the Tuileries, according to Livingetc.

Who redesigned the apartment?

Le Cann, a Parisian design firm, led the redesign. Its co-founder Guillaume Fantin discussed the project with Livingetc.

What does the apartment’s layout include?

The report describes three independent suites, an octagonal vestibule that guides circulation, and a central living room for shared use.

Is the apartment available to rent?

Livingetc says it is listed on Airbnb. The source does not provide current availability, pricing or booking dates.

What inspired the design?

Le Cann drew from several traditions, including brutalism, Viennese Secession, the architecture of Adolf Loos, and ideas of proportion associated with ancient Greece and Rome. Fantin also cited Italian design and Japanese art.

Source: livingetc.com

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