Cartoon Style | ZYVA Studio | Anthony Authié

A 45 m² Triplex in Saint-Ouen Reimagined by Zyva Studio

When Cartoons Take Over Interior Architecture

Zyva Studio’s latest project transforms a 45 m² triplex in Saint- Ouen into a playful, colorful universe that blurs the lines between reality and imagination.

A Dive into the World of Animation From the moment you step inside, the tone is set: bold colors and audacious shapes immerse visitors in an atmosphere inspired by 1990s animated films like Roger Rabbit and Space Jam. The aim? To create a striking contrast where fantastical elements blend seamlessly into the real world.

“In interior architecture, this creates a kind of delirious contrast. Suddenly, fantastical elements break into the real world. This principle blurs the boundaries of the tangible and allows us to travel into an imaginary world.”

A Sculptural Staircase at the Heart of the Design

The centerpiece of the apartment is a swimming-pool-blue metal staircase that appears to float in space. Its curved railing was designed as a sweeping parabola that seems to pierce through the fourth step.

“The entire space revolves around this staircase. We wanted it to feel sculptural—it’s the core of the project, the star around which everything orbits.”

Functional Yet Expressive Spaces

The triplex is spread over three split levels.

On the first level is a stainless-steel kitchen with spiked handles inspired by Mario Bros shells, a signature motif of Zyva Studio.

The second level houses the living room, featuring two key design elements: a neon-orange OUT sofa (from a Berlin-based designer) upholstered in Raf Simons fabric, and a strictly gridded orange bookshelf, inspired by Swiss layouts.

Ascending to the third level reveals a bedroom, bathroom, and dressing area, all separated by a glass wall echoing the design of Pierre Chareau’s Maison de Verre.

“We designed this space as a playful mix of references—drawing from great modernist masters and architectural movements, but also from pop culture icons of the ’90s and 2000s. That kind of contrast really sums up the spirit of what we want to do at the studio.”

A Bold Color Palette

The dialogue between the fluorescent orange bookshelf and the intense blue staircase creates a strong visual dynamic. These bold color choices, combined with raw materials like polished concrete flooring, give the space a distinct identity, true to Zyva Studio’s style.

Most of the furniture was custom- made in Zyva’s own workshop, reflecting the studio’s love for personalization, exaggeration, and humor. Think animal-shaped chairs, a coffee table as spiky as a bed of roses, and nightstands adorned with studded collars.

“In addition to creating custom pieces for this project, we were lucky to collaborate with Artoys, adding an extra cartoon-like layer to the whole décor.”

The Zyva Bear

Anthony Authié also staged himself in the space, becoming a character in the story playing out around him. His approach goes beyond designing the set—he considers how the space is lived in and performed.

“Too often, spaces are shown in a museum-like state—perfect, untouched, nothing out of place. That makes for beautiful photos, but I question what that really says about an architect’s work. I’m deeply convinced that a space only truly comes to life when it’s being inhabited. When it becomes more organic. When it interacts with its user. That’s why I love staging myself in my spaces. These theatrical moments give me the sense that the story I’ve been telling through the design process finally has an ending. The process becomes complete.”

Location / Saint Ouen

Architect / Zyva studio

Area / 45sqm

Completion / 2024

Credit pictures / Yohann Fontaine