'Our client is a great traveler, constantly on the move between countries and, as such, is a guest in some of the world’s most beautiful hotels,’ says designer Patrick Gilles of Gilles&Boissier.
‘He was looking for a place that offered both intimacy and elegance, somewhere that mirrored the comfort of a hotel suite but with its own characterful roots still intact. This pied-à-terre in the center of Dijon, France, close to his family, ticked all the boxes.’
Patrick and the co-founder of Gilles&Boissier, Dorothée Boissier, were intrigued by the balancing act the house design called for.
Kitchen: Gilles&Boissier have created a bespoke Calacatta marble island with built-in banquette. Saint Laurent marble and local Burgundy stone were used to fashion the chequerboard floor. Circé black-stained ash chairs; Flûte textured plaster pendants; Adeluce black brass sconces; custom table, all Gilles&Boissier. Artwork by Thomas LR.
‘The house had that rare combination of charm and challenge. You enter through a small garden before discovering the most wonderfully noble spaces inside,’ says Dorothée.
‘My first instinct was that it was a project that deserved restraint. The house already had a soul – we simply needed to elevate it architecturally and restore splendor to its spaces.’
Dating back several centuries, more of the house’s layers of history revealed themselves to Patrick and Dorothée the longer they spent in it, through beams shaped by time, traditional Burgundian proportions, and a staircase that had clearly lived many lives.
Bedroom Sitting Area: A trio of interconnecting rooms make up the principal bedroom suite, an arrangement that chimes well with the owner’s brief for a luxury hotel feel. Thétis coffee table; Aria sofa; Delphes armless chair; Ida table lamp; Chimère sconces, all Gilles&Boissier.
‘As with many historic houses, its character lay in the imperfections that shape its charm; those irregular walls and occasionally awkward proportions,’ says Patrick. ‘Its underlying beauty was palpable, yet it required patience and craft to bring it to light.’
The house has been completely restructured, with every detail reconsidered to accommodate modern living. ‘The main challenge was preserving the original beams and ceilings,’ says Patrick.
Bathroom: The Calacatta bath is a stunning centerpiece and has views to the garden. Monochrome artworks throughout the home enhance the wonderful sense of calm. Artwork by Yoann Merienne. Chimère sconce; Délos floor lamp, both Gilles&Boissier.
‘As we reworked the plan – adding bathrooms, a kitchen, and removing partitions – we needed to introduce new elements with sensitivity. Installing a dropped ceiling, which is often the solution, wasn’t an option here, as it would have concealed the building’s historic features.’
The solution was to integrate all the necessary elements, such as ducts, pipes, and wiring, within specially thickened sections of wall, allowing everything to run vertically through the property, floor by floor.
By concentrating these technical elements within discreet wall zones, they were able to keep the original beams and ceilings completely visible and untouched.
Bedroom: Textured fabrics ensure the ambience is warm and comforting. Aurore table lamps in textured plaster; Néra bedside tables, all Gilles&Boissier.
Dorothée explains that the main shift happened in the way the spaces flowed.
‘We opened the reception rooms toward the garden to restore a sense of natural movement and light. Upstairs, the main suite was reimagined as a series of interconnected spaces – a bedroom with a sitting area, a dressing room, a terrace, and a bathroom – allowing it to function like a private suite rather than a sequence of separate rooms.’
Sitting Room: Walnut and leather furnishings are set against walls panelled in reclaimed oak. Custom curtains in Thelonious in Calcare by Dedar; armchairs and sofa with seating/cushions in Cordage by Christian Astuguevieille x Pierre Frey; Délos floor lamps; Acrobates cedar end table; coffee table, all Gilles&Boissier.
The client’s brief was clear: to bring back a true sense of attention to detail, quality of finish, and thoughtful service throughout.
‘We ensured that this guided the design, enabling a seamless continuity between his hospitality experiences and his private residence.’
When it came to color, the guiding idea was timelessness: a palette that felt calm, luminous, and quietly luxurious. ‘Everything began with the existing palette. The warmth of the original wooden ceilings was our starting point. We wanted to echo that sense of comfort throughout, using materials like oak, linen, and Burgundy stone, paired with marbles chosen for their ability to reflect light, not compete with it,’ says Patrick.
Stairs: Preserved original features include ceilings, beams and parts of the magnificent staircase. ‘It was a titanic undertaking – it is extremely complex to preserve an existing structure while including the modern elements it requires,’ says Patrick.
Now that this extraordinary renovation is complete, for Dorothée, it’s the kitchen that stands out in particular. ‘The client loves to cook, and this new kitchen feels entirely at home here,’ she says. ‘With its bespoke marble-carved island and glass-and-linen cabinets, the space radiates warmth and comfort.’
For Patrick, it’s the staircase.
‘We preserved it as much as possible and now its imperfections feel like a narrative thread running through the house - a quiet anchor that holds the memory of everything that came before. However, our proudest achievement is that our intervention remains imperceptible, as if the house had always been this way: a vast creative, technical, and architectural effort held like a discreet whisper.'
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