When French interior designer Yann Le Coadic first pitched a hospitality project to a Mexican hotelier 12 years ago, he was told, “You are too young, but I will come back.” That particular project went to French architect Joseph Dirand. But as promised, 10 years later, the same client contacted Le Coadic, now associated with Italian architect Alessandro Scotto, about doing his own house on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, currently in progress. The hotelier loves France and French design, and went often to Paris to meet with Le Coadic and Scotto to work on the house project. During one visit, he told them he would love to find an apartment in Paris, but only something truly special. As it happens, the duo had just seen a wonderful apartment on the Palais Royal two days prior. They arranged to show it to the client and he signed that evening. The creative duo, officially known as Lecoadic-Scotto, set to work on the project right away.

At first, the spacious residence was run-down and comprised several small, dark rooms and not much of a kitchen, so Lecoadic-Scotto decided to change the floor plan completely. Le Coadic says, “We wanted to bring the outside in—the reflections, the perspective, the light; the apartment is full southern sun and is a festival of light and seasons.” And rendering it even more special is its spectacular view of the historic gardens of the Palais Royal.

The library is used as a sort of curiosity cabinet, with displays of books and works on paper. The central table, which also expands for dinner parties, was custom-designed by Lecoadic-Scotto. The Bauhaus ceiling light is from Zeitlos, in Berlin, and the Eastern European vintage chairs are circa 1920. The carpet is by Brazilian-French artist Ivan da Silva Bruhns.

“We started to write this story and there was no room for ornament," Le Coadic says. "This is a masculine apartment and the palette is neutral—gray, gray-green, silver-gray. Simple.” The design duo kept the original floors and two large mirrors, but in keeping with their palette, refinished their gilding from gold-gold to white-gold. The glass doors were also already in place, and like archaeologists, Le Coadic and Scotto like to look at what is under surfaces and complement the original story. Indeed, they kept the clunky iron radiators rather than cover them or replace them in an apartment that is otherwise filled with 80 percent newly designed furniture pieces and custom carpets.

The homeowner goes to Paris several times a year, entertains a great deal, and as a true collector, is always adding to the apartment's treasures. Lecoadic-Scotto are often called in to consult about new purchases and their placement, so the apartment continues to evolve organically. What is now the library was designed specifically to display the collection of books and works on paper—a room with the feel of a cabinet des curiositiés . In the words of Le Coadic, “We want to find ways to bring a place alive—and to live again.”