When Rotterdam-based Studio Makkink & Bey was initially asked to transform this 17th-century former hotel in Orleans, France, into a research center for the University of Orléans, the team opted against going the super stuffy, neo-classical route—think lots o' tassels, gilt stuff, and highly uncomfortable seating—and instead kitted the place out in what Co. Design calls a "clean, quirky, and sometimes even humorous" Dutch aesthetic. Done in minimalist style, the furniture is a mix of angular wooden tables designed by Makkink & Bey themselves and "remakes of Ikea furniture," which include "molded woodform chairs" and boxy room dividers.
To keep a little of the old in with the new, though, the team worked to make sure each space has at least one antique (look out for an heirloom clock and vintage paintings) for every custom-designed piece and cheerful, ultra-modern element. See more of the funky end result, this way.
· 17th-Century French Hotel Gets A Modern Dutch Makeover [Co. Design]