{"id":10022884,"date":"2026-01-09T12:10:57","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T11:10:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chapter.digital\/schnittstelle\/"},"modified":"2026-01-09T15:19:55","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T14:19:55","slug":"interior-design-designer-astrid-houssin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chapter.digital\/en\/interior-design-designer-astrid-houssin\/","title":{"rendered":"Point of Connection"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the Chapter<\/i> Interview, Paris-based interior architect Astrid Houssin<\/a> talks about her work at the intersection of architecture and interior design<\/a> and her holistic approach to spatial design. She explains why custom-made furniture<\/a> has become a natural extension of her practice and how intuition, precision, and longevity shape her design process.<\/p>\n

Chapter<\/i> You describe yourself as an interior architect, a term that sits between architecture and interior design. What does this distinction enable in the way you work with space?<\/p>\n

Astrid Houssin<\/i> I see interior architecture as a bridge between architecture and interior design. Architects focus on the bones of a project\u2014structure, regulations, permits, and all the technical systems like plumbing and electrics. Interior designers, on the other hand, shape the atmosphere: furniture, fabrics, finishes, all the elements that would drop if you turned a house upside down.<\/p>\n

\"Object
Left: Project Ladbroke Grove in London \u2014 Photographed by Christopher Horwood<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Interior architecture sits in between and brings both worlds together. We work on the creative and aesthetic details, but we\u2019re also trained to design joinery, bathrooms, kitchens, and to produce the technical drawings needed to bring everything to life. That means we can take on a project in its entirety, rather than splitting it between an architect and an interior designer.<\/p>\n

I think you can really feel the difference in a home that\u2019s been designed this way. Interior designers tend to imagine very carefully how a client will live in a space, while architects often lean towards something more minimalist and conceptual\u2014which can be exactly right for some projects. Personally, I\u2019m always aiming for a balance: spaces that are beautiful, but also warm, intuitive, and highly functional. A home should feel good to live in, not just good to look at<\/p>\n

\"Object<\/p>\n

Chapter<\/i> At what point did designing bespoke furniture become a natural extension of your interior practice, and what initially triggered that move?<\/p>\n

Astrid Houssin<\/i> Designing bespoke furniture felt like a very natural extension of my interior practice, even though I sometimes wish I\u2019d started sooner. It really came from a moment of transition in my life. I had just moved back to Paris after fifteen years in London, and it forced me to rethink my creative direction from the ground up.<\/p>\n

In London, I designed homes primarily for British clients, which often meant working with a lot of colour, pattern, and layered decoration. While I loved the process, it wasn\u2019t fully aligned with how I\u2019d design my own home. The Parisian design language is very different, and I quickly realised that my existing portfolio didn\u2019t quite reflect where I wanted to go\u2014or how I could position myself among more established Parisian architects. I needed a radical shift.<\/p>\n

\"Object
Left: Project Ladbroke Grove in London \u2014 Photographed by Christopher Horwood<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Object<\/p>\n

Furniture became that turning point. I began spending time at the Mus\u00e9e des Arts D\u00e9coratifs, and the inspiration came very organically. I started designing pieces I genuinely wanted to live with myself, and from there the collection grew. From the beginning, I didn\u2019t want the furniture to feel like one-off statements. Versatility was important to me.
\nThat\u2019s why the brand is highly bespoke but accessible beyond just designers. Each piece is made to order and can be customised in size, wood finish, and lacquer colour. It allows both designers and private clients to create something that feels truly personal.<\/p>\n

\"Object
Left: Project Ladbroke Grove in London \u2014 Photographed by Christopher Horwood<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chapter<\/i> Your furniture pieces often feel precise without being rigid. How do you balance structure and intuition during the making process?<\/p>\n

Astrid Houssin<\/i> I design the pieces very intuitively at first, without overthinking them. That initial phase is instinctive\u2014it\u2019s about proportion, balance, and how the object should feel rather than how it\u2019s made. Once the design is there, I become extremely precise about production.
\nMy architectural background plays a big role at that stage. I produce very detailed technical drawings and pay close attention to the smallest details, which leaves very little room for error. It allows intuition to lead the creative process, while structure and control come in to support it. In that sense, the freedom happens early, and the discipline comes later.<\/p>\n

\"Object<\/p>\n

I was actually very lucky with the first prototypes\u2014they came out exactly as I had hoped, so we didn\u2019t need to go through multiple iterations. I wanted the pieces to feel understated and timeless rather than over-designed.
\nIn many ways, the collection reflects both sides of my personality: playful and bold, but also quiet and minimalist; slightly masculine, yet equally feminine. That balance is what makes the pieces feel versatile and why they resonate with both men and women.<\/p>\n

Chapter<\/i> When designing furniture, what does longevity mean to you, both in terms of everyday use and visual presence over time?<\/p>\n

Astrid Houssin<\/i> For me, longevity starts with understatement. Timeless pieces have a quiet presence\u2014they\u2019re there, but they don\u2019t dominate a space or demand attention. They\u2019re the kind of objects you don\u2019t grow tired of living with, even years later. I strongly believe in the idea that less is more.
\nWe live in a world of clutter, fast fashion, and mass production, and that makes quality and craftsmanship more important than ever. As an interior architect, I\u2019ve ordered thousands of pieces of furniture over the years, and you develop an instinct for what\u2019s well made\u2014not just visually, but in how it feels, how it ages, and how it\u2019s assembled.<\/p>\n

\"Object<\/p>\n

I pay a lot of attention to the smallest details, because that\u2019s where quality really reveals itself. When nothing is overlooked, a piece naturally feels considered and enduring. Our homes reflect who we are, and so do the objects we choose to live with. I think it\u2019s important to invest in pieces you\u2019ll genuinely love long-term.
\n<\/span>The pieces in our debut collection are minimalist, but with a touch of playfulness. That balance gives them visual longevity\u2014they remain calm and refined, but still a pleasure to look at over time.<\/p>\n

Chapter<\/i> Looking ahead, what kinds of spaces or objects are you interested in exploring next?<\/p>\n

Astrid Houssin<\/i> I\u2019m very excited about what\u2019s coming next for the furniture brand. We\u2019re about to launch a new range of hand-painted finishes created in collaboration with a very talented Parisian decorative artist. These finishes will be available on selected pieces from our debut collection, and the idea is to continue expanding the range over time.<\/p>\n

\"Object<\/p>\n

Rather than constantly introducing entirely new designs, I\u2019m interested in allowing existing pieces to evolve. By adding new finishes and materials, the collection can keep living and changing, offering fresh possibilities without leaving earlier designs behind. Alongside that, I\u2019d like to introduce a small new collection each year to complement what already exists.
\nLighting is another area I\u2019m very drawn to. After the second furniture collection launches, I\u2019d love to explore lighting design as a natural next step.<\/p>\n

Beyond objects, I\u2019m also dreaming of a physical space in Paris\u2014a showroom for our furniture that would feel welcoming and curated. I\u2019d love it to be a place where I can also showcase and support other creatives whose work I admire. There is so much talent out there, and I strongly believe in supporting one another and giving visibility to people doing beautiful work. [Ed.]<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the Chapter Interview, Paris-based interior architect Astrid Houssin talks about her work at the intersection of architecture and interior design and her holistic approach to spatial design. She explains why custom-made furniture has become a natural extension of her practice and how intuition, precision, and longevity shape her design process. Chapter You describe yourself as an interior architect, a term that sits between architecture and interior design. What does this distinction enable in the way you work with space? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":10022868,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[477,336,348],"tags":[340],"class_list":["post-10022884","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interior-design","category-articles","category-latest","tag-interieur-design-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chapter.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10022884","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chapter.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chapter.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chapter.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chapter.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10022884"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/chapter.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10022884\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10022920,"href":"https:\/\/chapter.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10022884\/revisions\/10022920"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chapter.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10022868"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chapter.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10022884"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chapter.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10022884"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chapter.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10022884"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}