Interior designer Nicolas Payet uses thoughtful pops of colour to enlarge – and liven – this former maid’s quarters

For those in the know, it is a fashion no-no to choose your shoes before your dress, but breaking the rules is all part of the creative process for French interior designer Nicolas Payet, who bought his vibrant green sofa long before he had a home to put it in.

Nestled on the top floor of a 1930s Parisian apartment building, his compact 78 sqm home, fondly referred to as the chambre du bonne in Parisian housing circles, is the maid’s quarters in the attic.