Houzz Tour: Back to the ’50s in the Heart of Bordeaux

After a fair share of traveling, Ninou Étienne, an interior designer and a decorator, finally settled in Bordeaux. The old typical Bordeaux house she purchased two years ago had been vacant for a decade. “It was a very dark house, entirely carpeted,” Étienne says. “I had no other option than restructure the full space in order to re-create a pleasant and functional living space.” She was inspired by midcentury Scandinavian design, but this interior look is also the result of an irresistible blend of influences, taking us around the world, from the ’50s to today.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Fusion D interior designer Ninou Étienne and her family
Location: Bordeaux’s city center, on the right bank of the river Garonne
Size: 2,700 square feet (251 square meters); 15 rooms spread over 3 floors

The floor here sets the tone for the remainder of the house. It’s “made of cement tiles dressed with a ’50s cubic pattern,” Étienne says.

Two graphics from the Scandinavian catalog House Doctor grace the walls by the door.


When Étienne and her family bought the house, the kitchen was yellow. Liking it, she searched samples to find a similar tone to repaint the walls. To make it stand out even more, she went with black tiles. The large hood is one of the rare elements she kept in place.



Étienne, an avid bargain hunter, went with a ’70s Formica table with a tulip stand and a Skaï chair.


Black metal shelves from ’50s designer Mathieu Matégot add stylish storage.


“I like to not take myself too seriously when it comes to decoration,” Étienne says, explaining the embellishment above her cutting board.



All the elements in this sitting room were bargains Étienne hunted down.


The Vertigo pendant light by Constance Guisset dominates the dining area. The wooden floors throughout were refinished.

Light fixture: Vertigo for Petite Friture, Nostraforma


“Here sat a monstrous fireplace, which we replaced with this stove,” Étienne says.

Chairs: Leroy Merlin; hide rug: flea market


Étienne found this recycled-glass table with metal tube legs in London, where she once lived.


The armchair came from a flea market and was re-covered by an upholsterer friend, Laura Cawte. The mantel is from a London curiosity shop. The crown found its place “after an evening of celebrations,” Étienne says.


“I set up my office where the former resident, an architect, had his before me,” she says. “I kept one piece of furniture, which I renovated.”



On the wall in this office, which is full of history, is Piero Fornasetti’s Mediterranea wallpaper, here representing Jerusalem.


Frames hanging along the staircase showcase architecture projects from the ’50s.


“For my bedroom I chose a striking color, turquoise, and blended many influences, as I wanted the feeling of travel to be present,” Étienne says. Rattan furniture adds texture and charm to a seating area.


The master bedroom also has a pinewood chest, an art deco dressing table and a confessional door leading to the dressing area and bathroom.


Glass windows with simple wooden frames illuminate the dressing area and bath.


Fornasetti is also present in the master bathroom, this time with Tema e Variazione wallpaper.


The freestanding bath and sinks came from a flea market.


The children’s bright bedroom was a kitchen before the overhaul. “Previously there had been a kitchen on every floor,” Étienne says.


This blue door with glass leads to a small half bath.


Inside a stone sink and original tile create a stylish corner for washing and grooming.

More: Why We Love Midcentury Design

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