🥐 Inside the Bakery Making New York’s Best Croissants
From a Cobble Hill apartment to a bustling Brooklyn Heights bakery, L’Appartement 4F boasts a treasure trove of storied vintage furniture (and the city's most irresistible baked goods)
“Inside” is an every-so-often series that looks not just at the aesthetics of businesses I’m inspired by, but at the design choices that make their spaces so unique, special, and personal.
I’d love to hear about the places that make your inner interior designer smile. Comment & let me know!
L'Appartement 4F is a beautiful Brooklyn-based bakery that was founded in 2022 by Gautier and Ashley Coiffard. It originated from their apartment during the pandemic and has since grown into a beloved local establishment. I’m proud to say I’ve had the pleasure of eating far too many croissants there.
The bay windows outside their Montague Street space provide a glimpse into the enchanting two-story bakery. Downstairs, there’s a bustling kitchen behind a display case full of croissants, cookies, and loaves of bread. Alongside that, an antique hutch adorned with ceramics, glasses, and other tchotchkes. Upstairs, small vases of flowers decorate marble tables with bistro chairs, and gold-framed portrait paintings line the walls. On the ceiling above both floors, a candle chandelier embellished with crystals and glass beads hangs overhead.
The bakery often hosts a line extending down the block and the view from the outside is enough to pique one’s interest. The advice I’d give to a curious passerby? If you want a life-changing culinary experience, order the Le Framboise Croissant and thank me the pastry chefs later.
It’s clear the patisserie was designed with love, and I had the opportunity to learn more from Ashley about how everything in this stunning spot came together.
Q&A with L’Appartement 4F’s Ashley Coiffard
Was there an item or piece of furniture that was an absolute must for L'Appartement 4F's space, even before you had the space?
Before we opened the space, I really wanted to incorporate a classical carved marble stone sink basin from Italy that was straight from my Pinterest board. I always dreamed of having one of these sinks with a scalloped edge. They are so soft and pretty and I knew I wanted it in the space before we even designed it.
What item or piece of furniture in your space means the most to you? Why?
I know it may sound silly but the piece of furniture in the space that means the most to me is one of our vintage chairs. Someone local in the neighborhood who was getting rid of it was so sad to part with it as it was her mother’s chair that was gifted to her for her wedding. She was leaving Brooklyn and moving to a bigger space. She was so thrilled to hear that it would be going in our bakery and going to a newly married couple.
Did you bring any items from the original bakery (...your apartment!)?
In our original "bakery" / apartment, we had limited space but had so many glasses, plates, and linens due to our love of hosting. I found this antique hutch at a stoop sale in the neighborhood and fell in love with it. When we were designing this space, I knew I wanted to incorporate it somewhere as a nod to our home and a place to house things for the bakery. Now it holds antiques, gifts from customers, and a magazine by a local school. We painted it white but I did love the original color.
What was the most difficult thing to pick out?
The most difficult pieces to pick out were the portrait paintings we sourced from Corsham, England. I really wanted them to tell a story and had a difficult time sourcing them. I found five on 1st Dibs and loved the way they all looked together. I love the idea of them watching over dates when we have the wine bar.
Did you source most of your items from one place? If so–where?
We sourced quite a few of our items from an antique store in Hudson called Red Chair on Warren. We bought a French bar cart, a display case, two bistro wooden tables, and a lot of silverware and silver trays. The owner is really lovely and curates the best selection from France.
What's your favorite memory at the bakery?
My favorite memory in the bakery will always be opening day. It was so special to see our hard work finally pay off and to see our community and customers in person. So many people showed up and waited in a long line to support us. The Brooklyn Heights Association hired live music and the streets were closed. It was really a monumental day for us both personally and professionally and we are so grateful for how uplifting our community is.
Don’t forget to visit L’Appartement 4F & follow them on Instagram.
Visit L’Appartement 4F & follow them on Instagram.