Best in class 1France has been flying the French
decoration flag for centuries and while its classical styles are world
renowned it is also home to a wealth of contemporary capabilities. One
brand that manages to straddles its historic Hausmann past as well as
the decorative now is Roche Bobois, a household name that was born out
of two families joining forces in the 1960s and now has more than 250
stores worldwide. It has two core collections, a contemporary one that
features the work of designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Kenzo Takada
and Missoni Home; and Nouveaux Classiques, a more traditionally French
take on furniture. Pictured is a solid oak Chambre Eqop bed with
headboard, 180cm by 200cm, €5,200, ex mattress, deep buttoned
bergere-style chair, €2,740, four-drawer sideboard, €3,580, and Ispahan
floor lamp, €2,340, all available to order and there’s 15 per cent off all new orders until July 31st.
Ligne Roset, from parasol
fabricator in the 1860s to a global brand with 200 stores worldwide and
leading collaborations with names such as Michel Ducaroy, Pierre Paulin
and the Bouroullec brothers.
Its Toa armchair, launched in
2015, is designed by emerging talent Remi Bouhaniche, who took a chance
and submitted the design to Michel Roset, Ligne Roset’s owner, in 2012.
It has a solid ash frame, available in a dark stain or natural,
pictured, and in a wide choice of colours in cotton or leather. The
trapezoidal shape of foam and fabric is inspired by origami and prices
start from €2,902 from Arena Kitchens & Living, Maple Avenue,
Stillorgan Industrial Park, where it is available to order and where
there is 15 per cent off the entire collection, during the summer sale
which ends July 22nd.
Magic Circus Editions is an
experimental lighting company that was set up just two years ago by
Marie-Lise Fery, an art school graduate turned antique dealer, and the
appreciation of classic forms is evident throughout the collection’s
dramatic designs.
The new range features soft
coloured glass spheres in soft new shades of jade and rose. The soft
curves of its Applique wall light, pictured in rose but also available
in an equally easy on the eye jade green, €3,675, will turn an entrance
hall or corridor into a destination rather than a throughway. You can
buy the pieces online from Anglo-Italian interior designer Chiara
Colombini who launched her Paris-based design practice in 2006.
From its launch in 2012 La Chance,
a Paris-based design company that produces furniture, lighting,
accessories, rugs and wallpaper, has looked back to the art deco period,
a style born in France in 1925, and put a modern riff on this now
classic era. Many of its pieces have been much copied, in particular its
Bolt stool and Salute side tables – imitation being the greatest form
of flattery.
Sorciere wall sconces have been
inspired by the ritual Ngil masks of the Fang tribe in Gabon and are
more like sculptures than mere illumination. Designed by Marta Bakowski
in 2016 the light diffuses through the perforations in the mask to
shines upward in a graphic but gentle fashion, changing personality
depending on the combination of colours, textures and perforated
patterns, which vary in each version. The plain black or white options
cost €395 each while the multiple-colour combinations cost €445 each to
order through Dún Laoghaire-based Lost Weekend.
Colonial-era France has played a
huge part in creating the rich and textured interiors heritage of the
country. The rug pictured has been inspired by one of the many Berber
designs, descendants of the pre-Arab inhabitants of North Africa with a
strong expertise in carpet making.
The design is by fabric firm
Lorena Canals whose rugs and cushions are all washable. Moroccan in
origin,it is available through KSL Living, one of France’s best home
etailers. The 100 per cent cotton design comes in two sizes; 160cm by
120cm, €165 and 200cm by 140cm, €245. Prices are ex delivery.
Petit Friture, which translates as
“small fry”, is a boutique design house that doesn’t take itself too
seriously. Set up by Amélie du Passage in 2009 it works with established
and emerging designers who already have their own studios meaning that
it offers an endlessly changing range of furniture and home furnishings.
There is a Mediterranean
suspension light, £1,465, by Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance that is inspired by
the weightlessness of laundry drying in the Mediterranean sun; and,
pictured, the Dojo table, £1,865, and chairs, £378 each, by Amandine
Chhor and Aissa Logerot and Jetlag wallpaper by illustrator Lisa
Laubreaux, £207 per roll. All are available from Clippings.com which
ships worldwide.
Eno Studio in Paris is another small seller of cool finds by less well-known designers.
The Vega pouf, a simple round form
within a brass-effect steel frame, is a piece that will punctuate an
empty space or corner of a room. It comes in teal green or midnight blue
velvet, pictured, and can be ordered through Dunville Avenue-based CA
Design. Measuring 45cm by 38cm by 36cm, it costs €436. The adjustable
Plus wall light is a clever marriage of form and function, and its
ability to swivel up towards the ceiling or down towards the floor means
you can focus the beam in either direction depending on the ambience
you’re looking to create. It comes in two metal finishes; anodised
aluminum or black steel. Each light measures 18cm high and 10.5 cm
across and costs €217.
There’s a certain relaxed elegance
about French interiors that is hard to replicate. The seasonal weather,
where you can actually spend much of the summer outdoors, helps but it
is part of the nation’s natural DNA to be able to put together looks
that appear effortless.
One affordable brand worth
investigating is Amadeus and includes these outdoor and sunroom perfect
pieces, rope-knotted armchairs, €229 each, and a driftwood-inspired
coffee table held in a steel frame, €449, both available to order from
Sallynoggin-based M. Kelly Interiors.
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French
houses just seem to ooze with charm—and their inhabitants, despite busy
schedules, regularly entertain at home; something that I have long
found most inspiring.
So, needless to say, I was super excited when I found out that my friend Florence de Dampierre was writing newest book French Chic Living (Rizzoli).
An esteemed interior designer and antiques expert, Florence is the author of several books including French Chic and Walls: The Best of Decorative Treatments.
For most of her adult life the French-born de Dampierre has been
sharing the secrets of French chic with close friends and clients; now,
lucky for us, it’s all in one wonderful tome.
Florence
is a natural to tackle this subject. Having had the privilege of being a
guest at one of her signature poolside lunches (with ingredients fresh
from the garden), it is both a chic and casual affair—always fun and
very relaxing.
Packed with time-tested advice and conventional Gallic wisdom, French Chic Living
offers suggestions for everything from setting up the bar and brewing
the perfect cup of tea, to selecting a variety of cheeses for the
well-balanced platter.
There
are tips for polishing silver and repairing chipped porcelain, as well
as simple concoctions for making your own all-natural beauty products
and home remedies. From stocking the pantry, to washing and storing
delicate linens to cleaning wooden and stone surfaces, this inventive
hybrid (think “Heloise Helpful Hints” meets “Parisian Chic”) shares
foolproof tips for creating a warm, well running and inviting home.
Vintage style bedrooms are becoming more and more trendy thanks
to designers like Rachel Ashwell who popularized the term shabby chic in
the 1980s. If you're planning to incorporate this style in your bedroom
space, here are the most important things you need to know about this
wonderful type of bedding. Why You'll Love It
Shabby
chic bedding is a great option whether you are on a small or large
budget. While of course there are very high-end choices, there are many
more inexpensive ones. You could even shop second-hand, however when it
comes to bedding new is always the best choice.
And since there is
such a high demand, many manufacturers have come out with their own
shabby chic lines. This is perfect for the consumer since it means high
quality bedding that is brand new but has that vintage style and look.
Purchasing
décor to match your bedding can be a ton of fun and super cheap too.
Shopping in thrift stores and at garage sales you can almost always find
well worn items that complement this style perfectly. And of course
online there are many brand new ones that are made to look old, for
example, mirrors, frames, tables, etc. Unlike other themes, with shabby
chic mixing and matching looks fabulous.
