It’s a cultural thing. They just have it. That certain je ne sais quoi. Stylish, chic, with a sense of place and purpose. Like this apartment in Ternes by Paris-based interior designer Marion Collard.
Photography by Romain Laprade
After living in the heart of Paris for several years, designer David Jimenez spent 2 years searching for a country home for weekend retreats. He ended finding a place so beautiful it brings tears to my eyes. It is an expansive 8-room private apartment in a centuries-old manor house on the grounds of a 16th century château near the village of Saintines, on hour north of Paris. It is decorated in classical David style – filled with layer upon layer of the most beautiful antiques and textiles and lighting. (Photos via Veranda, by Xavier Bejot)
He recently launched a book, Parisian by Design, published by Rizzoli who kindly sent me a copy and this is a MUST HAVE book. Featuring several of his design projects and sooo much more, I devoured it in an afternoon and was quite smitten with it. There is a photo of the castle and its moat that alone is worth every cent this book is being offered for. (Find it on Amazon here)
“Our clients wanted to bring part of their origins to Madrid. Plus, they are avid travellers—she is Mexican and he Galician—so they yearned to bring a family influence to their new home. This project is the outcome of a quest to find colour in Madrid, a characteristic marked by the owners’ journeys and origins. We focused on vivid colours: bright yellows, greens, blues and reds, paired with materials like tiles, ceramics and fine wood. They are all cool materials in bright colours brought from distant, exotic locales. White tile combines with blue, red or yellow in different areas and is finished by edging to frame the different zones.”
The hero of this design is tile, colourful, handmade, glorious tile simply but cleverly laid. It’s a celebration of a simple material elevated by clever design. Conde Duque by S+DLH (Sierra Delahiguera).
This Paris apartment was designed with travel in mind. The inspiration were hotel rooms, luxury train carriages, with a certain degree of luxury and elegance. Shades of red and green were used throughout – not typically a palette I’m drawn to but designer Hugo Toro worked magic here and I adore it. (Photos: Leny Gueta)
I love this story…
Miss Rose contacted me from Philadelphia in the midst of pandemic to ask if I would be willing to make her a pied à terre in the Marais. An American who had fallen in love with France, she dreamed of being able to offer herself a refuge in Paris. In this particular health context, the urgency to live her dreams took precedence. The flat was bought from a distance and we worked together on the project by skype. It was a great way to escape from everyday life by defying the prohibitions, to meet around a project that offered us a beautiful escapade in the imagination. Miss Rose has that quiet determination that breaks down all obstacles; that confidence and emotional generosity that carries you along. She knew even before she bought the flat that I was going to make her nest and she accompanied us throughout the project with a patience and enthusiasm that made this adventure an exceptional moment…
I think I might cry. Marianne Evennou making 16 m2 dreams a reality. (Photos: Grégory Timsit)