Indholdsfortegnelse for Jan/Feb 2020 i Veranda

“To restore an edifice is…to re-establish it in a complete state that may never have existed at any given moment.” FRENCH ARCHITECT EUGÈNE VIOLLETle-Duc defined restoration as such in his 1854 Dictionnaire Raisonné de l’architecture Française, which he penned while overseeing the greatest project of his career: the 19th-century renovation of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral 1. His refurbishment included replacing the medieval spire over the transept that had been removed at the end of the 18th century. Thanks to engineering advances born of the Industrial Revolution, the new spire was perhaps even more Gothic than its predecessor, with taller, thinner proportions that, in the eyes of Viollet-le-Duc, represented a modern realization of soaring medieval masonic ambition. But the spire was as much a product of Viollet-le-Duc’s borrowing of historical…

DECORATING IS LIKE DRESSING UP. One shouldn’t dress up to show off but to feel good,” says fashion designer Ines de la Fressange. The first model to sign an exclusive contract with Chanel, she’s also the authority on Parisian chic, with a five-title book franchise (that includes her November 2019 update to the 2011 original) to prove it. But, perhaps in typical French fashion, La Fressange is disarmingly nonchalant about almost everything—especially style. “Focus on the general impression: Smile, feel confident, and forget a bit about what you’re wearing.” Here, 10 other ways she embodies that Parisian je ne sais quoi. 1. If I could preserve one “lost art” for the next generation, it would be calligraphy. I just try to write properly, always with an ink pen. To receive…

BREGUET Founded in 1775 ABRAHAM-LOUIS BREGUET, horologist to the aristocracy, created what’s considered the world’s first wristwatch in 1810 for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples and sister of Napoleon Bonaparte. The family would go on to buy some 100 pieces from the talented Breguet and his Paris workshop, but Murat’s watch, the Reine de Naples, would outlive the dynasty and inspire an evolving collection named for the queen. In its latest iteration, the famed design maintains its classic distinctions—a soft oval with its characteristic strap lug, crown placed at four o’clock, and oft-elongated Arabic numerals—while summoning new pairings of brilliant gems with rich strap hues. Traditional, modern, and irrepressibly confident? Timeless.…

CHANEL Founded in 1910 IT WAS A BRIEF but grand désir when the dashing Grand Duke Dmitri Pav-lovich seduced Gabrielle Chanel in Biarritz, France, in 1920. But the impact of this affair, together with a parade of deep friendships she ignited with Russian emigrants at the time, lingered a lifetime. Chanel drew on this influence in both her personal and artistic life, even staging a runway show in Red Square in 1967. “The Russians fascinate me,” Coco once confessed, and yet, she never set foot on that rich soil. This year, the company is rekindling that allure in a 69-piece Le Paris Russe de Chanel collection featuring the country’s imperial two-headed eagle that crowned a mirror Chanel owned, as well as motifs like headdresses, scarves, and embroidery. Says director Patrice…

HE WAS THE MASTER of layered opulence—a poet with passementerie, fringe, embellished lampshades…anything that gave a room a historic European flavor,” says Los Angeles–based interior designer Mary McDonald, whose work betrays a kindred affinity for couture embellishments. “Any extra effort to make a room more luxurious, he would do it.” Born in Casablanca, Morocco, Alberto Pinto studied art history at École du Louvre in Paris before setting out for the States in the 1960s with a camera in hand. He began photographing interiors and quickly found himself immersed in some of the most important work of the day. At the urging of his friend Hubert de Givenchy, he opened a design agency of his own, housed in a 17th-century hôtel particulier in Paris, that attracted increasingly eminent clients. “He was…

ERIC GOUJOU WATCHES THE way we entertain. The owner of celebrated ceramics boutique La Tuile à Loup studies what appears on our tables from one year to the next, from one corner of the world to another. He can tell you, for example, that modern French hosts are bypassing big, commanding salad bowls in favor of smaller dishes “to offer more of a variety.” Today’s in-demand soup bowls, he contends, are deeper and smaller than their predecessors (more suitable for popular Asian-style soups), he says, and Americans are unwavering in their love for blue-and-white dishes of all shapes and uses. He isn’t in pursuit of trends, but rather, permanence. “The French grew up with aptware, marbleware, and folk art pottery, and have grown to love the elements, the colors, the…

SCRAP THE HOTEL, says Frank de Biasi, and rent a chic apartment. “You’re not going to have a dinner party in a hotel, after all. A rental in an area that’s close to open-air markets is a much better way to immerse yourself in the city. Plus, meeting people in the building makes for lively conversation and feels less transient, more personal. The 1st and 2nd arrondissements near rue Montorgueil have markets open daily—a great foodie neighborhood. Opt for a low floor to get classic soaring ceilings or a high floor for beautiful Parisian light.” WHEN YOU DO BOOK A ROOM…. “Hotel Relais Christine has been recently renovated, and it’s like a little jewel box.” relais-christine.com—KATHRYN IVEY…

“Galignani is the oldest English-language bookshop on the European continent and serves as an unofficial embassy for the English-speaking expat community,” says Jamie Creel of the librairie opened in 1801 by an Italian publishing family. “I spend hours here, browsing for hard-to-find, out-of-print titles.” Lisa Fine agrees: “I particularly like the selection of travel books and memoirs, along with those on decorative arts and design.” galignani.com Other top stops for tomes on decorative and fine arts: OFR. Bookshop • “It reminds me of book-shopping Brooklyn’s Williamsburg in the late 1990s. It’s casual, they have cool events, and it’s located in a charming part of the Marais.” @ofrparis—ARIANE DALLE 7L • “Created by Karl Lagerfield, the shop’s selection of books on decorative arts, designers, and architecture is perfect for me. We…

MOOD OF THE MOMENT Page 6 Antique balustrade: One Fairfax Road; onefairfaxroad.etsy.com. THE NEW JOIE DE VIVRE Page 17 Doisy headboard design: Inès Lucas; ineslucas.fr. Antique pitcher: Tricia’s Treasures; 205-871-9779. ANYTHING BUT ROUTINE Page 20 Antique chest: Lolo French Antiques et More; lolofrenchantiques.com. Cake plate: Table Matters; table-matters.com. Shears and marble slab: Sir/Madam; shopsirmadam.com. Ceramic bowl: Il Buco; ilbuco.com. Basket: Nalata/Nalata; nalatanalata.com. Laundry basket: Pigeon & Poodle; pigeonandpoodle.com. Vegetable brush: Labour and Wait; labourandwait.co.uk. Wallpaper: Elitis; elitis.fr. STYLE REVIVAL Page 32 Tent fabric: Piggly Wiggly by Bennison; bennisonfabrics.com. Tablecloth fabric: Wool Satin by S. Harris; sharris.com. Ribbon and piping: French Grosgrain by Samuel & Sons; samuelandsons.com. Table lamp: Iatesta; iatestastudio.com. Cachepot and bone inlay box: John Rosselli Antiques; johnrosselliantiques.com. THE ARTISTRY OF RESTRAINT Architectural and interior design: Le Berre Vevaud;…

THE NEW JOIE DE VIVRE A DOZEN WAYS TO FILL YOUR ROOMS (AND YOUR VANITY, AND YOUR WORLD…) WITH THE SPIRIT OF PARIS, NO PASSPORT REQUIRED CAFÉ CULTURE, EN SUITE Maison Drucker debuts headboards of lacquered rattan as a dreamy encore to their ubiquitous bistro seating. MEET THE ARTIST • Inès Lucas is a Paris designer and creative consultant whose work spans fashion and interiors, from Ralph Lauren and Neiman Marcus to Paris’s Hôtel Doisy and Etche Ona. It was amid consultations on the latter two projects that the namesake headboard and a partnership with the artisans at Maison Drucker, the oldest rattan seating workshop in France, were born THE FIND • Deco-inspired headboards crafted of peeled, lacquered rattan THE BACKSTORY • “My mother was a cabinetmaker, so I grew…

SHOWN ON: Ocean Jasper coasters, $80 for a set of four; creelandgow.com. Strada, Sail Fete, Verdi Alpi, Tappeti, and Breccia Vino tiles, from $33 to $80 per square foot; artistictile.com.…

“Tented rooms can invoke the illusion of more interesting architecture simply by creating the look of a pitched ceiling or manipulation of scale.”—INTERIOR DESIGNER ALESSANDRA BRANCA THIS WILL LAST 100 YEARS!” Napoleon Bonaparte reportedly said of his battlefield tent, the iconic blue-and-white striped shelter that served as his private, portable apartment throughout his Spanish campaign. This was the early 19th century, as the shrewd and rather stylish emperor’s victories were reaching an impressive tally and his military foresight was increasingly heralded for its precision (this prediction notwithstanding). Today, the convivial tent, famously festooned with deep-red scalloped wool trim, is intact and part of France’s Mobilier National, a collection of furnishings and fabrics used to decorate the palaces and country homes of state leaders. And the decorative legacy it represents has…

THERE IS SUCH A THING AS THE ART OF DOING NOTHING—and it is both elegant and enlightening. Such was the ruling sentiment of the 10 designers, shop owners, and bona fide bons vivants we asked to show us the best of the city today. Almost all endorsed Parisians’ mastery of just being: losing yourself in literature, conversation, architecture, even a game of pétanque in front of a park bench. It’s a spirit as essential to the city as the Seine. Here, how to embrace the riches of Paris, joyfully…

“It’s the best hour of the day, no?” asks Stéphane Olivier of France’s l’apéro, that sacred interlude before meals marked by slow-sipping aperitifs and dulcet discourses. “It is a way to end the working moment and reach friends or clients in a more social atmosphere.” Purists remind that it’s a communal affair, low-alcohol sips like Lillet Blanc or Dolin vermouth are standard, and, as Olivier suggests, extending it well into the night is always on the table.…

“The space already exuded classicism, thanks to its large volumes, including full-height wooden windows….For us, that was sufficient.”—RAPHAËL LE BERRE, DESIGNER DESIGNERS RAPHAËLLE BERRE AND Thomas Vevaud first met in the mid 1990s as students at the École Camondo in Paris. “We quickly saw we had common interests and a similar sensibility,” recalls Le Berre. For several years after graduation, their paths diverged. He ended up working for a firm specializing in restaurants and nightclubs; Vevaud trained with disciples of minimalist master Christian Liaigre. After joining forces in 2008, their differing experiences came together to produce both exuberance and a quite mesmerizing rigor. As Vevaud says, “We hate approximation It was this exactitude that attracted the owners of a three-bedroom Parisian apartment between the Place de la Concorde and Élysée…

ALTHOUGH BORN in Texas and Brooklyn-based, Wayne Pate’s soul speaks French rather fluently. The self-taught painter and textile designer’s works, which include partnerships with Atelier Vime and Studio Four NYC, fuse line, color, and abstraction in the manner of 20th-century visionaries such as Henri Laurens and Fernand Léger. Pate’s latest series, “Paris Elemental,” arose from an “obsession” with stripes he acquired while living in Paris. The result, like the late works of Matisse, is pure French liberation. waynepate.com…

Thirty years ago in January, Paris painter Marie Daâge took brush to dish to begin her vivid modernization of Limoges porcelain. Particularly paired with kindred pieces (like Versailles-inspired glassware), it shines as brightly today as ever.…

Maison de la Luz NEW ORLEANS Even in a city steeped in French influence, this guesthouse is a tour de force. Atelier Ace partnered with noted design firm Studio Shamshiri to transform the circa-1908 civic building into a warren of immaculately layered rooms. The outcome is as intoxicating as absinthe. The high-ceilinged suites with crested linens feel like hideouts in Le Marais, and the sunlit breakfast room captures the essence of the French parlor. Bar Marilou—created by French firm Quixotic Projects—is a scarlet boîte with an aperitif-forward menu and fringed, zebra-swathed barstools that feel custom-made for that muse of early 20th-century Paris, Josephine Baker. maisondelaluz.com NoMad New York City NEW YORK This stunning reimagining—an idiosyncratic and opulent cri de coeur—of a circa-1902 Beaux Arts building near Madison Square Park is…

VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Founded in 1906 L ’AMOUR CONQUERS ALL; it also inspired one of Paris’s greatest collaborations. Estelle Arpels and Alfred Van Cleef—each from legacy jewelry families—found their hearts drawn together in marriage, then in artistry and industry, when they opened one of Place Vendôme’s first jewelers. Romance has famously informed the work of Van Cleef & Arpels ever since: The first creation entered into the 1906 sales book was a diamond heart, and famed couples like Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier have since turned to them for pieces celebrating their unions. This year, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet inspired a 100-plus-piece collection capturing the magic of balconies and figures against artistic evocations of Verona and the Italian Renaissance. What’s not to love?…

DIOR Founded in 1946 TAKE ONE CREATIVE GENIUS and offer his inspiration to another, and you arrive at this divine Parisian pair: House of Dior, the fashion company founded in 1946, and Dior Joaillerie, the jewelry house led by Victoire de Castellane since its founding 20 years ago. She has, historically, evoked Christian Dior in pieces referencing his creations, shows, and even his passion for lace and flowers. On the heels of the joaillerie’s recent année anniversaire, the collection’s name—Gem Dior—is a pun declaring her devotion (j’aime Dior). But there’s no paste-up tribute here—de Castellane has absorbed Dior’s couture and deconstructed it into a stunning tumble of high-hued gems elegantly acrobatic in their energy. “A throw of stones like a throw of the dice,” she offers. The kinetics are irresistible,…

BOUCHERON Founded in 1858 BOUCHERON, C’EST VENDÔME. This relationship between jeweler and place goes back to the late 19th century, when Paris’s leisure class discovered the pleasures of the promenade in a space set between the new Opéra Garnier district and the Tuileries Gardens. Sensing opportunity, Frédéric Boucheron moved his business to No. 26 in 1893. Others followed, and Place Vendôme became (and remains) the bright sun of France’s jewelry cosmology. Now, Boucheron pays tribute to its storied setting with the Paris, vu du 26 collection. Vendôme’s paving stones inform a necklace set with frosted crystal stones; acanthus columns become a pearl tassel. Even the domes of the Grand Palais and the sculpted horses on the roof of the Opéra Garnier have their moments. There seems no more Parisian collection—and…

THESE DAYS, IT’S DIFFICULT TO imagine anything—certainly a garden—enduring for nearly 300 years. Yet, such is the story of Louis XV’s private gardens at the Trianon, a pair of palaces on the grounds of Versailles where the French monarchy retreated from the public view. It’s a poetic tale of unlikely perseverance chronicled in Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet at Versailles: A Private Royal Retreat (Flammarion; 2019). The saga of the Trianon design unfolds over four centuries with a series of repeating arcs: a new monarch assumes the throne, inherits the Trianon, then erases the presence of the previous monarch with renovations and additions. Because the Trianon was used as a private retreat from court, the chapters of its renovation and expansion reveal the intimate preoccupations of each ruler, reflecting a…

CHILEAN INTERIOR DESIGNER MICKY HURLEY and his wife, Malu, had long talked about finding a place in Europe—in particular, in Paris. Micky would travel there often to source antiques and art for his clients, and sometimes Malu would join him with the kids—they have five, ranging in ages from 18 months to 16. Malu knows the city well, having spent childhood summers at her grandparents’ home on the Avenue Foch. “And I adore everything about Paris,” says Micky. “The sky, the colors, the museums, the architecture, the parks, the beauty—all of it.” At a dinner party one night, the couple mentioned their interest in finding a pied-à-terre in the city. A friend knew of a regal two-bedroom flat in a glorious 17th-century city mansion on the Right Bank. As soon…