< PreviousA R EN A / P a ris INCE SET TING UP HIS O W N FIRM IN 2 0 1 3 , the French interior designer Dami- en Langlois-Meurinne has es- tablished a well-oiled aesthetic. His projects typically feature strong axes, a subdued colour palette, and the integration of niches and alcoves. “They help to create intimacy,” he notes. He also likes curvaceous furni- ture forms and eye-catching chandeliers. “For me, they should be very dynamic elements in a space,” he says of the latter. “The rest of the furniture is fi xed and tied to gravity, whereas they are more ethereal.” Another integral part of his approach is rooting his schemes in the past. Whenever there are authentic archi- tectural elements, he tries to conserve them. If not, he of- ten faithfully recreates them. This 410 sq/m, fi ve-bedroom apartment in Paris’s 7th arrondissement is housed in a graceful building dating from 1918 with beautiful volumes. The entry gallery in particular is extremely capacious and the hallway leading to the bedrooms is surprisingly generous in width. Yet, the interior had retained little in terms of character. It had undergone an unsympathetic renovation in the Eighties, during which most of its original details had been removed. All that was left was the marble fi replace in the living room and the chevron-style parquet fl oor. “It had the kind of semi-modern look that people tried to create back then,” recounts Langlois-Meurinne. “My aim was to give it back its historical charm”. In several spaces, he installed stylishly simple fl oor-to-ceiling wall panelling. “I like to have a poised, rhythmical framework as a backdrop,” he explains. “I fi nd it calming to the eye.” Otherwise, he carried out very few structural changes. He realigned the openings on either side of the entry gallery and moved the kitchen to the front of the apartment. “Once I made the decision to link it to the reception rooms, I felt it was important for it to have a certain so- phistication and refi nement.” That is very much the case. Most of the cupboards are cleverly concealed behind panelling, brass-edged shelves are preciously decorated with artworks and objects, and the kitchen countertop is housed in a sort of wall screen clad in a textural stone. Another screen fi ts snugly to the walls at one end of the master bathroom, but this time in mirror. For Damien, it’s a throwback to a childhood mem- ory. “In a family château, there was a bathroom with a screen behind which you could get changed,” he recalls. While the architectural framework he created has a quintessentially classical bent, the furnishings and art- works are almost entirely contemporary in character. They were sourced with the help of the young Paris- s ABOVE FROM LEFT: A view from the apartment of the Eiff el Tour; in the study, the desk is a custom version of the Silas model from Hamilton Conte. The fl oor lamp is a late Fifties design by René-Jean Caillette and the artwork is by Evariste Richer. 60 AD_033_58-65_Arena_Paris_11265912.indd 6024/06/2020 09:50:33 PMAR E N A/ Melbour ne 109 Cerused oak cupboards, brass detailing – including a Margot tap – and green marble fl ooring create a luxe palette in the kitchen. The Velvet Snow table is the Damien Langlois- Meurinne and the chairs are a José Leite de Castro design. Above them hangs a chandelier from Venicem. AD_033_58-65_Arena_Paris_11265912.indd 6124/06/2020 09:50:51 PMA mirror by Vincenzo De Cotiis from Carpenters Workshop Gallery hangs above the fi replace in the sitting room. The armchairs are from Arteriors. A sculpture by Antoinette Faragallah from Chahan Gallery sits on the Joël Savry coff ee table. Ceramics by Agnès Debizet and Isabelle Sicart are arranged on a console of Langlois- Meurinne’s design . The artwork is a Cibachrome print by Evariste Richer. A sculpture by Xavier Veilhan can be seen through the doorway. AD_033_58-65_Arena_Paris_11265912.indd 6224/06/2020 09:51:04 PMA R EN A / P a ris 63 AD_033_58-65_Arena_Paris_11265912.indd 6324/06/2020 09:51:17 PMThe master bathroom. The custom vanities and bathroom surround are made from Nero Marquina marble and stained brushed oak. A white plaster Porta Romana pendant light hangs over the Bette tub. AD_033_58-65_Arena_Paris_11265912.indd 6424/06/2020 09:51:24 PMA R EN A / P a ris 65 based art and design consultancy, Aster. One of the most dramatic is the sculptural Vincenzo De Cotiis mirror above the living room fi replace, which Aster’s Justine De- spretz likens to “a sort of big golden menhir” or prehistor- ic standing stone. One of Damien’s favourite pieces, mean- while, is the bronze table from Mathieu Lehanneur’s Ocean Memories series in the family room. “I’m fascinat- ed by the density of the material,” he explains, “and at the same time its wave-like forms give it a lightness.” Such creations by leading stars of the contemporary de- sign scene were mixed with a vintage fi nds, such as the Pierre Jeanneret desk chair in the study, and pieces by lesser-known talents, the most notable of which is Joël Savry, who imagined both the organic- shaped coffee table in the living room and console in the hallway. When it comes to art, Lan- glois-Meurinne has very distinct tastes that are closely refl ected in the collection he and Aster’s Nicolas Beutler put together. He tends to have an aversion to contemporary fi gurative paint- ing. “It often has too much pres- ence, which can overpower an interior,” he asserts. “I prefer abstract works that are an exploration of forms and mat- ter.” A perfect example is the Evariste Richer Cibachrome print in the living room, which for him evokes both au- tumn and nature. His choices in terms of photography, on the contrary, are almost uniquely fi gurative. “For me, a photo is like a window on a wall,” he explains, “so, I like to have something realistic and intriguing.” For Beutler, the strongest works in the fl at are the se- ries of images of oceans in the entry gallery by the Japa- nese-born photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto, which neces- sitate exposures that last several hours. As a curator, he believes his role is to put together collections that are not only coherent, but will also stand the test of time. “My aim,” he says, “is to propose artists who add something new to the history of art.” dl-m.fr; aster-design.fr CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The bed in the guest room is dressed with linens from Tréca. The bedside lamp is by Helle Damkjaer and the armchair is from Versmissen; the sitting area in the master bedroom features a Duistt sofa fl anked by Kelly Wearstler sconces and a painting by Désirée Engelen. The dish is by Agnès Debizet; the elegant dressing room. “ I liked to have a rhythmical backdrop. It’s calming to the eye ” AD_033_58-65_Arena_Paris_11265912.indd 6524/06/2020 09:51:38 PMHIGH SUM MER Words Gay Gassmann Photography Francis Amiand Set in the hills above Cannes, this dreamy family villa designed by Humbert & Poyet raises the bar on indoor-outdoor living 66 AR E N A/ C a nne s AD_033_66-73_Arena_Cannes_11304550.indd 6624/06/2020 09:53:33 PM000 AR E N A/ C a nne s The main living area opens onto the vast terrace and pool. Inside are chairs by Pierre Jeanneret and coff ee tables from Roche Bobois. The dining area has a pendant light and chairs from Moroso. AD_033_66-73_Arena_Cannes_11304550.indd 6724/06/2020 09:53:42 PMABOVE: Emil Humbert (left) and Christophe Poyet standing in front of the wall composed of wood panels in brass and three shades of blue—Marine, Azur, and French. The fl oor is Calacatta Sponda and Nero Marquina. OPPOSITE PAGE: The kitchen has custom rosewood cupboards and Humbert & Poyet lighting. The stools are from Stellar Works. w ITH A RARE 360-DEGREE VIEW OF CANNES AND THE LÉRINS ISLANDS, this family residence is full of natural light and a colour palette inspired by the Mediterranean below. Designed by young interior architect design duo Humbert & Poyet, the house is the perfect expression of indoor-outdoor living. Founded by Monacan Christophe Poyet and Parisian Emil Humbert in 2007, the creative studio has since put the fi nishing touches on projects from Monaco and Mexico City to Dubai, Hong Kong and London, to name a few. When Humbert and Poyet signed on to the project, the residence was merely a concrete shell. The owners, who began the projects several years prior, had decided to halt construction for a period of time. “We received a modern, raw structure that was open to nature and we had to fi n- ish everything,” recalls Poyet. “All the fl ooring, the win- dows, the surfaces – everything.” The owners, whose pri- mary residence is in Paris, wanted the property to express the glamour of the Côte d’Azur: “something so- phisticated, connected to nature, and a design where the inside and outside communicate,” explains Humbert. The 13,000 sq/ft fi ve-bedroom house is connected by a four-story central staircase and was designed to offer its occupants stunning views through every window. “The staircase is the spine of the house, and we decided to create this colorful link, this gesture, to connect all of the fl oors,” notes Humbert of the architectural feature, pointing out that they chose to incorporate three shades of blue on its walls. The designers, given carte blanche for the interiors since the owners didn’t plan to bring many of their previ- ously procured items, sourced and designed everything. “It’s an eclectic mix of objects—vintage, modern, [some pieces] designed by us,” says Humbert. “This is what we like to do all the time.” Also characteristic of their work is the attention to precise details and the use of textured materials like marble, brass, wood, and caning. The bold designs on the fl oors, bright colours, and sleek bathrooms are all Humbert & Poyet signatures. Asked about his favourite area in the home, Humbert doesn’t hesitate in naming the kitchen. “It is really open on three walls, to nature and to the living area. I love this room because we have a beautiful patterned fl oor and this is the one [place] to gather with your friends and en- tertain.” Poyet, meanwhile, is partial to an intimate lounge area, which connects two guest rooms and a small offi ce. “It is a little living room on the fi rst fl oor with this amazing view of Old Cannes,” he explains. “To read, to have a drink – a really cosy corner.” The project took a little over a year and both designers say they are delighted with the outcome. “Colour is a part of our DNA; we love to mix colors, natural stone, textiles, and fabrics,” Humbert notes, summing up his and Poyet’s trademark aesthetic, before adding with a laugh, “We also like fl amboyant!” humbertpoyet.com AD_033_66-73_Arena_Cannes_11304550.indd 6824/06/2020 09:53:52 PM6969 AR E N A/ C a nne s AD_033_66-73_Arena_Cannes_11304550.indd 6924/06/2020 09:54:08 PMNext >