Paris on my mind by Jennifer Gyr - Day 1
By Jennifer Gyr
I fell in love with Paris when as a teenager I was watching Audrey Hepburn swan through the ville lumière in the movie “Funny Face”. Over the years I have been so lucky to make many trips to this enchanted city with friends and family. My trip in late February was the first time I was in Paris by myself with my limited French vocabulary of “Bonjour”, “Merci” and “Au Revoir” (which even then I would speak in a whisper so that my Southern accent wouldn’t decimate the beauty of the language).
What a magical week it would be. As Audrey said so perfectly, “Paris is always a good idea”!
Day 1
After dropping off my bags at my hotel, I went straight to the Fondation Louis Vuitton in the Bois de Boulogne to see the exhibition, “Charlotte Perriand: Inventing a New World”. Charlotte Perriand (1903-1999) was one of the top French architects and designers of the 20th century and was a pioneer of modernity. The exhibition spanned seven decades of her packed career and practically filled every floor of the fondation. I was in for a treat. In her work she wanted to create functional living spaces in the belief that better design helps in creating a better society. She conceived rooms for the “art of living”.
From left to right: A young Charlotte Perriand, The Fondation Louis Vuitton designed by Architect Frank Gehry in 2014
From left to right
Picture 1: Charlotte Perriand’s iconic tubular chaise longue designed together with Le Corbusier (she was in her 20s at the time!)
Picture 2: A “side by side” chaise longue (one piece of furniture). This would be perfect for our post-pandemic world as you recline in opposite directions. Makes one think of how furniture will be reconfigured in our new way of living after the virus.
Picture 3: Beautiful installation with color and light. A wonderful example of how lighting is so important in design and can be realized in a creative way.
She renovated this apartment when she moved in and she took design cues from Charlotte and had the wooden kitchen table made at a lower height than normal so that the chairs could be used as dining chairs (while another one was used as a living room chair). She also incorporated leather pulls on her cabinets to mimic the leather on the chairs. I love how she blended ideas of mid-century furniture into her contemporary surroundings. A note for those trying to find space – her small freezer is located underneath the dining table inside the wall.
The design surprises kept coming. As a New Yorker always in need of space, I have constant dreams of “finding” an extra room in my apartment that I never knew existed. Well, Maïk found her “secret” room!! During her renovation, the workers were going to install a microwave into the kitchen wall. Maïk happened to be there when they cut the opening out and she put her hand (holding her iPhone) into the opening and took some photos and voilà! There was an amazing space behind the wall with original wooden beams. It turns out that this area was part of the ornamental sculptural elements on the outside of her apartment building. The beams were in good condition and she only had to put in new flooring and insulate and build new walls. Now she has a cozy 2nd bedroom.
They literally had to kick me out of the museum as they were closing. I then headed to meet a friend at her apartment in the 8th for a glass of champagne. Maïk Bouchayer is a real estate agent with a keen eye for design so I was so looking forward to seeing her apartment for the first time. As I entered her 7th floor apartment, I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the light pouring into the windows, and just beyond was a spectacular view of the Eiffel Tower. My first thought was, “do you need a roommate?”. I then looked to my left and couldn’t believe my eyes. Right in front of me were four Charlotte Perriand chairs! The design gods were smiling. Maïk bought them years ago and they have moved with her to each apartment she has lived in.
To top off such an inspiring visit, we stepped out into her balcony for that glass of champagne and saw this magical panorama of Paris. A perfect way to end my first day.
To be continued … à suivre….et à bientôt!
Jennifer Gyr is a Creative Consultant at Par Excellence. After obtaining a degree in Art History and Photography, she was a Helena Rubenstein Intern at MoMA in NYC and she completed the “Works of Art” course at Sotheby’s in London. She then worked for several years at the photography gallery Hamiltons Gallery in London and at Hyperion Press and Keith de Lellis Gallery in NYC. She was a private photography dealer for many years and served as an archivist and curator of a private photography collection in NYC. She also archived the estate of the photographer Horst P. Horst. She has curated several exhibitions and consulted on numerous photo books and exhibitions including with The National Portrait Gallery in London. When not seeking her next travel inspiration she lives in Brooklyn with her Swiss husband.
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SHOTnLUST: a digital Art library
Our mission at Par Excellence is to represent the finest French artisans and unveil their exceptionnal know-how. Craftsmanship is for sure closely tied to interior design and architecture, but there is also artistry in the carefully-crafted pieces that our partners make everyday.
Why ? Because they produce works that transcend functionality and that are appreciated for their beauty and emotional power as well.
Therefor, at Par Excellence, we are quite sensible to Art in general and if you’re too, you should deep dive into SHOTnLUST, a digital visual poetic library about Art with a capital A.
If you wanna know about Photography and its masters Peter Knapp, Nan Goldin, Larry Clarck, Diane Arbus, Helmut Newton among others…
If you’re deeply connected to Cinema and references as Ingmar Bergman, Jacques Demy, Elia Kazan, Dennis Hopper or Jim Jarmusch.
If you are obsessed with sculptures, artistic installations, performances, painting, graphic arts and want to know about Marina Abramović and Ulay, Mona Hatoum, Linder and Gordon Matta Clark.
If you feel the need to learn about Dance and Pina Bausch, Akram Khan or Rudolf Noureev.
Finally if Architecture is something that appeals to you, and you want to see how design, art and landscapes are all elements of this dynamic that architecture is, then SHOTnLUST is the place you should explore to rediscover Alvar Aalto, Oscar Niemeyer, Ricardo Boffil, Tadao Ando and Alvaro Siza Vieira.
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Sustainable Living & Organizational Design with Clara Sharma
Clara Sharma is a French interior designer and sustainability expert based in New York City. Specialized in sustainable living and organizational design, she has dedicated her career and personal life to Human Rights and the environment for the last couple of years. After turning for a more minimalistic and sustainable lifestyle, she now raises awareness around consumerism through her work as an interior designer and is a proud advocate of minimalism in every way.
© Alice Prenat – Portrait Madame
Quite impressed by her path and her commitment, we had a chance to have a very interesting chat with Clara Sharma to understand more where it all comes from. Her background as a lawyer might explain her strong will to make things change for the best and to help people grow and expand in their life. Indeed, after studying International Law and Human Rights in France, she pursued her career in NYC and completed a Masters in Human Rights at Fordham University, School of Law, with a major in CSR. She focused her work in the fashion industry. Fond of fashion herself she quickly realized how devastating for the environment and Human Rights this industry is. This was the first trigger and from that she decided to change her habits and educate others through Iconable, her first company founded in 2017 and dedicated to sustainable fashion. The passion around this kind of topic kept growing and Clara realized that she could actually serve a greater purpose, and decided to expand her mission beyond fashion. Over-consumption in general and waste are a real problem and impact the majority of industries. She thus took a step back and reflected on how she could educate people on these issues and teach them means to have a positive impact on our planet and upgrade their life by buying less. Her innate talent for creating peaceful and elegant interior design combining unique fabrics and timeless creations led her to transform one of her friend’s interior keeping in mind her motto “Living better with less”. That was the start of Clara Sharma’s interior design studio that she founded in 2019.
“When you simplify your life, you elevate it.”
For Clara Sharma it is all a matter of 3 main steps towards a clean and sustainable space: de-cluttering, organization and minimalism. People are very receptive, her agenda for the next couple of months is full with interior projects and she is regularly invited to speak at conferences and to offer insights at a growing base of consumers willing to make a change. She is indeed dedicated to the educational aspect of her job; “Consumers are the key to change, they have the power to determine the future of sustainable development”. Although she acknowledges how difficult it can be sometimes for consumers to distinguish between green washing, hidden scandals and true sustainable initiatives, she advises them to adopt a minimalistic lifestyle and reduce their consumption as a solution. The key is to focus on the quality of the purchases by buying lasting second-hand pieces, timeless creations, artisans’products etc., and get rid of the unnecessary amount of goods you own to simplify your space. “ Everything in its place and a place for everything”. Once this message is understood by her clients, Clara Sharma fades in the background and let her customers grow and develop with this new mindset. She insists they often become the best advocates of this cause and always pass on the message around them.
“Consumers are the key to change, they have the power to determine the future of sustainable development”
Driven by minimalist interiors and clear spaces Clara draws inspirations from French designers such as Pierre Paulin or Joseph Dirand. Her curious spirit absorbs countless of color palettes, textures and shapes that she encounters through her travels.
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Architecture, Interior Design & Sustainability
The definition of Architecture is the Art of designing and constructing buildings and the one of interior design is the art or process of designing the interior decoration of a room or building. Both modify their environment by transforming or creating space. They aim to improve the quality of life of people in their environment.
Considering their definition, it would be logic that interior design and architecture take into account their environment and include sustainability in their core. And it’s more and more the case!
But first let’s be precise that this article doesn’t aim at telling design professionals to move to sustainable projects only but is more some food for thought, some examples of sustainable architectures or interiors, some principles of sustainability.
Sustainability can be achieved through different ways starting by selecting eco-friendly products or materials. Green architecture is a way to reach sustainability.
For example using trees as a design element is something more and more common as they provide shade, boost air quality, and reduce air-conditioning
Let’s take a closer look to the Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapour.
The external facade is covered by natural vine. Its four sky terraces comprise 1,793 large planter boxes, and four large structural cores that allow for good cross ventilation reducing the overall energy cost. The hotel, which was designed by the firm WOHA, hosts 33 species of plants!
Another example of green building is the Crystal built by Siemens in London which uses natural light as electricity is mainly powered by photovoltaic solar panels. Moreover the Crystal is illuminated by an integration of LED which is switched on and off depending on the amount of daylight.
Finally, the building’s roof acts as a collector of rainwater which can be converted as drinking water.
This goal of green architecture has also been materialized over the past few years by the creation of the LEED certification, a rating system that builders, developers, and architects can adhere to. This certification takes into account location and transportation, water inefficiency, energy performance, the materials and resources etc.
Another recognized standard is the Passive House. Originated in Germany in the mid 1990s, Passivhaus, Passive House buildings generally cut energy consumption by 60-70 percent while LEED certified buildings typically use 25-30 percent less energy. Rather than rely on solar panels or wind turbines, Passive House is a building standard focused on the development of properties that use less energy from the start. Passive House is also more accessible as less costly.
Another example of green design which can be seen a bit more “extreme” is the work of Earthship Biotecture which is specialized in self-sustaining homes. Founded by Michael Reynolds, the origin of the project lies in the “thumb house”, a desert dwelling built out of 70,000 discarded beer and soda.
To date, Earthship Biotecture has created around 1,000 energy-efficient houses in more than 40 countries around the globe, ranging from luxury rentals to disaster shelters. Each building generates its own electricity, processes its own sewage, collects rainwater, and maintains temperature without any additional fuel.
His most recent and impressive work is the Villa Bonuco. After a terrible Hurricane in Puerto Rico in 2018, the firm and more than 200 locals gathered approximately $80,000 worth of raw materials and a whole lot of tires into what consist of five Earthship structures centered around a garden.
But sustainability is not only about ecology it’s also about social and economic practices.
In this era of mass production & consumption leading to a quantity of waste, people are more and more valuing what they have. This lead us to interior design and craftsmanship.
Unique products or products made in a limited quantity, handmade and with a story that is something that participates to achieving sustainability.
Obviously hand-crafted products are more expensive than mass-produced uniformed ones but despite economic challenges, consumers are more and more willing to pay a premium for creatively crafted products.
Therefore, homes can be responsibly furnished and decorated with carefully-crafted pieces. Why ? because it lasts longer, because their creation imply fewer waste materials as more has been put into the design and creation thinking.
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When Art meets Architecture meets History: a Fillmore Structure
When Art meets Architecture meets History.
Let’s take a look at a 6-meter deep stunning sculpture installed in Moxy East Village Hotel. The hotel, which was designed by Rockwell group, celebrates the East Village district, a lively and rebellious center of the American counter-culture at the time. The hotel has been built and decorated as a reference to NYC’s past, present, and future and draws its inspiration from the city’s rock’n’roll culture.
In the quite dramatic and dark designed Cathédrale restaurant, the Rockwell group collaborated with Italian artist Edoardo Tresoldi to create a floating metal sculpture suspended from the ceiling of the room. Made from metallic mesh, the Fillmore was named this way to pay tribute to the Fillmore East, a famous concert hall on the Lower East Side which had hosted groups and musicians among which Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Miles Davis, Janis Joplin or Neil Young.
Edoardo Tresoldi, included by Forbes among the 30 most influential European artists under 30, is known for his volumetric wire-mesh sculptures that often look like holograms of classical architectures past, such as the Etherea cathedrals at the 2018 Coachella Festival, Archetipo in Abu Dhabi, or the Basilica di Siponto in Foggia, Italy.
All pictures © Roberto Conte
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5 Top Architecture/Interior Design-related podcasts
Take a look at our top 5 Architecture/Interior design-related podcasts. A top and more over a top 5 is in essence subjective and non-exhaustive so don’t hesitate to tell us which is the best design-related podcast according to you!
Podcasts are always great resources, and specially on a niche subject like architecture, design or craftsmanship.
Photo by Skyler Smith
- The AD Aesthete podcast
Discover the AD Aesthete podcast, hosted by Mitchell Owens, Decorative Arts editor at AD. Listen to thrilling talks with design-world talents on passionating topics.
Episodes: The work of Elsie de Wolfe, Mario Buatta, trimmings and many more.
- Clever
Clever is a podcast launched by Design Milk about design and more precisely about designers. Genuine conversations about their works and lives with Jaime Derringer, founder and executive director of Design Milk and Amy Devers to learn more about these people who are shaping the world through design.
Episodes: Furniture & interior designer Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance ,Designer & Queer Eye Star Bobby Berk, Google’s Head of Hardware Design, Ivy Ross, Streetwear Designer Bobby Hundreds, the artist Daniel Arsham.
- About Buildings + Cities
A podcast about architecture, buildings and cities. Episodes are about 90 minutes and tackle the past, the present and the future of Architecture. What is interesting is that they sometimes call other art forms: cinema, literature among others.The podcast is hosted by Luke Jones (a partner at Mill & Jones, a british architecture and design practice) and George Gingell.
Episodes: The life of Michelangelo, Italian Architecture Under Fascism, John Ruskin & the 19th century, Le corbusier or the architecture of Blade Runner.
- The Chaise Lounge podcast
Interviews of the top interior designers asking how they got into interior design, why they started their own firm, and what makes them so successful. The podcast is hosted by Nick May, a painting contractor with a business in Denver, Colorado, Walls by Design. Little anecdote: He always begs the question, “Beer, wine or a cocktail?” The chaise lounge is now a worldwide venture and always hosts famous names in its episodes.
Episodes: Neal Beckstedt, Erin Gates, and many more.
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The Craft Project
Linking interior design and craftsmanship: this podcast gives voice to artisans with know-how often overlooked by the general public and what drives them. These craftsmen are the one who work with interior designers, collectors or luxury brands. Between tradition and innovation, the podcast does not only address their technique but also their spirit, their intelligence, their creativity.
At the origin of this project, Raphaëlle de Panafieu, co-founder of the Galerie Mayaro.
Episodes: Manuela Paul-Cavallier, ennoeler specialized in the work of gold leaf; Gérard Desquand, heraldic engraver; our talentuous partners: Lison de Caunes, Straw marquetry artist; Victor Guedy, stonecutter and corporate secretary and Pierre-Yves Guenec, blacksmith and business developer at Ateliers Saint-Jacques and Charles Jouffre, upholsterer and founder of Atelier Jouffre.
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Museums virtual visit
For art-lovers this situation seems to be pretty bad since all the museums and galleries we know and love are temporarily closed. However, we listed some of the great virtual exhibitions you can check out from home!
- The MET – 360° project
This award-winning series of six short videos invites viewers around the world to virtually visit The Met’s art and architecture in a fresh, immersive way. Created using spherical 360° technology, it allows viewers to explore some of the Museum’s iconic spaces as never before. Viewed more than 11 million times, this series affords an access and a perspective typically unavailable to the public. Viewers can experience the magic of standing in an empty gallery after-hours, witnessing a bustling space in time-lapse, or floating high above The Met Cloisters.
These videos are available on Youtube and can be viewed through this link on your smartphone, your computer, on Google Cardboard or a VR headset. Be sure to turn up the volume to hear the music, too.
- The Frick Collection: Explore the galleries online
The Frick Collection also offers a virtual tour of the several rooms that compose it. Click to their interactive map to select which rooms you want to discover and enjoy all the details of the artworks presented in the rooms. The virtual exhibition is compatible with iPad and iPhone. As an additional feature on iPad 2 and iPhone 4 and higher, you can pan around a gallery by moving your device to the left or right. The Frick Collection also allows you to view their lectures online, you can choose from a selection of more than 240 talks on everything from Antico to Zurbarán. You can also sign up for their virtual Bookclub!
See more on the link.
- The Cooper-Hewitt online exhibit
Cooper Hewitt is America’s design museum and today they allow you to explore 3 online exhibitions; “Zoom into this embroidered Panel for a Cabinet Door”, “Nature by Design: Botanical Expressions”, “African American Design”. These immersive virtual exhibitions guide you and explain all the details of the artworks showcased.
Click here to enjoy the immersive exhibitions.
- Welcome to the Whitney from home
While the museum is closed, you can enjoy for free their online resources! Hours of video content, including discussions, performances and The Whitney Stories series. You can also explore online Whitney’s collection of over 25,000 works, created by more than 3,500 American artists during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
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Design and Architecture series to watch at home
- Educational Videos Series: The Foundation of Classical Architecture
Although the ICAA has postponed planned lectures, courses, travel programs and more, we advise you to head to their website and take advantage of the abundant resources available online! These include online courses, documentaries, articles, publications and more. We particularly recommend you to watch the Education Videos Series. This one-of-a-kind 4 part educational video series is led by architectural historian Calder Loth who provides an introduction and overview of the elements of the classical language, including Greek Classicism, roman Classicism, Motifs & Details, and Classical Design Principles. Each episode is accompanied by a quiz offering the potential to earn AIA Learning Units. You can also have access to conferences and lectures on the ICAA’s website!
- Interior Lives by The Cut
New York Magazines offers us a tour of the most interesting interior spaces of NYC thanks to this series available on Youtube. Wendy Goodman, the design expert, guides us through the most extravagant and unusual interiors in the city, explaining us the details and the history behind each space.
Clink on the link to discover Interior Lives on Youtube.
- Design TV by SANDOW
Design TV by SANDOW, which debuts on Facebook Live Monday, March 30, will feature exclusive content from Interior Design and other SANDOW brands including Luxe Interiors + Design, Metropolis, Galerie, and ThinkLab.
“Architects, designers, and brand leaders are looking for connection and information during this difficult time and our focus, as always, is supporting the design industry,” says Adam Sandow, CEO and Founder of SANDOW. “We are introducing DesignTV by SANDOW to bring our global design community together.”
Each day, DesignTV by SANDOW will feature up to two hours of video programming, including live broadcasts with designers and industry leaders, as well as product presentations, virtual design tours, and candid interviews hosted by the editors of Interior Design, Luxe Interiors + Design, Metropolis, andGalerie.
Click on the link to see the full schedule.
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Christian Préaud, landscape architect
Atelier Jardins, tailor-made landscaping projects
From his earliest childhood, Christian Préaud has devoted a passion to the gardens that has never been denied. If he took some liberties with his lifelong vocation, today the creation of gardens – through his agency Atelier Jardins – is the priority of his life.
The journey of a garden designer
Born in Paris, Christian Préaud spent his childhood in Morocco and his adolescence in boarding school in the Alps. During the summer, the future landscape architect spends his holidays in Brittany between Carnac and Dinard, at his grandmother’s. Her garden gives birth to his passion for plants, observation of nature and working the land. But we will come to it later. Because Christian Préaud then pursued architecture studies at ESA Paris.
Then his life took several turns since he was consecutively a decorator, production assistant and producer of advertising films for fifteen years. However, the reminiscences of the happiness felt in the garden, pushed him to immerse himself more intimately in this very particular universe. Consequently, Christian Préaud then resumed his way to school and entered the National School of Landscape of Versailles. And in 2004, he created Atelier Jardins dedicated to residential and hotel projects. Exceptional gardens then hatched around the world.
An exterior architect
If the main activity of the Atelier Jardins agency is the architecture of gardens, it intervenes more and more regularly on buildings. And this, in renovation or in design ex nihilo. Indeed, for Christian Préaud, “The garden is not just a nice piece of land on which the house is built. It is above all the exterior extension of the interior space and, like any inhabited space, this garden has a function. To this function corresponds a form, it is the architecture of the place. “And the designer continues:” The use of evergreens is essential for the structure, so that the architecture of the garden is legible at all seasons.
“The garden is not just a nice piece of land on which the house is built. It is above all the exterior extension of the interior space “
Perennials and annuals then set the scene which unfolds and changes with the seasons. As for colors,” I like the monochrome masses, a lot of white and blue. And then water, in whatever form, but always present.” Today, Atelier Jardins’ projects are spread across Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Atelier Jardins
91, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
75008 Paris
Tél. : +33 (0)1 58 12 02 83
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A few interior design tips to make your home working space more cosy
Finding the motivation for an efficient and productive work day at home can be tough sometimes. But perhaps you should start by carving out a dedicated and comfy workspace in your home! Indeed, the design of the space should inspire creativity, motivation and help you get things done. From color combinations to natural light, you can change some elements to make a nice and positive space for your working days at home.
- The lighting & colors
Look for windows! Natural light is essential for your brain and your mental health! Set up your desk next to a window and choose nice curtains to control how much light filters through the window throughout the day. In general try to find a way to lighten your space by choosing an area with light shade walls. Even though neutral colors are better for concentrating, add some colorful shade to boost your creativity!
- The materials
Try to favor natural materials such as wooden tables and desks because they convey a sense of tranquility and connect you with nature. Add some plants and flowers as well. If you doubt it, check our article on why biophilic designs matter!
- The furniture
Choose your furniture well, nice chairs, nice desks, nice lamps, those are the key to productivity!
The lamp is Untitled S by Ozone, check out their work here!