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Lally & Berger Studio was introduced by Charles Jouffre (founder of Par Excellence) from Atelier Jouffre to the Meurice hotel’s management. A little while later, Luc and Margaux were hired to renovate the hotel’s 160 rooms and suites over time. The peak of this collaboration throughout the years is surely the unveiling of the Belle Etoile Suite at the Meurice Hotel. Offering the finest view of Paris, the 6,674-square-foot Belle Etoile Suite on the penthouse level of the Meurice hotel is also one of the most spacious suites in Paris. The two designed every delicate detail of the Suite infusing it with character and personality. By showcasing highly-skilled French craftsmanship all along, Lally & Berger Studio truly aimed at offering a warm and convivial atmosphere to create a Suite where you instantaneously feel at home. 

The Suite Belle Etoile features Manufacture de Tapis de Bourgogne’s rugs hand tufted in wool and silk with cut and loop pile inspired by delicate feathers, Jouffre’s sofa, bedspread and curtains, as well as Meljac fittings. 

You may wonder who hides behind the Lally & Berger Studio. Margaux Lally and Luc Berger met while they were studying at the Ecole Supérieure d’Architecture Intérieure de Lyon in France. As part of their degree they both did an internship in the offices of the renowned French decorator Charles Zana. In 2013 they started their own firm together as they had heard about a project opportunity in Val d’Isère. They met Charles Jouffre for a 5-stars Hôtel project called le Yule. It is fair to say that his meeting with Charles Jouffre symbolizes their first introduction to high-end French Savoir-faire. Since then, they have been working on amazing projects, showcasing both their unique talent and exceptional craftsmanship. Intrigued by this powerful pair, we had the opportunity to interview them about their work for the Belle Etoile Suite and their approach to interior design and craftsmanship. 

What is the secret to a successful duo or team in interior design? 

Margaux L.: Complementarity is the Key of our duo. Together, we draw strength from our differences. We assume the eclectic style of our various projects and readily admit to having quite different personalities. I am more structured and sociable, Luc more patient and something of a perfectionist. However, we both share a passion for exceptional French craftsmanship. We are really complementary in our personalities, our way of working, our skills and it’s a source of strength. This duality makes the project process progress every time. It’s easier to find a solution when you talk with someone. 

Luc B.: For me, we are a team because we are always in the dialogue, as the pieces in our project. When we are not both convinced in a choice or an idea, we know this is not a good solution. We carry on our research until we are both 100% satisfied.

What were your inspirations for the suite Belle Etoile, which has been named “the most beautiful hotel suite in Paris” by AD Middle East?

Margaux L.:  We imagined this suite like a town mansion, a place with character and personality. We wanted each client to be able to take possession of the suite as if it were their own apartment. We used the architectural language of Parisian town mansions, most notably in the materials we employed: marble thresholds, a chevron-patterned parquet, wood paneling, gilding, bronze door handles with handcrafted details… Our approach was one of subtle, refined luxury, which is visible in the details (the embroidery on the broadcloth curtains, the bronze inserts between the parquet and marble flooring…). We wanted to maintain a warm, convivial spirit, rather than create a conceptual space with a ‘Wow’ effect, to transmit a notion of entertaining and art de Vivre à la française. Our goal was essentially to create a suite where you feel good and don’t want to leave.

Luc B.: Furthermore we wanted to accentuate what makes this suite so incredible and unique: its exceptional location. You feel like you’re all alone in Paris with the city at your feet and it’s as if all its monuments were there just for you. You never get tired of looking at them. Rather strangely, many of the windows were previously blocked up, notably in the bedroom. Working with the Pompidou Centre in front of you, waking up opposite Montmartre, putting on your make-up with a view of the column on the Place Vendôme, having lunch while looking out over the Louvre or relaxing while taking in the dome of the Invalides and the Eiffel Tower gives a magical dimension to each daily gesture

How would you define Lally & Berger’s style?

Margaux L.: We try to find the perfect balance between the place’s character and the client’s character. We want to expose our vision of Art de Vivre, the art of hospitality, and the pleasure of reception. In all our projects luxe is in every detail, in the material chosen and the manner we work them. That’s why we love to always work with high-end savoir-faire.

Luc B.: We are in the process of finding the perfect balance between tone, subtle shades, matter of materials, touches, furniture forms, brightness to create a sweet atmosphere and warm spaces. The more a space keeps your mind free, the more it will go through the ages. We prefer to mix styles to create soft timeless dialogue instead of playing with trends. Our way of working is to define the codes of space and to make them almost timeless. We want people not to be sure if they’re entering a décor from the past or from the future. We like to play with that notion of space and time. 

We are organizing a panel discussion on the 6th of May on how interior designers and artisans collaborate. Today it seems that there are two distinct worlds, who sometimes have difficulties communicating. But craftsmanship and interior design have common roots for sure. What place does craftsmanship occupy in your work? According to you, what is the recipe for a successful collaboration with craftsmen? 

Luc B.: We both share a passion for exceptional French craftsmanship and collaborate regularly with artisans like the Ateliers Joffre, Declercq Passementiers, and the Ateliers Saint-Jacques, but always in a very contemporary spirit. Prestigious materials crafted by excellent savoir-faire are one of the treasures of a sustainable world.  

Margaux L.:  Craftsmanship is what gives character to your project. Working as a team with knowledge exchange and finding a solution together is a successful collaboration.

What is the project you are the proudest of and what would be your dream project?

Margaux L.:  We are really proud of the Suite Belle Etoile. Projects like this don’t come along every day. The satisfaction with the result is immense. 

Luc B.: We really like challenges and building a team with passionate collaborators with specific knowledge to manage a unique project. For us any unique project is a dream project.

© Stephan Julliard

Learn more about the duo’s works on their website and enjoy the beautiful video displaying their work for the Belle Etoile Suite at the Meurice’s hôtel : http://www.lallyberger.com

Signatures Singulières magazine is passionate about great talents, so we were struck by the painter Yoann Merienne who definitely does not lack any talent …

Born in 1987 in Sallanches, Yoann Merienne now lives and works in Lyon. He started to paint at an early age and at the age of 13 he received the gold medal in the Wallonia International Artistic Competition. He graduated from Industrial Design in 2009, and then left to Australia for a year, from which he returned determined to devote himself to painting. His sense of detail, the intensity of his drawing, the play of light and shadow are some of his strong characteristics.

Yoann Mersenne’s universe

His universe is populated by warriors, knights, nomads but also explorers. They come back to life in shades of gray, for a disturbing and silent face to face. Yoann Merienne’s characters have the sculptural strength of great fighters, modern heroes, survivors from elsewhere and another time. They convey an impression of wisdom and silence.

Yoann Merienne’s characters are storytellers; they tell a story and an experience and Yoann Merienne is an explorer. It feeds on dreams, strange worlds and myths. Whatever form you choose, the painter takes the same contemplative look at the world and men. An invitation through its timeless heroes to meditate on the meaning of life. Yoann Merienne’s works are permanently displayed at Galerie Bayart.

Galerie Bayart

17, rue des Beaux-Arts

75006 Paris

Tél. : +33 (0)9 83 30 60 55

The interior designers Jessica Barouch, owner of JAG Gallery in Paris, and Francesco Balzano designed the new Damyel Store, setting a chocolate store vision of pureness and calmness. 

The decor unveils the elegance of Damyel chocolates through nobles materials. 

Les Ateliers Saint-Jacques made the carpentry and bar layout, making each alcoves or fluting eyecatching details and a perfect match with the ivory lime covered walls.

The sobriety and neutrality of the space contrast with the usual chocolate stores design, and is kind of an invitation to contemplation. And to savor delicate chocolates afterwards obviously.

Founded in 1988 by a passionate family, Damyel offers fruity chocolates with lime zest, grand cru ganaches, macaroons and praline truffles, all 100% vegan and artisanal.

Fine crafted chocolates with the most unique flavors and minimalist aesthetic crafted furniture, that’s a combination that we shall all embrace.

© Annick Vernimmen

After several years of undergoing extensive refurbishments, New York’s very own Waldorf Astoria is expected to open once again — and this time, with a new French touch.

Acclaimed French designers Jean-Louis Deniot and Pierre-Yves Rochon (PYR) — both originally based in Paris — have undertaken both sides of the luxury art-deco hotel’s latest renovations: Deniot, with the former rooms now turned into luxury apartments and penthouses as well as the amenity spaces, and Rochon with the general hotel interior and public areas, as reported by luxury lifestyle magazine The Robb Report on November 14. The new designs also bring back the “old world glory” of the hotel, reconstructing the grand ballroom as it originally was in 1980 as well as restoring the four-faced clock which dates back over a century to 1893.

In 2016, Deniot was featured on the AD100, a list from Architectural Digest which recognizes the world’s best interior designers and architects. The “tastemakers,” as the magazine referred to them, on the 2016 list were each artists with a vision, and all “supremely confident” — Deniot included. On the AD100 2016, AD wrote that Deniot places a “heavy importance on the atmosphere more than the actual look” and was then working on projects such as the 25,000-square-foot construction of a modern palace in Chandigarh, India as well as an apartment
overlooking the Tuileries Garden in Paris.

PYR also focuses on luxury hospitality, while integrating the location, culture, and history of each property into the final design. According to their website, their design philosophy “centers on creating a refined, comfortable atmosphere that celebrates elegance and warmth while providing a timeless backdrop for an ever-changing modern culture.” Previous works from PYR include award-winning designs for the other luxury properties such as the Four Seasons, Ritz-
Carlton, Shangri-La, Sofitel, among several others.

The Waldorf Astoria renovation, which began in 2017 and cost up to $1 billion, includes refurbishments to 375 hotel rooms and 375 brand new residential condos — the latter costing anywhere from $1.7 million and higher for purchase and expected to go on sale starting in 2020. The condos, which will be formally known as the Towers of the Waldorf Astoria, range from studios to four-bedroom apartments, averaging 1,700 square feet. They will also feature large floor plans with libraries, entertainment rooms and master bedrooms with en suite baths and
walk-in closets, as detailed by The Robb Report.

The complete renovation of the Waldorf Astoria is expected to be completed sometime in 2021.

The Salon Art+Design show returned for its eighth edition at the Park Avenue Armory from November 14 – 18, 2019. Being an incredible melting pot of design, vintage, modern and contempory art, it featured 56 leading art and design galleries (Apparatus, R Company, The Future Perfect, 21St Gallery), from 14 different countries.

Located in the heart of the Burgundy vineyards, the Manufacture de tapis de Bourgogne creates and manufactures carpets and rugs. Among its prestigious customers are the Plaza, the Ritz, the Meurice, Cartier, Christian Dior, Emilio Pucci, Airbus and the Elysée palace. 

Their latest News?

The creation of carpets for the Lalique stand at the Salon Art + Designin New York from November 14 to 18. 

A beautiful story of exceptional craftsmanship

In 1958, the Swiss firm TISCA, renowned for its high-end textile products, wanted to innovate and get closer to the exceptional know-how already present in France. They decided to manufacture handmade woven carpets. To do this, they settled in Moroges in Burgundy. In the 1970’s, the Manufacture de Tapis de Bourgogne developed a new technique: hand-tufted carpets. Success is quickly achieved as the talented Andrée Putman, Pierre Paulin, Jean-Michel Wilmotte, Philippe Starck and Peter Marino called on the Manufacture’s know-how. The manufacture also crafted carpets and tapestries for the greatest artists such as Robert and Sonia Delaunay, Kandinsky, Modigliani, Mondrian, Vasarely and Keith Haring. Today, the Manufacture supports designers all over the world in their projects of handmade custom carpets and rugs. 

Carpets made entirely by hand in France

For more than half a century, these rugs have all been made exclusively in France in the village of Moroges in the heart of Burgundy. It is the hands of their craftsmen who guide their work. And this is the case at all stages of creation: from drawing on canvas, through weaving on looms, but also combing, gluing and finishing. 

Tailor-made creations and “Signatures” editions

The Manufacture has built its reputation on its expertise in special orders. On the one hand, it offers an internal design office with the possibility of creating custom designs. On the other hand, it also offers editions of “signature” rugs developed with decorators and designers such as Pierre Yovanovitch, Damien Langlois-Meurinne, Elliott Barnes, Daniel and Michel Bismut, and Noé Duchaufour. 

Artisanat d’art

As a sign of recognition of its craftsmanship and excellence, the Manufacture is labelled EPV (“Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant”) which means “Living Heritage Company”. It is also part of the Ateliers d’Art de France. Finally, it is a member of the Bellecour Committee. 

The design trio Charles Jouffre (founder of Par Excellence), Margaux Lally and Luc Berger renovated the Meurice’s Belle Etoile suite. A four-bedroom duplex suite with a spectacular Italian marble bathroom with Jacuzzi. Housed on the top floor of the hotel, this suite offers exceptional views of Parisian monuments including the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. 

Handcrafted details await you at every turn, creating a refined luxurious atmosphere. Par Excellence craftsmen participated in the renovation of this sophisticated suite. Manufacture de Tapis de Bourgogne workshop made rugs hand tufted in wool and silk with cut and loop pile inspired by delicate feathers. Jouffre workshop made the sofa, the bedspread and curtains. And Meljac took care of the Electrical Hardware. 

AD asked the question “Is this the most beautiful suite in Paris?”. Par Excellence’s answer is definitely “Yes!’. 

Christophe Grünthaler is the heir to the founder of the family firm of the same name, and he sees things on a large scale. He brought back into fashion the heraldic art. The concept ? The revival or creation of emblems ex-nihilo and sculptures to your glory. To be transmitted from generation to generation, as some of our ancestors did through the coat of arms. 

A family story

In 1877, Nicolas Grünthaler created a clock and goldsmith’s house in Lyon. With his 6 sons, he added jewelery, objets d’art as well as chandeliers and marble works at their know-how range. From now on, the Grünthaler house proposes to create unique and customized family crests and personal emblems. 

Timeless symbols

The family crests appeared in Europe in the 12th century to identify knights unrecognizable behind their armor. They painted on their shields chevrons of colors. Then came the animal, vegetable and geometric figures. For a long time, those family crests were reserved for a particular elite. Only knights ennobled by the King as a result of their exploits and then the powerful aristocracy could claim it. 

New aristocrats

For Christophe Grünthaler, the aristocrats of the 21st century are entrepreneurs, financiers, top athletes and people. He encourages them to mark their success by creating their own emblems. The Maison Grünthaler wants to symbolize their life story, their origins, their values, their success. Before, these emblems were affixed on silverware or jewels. Today, you can find them on upscale contemporary articles like tableware, bags, perfume bottles, candle holders or even a denim jacket! These items are selected from luxury homes, designers and exceptional craftsmen. 

Since one of the goals is to show its success, why not reproduce these emblems on monumental sculptures? Even to include Street Art! This is the brilliant idea of Christophe Grünthaler. 

Far from traditional collections, Christophe Grünthaler creates works that mix tradition and contemporary art such as signet carvings measuring 20 cm to more than 2 meters. And the materials are traditional or more moderns: resin, chrome, bronze, gold, leaf, silver.

A desacralized symbol

“I take the code of the historical signet ring and divert it from its primary function. The jewel becomes a work of art, testifying to the richness of a life. Engraved on a prestigious symbol, this unique story, yours, represented through the personal emblem, becomes the theme of sculpture.”

So Christophe Grünthaler desecrates the signet ring through these creations. Some models are directly inspired by Street Art with strength of tags and graffiti! His giant signet ring reminiscent of the monumental diamond Jeff Koons, upsets the received ideas. Imaginative in size and color, its visual impact is strong. The colors are bright, the most extreme fantasy is at the rendezvous!