New Paris Style

First published: November 18, 2013 by France Today Editors

There’s no shortage of style in the City of Light, and its innate chic is reflected in the homes of its residents. Parisians have long been held to be cultivators of flair and sheer good taste, and le bon chic is alive and well in the world’s fashion capital. But change is afoot, thanks to a new surge of fresh talent who are taking the reins of some of the city’s time-honoured métiers.

A new and burgeoning design scene is thriving, despite today’s sensitive marketplace. Whether it’s the scenery that inspires such innovative vision and ingenuity, or the collage of skyward monuments and palatial museums, the timeless elegance of a bourgeois quartier or the edgy urban character that lies within a medieval enclave, the capital looms large in the design sensibilities of its residents.

These homeowners are creatives in the fields of fine art, fashion, interior design and photography, among others. They share the philosophies that served as the starting point, and the fulfilment that comes from creating a space that is an expression of how they want to live.

In some cases, it is a combination that draws on heritage and the knowledge and skill of local craftsmen, while other residences balance fluid forms and natural materials to result in a case study in rustic chic.

Style-wise, diversity is key, and there is no single look or unifying theme. The heady mix of Parisian form and style leads us on a journey that takes us around the spiral of arrondissements – from the historic 1st, in which are found the homes of actors (Marc Lavoine) and architects (Isabelle Stanislas), to lesser-known neighbourhoods such as Gambetta in the northeast 20th.

For those with the ingrained instincts of a collector and a love of amassing artefacts and objets trouvés, it is clear that someone like Jean-Christophe Aumas, director of creative agency Voici-Voilà, has turned his ability to see beauty where others might fail into an art form, as
is evident in his one-bedroom refuge, located on the vibrant western edge of the 10th arrondissement. The apartment’s design embodies the unscripted look of flea-market treasures and street finds, set against bold works of art and blocks of colour to form striking mises en scène, which makes the overall effect so compelling – you never know quite what to expect.

It is this unexpected quality that makes the homes of these Parisian style-makers so fascinating. This, together with the strong personalities of the homeowners that shine through each design, is what catches our eye and fires our imagination.

In the Heart of Paris

Art Above the Market

Joséphine and Emmanuel Gintzburger

An interior designer has transformed a neglected historic gem in the market enclave of Montorgueil by introducing contemporary luxury to its rustic charms.

The first thing visitors notice when walking into Joséphine and Emmanuel Gintzburger’s 17th Century home are the striking works of art that cover the walls and line the floors, from a provocative image by the Chinese artist Jiang Zhi to works by the likes of Thomas Struth and Wilmar Koenig, whose homage to the baroque style takes pride of place above the mantelpiece. “It depicts the most elaborate church you will find in the whole of Bavaria, in the centre of Munich,” says Joséphine. “It is the only piece I have with me that relates to my hometown.”

The apartment illustrates Joséphine’s love for art, fashion and design, honed by 20 years spent working for Louis Vuitton, Céline and Christian Dior, where she was head international buyer before leaving to start her own interior design business. She now runs her company from
a glass-fronted atelier, located in the lively Montorgueil markets enclave and set within a cobbled courtyard overlooked by her split-level apartment. Before its transformation, the flat was in a derelict state. Partitioning walls were removed to create a more organised layout and larger, brighter spaces, which now house the kitchen, a TV room and the bedroom of the eldest of their three children. The loft-like upper level contains further bedrooms.

Joséphine was keen to restore the original features, and to incorporate elements that would suit a busy family life. Where the original floors could not be saved, she used poured concrete instead, a functional choice that serves as a counterpoint to the home’s antiquity. In the main living space, a palatial setting with rustic beams and soaring windows, Joséphine painted the floors a blue-grey colour. Throughout the flat is a sense of fun, evident in the funky, floral vintage lamps and ‘Rose’ chair in hot-pink velvet by Masanori Umeda for Edra. In the romantic master bedroom, gold and turquoise walls are complemented by crisp, white paintwork, a lilac-coloured bed by Ligne Roset and a pair of antique wall sconces that provide flickering, atmospheric candlelight.

Retro and contemporary influences continue in the bespoke kitchen, designed by Joséphine, with a hot-pink and red colourway that serves as an effective contrast to the backdrop of steel and concrete. Once again works of art, here by Judith Huemer and Andy Warhol, are the focus. A chandelier that belonged to her grandmother adds to the playful sense of kitsch. After all, says Joséphine, “a home should be full of the kind of contrasts that create an impact and draw on emotions” – an effect that she achieves.

Excerpt from New Paris Style, by Danielle Miller, as seen in the August-September 2013 issue of France Today.

New Paris Style by Danielle Miller, photography by Richard Powers. Thames & Hudson, 2012.

Share to: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

Previous Article Paris by Edward Rutherfurd

Next Article Eden Theatre, World’s Oldest Cinema, Reopens in La Ciotat