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French Eloquence by Humbert & Poyet
French Eloquence by Humbert & Poyet
Drawing from various eras and art movements of the past two centuries results in a rare balance of subtlety and excess.
DESIGN | Humbert & Poyet | PHOTOGRAPHY Francis Amiand | WORDS Haydn Spurrell
Within the third arrondissement, in the northern section of Paris’s Marais, Humbert & Poyet designers Emil Humbert and Christophe Poyet reworked a two-storey apartment of sublime eloquence, simple in its layout and arresting in its atmosphere.
Humbert & Poyet handpicked the Arabescato marble to serve as a backdrop for the La Cornue range cooker. They custom-designed the Asterios suspension light to hang above the marble island, with BassamFellows Tractor stools. All kitchen cabinets are fitted with brass handles and painted in Farrow & Ball’s Calke Green.
An electric blue Grand Theodore sofa designed by Humbert & Poyet is the focal point in the living room, accompanied by their Theodore armchair and Gabrielle coffee table. A sconce by Gino Sarfatti (1963), painting by Bertrand Lavier and ceramics by Georges Jouve also make an appearance in this space.
The design is largely inspired by the Art Deco stylings of a bygone era. Defined by its popularity in the 1920s and 30s and characterised by sleek geometry and form materialised by human ingenuity, it proved a deep well for the designers to draw from.
A custom marble fireplace designed by Humbert & Poyet reflects their mission to keep traditional craftsmanship alive, by carefully selecting the best artisans and craftspeople.
Apartment Turenne features ornate frames, hardware by I1 Fanale, lighting and suspension by the firm’s in-house Asterios, and decorative furnishings, all of which use noble materials such as marble, terrazzo, wood and brass. “In all of our designs, we think it is important to carefully select the best artisans and craftsmen in order to keep traditional craftsmanship alive,” Emil says. “To source the marble we use for our projects, we work closely with the Carrara quarry where we go ourselves to handpick every slab.” Melded with a precise layout and Parisian-inspired interior design, Humbert & Poyet have captured all of these often disparate qualities and pulled them together harmoniously.
The dining room features Humbert & Poyet’s metallic Apolline table, paired with the Superleggera chairs by Gio Ponti for Cassina. Wall art by Katja Strunz.
Humbert & Poyet introduced terrazzo flooring with a custom terrazzo staircase and brass railing. Artwork: Subway drawings, Keith Haring 1986.
This transcendent balance of material abundance and the warmth accentuated by use of space, is encapsulated by the kitchen – modern in its design, yet balanced with classical inspiration. For the firm, the Arabescato marble is a standout, to serve as a backdrop for the La Cornue range cooker. Lining all of the kitchen’s surfaces, they “used the marble for its richness, colour and overall presence which really helps to bring the space to life,” Emil says. “When you have a party, there’s always a gathering in the kitchen – here, it’s around this incredible marble island,” he adds.
However striking through the abundance of design intricacies, Humbert & Poyet never lose sight of their mission – to craft a family home that speaks to the character of its occupants.
The primary bedroom features a large painting by Aaron Young (2001) above the Flexform bed, with a Magic Circus pendant and bedside table by Humbert & Poyet and Olimpia floor lamps by Franco Albini.
– Emil Humbert
Pierre Paulin Groovy chair, Serge Mouille wall lamp, chest by Humbert & Poyet, painting by Paul Stanley, ceramics by André Aleth Masson (1952).
Humbert & Poyet handpick every slab of stone they use in their projects while working with Italian artisans. The main bathroom features Arabescato and antique French black stone.
