THE ART OF CHIC décor inspo

from Aspire Lifestyle Summer 2023

FIND RESPITE IN NATURE botanical gardens

ARTTHE Chic OF

The ideal recipe for eclectic chic, 21st-century style? Combine the classic details of a Haussmannian apartment with owner Emmanuel de Bayser’s eye for the finest mid-century furniture and design objects – plus a growing collection of contemporary art. Parfait!

TEXT ROBYN ALEXANDER PHOTOGRAPHS GREG COX PRODUCTION SVEN ALBERDING

When boutique owner and collector Emmanuel de Bayser outgrew his former Paris apartment – a pied-à-terre used mainly when he was in town to attend fashion weeks and select items for The Corner Berlin, his store in Berlin – he and his partner knew they wanted to stay in the same part of the city. “The previous apartment was a bit small since we intended to spend more time in Paris,” Emmanuel explains. “But I liked the Parc Monceau area very much, and it is ideal for our dog, so I was pleased when I found this apartment, just 200 metres from where we were before.”

The front door opens onto a spacious entrance hall, at the far end of which a stone console table by French architect Joseph Dirand is topped with a table lamp by Georges Jouve, vessels by French mid-century ceramicists George Jouve and Alexandre Noll, and a small ancient Greek sculpture. On the wall above the table are three sunburst mirrors by French mid-century jeweller Line Vautrin. On either side of the table, double doors with classic trios of inset panels open into two separate living spaces to the left and right of the entryway.

The area’s famed parks were not the only attraction, of course. As Emmanuel says, this part of Paris is “pure Haussmannian style” and features many of the hôtels particuliers (grand townhouses) typical of the famous 19thcentury city planner’s designs. “This part of the city immediately makes you feel like you’re right in the heart of Paris,” he says, adding that “this Paris, and what it o ers – architecture, monuments, museums, galleries, restaurants, shops – is a permanent source of inspiration.”

Situated on the étage nobile, the coveted second fl oor of a Haussmann-style building, the apartment came complete with threemetre-high ceilings, classic wooden panelling, and beautifully detailed interior mouldings.

Walk up the stone stairway complete with wrought-iron bannisters adorned with carved elements, pass through the doorway of Emmanuel’s apartment into a spacious entrance hall, and you are drawn into a veritable cocoon of elegance. All the original wainscoting and wall panelling, the triple-height interior doors, and the wooden skirtings and cornices are perfectly preserved; all are painted plain white against walls in a slightly warmer, creamier shade, which has the e ect of subtly emphasising and celebrating their refi ned visual appeal. Floors are mainly original oak parquet, topped by large natural coir rugs. And similarly, the window coverings are luxurious yet minimal; cream ceilingto-fl oor curtains and, where required, plain white semi-transparent window blinds for additional privacy.

So far, so classic – and yet, what takes these interiors to another level is not the urbane appeal of the ‘bones’ of the building or the sublime simplicity of the backdrop created by fl oors, windows and walls. Rather, it’s the fact that all of this functions as a supremely elegant frame for the eclectic and very chic furniture, objects and contemporary art that catch and hold Emmanuel’s discerning eye.

To a collector, of course, furniture can become less of an attraction than objects and artworks, quite simply because furniture tends to take up a great deal of space! As Emmanuel says, “Once the apartment is furnished, there is little you can add except objects and artworks. But an apartment should never be fi nished; it has to live and grow… so in a way, I usually start as a minimalist and with the years end up as a maximalist.”

In the living room on the right-hand side of the entrance hall, a red occasional chair by Jean Royère faces a pair of cream armchairs. The rectangular wooden occasional table in the foreground is by French sculptor Alexandre Noll, while the coffee table is by Francesco Balzano. The wooden chair is also by Alexandre Noll, and the stone torso is an ancient Roman piece. The small statue of a horse is by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone.

The carved plaster floor lamp by French mid-century artist and designer Serge Roche contrasts with a blue and white cylinder artwork by contemporary sculptor Anish Kapoor; the small figurative painting to its right is by Swiss artist Miriam Cahn.

This living space leads onto the kitchen to one side and the dining room on the other and features a pair of stone and bronze Francois-Xavier Lalanne sheep sculptures, as well as a suite of lounge furniture by Pierre Jeanneret. The white standing lamp is by French designer Pierre Paulin.

A circular green and white artwork by French artist Daniel Buren is the perfect complementary piece to a three-legged stool by French modernist designer Charlotte Perriand, and the sculptural table lamps are by Georges Jouve.

To the left of this internal doorway is a monochrome artwork by Austrian painter Arnulf Rainer. Displayed on a plinth beneath it is a sculpture by Austrian sculptor Josef Pillhofer.

The breakfast nook, adjacent to the kitchen, is furnished with a pair of vintage Chandigarh armchairs by Swiss modernist designer Pierre Jeanneret. The round table is by Francesco Balzano, the ceramic plate on the wall is by Pablo Picasso and the ceramic bowls on the table and the kitchen counter are all by Georges Jouve.

In the dining room, the granite-topped table and Standard chairs are all by French modernist designer Jean Prouvé. The vintage wall-mounted shelf is by Charlotte Perriand, and the ceramic pieces on the table with interior glazing are by Georges Jouve. The red circular artwork is by Swiss artist Olivier Mosset.

Homeowner Emmanuel de Bayser in his library, which includes art and design monographs as well as fiction titles. “You cannot live without books,” he says. The library is filled with bright, bold colours, with part of Emmanuel’s huge collection of books lining one wall. The vintage Standard table and chair are by French modernist designer Jean Prouvé. The table lamp is by Georges Jouve, as are the white (on the bookshelf), lime green and orange ceramic pieces; the blue vase is by French modernist ceramicist Suzanne Ramie.

Like the rest of the apartment, the bedroom features several very special vintage furniture pieces, including a pair of Jean Royère armchairs upholstered in old green velvet, a Standard side chair by Jean Prouvé, and a black standing lamp by Serge Mouille. On the round metal table by Philippe Anthonioz is a lamp by British Art Deco interior designer Syrie Maugham and a group of ceramics by Georges Jouve. The monochrome artwork above the table is by Greek artist Jannis Kounellis.

gravity HOW TO CHEAT

THE IDIOT’S GUIDE TO SLIP-RESISTANT TILES

On a list of ‘things you never thought about until you were 30’, tile slip resistance must surely rank in the top 10. That is until a wet tile sends you 100 km/h in the wrong direction. Suddenly, those decorative porcelain tiles you DIY laid on your bathroom floor are the biggest mistake you’ve ever made. If you’re in the throes of building or renovating your home, save yourself a whole lot of drama by becoming slip-resistant savvy, which starts right here with excellent advice from our friends at Italtile.

FROM SLIP TO GRIP: UNDERSTANDING S/R TILE RATINGS

For starters, there is no such thing as a truly non-slip tile. Anything as smooth as a tile will become slippery when wet. This is because a lack of friction between the tile’s surface and your foot allows Newton’s Third Law of Motion to prevail (#science). And so, the correct term for tiles engineered to o er surface friction is ‘slip-resistant’.

Slip resistance (S/R) is measured on a sliding scale (excuse the pun), with R9 being the lowest for tiles used in areas that never get wet or that wouldn’t put your life at risk if they were, like your kitchen backsplash. R13 is the highest for optimum outdoor slip resistance, perfect for tiling around pools, where a good grip is paramount. Italtile’s insistence on high-end quality means all their slip-resistant tiles are highly rated.

KEEP IT CLEAN WITH TILE TLC

You know what they say: cleanliness is next to nonslipperiness! If you don’t keep your tiles clean, a build-up of dirt and grime can hurt all that smart S/R engineering, reducing your tiles’ rating. Of course, repeatedly using harsh cleaning chemicals can also hurt tile performance over time. So, unless you’re conducting questionable medical practices from home, avoid using aggressive bleaches. Regular sweeping, a damp mop and warm water are all it takes to keep your floors clean enough to eat o of. Sort of: please don’t eat o your floor. For something with a little more antibacterial (and biodegradable) ‘oomph’ ask Italtile about their TFC Quick Clean Everyday Tile Cleaner.

HOW TO FALL CORRECTLY: A LAST RESORT

Failing the right slip-resistant tiles and the proper maintenance thereof, you need to know how to fall intelligently. Yes, that sounds like an oxymoron, but it could mean the di erence between a bruise and a cracked skull. If you feel yourself falling, protect your head by tucking in your chin, turning your head to the side, and bring your arms up to your forehead in the ‘brace position’ you see in airline safety pamphlets. Try and turn as you fall so that you land on your side, stay loose, keep your arms and legs bent, and roll out of the impact.

SLIP RESISTANCE IS LIFE

With kids, pets, and messy partners working against your attempts to keep a clean home, it’s a good idea to know how to ‘duck, tuck and roll’ like a ninja, lest you become one of the thousands of people who end up in the emergency room every year because gravity is cruel when tiles are slippery. But choosing highly rated slip-resistant tiles is the main thing, and Italtile should be your go-to store for smarter (and safer) flooring decisions!

Subscribe to the best luxury lifestyle magazine in South Africa. Read the latest in beauty, fashion, décor and design, travel, food and wine, motoring and loads more. A lifestyle to aspire to.