Atmospheric Intent
Château Voltaire
“We believe it takes a certain kind of courage on the part of clients and designers to say to themselves that you can't please everyone and that you’ll find your audience, who, in turn, will be sensitive to what you share, and to the form of creation proposed, whether that be fashion, art, design etc.” — Charlotte de Tonnac
Located in the leafy 1st arrondissement of Paris, hotel Château Voltaire occupies an unassuming stucco-fronted building on rue St Roch, a side street off the famed rue du Faubourg St Honoré (the cities premiere shopping destination where proponents of avant-garde chic Eileen Grey (1878-1976) and Jean-Michel Frank (1895-1941) once presided over their respective boutiques) and a couple of minutes walk from the neoclassical splendour of Mansart’s (1598-1666) Place Vendôme. Contrary to popular belief, the hotel is named not for the French Enlightenment philosopher, but rather for the louche, skull-emblazoned fashion brand Zadig & Voltaire, for which its owner Thierry Gillier (b. 1960) is better known. In recent years, style-conscious travellers have grown increasingly weary of the sort of bland identikit hotels seen across the length and breadth of European capital cities; not only that, Pandemic induced confinement led us to reassess what the concept of “home” really means, and as such, now the borders are well and truly open (as evidenced once more by meandering queues of American tourists hoping to bag a table at Café de Flore or Les Deux Magots), those establishments that offer something a little more personal, approaching a home away from home, seem increasingly appealing. Paris as a city is somewhat unusual, in that it’s widely considered the de facto art and design capital of the world, where, over the centuries, the pomp and grandiosity of ancien régime made way for the somewhat more subdued modernism of twentieth-century greats such as Pierre Chareau (1883-1950), Marc du Plantier (1901-1975) and Andrée Putman (1925-2013); this melting pot of styles now exist in a seductively symbiotic harmony so unique the French had to invent a means of describing it, namely je ne sais quoi, which, quite literally means “I don’t know what”. Although cliched, it’s a phrase apt to describe Château Voltaire, which, whilst combining an unexpected amalgam of styles (Gothic revival, Arts and Crafts and Art Deco rub shoulders with original works by Cy Twombly (1928-2011) and Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988)), is seamless in creating a space at once original, yet entirely familiar, taking everything one expects from the “city of light” and repacking it for the culture conscious twenty-first-century traveller.
A first foray into hotels for Gillier, this 32-room five-star boutique auberge has an air of refinement the French might refer to as “entre le bon sens et le bon goût”, which, in essence, means the perfect confluence of good sense and good taste. “As we are in Paris, references to the past are present in very elegant forms, but it is a past that we have revived in a classic and contemporary approach,” explains Gillier. To achieve this vision, he asked art director Franck Durand (the man whose creative agency is behind campaigns for cult French fashion brands Chloé, Balmain and Isabel Marant) and Charlotte de Tonnac and Hugo Sauzay of Festen architecture (known for their atmospheric approach to design, with projects as diverse as Hotel Rochechouart in Pigalle and the glamorous Les Roches Rouges on the Côte d’Azur), to create a delicate, timeless destination that would stand out for its unique take on Parisian style. “It’s a hotel to live in where life is everywhere”, enthuses Durand, who, having married fashion icon and former Vogue Paris editor-in-chief, Emmanuelle Alt (b. 1967), is presumably well-versed in the art of joie de vivre. Festen steered well clear of cliche and concocted an entirely novel neo-retro decor, a nod to the city and its many brasseries, for which they took inspiration from references as diverse as nineteen forties modernism and the legendary cinema of Palme d’Or-nominated auteur Claude Sautet (1924-2000); who in films such as César And Rosalie (1972), Un mauvais fils (The Bad Son, 1980) and Les Choses De La Vie (The Things Of Life, 1969) — in which a dying architect comes to the startling realisation that the love he has for his wife, son and friends is more meaningful than the trappings of wealth — reminds us that even the French haute bourgeois have their problems. “I wanted to celebrate all that Paris stands for: a rich historical sense, a quest for beauty, the joy of being together and celebrating,” Gillier continues. “Plus, Paris has always been drawn to ideas, culture and elegance.”
Charlotte de Tonnac and Hugo Sauzay of Festen architecture, the duo behind the eclectically elegant interiors at Château Voltaire, photograph by Raphael Dautigny
La Coquille d´Or (Golden Shell) bar at Château Voltaire, designed by Festen architecture, inspired by the iconic 16th-century motif adorning one of the corners of the building, Photograph © François Halard
A world traveller, with a penchant for art and design (his own Saint Germain apartment, replete with works by a phenomenal roster of modern masters, including Franz West (1947-2012), Charlotte Perriand (1903-1999), Pierre Jeanneret (1896-1967), Günther Förg (1952-2013) and Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), has been splashed frequently across the pages of glossy design mags), Gillier’s dream was to open a hotel that would have the look and feel of a private Parisian home, a place to live simply and elegantly, and, as such, Festen set out “to create spaces to gather, laugh, celebrate, meet friends. A place to be happy”. Behind the simplicity of its listed facade — a pleasant respite from the sometimes disorienting repetition of elaborately ornamented Haussmannian avenues — three buildings from the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were brought together, whereby a hodge-podge of different volumes and ceiling heights lend each of its five floors a characterful and unique charm. It is, in its very essence, a place in which to gather and rejoice, far removed from the sometimes stifling, inhospitable codes of luxury hospitality. Perhaps most importantly, as Durand explains, “Château Voltaire is neither a décor nor a reconstitution. It was designed to be lived in, worn in, even as a modern-day hotel. References to the past or the building's heritage are hinted at. Our aim? To remain contemporary and classic.” For those with an eye for design, the interiors, whilst indisputably au courant, hark back to the past in respect of artistry and imagination (handmade banquettes, beautifully conceived carpentry and custom light fixtures) and an inherent appreciation of noble materials, rich textiles and curated objets d’art, all brought together by a quietly confident colour palette of rich, enveloping neutrals. Whilst the decor may appear laissez-faire in its relaxed, understated charm, looks can sometimes be deceiving; for example, in a quest to create a truly seamless aesthetic experience, lighting designer Benoit Brégon developed a system whereby each of the building’s windows are illuminated by a stone tone RAL identical to the colour of the façade so a to ensure it blends seamlessly into the decor.
“Château Voltaire is positively charged with emotions and feelings,” enthuses Gillier of his chef-d’oeuvre. “It’s a place where authenticity and sincerity prevail.” In that vein, at the heart of the hotel is the ground-floor “Living Room”, an eclectic melange of abstract art, sculpture and twentieth-century furniture, reminiscent of the carefully curated left-bank homes of the artistically inclined beau mode. The result is a laid-back space where residents and non-residents alike can relax after an exhausting day of shopping (at nearby Charvet, Maison Auclert or JAR) either on banks of caramel-upholstered banquettes or on the Villa Malaparte-esque sofa, which, convivially close to the cream panelled fireplace, is the perfect spot too cosy up on those cold winter nights. Immediately adjacent one finds the alluring Brasserie L’Emil (named after Gillier’s son), where, in a welcome break from the trend in contemporary hospitality, there are no tortured concepts, simply everything one would expect and desire from a stylish Parisian eaterie in the tradition of a Lipp, Chez Georges or L’Ami Louis (including, a welcome detail for all those aesthetes, a chef straight out of Emily in Paris, who often nips in and out of the kitchen to cast an appreciative eye over tables of well-fed diners), with a menu of local staples like steak tartare and the “Château filet” from Normandy, as well as dishes of a more Mediterranean bent. Given Festen’s séance-like ability for conjuring atmosphere, you might even, while ruminating over a digestif, feel the spirits of Michel Piccoli (1925-2020) or Romy Schneider (1938-1982) fighting over the last radish. More subdued and moody, the decor of La Coquille d’Or bar (in reference to the iconic sixteenth-century shell motif on the building’s façade), is immediately reminiscent of cult favourite Château Marmont on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, with its glossy black lacquered walls and carpet of intricately interwoven laurels. There, waiters in the sort of crisp, starched white jackets that would have Wes Anderson (b. 1969) salivating are on hand to mix a competent Martini (as a caveat, their default is dirty, so those of a citrusy disposition, be sure to specify a twist) or, for that matter, any number of classic cocktails, which thankfully avoid the sort of cringe-inducing “specialities” so often seen across the length and breadth of luxury hotel bars (“Coco’s Revenge” anyone? No, I didn’t think so…).
The “living room” at Château Voltaire, designed by Festen architecture, perfectly capturing the hotels eclectically elegant style, Photograph © François Halard
The facade of Château Voltaire, which spans three buildings, from the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Photograph © François Halard
This breezily stylish and unpretentious decor extends to the bedrooms which are, perhaps, surprisingly low-key, with a subtlety and sophistication unusual even for Paris (so much so, a Picasso (1881-1973) from Giller’s personal art collection graces the suite that was once home to his private quarters when the building housed Zadig & Voltaire’s headquarters). A world away from the silk taffeta and gold-plated Swan taps of the Ritz — a style de rigueur in Palace hotels, which Putman icily dismissed as, “too much Louis and too many flowers” — beds are dressed simply in beautifully pressed French linen and mohair throws, which act as a foil to black and gold forties-inspired flower-print carpets, which, in and of themselves, have become an immediately identifiable, and dare I say it, “Instagrammable”, signature; seen annually as the backdrop to numerous fashion-week photo shoots, most prominently, when Uncut Gems star Julia Fox (b. 1990), and her then-boyfriend Kanye West (b. 1977), hit Paris for the 2022 Haute Couture week. The pair posed up a veritable storm preparing for the nearby Schiaparelli show, for which Daniel Roseberry (b. 1985) trussed them up in matching leather outfits, like a latter-day, Gen Z Posh and Becks. Durand’s meticulous eye for detail is evident everywhere from the stationery to the Hermès orange leather tassel adorning the key fob, which again, pays subtle homage to Château Marmont, but with that same je ne sais quoi French-ness one experiences throughout the rest of the hotel. An unusual feature that might come as a surprise to some, are the plentifully stocked pantry-like mini bars, replete with not only the requisite wines, spirits and gourmandises, but also an exceptional illy coffee machine designed by Veronese architect Luca Trazzi (b. 1962), which, whilst suitably stylish, referencing, as it does, mid-century Italian industrial design, also makes an excellent morning espresso (which once can enjoy from bespoke Bernardaud china).
Those in need of a little more luxury might be interested in the capacious “Suite Voltaire”, occupying the entire top floor of the hotel, where French doors open onto a leafy terrace styled by in-demand French landscape designer Louis Benech (b. 1957) (partner of fashion extraordinaire and Paris institution Christian Louboutin (b. 1963)), looking out over a Braque-esque landscape of slate tiled rooftops towards the verdant, riverside Jardin des Tuileries. Available to all residents, not just those with a penthouse view, is Voltaire’s subterranean wellness centre, with a sauna and elegantly vaulted plunge pool replete with Russian banya — something one doesn’t see every day (there’s no Venik, but I’m sure it could be arranged by a more than accommodating hotel staff). Indeed if combing the galleries of Saint Germain for a Chareau sconce or Line Vautrin (1913-1997) mirror proves overly taxing, the hotel also offers in-room treatments, such as massage, so that you’re recharged and raring to go the Hemingway in time for aperitif o’clock, which, in any event, is merely a Manolo’s trot around the corner — so no need to worry about that last-minute Uber. Perhaps most remarkable for a five-star hotel, this maze of gracious, interconnected spaces avoid all ostentation, focusing instead on quality and craftsmanship, as seen in carefully conceived details such as the Serge Roche (1898-1988) inspired plaster suspension lights, oak panelled corridors and black and white tiled lobby, which, for all intents and purposes, appears to be a contemporary take on the courtyard at Versailles. “Château Voltaire is anything but a decoration,” explains Gillier, “It is a place of today to be experienced today by people of today.” With that in mind, we spoke to Charlotte and Hugo not only about their design, but also their likes, dislikes and, in the case of the former, a long-harboured desire to moonlight as a dancer (who knows, Benech might even call in a favour and have a pair of red-soled ballet pumps waiting at reception).
Voltaire’s subterranean wellness centre, with a sauna and elegantly vaulted plunge pool replete with Russian bany, designed by Festen architecture, Photograph © François Halard
The capacious “Suite Voltaire”, occupying the entire top floor of the hotel, where French doors open onto a leafy terrace styled by Louis Benech designed by Festen architecture, Photograph © François Halard
TLL: What was it that initially drew you to a career in design?
Charlotte de Tonnac: A very real sensitivity, or “porosity”, to space, environments and beauty. I was a very introverted child, constantly observing what was around me. I kept this sense of observation, this curiosity — and it led me to an artistic career; interior design combined many of my interests — art history, painting, objects and the way all these facets work in dialogue in the heart of a place. I always have one question in the corner of my mind: what moves us, crosses us when we are in a certain environment?
Hugo Sauzay: I’ve always been curious about objects and the stories they tell. In high school, I knew I wanted to draw them, but I didn’t really know how, or in what context. Over time I realized I was more attracted to the scale of space. The energy of places, the atmosphere and light have always impacted me deeply. Since childhood, I’ve always been sensitive to architecture, whether historical or contemporary. I like to look at buildings, the details, to imagine their construction and the people who lived there.
Stylistically speaking, what would you say defines your approach to interiors?
H&C: We work mostly with historic spaces, transforming them, whilst respecting their character, into eclectic interiors with multiple readings. We don’t reject the tension between a form of sobriety and more classical decor. I believe that there’s a certain freedom, without diktats, nor predefined rules in our way of creating interiors, so to that extent, it is difficult for us to define our work. The photographed space, like a frozen image, a perfect decor interests us less than the general atmosphere, the sensitive space, and what’s in the air. We do have a particular passion for woodwork, and continue to explore this material with the craftsmen who work with us. We also advocate for contextual design, something that’s coherent with the building and its environment; we would never do the same project in Paris or NYC, or in the Italian countryside.
Chateau Voltaire was French fashion designer Thierry Gillier’s first foray into the hotel industry; how did you first meet and what was it that convinced him you were right for the job?
H&C: Julien Desselle and Frank Durand, who was in charge of the art direction, had the idea to call us for the project. As to what convinced Thierry, you would have to ask him! Essentially, I think we had this same will to make an intimate, sensitively designed place, alive, in its time, and a common desire to create a hotel a little different in the Parisian landscape.
The most passionate clients can sometimes be the most difficult, and Gillier is clearly a man with a keen eye for art and design; but when approaching Voltaire, was he heavily involved or did he essentially give you carte blanche?
H&C: We had a lot of discussions with Thierry and Frank about the DNA, the essence of the hotel. He knew that he could trust us and gave us real freedom in the design; though at the same time, he has an incredibly sharp eye for detail and challenged us on certain aspects. We obviously had some disagreements but the decisions were always taken in a collegial way. A project is not only created by the architect — it’s a long process, where we work in close dialogue with the client, art director, and all those other participants, such as landscape designers, craftsmen and in this case, the hotel managers.
Fashion and interiors are becoming inextricably intertwined, with many brands such as Acne Studios, The Row and Saman Amel considering store design an important part of their overall image; do you think that in terms of aesthetics and storytelling, Gillier’s approach at Voltaire was different from that of a conventional hotelier, and, if so, might that be a reason for its success?
H&C: Thierry on this project had an approach which was freer, and perhaps less complex than that of a classic hotelier, in the sense that he wanted to make the hotel a place in which he, someone who travels extensively, wanted to stay. It was a project led by genuine enthusiasm and I guess, in that sense, it was quite detached from his experience in fashion.
In terms of travel, those with a passion for art and design are becoming increasingly cynical, turning away from chain hotels in favour of smaller boutique offerings and a more personal approach; was this something you had in mind when designing Voltaire?
H&C: I think subconsciously, yes, because we are ourselves those people/clients that you describe.
You’re known for having a sensitive approach, in terms of updating historic spaces and designing hotels that feel more like private residences — such as Les Roches Rouges on the Côte d'Azur and Hotel Rochechouart in Paris’s old red-light district; Voltaire spans three buildings, from the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. What’s the biggest challenge when working in such environments, and where does the balance lie in terms of preserving the past and looking towards the future?
H&C: Except for the facades and the sixteenth-century Coquille d’Or motif on the corner of the building — which now serves as the entrance to the cocktail bar — there was almost nothing left of the interiors, other than a haphazard layout over multiple levels, with great ceiling heights on the piano nobile, but with some rooms under the roof, which spoke of a Paris of former days. The project is thus located at the crossroads of a fantasized Paris, of rigorous historical research — for example, we found it was a former stable in the time of Cardinal Richelieu then a post office — and of our contemporary reinterpretation. Generally speaking, we prefer to evoke an era through atmosphere, or a certain je ne sais quoi rather than a literal pastiche. We like to create a dialogue between objects from different eras, so as to create layered richness and depth of space, whilst at the same time, making it feel as timeless as possible.
Château Marmont in Los Angeles and London’s Chiltern Firehouse, hotels that managed to tap into the cultural zeitgeist in terms of desirability and cachet, were both sources of inspiration for Chateau Voltaire; yet, clearly, the right references don’t necessarily guarantee success — so what do you think it is that makes a hotel popular?
H&C: This is a very good question and we would like to have an obvious answer; but essentially, it’s a combination of great service, a good location, well-conceived and timeless decoration, carefully considered lighting and, not to forget, a little bit of magic or mystery!
One of the rooms at Château Voltaire, designed by Festen architecture, featuring the hotel’s signature floral carpet, Photograph © François Halard
In recent years there has been an increasing “sameness” across the length and breadth of the interiors world as designers, presumably as a means of snaring new clients, fight to replicate the sort of fashionable interiors seen ad infinitum on Instagram and Pinterest. Voltaire is entirely cohesive, yet unusual in terms of stylistic references; we’re so used to seeing, for example, mid-century modern, yet the public areas, with their forties flower-print carpets, travertine, oak and Louis XIII-style armchairs feel at once Art Deco and Arts and Crafts. Personally, I’m so bored of widespread ubiquity that this unexpected, yet understated feeling of something new was one of the key factors in my choosing to stay at the hotel — en masse, do you think this is one of the reasons for Voltaire achieving something of a cult status amongst art and design aficionados?
H&C: It’s true that, as in a large private residence, there’s a kind of blur and porosity between periods. Objects, art and decoration are intertwined in a natural way, and things are not fixed. Some pieces have value, others very little — it’s not a showroom of iconic pieces, but a living place where customers can have lunch under a work by Cy Twombly without even realising it.
Paris, to an extent, being such an incredibly beautiful city, has a tendency towards pastiche, especially in terms of bars and restaurants where it seems there’s a widespread presumption that those visiting the city want to see something “authentic”, or rather, cliched, in terms of design. Voltaire’s Coquille d’Or bar with its black lacquered walls and plush banquettes — the area perhaps most evocative of Château Marmont’s louche interiors — is a clear break from the wood panelling, frosted glass and tiled floors of the city's many brasseries, speaking instead of a laid back, contemporary Parisian style. In your view, in European cities such as London, Paris and Rome, where there’s so much history, and, for that matter, so many listed buildings, how should interior design and architecture be approached moving forward?
H&C: One approach among others is to draw from the inexhaustible source of the cultural heritage of these cities and their buildings and to reuse, but also, above all, reinterpret things, to create a dialogue between eras, and to create successive readings. At the scale of our practice, and taking as an example the bar at Château Voltaire, we were inspired by the colour codes and materials, such as black, gold, and mirror, of certain details of the galleries of the Palais Royal Gardens, which are close by, but then used those references in a completely different way, creating a kind of dark datcha —quiet and sexy in the heart of the hotel — which has an almost seventies vibe.
Finally, why, in your opinion should someone stay at Voltaire over any other five-star hotel?
H&C: For the very personalized approach of the experience, a French-style welcome and impeccable service that’s relevant to today’s lifestyle; and for the human scale of the place too.
In terms of the decorative arts, what would say is your particular area of interest?
H&C: Arts and Crafts, French Art Deco, Swedish Grace, Japanese craftsmanship, the Shaker movement and the 18th century, to name a few…
Who are your favourite designers?
H&C: Spontaneously and in no particular order — the work of Jean Michel Frank and Eyre de Lanux, for the link between modernity, simplicity of lines and the influence of the early arts. Then, recently, we’ve developed a small obsession with the outdoor furniture of Swedish architect Folke Bensow and also that of artist Otto Wretling, especially his work in engraved wood. Christopher Gibbs for his inhabited interiors, and on the other hand, we also love Donald Judd’s minimalism. Also, we always come back to Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa for his work on the relationship between nature, man and architecture.
There’s an increasing focus on interiors being designed so as to be “Instagrammable”, in the sense of them being bold, eye-catching and editorial. In your opinion, in today’s design world, and moving forward, is there still a place for quiet, refined interiors, that don’t necessarily scream and shout?
C: Yes, well, I hope so! It takes everything, but we believe in a form of discretion, a subtle approach and a certain consistency and rigour in creation. Fashion houses like The Row or Lemaire apply it in a masterly way. The same exercise is repeated endlessly, adapted, reworked and on the margin, without needing to portray a flashy image or to be original at all costs. We believe it takes a certain kind of courage on the part of clients and designers to say to themselves, matter-of-factly, that you can’t please everyone and that you’ll find your audience — who, in turn, will be sensitive to what you share, and to the form of creation proposed, whether that be fashion, art or design.
In an ever-changing world, what would you say is the biggest problem facing today's designers, and indeed for that matter, the industry en masse?
H&C: Our era really has a feeling of there being too much — too much on offer, too much being produced and too much consumption. The first notion that is sacrificed is that of time, in the name of better profitability. I’m talking about the time to design, the time to conceive and to build properly. I find that this is a complicated and central issue today in our professions of designer and architect. Not to sacrifice the quality, the beauty of a project in the name of time and money becomes a challenge.
Another problem is the levelling of tastes worldwide — it’s frightening! The overload of imagery is surely responsible for this, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to be surprised by the decor of a restaurant or the architecture of a house when travelling to the other side of the world. It’s incredibly important to defend and continue forms of vernacular architecture and design, so as to preserve specificities, cultures and local crafts.
Who would be your ideal client and why?
H&C: Generally speaking, they’re open-minded, curious people, with a sincere approach, stripped of the desire to do absolutely what is in the air. A client with whom we can engage in a conversation, who helps us evolve — a client with whom we learn. As mentioned before, it would have a form of audacity, of courage also to propose something singular.
What’s your favourite work of art?
H: It’s very complicated to make a choice but the one that made the biggest impression on me was Gerhard Richter’s Candle. This small painting is as hypnotizing and vibrant as a fire. Then, during the exhibition Things — A History of Still Life at the Louvre, there was a wonderful mosaic fragment dating from the 1st century BC, from Pompeii, depicting a skeleton — I’ve always been fascinated by ancient works of art.
C: Lucian Freud’s uncompromising, raw and powerful portraits and Cy Twombly drawings.
What was the first important piece of art you ever owned?
H: We recently bought a painting by French artist Eugene Leroy. It has remained confidential for a long time and it’s a client who first told us about him. He reworks his paintings over several years, adding layer upon layer of paint until the subject almost disappears. The painting is extremely heavy because of the ten centimetres of oil on the canvas. The difficulty to detect at first glance the painted motif encourages one to linger on the physical presence of the work — it’s an object that’s discovered in time.
Which artists would you collect if you could?
C: The almost dematerialized landscape paintings of the young Brazilian artist Lucas Arruda. Light is at the heart of his work and he transcribes it in an incredible way; discreet and subtle, different to the noise of some of the great contemporary artists.
An object you would never part with?
H: A watch from the forties — that already has a history and memories — given to me by Charlotte. Even if I don’t wear it every day, I take it with me everywhere I go.
C. A collection of leather and wooden boxes that belonged to my mother and have been with me for twenty years; and a very sober Edwardian ring that was a gift from Hugo.
What was the last thing you bought and loved?
H: A very small, poetic lamp in obsidian stone, washi-paper and bamboo by Studio Mumbai founder Bijoy Jain, bought at the Maniera gallery in Brussels. I have great admiration for his work, from objects to architecture. His approach represents the values we are looking for in architecture and furniture. The respect for places, nature, the craft industry and refinement.
C: A neoclassical lamp with a stone base by French architect Jean-Charles Moreux; it’s oversized and the proportions are magnificent. Also a small black garden bench by Folke Bensow; which we’ve converted to indoor use as a decorative piece in our kitchen.
Brasserie l'Emil, the restaurant at Château Voltaire, designed by Festen architecture, Photograph © François Halard
What would you like to own that you currently don’t possess?
H&C: A cabin on the ocean shore between the pines.
What’s the best gift you’ve been given?
C: A Japanese tea set dating from 1900 in enamelled stoneware, decorated with brown and crackled white enamel, given to me by Hugo — it’s of an unbelievable finesse.
H: The watch given to me by Charlotte.
What’s your biggest extravagance?
C: Compulsive book buying, of all kinds, essays, literature, art, philosophy — and of course I have stacks of them to read at home unopened. When we designed our apartment, the first sketch was of the library.
H: I would like to be a little bit more!
What’s your biggest regret?
H&C: Being creative and entrepreneurial is exciting and you’re always in the thick of it, but you’re also sailing at a loss — so maybe the answer is to have enjoyed the important moments, the small and big victories, and to take a step back. Understanding earlier that empty time is almost as important as full time. Creativity requires emptiness in our opinion, inspiration needs it — but it's a constant learning process and you get better!
The site that most inspires you?
H: Paris! Every day I see a detail that I note. Whether it’s in the articulation of the facades of the Louvre, the modernity of the Pompidou or simple details of mosaics of the floor or the pattern of doors — this interweaving of periods and accumulation of details are the best library for us.
C: In Paris the Cour Carrée of the Louvre, I’m mesmerized by the beauty of this place — it’s an emotion every time I cross it. Then in Venice, the Palazzo Fortuny, which, during the biennial exhibitions, is curated by Axel Vervoordt. And even if I haven't visited all of them in reality, I remain very inspired by the universes of some great creative figures; for example, the houses and apartments Cy Twombly, the interiors of dancer Rudolf Nureyev — his apartment in Paris, his cabin on the island of Saint Barthelemy, and the house and workshop of Donald Judd in New York. I’m fascinated by their particular way of inhabiting the world, their world — it’s pure poetry.
Where’s the most unforgettable place you’ve travelled?
H: We went with one of our clients to Bijoy Jain’s studio in Mumbai — his workshop is a marvel of refinement, mixing both computer scientists and craftsmen. We went with him to visit one of his projects at the foot of the Himalayas. He was building a cashmere factory for a Japanese woman. We were welcomed on a site under construction with bamboo scaffolding, in the middle of the jungle — an old Japanese couple were making food in a tandoori oven dug into the ground. The project was in perfect harmony with its environment. Everything was only refinement. We also stayed a few nights at Lunuganga, architect Geoffrey Bawa’s country estate in Bentota, Sri Lanka. It took him decades to complete the project where architecture blends with nature — the gardens themselves are marvellous, inspired by Bawa’s travels in Italy; staying there allowed us to fully appreciate all the nuances and subtleties.
C: Lalibela in Ethiopia's Lasta Mountains — the site of eleven “buried” rock-hewn churches of the thirteenth century, each carved entirely from a single block of granite. I went there at a time when all the pilgrims went there for Easter — it was unforgeable. Also Japan, again and again, for everything — the clash of cultures, the richness of the crafts, the art of living and an endless love of their cuisine.
Where would you like to go next?
H: Surfing in Costa Rica. And to go back to Japan
C: Naples, a chaotic city, lyrical and with an artistic wealth I dream to discover — and on the other hand, the Desert of Siwa in Egypt, in the Adrere Amallal Eco-Lodge to be far away from everything
What’s the best souvenir you’ve bought home?
H: I brought a box back made by one of the last shakers in the state of New York. It sits on my desk — simple and functional, yet, at the same time, so sophisticated.
C: A coat, or rather a caftan, richly embroidered in red velvet panne from the beginning of the twentieth century, from an antique dealer in Istanbul. I’m often very soberly dressed, so it’s an extravagance — but it’s followed me around for years now.
Tell us about a recent “find”?
H&C: The Galerie Antoine Rauffet on rue Saint Anne, near our home — which presents an unusual and inspired selection of furniture, objects and paintings.
If you didn’t live in Paris, where would you live?
H: Very complicated because even if I love capitals like Mexico or Rome — I’m rather attracted by cities with a very Latin way of life — I’m resolutely attached to Paris; to its beauty, to the culture of cafés on the terrace, of improvised reunions and I would very homesick. I love walking through neighbourhoods, crossing bridges, and getting lost — so perhaps an alternative would be to live surrounded by nature.
If you had to limit your shopping to one neighbourhood, in one city, which would you choose?
H&C: The first arrondissement of Paris, where we are lucky enough to live! We’re surrounded by beauty; whether strolling l through the gardens of the Palais Royal, having coffee at the terrace of Le Nemours on place Colette, tasting delicious Japanese pastries at Tomo on rue Chabanais, dining at the Italian restaurant Cibus, or at Toraya, the oldest Japanese restaurant in Paris. For stores, there’s the Herboristerie du Palais Royal and lingerie designer Yasmine Eslami on rue de Richelieu, and as for museums, the Bourse du Commerce, for Tadao Ando's beautiful renovation and its selection of works and the Louvre, of course, which is a constant source of wonder.
What’s your favourite room in your apartment?
H&C: Our kitchen — it’s the largest room in our apartment that we’ve built entirely in wood, rather soberly, in the manner of French architect Auguste Perret; where an art deco table, almost oversized, by Jules Leleu, is enthroned. It’s at the centre of the apartment and stands as the heart of our home — we cook, receive guests, and sometimes even work there. Then there are things that are dear to our hearts, a small abstract painting, a collection of Japanese glasses, shells and family photographs.
What’s the best book you’ve read in the past year?
H: Architecturally speaking, Jun'ichirō Tanizaki’s In Praise of Shadow. He defends an aesthetic of “penumbra” — where things are more delicate and nuanced, softened by shadows and the patina of age — as a reaction to the Western aesthetic where everything is illuminated. And in terms of fiction — Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe is breathtaking.
C: Clément Rosset, a French philosopher who died a few years ago, who was very influenced by Nietzsche — his essential books are La force majeure and Loin de moi: Etude sur l'identité. Also Autoportrait, by Edouard Levé, is a weird little book that I love —the text is composed of short facts about the author — it's quite jubilant
What would you do if you didn’t work in design?
H: I would have been a cabinetmaker, surely, or perhaps a sculptor.
C: Painter, editor of art books, or, in my wildest dreams, a dancer — I’m fascinated by the duality between the rigour, mastery and freedom of bodies in movement
What ambition do you still have?
H: To become a sculptor…
C: To get my driver's license! I’ve been trying for twenty years…
What’s the greatest challenge of our time?
H&C: We cannot avoid the climate issue today, so surely do less and better, and definitely slow down...
What’s next?
Hotels, in Nice, in a former convent, and in Paris, Mexico, Switzerland, Mallorca, Germany — also private projects in Paris, NYC, and Lanzarote.