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Tailor-made arrangements

Both architects and designers, the Bismut brothers Daniel and Michel, design and conceive buildings, interiors and tailor-made furniture. The volumes are crafted and worked taking into account the shapes, the materials and the lighting. The set-up is filled with an endless number of details which purpose is to enhance the arrangements to grasp surprised and amazed gaze. The result is striking; their projects perfectly reflect the elegant lifestyle of the occupants.

Tailor-made interiors

The intimate room signed Bismut&Bismut caused a sensation during the 10th edition of AD Interiors by its elegance and the richness of its details. The latter reflected in this respect the vision of interiors, with the perfect proportions of the two architect brothers. The volumes were thus punctuated by the flowing lines that animated each space. As a bonus, lines of light sublimate the play of contrasts between subtle colors and textured materials. The furniture created by the duo further reinforced this feeling of harmony. The perfect balance still stopped the visitor’s gaze. Far from being flashy, the luxury modeled by designer architects is displayed over multiple details. An offset of the edges of a marble piece or the slightly rounded corners of a wall facing created as many surprise effects. At the end of the day, the spirit of an elegant architecture to live, signature of Daniel and Michel Bismut.

Architectural elegance as a legacy

With a grandfather and a father, talented decorators, it is not surprising that Daniel and Michel Bismut also put themselves at the service of exceptional interiors. After their studies in architecture, the two brothers immediately created their architectural agency in the late 1980s. Their project for the New York store Charles Kammer inaugurates a succession of achievements for boutiques and luxury residential. Designed according to the values of the resident and his lifestyle, each project is accompanied by furniture created with four hands. These unique pieces of furniture are made in collaboration with French craftsmen around exceptional materials. Among the agency’s projects, a new building facing the Eiffel Tower dedicated to connected offices but also luxury apartments without counting new commercial spaces in France and abroad.

Light at the service of matter

The Bismut duo apply a vision of contemporary architecture with perfect respect for proportions and correctness of purpose. This skilful balance is also carried out with finesse around the creation of furniture and accessories. The furniture is thus transcended by the effects of textured material. Each project reveals a set of finishes around materials such as canvas, wood or leather. In the end, these are all details that tell in a personalized way the interior of its resident. Everything is always arranged under the angle of light which reveals the effects of matter and the lines of leakage that animate each of the rooms. Ultimately, a feeling of peaceful comfort in spaces that live happily and elegantly.

©Bruno Klein

Founder of the ALM Deco workshop, Mireille Herbst is a reference in the Lacquer Art. She revives antique furniture,  collaborates with designers around the conception of contemporary works and creates also her own decorative pieces.

Mireille Herbst awoke wonder and amazement at the Revelations International Fine Craft and Creation Biennal  with her new lacquer panels creation inspired by the seductive parade of the majestic peacock: to do so, Mireille Herbst created three lacquers oscillating between green, copper and black, allowing to reveal the shimmering nuances of the plumage. The brilliant colors enliven the stylized peacock feathers, ready to fly under the glass roof of the Grand Palais. 

A lacquer passion

Lacquer and its endless light fluctuations have always been Mireille Herbst’s passion. After studying graphic arts, she began her apprenticeship as a lacquerer and joined the historic and prestigious house Saïn et Tambuté to perfect her mastery. After a successful know-how transfer, Mireille Herbst took over the reins of the house and then created her own workshop. For 20 years, ALM Deco has ruled the finishing fine art furniture area using lacquer, varnish and gold leaf. Collaboration with decorators, institutions and designers in search of excellence have lead to the creation of exceptional pieces such as the unique piece Ara (macaw in english) inspired by the blue plumage of the bird, crafted by Mireille Herbst and designed by Grégoire de Lafforest.

Recognition of an exceptional know-how

ALM Deco was recognized Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant in 2017, a prestigious state label that usually distinguishes a French company with a rare know-how, inherited from traditional technique. Lacquer art has become a family affair. Mireille Herbst’s daughter works today alongside the craftswoman to combine the love of lacquer and the excellence of traditional techniques. 

Find the full article on the website of Signatures Singulières.

From the architecture of São Paulo, to a famous Bauhaus master and the young and successful Tyler Mitchell, these 9 shows featured at new-yorker museum, art galleries and institutions challenge us to rethink architecture, photography and others trough groundbreaking work by both lesser-known and widely celebrated artists.

How did you come up with the idea of creating a traveling gallery with your partner Nancy Gabriel ?

I met Nancy Gabriel in 2013. She traveled a lot and when she discovered my store in Paris she really liked the style. I was already mixing contemporary and vintage pieces. So we started working together on her apartment in Paris. She wanted a different decoration from her very contemporary house in Beirut, she wanted something much more Parisian. That’s how we started working together in Paris and quickly she suggested that I should set up my own shop in Beirut. We started like that, like an event, and as it went very well, we continued organizing events together but with much more significant pieces like what we do now. Compared to the contemporary world, it is much more modern than a permanent gallery. If you’re just creating a gallery that is not moving you will not get the attention of people. So the idea is to present these pieces in different spaces, mainly in apartments as it is much more personal, to allow people to project themselves.

Beyond the ephemeral nature, how do you differentiate your gallery from the other ones?

We also differentiate ourselves by the presentation of our exhibition as we’ve always presented our pieces in a “live interior setting » as if you are entering into a collector’s house. We also differentiate ourselves with the choice of pieces. For instance, we insist a lot on Brazilian pieces but not on what is most obvious when one thinks of Brazilian designers. We are mainly presenting pieces by Jose Zanine Caldas, a very great Brazilian designer who works mainly with plywood. We also insist on unique and rare furniture from the 80s and 90s like the sofa designed by Zaha Hadid, furniture designed by Garouste and Bonetti, by Martin Szekely for the Neotu Gallery, etc.

Can you tell us more about your current exhibition at the Steinway Building?

Initially we wanted to meet American collectors so we participated at the Salon Art + Design that is great but quite short. We wanted to exhibit more pieces, always in the same atmosphere, and thanks to Guillaume Coutheillas from French California we found this fabulous penthouse in the old Steinway building which almost looks like a French house. It is a 5000 square-feet duplex that we entirely decorated with a very large part of our collection, from 1900 to 2017. For instance, there is a fireplace designed by Carlo Bugatti, furniture from the 1980s, but also pieces designed by contemporary designers and especially Lebanese designers like MariaGroup + SpockDesign or Ranya Sarakbi and Niko Koronis.

What would be your dream project ?

I have always dreamed of designing a hotel or a restaurant. We are working on collector’s pieces but it doesn’t mean we are presenting them on a podium. On the contrary, we definitely prefer to create spaces where we simply feel good. Creating an atmosphere has always been at the heart of our activity and creating an atmosphere for a hotel or restaurant would be awesome.

Do you think of a particular city where you would like to do this project?

No, anywhere! Every city is interesting! Whether you go to Mexico City, NY, London, Paris or Beirut, they all have their unique and personal universe. And what is interesting is that a hotel or a restaurant is already a kind of world apart within a city.

Finally, according to you, what place do artisans occupy in the world of interior design?

Craftsmen are really the central part of the interior design world and they are more and more important because they are more and more rare. For instance, today very few people now have this incredible opportunity of having an upholsterer. And personally, this is precisely the importance of craftsmanship that I’m looking for in my profession. This is the same for the designers we are working with. There is absolutely no piece that is not the result of a true symbiosis between the designer and the artisan.

The interior designer, Nicolas Trousselle, has restored this Haussmannian apartment to its former glory. He transports us to a classic and contemporary universe through woody textures and precious materials. It combines luxury and confort by making reception rooms and everyday life ones coexist in harmony.

Discover this place with a 360 ° visit for a total immersion

The principle is simple: just move the cursor with your mouse to navigate around the apartment! Some indicators are placed on certain pieces of furniture, objects or pieces of art revealing the identity of the selected object. You will also discover some comments from Nicolas Trousselle.

A style, a signature

The interior designer has collaborated with renowned artists and craftsmen with exceptional know-how to give birth to a unique style.

A flawless career path

Nicolas Trousselle is a former student of the Boulle School and a graduate of the Métiers d’Art. After several years spent in a large design office, he created his agency, Secrets d’Intérieurs, mixing both contemporary and classic styles.

Find the full interview on the website of Signatures Singulières.

Once again this year, the best French pastry chefs are challenging their imagination for the conception of their own design of the famous christmas yule log. Their inventive creations for the 2019 holidays are making us drool over at first glance!

Christophe Michalak pays tribute to the sculptor Arman with his « Violin » yule log and Adrien Salavert to the collection of old books of the Réserve Paris with a trompe-l’oeil yule log made of three volumes. The one created by Julien Alvarez carries the Bristol seal: the iconic hotel keychain is transformed into a crisp tablet.

Gourmet and festive, the Yule logs created by the best chefs of 2019 will satisfy the most demanding palates!

The French interior designer and architect, Damien Langlois-Meurinne, recently redecorated this XVIIth century mansion located on the Île Saint Louis, in Paris.

In the past, the mansion had been decorated by Jacques Garcia in a classic spirit with XVIIth century furniture, wall hangings and yellow and red tones. Today, even though Damien Langlois-Meurinne has made very few changes to its structure, the style of the appartement looks completely different.

With elegance and subtlety, he managed to give a second life to this incredible place by mixing contemporary works of art and pieces of design. He mainly used the white palette to play the card of clarity.

For this project, he designed three wool & silk rugs with our partner, la Manufacture de Tapis de Bourgogne: the « Rain », the « Aura » and the « Zebra ». These three new rugs fall in line with his previous creations : the « Zenith », the « Follow Me », the « Nautilus », the « White Sun » and the « Flakes ».

Rugs available in special size upon request.
Photos by Stephan Julliard.

Par Excellence met French designer Isabelle Stanislas at The Salon Art+Design. An opportunity to ask her some questions about her work, current projects, and inspirations. Interview.

Par Excellence – What made you become an interior designer? 

Isabelle – I was sixteen when I visited the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design located in Jerusalem, Israel. I saw the creative energy of this place and I knew I wanted to be part of it, to live this emotion!

Par Excellence – What is your philosophy of interior design? 

Isabelle – My interior design is not dissociable from architecture. The functional aspect of my projects guides my interior design in terms of light, volumes and materials. To me, interior design is the reflect of souls. 

Par Excellence – What are your current projects? 

Isabelle – My work is multidisciplinary. I mainly design private residences. I finished a house in Comporta, Portugal, and another in Senegal. I also created a furniture collection. And now, I would like to orient myself towards architectural landscape. 

Par Excellence – In one word, what would be your dream project ? 

Isabelle – I would love to design a foundation after having created the concept of it! 

Par Excellence – What place does craftsmanship occupy in your work ? 

Isabelle – The Artisans guide my work, at every step of the process of design. They help me to go beyond my limits and the limits of the material. Above all, they are sincere and honest. They are at the basis of the beauty we convey. 

Founded in 1790, the “Manufacture Zuber” is based in Rixheim, Alsace, in a former commandery of Teutonic knights. It is the oldest French wallpaper factory still in operation. Nowadays, the artisans of the manufacture still print their creations by hand thanks to their extraordinary know-how. 

What made you become an interior designer?

That came straight out of my heart. I like global and accomplished things above all. I want to create complete stories.

Before working in interior design, I worked in fashion. And I find that there is a great similarity between these two fields. We tell complete stories about sensations, volumes, materials, period style and heritage. I like working with all this.

What is your philosophy of interior design?

First of all, you have to be yourself. You shouldn’t be ashamed of your tastes. It is necessary to create a DNA, that is to say to be able to read and live a space. With the DNA, you know who signed the space but in the same time it is not too invasive. Attention to detail is also essential. My philosophy is also to never give up anything, I want to make each project an extremely smooth result. With a lot of tension and rigor upstream, and a great lightness and a lot of softness at the end. You must not look at what others are doing, you must continue to be constantly demanding, and demanding does not mean expensive. You have to look for harmony.

What are your current projects?

We just finished a huge penthouse in London with a 500m2 terrace overlooking the city, incredible. We also took care of a very beautiful project in St Barth. Instead of designing a large, cold and metallic American villa, we proposed to our clients to make a small village lost in nature. We just finished a very nice project in Neuilly. A dozen of new design pieces have been released in my collection. I am also the artistic director of a new brand called Dragonfly that is entirely based on craftsmanship and inspired by nature. It will be launched during Art Basel in Miami. On this project, we only worked with craftsmen who produces completely atypical objects. All pieces are slightly different, beautiful, graphic and made in France. I also continue to design pieces for Giobagnara, and we will release new pieces in January. Finally, I am the artistic director of the Webster, a multi-brand fashion and design store based in New- York, Miami and on the West Coast.

Which project are you most proud of?

Behind each project, there is a human adventure. When you accept to do project, it means that there is a fantastic fit. Each project has fortunately a different flavor. We give so much energy in these projects, that the people involved in it must all be fantastic, professional and human. It happens to us very often, so we are very lucky. That’s why there are so many projects that I am proud of.

Par Excellence is the address of the finest French Craftsmen in New York. What place does craftsmanship occupy in your work?

Craftsmanship is a huge component of my work. Because this is a philosophy to me. If we could, we would work only with craftsmen. Of course, there are sometimes budget, time or even geographical constraints. But when you have put your finger on the gear and start working with these masters, it becomes a drug. Craftsmanship is like a second nature to our design office. We speak the same language, we understand each other, they are never afraid to go further, to dialogue and to put themselves into question. What I love is the upstream phase where we are in interaction with the craftsmen, where everything is built. This is the experience of “making the space”.

I really hope we could work together in the future; it will be an amazing experience!