Here, the art of living is given pride of place. Artists' portraits, contemporary furnishings, decorative items, beauty products and restaurants meet everypossible desire.
Mediterranean flora is a real passion for Hervé Meyer, the landscape-gardener responsible for the park of the Royal Mougins Golf Resort & Spa in Mougins, who has just designed a private garden of 2,500 m2 in La Valmasque. Fallow land now flaunting three dominant colours : white, green and grey-blue, with priority given to endemic species to create a link with the forest. His next challenge ? The Palmeraie Golf Palace in Marrakesh, where he intends to add a touch of exoticism to its Mediterranean heritage. A project which this former student of Jean Mus is tackling with his accomplice, Michela Fabbri : “If there are many different languages around the Mediterranean, one finds the same vegetation and climatic constraints : there are no borders for either bank when it comes to plants and shrubs.” Atelier Hervé Meyer, 24 avenue des Tignes (04 92 18 98 21).
“Albalat, 3 generations dedicated to kitchens !”explains Bernard Albalat, director of three boutiques proposing flagship brands in contemporary design : Siematic, the German inventor of kitchens without handles, Binova and Valcucine, a manufacturer that focuses on ecology by using recyclable materials. Albalat, 31 bis et 31 ter rue Barla, Nice (04 93 56 66 00).
The name of Frédéric Compagnon must have been predestined : he was a “compagnon” lathe-operator before setting up his own firm dedicated to his passion for wood. From cutting to assembly, to create terraces, pool decks, walkways, spas, gazebos, all the different kinds of wood come with a 10-year guarantee. For deckwood, the company is a leader in the sustainable development sector. 15 avenue de Grasse, Cagnes-sur-Mer (06 98 88 22 06).
At long last ! Ikea, the Swedish giant acclaimed for its attractive furnishings at very modest prices, has opened a store not far from the Popes’ Palace, at Vedène to be precise. A move approved by the entire region and long-awaited by loyal clients who previously felt deprived of their favourite brand ! Now all of Ikea’s seasonal and special-theme collections will be found by customers from Avignon, including the PS line entirely entrusted to young designers. From the “Veranda” bed (549 €) to the “Selma” armchair (299 €) and “Svarva” floor-lamp (99 €), all the furniture, fixtures and fittings will be staged for easy viewing in huge, dedicated premises totalling 500 m2. Ikea Avignon, lieu-dit la Lorraine (www.ikea.fr).
At the heart of Old Nice, facing the Opera-House, La Compagnie de Provence has opened a new store where creativity and fun come together to stage all of its creations : soaps, body care, toilet waters, candles, curiosities and totally original discoveries. An invitation to browse, look, touch, try, smell, learn, LCP flaunts a free spirit, a bit quirky, but always with a vision of Provence that blends its rich traditions with the modernity of chic design, never excessive and unlike any other. La Compagnie de Provence, 7 rue Saint-François-de-Paule, Nice (04 93 80 97 22).
For draft beer at home, Beertender knows how to dress up in a thousand colours to give a cheerful boost to your kitchen ! Our favourite : the model called “Color” with a portable TV screen, from 499 €. www.beertender.fr
Fondis proves that not only are these two attributes not incompatible, but that they can often go hand-in-hand. The brand has in fact developed “Solaris”, a range proposing 14 solutions for heater panels and towel-racks, both discreet and of very appealing design. Lounge, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom…, all the rooms in the home are concerned, with styles that are quite assertive. Emitting virtually no electromagnetic radiation, the devices produce totally harmless and completely enveloping heat. Today’s trend sees the return of glass, available here in two finishes, “Soft Touch”, which is satiny and without reflection, and “Evolution”, shiny and transparent. A pure, warm universe awaits you. Fondis (03 89 37 75 00). www.fondis.com
Re-editions in Louis XV, Louis XVI or Napoleon style are on display in this refined and very original showroom of about 350 m2. Brick walls, large floor tiles of bluish stone and a ceiling with exposed wooden beams, the warm atmosphere and furnishings of character from the Du Bout Du Monde collections gives this new store unique and even extraordinary stylishness. You stroll around as if you were discovering Ali Baba’s cave ! Du Bout du Monde, ZI du Soriech, Lattes (04 99 52 60 00).
A partner and distributor of top-notch names in contemporary Italian, Danish and Swiss furniture since 1985, Issima excels in staging the best examples of up-to-the-minute design. In this boutique in Marseille, you'll discover all the “must-have” models signed Artemide, Desalto, Kartell, Zanotta etc., as well as young designers who are a well-kept secret. 90 rue Grignan, Marseille (04 91 54 74 58 et www.issima.fr).
The Barbara de Palma boutique is now an art-gallery. A White Cube which this summer joins the Muse hotel to present two artists : New Yorker Torrick Ablack (Toxic) who worked with Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Katrin Fridrik of Iceland who revisits graffiti through other sign cultures such as calligraphy. A “geyser” of colours that she applies to canvas but also objects, putting her name in 2008 to a limited edition of the Defender SVX launched by Range Rover for its 60th anniversary. 19 rue Quaranta, Saint-Tropez (04 94 97 09 14).
In Japan, the garden is an essential place in which to relax. Pruning of trees is done by hand using traditional rules and gives birth to “Niwaki”. A principle adopted by Cathy Hammel, who landscapes terraces, gardens, patios, pools..., leaving nothing to chance and imagining ideal, pure and Zen-like exteriors. Niwaki, Zone Athelia I, 45 voie Ariane, La Ciotat (04 42 03 80 53) and www.niwaki.fr
The Canadian Molo Design brand created a sensation at the Superstudio Piu in Milan and at the last Maison&Objet fair with its modular partitions made from recycled paper that are suitable for all applications in a home, office or showroom. Ideal for creating an intimate space, a study, or to be used as a backdrop, the partition stands alone, unfolds and folds to suit your mood. Incorporating an LED lighting system, it becomes a poetic sculpture, which will awaken your latent creativity. As illustrated by sea-urchin shaped vases, you can sculpt the light with your hands ! Ecological, easily transportable and esthetic, dozens of ingenious solutions for improved living are offered by this company with a bright future ahead. www.molodesign.com.
Inspired by a cypress tree, the outdoor “Tree” lamp made of white polyethylene is a novelty signed B&B Italia. For real effect, use several of them arranged side by side, a plethora of “Trees” to guarantee really beautiful outdoor lighting. From 1036 €. Designers Studio, 21 rue Boulegon, Aix-en-Provence (04 42 23 30 34), Sinibaldi, 146 rue Paradis, Marseille (04 91 37 98 43) and Lluck, 16 boulevard du Jeu-de-Paume, Montpellier (04 67 60 52 04).
In a minimalist universe, nothing is more fascinating than the presence of an unexpected work of art proposing poetry and mystery. Adopting the teachings of Italian artists of the 18th century, Elise Valdorcia works with papier-mâché, a poor and little-known material, to create strange characters, cherubs and angels, weathered like stone statues eaten away by time, on show in various galleries in France and abroad. www.elisevaldorcia.com.
It had been too long since Saint-Tropez had no Bang & Olufsen boutique ! A gap filled by Christophe Baudot, who invites you this summer to discover the latest offerings from the Danish brand, known for its astute blend of technology and design. “Beocom 2”, for example, is a real sculpture and the ultra-modern telephone made of a piece of aluminium surprises for its banana shape. If “Beocom 5” is more classic, it will please those who like to talk with their hands as the speaker (which also serves as base) leaves your hands free to hold a conversation at the far end of a large room. Bang & Olufsen, quai Bertaud, Grande Bastide, Gassin (04 94 79 11 68).
New address for “In Oui”, now to be found on Quai Vauban in Perpignan. Leading brands of outdoor furniture are on show in the open-air patio : Royal Botania, Fermob, Dedon, Sifas, Plancha Planet. Inside, a magnificent space has been fitted out in partnership with Lago. Atmospheres vary depending on items that Jean-Pierre Joffre has unearthed around the world. His well-trained eye always offers fans of design a very enticing selection of objects and furniture. To be discovered without delay. In Oui, passage Robert-Doisneau, 37 quai Vauban, Perpignan (04 68 34 00 00).
The brand bearing the name of Philippe Hurel symbolizes conscientious work, high quality and creativity at the service of top-notch furniture. Dedicated to Philippe and creations made by the cabinet-makers/craftsmen of the Coulombs factory, this book is a real joy thanks to photos by Jean-Marc Palisse and texts by Alix de Dives and Pierre Léonforte. www.editionsaubanel.fr.
Looking for good ideas to enhance your garden or terrace ? Pay a visit to “Demeure et Nature” in Montélimar where you will discover a fine selection of furniture and decorative items dedicated to the outdoor world. A colourful array of suggestions blending Fermob collections of chairs, armchairs and lounge chairs, superb Hedone furnishings in wood and woven wicker, Bloom flowerpots and Fatboy cushions, all magnificently staged in a vast showroom where you can also choose the barbecue and plancha of your dreams from Weber and Planet. The ideal way to finish the season in style. ZA du Meyrol, rue André-Malraux, Montélimar (04 75 46 99 28 et www.demeureetnature.com).
Working in partnership with Toiles de Mayenne, Sophie Mallebranche is of great interest to the worlds of fashion, furniture and design. In Tokyo, New York and Paris, people fight over her fabric panels where threads of bronze are intertwined with threads of copper, steel, silk, linen and synthetic fibres. Her latest collection is simply sumptuous ! www.sophiemallebranche.com
Natural stone at a reasonable price is the credo of Ekolux, a brand that has come a long way since 2005 and will have six stores in France by September, including a brand new one in Saint-Laurent-du-Var. Democratizing stone (for flooring, sinks, hand-basins...) by making its price as affordable as tiles, is the challenge taken up the Ekolux collection, offering a score of references including travertines, marble, natural sandstone, grey or rusty slate… ZI secteur C, 8 av Pierre-et-Marie Curie, Saint-Laurent-du-Var (04 93 14 00 83).
