Here, the art of living is given pride of place. Artists' portraits, contemporary furnishings, decorative items, beauty products and restaurants meet everypossible desire.
Hopping from checked ticking in blue and white to black-on-black is pretty daring. Hästens has done it, with insolence and elegance ! From 2140 €. 44 rue Gioffredo, Nice (04 93 55 45 90).
Founded almost 80 years ago, this Austrian company has been a leading light in parquet design for the past 15 years. Fans remember models which have become legendary, like Domino, Vulcano or Bois d'Hiver. The showroom in Cannes (brand new) presents the latest creation : “Chêne Tigré”. A parquet whose natural fissures are filled with different materials. The result : an extravagant and surprising effect, especially if the material used is transparent putty ! One then only has to back-light the surface of wood to create unexpected ambiances. Used in flooring, of course, but also for walls or furniture surfaces, “Chêne Tigré” is asserting itself as “the” parquet design of today. 12 avenue de Saissy (04 93 43 51 36).
This book reveals (and it’s a first) the gardens of the Grimaldis’ private residences. In addition to archive photos, one discovers photographs taken by Jean-Baptiste Leroux and quotes from the Principality’s current sovereign, HSH Prince Albert II. Dans les Jardins des Grimaldi, éditions Chêne 35 €.
Concerned about our planet and our homes, we are opting more and more frequently for eco-chic decor. Such as “Svarva”, Ikea’s light fixture in solid beech and aluminum which comes as a standard lamp and table lamp. www.ikea.fr
Meridiani, editor of contemporary Italian furniture, promotes homemade expertise. The 2009 collection certainly perpetuates this tradition, combining sleek, simple and timeless lines with noble materials. Which gives a homogeneous quality to the various products. Leather, oak, nickel, lacquer etc. are used to produce modular furniture all in subtle nuances. Then most of the collections bear the name of a star, when they have not been named in tribute to a specific detail. As illustrated by the “Loren Ghost” bed (above) with its imposing but light bedhead, beautifully curved. Or “Cross” (top right), a console of perfect geometry, a combination of metal and leather with crossed legs. Keep an eye out also for the “Lolita” daybed, “Lewis” sofas, “Sumo” tables and “Chaplin” pouffs... All immobile players to make each home a lively and personalized stage. In sales at Raineri, 16 rue Biscarra (04 93 80 27 89).
300 sq. metres entirely dedicated to well-being with a selection of the latest models of saunas, hammams, spas and fitness equipment, that’s Nordique’s seventh showroom in France. The store distributes the Tylö, Dimension One, 4SeasonsSpa and Life Fitness brands. In this contemporary space on two floors, you can test the very best of the latest offerings. Products are shown off to their best advantage so that clients can easily imagine them in their homes or gardens. 1390 avenue du Campon, Le Cannet (04 93 45 20 60).
He defines himself as a madman who burns with an innate passion for art. Hence the opening of his gallery, and the exhibiting of unique or rare items. Hence also this accumulation of sculptures and light-bulbs. "Galerie du Fou qui voyageait dans des pays sans poussière", 29 rue de la Préfecture, Nice (04 93 85 65 77).
“The Lb3 collection tries to understand time.” Roberto Palomba, who designed it with his wife Ludovica for Laufen, talks of a democratic line. “We feel close to American designers of the 1950’s,” say the pair, who also admit to “making a clear distinction between architecture, interior architecture and design”. In sales at Home Store Balitrand, 183 avenue de la Roubine, Cannes La Bocca (04 93 90 59 05).
The AD showroom in Monaco presents the latest offerings from the Milan Fair, including those of Casamilano. One also discovers Tonon’s unusual chair. AD’s design studio has maintained the policy that made its reputation : free estimates, plans in 3D, and projects handled from A to Z for both houses, apartments, yachts and gardens. Château Périgord, 6 Lacets Saint-Léon, Monaco (00 377 93 50 20 40).
<u>Monaco</u> Corrado is an architect, Laetitia an interior designer, and the Bevacqua couple works in tandem. Their references include Adolf Loos, Le Corbusier, F. L. Wright, and they also draw inspiration from their Mediterranean origins and their experience in New York. Their favourite material is wood, they prefer Italian design, and their creations combine functionality and a human touch. They have put their names to the Fortis bank in Monaco, a sailboat anchored in Menton... though they have also exported their talent and expertise, already appreciated in Spain, Italy and elsewhere around the world. Cobe Design, 13 avenue des Papalins (00 377 97 70 64 88 et 06 07 93 37 89).
An attractive set of sliding doors, shown here in teak, without any floor rails, to close off a closet or to be used as a separation. In sales at Passage, 2 rue Lafayette, Cannes (04 93 39 48 53).
The kitchen plays the starring role at Italstil which also offers fixtures and fittings for the entiere house : Italian-made only, produced by craftsmen, delivered and installed in your home. The trend is for contemporary style, as evidenced by "Lux", shown here with a glossy finish. Italstil, 36 rue Auguste-Gal, Nice (04 93 55 27 78).
<u>Cannes</u> An antique-dealer since 1987, Didier Marien is also a trader and an acknowledged expert in French carpets and tapestries. With the gift of foresight, he soon noticed the public's enthusiasm for carpets designed by artists. His gallery in fact proposes some well-known names such as Albert Gleizes, Serge Poliakoff; Auguste Herbin... Didier Marien even designs and produces hos own brand. In addition to these models, he offers a collection in the finest Frenck tradition, including silk carpets, rare and limited editions : "We have mastered the technique to perfection and benefit from ancestral expertise". Which allows Boccara Design to offer discerning customers very large carpets (up to 100 sq. metres) or to make customized models in a very short time (about six months).
Everie Creations was launched in 2007 but the main event this spring was the inauguration of the first boutique proposing decor for special events for private clients. The project's initiator talks about a "fleurothèque to cultivate a taste for beauty and subscribe to flower power." Buying or renting, everything is possible, for the home, a special occasion, a gift. Here, the staging of artificial floral decor assumes its full dimension. Among the firm's references, the Carlton in Cannes, the Fairmont in Monaco... An address well worth discovering. 2793 chemin de Saint-Claude, Antibes (09 53 90 16 20 et 06 11 13 71 98).
Premium Aga is available in black, cream or red, and coordinates with cooking ranges. The brand’s first refrigerator to be entirely made by hand, it has independent temperature control zones. The “nec plus ultra”. 9,900 €. In sales at Cook & Toques, 30 boulevard de Lorraine, Cannes (04 93 68 71 61).
They describe themselves as creators of contemporary paintings and offer fans of the genre solutions on all types of supports including steel, velvet, wood and Plexiglas. They set up their studio and technical department, Lab2 Design, in 2006. The pair, who previously worked in jewellery and design, employ their individual skills to produce a new collection every six months, as in the worlds of fashion and jewellery. In the same spirit, they use their backgrounds, French and Russian, to launch crossbred creations. They generally target a young and urban clientele with a style that is decidedly modern, Pop and hip. www.Lab2Design.com
“Our priority : taking our clients’ aspirations into account and offering them our know-how.” Everything summed up in a nut-shell... or almost. This store in the Var is backed by long experience and works with major brands for light fixtures, carpets and fabrics. No less than 10,000 references for the latter, bearing the labels Canovas, Elitis, Job, Missoni, Rubelli, Sahco, Zimmer Rohde... Designs signed Toulemonde Bochart for carpets, Reflex, Movelight etc. for ceiling lights, appliques and lamps. 420/430 avenue Victor-Hugo, Fréjus (04 94 17 12 52).
Stéphanie Marin presents “Nenuphare”, an abstract landscape full of colours for the living-room. Two cushions, “Pha” and “Re”, and two seats, “Né” and “Nu”, which come in all the hues of the “Divina” range from Kvadrat. From 79 € to 4,180 €. In sales : 04 93 52 89 26 and www.smarin.net
Self-taught and proud of it, Alain Franconeri worked for a time for Canovas fabrics before launching his company, Azur Créations. “I specialize mostly in high-end refurbishments, from Monaco to Saint-Tropez.” His favourite customers ? Foreigners, usually from northern Europe : Swedish, English, Irish, Dutch... He handles everything from A to Z, providing his own personal touch where you would maybe least expect to find it, in the finishes. This meticulous man likes nothing better than camouflaging anything he can ! Azur Créations, 34 rue Lombards, Mougins (06 07 45 39 93).
Olive-oil, presented like a perfume in a superb bottle with a shiny silver cap, lightly stamped with a delicate black label. With this spray, Valérie Reboul proposes her latest creation, La Salonenque du Château d’Estoublon. From 15 €. In sales at Galeries Lafayette, 6 avenue Jean-Médecin, Nice (04 92 17 36 36).
