Here, the art of living is given pride of place. Artists' portraits, contemporary furnishings, decorative items, beauty products and restaurants meet everypossible desire.
Jessica is an Art Deco freak, with the accent on Deco ! She grew up with an interior architect as a father before joining the world of art. In 2007, she launched an on-line boutique, then decided to put Mistinguett in front of a showroom. Jessica is, in fact, at the helm of premises with a mezzanine where she proposes items that have caught her eye, as eclectic as they are unexpected. As witnessed by her erotic corner, soft and tasteful, hardly likely to make anyone blush ! Joe the Polar Bear and a limited-series bookcase from Ibride rub shoulders with armchairs designed by Draga Obradovic. “Mistinguett is the first boutique in France to stock them.” Exclusivity that extends to Sturm und Plastic and its furniture with a frosted effect. With a glance back in time, there are also re-editions of great classics. Mistinguett is off-beat, a bit eccentric, and a gold-mine for fans of the ’thirties and ’fifties !
ModoLuce is known for its on-going research in terms of materials but also experimentation with shapes. Light ? It becomes a pretext. An excuse for all the fantasy. As evidenced by “Atollo” by Paolo Grasselli, presented here in its pouf version, with a cushion in fireproof Lycra with removable cover. En vente chez Serra Luminaire Contemporain, 2 rue Gubernatis, Nice (04 93 80 40 61).
In his Outdoor collection for Métaphores, Olivier Nourry gives priority to ultra-resistant fibres, original weaves and colours recalling nature (water, plantlife, the sun, fruit, earth and sky). An invitation to relax while enjoying an Indian summer. En vente chez L’Atelier du Tapissier, 34 rue Georges Clemenceau, Cannes (04 93 38 77 44).
Three leading names in interior decoration were linked together at the Furniture Show in Milan : Tai Ping, Swarovski and Arik Levy. The connection ? The internationally renowned designer created the Tai Ping carpets displayed as part of the “Osmosis” concept, a series of installations illustrating de-cristallization of Swarovski crystal. With this project, Arik Levy continues to explore the evolution of crystal, from its real to its virtual existence. Glittering Lurex fibres are now introduced into the making of handmade products. The result is stunning, an achievement in 2 and 3D. As the designer admits : “This collaboration with Tai Ping allows me to constantly explore new aspects of my own creative research”. Arredo, 13 rue de la Turbie (00 377 93 30 09 78).
If you remember, Sabz was the first to offer a coherent set of products and services to turn the outdoors into an extra room for the home. This spring, it went one step further by launching a commercial site dedicated to the outdoor-indoor concept : www.sabz.com, a must for all those who want to learn all about it. The professional section enables architects, decorators, landscape gardeners etc. to obtain quick quotes. Ready ? Click ! www.sabz.fr
Gray Goose has treated itself to the talent of Jacques Garcia and three baroque and modern stoppers. Silvery threads of silk and a swatch of real goose feathers remind us of France’s great tradition of haberdashery. 520 €, available until September. 0 810 070 060
It all started with a key. Jean-François Bollié was working in a locksmith’s workshop. By introducing him to steel, this key would also open the doors of art to him. He learned welding and made a sculpture of a thinker. A recurring character in his life as an artist which he varies to infinity, on canvas and in space. In his studio on the port, Jean-François now experiments with all kinds of art : his paintings with their integrated burns show strength and maturity. His creations make light of the material the better to flatter it, and are exhibited in galleries, in Chelsea for example, in New York. But the artist has other dreams, lots of ideas and large-scale projects. “Whether we are artists, surgeons, masons or industrialists, we do the same work, with body and soul.”
New from BoConcept ! The brand is evolving to become an interior decorator. Henceforth, a professional can come to your home, absorb your personality and taste, and give you an estimate for the space to be transformed or enhanced. The overall atmosphere of your home is taken into account. Phase two : delivery of a style catalogue (fabric samples, colours for the chosen furnishings, plans... ). The price of the service ? 200 €, reimbursable from an amount determined by the shop. BoConcept, 1254 route de la Valmasque, Valbonne (04 92 38 98 60).
Make way for lots of transparency and finishes in shiny lacquer. ID Design is known for presenting avant-garde creations such as Verardo furniture and the “Naos” table from Halifax by Tisettanta. With Bretz, sofas loosen up, Misuraemme is perfection for storage and Fontana Arte, the ace of lighting design. A superb showcase for furniture and contemporary lighting. 159 avenue Francis-Tonner, Cannes (04 92 19 49 79).
Art in its simplest form and within everyone’s reach is the challenge taken up by Marie. After studying Fine Arts in Vallauris and a voluntary exile in Narbonne, she has returned to her native Var and opened a studio. A haven for apprentice sculptors and budding or established artists. L’Atelier de Marie, 27 rue St-Jacques, La Garde-Freynet (06 85 67 14 50).
They could almost be taken for big acid drops ! Round and closed with yellow, green or orange rubber, these "Valentin" cans can be clipped and remain perfectly airtight. Ideal for cereals and aperitif biscuits. 17.90 €. En vente chez Villeroy & Boch, 125 rue d’Antibes, Cannes (04 93 99 47 03).
Gérard Taride is a child who followed in his father’s footsteps : as suggested by his “Happy Colt” with pink dots... Plunge the 6 year-old son of an artist (Bernard Taride) into a bath and he will soak up his own share of creativity... It was in contact with his father’s entourage and during the heyday of the School of Nice that Gérard (born in 1963) caught the bug for art. From Ben’s playful openings and Arman’s “accumulatif” studio, discovered at the age of 6, to playing with the group Plein Sud from the age of 18 for a full decade - bringing several successful albums -, Gérard capitalized on all the bridges linking art to the more popular world of music. A lesson he retained when then testing his talent with equal passion in interior decor, film and design. This expertise led him to create the concept of XXL furniture (15 shops in France) : more recently, his company Pure Design handled the staging of the home decor fair at Nice Etoile. “The mass market does not bother me,” he says. Like Warhol, he produces series of his icons (Mona Lisa, Mao...), humorously mixing cult objects, items of mass consumption against a backcloth of neo-psychedelics, cutting, altering, re-routing materials (steel, perspex, aluminum), using digital technology in all its forms. For Gérard Taride, one concept alone is important : “Art should be a spectacle for everyone !”
The concept is simple : you open the Mac Flowers cans, water them and admire the results ! You can grow small cherry tomatoes, red peppers, herbs such as basil or mint, in your home. To give an air of nature to your interior ! 5.99 €. www.macflowers.eu
Barbecook has opted for maximum safety and extremely simple use. Thanks to its QuickStart lighting system, its hearth is operational in 15 minutes. The trick : the base is filled with water, thus increasing its stability and giving the possibility of extinguishing glowing ash. In sales at Villaverde, 1165 chemin des Combes, Antibes (04 97 21 21 77).
“I believe in the power of trees.” A remark that partly explains the current work of Emmanuel Laurent Briffaud and his fondness for reproducing them. The artist began studying architecture in Nantes before going to the “Beaux-Arts” in Marseille, in the design section. In Italy, he learned about the restoration and conservation of artworks. But it was in Brussels that he began his artistic production. The year 2000 saw his return to the Côte d'Azur. Co-founder of Atelier 2, he organizes cultural events combining the visual arts, poetry, sculpture, theatre, dance, music and architecture. His latest offering ? An installation in part of the premises of the old CAL factory in Grasse : a nave which is a model of simplicity and purity. The first exhibition presented his recent work. Including his trees, a combination of wood and rubber, cement, steel and glass.
Already at the origins of the opening of Etat d’Esprit in Nice, Marie and Simon Ehrlich are at it again, this time in Cannes, with a shop called Blanc d'Ivoire. You’ll find all their favourites in a collection of the same name, “with our way of seeing things”, as they say. Interior decorators, the pair will advise you in your choice of curtains, carpets, rugs, furnishings... Blanc d’Ivoire, 2 place du Commandant-Lamy, Cannes (04 93 38 78 83).
There’s just one small step from the world of fashion to that of the art of living. Maud Lesur took it the day she met the director of the Hotel Métropole in Monaco. For the past five years, this former fashion journalist for “Madame Figaro” has played the part of a mistress of the house who adds a touch of soul to the hotel. Joël Robuchon, for example, entrusted her with the design of the uniforms for the Yoshi staff. 2009 sees the completion of her first worksite : a restaurant. “I don’t intend to rest on my laurels, I’m always looking for new opportunities.” 06 26 92 84 46.
Jessica is an Art Deco freak, with the accent on Deco ! She grew up with an interior architect as a father before joining the world of art. In 2007, she launched an on-line boutique, then decided to put Mistinguett in front of a showroom. Jessica is, in fact, at the helm of premises with a mezzanine where she proposes items that have caught her eye, as eclectic as they are unexpected. As witnessed by her erotic corner, soft and tasteful, hardly likely to make anyone blush ! Joe the Polar Bear and a limited-series bookcase from Ibride rub shoulders with armchairs designed by Draga Obradovic. “Mistinguett is the first boutique in France to stock them.” Exclusivity that extends to Sturm und Plastic and its furniture with a frosted effect. With a glance back in time, there are also re-editions of great classics. Mistinguett is off-beat, a bit eccentric, and a gold-mine for fans of the ’thirties and ’fifties ! Mistinguett, 8 rue Lecerf (04 92 19 17 51).
The opportunity couldn’t be missed to create an extension of Venulys in front of the existing store. The entity thus gains in strength. “Venulys Home is fully dedicated to the house,” confirms interior designer Christophe Samain. In an ambience of warm colours, one’s gaze alights on items unearthed in flea-markets, Parentesi Quadra and Porta Romana products, and Safretti’s very fashionable bio-ethanol hearth. Fans of authenticity will adore the Firelight Glass oil-lamp, and fashion victims will certainly be unable to resist the collection of ultra-trendy bags. A shop-cum-design office, Venulys Home is the ideal complement for Venulys. 8 rue Lecerf, Cannes (04 93 68 52 45).
The purpose behind decogalerie.com is to democratize access to contemporary design for interior decor. The site proposes a selection of unique items and limited series and becomes a springboard for new talent. Simple and effective. www.decogalerie.com
