Here, the art of living is given pride of place. Artists' portraits, contemporary furnishings, decorative items, beauty products and restaurants meet everypossible desire.
At the heart of Saint-Tropez, just behind the Place des Lices. It is here, in 330 sq. metres, that Universal Décoration is opening its new showroom in the Var. The store presents all the beautiful new novelties from Pedini, plus a few bathrooms, in partnership with Delfino. Then for kitchens, we discover the round leather model, “Lamborghini”, the new “Dune” and, of course, “Integra”. And rediscover the firm’s own designs, such as this kitchen with an adjoining wine-cellar or the “Strati” island block, signed Universal Décoration.
Fa Maggiore and Fogliarini Arredamenti are two entities linked by the same family. For almost 50 years, the Fogliarinis have promoted Italian chic. Roberta, one of the heirs and a designer by training, explains “the philosophy of the home”, her role as adviser, her knowledge of the market, the brands represented : Bulthaup, B & B Italia, Molteni, Varenna... "Though it is mainly our own style that we wish to impose through them. "Fa Maggiore, via Roma 186, San Remo (00 39 01 84 57 03 73). Fogliarini Arredamenti, via Provinciale km 9,6, Perinaldo (00 39 01 84 67 20 23/24).
Dress your refrigerator in "Magnetic Skin” ! Cut it to the size of your fridge (available in 60 x 85 cm, 60 x 150 cm or 60 x 180 cm) and stick it using magnets. A wipe of the sponge and it’s clean. You can also brighten up your dishwasher with these digital prints that behave like a second skin. From 64 €. www.funnydoors.com
Total surface area increased to 150 m2 and a selection of ultra-contemporary tiles make Cera’Style an essential port of call. The trend is for tiles in unusual materials, large formats, sober shades, cohesion between floors indoors and out. “The latest novelty is tiles one by three metres, and even three metres by three, three millimeters thick.” Cera’Style proposes the very best Italian brands and is the exclusive dealer in the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var for Nextep, ceramic stoneware tiles with a surface coated in leather. Cera’Style, 45 route du Plan, Grasse (04 93 70 00 32).
“Frilly” is graceful and delightfully insolent ! “I designed this chair as an extra large shape that as undergone deformation and pleating to obtain a textile effect.” Patricia Urquiola has succeeded in making it light and fluid, sensual and feminine, mischievous and bold. In sales at Kartell, 21 rue de la Buffa, Nice (04 93 87 94 69).
Of his past in the world of fashion, he has retained a sense of proportion and volume, for combinations of colours and materials. Today, Didier Bobhot benefits from his rich experience as an interior decorator, and is capable of responding to all kinds of requests. As evidenced by two recent projects : a small apartment, decidedly masculine, and a libertine club. The first is directly inspired by a hotel room in New York. The second, L’Anonyme, a club in Cannes, had more specific requirements. “Being a libertine address, I had to adopt the ambiance without falling into bad taste.” A challenge that he met with maestria ! (06 68 56 94 21).
“I wanted to create scented candles like small colourful melodies, a bit playful, a bit mysterious.” Mona Di Orio, already known for her perfumes (she was a pupil of Edmond Roudnitska), now makes scented candles. Produced by the world’s oldest wax manufacturer, La Maison Cire Trudon, they are composed of natural vegetable wax. The little piece of coral that adorns the lid is a souvenir of her grandfather, a coral diver in Ischia, near Naples. 53 €. In sales at Taizo, 120 rue d’Antibes, 06400 Cannes (04 93 39 57 58).
A new way of using a coffee service ! Fellina Sok-Cham has designed “Kookii”, a set made of white porcelain and bamboo, which works like a puzzle : the little spoons fit into the cups and saucers slide into the tray at the same time as they compose it. Clever ! 45 €, Lexon. www.singulier.com
The first, Henri Darricau, won’t work without the second, his wife Catherine. A duo that has functioned perfectly for over 15 years in Cannes. “Our boutique Siroko completes our interior design and decoration activities. It is a showcase with a contemporary ambiance that covers the best that is currently being produced worldwide. Most major brands are, in fact, represented.” It also serves as an office, with sample catalogues, plans..., of sites in progress and projects too. Because if Siroko’s activity still revolves around private apartments and villas, in all four corners of the world, the future looks pretty intense. “Our specialty, and what we love doing most, is turnkey projects. The idea of controlling a project from A to Z, dealing with the entire home or apartment, is a challenge as exciting as ever.” When clients give them a totally free hand, Catherine and Henri Darricau give priority to warm contemporary styles “homes that are wonderful to live in, and part of our era”. 3 rue Florian et 9 rue du Commandant-André (04 93 68 99 21).
Molteni continues its collaboration with Rodolfo Dordoni. By creating "Wood", the designer has put his signature to a creation which opens a new window on the domestic scene. A timeless atmosphere, halfway between the purest classicism and contemporary design. In sales at Segraeti, Le Métropole, Monaco (00 377 97 77 34 30).
Never short of ideas, Stéphanie Marin ! The designer has imagined a forest of small trees to eat, in natural, untreated wood. You can steal fruit, candies... From “Albert”, the model 20 cm high to “Bao” (1 metre high), through “Olivier” (50 cm), she has reinvented the arts of picking and snacking. 32 avenue Henri-Dunant, Nice (04 93 52 89 26).
While people mostly know about her Paris apartment, they are less familiar with the fact that Coco Chanel owned a house in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. It was in this house, photographed for the first time, that Fashion for Floors shot all the pictures for its new catalogue. A first but also a last, as the villa in question is to be completely restructured. "In times of crisis, we must return to basic values, focus on authenticity and offer impeccable quality," says Kamyar Mogadham. This year will be less Pop, with more mature offerings. Among the new models, bamboo, banana trees and vintage patchworks top the bill. We witness the return of ensuality, with materials offering a unique tactile experience. Skins have also won their letters of nobility. Leather takes on a metallic sheen, a very modern and innovative treatment, and carpets form an integral part of the design aspect of our homes. Fashion for Floors, 41 boulevard des Moulins (00 377 92 16 12 16).
Absolument Maison is the brand new 100 % deco label at Galeries Lafayette. Tableware, accessories, house linen… These collections are committed to being organic and ecological in contemporary urban style. Two collections a year and many gifts to treat friends and yourself ! Lafayette Maison, Cap 3000, Saint-Laurent-du-Var (03 93 14 82 12).
Are you eco-friendly ? Yes, if you use products made from recycled textiles such as those proposed by Les Chiffonniers. Hot water bottles, shoes and masks, all organic, made in small series and in France, soft to the touch, participate in the fight against pollution and waste. What’s more, they’re trendy ! www.les-chiffonniers.com
Bathrooms are multiplying our opportunities for enjoyment. Ora Ito thus presents “Altro Supergrif”, rational design, authentic materials and a desire for perfection taken to its extreme. “Soft”, the last bathtub proposed by Ideal Standard, has became the first flexible model to follow the body’s contours. Finally, “Bellagio” from Zucchetti is a collection of aesthetic and ergonomic faucets. Home Store Balitrand, 183 avenue de la Roubine, Cannes La Bocca (04 93 90 59 05).
A beauty cream for home interiors because they deserve the very best. A palette of 120 colours, warm, neutral, bright or discreet. Three possibilities : intense matte, velvety satin or unctuous matte. And why not blend these lovely hues with the manufacturer’s collection of fabrics ? Toiles de Mayenne, because your home is worth it... In sales at Couleurs & Matières, 18 rue Ernest-Renan, Toulon (04 94 36 20 51).
“Porter” is a very special removable tray. You simply have to fit it with a steel support with a handle and, in the wink of an eye, it is transformed into a pedestal table. Installed at the end of a table or sofa, it becomes an indispensable piece of furniture. 85 €, Virages. En vente chez Scandia, 103 rue d’Antibes, Cannes (04 93 39 89 77).
Or how to live both indoors and out. Zzur accepts the challenge by proposing a whole range of items, as comfortable outside as in. Very much in vogue, solid teak and woven resin are available as “chaises longues”, sofas, armchairs, poufs, tables... Worth noting as of today, the showers that take their place around the pool. While the company designs its own line of furniture, Zzur, it also distributes Tribu, Kettal, Dedon, Borek and Plato, the last exclusively in France. 2040 RN 7, Villeneuve-Loubet (04 93 08 01 92).
<u>Saint-Laurent-du-Var</u> Loewe has treated itself to a gallery “allowing clients to appreciate the sculptural and minimalist design of each range, possibilities for personalization and the quality of the materials chosen,” says Laurent Freyz, General Manager for France. On three floors totalling 150 m2, the concept enables visitors to discover the Loewe world : televisions, home movies, integration and installation solutions... They do not come to buy a product, but THEIR product, the one that corresponds ideally to their needs, desires and budget. If design and technology are still the cornerstones of this German specialist, service is certainly not neglected. Advice, delivery, and installation in the home, after-sales service and guarantee (3 years) are all a significant bonus. Seen at the last electronics fair for the public in Berlin, the Loewe Art SL (ultra-slim 9-centimetre TVs), Loewe Individual Mediacenter (a lounge system with CD/DVD-player, FM radio, host station, iPod and iPhone interface) and Loewe Reference 52 (available this summer, a superb home cinema). Fans of irreproachable sounds and images will be over the moon ! Avenue du Maréchal-Juin, Cap 3000 (04 92 12 12 02).
