Here, the art of living is given pride of place. Artists' portraits, contemporary furnishings, decorative items, beauty products and restaurants meet everypossible desire.
Soizick Martin places technology at the service of a forgotten practice. She works to order, asks lots of questions then helps you choose the photo that best reflects the mood of your home. The rest, printing, enlargement, need no description, no more than the pleasure that comes from the encounter between paint and metal... Soizick studied at the Beaux-Arts where she met Vincent Bioulès and Claude Viallat. From the first, she retains an obsession with care : “Paintings have to be protected, to resist the onslaughts of time”. From the second, she remembers paintings done with a sponge, a taste for repetition : she is also grateful to him for teaching her about colour. Colour ! That’s the key ! Soizick will certify that she produces yellow from red and green. Mischievously, she whispers that for her, gold, copper and bronze evoke things halfway between refinement and frivolity, probably inherited from her childhood in Morocco. As for blue, she says she fell into it... Matisse is to be blamed, and certainly Klein... To be continued on www.soizickmartin.com
…goes into the basket. But not any basket. The ultra-chic “Vipp 441” takes inspiration from the pedal-bin, a great classic from this Danish brand. Available in black or white lacquered steel, it comes with a double compartment fabric bag, a lid and a perforated bottom to keep linen aired. 400 €. In sales at Rouge Pivoine, 2/4 avenue Lemeray, Antibes (04 93 34 46 35) and Danish Design House, 135 rue d’Antibes, Cannes (04 93 68 68 66).
We know L’Autre Venulys in Cannes, now discover Venulys Village in Mougins. Here, everything revolves around decorative items, ambiance perfumes, teas and delicious syrups. A contemporary setting with a black vaulted ceiling and brands with names like Esteban and Baobab (their biggest candles burn for up to 800 hours !). An ode to the senses for a delightful life-style. 36 rue des Orfèvres, Mougins (04 92 28 06 27).
<u>Nice</u> Finally ! The capital of the Riviera now has its own Kartell mono-brand outlet. The company’s designer, the very creative Ferruccio Laviani, has been entrusted with the premises of 200 square meters and the four large windows at the front of the building. The full Kartell range is on display, lively, eclectic, ironic and elegant, proposing lighting, chairs, tables and occasional furniture. Completely at home in the urban context, a multi-functional approach which no longer needs to prove its salt, and versatility that is partly responsible for the brand’s renown. New products are, of course, on show : the white and gold version of the “Bourgie” lamp, the ovoid armchair “Mr Impossible”, Starck’s “Hi Cut” model, the elegant “Thalya” signed Patrick Jouin, “Lizz” by Piero Lissoni and Alberto Meda’s “Honeycomb”. Fans of Kartell still can’t believe it ! 21 rue de la Buffa (04 93 88 96 26).
Could the phone still be something exciting and moving ? This is what the Australian concept “PerCushion” attempts to prove : a digital cushion that allows you to make calls via Bluetooth while lounging on your sofa. Even so, be careful not to fall asleep in the middle of a conversation ! Truly amazing ! Available in 2008. To discover on www.urbantool.com.au
Famous for his pastries and macaroons, Pierre Hermé innovates by creating two scented candles. “A natural extension of my work on taste,” he says. In order to do so, he chose to work with two great French “noses”, Olivia Giacobetti, perfumer in Paris, and Jean-Michel Duriez, perfume creator for Jean Patou. The result of this collaboration : “Sucre de Bois” and “Herbe d’Amandes”. From 26 €. www.pierreherme.com
If you call the Union of Architects of the Côte d’Azur (Saca), you’ll hear the voice of Anne de Renzis on the line. Anne manages communication in the broadest sense of the term, both between professionals and externally. She is, however, also an artist. Her background ? The National School of Applied Arts, then the Fine Arts Academy in Bourges. “Painting allows you to transcend reality. I portray daily life with its problems, its complexes... I have a very strong empathy for the female body.” In fact, the modern-day woman is omnipresent, working, jogging, shopping, feeling guilty when she eats ice-cream and remembering to buy potted grass for her cat. It’s not easy to classify Anne’s work, halfway been comic strips, manga and Pop Art, a style that is easily recognizable. About every six months, she exhibits her work, solo or with other artists, and every day she makes notes, sketches or draws in notebooks kept like a secret diary. “My work has become an outlet, a way of interacting with everything I can store away.” An atypical artist, bearing witness to life’s little worries and cares. 06 27 34 92 01 et www.annederenzis.com
A seat in roto-moulding proposed by the editor of Italian “Slide” furniture, “Chubby” is appealing for its convenience and solidity. A creation signed by the Dutch designer Marcel Wanders, who wanted to add a touch of gaiety and colour to conventional seats. Round and inviting, “Chubby” offers generous curves that follow the shape of the body. Available in a choice of finishes : lacquered, total white and, finally, the most daring in green, orange, red or gray. www.slidedesign.it
Patrick Baty, historian of colour, has developed a new collection for Ressource called “The 1950's Colours”. He has selected 48 of the hundred colours from the BS2660 of 1955 (1955 colours for building and decorative paints adopted by the British Standards Institute). Wonderful, is it not ? 40 boulevard de Lorraine, Cannes (04 93 69 00 57).
<u>Cannes</u> The Bulthaup showroom in Cannes has just been treated to a facelift and currently features two flagship models : “b1” and “b3”. The first plays on purity and integration into the architecture of the living space. All with harmony in mind. As always, Bulthaup insists on excellence. Timeless forms, a luminous structure, this is the kitchen at its purest, in all its self-evident simplicity. As for “b3”, it goes beyond the kitchen to become a lounge. Forget the “basic” attitude, the kitchen is now a living-room in the fullest sense of the term. Thanks to the multi-functional “b3” wall, furnishings enjoy freedom, focusing on ergonomics and airy esthetics. The trend illustrated here is treated to a staging larger than life : armchairs, a table and low units invite you to relax. The laboratory becomes more human, congeniality is on the bill, the kitchen emerges triumphant. 6 rue de Constantine (04 93 38 00 39).
With a preference for graphics, bed linen follows the minimalist trend. “Emile” from Jalla (opposite) offers masculine design. The greys blur together, blending plain areas, patterns and stripes. Liou recalls the trendy trench coat in its “Chic Belt” collection in pure cotton percale, in black or khaki. Finally, Descamps pays tribute to “Ava” and “Gatsby”. Sophisticated silk and satin for the first, a masculine spirit in cotton satin for the second. Galeries Lafayette, Cap 3000, St-Laurent-du-Var (04 93 14 82 12).
The Ubik system gives priority to space. To benefit from it fully, it’s best to have a room of generous size. “Ubik” consists of wall panels fitted with storage amenities : wardrobes, lockers, racks for shirts, trousers, ties... all on different levels. The charm of this system thus lies in its modularity. Everyone can create the dressing-room that suits them best. Poliform, en vente chez J. Bonet, 25 rue Scaliéro, Nice (04 92 00 36 66).
Graphic designer Elisabeth Mione (formerly an art director in an advertising agency) has (finally !) decided to do what she enjoys most : interior decoration. After already designing several pieces of furniture, she is now devoting herself to her passion with admirable dynamism and real inspiration. She was responsible for revamping the hotel restaurant Anis in Nice, playing with digital-print fabric for the dining-room and also the bed-heads in the guest-rooms. Here she has opted for fashionable colours, very contemporary minimalism which, however, does not exclude a sense of conviviality. Among the projects currently underway, a consulting office at the Clinique Saint-Georges, also in Nice, Mala Beach at Cap d’Ail (now undergoing completion) and the Média Garden Hôtel at Sophia-Antipolis. Highly professional, Elisabeth also undertakes projects for private clients, using the same leitmotiv : enabling more modest budgets to attain their dream apartment while sticking as closely as possible to the dictates of fashion. Quite a challenge ! 6 place Sasserno (06 12 32 13 77).
Introducing a new fragrance from Di Toscana : Pelle Nera. Pelle Nera (or Black Leather) is the oldest olfactory memory in Florence. And today, it’s in the Piazza Santa Croce neighbourhood that one comes across a sudden blend of leather and bark, a delightful tradition as vivacious as ever. Sales at L’Autre Venulys, 7 rue Lecerf, Cannes (04 93 39 27 22).
Using plants to fight pollution is possible. Thirty-eight of them have unsuspected powers. Fans of indoor plants will be really thrilled : numerous studies have shown their effectiveness in purifying and regenerating the air. This book lists all the species whose aptitudes in the field are especially remarkable. Turn over a new leaf from page one to the end ! Les Plantes Dépolluantes, Editions Rustica, 15 €. Sales in Nature & Découvertes, Cap 3000, avenue Eugène Donadei, Saint-Laurent-du-Var (04 93 07 30 30).
They can be used to hide the dressing-room and provide a separation for the bedroom. Sliding façades are therefore indispensable ! Here, the appeal of alternating red and white, with decorative glass and semi-transparency. Manipulation is very easy thanks to rails fixed to the floor and ceiling. Worth knowing : this programme with tailormade dimensions proposes 18 references including six different colours (smoky, yellow, blue, red, green and grey). Archea, chez Les As du Placard, 69 boulevard gambetta, Nice (04 93 44 53 68). ww.archea.fr
Eggersmann is celebrating its centenary by presenting “Unique by Eggersmann” models. Mirror-like stainless steel, Corian in different colours, polished slate, metallic lacquer and the 1980 Pop Art “Memfizz” model. Originals that have set this family firm on the highest rung in the world of kitchens. The address in Antibes is a superb showcase with models laid out as in a home, most of them without handles, very trendy today, and replaced by a groove with which to get a grip. The fashion is also for nooks for get-togethers, with low items of furniture for congeniality. The slogan “With Eggersmann everything is possible” sees that everyone obtains their dream kitchen : almost everything is made to order (dimensions, colours…), with a wide range of accessories. Wels Décoration, 2567 chemin de Saint-Claude (04 93 74 03 00).
“Seattle” is the name given to this storage unit. A cabin trunk with very sober looks which nevertheless goes straight to the heart of the matter, making the most of available space and offering the most possibilities in the smallest volume. The door opens totally to reveal a hanging closet, shelves, drawers, a tie-rack and a mirror. “Seattle” comes in mokka iroko, dark or stripped oak. The model shown here is modular. Armani Casa, chez Segraeti, 17 avenue des Spélugues, Monaco (00 377 97 77 34 30).
Since its creation in 2004, Münchausen has become a benchmark for wall-paper, stickers and tiling. The patterns proposed in the two flagship collections, “Palm Springs” and “Toiles de Jouy”, continue to confuse the issue for the greater pleasure of unrepentant fans. Objects from flea-markets, micro-scenes with transgressive tones, decorum inspired by Hitchcock, all borrow a very graphic, 18th-century vocabulary, both encyclopædic and amusing. As per the wishes of the two designers, Philippe Rossetti and Simon Pillard, trompe-l’œil becomes a stage for anecdotes, with a tendency towards mythology. A bust of Heraclitus serving as the backcloth for a sculpture, motifs inspired by an engraving by Dürer, the Eiffel Tower rising above a pile of books are all pretexts for enrichment. Sometimes pedantic, the approach nevertheless rehabilitates secular forms in subtle and universal presentations. www.sainthonorewallpapers.com.
Behind this object, as beautiful as it is enigmatic, there in fact hides a nutcracker. Its exceptional design has sacrificed nothing to practicality ; quite the contrary, as it cracks even the hardest nuts with the greatest ease. Playful and useful, Menu’s “Nutcracker” is made of rubber and stainless steel, and bears the signature of designer Bruno Christesen. Chez In Oui, place de la Catalogne, Perpignan (04 68 34 00 00).
