Here, the art of living is given pride of place. Artists' portraits, contemporary furnishings, decorative items, beauty products and restaurants meet everypossible desire.
L’Empire des Thés has launched its web site. A black, gold and burgundy ambiance, as in its Parisian boutiques. With just a click, off you go on a voyage of initiation around the most beautiful plantations in China. You’ll discover over 160 kinds of tea, accessories and spin-off products (tea services, tins and chests…) and all you need to know about the origins and different families of teas, plus advice on how to consume the beverage as per the rules of the art. <a href="http://www.empiredesthes.fr/fr/">www.empiredesthes.fr</a>
The Belgian brand Manutti has made itself a name in the very closed circle of top-notch products. Nowadays, as the terrace, patio and garden, as well as the area bordering the pool, are looked upon as additional living space, their fixtures and fittings call for closer attention to esthetics and practicality. These areas for getting together or simply relaxing are being clad in new materials to resist time and weather, are pleasing to the eye and, of course, comfortable. Colour codes evolve from one year to the next. Today’s trend is for natural shades, black and anthracite grey. “Aspen”, the modular sofa concept proposed in the 2008 collection, allows you to adapt your seating layout as required. Minimalism is the rule of thumb, sophistication welcome, elegance omnipresent. And a “chaise longue” can always complete the ensemble. With “Atlanta”, priority goes to organic and wavy forms. Fluidity comes in the guise of a sun-lounger, harmonious to the tips of its arm-rests. Tthe collection will not rot and makes mockery of changes in temperatures (- 25 to + 70° C). <b>06 03 08 28 60.</b>
Introducing one of Germany’s leading manufacturers of sunblinds. For balconies and terraces, windows, verandahs etc., classic or contemporary, its models provide a wide array of styles and possibilities. By using Markilux modelling software, home-owners can “virtually” create the blinds they need (available free on the website www.markilux.com). Bozzano Stores, 32 boulevard Etienne Astegiano, Cannes (04 93 47 05 76).
The Principality of Monaco now boasts another showroom dedicated to interior decoration. Monte-Carlo Design has in fact just opened its doors and fans of the genre are in for a real treat. The store offers both luxury and originality in light fittings, furniture, radiators and hearths. All well-established, the brands represented (Bretz, Cinier, Baccarat) share the same quest for irreproachable quality and elegance in design. To be discovered immediately. 47-49 boulevard d’Italie, Monaco (06 17 08 01 00 et 06 34 29 26 15).
<u>Monaco</u> The brand’s main colour codes, mahogany and grey, have been duly observed. Though the Yves Delorme boutique in Monaco now stands out for design that is really up to the minute. The in-house architect has given the store a very modern look, combining stainless steel and transparency in the guise of plain and frosted glass. For the floor, beige tiling with a couture effect, completely original for Delorme, all giving a very lovely 21st-century backcloth to set off the 2008 collection. The three star lines are called “Labelle”, “Aubois” and “Dormant”. A mix of romanticism and modernity, flowers, stripes and embroidery. Percale rubs shoulders with satin, silk with cotton voile, velvet with wool, alpaga and, of course, terry towelling for the bathroom linen. All in cheerful or more tender hues, perfect for the entire family. Yves Delorme, Galerie du Métropole, 4 avenue de la Madone (00 377 93 50 08 70).
The new Chloé fragrance has arrived, a potion with young accents that never date, a blend of classicism and modernity, floral delicacy and woody sensuality. It successively reveals peonies, lychees, freesia, roses, magnolia, lily-of-the-valley, amber and cedarwood. All in a glass bottle with a silvered metal plaque and a ribbon delicately tied by hand. The oval stopper softens the rigorous lines of the flacon. A perfect complement to the Chloé style. In sales at Bouteille, 56 rue d’Antibes, Cannes (04 93 39 39 28).
Orchestra and its 197 or so references promise a summer with the emphasis on design. Isabelle Rodier, originally a stylist for the Robert Le Héros brand, has co-signed the 2008 edition in trendy plain colours and neo-classic interpretations of stripes. These technological canvases filter 90 to 100 % of UV rays while retaining over 70 % of sunlight. Good-looking and effective. <b>03 20 45 59 15.</b>
<u>Nice</u>Michel Poupion is a trained cabinetmaker who studied at the Boulle academy and has done his tour of France, like any self-respecting craftsman. In 1999, he settled down in Nice, in a discreet studio where he works with his team. “I met certain designers quite by chance,” he says modestly. Including Jacqueline Morabito and Matali Crasset. “We then proved that we knew what we were doing.” Luck ? Yes, but talent too. Les Ateliers de la Reinière put their signature to the Hi Hotel in Nice, the terrace of Spoon, Alain Ducasse’s restaurant in Gstaad, and the Trotinette boutique in Monaco. 80 % of its clientele belongs to the international sector : stars of showbiz, sport and finance, whose names Michel Poupion discreetly refuses to give. A designer in his spare time, he has just come up with a round table that can become square… and vice versa. Now all he needs is a manufacturer. Les Ateliers de la Reinière, 434 A boulevard de la Madeleine (04 92 15 09 62).
Explore these new suggestions for home decor with the accent on naturalness, ecology and inventive design. Small items of furniture, tableware, fabrics, light fittings, but also accessories for everyday living (flowerpot holders, photophores, home fragrances…), all conveying concern for ecology in the choice of the products. The candles are made of vegetable wax with cotton wicks, light fittings are made of wood and Japanese paper (with energy-saving bulbs), fabrics consist of natural fibres and furnishings made of driftwood or recycled wood. Natura Design, 4 rue du Congrès, Nice (04 93 76 13 32).
Much in vogue, stone no longer contents itself with adorning outdoor areas. While it still adds its appeal to our gardens, terraces and pools, it is creeping more and more frequently into our homes, decorating, among other things, our bathrooms. Importer “Bati Orient” proposes oriental stones from the plains of Tibet, islands off the coast of Australia… And its glass mosaics, the fruit of painstaking workmanship, are perfect for creating personalised compositions. Chemin du Moulin de Losque, Cavaillon (04 90 75 17 15).
<u>Bonifacio</u> The “Bonnet” collection has so far been composed of pouffs in different shapes, covered with a knitted “bonnet” in merino wool and proposed in a wide range of colours. Perfect for matching them with the rugs. This spring, the brand has introduced two new items. The “Bonnet” range has been enriched by throws designed by Liset van der Scheer : available in three different models, they include the new “Occhio” and “Quadri”. Plus a new selection of rugs called “Jewel”. In 100% Chinese silk, with ultra-fine, handmade loops and short pile, giving them a superb, velvety sheen. In sales at Unica Punta, 65 quai Banda-del-Ferro (04 95 73 28 13).
The unusual inspires Florence Polvérino. That’s how she chose the name for her boutique, opened very recently in the old village of Mougins. Nestling in an old stone house, it gives a place of honour to original items. Florence relies on flashes of intuition and is fond of craftsmen’s expertise. You’ll find tableware, glasses, a few pieces of furniture and baggage, all found in flea-markets and carefully refurbished. 84 rue des Lombards, Mougins (04 92 92 01 94).
La Route des Caravanes is full of treasures that Maud brings back from her expeditions to Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, India and China. Currently on show, tote-bags and cushions from Turkmenistan, antique silver rings, Afghan spice boxes. The store also proposes creations signed “Changement de Décor” : pants, skirts, tunics, lingerie… La Route des Caravanes, 12 rue Gioffredo, Nice (04 93 80 41 01).
<u>Nice</u> Launched by Marie Robinson three years ago, this workshop now hangs out its sign. Originally, it had no intention of becoming a boutique, but its door gave onto the street, so passers-by were always dropping in to get a closer look at design in action. “So I opted for a workshop-boutique,” says Marie who, thanks to her success, no longer works alone. With her team, she still makes house linen (curtains, bedspreads, bedhead covers, tablecloths and runners…) which she proposes in two collections, spring/ summer and autumn/winter. Egyptian cotton, linen and silk are still her preferred materials, and this spring subtle colours and pastel shades are the order of the day in a harmonious blend of contemporary and timeless. Because she’s constantly working on something new, Marie also displays a variety of items. She has unearthed a piece of workshop furniture made of zinc, porcelain and a range of earthenware saucepans. She also sells Rachel Espinasse tableware and Telise chairs (metal models designed by Xavier Pauchard, back in 1934). By getting bigger, her workshop has lost none of its charm. Quite the contrary ! La Maison Robinson, 13 rue Théodore-de-Banville (04 93 98 91 49).
The terrace has become an extension of the home, an area where one can live outside several months a year. A new website puts you within mouse-reach of lamps, lighting, parasols and outdoor furnishings. Not forgetting indispensable heating, enabling you to enjoy being outside when the weather gets cooler. User-friendly and easy to surf, the site also provides a technical notice which can be downloaded, instructions for installation and up-keep. <a href="http://www.ma-terrasse.com/">www.ma-terrasse.com</a>
Cinzia Baccon and Maurizio Sacco created Lemani to give free rein to their imagination. The aim is to propose ambiances worthy of a futuristic life-style. Hence lines of furnishings made of exclusive materials. Lemani appeals to architects and interior decorators prepared to pursue unique scenographic projects. <b>06 10 70 85 66.</b>
It’s the end of a fine Spring day. That magic moment when you can still enjoy the pool and last rays of sunlight, when a shroud of intimacy falls over the pool, when the living room becomes your refuge, when candles and torches spread their soft light. To set the scene, zinc columns, looking like works of art, square candle cups, a terrazzo cup and a maxi lantern in metal and glass. A superb collection designed by Bougies La Française. In sales at Botanic, 999 chemin des Gourettes, Mouans-Sartoux (04 92 28 31 00). and at L’Autre Venulys, 7 rue Lecerf, Cannes (04 93 39 27 22).
Oxygène Design and seven hundred square metres of showroom feature any number of solutions for lighting. In fact OD is two companies, one for furniture and the other for light fittings. The former is an exclusive dealer for Bontempi, the second features the best form of lighting around today, cubes with luminous shafts. Olivier Seguy and Jonathan Maurino have imagined spaces, a beach, garden and even an apartment of 150 m2. Both importers and manufacturers, they have the answer to every question of lighting. Oxygène Design, 19 rue du Docteur-Sigallas, Sainte-Maxime (08 75 46 78 62).
Valdivia is a town in Chile, but also a brand of jewellery 100 % bio-ethical and unique, made of vegetal ivory. Also known as “tagua”, this ivory is the hardened albumen of the fruit of palm-trees which grow in certain valleys in South America. An alternative to animal ivory, it behaves in exactly the same way and offers the same possibilities. The brilliant colours are obtained by the use of vegetable pigments. Everything’s made in the Andes with traditional craftsmanship, before ending up around the necks of fashion victims who care about nature. www.valdivia.fr
In keeping with the modern era, tea, without losing any of its aura, is now purchased on the net. A little click, and there you are, in an almost magical world where these precious leaves offer themselves just to you. Learn to appreciate them for their different origins, discover all the benefits tea can provide for your organism and treat yourself to your ideal tea-pot, favourite bowls and the numerous accessories that accompany tea-time. A few minutes on line and you’ll be an expert on the origins, history and legends of this homely but venerable brew. www.thes-kanzen.com
