Here, the art of living is given pride of place. Artists' portraits, contemporary furnishings, decorative items, beauty products and restaurants meet everypossible desire.
Lunch in the countryside is not what it used to be ! Christofle sets new trends with its “Silver Spirit” collection. Picnics become really congenial affairs with a touch of preciousness. Silver makes its appearance, replacing plastic and cardboard. For dainty little sandwiches, a tray (260 ?), for pouring water, a very chic pitcher (400 €), for champagne, country-style “flûtes” (195 € for a set of two) plus “Tenéré” steel cutlery for the final touch (18 € each). On sale from Galeries Lafayette, Cap 3000, Saint-Laurent-du-Var (04 93 07 82 32).
“Freetime”, the latest collection signed Création Baumann, revolves around six items with a simple base available in 40 colours. “Strie”, “Stripe”, “Karo”, “Mix” and “Print” complete the offer and open wide the door to creativity and unexpected combinations ! Your garden furniture will be in teak, aluminium or batyline ? “Freetime” gives them a personality all their own. Same goes for your yacht. Worth noting : this blend of cotton, soft to the touch and treated to resist dust and stains, remains impervious to weather and will not mold. En vente chez Sifas, bretelle de l’autoroute, Mougins (04 92 18 32 40).
A company with a century of expertise, the Faïencerie de Charolles has succeeded in preserving handcrafted techniques while producing hyper-modern pieces. Noble materials, harmonious lines, for unique objects straight from its design studio. Vases and lamps propose outsize dimensions and an austerity softened by subtle hues. En vente chez L’Art de Vivre, Immeuble Luciani, route de Bastia, 20137 Porto-Vecchio (04 95 70 08 36).
With a stock of over 3,000 models, Moghadam proposes a prestigious collection of oriental carpets in antique, contemporary, decorative and even figurative styles. You will also be able to discover new models, very different from the classic oriental carpet, this time pure “design” ; a collection made up of several designers including Calvin Klein and Kenzo. Such a wide range will certainly ensure that you unearth that little treasure which will suit your home to perfection, especially since Moghadam also handles all kinds of made-to-measure orders. It’s also worth noting that the firm offers a comprehensive, high-quality service for cleaning, restoration and anti acarian treatments. But above all, its clients benefit from a unique guarantee. Any carpet purchased will be taken back at 100% of its initial price for at least 5 years ! 23 bd des Moulins, Monaco (00 377 93 25 67 68). www.moghadam.mc
“Cordons bleus”, it’s time for “la vie en rose” ! Aga has launched its new cooking range “3 Ovens + Module”, which can’t fail to satisfy your wildest dreams. On the programme : three large ovens in cast iron (one for roasting, one for simmering, one for pastry-making), plus the module (an extra cooker with two electric ovens and four gas burners or a vitro-ceramic cooking range). Said module soon proves to be indispensable. And don’t think for a minute that the summer season means holidays for all your ovens ! What with sweet and savoury pies, five won’t be too many ! From 15,590 €. En vente chez De Tonge, route de Mougins, 06560 Valbonne (04 93 95 80 00).
No doubt about it : summer has arrived bearing the banner of modernity at Bleu Nature. From Scandinavia, stools covered in immaculate fur, both soft and sensual. From the deserts of Africa, you’ll discover floating wood which lights up (the range called “O”). Untamed nature becomes well behaved, goes back to essentials, to light. A bright new day for lighting. 03 20 11 25 28.
How about, just for once, you were disloyal to your parasol ? What if, for the duration of a summer, you swapped your fold-down blinds for a system decidedly more poetic - and just as efficient : Soltis 92 Voiles Solaires. The expert in the field is Aude Cayatte. A few fixations on the wall, one or several masts, and your garden or terrace will benefit from maximum shade… and poetry. This professional takes care of everything (from design to installation), creating geometric settings in colour (or not) which are weatherproof and last for about 12 years. Ready to make the change ? Sales outlets 04 42 83 98 66 et www.audecayatte.com.
With “Zest”, the new range of electric salt and pepper mills designed by Les Sismo for Peugeot, form and colour do as they please. A simple ring, practical for carrying or hanging them up, and this duo goes straight from the kitchen to the table. Ergonomic and with a pleasant feel (that’s what “Soft Touch” means), “Zest” just needs the touch of a finger to dispense just the right dose of salt or pepper. 29 €. 0810 12 23 38.
What if, thanks to a few candles carefully positioned here and there, your garden or terrace suddenly turned into a haven of serenity ? The atmosphere depends on minerals, a subtle blend of glass, stone and metal, with pure, monastic lines. Grey and white dominate the scene, lit only by a multitude of tiny flames. Are you ready for Zen attitude ? Bougies La Française, Sales outlets 02 51 42 15 34.
Martine Foubet works closely with top manufacturers of contemporary furniture. Though this discoverer of talents also backs smaller firms such as Moooi, a Dutch company which launches young designers under the eye of art director Marcel Wanders. Working since January in a 50% partnership with B&B Italia, Moooi is becoming increasingly ambitious. Since 2001, when Marcel Wanders presented its first collection at the Milan trade-fair, Moooi has treated itself to names such as Ross Lovegrove, Li Edelkoort and Jurgen Bey. Their creations meet our need to feel unique, while recognizing ourselves in other people, being part of a team. Research on people’s attitudes that Moooi translates into chairs, tables, lighting… Martine Foubet, 135 rue d’Antibes, Cannes (04 93 38 54 50).
Lelièvre and Alcantara worked in partnership to produce the Alcantara Home Collection, a range blending noble materials, the tradition of elegance and high-tech. “Stadium” puts the accent on dynamism masculine-style in woollen throw-overs and cushions. “Metallo” spikes the intense hues of the Alcantara with metal giving bronze reflections. Finally, the feminine “Dentelle” adds its charm to cushions, lampshades, curtains and even handbags. 01 43 16 88 00.
Bring the world of Lilliput into your home ! “L’Ecosphère” is a project being developed by NASA : miniature interaction between the animal and vegetable worlds and water, the source of all life. A very decorative item, the object contains distilled sea water, seaweed, gorgons, pebbles and “Opay Oula” (small marine animals). 99 €. terrahumana.fr.
Europe’s biggest manufacturer of top-notch garden furniture has opened shop in Cannes. Sun loungers, deck-chairs, armchairs, tables, trolleys and parasols have taken over the premises, staged in scenes to offer the visitor an idyllic vision of life in the open air. The group’s brands, Triconfort, Hugonet, Evolutif and, of course, Kettal, are all represented, with their latest collections but also great favourites which never grow old. In parallel to the exhibition, this address offers a full range of personalized advice for outdoor decoration. Kettal, 98 boulevard Carnot, le Cannet (04 95 59 51 44).
Liliane and Jean-François Foubert hardly lack experience : after many years spent designing, producing and commercializing crockery and tableware for European manufacturers, they are now opening “large boutiques” dedicated to the charms of the home. The last to date is in Cannes. On two floors, the shop cultivates the “Faubourg” spirit. On the mezzanine, two areas are devoted to arts of the table. The first for daily use, the second for special occasions. On the ground floor, a lounge with household linen, a rest area, salon, library, bedroom and bathroom, and finally the garden section. Cannes : Le Faubourg, 45/47 La Croisette (04 93 39 04 84).
With Libeco, linen makes its entry into the home. In the bedroom, it plays on wide or narrow stripes and soft, intemporal colours. When it makes its way to table, it takes on sunny hues and mixes stripes with bold checks. With a beach or countrified atmosphere, it reinvents the art of entertaining, sharing and congeniality. 00 32 051 48 64 94 and libecoHomeStores.com.
Her name is Antonella Sartori, he is Andrea Sarzi Braga. Together, they form Artealtra. Two all-round designers, whose multiple talents find expression in fields as varied as jewellery, furniture and lighting, sculpture, garden layout… Antonella trained as a journalist, Andrea as an architect… “and as artists”, they add in chorus. All their creations are made by hand, numbered and produced in limited series. Their world hovers between the indispensable and superfluous, between basic materials (paper, rubber, aluminium…) and more precious ones (Swarovski brilliants, crystal…), between fragile and solid. Rings and bracelets called “Chubo”, “Koshi” or “Lovestory”, a vertical garden in Barcelona…Then there’s “Meteoriti”, a garland of light composed of balls of supple steel and a micro mobile-home which melts into nature, a real refuge for anyone in search of chlorophyll. On sale from Augustin Latour, 6 rue Dalpozzo, Nice (04 93 82 29 02) and www.artealtra.it.
Dream or reality ? Graham & Brown take a new look at the poster idea using a new process : high resolution digital printing on wall-paper. Presented in a case, these pre-cut “Digital Murals” can be alternated as you wish to obtain a striking optical effect. To liven up your walls, and for its launch, the brand proposes a choice of three motifs : “Blue Water” (79 €), “Green Flower” and “Rose” (99 €). Sales outlets 03 20 77 56 23.
“Ytis” is a perfect example of Osram’s credo : “The world in a different light”. This reed of light is an autonomous torch fitted with LED for the best type of lighting. Depending on the atmosphere required, you can opt for red or orange, white or blue. Easy to install, “Ytis” is stuck directly into the earth in a vase or pot ; the base of the same name (sold separately) holds four reeds. From 40 €. 03 88 49 75 76 and www.osram.fr.
The Cattaneo showroom consists of three floors totalling over 1,000 m2. Within this space, contemporary and traditional rub shoulders quite harmoniously. You’ll find kitchens, bathrooms (Boffi), bedrooms (Poliform), lounges (Living Divani, Cassina, R.S. Valeo), furniture with a patina, lighting, carpets… The firm also proposes its services for curtains, wall-coverings and furniture covers. But as well as buying these items at competitive prices, you can also enhance your home by ordering made-to-measure furnishings. Real professionals, Alessandra and Federico are capable of executing your ideas with creativity and talent. Whether you’re looking for, or already have, a specific idea, they will advise and see that your home becomes the cocoon you’ve always dreamt of. Cattaneo, Viale Matteotti 62, Imperia (00 39 0183 71 09 72).
Introducing “Vénus”, a chair unlike any other. Konstantin Gric has designed this totally original model for ClassiCon, respecting the object’s proportions and esthetics. Clear-cut contours, beautiful wood, a homogeneous whole… nothing has been left to chance. Did this former student of the Royal College of Arts in London realise that he was writing a new page in the long history of chairs ? ClassiCon, sales outlets www.classicon.com.
