IMPERCEPTIBLE TWISTS
How interior designer Cyril Vergniol spins magic into every space he touches細賞室內設計師Cyril Vergniol如何為每吋空間施展奇妙的設計魔法
What might a New York City condo, a private residence in Shanghai and an early-20th century hotel in Paris have in common? If they’re grand in stature and eclectic in influences, yet cohesive in design, it’s likely they’ve been designed by Cyril Vergniol, the French interior designer who manages to keep a low profile while his name floats around in conversations among the gilded class, especially among those looking to spruce up their private abodes.
Cyril’s talents lie in marrying a variety of artistic influences to create spaces with bold character. He was among the interior designers to work on the renovation of the esteemed Hôtel de Crillon in Paris, where he updated guest rooms to reflect the 18th-century building’s grandeur while incorporating contemporary furnishings. Recently in New York, Cyril was enlisted by Macklowe Properties to design two model units for 200 East 59th Street, a new residential tower. There, the designer took inspiration from surrealists to furnish the residences.
“Harry Macklowe asked for something unexpected and far from the usual impeccable show flat,” explains Cyril. “He wanted each unit to be ‘daring’. To achieve the look with a twist of glamour, I looked to France’s surrealist movement of the mid-’50s. It was an artistic movement that wanted to use all creative and expressive techniques in a free spirit. I was inspired by the great artists, including René Magritte, Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst and Joan Miró, along with their collectors or ‘sponsors’ such as Peggy Guggenheim, who created the concept of surrealism.”
Here, custom pieces made out of cast bronze, handmade glass, plaster and wood sit with vintage furniture sourced from Sweden, Denmark, Italy, France and New York. There’s a sculpture of a monkey encrusted with Swarovski crystals, while in a bedroom, a pair of handpainted eyes stares curiously out of a white wall, inspired by Jean Cocteau’s surreal drawings.
In Asia, Cyril is also known for designing the homes and yachts of many in influential business circles. Among his projects is a home in Shanghai that brings together “French art deco influences and features by traditional Asian and Chinese artisans,” as he describes it. An example is found in the mahjong room. “We inserted traditional lacquered panels from a 19thcentury Chinese screen into French boiserie, and then covered the boiserie with blue-grey silk velvet. The entrance stands out with hand-texturised bronze panelling. The result is a modern approach to the French art deco motif, using the best of local craftsmanship.”
一間位於紐約市的公寓大樓、上海一幢私人住宅，以及巴黎一座建於20世紀初的酒店，可有什麼共通之處？如果它們也擁有華麗外觀、多元風格和連貫統一的設計，那這3個項目肯定是由法國室內設計師Cyril Vergniol操刀的精彩作品。設計師作風低調，但一直備受上流人士追捧，特別是一眾想為自己的家園換上非凡新貌的屋主。
Cyril擅長結合多種藝術風格營造別樹一幟的特色。他曾為巴黎著名的Hôtel de Crillon翻新客房，使之優美融合其18世紀建築的宏偉格調，並符合當代魅力的新式裝潢。早前，Cyril獲Macklowe Properties委託，為公司在紐約新落成的200 East 59th Street住宅大樓設計兩個特色示範單位；設計師從超現實主義獲得靈感，打造出超凡脫俗的矚目新裝。
Cyril表示：「Harry Macklowe希望示範單位擁有一種令人驚喜的破格裝潢，設計要大膽前衛。要達到目標又不失吸引力，我從1950年代中期法國的超現實主義尋找靈感。這場藝術運動旨在讓人們自由發揮所有創新和表意的技術，我深受到幾位大人物的啟發，如René Magritte、Salvador Dalí、Max Ernst、Joan Miró，及他們的收藏家或『贊助人』，例如創立了超現實概念的Peggy Guggenheim。」
單位內的訂製家品：大部分由鑄銅、手作玻璃、灰泥和木材製造，跟購自瑞典、丹麥、意大利、法國、巴黎和紐約的古董傢具和諧共存，互相輝映。一個飾有斯華洛世奇水晶的猴子雕塑散發閃爍光芒，而其中一間睡房內的白色牆壁上則繪有一對充滿好奇眼神的眼睛，靈感來自Jean Cocteau的超現實畫作。
While Cyril points out that he doesn’t work with a “signature style”, a common thread that runs throughout his projects is the presence of European design elements. “I always adapt myself to the architecture and localisation, then to my client’s tastes or preferences,” he says. “And then, of course, I add pieces or details that I like, and that are often based on a European decorative period. France had the richest art deco history from the 18th century to the ’70s, so it’s natural for me to pick up some of these details and try to reinterpret them.”
“We try to be very eclectic in our approach,” adds Cyril. “It’s sometimes difficult to pull off because it requires more work, but it is more interesting to be different and unique.” And it shows, especially considering the quiet droves of the elite that approach him to work his magic. “I think that when clients come to me from Seoul, New York or Istanbul, they’re looking for this almost imperceptible twist.” //
Cyril亦為很多亞洲商界人物設計家居和遊艇，其中一個代表作位於上海，他形容該項目時這樣說道：「傳統亞洲及中國藝術工匠把法國裝飾藝術氛圍和特色完美揉合起來。」麻將房是其中一個好例子。「我們把一道19世紀傳統中式屏風的亮漆木板裝嵌到法式牆板之上，再加上一塊灰藍色絲絨。而入口設有由人手加工裝飾的銅板，款式奪目。這些設計採用本地最優秀的工藝打造，在法國裝飾藝術主題中注入現代風格。」
Cyril表示自己不會依循單一種「招牌風格」來進行設計，反而你會在他各個項目中，見到多種歐洲設計元素。「我經常以建築和地道特色為本，再根據客人的品味和喜好來創作。當然，我亦會應用自己喜愛的家品或細節，而且大多是來自同一個歐洲裝飾時期。法國擁有最豐富的裝飾藝術歷史，由18世紀橫跨至70年代，所以我自然傾向從中挑選一些細節，再重新演繹。」
「我們致力打造多樣化的設計，雖然有時很花心機和時間，但過程卻更為有趣，能創作出與別不同的獨特效果。」一眾低調的品味之士也對他的設計魔法趨之若鶩，足證他的設計理念有多成功。「我想，來自首爾、紐約，甚至是伊斯坦堡的客人來找我幫忙時，大概也是想要這種細微但吸引的轉變。」//