Kaleidoscopic pattern

Designer Pierre-marie Agin’s petite Parisian apartment packs a kaleidoscopic punch

Designer Pierre-marie Agin’s petite French flat is filled with joyful prints and vivid shades

Welcome to the home of graphic designer and

illustrator Pierre-marie Agin. Known for his bold designs for Hermès, packaging for Diptyque and rugs for Milanese gallery Nilufar, all of which fuse references to art, nature, folklore and the supernatural, PierreMarie approached his Parisian apartment in the same way as any other project: by putting decoration at the core. ‘ When we found this place, it hadn’t been renovated for decades,’ he says. His architects, Lecoadic- Scotto, restructured the space, creating the perfect white canvas for him to then fill with his beloved patterns.

‘I feel that decoration is usually a low priority,’ says Pierre-marie. ‘But I believe that pattern always deserves to be centre stage.’ Seizing the opportunity to experiment, he expanded his illustrative skills, transposing his designs onto wallpapers, furniture and ceramics. ‘I remember reading an article proving a link between repetition and pleasure,’ he muses. ‘For me, creating and mixing patterns is a way to catch the eye and please the brain.’

It was the north-facing glass roof which tops the apartment that sealed the deal for Pierre-marie when he was house-hunting. ‘I need a lot of light to be able to work,’ he explains. The 92-squaremetre home sits in the attic of a townhouse in the creative hub of Nouvelle Athènes, spreading across the fourth and fifth floors. The first level houses a studio, kitchen and dining room, while the bedroom and ensuite are located on the second, with dressing and music rooms on a further mezzanine level.

Pierre-marie’s unapologetic use of clashing prints is part of the growing movement for happy, maximalist design that’s taking hold of the interiors sphere. Do the patterns ever get too much in this space? ‘I would be crazy to say that my apartment is small, especially in Paris, for one person,’ explains Pierre-marie. ‘My previous home wasn’t even half this size, so now I feel like I have more pages in my book. I can tell a story with more chapters, in real technicolour.’

‘For some, the colours can be tiring and the decoration too exuberant, but it actually makes me feel very calm,’ says PierreMarie of his unique home. ‘I often stare at a pattern or detail and meditate. It sparks in me the exact blend of serenity and joy I need for inspiration and creativity, and my guests always leave full of positive energy.’ pierremarie. fr