BLONDE AMBITION

Ethically and aesthetically, the only choice for timber is pale-toned oak. It creates a warm welcome in this Parisian abode

The design world’s AFFECTION for blonde TIMBER is due to more than a love of the SCANDINAVIAN look

THE TREND

French interior designer Charlotte Macaux Perelman, the mastermind behind the inviting look of this Parisian home, believes that the current affection for blonde timber is down to much more than just a continued obsession with Scandinavian design. As she points out, there are ecological concerns that have led to this growing trend. ‘Darker woods, such as wenge and mahogany, have become much rarer in recent years, therefore it would be unethical to use them in large quantities today.’ When it comes to sustainable timber, the best choices are fastgrowing soft woods, such as pine, or oak from European forests where harvesting is monitored.

THE HOME

‘There’s a soul to every home, something to preserve,’ says Charlotte, whose approach to design is always to respect the history of a space. There is, however, an exception to every rule, and what interested her about this 230-square-metre apartment, which overlooks Paris’s Parc Monceau, was precisely the fact that there was nothing to salvage. The former owner had lived here for 42 years and redecorated rooms at different times, each in the tastes and fashions of the specific period. ‘It was all over the place stylistically’, Charlotte recalls.

The project represents the most extensive demolition job the interior designer, who divides her time between her own studio and her role as co-creative director of Hermès Maison, has ever undertaken. ‘Nothing was left in place’, she says. Or rather, almost nothing. During the renovation, a ceiling with majestic mouldings – hidden for decades behind simple plaster panels – was revealed in the living room. Although it was painted brown and covered with dirt, Charlotte decided to celebrate this one original feature by modifying her initial plans. Instead of configuring several smaller reception rooms, she created one large open-plan living space, tailored to accentuate the ceiling’s dimensions.

The apartment’s décor is typical of Charlotte’s style. She favours a rigorous architectural approach, with white walls, clean lines and natural materials – particularly wood and marble. The pale oak used for the flooring throughout was also used for the cabinetry, with Charlotte choosing to leave the timber untreated. ‘I wanted to preserve its natural honey tone’, she explains. Both of the apartment’s owners are art lovers (he is the grandson of an antique dealer; she formerly worked in the legal department of a well-known art foundation) and, for Charlotte, their collection brings a dose of fantasy to this home. It’s the ideal contrast to the elegant restraint of her design. studio-cmp.com

This home’s ART COLLECTION brings a dose of FANTASY to the interior, in CONTRAST to

its RESTRAINED, understated furnishings

Charlotte favours a rigorous ARCHITECTURAL approach

to design, with WHITE walls, CLEAN lines and NATURAL materials – particularly WOOD and MARBLE

Above An Italian 1950s armchair, Gino Sarfatti lamp and ‘Lalinde’ table from Sentou Dining area The Corian-topped table is a custom design which has been paired with ‘Ant’ chairs by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen and a ‘Coogee Cotton’ sofa from Sentou. A pair of ‘Marseille’ wall lights by Le Corbusier for Nemo and a photograph by Jean-Pierre Khazem hang above Stockist details on p 194 ➤

Above A bright painting by Bernard Frize greets visitors in the entrance hall. Below it, a ‘RAR’ rocking chair by Charles & Ray Eames for Vitra, a pair of ‘Lalinde’ tables from Sentou and a vintage Robert Mathieu floor lamp create a cosy corner Opposite In the office, a Lindsey Adelman chandelier hangs above a Jean Prouvé desk and the ‘Oria’ chair, designed by Spanish architect Rafael Moneo for Hermès Maison. The painting is another Pop Art piece by Stepan Krasnov Stockist details on p 194 ➤

above this wall in the bedroom is clad with linen, which adds a softness to the interior. a portrait of picasso by andré villers and a gérard garouste drawing hang on the wall above a vintage teak and cane bench by pierre jeanneret bathroom carrara marble reigns in this calm space, with two takashi murakami screenprints injecting a dose of colour above the bath. the stool is the ‘butterfly’ by sori yanagi for vitra and the tub is from hidrobox’s ‘beta essential’ collection stockist details on p 194 ➤