pierre frey – at home in paris – flair magazine

At home in PAris
This Paris flat is the home of Pierre Frey, grandson of the founder
of the eponymous Parisian textiles house. He has decorated
it using this year’s collections from the family firm, giving it a
contemporary look that is full of charm and not at all clinical.
Photography: Thomas GoldeT
ISSUE 39 09/2012
63

64 09/2012 ISSUE 39
At
Home
in Paris
The architecture of the flat is spacious and well-proportioned, with
high ceilings, which made the design of the interiors so much more
rewarding and responsive to colourful fabrics and graphic lines of
furniture. This is the home of Pierre Frey, Jr., so only the products of
la maison Pierre Frey will do. Fortunately, there is plenty of choice,
because the product range no longer covers only textiles, but now
includes furniture, wallpaper, carpets, lamps and accessories.
The flat is in the heart of Paris, hidden behind the beautiful doorway of a 17th century building.
located at the back of the courtyard and up the 19th century staircase, it is bathed in light
thanks to the wall of full-height casement windows that flow through the succession of rooms.
It took seven months of work to restore the space to its original circular floor plan, to select the
fixtures and finishing materials, and finally to decorate it with fabrics and furniture.
Pierre Frey led the work himself, in consultation with the architect marika dru, who
suggested many of the strong design elements and who created the light fixtures through her
studio mKd design, which were then made by Charles of Paris. each room has been given its
own clear identity, and the dramatic character of the space is immediately evident as soon as
you walk through the front door to find the hall walls striped in anise and black, with a console
framed by curtains in a delicate embroidered leaf fabric from Boussac, with lamps by Pierre
Frey. Further illumination comes from the hubert le Gall mirror and the two mesh chandeliers
by marine Breynaert.
The hall opens onto a large living
area, where the sun-drenched
kitchen meets the dining-room
and living-room in an open plan
of neutral tones and shades, with
bursts of intense colour. Large
format photographs and a highimpact
mirror by Hubert Le Gall
finish off the decor. The very
graphic corridor is papered with
striped wallpaper by Boussac
(Bianca, in anthracite, silver and
white). The mesh chandeliers
are by Marine Breynaert.

ISSUE 39 09/2012
65

This space is decorated with
Pierre Frey and Boussac fabrics
and structured by graphic black
furniture. An Aubusson carpet,
a Pierre Frey special, repeats the
embroidered motif of the linen
curtains (Atmosphere by Pierre
Frey). The walls are decorated
with photographs by Ambroise
Tezenas. The ceramics are by Buffile.
The Versailles parquet, by Feau
Boiseries, is lightly limed, with a
grey tint, and creates a delicate
harmony with the pepper tones of
the walls. The painting is by Sarah
Lavoine. The Zanzibar lamp is in
tulipwood. The Milena chairs are
covered in glazed linen (Portofino)
and the sofa (models – Peter;
Roseline; Remi) is covered with a
white woven chevron (Vasco).
66 09/2012 ISSUE 39
At
Home
in Paris

In the dining area,
two armchairs
are covered with
thick two-tone
basket-weave
cotton. The
dining-table is
by Pierre Frey,
as are the chairs
which have been
upholstered
in fabric from
the Studio
Andree Putman
collection. The
space is lit by a
tube chandelier
by Mkd.
above In THe kITcHen,
ALL APPLIAnceS ARe
HIdden FRoM SIGHT In
Two cLoSeTS wITH THe
oRIGInAL oLd PAneLLed
dooRS. A cenTRAL
ISLAnd By VALcucIne IS
coVeRed In FAux LeATHeR
And GLASS, And SeRVeS
To AncHoR THe deSIGn
oF THe RooM, wHIcH
IS ILLuMInATed By A
dRAMATIc Mkd SPecIAL
LuSTeR-TuBe cHAndeLIeR.
THe SAMe FAux LeATHeR IS
uSed on LARGe, eLeGAnT,
FLoATInG FRAMeS To
MARk THe PASSAGe FRoM
kITcHen To LIVInG-RooM
And HALL. THe SconceS
ARe By cHARLeS PARIS.
At
Home
in Paris
ISSUE 39 09/2012
69

At
Home
in Paris
In the main
bedroom, the
walls are covered
in a silk satin
with a geometric
pattern, and
the curtains are
made of grey
striped linen
embroidered
with a damask
motif and
held open
with declerq
tie-backs.
ISSUE 39 09/2012
71

The bathroom is open to the bedroom and benefits
from the natural light filtering in from the tall
windows. The reading lamps and chandelier tube are
by Mkd design. The paintings are by dean Tavoularis
and from Gallery catherine Houard. The lamp is by
charles Paris. The bathroom fixtures are by devon
& devon and the grey raised mosaic by Trend.
At
Home
in Paris
The second bedroom is a luxurious
riot of gold and green silk, with
velvet cushions on the bed – all
textiles from the Fadini Borghi
collection. A 1970s lamp in gold
metal is by charles Paris. The stool
and console are by Pierre Frey. The
circular ceiling is by Mkd design.
ISSUE 39 09/2012
73