Endlessly envied for their effortless style, when it comes to interior design, the Parisian’s ability to create timeless looks are no exception.
Whether inspired by France’s rich history of craftsmanship, or with a taste for the multicultural and contemporary, these top 10 Parisian interior designers will have you believing that artful living simply comes naturally to the French.
Pierre Yovanovitch
The first of our Parisian interior designers is world renowned Pierre Yovanovitch. His signature style: modern paired-back designs with soft finishing touches.
With an almost architectural eye Yovanovitch prioritizes clean lines and balance, which extends into his use of high quality, lasting materials, such as wood, marble, ceramics and metal. But his designs never ignore comfort or lack warmth. Scattered throughout his project you will find vintage and artisanal items, which make his interiors both unique and characterful.
Furthermore, Yovanovitch’s love of traditional French craftsmanship has recently led to the launch of his own brand, Pierre Yovanovitch Mobilier, which includes 45 pieces inspired by his time spent in Provence amongst the dense forests and verdant lavender fields.
Joseph Dirand
With a fashion designer as a mother, and a photographer, specialized in interiors, as a father, Joseph Dirand seems born to have been an interior designer.
Having first studied architecture at the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-Belleville, Dirand next turned his attention to interior design. His minimalistic style, taste for marble, monochrome color palettes and inclusion of style-forward furniture, alongside his architect’s understanding of space and light soon made him a firm favorite of both the fashion industry and luxury hotels.
Dirand’s designs can be seen at the Balmain store on rue François-Ier in Paris, or at the Parisian restaurants, Le Flandrin, Loulou and Monsieur Bleu.
Stéphanie Coutas
Stephanie Coutas’ interior design style is defined by its finesse and its finishing touches. With a talent for pairing luxury with simplicity, notably her use of ecru tones alongside precious woods, her designs create spaces filled with clean lines balanced with spectacular objects and art pieces. Her eponymous brand works closely with artisans, who together strive to create new and experimental finishes to their materials.
During her time spent in Asia (Coutas was born in Hong Kong), she developed a love of texture. It was also there that her taste for tranquil and serene spaces, but also her daring ability to mix styles, influences and colors originated, which together create the eclectic yet elegant style for which she is known.
With her penchant for luxury, found in simple design, quality craftsmanship, and rich materials, Coutas has unsurprisingly worked with many high-end hotels as well as individuals wanting to bring the splendor and the comfort of a stay away into their own homes.
Laura Gonzalez
Visually delightful, Laura Gonzalez’s interior’s are known for their saturated colors, detailed designs, and atmosphere of abundance. Whilst never sticking to the same style twice, Gonzalez’s use of touchable textures and ornate patterns make each of her spaces overtly welcoming.
Having started her interior design company Pravda Arkitect whilst still studying, her work quickly made a splash on the design scene thanks to her remodeling of the Parisian club and music venue Bus Palladium. In the decade since, she has designed many Parisian hotels and restaurants, including Manko, l’Alcazar, le Relais Christine, la Brasserie Auteuil, Thiou andAndina.
Her customary ‘mix and match’ style has recently been noted by Maison & Objet, who awarded her the ‘Designer of the World 2019’.
Hervé van der Straeten
Interior design is only the latest branch of Hevré Van der Straeten’s illustrious career. Also having studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Straeten first started working as a jewelry designer. Having collaborated with Isabel Marant early in his career, Straeten soon had a whole string of luxury partnerships under his belt, designing jewelry, perfume bottles and makeup cases for many brands such as Yves Saint-Laurent, Christian Lacroix, Guerlain, and most famously Dior, where he was the mind behind the iconic ‘J’adore’ bottle.
Therefore, his experience as a jeweler and working among fashion houses made it inevitable that his own line of furniture, mirrors and lighting, impart the same chic ethos. In his gallery, found in Paris’s Marais neighborhood, you can see his unique yet surreal collection, which are works of art in their own right, alongside a small selection of contemporary paintings.
CM Studio Paris
John Coury and Florent Maillard, the two designers behind CM Studio have an ability to draw inspiration from a building’s time-period and historic grandeur like no other. Their designs also draw upon the rich tapestry that makes up their own backgrounds. Firstly, Coury brings a multicultural aspect to the team, having grown up in French culture, but having Syrian, Italian and English ancestry. Contrastingly, Maillard brings a complimentary depth of knowledge to the team through his varied career, first studying hotel management and then working in finance before turning to interior design.The two combined create sensual spaces rich in history, but balanced to suit modern needs.
Charles Zana
Born in Tunisia but raised in Paris, Charles Zana studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts before moving to New York to work in architecture and design studios.
Rather than having a distinct style, Zana values customizable designs which priorities his clients tastes and needs. Nevertheless, the inclusion of soft greys, subtle greens, 18th century architectural details, post-war Italianate furniture and sense of ‘bon ordre’ accompany many of his designs.
Also an art lover, contemporary artworks fill Zana’s interiors, no doubt a passion instilled by his father, a well-known art collector.
Jean-Louis Deniot
Another example of where the eclectic meets the elegant is in the designs of Jean-Louis Deniot. Preferring an internal flow to his spaces rather than following trends such as minimalism or maximalism, Deniot combines open-plan designs with refined details, creating a sense of comfort and harmony.
Considered to be the future of Haute Decoration, Deniot’s style can be described as classic meets contemporary. But that is not to say that his designs are ever predictable. Thanks to his use of tonal color palettes and tasteful choice of sculptures, Deniot brings a fresh perspective to each of his spaces.
Mathieu Lehanneur
Matthieu Lehanneur is not only at the forefront of the international design scene, having earned numerous awards including the City of Paris’ ‘Grand Prix’ award for creativity, but is a designer that strives for technological development in design. Embracing multi-disciplinary influences, Lehanneur’s unconventional interiors connect art and design with science and technology. His favorite materials and concepts to work with are air, water, sound and light.
The reason that Lehanneur invites the other-wordly into his interiors cannot be put into words better than his own:
Because some objects have the power to transform us.
Because what we possess represents us,
And what we pass on will say about us.
Because we need intelligence and transcendence.
Because we live in the real, but we aspire to the extraordinary.
https://www.mathieulehanneur.fr/why
Heju Studio
New on the Parisian interior design scene is Heju Studio, run by Hélène Pinaud and Julien Schwartzmann. Inspired by the minimalism found in both Japanese and Scandinavian design, their work gravitates towards white walls, living materials and architectural details. Above all, color is used sparingly yet effectively, entering through furniture or wall art and creating focal points that both optimize space and appeal to the eye.
As a result, their sensitive and spontaneous approach creates highly livable spaces that make the everyday timeless and beautiful.
