I use colour when it is brought or suggested by materials, I never try to force the tone. I love desaturated colours, like the ones you can only obtain with natural ingredients. I’m always looking for natural palettes that blend into one set. However, I sometimes like to accentuate the depth or the volume of an object or space with stronger tones and contrasts. I also enjoy exploring the symbolism of colours in my design process.
color
I use colour when it is brought or suggested by materials, I never try to force the tone. For example, the white walls I designed for Montblanc’s global store concept in 2016 are inspired by the texture of the paper – a natural and complementary element to have in mind when collaborating with a stationary brand. During this year’s Salone del Mobile in Milan, I collaborated for the first time with Tai Ping to present Raw which is a collection of five designs for made-to-order rugs. All of the rugs are inspired by rocks and minerals. One of the pieces, named Lengfeld, comprises different shades of blue that are reminiscent of agate stone and sapphire.
I have a soft spot for the colour blue, nautical style and denim. For Aqua, my first surfboard design, I used a blue watercolour technique which references the control of water – fundamental in both watercolouring and surfing. Being born in Brittany, I
need to live near the sea. The ocean fuels my mind and creative process. This is why I now share my time between France and Portugal; both countries offer easy and quick access to the blue of the ocean.
I love desaturated colours, like the ones you can only obtain with natural ingredients. For the upholstery of the Borghese sofa, which I designed in 2012 for La Chance, I selected a natural green colour combination which is inspired by the foliage of the Stone Pines of the Villa Borghese in Rome. My work has always been inspired by nature. I want to recreate what we feel when we observe and contemplate the natural world through design – I want to recreate the fragile link between our external environment and our interior architecture. This is why my inspiration is based on emotion, contemplation, admiration and immersion in nature: its shapes, its materials, its lights, its systems, and of course, its colours.
My work has always been inspired by nature. I want to recreate what we feel when we observe and contemplate the natural world through design – I want to recreate the fragile link between our external environment and our interior architecture.
right colour palette for designs
I’m always looking for natural palettes that blend into one set. However, I sometimes like to accentuate the depth or the volume of an object or space with stronger tones and contrasts. Again, for Tai Ping’s Raw, I recreated the veins within the rocks design with details in the carpet in different shades of greys, pinks, blues and other colours.
I also enjoy exploring the symbolism of colours in my design process. The colour palette for the lounges I conceived for Air France draws heavily from a contemporary adaptation of a park, with a lot of green hues and hints of red. The colour red is a strong mark that stands for excellence and uniqueness – hence why it is also present in Air France’s logo.
Colour in design also allows experimenting with how spaces and volumes are divided. Colours, the collection of seats I created for Bernhardt Design in 2015, allows clients to both connect and break up rooms and large areas, like lobbies and lounges, with colourful borders. The seats come in red, green, blue, purple and yellow, and can be used to divide large public areas into smaller conversation or waiting zones.