House in New Mexico

The first things that occur to people seeing this house are «care», «warmth», «tranquility»... An original gallery of works of art belonging to different ages and styles, the living room is given charm by the restrained lines of furniture. The caramel-coloured wooden floor is covered with a refined carpet. There is a black-and-white photo collection entitled «Woman in Water» by Herbritz in the hall that joins the living room, the dining room and the kitchen. Neighbouring is a 1954's portrait of Gorgia O'Keefe and a number of «photo souvenirs» -- recollections of Morocco. The interior design of the simple and light bedroom, overlooking a garden, is an aspiration for solitude and tranquil rest. Equipped with wooden furniture with marble counters, the spacious kitchen is yet very cozy. High glass cupboards are both very functional and elegant.

House in Torino, Italy

The house in old town dates back to the 1850s. The first floor apartments, spacious and high-ceilinged, were traditionally considered privileged and prestigious. The new owners, a young family, wanted to turn it into a stylish, comfortable space and furnish it with antique units. The inspiration was found in the eclectic Art-Deco atmosphere of Shanghai of the 20-s and 30-s. Old window frames, doors and parquet were renovated. Marble crumb was used for the flooring in the hall and in the corridor. Paper wall-lamps and bright curtains break the monotony of walls and ceilings. In the sitting room, two big cupboards accentuate the height and size of the room. Victorian armchairs with rich silk and linen upholstery, a bright-blue couch, drafted by the architect, and quaint coffee-tables, brighten up the space. Various original Chinese articles of the 30-s complete the picture. Deliberately decorated and done with an eye to the past, the apartment is, nevertheless, comfortable and modern.

Loft in New York

This house in Harlem has been renovated to connect the past and the present. A steel staircase between the second and the third levels of the dwelling forms a gallery. The palette of the living room is predominated by white, brown and black. The white walls intensify light effects brought about due to huge transparent panels. A modern white sofa neighbours on low wooden tables. Simple black vases filled with bamboo stems and a black table with banquettes look good together. The kitchen is dramatic with a contrast between the tints of oak flooring, bamboo cabinets, birch walls and ceiling, and the tones of grey granite tiles on the floor, a steel staircase and working tops. A children's zone and a penthouse at the gallery level are symmetrical. Opening up onto a terrace, the master bedroom is served with a cloakroom. Besides is a shower. Love this space !

Peter Klassen's house in Grasses

Peter Klassen is famous for his original painting technique - geometric abstraction. Every summer the artist lives and works in Grasses. The design of this house built in 1990 was developed by Peter and Christopher Petikollo . The plot is divided into right-angled sections where an ensemble of flat roofed buildings is located. The main house, swimming-pool, workshop and gardener's house together make up an ideal rectangle. It seems as if everything here is based on geometry. Even the daylight, streaming inside through glass fronts leaves rectangular spots on the granite floor. You can say that contrast is the key principle of the interior. Entering the house through modern glass doors you see pillars from Cameroon , Nimbi sculptural masks and Dagon dance masks. Much of the furniture was designed by Klassen's wife - chairs and a coffee table in the living-room, for instance. In the dining-room on can see arm-chairs from Phillip Stark and tables made by Peter Klassen . The first floor is done in Japanese traditions: contrast of white and black, horizontal and vertical lines.

Stylist Nathalie Garcons's apartment in Paris

Famous stylist Nathalie Garcons apartment in Paris leaves nobody indifferent. Each detail in the interior has its own history. The decor can not but fascinates one with its courageous mixture of styles which, according to the designer, reminds her of the amazing city of Cannes and helps her fight prosiness. It is the stone staircase leading to the mezzanine that calls the tune in the interior, the narrow steps sending us to the architecture of the 17th century. The stained-glass windows were manufactured in 1925. The interior palette attracts one with rich colours chocolate, red and khaki. The black-toned parquet flooring is laid out with thick orange carpets. The huge velveteen sofa is decorated with various textiles some of them being handweaved on the basis of drawings which Nathalie has found in the archives of some textile works. Picked up on a flea market, the chairs of the 1930s are especially prominent among Nathalies other finds. The sideboard standing nearby has been repainted into the colour of red; the original Thai table has been cut out of the giant root of a tree. The headboard is adorned with a large patchwork leather panel. In the evening the dwelling lit by wavering candles resembles an isle of the past safe from the stream of time.

New York interior