SEPTEMBER 2019 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK 53DECORATINGWORDS: AMY BRADFORD PICTURES: JEAN-FRANCOIS JAUSSAUD, JEROME GALLAND, JULIE ANSIAU
Who is he? Since establishing his studio in 2001, Pierre Yovanovitch
has become known as one of the most refined presences on the Paris
interiors scene. He started his career in fashion, designing menswear
for Pierre Cardin, but interiors have long been his passion. ‘I’ve always
been obsessed with scenography and a sense of volume,’ he explains.
‘As a child, I was constantly rearranging things around the house.’
Now, he designs homes all over the world, as well as exhibition spaces and furniture. His
covetable ‘Oops’ collection includes the characterful ‘Mama Bear’ chair ( below).
What’s his style? Yovanovitch conceives of every project as a work of art. ‘My style is
elegant yet minimalist,’ he states. ‘I focus on textures, angles and vintage elements to bring
spaces to life.’ Born near Vallauris in southern France – a region famous for its pottery –
the designer often includes bespoke ceramic pieces in his schemes. ‘They change during
firing, so the end result is never quite what you planned,’ he adds.
Tell us about his projects... At Quinta da Côrte ( below),
a guesthouse and wine-making centre in Portugal, Yovanovitch
brought together tradition and modernity with a colour palette
inspired by the local landscape. Similarly, his design for a chalet
in the Swiss village of Andermatt focuses on the beauty of wood,
with asymmetrical shapes that reflect the house’s mountainous
setting. His artistic approach, meanwhile, is apparent at the gift
shop in Villa Noailles (top right), with its brightly framed displays.
What is he currently working on? A restaurant at London’s
The Connaught hotel, designed by Yovanovitch, is scheduled to
open this autumn, as well as a hotel in the Méribel ski resort. He’s
also revamping the former apartment of Modernist Jean-Michel
Frank. In September, Rizzoli will publish Pierre Yovanovitch:
Interior Architecture, the first monograph on his work.
He says: ‘I don’t design for a specific type of person, but what’s
always key is trust. If there is no trust, there can be no creative
freedom.’ pierreyovanovitch.comEXPERT ADVICE
Pierre Yovanovitch’s
tips on creating an
individual feel
Be inspired by your home’s
environment I would never
design an interior in New York
as I would in Paris or Zermatt- it just wouldn’t make sense.
For example, in a glass-walled
apartment near the beach in
Tel Aviv, I sought to bring the
sea indoors, using reflective
materials to catch the light.
Devise cheerful, warm and
welcoming colours Avoid being
repetitive with them, though.
I like to create contrasts of light
and deep shades. Recently,
when I repainted my Provence
farmhouse, I layered a lot of
pinks, yellows and blues.
Include custom-made pieces
to add character I’ve worked
with a French ceramic artist
called Armelle Benoit for several
years – she’s made ceramic
frescoes for several homes, as
well as a curved wall for one
Paris apartment. Pieces like this
have an incredible impact in
terms of colour and texture.
Be creative with lighting LEDs
cast a much starker glow than
incandescent bulbs, so I use
bubbly glass shades and
organic shapes to soften them.
Lighting should always create
atmosphere. Try to use natural
sunlight, too. I once added a
skylight above a staircase
glazed with coloured, textured
glass – it drew amazing blue
and yellow forms on the walls.
DECORATOR INDEXPIER R E YOVA NOV ITCH
The Parisian interior designer for whom every project
is a unique and thoroughly personal work of art