powdered copper) as well as to vintage British
design. It features London-sourced antiques,
including display cabinets that originally
belonged to the British Museum, the drawers
of which Bonnefille has worked into a new
table. ‘They are in Cuban mahogany, which
is protected right now, so quite rare. They are
about 200 years old and were disposed of by
the museum, which is how they ended up in
our hands. I was obsessed with them, not only
for their link to traditional British design, but
also because recycling them meant breathing
new life into them, making them dynamic
and modern, rather than just static pieces
of furniture against a wall,’ says Bonnefille.
‘That sort of metamorphosis is pretty much
what Franck does when he takes a vintage
tortoiseshell to mould it into a pair of glasses.’
And yet, adds Bonnet, in the end his
process is as much about humility and self-
effacement as it is about knowing how to
source precious materials or having unique
expertise. ‘With my glasses, what I want is
to frame a person’s face in the most natural,
comfortable and becoming way. Nothing can
distract from the client’s personality, whichis why I don’t even sign the glasses.’ The
same discretion applies to the interior design,
where, according to Bonnefille, it’s never
about the big statement pieces, but about the
ones that will best showcase Maison Bonnet’s
artistry. ‘There’s nothing I hate more than
those big empty spaces with a giant
chandelier and a luxury handbag on top
of a single marble column,’ he states, adding
that he prefers to create a sense of intimacy.
‘After all, there is something very intimate
in the way Franck looks into a client’s eyes
while he’s trying glasses on them.’
It’s such moments – encounters and
conversations – that inspire both men, much
more than sitting long hours in an office. ‘It’s
all about the stories,’ says Bonnefille, ‘which
is why I’ll be adding some objects, on top
of the display cabinets, that will tell further
stories.’ He’s keeping quiet on the details
for now.
‘They are a surprise, even for me,’ says
Bonnet. ‘I guess we’ve found one subject we
can’t have a lengthy conversation about.’ ∂
Maison Bonnet, 7 Stafford Street, London W1,
opens late June, maisonbonnet.comFROM TOP LEFT, COLLECTED ROCKS
INSPIRED THE STORE’S COLOUR SCHEME;
A MIRROR BY BONNEFILLE; THE BRITISH
MUSEUM CUBAN MAHOGANY DRAWERS‘There’s nothing I hate more than
those big empty spaces with a
giant chandelier and a handbag’
062 ∑