All things French

Axel Vervoordt, more than any other designer, speaks directly to my inner French girl. Ok, he's Belgian, but the Belgian design aesthetic is quite similar to the French. Both typify the use of the rustic next to the refined, & the pedigreed next to the mundane.

Vervoordt calls himself an "eclectic collector and dealer, who treasures the timeless and disdains the trendy." As much as we all enjoy & appreciate trendiness in design, it seems that many of the colors & mid-century modern styles so popular right now (those revived from the 50's-70's) might soon feel dated. Is there already a move away from that era? TT has sensed that the paragon of "modern", Metropolitan Home magazine, is starting to show interiors that are more of a mix - where the 50s-70s pieces are sublimated to the whole & used as accents alongside modern and even classical antiques & accessories. Or is that just our imagination?

It also seems to us that furniture & accessories are starting to be shown in a modern way, as opposed to just being modern. Vervoordt speaks of the importance of "meditation, empty space, a love and respect of nature and of human existence." What could be more modern than that?
Photo from House & Garden








Line Vautrin, 1863-1997

At the age of 28, Line Vautrin opened her first boutique near the Champs-Elysées, where she gained fame for her bronze creations: necklaces, bracelets, earrings, sculptures and boxes.

In the 50s, she began working with cellulose acetate, which she made into a new material christened "Talosel". She shaped, carved and heated it to make lamp bases, screens and above all, the wonderful mirrors shown above.

Line Vautrin retired in the early 80s, but a few years later a collector was instrumental in bringing about the re-discovery of her work, organizing exhibitions all over the world.

In 1992, she was awarded the National Arts and Crafts Prize for her research in decorative techniques. She died in April 1997, two years before the exhibition devoted to her work at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris.

"Her constant search for femininity, refinement, sensuality and subtlety, combined with her love of words and her humour, were constants throughout her life. She was a creator who never had a master, an artist who did not follow fashions and she belonged to no particular school. She is truly original, unique."

To learn more about Line Vautrin, her work, and her fascinating life, check out www.line-vautrin.fr.

Love the look of her sunburst mirrors? Check out this affordable version at Wisteria, for $449.


* Book by Line Vautrin, available on www.amazon.com
Excerpts and Line Vautrin photo from www.line-vautrin.fr