It is almost ironic that the French city of
toulouse, known these days for its highly successful aerospace
and high-tech industry, is home to the singular Galerie saint
Jacques, a time capsule of sorts distilling the best of 20th
century design. Filled with one-of-a-kind lamps, KRM graffiti
paintings and furniture and sculpture by Jean Royer, Jacques
Adnet and André Arbus, the gallery was founded in 1994 by
the architects Daniel suduca and thierry Mérillou, who travel
the world in search of design gems harking from the 1940s
to the 1980s. the exaggerated curves of great French
historical styles combine with the clean lines and materials
of contemporary design to reveal the owners’ distinct
personal vision.
the décor of suduca and Merillou’s 1930s pied-à-terre
clearly reflects their desire to highlight the best of 20th century
design, but it was also a chance for them to take risks and
give their imaginations free reign. they found the apartment’s
solid lines abutting a horizon of beautiful well established
trees, but the rooms were narrow and lacked perspective.
to achieve a more fluid atmosphere better suited to modern
living, they opened the space by removing the entrance hall
and small sitting room and setting the kitchen and bathroom
elsewhere. Without the doors and divisions, one’s eye can
now travel from room to room and appreciate the plethora
of exquisite details the two have pieced together.
A unique facet of the space is the dark oak and mahogany
paneling and wood floors, which immediately provided an
elegant backdrop for their collection of furniture and art. it
also lent a retro midcentury ambience to the space. the
owners applied their customary attention to detail by pairing
these rich brown tones with white ceilings and touches of
yellow, red and gold, as well as beige stone in the bathroom.
in the master, they duplicated the look by lining the walls in
dark chocolate fabric, and they continued the theme with
dark caoba-wood cabinetry for the kitchen.
june
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july
