Add to favorites

#COMMERCIAL ARCHITECTURE PROJECTS

The Refurbished Hôtel Vernet in Paris by François Champsaur

Much of the appearance of modern-day Paris, with its wide boulevards lined with cream-coloured apartment buildings, dates back to the 19th century and the decisions of one man: Georges-Eugène Haussmann.

As the overseer of a grand-scale renovation of the city of Paris at the time, which included the demolition of densely-built neighbourhoods and the drawing of new, grand avenues across the city, Haussmann created an architectural style now characteristic of the French capital, and a symbol of the country’s prosperity during the Industrial Era. In a building that dates from that almost legendary era, situated between the Place de l’Etoile (Charles de Gaulle) and the prestigious Golden Triangle district, the historical Hôtel Vernet marks its 100-year anniversary with a completely refurbished interior that celebrates contemporary elegance and French craftsmanship.

After recently coming under the ownership of Bessé Signature (a young, dynamic and enthusiastic family-owned hotel group based in France), Hôtel Vernet was given a complete make-over by renowned interior designer François Champsaur, a Marsellais who founded his studio in 1996 and has completed several luxury hotel renovations in France and abroad. Champsaur has also built a reputation as an interior designer especially for art collectors’ houses, and his work for Hôtel Vernet reflects that experience: the interiors of the hotel are almost akin to an actual collector’s home, as contemporary art and design take centre-stage. A carefully curated selection of artworks, furniture, textures and materials are combined in balanced spatial compositions, creating stunning vignettes in every area of the hotel, including the rooms upstairs.

Eager to showcase French artistry and craftsmanship throughout, François Champsaur commissioned French visual artist Jean-Michel Alberola to paint a fresco on the bar’s ceiling; interestingly, the same artist has designed the bar’s carpet, where the art above seems to ‘reflect’ the design below. Other ‘artistic’ touches include the Carrara-marble ‘Deconstructed Bar’ (the curvy bar counter designed by Champsaur, which is placed in front of a stunning folded copper screen made by Pouenat), as well as the way the room numbers resemble artworks in the corridors, placed on individual pedestals, lit from above. However, Champsaur’s vision for bringing together art and design is nowhere more visible than the hotel’s restaurant, where a minimalist assortment of dining furniture and contemporary art sits beneath a monumental stained glass dome designed by none other than Gustave Eiffel, the mastermind behind Paris’ iconic tower. If not for the hotel’s new bright interiors and luxurious amenities, it may well be worth visiting Hôtel Vernet merely for the pleasure of enjoying some fine French cuisine under the breathtaking dome!

Floorlamp with watercolor paper lampshade designed by François Champsaur and made by Pouenat photo © Hôtel Vernet – Paris Champs Elysées
.

Details

  • 25 Rue Vernet, 75008 Paris, France
  • François Champsaur

    Keywords