The Cyril Lignac pastry shop, the departure lounge of Terminal 1 of Charles de Gaulle airport, the restaurants La Scène de Stéphanie Le Quellec, Perruche… the Liautard and the Queen agency designs the interior architecture of the most in sight.
At its head, Maxime Liautard and Soraya Djemni-Wagner, a pair who defend an ethical approach both in terms of managing their team and on the projects they lead.
A philosophy which translates into the use of noble materials, an “ecological” refinement, collaborations with artists and visual artists, a taste for mixtures and a passion for vintage… We find this penchant in particular at the Florida hotel in Paris, one of their latest creations.
The glamorous, chic, intimate and above all unique address, located a stone's throw from Faubourg-Saint-Honoré, was, during the Roaring Twenties, the meeting point for many artists and writers.
It is this story that Soraya and Maxime wanted to capture, in their own way.
“We thought of this hotel as a family home.
The very Art Deco base refers to its past.
We also wanted to make a nod to Francis Scott Fitzgerald who attended Florida and is said to have completed the manuscript of The Great Gatsby there.
In this family house, there is therefore the “original” base then strata brought by the different generations who could have succeeded one another.
We therefore added pieces from the 1970s, 80s, 90s… but also more contemporary elements.
There was real research work to find furniture and accessories from these different periods, especially since each room is different like in a house and far from the codes of classic hotels!
Vintage is very exciting, because it’s always a story of luck.
You can look for specific things for days without ever finding them and then, a few weeks later, you will come across a multitude of treasures.
You must therefore react quickly, do not hesitate to buy because the nuggets go quickly.
And then a piece of furniture or an object that has lived is always more beautiful, more interesting because behind it there is a journey, mysteries..." explains the enthusiastic duo.
We feel that Soraya and Maxime took immense pleasure in designing these spaces where their love for furniture and accessories that had a first life is fully expressed.
Private tour of Florida, this atypical refuge, in their company, with advice on combining styles, eras and having fun with references.
With, as a bonus, the addresses of their favorite flea markets and antique dealers.
You have to react quickly, don't hesitate to buy because the nuggets go quickly
Maxime Liautard and Soraya Djemni-Wagner
Retro and fresh wallpaper
Carpet and tapestry with a slightly old-fashioned feel are reflected in seventies mirrored bedside tables Yann Deret
“To establish this family home spirit, we wanted fairly readable codes that immediately referred to the interiors of our grandmothers.
Sky blue, which we never use, stood out.
We therefore chose a carpet in this shade for the rooms on the top two floors of the building which are very different from the others.
We then looked for the wallpaper that would go best with this floor and we opted for a model from Nobilis in a palette that matched well, with a slightly retro but still fresh floral pattern.
We then made some somewhat unexpected vintage choices like the 1970s mirrored bedside tables.
It was both quirky and interesting: the tapestry reflected in it, the bedside tables seemed to disappear.
We also fell in love with 50s pagoda lamps with a ceramic base.
When we received them, the lampshades were in poor condition.
So we had them redone.
The pagoda shape that we really liked was kept but we chose an even peachier fabric to accentuate the old-fashioned side.
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Decoration memo
Counterbalance
outdated elements with more radical shapes and materials.
The winning equation:
light blue carpet + floral wallpaper + 1970s mirrored bedside
Various feet
Unexpected: an astonishing marriage of feet of all shapes.
Yann Deret
“In the design of hotel rooms, there are quite a few obligations.
For example, you need a small table to be able to have breakfast if you don't want to go to the restaurant.
So we created a corner for eating, reading, lazing around... with a fairly cozy feel, a bit of a boudoir.
In this attic room, we also had height constraints.
We therefore created a tailor-made bench, in the spirit of a reading lounger, so that it fits perfectly into the space.
It has a vintage side even though it is contemporary.
We combined it with two small stools that we also designed.
The contemporary floor lamp is a bit like the starting point for the layout of this space.
He has quite a remarkable foot which echoed our desire for ball feet which was particularly expressed in the reception areas of the hotel!
And that’s where we looked for the rest of the vintage furniture.
We fell for a seventies travertine table with a fairly simple shape which matches the more complex line of the 1940s pedestal table by Charles Dudouyt.
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Decoration memo
To give
real personality to a small space, don't hesitate to counterbalance a boudoir spirit made of warm tones and sensual materials with more massive elements.
The winning equation:
cubic feet + round feet + twisted feet
Honey velvet
Yes, rattan and velvet go well together.
Yann Deret
“We wanted to place a small desk in each room as a reminder that Francis Scott Fitzgerald had stayed here.
In one of the bedrooms, we chose it in rattan.
As we didn't find an old piece that suited us, this desk is contemporary: we just covered its top with a glass plate so that we can work on it more easily.
You can sit on a stool developed by us.
The chair has a special history.
We got a big stock of them.
This is a Thonet chair from the 1980s which is no longer manufactured.
We contacted Thonet to try to find out more about her.
The house had somewhat forgotten it because it was only made for seven years.
It has wooden legs and its seat is a plastic shell.
Stackable, it was designed for communities.
We like it very much.
We have them in the office and sometimes we place them, like here, on construction sites.
Our bias is to reupholster it.
Here we opted for a honey-colored textured velvet that immediately evokes softness and comfort.
A little offbeat touch: the legendary Panthella lamp designed in 1971 which adds a pop note.
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Decoration memo
Don't hesitate
to have a vintage seat reupholstered to give it comfort and add a contemporary twist.
The winning equation:
natural rattan + soft-toned velvet + pepsy-colored plastic
Reflection on the headboard
The 1930s put into perspective.
Yann Deret
Decoration memo
The mirror is all good.
It enlarges the rooms while allowing you to cultivate a rather daring
70’s
side .
The winning equation:
art deco lines +
sixties references
“In the largest suite at the Florida Hotel, we decided to create a majestic headboard.
Inspired by the 1930s, very Art Deco, it is shaped like a half-sun, and made of rosewood.
Not to be too obvious, it is backed by a totally 1970s style mirrored wall which also allows the room to be enlarged.
The small desk with its wooden top and metal legs dates from the 1960s. We wanted to add vintage lighting fixtures but the constraints in terms of safety and electrical standards in hotels made the task a little complicated for us, which is why we looked for contemporary models with slightly retro lines.
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Good addresses for bargain hunting online by Soraya Djemni-Wagner and Maxime Liautard
Morentz: the expert in 20th century furniture
1stdibs: platform dedicated to exceptional design created in 2000 to recreate the magic felt when entering the doors of the most beautiful flea merchants.
Wauw: Belgian site offering furniture and objects from the mid-20th century.
Selency: always essential.
Pauletteinstad: site of the Antwerp boutique Paulette In't Statt, it reflects the founder's iconoclastic taste which combines beautiful vintage furniture and pieces of craftsmanship.
Liautard and The Queen Agency: latq.fr
Hotel Florida, 12, boulevard Malesherbes, 75008 Paris.
hotelfloridaparis.com