French Favorite: Jacques Grange

Last weekend's Wall Street Journal  ran a terriffic article on the "dressed down" style made famous by French interior designer Jacques Grange.  The poetic profile, written by David Netto, conjured up visions of Paris and everything I love about French design.  Today’s post is the first in a series of French Favorites - from architecture to art and everything in between.  I begin the journey with the master of eclectic-informal style, Jacques Grange. The recipient of France’s greatest tribute, the Légion d’honneur, he is without doubt France’s most famous designer. Four decades of work for high profile clients such as Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino and the Lauder family has shaped his aesthetic and earned him a reputation as one of the greats. But it's Mr. Grange's apartment in the Palais-Royal, the 18th-century house-and-garden complex near the Louvre, that truly showcases his ability to artfully engage the old with the new.  The space, pictured here, is a cultural pileup of paintings, sculpture, and furnishings from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.  It's the house of a collector - a place for him to live with the things he loves. C’est magnifique!

Grange's large living room serves several functions but is designed for conversation.  The diverse chairs and stools scattered around add a layer to the room and are functional since you can move them around or tuck them under a table.  There is just the right amount of tension between the architecture - 18th-century-style cornices and Versailles parquet floor - and Grange's diverse collection.

All of Mr. Grange's textiles and accessories have a global influence that give his apartment a well-traveled look.

The traditional sofa paired with a modern spin painting by Damien Hirst creates a unique mix.

I would pay to get my paws on Jacques' china cabinet - the collection feels assembled over time.

The gilt fern fronds chandelier in the bath once graced the bedroom of Madeleine Castaing. 

The March issue of Architectural Digest featured Jacques' second home. And while his tastes have evolved, the colors, fabrics, textures, and materials he uses to create interiors seem to remain timeless – timelessness, of course, being a quality shared by all great designers.

Images: The Selby and François Halard for Architectural Digest