written by Léonie Alma Mason @la_mstudio for Curiouz.
I grew up surrounded by a vibrant array of art, furniture, and objects, and I've also travelled extensively; I believe this has influenced my approach to designing spaces. Indeed, over time, my practice as an interior architect and designer has diversified to encompass that of an ensemblier.
Each project tells its own story through its typology, its character, the interplay of spaces and volumes, light, materials, fabrics, details, historical and geographical references, and also through the selection of pieces that will complete the design.
What interests me is creating unexpected dialogues. To achieve this, I enjoy experimenting with free-form associations, taking an uninhibited approach to compose eclectic ensembles that convey: "Here, we feel good and look beautiful." Each space becomes a canvas, the atmosphere inviting you into a lived-in world.
The international contemporary design scene offers a wealth of pieces with current and varied aesthetics from which I love to draw inspiration.
From major manufacturers, I might select a classic design piece, such as a Charlotte Perriand Chaise-longue from the 1930s. Depending on the location and its era, it can find its perfect place alongside a beautiful contemporary sofa by a younger designer, whose fabric choices I would customise to ensure a cohesive overall palette for a project. This is a way to create an elegant and timeless setting that harmonises with the rest of the architectural design.
Gallery pieces can also catch my eye, straddling the line between art and design. They can be striking and highly sculptural. I still remember that incredible ceramic and solid glass dining table I discovered at Nilufar Gallery during the last Salone del Mobile in Milan.
In parallel, the studio designs many bespoke pieces, allowing me to personalise further the spaces I design and maintain a close connection with the world of craftsmanship and increasingly rare skills such as metalwork, glasswork, weaving, cabinetmaking, rug making, and passementerie.
I also create unique ceramic pieces that I take great pleasure in imagining, sketching, sizing, modelling, and then glazing myself. It's an extremely interesting creative process that requires patience and experimentation. It leads me from decoration to design and sculpture.
However, I can't imagine a space without a vintage piece, as it's often this piece that becomes THE statement piece of a space. Then begins what I call the "hunt" phase. Very exciting. I scour the Saint-Ouen flea market in Paris and antique shops all over Europe to find rare furniture or objects, some more antique than others. I always start with a broad selection based on my discoveries, then I gradually narrow down the possibilities. The main criterion is that they must speak to me and have a soul.
It might be a well-known piece, emblematic of a major designer or a particular era in decorative arts, like this modernist massive wooden table attributed to José Caldas (picture 8). It might also be unique, unsigned, with small imperfections linked to its history, the patina of time, or the manufacturing method, which will give it a resonant quality (picture 9). It will then be powerful because it is unique, because it tells a larger story based on its era, its form, its materiality, and its provenance.
