French architect and decorator tells about the most sought-after styles in the highest circles.

Passing the gallery

Interview prepared: Oksana Kashenko

Magazine: N10 (99) 2005

Jean-Dominique Bonotal - French architect and decorator. Its customers are high-ranking French officials, members of the royal family of Saudi Arabia, government and commercial institutions in different countries. We asked him to tell about the most sought-after styles in the highest circles.Jean-Dominique Bonotal: When it comes to creating an atmosphere of luxury, I immediately turn to the XVIII century. My recommendation is this: take only three styles, whose presence in the house is a sign of real chic. When they talk about the XVIII century, they mean styles from Louis XIV to Empire. Usually, when you make an elegant home for stylish people, you create a reception area in this particular key. With luxurious sofas and superb rich fabrics. Then go to the private area. It will be something more soulful, more delicate, like Napoleon III. Comfortable canapes, comfortable seats, something more intimate. For the French, who are engaged in decoration, very often, in addition to the styles that they follow, an exotic accent is important. For example, the elements of the pseudo-Russian cottage. This seems unnatural to you, far-fetched, and in France such a mixture of styles causes delight and many pleasant associations. People love the exotic, and the pseudo-Russian style is rich in colors and fabrics. Also, things created in the 50s, 60s, and 70s are often used because people want to have famous things from famous designers at home. The sixties are, after all, another way of life: a beautiful jacket, a beautiful costume, lacquered furniture, a beautiful canape, a beautiful car. This is polished steel, plexiglass, you must have a Buddha on the podium. Many decorators are very fond of mixing styles.SALON: When mixing, some styles remain pure, such as Napoleon III: black with gold and crimson. And there are styles in which, so that today they look appropriate, you need to completely change the upholstery and even the color of the tree, leaving only the shape unchanged. What styles should be left clean, in its original form? And which ones need to be upgraded? - I adore the total look so that it is pure style. This does not always correspond to the request of the client, but I like the style to be fully preserved. In France, this is not very common. In Russia, quite often houses are made entirely in the same style. Well, for example, if modern is meant, from architecture to furniture, stained glass and accessories. And we never had the dictates of a single style. None of my clients now understands one hundred percent pure style, everyone needs a mixture. For the client, ease is the hallmark of freedom, and they find ease just in mixing styles. That is why the era of Napoleon III is so popular. She gives such a wealth of fabrics! In addition, it is a very comfortable style. S: Do men and women in couples agree? - In France, large aristocratic families live in giant mansions, which, as a rule, have great historical value. Houses are redone no more than once every thirty years. Everything is usually in a rather “smoked” state. Women like very practical interiors more, and men like physically and morally obsolete things.S: What style of bedroom does a man prefer? - There should be a bed of 5x5 meters. In general, in France, the bedroom in terms of decoration does not really matter, because this is not the thing that guests show. More often show the bathroom. The bathroom must of course be large, with many shelves and cabinets.S:Recently it has become fashionable enough to make the kitchen so that it can be seen. What style do you think it should be? Indeed, in the XVIII century, such kitchens simply did not exist. - In the kitchens of my clients only cooks cook. Therefore, when I make a project for them, it is usually professional kitchens, that is, extremely functional and without any special decor. I do not put in the homes of customers insanely expensive kitchen just so that they can be viewed. With all the scope, I am very economical to the area. Today in the modern space one of the main components is the space itself. At the beginning of the 20th century, all the apartments had incredible corridors. Now apartment owners in old houses think what to do with these corridors. After all, it is necessary that everywhere was light, and the corridor is almost always a dark narrow tunnel. That is, volume and light are two main components. It is clear that light is the most important of them. Without light, no volume will not look. At the same time, any well-lit volume looks advantageous. Although, of course, in Paris a dark apartment is much cheaper than an apartment sun-drenched, even if they are equivalent in size and other criteria.S: If you were offered to make an apartment of 200 square meters. m with a ceiling height of 2.8 m, in which it is necessary to recreate the era of the XVIII century, how would you do? - We would choose the Swedish style. Would make beautiful white walls, wooden floor, gray or green upholstery. It would be possible to put a tile stove, at least for beauty. Would have found such provincial furniture of the XVIII century, a little ridiculous and a little clumsy. Would place canapes in warm colors. They would install many local light sources, add handmade buffets, such that they exude the smell of waxed wood. That is, would create a truly family atmosphere. And if you still organize the space around the hearth, where a joint meal will take place, consider the mood at the house already. After all, in fact, all my work is needed only in order for the customer to live comfortably, so that he would like to return home every day, so that it would be a holiday for him to invite friends to the house ...