Samir and Rana Boubes love the design of the 70s, they choose color and optimism. Architect Claude Missir helped them to build their house in Beirut.

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When the restaurateur Samir Boubes decided ten years ago to buy a house in downtown Beirut, his wife Rana thought he was crazy. The area was the center of the military actions of the Lebanese civil war, which shook the country from 1975 to 1991. “There were solid ruins around,” Samir recalls. But the grated entrepreneur felt the potential of this area. "For me, the house in the local quarters was like a phoenix, which sooner or later was supposed to be reborn from the ashes." Time passed, and it became clear that Boubes was right. Today downtown Beirut is flourishing. Expensive boutiques of fashionable houses lined up on elegant streets in a row, shopping malls are multiplying, high-rise buildings are being built according to designs by world stars Norman Foster and Herzog and de Meuron. "Living here is a real pleasure."

Vintage sofa DS-1025, diz. W. Klug, de Sede. White ceramic sculpture - the work of E. Hild (Nancy Margolis Gallery). Aluminum panel on the wall, bought at a flea market in Paris. Painting by S. Abbud. Egg chair, diz. A. Jacobsen.

In many respects, the house of Boubesov is an exception, as the author of the interiors and Samira’s long-standing friend, French architect Claude Missir. “Firstly, it has a rich history, until the mid-1970s the Greek Embassy was located here, and one of the Nobel laureates, the Greek poet Yorgos Seferis, lived there. Secondly, the architecture of the “Blue House” (as it was called because of the color of the facades) is not typical of Lebanon. Another advantage - the house is located on a quiet street, and very near a lovely garden. “Here you feel like in a village, although you are in the center of the city,” says Claude Missir. According to the architect, it was interesting and not difficult to work on the project, because with such a collection of design and art the interiors simply cannot be bad.

Living room. Armchair Falcon, diz. Z. Ressel. 1970. On the wall print by R. Lichtenstein. Living room. Vintage sofa DS-1025, de Sede. Lamp Lianes, diz. R. and E. Burullek. Right on the wall is an aluminum panel bought at a flea market in Paris. Dining room and kitchen. A table with a metal base and a lacquered table top is a special project by K. Missir. Chairs PK 9, diz. P. Kierholm. Triple Black Light, diz. R. and E. Burullek. Etamco Kitchen R. and E. Burullek. Installation Assemblage No. 4. On the table is a miniature Totem, diz. E. Sottsass. The work of R. Burulek Please do not touch the artwork. Glass dery lead from the living room to the terrace. Etamco kitchen, stools, diz. J. Morrison, Cappellini. The facades of the mansion are painted in light blue color.

Samir Boubes has long been interested in design, buying rare samples. His treasures are the armchairs, chairs, stools of the Danish Poule Kierholm. In general, his favorite periods are the 70s – 80s. This precious vintage of Samir Boubes willingly combines with modern things. Among his favorites are French authors, brothers Ronan and Erwan Burulek. Their famous lamp "Liana" adorns the large living room. And the installation Assemblage № 4 organizes the entire hall of the mansion. Samir loves his two vintage leather sofas de Sede (designed by Ubald Klug). “I once saw one of them in a magazine, in an article about Mick Jagger. Since then, I could not calm down until I bought myself the same. ”

The owners of the house are Rana and Samir Boubes.

“I’m depressed by black and white and monochrome interiors,” admits Samir Bowes. They agreed with Claude Missir that the interiors should have powerful invasions of color. The most artistic is the giant print of Roy Lichtenstein in the family lounge. Missir himself designed the table with a bright yellow tabletop. The living room is dominated by the polychrome work of Lebanese painter Nabil Nahas. “I saw a work at an exhibition in the Beirut Museum. The whole picture is lined with shells and starfish, cast ashore Miami. Nahas never wanted to sell it. I had to persuade for a long time. Ettore Sottsass Totems are also fun-colored. “They, like toys, give vitality and optimism. Thanks to them, I feel younger! ”

Family lounge. Coffee table, diz. P. Beer. Carpet Ponti Red, diz. S. Sharp, The Rug Company. Vintage sofa DS600, de Sede. There is a sofa PK 31, diz. P. Kierholm. View from the living room to the dining room. To the left of the passage is the work of P. Giragosyan, to the right - R. Indiana. Swan vintage chair, diz. A. Jacobsen. On the floor carpet Carnival, diz. P. Smith, The Rug Company. Bedroom. Vintage bed, designed in 1970 by G. Faleschini for the Pace Collection. On the wall is the work of D. Hirst. Society Limonta Mint Plaid and Bed Sheet. Vintage sofa near the wall - diz. P. Kierholm. Terrace with pool. Armchair and chairs, diz. G. Bertoya. Red Elephant Stool, diz. S. Yanagi, Vitra.