FRENCH ALLURE DECOR

BRAFA

Just as I decided to create this blog on French interior design, decoration and art de vivre à la française, I received an invitation to one of the most prestigious antiques exhibitions in Europe. So with great delight I packed my suitcase and headed straight for Brussels, Belgium to visit firsthand the best European antique dealers and their collections at the Brafa Art Fair. Among the exceptional pieces of art, objects and furniture I enjoyed during my three day visit, here are my coups de coeur. I hope you will enjoy them as I share them with you.

This year’s entrance to Brafa, all-white, deliberately minimalist in style.

Upon passing through the entrance, the first thing that caught my attention was not so much the antiques - oddly enough - but the pattern of the rug. Apparently this design was created from fabric that was digitally scanned and enlarged by Chloé Daval, a student of textile design.

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The collection of objects from Parisian art gallery Chenel was particularly noteworthy. Some of their collection is over 2000 years old, yet the original beauty is striking even to this day. I like to think of it as though the spirit of the great masters who worked on these pieces so long ago is still alive. It’s no wonder Chenel’s collection is so sought after by collectors worldwide.

Roman head (around 69-96 AD) from the Era of the Flavian Dynasty showing the hairstyle of the day. The head is made of marble with gold patina.

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I would have been delighted to bring back home with me this déjeuner tête-à-tête (a fancy name for a set of two tea cups and saucers, a tea pot, sugar bowl, creamer and serving tray.) This set is made of porcelain and dates around 1790, manufactured by the rather grandiose sounding Monseigneur le Duc d’Angoulème in Paris. Each piece is hand painted and therefore unique. The collection is proposed by Galerie Ikodinovic & Co in Brussels, which has a good eye for the best in French porcelain. The design is so refined and delicate that it nearly took my breath away!

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I cannot not talk about these pieces – a complete bedroom ensemble by French designers André Domin and Marcel Genevièvre! The style is French Art Deco (around 1938). Most exceptional is the slate green lacquer which rarely, if ever, is seen . Not surprisingly, the whole set was already sold by Galerie Marcilhac of Paris – lucky new owners !

For those who may be interested in this style and period of furniture, a selection of Galerie Marcilhac’s collection will be auctioned by Sotheby’s Paris in March 2014.

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Staying with Galerie Marcilhac, this series of hand-crafted metalware by Fernand Grange. The patterns on these vases were made by a sponging technique. They date around 1930 and come from France.

More beautiful metal vases, this time from the Galerie Willy Huybrechts in Paris . This series was created by Jean Dunand around 1920.

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Relatively modern collections were featured at Brafa as well. This pair of easy chairs by Italian designer Gio Ponti (1957) is proposed by Axel Vervoordt of Belgium.

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After so much sightseeing at Brafa, my spirit was fulfilled but my stomach was empty. Normally when in Brussels one thinks of moules et frites (mussels and french fries) or Belgian waffles. I was more in the mood for Italian cuisine, however, possibly because it is harder to find in my native France. I hit the jackpot with « Osteria a l’Ombra. » Situated close to the Grand Place in a former fishmongers, this restaurant has been beautifully renovated and offers the best of Italian cuisine – even the Italian family visiting from Bologna who happened to be sitting next to me remarked that in Italy itself it’s hard to find a restaurant this good !