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Crafting space with a couturier's eye for volume, color and texture, interior designer Angès Comar reveals the secrets to her signature style.
From luxury yachts to palatial lofts, interior trendsetter and haute couturier of the home, Agnès Comar is the reigning queen of bedazzling bespoke interiors.
Drab reality has never held much sway for acclaimed interior designer Agnès Comar. Ever since she opened her first design boutique in 1971, this quintessential Parisienne has used her keen eye for texture, light and space in her relentless pursuit of beauty. This weaver of dream interiors first rose to fame courtesy of her refined and harmonious collections of gorgeous creature comforts, including cushions, rugs, glassware, table- and bedlinens, representing the epitome of contemporary French art de vivre. But it didn't take long before Comar's contemporary twist on classicism expanded beyond home accessories into interior design as she earned commissions to create some of the most prestigious and grandiose private settings in the world.
Like a couturier building a made-to-measure ensemble to delight and inspire, Comar meticulously constructs space to suit her clients' every whim by carefully balancing proportion, volume, texture and color. Each one of her intimate creations bears her signature style of elegant distinction with a contemporary twist. It is her uncanny ability to conjure up the marvels of the past within a modern palette, and to envision without ever provoking, that has garnered Comar a distinguished and ever-growing international clientele, from art collectors and politicians to movie stars and business scions. Here, one of France's undisputed style-makers talks about the latest interior trends, her big break designing Cartier's worldwide boutiques in the early '90s, and her dream of setting sail in a self-designed luxury cruise ship for the aesthetic trip of a lifetime.
What is your definition of luxury?
Unique and rare.
If luxury were a person, who would it be?
Karl Lagerfeld, because he blends culture, talent and modernity in every one of his projects.
If luxury were a place, where would it be?
The Coubertin Foundation, an art foundry outside of Paris known for its work with Rodin and other exceptional artists and artisans. It's a magical place.
If luxury were an object, what would it be?
My three-band Chaumet ring, which I never take off.
How did you take the leap from designing objects to interiors?
I started my career by expressing my style through cushions, because I imagined that life would be better for all when seated on them. Soon after, I was encouraged to create situations in which they could live, and I started my own agency as an interior designer, which is what I had originally studied in school. Now I only create objects for my particular projects—such as linens, couches, curtains, etc.—and for a handful of luxury brands that I design for.
Your work blends comfort with design. In your opinion, is comfort the essence of true luxury?
I know that the term has been distorted through overuse, but I believe in, and am guided by, the art of living. It is what helps me give space a true sense of existence. What's essential is to know when something needs to be comfortable, or purely aesthetic. It's the marriage of the two that is important in my work, and that has become a reflection of my signature style. I hate total looks. I like objects and artwork that tell stories, and am drawn to elements from all periods.
Much like a couturier, you use volumes, color and texture in your craft. How do you built interiors using these elements?
I first need to study and absorb all that the space contains, and to learn as much as possible about the life that is lived within it. What ignites the creative process is an understanding of what makes the space unique—what are its peculiarities, its strengths, how does it differ from all of the rest? What is its potential? Then I work on creating volumes, directing the light, combining textures and perfecting the finishings.
What are the materials, colors, etc., that have become part of your trademark style?
Certain stylistic characteristics are recurrent in my work, but there are variations from one project to the next because my style is adapted to the lifestyle that inspires each space. There are certainly elements that I've become known for, such as the 'putty' color—a color that is only interesting when paired well. I don't follow the trends, but more frequently than not provoke them, such as the use of linens in interior design, which I started over two decades ago.
What are some of the interesting trends for you now?
Minimalism left behind a certain formalism and rigor. From that point on, it was essential to add volumes and shapes to the framework, and a sort of neo-baroque style was born, especially in design. For me, Ron Arad's work encapsulates that spirit perfectly, and it is in that direction that we are working primarily at this moment. We are no longer in a period that is rigid and dry. For me, minimalism is interesting when there's a spiritual dimension or conceptual raison d'être behind it.
How do you feel about the new trend in larger-than-life proportions, pervasive in Milan this year?
Loft living launched the trend in large spaces and the desire for oversized objects. But not all of them are interesting. It is not simply a philosophy. Personally, I truly enjoy working with large spaces, but you need to know how to manage them. There are people who feel more comfortable working with smaller, more intimate spaces, but I like them big.
Where do you find inspiration?
My eye is always on the lookout for interesting things, especially in the world of art. I am in a constant state of research and seek out specific situations where the potential for discovery is maximized. I love finding things by chance, but you need to place yourself in the right context in order for chance to seize you.
What have been the most challenging projects for you thus far?
They're all challenging. I am a woman who seeks out challenges. I work frequently with men, and there are several men who have really helped my career by giving me exceptional and incredibly challenging projects. Two projects that stand out most were the creation of the concept for Cartier's boutiques throughout the world in 1990, and my first boat interior design in 1994.
In the last few years, you have done seven yacht interiors. How is the approach to designing floating homes unique?
The intelligence behind the building site is completely different. Everything must be completely integrated into the design, meaning that no space should go unused, and all of the details need to be impeccable. Details are always important, but there is a concentration of them in smaller spaces, so they are that much more noticeable. And of course there is a link with the sea, the fact that the boat is in movement, and that the light is different.
You dream of one day designing a luxury cruise liner. What do you enjoy most about crafting interiors for the sea?
Boats for me represent a sort of liberty, because they are elsewhere, without nationality, free to roam the world. I am especially obsessed with cruise ships because of their vast space and the fact that there are so few of them left.
What are some of your upcoming projects?
Right now I'm working on a very diverse range of projects, many of which are for well-know individuals, so I can't reveal too much about them. I'm working on houses in New Zealand, London and Turkey. I'm creating an exhibition space for a large private collector of contemporary art.
What, in your opinion, is unique about your style?
My clients come to me because I reflect the sensibility and aesthetic taste of a real Parisienne, because I combine elegance and tradition with a true sense of modernity. My approach is completely linked to France, which is a country of elegance and culture, and more and more, of modernity.
What are some of the designers who have inspired you most?
Particular artists influence me less than stylistic periods, cultures and attitudes. I love the materials used during Art Deco, and how such quality was fused with folly. Many of the colors that inspire me come from countries like India, where there is extraordinary light. The orange and fuchsia tones that you find in India are absolutely perfect. But there are designers such as Ron Arad, Mattia Bonetti, Ettore Sottsass and Ingo Maurer that I love as well.
What are some of your favorite shopping addresses?
There are no more secret addresses. Everything is around us. What's important is to know how to detect things, and to seek out those things that are unique and special to you. Honestly, aside from going to the market and picking up cheese from the local vendor, today, there are no more specialty shops. There are things everywhere; you just need how to select them, adapt them and to put them together with others.
What are some of your favorite design books?
Over the last 15 years, hotels have contributed greatly to the trends in interior design, for a simple reason: people travel more and more, and hotels have become a stylistic reference. People don't want to live as they do in hotels, but hotels have inspired a certain lifestyle aesthetic. Often in the books devoted to the latest trends in hotel design, you are liable to find the most audacious things. Clients don't want a carbon copy of the hotel they've visited, but they're inspired by the things they've seen in hotels more and more as references.
Agnès Comar
29 rue du Mont Thabor
75001 Paris
T. +33 (0)1 47 23 33 85