Step Inside this Humbert & Poyet Parisian Home

If there’s a star of the show in this Parisian home, it might well be the marble. Present in just about every room, yes, even the bedroom, the veined stone encases doorways, covers floors and enshrouds the striking kitchen island. Though it might be omnipresent in your periphery, this marble never reaches excessive, or dare I say, flashy heights. Instead it ties the home together, cleverly sidestepping any semblance of a matchy-matchy feel for a subtle sense of cohesion.

How did they achieve this? By using an array of marble that encapsulates the variety of the material. In the entryway, grigio carnico, monto bianco and grey trambiserra tessellate across the floor, whilst green alpine is the marble of choice in the kitchen. In one bathroom, slabs are arranged to give the appearance of the stone being woven together, in the other, matte arabescato statuaro blankets the walls and sink. 

Experiment with different colours, finishes and patterns to achieve a similar look, and don’t be afraid to put stone in places you might not usually think too; these marble doorways elevate the space each time you step into the next room.

Other than marble, the thing you’ll find in every room is artwork. Christophe Poyet and Emil Humbert's taste leans towards the playful and the unexpected. Leaving limits on texture and scale at the door, this home is truly brought to life with pieces carefully scattered throughout. Even furniture argues for its spot on the list of artwork, blurring the lines between function and design. In the entryway the bench and lamp blend in, looking more like a part of an installation than a practical spot to remove your shoes. 

In the rest of the apartment, no one style dominates the walls, instead, art ranges from a grey, smoke-inspired piece in the dining room to a mixed medium triptych by Kelly Walker in the master bedroom. In the living room - a space where one might argue that the view of the Eiffel tower would be more than enough to gaze at - a bold statement of colour by Georges Condo hangs on the wall. For this project, every material, every light and every chair has been selected so flawlessly that it’s not quite clear where the art stops and the practicality begins. Perhaps that's why they called it the Louvre?

Though not ones to indulge in each trend that emerges on the interiors scene, Humbert & Poyet duo Emil and Christophe do have a particular penchant for one of them: curves. Prevalent throughout this project, curved furniture (in particular curved seating) is a mainstay in the structure of this home. Think curved back dining chairs, a bouclé armchair with a metal support bent just so and, most noteworthy of all, a De Sede DS-600 dominates the living room. A classic choice for a statement sofa, this piece epitomises the studio’s ability to seamlessly combine timelessness with a sense of now. 

Not only do these curves add interest to the space but they also serve to balance the masculinity of the materials (stone and metal feature heavily) with the softness of the lines. The result perfectly reflects the energy of the city in which it belongs.

Whilst texture might be present in abundance, colour is not at the forefront of this space. Rather, a warm neutral scheme flows between the rooms, broken up by a few pockets of cool-toned grey. A departure from their usual style that often encapsulates several statement-making pops of colour, this space focuses on the variety that materials can offer whilst keeping the furniture to a refined palette. Warm brown woods combine with creamy fabrics and brass accents to create an inviting space. Sculptural accessories bring rust tones into the mix and a few discreet blue touches can be found if you look carefully.