By the seaside in one of the most inhabited – and expensive – districts in Monaco, a 4,090sqft apartment was on the market for a redesign – an opportunity snagged by local firm Humbert & Poyet, who went on to lavish a combination of sophistication and homely comfort throughout the two-terrace home.
The duo, Emil Humbert from Paris and Christophe Poyet from Monaco, have worked on a number of luxury projects around the city and worldwide, including restaurants, showrooms, offices, and residences in Paris, Berlin, London, Mexico City, Dubai and Hong Kong.
For this apartment, they wanted to reflect their idea of the Riviera lifestyle, melding French and Italian influences. The challenge, according to the duo, lay in blending beautiful 20th-century furniture from galleries around France with contemporary and bespoke pieces.
It’s a challenge they met with deceptive ease, through a beautiful curation of artworks and furniture across the spacious, marble-floored abode.
The apartment building, a structure from the 1970s located in the Larvotto district, features a ceramic mosaic facade and a well-dressed lobby complete with equally smart-dressing staff. Upstairs, guests are at once greeted with art.
The long entrance hall houses a large piece by Ned Vena, flanked by sconces by Gino Safarti Arteluce. Further in, wallpaper by Chez Osborne and Little dress the walls, decorated with a piece by Slim Aarons and, rounding the corner, a painting by Arold Ancart.
More art follow in the living room, punctuated by Italian mid-century chairs in velvety Nobilis fabric, as well as in the dining area, with pieces by Pierre de Tan. The homeowners’ appreciation for photography is evident in the compelling and unexpected choices of art in the living room, such as The Ruins of Detroit, by Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre, and Synthetic Protein, by Alex Perweiler.
The seating area, above, features Cole and Son wallpaper, a Gio Ponti mirror, and art by Paul Kowan.
A bedroom features wallpaper by Cole & Sons, photography by Slim Aarons, design by Joe Bradely on the shelving, and a vintage 1960s bureau.
The master bedroom, pictured above, features Pierre Frey curtains, Hermès bedlinen, and works of art by Michael Wilkinson, Danh Vō, and Robbert Mappelthorpe.