Family
A light, bright Haussmannian apartment where colour has free rein
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At
Alice Violier and Lucas Amzalak
Colour, full stop ! Alice Violier’s flat is a reflection of this aesthete who shares her world – from carefully chosen vintage outfits to her favourite addresses – almost every day on Instagram. A penchant for fantasy and a sense of retro detail are also expressed in this “small, very quiet cocoon in the heart of Paris”, where the creator of Moune Paris welcomes us in company with her partner Lucas. A first purchase for the young Parisian couple who were looking for the “rare pearl” and where both of them were instantly inspired ! Parquet floors, mouldings and fireplaces form a favourable setting where Alice gives free rein to her imagination as, little by little – and only over the past year – she furnishes this interior under Lucas’ knowing eye. This is the perfect way to satisfy her pronounced taste for knick-knacks, country flowers and pink, a feminine pastel shade that can be found in small touches even in the bathroom for an explosive total look ! A unique apartment where this 28-year-old takes great pleasure in combining contemporary pieces, antique furniture and furniture inherited from her parents and grandparents who passed on to her their keen sense of “beauty”. The decoration ? A family story, reflecting the Violier family, which has a taste for passing things on : from the mirror above the fireplace to Marcel Breuer’s Wassily chair in white leather. A real sense of sharing that Alice eagerly embraces, and she loves to welcome guests, as she is proving today by opening her doors to us ! The Socialite Family invites you to come and discover this little Parisian treat with its tangy touches of colour, buoyed up by the young couple’s positive and infectious energy ! Visit.
Location
Paris
Author
Caroline Balvay
Photographer
Valerio Geraci
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TSF
Alice, could you introduce yourself, please ?
Alice
I’m 28 years old, and I live in Paris. My life is very varied. I work in a large French cosmetics group as a Media Activation Manager, I established my own brand of handmade beaded bags and jewellery, Moune Paris, two years ago, and I’m also a content creator on social networks ! Lucas is in financing. He finds solutions to suit companies’ different needs.
TSF
What is your background ?
Alice
I went to business school in Paris and then did a master’s degree specialising in digital. After that, I started working as a Social Manager at Sarenza before arriving in my current role !
TSF
Tell us about your education in beauty. How did your ‘taste’ develop ?
Alice
I think part of me was made aware of “beauty” at a very early age because I was lucky enough to have parents and grandparents who took me everywhere with them. To museums, on trips to the other side of the world, but also simply around Paris exploring its history and its hidden places ! Another part of me has developed over time through my jobs which push me to be curious about things, but also through my encounters with other people. I think our taste evolves throughout our lives !
TSF
And your taste for fashion in particular ?
Alice
I’ve loved fashion for as long as I can remember. I loved wearing my great-grandmother’s vintage dresses and “dressing up” in my grandmother’s when I was at their house. I found everything so beautiful, so delicate. I was fascinated ! My taste in clothing has changed a lot as I’ve grown up, especially as I’ve become aware of what I really like and what suits me.
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TSF
Which designers have helped shape your sense of style ?
Alice
My style is colourful, retro. I like to try things out ! I love colours, flowing fabrics and comfortable clothes. For me, these are really key. The funny thing is that Lucas only swears by black in this respect ! (laughs) There are designers I love. Whether it’s for their cuts, their prints or the look they give us. Brands like Rowen Rose, Les Petits Joueurs and The Attico. What inspires me a lot when it comes to fashion is also the cinema. Going back through seasons of Sex and the City or old shows like The Avengers always inspires me a lot !
TSF
And which ones have influenced your personality ?
Alice
I think my personality has been influenced a lot by the people I met, the people I grew up with. It will continue to evolve throughout my life.
TSF
Tell us the story of how you came across this apartment.
Alice
I’d been looking for an apartment – my first purchase – for almost a year without finding the perfect one. When I visited this one, I fell in love with it immediately and yet it took some imagination ! It was my mother who found it. There was only the plan, no pictures, but we went there, and everything became more clear ! It is a Haussmanian style interior, with beautiful fireplaces and parquet flooring. And above all, it’s very light ! It’s a very quiet little cocoon in the middle of Paris, and I immediately felt at home !
TSF
How did you divide up the responsibilities for its design ?
Alice
Lucas had complete faith in me ! I showed him everything, of course, but he really let me take the lead. He’s accustomed to colour, so he immediately took to everything I suggested. Some parts are not finished. We prefer to take our time to live in the spaces, to see what’s missing, what we would like to add.
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I love colours ! It’s a real challenge to mix them, to understand which ones go together. It’s not that easy ! I find that colours immediately bring warmth, even when it’s grey outside.
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TSF
Furniture, objects: tell us where your pieces come from.
Alice
Some of the furniture comes from my family, like the sublime mirror that sits proudly above the fireplace in my bedroom and my white leather Wassily chair by Marcel Breuer. I also really like some of the pieces, such as the small colourful stools with geometric shapes, all from Pols Potten. I love that I can use it as a seat, a side table or a bedside table ! I also have lots of small items. Vintage vases, candlesticks, books. They all have a special value for me. I like to move them around, put them away, take out others : they’re accessories that let me change the look of my home so easily !
TSF
There are colourful touches here and there. What does colour mean to you, and how do you like to use it ?
Alice
I love colours ! It’s a real challenge to mix them, to understand which ones go together. It’s not that easy ! I find that colours immediately bring warmth, even when it’s grey outside. I’m thinking of taking the plunge and colouring some of the walls.
TSF
What does your home say about you ?
Alice
That I love flowers ! And that I love pink ! (Laughs) Secondly, having a kitchen that opens onto the living room allows for a large living space, which is very important to me because I love to entertain.
TSF
For you, The Socialite Family is … ?
Alice
For me, The Socialite Family is designer furniture, beautiful materials, creations that are a little retro but, above all, truly timeless. I think you can furnish your home from A to Z with your collection ! I certainly could have done so; I was well on my way with my sofa, my curtains and my bench! (Laughs) Sometimes I dream of having an extra room where I can put some of the furniture that caught my eye, like the Carlotta coffee table !
TSF
Where will we see you in the coming months ?
Alice
On my Instagram account @aliceviolier. where I share a lot of things about my flat and my decoration, but also on my brand Moune’s account, where the collections are more and more oriented towards upcycling vintage pieces to create new jewels !
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