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When it comes to interior design there are those who prefer patience, and others who opt for a spontaneous approach. Some will grab furniture on the spur of the moment – quickly creating their interior design – while more cautious designers will let time guide their decorative choices. The timeless pieces of The Socialite Family collection are a joyful response to these two choices. But the couple and duo of architects, Margaux Lally and Luc Berger, rightly prefer the more reasoned ‘take your time’ approach. In their apartment “with traces of Canuts” in the 6th district of Lyon, the founders of Lally-Berger have trusted their “inspiration that never ceases to expand, our travels, our experiences …” to furnish the spaces over the past five years. Their first signature project, an apartment perched on the roof “without any loss of space where each transitional passage between two rooms has a function” that they have completely redesigned hand-in-hand. Wishing to write their own family history, the duo has impregnated these walls – once home to the Lally family until a few years ago – with a whole new visual and sensory universe. Without sacrificing the charm of the old! Exposed beams and stonework reveal their colours enriched by a fine selection of mediums with a surprising relief. From the piqué mirror frame that highlights the transition from the dining room to the kitchen, to the choice of terrazzo in the entryway. A clever mix of eras and genres that the two graduates of the École supérieure d’architecture intérieure de Lyon also use in their choice of furniture. Not far from the living room and our signature lamp Gioia, the master suite features a vintage bed and a wardrobe with woodwork that has been weathered over time. And finally, on the walls, some recently acquired works of contemporary artists. A heightened sensitivity for beauty that has already conquered the Hotel Meurice in Paris.
Luc and Margaux, can you introduce yourselves?
We’re Margaux 35 years old, Luc 33 years old, and we have two children: Jill 4 years old and Otto who is one and a half. We’re both interior designers. We have our own interior design and decoration studio, Studio Lally & Berger, in Lyon’s 6th arrondissement.
Tell us more about your backgrounds.
I grew up in Lunéville in northeastern France and moved to Lyon to study interior design at the École Supérieure d ‘Architecture Intérieur de Lyon. I also spent 6 months at Politecnico di Milano. During my studies I had the chance to do internships in Charles Zana’s agencies in Paris, in Italo Rota in Milan and as well as in NYC.
I grew up in Lyon and also studied at ESAIL with various internships in Paris for the Charles Zana and NYC agencies. Upon graduating in 2013, we had the opportunity to work on a renovation project for a hotel in Val d ‘Isère. Once we’d completed this project in 2016, we decided to create the Lally & Berger studio.
Tell us about your upbringing. What sort of environment did you grow up in, and which consequently developed your taste?
My grandparents introduced me to our region’s craftsmanship early on, with holiday-time visits to carpentry workshops, earthenware producers and the Baccarat cut crystal factory.
I spent much of my youth travelling. This included three weeks touring India on a motorcycle, a 4×4 road trip in Morocco, a safari in Kenya and exploring China, Senegal, Mexico, Mauritius…
You share your love of architecture in your family apartment as well as in your studio, Lally & Berger. Who does what when it comes to your many projects?
We do everything together, it’s a “four-handed” job. Margaux is more sociable and organised, Luc is a perfectionist and more patient.
Tell us about how you came to live in this property.
Margaux grew up in this apartment with her parents and then with her sisters. When we decided to spend the next few years here, we also decided to completely redecorate it to suit our tastes.
How did you organise the layout of the spaces?
We designed this apartment to be like a small house perched on the rooftops of Lyon. We have preserved and highlighted what makes it unique, such as traces left by the “canuts”, the famous Lyonnais silk workers. A workable space with open areas and a perspective that allows you to quickly figure out the layout. A home where there’s no loss of space and where each passage between two rooms has a function. Our home interior is undoubtedly our signature project. It’s a renovation that we thought about for a long time. Indeed, we spent a year drawing up plans. It then took us a further year to complete the work. Taking your time is key to a successful, fully-completed project. Five years ago, when we moved in, this place was largely void of decor. We decided to be patient, and pay attention to things that continually inspire us, our travels, and our experiences…
We designed this apartment to be like a small house perched on the rooftops of Lyon. We have preserved and highlighted what makes it unique, such as traces left by the "canuts" (...)
For you, The Socialite Family is?
A way to discover singular, dynamic interiors that each family has created to suit their individual taste.
What’s your favourite piece in our collection?
We really like the Gioia table lamp, the contrast between the modernity of the yellow lacquered base and the pleated cotton lampshade gives it a classic character. A blend of tastes that you’ll also find in our apartment.
Christmas is coming. What are your plans?
We spent Christmas with our respective families until our children were born. Now we spend one year with the Lally’s, and the next with the Berger’s.
Where will we find you in the coming months?
We will be continuing with our project for Hotel Meurice in Paris as well as other more “top secret” ones. We’ve also got a project lined up that’s close to our hearts – the renovation of a family home in the Esterel mountain range.
Our home interior is undoubtedly our signature project. It's a renovation that we thought about for a long time. Indeed, we spent a year drawing up plans.
Photography : Jeanne Perrotte – Text : Juliette Bruneau @thesocialitefamily
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