Family
In Paris, like a house in the heart of the Marais.
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At
Stéphanie Roger, Thomas Buisson Salomé, 17 and Gaspard, 21 years old
The fire crackles in the fireplace, heating the white stone floor tiles. A piano’s tinkling in the background. We pick a book from the large bookcase, before pushing open one of the beautiful old wooden doors, the one that separates us from the bedroom. Outside, on the patio with its evergreen plants, there’s a countryside feel. And yet we’re in the heart of Paris. Right in the middle of the capital in the famous Marais. Stéphanie Roger, who founded the WHITEbiRD jewelry concept store ten years ago, and her family have settled down in this family home which has a country house feel about it. The Socialite Family decided to pay them a call.
Location
Paris
Author
Juliette Bruneau
Photographer
Valerio Geraci
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TSF
Stéphanie, Thomas, can you introduce yourselves, please?
Stéphanie
My name is Stéphanie Roger, I have four children and a delightful husband! I’ve been working in the world of luxury goods – jewellery in particular – for just over thirty years. I founded WHITEbIRD in 2010, which showcases creative jewellers from around the world. Right now we’re showcasing around fifty designers in three Parisian boutiques and on our e-shop Whitebirdjewellery.com.
Thomas
My name is Thomas Buisson and I have a delightful and very easy-going wife! I also work in the world of luxury, but mainly in the beauty sector. After an operational career at Chaumet, Diptyque and Aesop, I’m currently working in corporate investments in my specialist fields. I also enjoy travelling with my family, playing the piano and cooking.
TSF
Stéphanie, how did you develop your aesthetic tastes?
Stéphanie
I was surrounded by beautiful things from a very early age. My parents moved to the countryside when I was 4, to an old stone house that they restored, and we lived there until I was 17. They also had an old wooden rig on which we sailed in during summer. My godfather also played an important role because he spoiled me by giving me gorgeous, high-quality objects. I often visited him in Paris, he enjoyed the finer things in life.After my studies, I worked at Cartier, then Chaumet and Dinh Van, which I managed from 1998 to 2005… I was surrounded by beautiful things!
TSF
Do you see a link between decoration and jewellery?
Stéphanie
A beautiful flat can be called a jewel, can’t it? Decoration is all about proportions, perspective, breathing and textures… In fact, it’s not that different from jewellery. On a different scale, of course. We wanted a place that was relatively understated and easy on the eye, but with some perfectly-executed details. A bronze handle, a curve on a plaster moulding, a bevel on the edge of a cupboard door… in the end, it’s a lot like the pleasure you get from admiring a detail in a particular setting or the glint of a colourful stone caught in the sunlight.
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A beautiful flat can be called a jewel, can't it?
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TSF
You called on Jean-Philippe Bonnefoi’s architectural practice to help you rethink the layout of your home. What made you chose them?
Stéphanie
Thomas and I have known Jean-Philippe Bonnefoi for ages. He started working at AESOP while studying at the Beaux-Arts shortly after Thomas arrived in 2009. Today, he is in charge of the Europe architecture department and occasional takes on outside jobs. We love his sensitivity as well as his ability to simplify and refine, not forgetting his eye for detail. We all worked together on the project and he and Thomas get on like a house on fire. He also has a knack for unearthing unusual vintage finds. Between the three of us, I think we scoured between 30 and 40 websites for vintage furniture and objects.
TSF
This flat is a lush hideaway in central Paris. With its plastered walls and old tiles, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re in the south of France. • What inspired you the most when drawing up the initial renovation brief?
Stéphanie
We went back to the drawing board and didn’t even have any images for reference. The whitewashed walls and rounded corners are perhaps the result of our hidden desire for never-ending summers and to have hints of Cycladic and Islay architecture here in the heart of Paris. But there’s also a Scandinavian touch in the use of volumes, perspectives and furniture, and in the choice of a limited colour palette so that all the rooms resonate with each other. The space was treated as a whole and Jean-Philippe was able to integrate our wishes and make the most of the flat’s imperfections without trying to hide them. The flat is built around the terrace, which is visible from every room and becomes a focal point with its rainforest feel.
TSF
Do you have a favourite piece in our collection that you think would look great in your home?
Stéphanie
The brick-coloured Marta lamp would look fab in our bedroom!
TSF
Do you have any favourite go-to places in the Marais?
Stéphanie et Thomas
We like to dine at Le Capitaine on impasse Guéménée, it’s a lively place and the food’s delicious.
TSF
Where will we see you in the coming months?
Stéphanie et Thomas
You may well find us on Ile d’Yeu, where we bought and renovated a very old fisherman’s cottage about ten years ago. But we love travelling and discovering new places, especially around the Mediterranean. So it could also be in Tangiers, Tinos or Pienza.
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