AT HOME WITH JAOVEN

Welcome to Jaoven's Parisian studio: an atypical apartment totally open without any partition. A large room where living room, kitchen and bedroom share the space with an impressive ceiling height. Today Jaoven reveals his relationship with decoration, his inspirations and his taste for pretty things.

- How do you define your interior style?

My interior is quite eclectic, a mix of vintage furniture from the 30s to the 60s, Mediterranean inspirations, warm colors and vacation memories. There are also pieces that I made myself, and many sculptures, ceramics or paintings that I created in the last years.

- What inspires you? 

Nowadays we are flooded with images and suggestions, especially on social media and the internet. Unconsciously, some of my inspiration comes from the design/deco Instagram accounts I follow. I like to balance these inspirations with ideas I find on my travels, at the Saint-Ouen flea market or on auction sites.

Instead of buying a Pierre Paulin chair, I look for Arfa chairs and have them reupholstered. I would rather find an old Moroccan living room bench and have it reupholstered with Pierre Frey fabric and XL cushions than to buy a Togo sofa. It takes time and a lot of handwork, but it adds a bit more character to the room.

- What does furniture mean to you? 

When I started looking for an apartment, it took me more than 6 months to find one that suited me. It is rather an unusual apartment because there are no partitions except for the entrance and the bathroom. So it is a large open space with very high ceilings in a building listed for preservation.

It's a bit intimidating at first to find yourself in a large empty cube, hence I proceeded in stages. I chose not to keep any of my old furniture and to furnish this apartment thoughtfully. So for a few months I lived in this empty space with a mattress on the floor and two chairs. Gradually, the dining table, a bed frame, a bookcase, chairs, a coffee table, etc. were added. Today I am still missing elements like lamps and a work desk. For my birthday, I just got some beautiful vintage bar stools from Olavi Hanninen and a ceiling light from George Nelson. I like the idea of slow transformation. It's a journey. 

- Where do you like to shop? 

I buy a lot on Leboncoin. With the right keywords and some tips, you can find real dream pieces that would cost three times as much in classic antique stores. I go to sites like Pamono or Selency several times a week. However, I avoid buying too much on these sites because the commissions they charge are enormous and force antique dealers to sell at ridiculous prices. I often go to the Saint-Ouen flea market, but more for inspiration and ideas that I then search for online.

- You recently designed a ceramic series yourself. What do you think about art objects in interiors?