Maxime Bousquet’s latest project is a top-floor apartment in Paris, featuring a unique blend of surrealist design and artworks by renowned artists such as Picasso, Cocteau, and Sterling Ruby.
The apartment, home to a collector couple, boasts a 16-foot window with floor-to-ceiling velvet curtains, setting the tone for the rest of the space.
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According to Bousquet, the goal was to highlight the artworks without making them the sole focal point of the apartment, as the owners wanted to “live with their art” rather than create a museum-like atmosphere.
In the entrance hall, Bill Viola’s video Bodies of Light plays next to a staircase that twists upwards like a ribbon, while the bar area features a monk’s chair from the early 20th century and a pendant light by Pietro Chiesa from the 1930s.
Sterling Ruby’s Friday the 13th (2009) hangs on the wall, alongside other notable works, including Joe Bradley’s untitled piece (2013) and Jessy Razafimandimby’s Rouge de Lampe (2022).
A Unique Design Approach
Over the course of two and a half years, Bousquet re-designed the entire layout of the 3,000-square-foot space, connecting the floors and lowering the ceiling height to add a terrace reminiscent of Helena Rubinstein’s rooftop gardens.
The apartment features a range of luxurious materials, including hazelnut travertine, Taj Mahal marble, and glowing Iranian onyx, which are complemented by more delicate items, such as carved stone fireplaces and blown crystal lamps.
Bousquet acquired many unique objects from the Galerie Jacques Lacoste, including bronze wall lights with a natural patina from their previous life illuminating a swimming pool.
A Space That Comes Alive
This summer, the space will come to life with a myriad of sculptures, a dining area, and an outdoor fireplace, further enhancing the apartment’s surrealist design.
In the living room, Otto Schultz’s 1940s armchairs surround a 1950s coffee table by T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, while Stephan Balkenhol’s Man in White Shirt and Black Trousers (2010) stands on a plinth.
A 1950s ceiling light by Paavo Tynell hangs above a 1930s chaise longue, adding to the room’s eclectic charm.
The guest room features a 1940s armchair by Melchiorre Bega and a 1930s stool, positioned in front of a 1950 console table by Osvaldo Borsani.
The Influence of Surrealism
The apartment’s design is heavily influenced by the surrealist art movement, which was founded in Paris nearly 100 years ago.
Bousquet leaned on surrealist design principles to enhance the apartment’s bones and create a space that matches the caliber of the art on display.
The principal suite embodies this refined surrealism, with portraits of faces often distorted and fragmented, like those found in works by artists such as Salvador Dali and André Breton.
The Bocca della Verità bed by Mario Ceroli features a pine face in front of a hanging that emphasizes the dramatic portrait, adding to the room’s surrealist flair.
The walk to the bathroom takes you through the owners’ dressing room, its walls covered by a Nadine Hautrive painting inspired by Eileen Gray’s Le Destin, a four-panel screen created in 1914 for designer and collector Jacques Doucet.
A Dining Room Like No Other
The dining room is undoubtedly the most striking surrealist space in the duplex, with a fresco by Elvira Solana depicting the four seasons.
The artist has portrayed the faces in the fresco in a more angular way than she typically does, embracing the 1940s spirit central to the apartment’s design.
A monumental basin carved from a single block of stone and a double shower decorated with an antique sculpture add to the room’s unique charm.
A heart-shaped stool by Bousquet in the principal bath serves as a “little love letter” to the clients, grounding the apartment in human touch and looking perfectly at home with the Picassos.
The apartment’s design is a testament to Bousquet’s ability to create a space that is both a reflection of the owners’ personalities and a showcase for their impressive art collection.
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