Family
Overlooking the rooftops of Paris in the heart of the Marais, a bright and spacious apartment
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At
Daphné Desjeux and her tribe of friends
Daphné Desjeux has undoubtedly retained a cheeky Parisian sense of humor from her childhood spent in Montmartre, in a former launderette that has been converted into a living space. Some fifteen years ago, she decided to switch to interior design after a career as a television presenter, and since then she has worked exclusively in the hotel and restaurant sector. To create places for crazy receptions, by her own admission. The public knows her from Mondaine, the Paris restaurant of the giant Paris Society, which has become a brand the Group is in the process of exporting. Mondaine is very much like Daphné: a subdued room, with materials - leopard and floral fabrics, tiger carpet, lacquer - reminiscent of the 1970s, in a slightly naughty atmosphere that a mischievous Yves Saint-Laurent would have approved of. The mood is also festive here at the decorator’s home. In this large apartment overlooking the rooftops of Paris, people are always coming to visit: staff, since a wing of the building is dedicated to the interior design agency; and family and friends, who drop in at all hours of the day and (almost) night. And it's just after a lunch with friends that the interior designer welcomes us for a warm guided tour.
Location
Paris
Author
Elsa Cau
Photos and videos
Jeanne Perrotte, Constance Gennari
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Notre fauteuil
toujours là pour égayer une table
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TSF
What is your background, Daphne ?
Daphné
I studied Communications at the École française des attachés de presse. I didn't know what I wanted to do. I thought maybe I’d work representing films or an artist... And then no. After that, I did an internship by chance in a TV production company. And then, one fine day, disaster struck: the host of a show that was a big hit on TF1 jumped ship overnight. She had to be replaced at short notice. There I was, an intern. People thought I was funny. They sent me to casting. And that's how I ended up spending almost eight years on TV. But what I liked most of all was the behind-the-scenes stuff. Not being in front of the camera. I really wanted to do something else, so that's what I did when I was a young mother and started training at the Ecole Boulle college of fine arts. After that, in short order, I was lucky enough to have a few Parisian residential projects under my belt. But I wanted to create places that would welcome the public, make people dream, do crazy things! I've been an interior designer for twelve years, specializing in hotels and restaurants.
TSF
In fact, you called on the professional services of The Socialite Family for one of your latest projects, the Hôtel de La Sève in Paris.
Daphné
Working with The Socialite Family was an obvious choice: you share a unique and bold vision of design. Your aesthetic, inspired by the art of family living, and your attention to detail, perfectly match the spirit we wanted to instill in the hotel. For me, The Socialite Family is a good mix of timeless retro and chic. Our biggest challenge was to maintain a balance between the elegance we were aiming for and the functionality of a hotel. We had to overcome technical challenges by incorporating organic materials that require special care and durability. Designing a space where every element is both aesthetically pleasing and robust, for the daily comfort of customers, requires great precision and coordination with the craftsmen.
TSF
What environment did you grow up in and did it influence your taste?
Daphné
I grew up in Montmartre, with a mother who was a fashion model agent and a stepfather who was a photographer. He had restored the old launderette in Montmartre and so I grew up there. They also loved the flea market, so we went every Sunday. Our interior was very atypical and at the same time very seventies. For years I also studied circus with Annie Fratellini. I loved this world and immersed myself in it for half a day a week. A dark atmosphere with faceted light bulbs, large trampolines and characters. So yes, the world I grew up in has completely influenced my sense of décor.
TSF
We're sitting in your office, which is in your apartment. So you mix your professional and personal lives.
Daphné
Yes, that's how I work. I have my two children nearby, so it's very convenient. And I've got an apartment that's bigger than I thought I'd have, so there was plenty of room to set up the agency here! I find it quite joyful because there’s a lot of coming and going. Sometimes I come home from a meeting to find my colleagues surrounded by my children doing their homework. I like this relaxed way of working - especially since COVID - never at the same time, never in the same place, mixing everything up a bit. It's probably not for everyone: some people need a framework, order and hierarchy. I’m quite at home in a mess, I like it when things get all over the place.
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Notre bibliothèque basse
toujours prête à être modulée selon les besoins de chacun.
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Notre grand tapis
pour des parties endiablées mais tout confort.
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Dans un coin du salon, notre
éclaire les moments conviviaux.
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Près du canapé, notre
éclaire les moments de lecture.
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TSF
Tell us about how you discovered this apartment.
Daphné
We sold our previous apartment because we had bought a house in Belle-Île-en-Mer in Brittany. We had to finance the completion of the work. So we were looking for an apartment to rent in the same area, since we don't own property here. A friend who lives in the building introduced us to the concierge, the kind who loves you or hates you and has been there for 30 years. She loved us and suggested we visit the place.
TSF
What atmosphere did you want to create here?
Daphné
The atmosphere in my home is joyful and non-judgmental. I liked all the pieces here as much as anyone would. I really like the objects we live with. In fact, sometimes I think I'm a bit crazy, that I'm telling myself the story behind an object. It's an eclectic apartment, nothing here is calculated. Well, there are things that need to change, and I spend all my time thinking, ‘I've got to do something about this.’ It’s a bit ‘the cobbler’s children wear no shoes’ here... I've been thinking about hanging up the mirrors for a year and a half now (laughs).
TSF
What's the latest news with you?
Daphné
I specialize in the hospitality and restaurant industry. Right now, I’m working on a five-star hotel project in Mumbai for Accor. I’m also developing Mondaine, the restaurant I created for Paris Society, into a brand that will soon open in Istanbul. Additionally, I’m working on a Comedy Club project in Dubai, along with other projects under discussion in the region and Europe.
TSF
Tell us about a piece you particularly like here.
Daphné
I bought this rattan dressing table for a building site. I had stored it at home while I waited for the building work to finish. But it was just too beautiful. Sometimes I think that if I had to clear out in a hurry and could take only one thing with me, it would be this one.
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Every piece of furniture, every object here caught my eye the way a person might—something about them just clicked.
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TSF
What do you think of The Socialite Family?
Daphné
The Socialite Family is a brand I love for its retro-timeless aesthetic. Their pieces blend seamlessly into interiors, enhancing them while giving the impression that they’ve always been there—accessible and inspiring at the same time.
TSF
What’s your favorite piece from The Socialite Family collection?
Daphné
The leopard-print
armchair—it perfectly embodies the balance between chic and kitsch. It’s Chitch!
TSF
What are your go-to spots in the neighborhood?
Daphné
The restaurant Le Petit Célestin, a tiny, charming bistro with great food right on the quays. Buly, where you can buy soap straight out of a nostalgic era we never actually knew—while sipping a good coffee. I’m a huge fan of Ramdane Touhami’s work. Le Marché des Enfants Rouges, an old-style market hall open year-round where you can have lunch and shop for groceries. It’s right next to the stunning bookstore Comme un Roman.
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