A surreal holiday feast by Aline Asmar d'Amman.
Photo: Ruy Sanchez
Aline Asmar d’Amman Conceives a Surreal Holiday Feast
The architect and designer dresses up her Paris home to celebrate artistry and expression with pieces inspired by her wanderings through the city
Aline Asmar d'Amman. Photo: Ruy Sanchez
As the festive seasons settles in, sparking joy and imagination, we find ourselves drawn to reinvent our interiors and tablescapes, adding touches of whimsy to our homes, dressing up the spaces with themed touches for the holiday.
Before leaving Paris to the Swiss mountains of Engadin for our yearly family gathering, I find myself wandering in museums, shows, and events—the street offering the best of them—soaking in a world of creativity and spirited fantasy. The City of Light’s quintessential glamour coupled with the buzzing moments at my design studio before the holidays, inspire me to play and celebrate artistry and expression.
This year, I found inspiration in Cecil Beaton’s 1948 photo of Charles James Ball Gowns, a staple of aspirational elegance, forever on my design mood boards, and the many conches I collect in a node to my Mediterranean hometown Beirut, and the still lives from the past centuries such Anne Vallayer-Coster’s, 18th-century French female painter and largely forgotten still-life virtuoso. From miniature antique crafted silver shells to larger vintage conches reminiscent of beach strolls on the shores of Lebanon, nothing seems out of place when they eye wanders with delight, lit by the flame of curiosity and joyful memories.
In the silver coasters, exotic fruits are assorted with hand painted glass Christmas balls found at Bloom Paris. Photo: Ruy Sanchez
My joy is complete when I get to share the creative moments with my boys. Pictured here, Raphaël adding his touch and a smile to the festive table. Photo: Ruy Sanchez
On my dining table, elevated to a surreal banquet, a decadent composition of silks and taffetas I often use in our interiors for their perfect couture aesthetic and theatrical shine, set the stage for my personal curation of eclectic elements, mixing heirloom family silverware and crystals, candy like colored stones, surreal shells filled with the sound of the waves I constantly miss, artfully blending in with contemporary creation and the evocative touch of savoir-faire.
The past months were rich in singular finds and discoveries through my multiple voyages for our projects, sourcing vintage pieces or contemporary creations for our projects, that make me venture towards unprecedented artistic dialogs and improvised scenes. The fearless and opulent mix on the table is a nod to the surrealist aesthetic born from the improbable encounter of unique elements, patiently gathered, passionately discovered, layering in their textures, stories and seductive imperfections. Hand painted glass balls, heirloom silver antiques and contemporary artist’s vessels, chiseled crystals and broken stones, velvet ribbons and tinted giant flowers seem to have intimate conversations.
Eclecticism reigns in the library, where there's a polished-bronze chair by Vouke nas Petrides (Fumi Gallery). The rug is my design made by Tai Ping. On the table, platinum and gold ceramic candleholders by Jean Roger and a Dior vintage tray found at Madame de la Maison, Ajiri Aki’s vintage online store. The old family book of hand-illustrated Swiss crests is a personal favorite. Photo: Ruy Sanchez
In the niche, a pair of 90s rare optical glass sculpture, Helmets by artist Bernard Dejongh against an antique 19th century gilded mirror. Their earthy texture and dense vibrancy dialogue with added touches of dry florals by Debeaulieu. Photo: Ruy Sanchez
The flicker of the deep purple candle adorning the majestic silver candelabras adds to the atmospheric whimsy and textured drama. In the plates, exotic fruits are assorted with hand painted glass Christmas balls from Bloom Paris and a unique vintage set of patinated gold and argent plated apples and bananas, a rare find from the Paris antique market at Paul Bert Serpette’s tableware wander maze La Table d’Eva.
Contemporary creation is invited to the eclectic feast with a collection of one of kind murano glasses depicting funny faces in the most adorable fashion, designed by Sam Baron and Massimo Lunardon, and found at the utterly joyful ‘Attention, Fragile!’ pop-up store by Sarah Andelman for Sotheby’s rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. The large vessel are unique pieces by Lukas Wegwerth from the crystallization series … and the flowers by Debeaulieu!
See more images below:
Surreal shells filled with the sound of the waves I constantly miss. Photo: Ruy Sanchez
Zaha Hadid’s table composed with Marie Khoury’s abstract charcoal hinting to the map of Lebanon compose my favorite scene in the hall way of my Parisian home, a permanent tribute to origins and Lebanese roots. Photo: Ruy Sanchez
Heirloom Silver candelabras adorned with deep dark purple candles light up the adorable faces on the Murano glass unique pieces by Sam Baron and Massimo Lunardon, discovered at the joyful popup store ‘Attention, Fragile’ by Sarah Andelman at the Sotheby’s salon. In the silver coasters, exotic fruits are assorted with hand-painted glass Christmas balls found at Bloom Paris. The ceramic and crystal Vessels are unique piece by Lukas Wegwerth from the crystallization series (Fumi Gallery). Flowers by Debeaulieu add to the effervescent romance. Photo: Ruy Sanchez
Cover: A surreal holiday feast by Aline Asmar d'Amman.
Photo: Ruy Sanchez
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