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Creative Minds

Mathieu Lehanneur

The French visionary cultivated a unique Manhattan space to debut a remarkable array of his design work

By Geoffrey Montes
Modern living room with unique white chairs, abstract art on walls, blue gradient rug, fireplace, and large windows showing sunset.
The penthouse Lehanneur created at 32 East 1st Street. Photo: Mathieu Lehanneur

Person standing on a wooden plank supported by clear glass vases in an industrial outdoor setting.
Mathieu Lehanneur atop a piece from his Inverted Gravity collection. Felipe Ribon

Inspired by everything from ocean currents to flickering flames and even an amusement park in Coney Island, Mathieu Lehanneur has attracted collaborations with big-name brands like Cartier, Sony, and Veuve Clicquot.

The French visionary is now showcasing his own limited-edition furnishings, lamps, and art with a new immersive project. Dubbed Pied-à-Terre, the elegant display comprises two areas of a New York residential building (32 East 1st Street), with a showroom at street level featuring, among other things, his 50 Seas collection of ceramic plates. Upstairs, the penthouse is brimming with his coveted pieces like his Inverted Gravity series, which is made from exquisite natural stone precariously supported by handblown glass vessels.

Coming up next is a renovation of an old farmhouse in the French Alps. “It is a raw jewel in front of the highest mountain peaks in Europe,” he says. “I am about to turn it into a James Bond–like shelter.”

Modern art gallery with a marble pedestal, wooden box display, and round wall art in a minimalist white room.
Pied-à-Terre at 32 East 1st Street. Mathieu Lehanneur

Modern art display in a bright room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a garden with colorful trees and sculptures.
Mathieu Lehanneur’s light fixture resembling illuminated rope dangles above the Pierre Yovanovitch–designed bar, which features a bronze top and cast-glass sides. Jean-François Jaussaud

Modern living room with white furniture, abstract art, large windows, and a fireplace, opening to a balcony with city views.
The penthouse Lehanneur created at 32 East 1st Street. Mathieu Lehanneur

A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2020 Spring Issue under the headline Creative Minds. Subscribe to the magazine.