
01.27.25
Interiors
Always Add a Bit of Black is a Rule of Thumb in Interior Design — This Space Proves Why
A gorgeous villa filled with beautiful furniture and objects is always a welcome sight. But this particular private home near Paris is an exercise in dark and light, showing exactly how the right balance of black furniture, objects and details within a bright, neutral space can be used to the fullest effect — in every room of the house. It was designed by French-Austrian designer Katja Pargger, who custom created a handful of the pieces in the double-height lounge including two semi-circular black leather sofas that organize the geometry of the space, and surround her enameled ceramic coffee tables.
A pair of Mackintosh chairs with elongated backs guard a cased opened like sentinel lions or Chinese foo dogs. Meanwhile, another duo of Armloffel armchairs by Josef Hoffmann face a Loïc Blairon artwork and pieces by Karin Szanto. Other vintage works by Pierre Cardin, Aldo Rossi, and Ettore Sotsass also pop up here and there. A solid, white spiral staircase rotates up to the mezzanine library, which is encircled by a thin, minimal black balustrade. Pargger’s own designs appear again in the form of okoumé and velvet armchairs with notched backs, placed in front of a large window and offering a perfect spot for reading.
Herringbone parquet flooring spreads across the ground floor, while off-white stone carries through the primary bedroom and bathroom where more black objects are selectively placed. Black lacquer covers the dining table, an office chair, and the bedroom headboard (where it’s paired with a leather bedspread, swoon!), allowing each piece to anchor the space it inhabits. Let’s not forget the stunning indoor swimming pool, beside which a Mirror Maze by Wendy Andreu is installed to reflect the black band of tiles above the water surface.