I'm an American, I'm a New Yorker," says Robert Couturier, surrounded by his four shih tzus on a plush sofa at his Upper East Side apartment. "But if somebody asks me what I am, I would say I'm French. There are some things that stick to you like glue." Which is why, after his relationship of almost a quarter century recently ended, the Paris-born designer allowed his native country to inspire his next chapter.
That spiritual homecoming is perfectly manifested in his new Manhattan home-his 11th to date-which he filled to the brim with 18th-century French pieces, a style that characterized his childhood. "These are the smells I love, the books I love, the objects I love," he says, gesturing to treasures here and there, among them an incense burner that once belonged to Marie Antoinette, a sculpture of Madame du Barry's dog, and a painting by Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun of a woman in mourning after the death of Louis XVI. "This is the first time in a long, long time that I'm doing a house exclusively for me, and I don't have to please anybody else but myself."
This story is from the January 2024 edition of Architectural Digest US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 2024 edition of Architectural Digest US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Top of the Heap
Putting stone scraps to fresh use, Studio Raw Material mines the rich traditions of India’s western plains
Raising the Bar
With Italian homages and glamour galore, The Manner ushers in a new era of high-end hospitality
Green Acres
At Longwood Gardens, a bold update unearths wisdom old and new
Ahead of the Curves
A sinuous house by Snøhetta and Nicole Hollis dares to be different
Starting From Scratch
At the Manhattan home of designer Shawn Henderson, a blank slate gives way to a masterful mix of marvels, textures, and moods
ICONS ONLY
In Bridgehampton, artist Daniel Arsham finds his groove within a rectilinear home designed by Jack Ceglic
gaining
To update an underutilized landscape at Dia Beacon, Sara Zewde is digging into history, championing resiliency, and leaning into beauty
STYLE SUMMIT
Lauren Santo Domingo enlists Andre Mellone to help fashion a sophisticated ski retreat that defies tired decorative tropes
LIVING THE DREAM
In a historic London house, a stylish couple turn to Veere Grenney to help bring their vision to life
LABOR OF LOVE
With heroic help from around the world and an army of outstanding artisans, engineers, and architects, Notre-Dame de Paris prepares to reopen its doors TEXT