After Maria’s 14 years in the French capital, the influence of Parisian style is unmistakable in the house, but her Spanish roots emerge in characterful ways, like the display of Andalusian plates in the kitchen. ‘I love the mix of both cultures – the French refinement and the Spanish influence, with its own distinct kind of elegance. I wanted to bring together the best of both worlds.
‘Because I travel so much, coming back feels like returning to my refuge,’ she continues. Daily life centres on the kitchen, where the family gathers for meals; the adjoining dining room and drawing room set a convivial stage for entertaining. ‘I love having friends over for dinner and drinks or lunch. This is both a family nest and somewhere the people I care about are always welcome.’
Parquet flooring, walls panelled in antique mirror and tall windows set the scene for a elegantly appointed living room.
Laure Joilet
By layering the room with art, furniture and accessories, the designer put her own stamp on the space while respecting it’s original features.
Laure Joilet
The garden – unusually large for an urban setting – is shaded by leafy trees and comes into its own in summer. ‘Paris isn’t Madrid – we don’t have glorious weather all year round. But in the summer, it is truly magical. To have all the windows open, to host dinners and lunches outside – it’s an absolute dream.’
Collecting is Maria’s true passion, one that pre-dates even her love of fashion. ‘My favourite thing is hunting for unique pieces,’ she says. The house bears this out at every turn: wooden spheres and ostrich eggs, vintage plates, Asian antiques, raffia baskets, each placed with an eye that makes the whole feel accumulated rather than arranged. Colour is never far behind. ‘It brings a sense of fun, warmth, happiness – it just makes a space feel alive,’ she says. Though the sitting room has a more restrained palette, as does the dining room with its monochrome striped walls and the study with its eau de nil panelling, the children’s bedrooms are very much an unabashed celebration of pattern and hue.
Maria in the vestibule that leads onto the garden; its jolly green walls and terracotta-tiled floor help bring the outdoors in.
Laure Joilet
‘For me, a house is never totally finished. There is always something you wish to change, or a piece to add from your travels.’ Amid the constant flux, Maria enjoys what she’s created: ‘I move things round all the time but, right now, I’m happy. There are good vibes here.’ And it is easy to agree: this house is the very elixir of chic.