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Constance Frapolli

Stories, materials, forms.

Constance Frapolli

Frapolli creates rugs, throws, cushions, small lamps, mirrors, and other occasional pieces with the eye of a set designer. But as a contemporary set designer, she brings elements together through surprises, spontaneity, and contrast, revealing interiors in a new light. Her credo? To tell stories through simple forms that allow the material to express itself fully.

What is your definition of a decorative accessory ?

C.F. For me, the function of decorative accessories is to link things together, to create ensembles with the larger items of furniture. Rugs, for example, are very interesting design projects. I’ve made a lot of them. You can approach them in two ways. Either by developing something strong, graphic and colorful, distinct from the other elements of the room, or have the whole collection on view to showcase
the other elements, such as a settee. The small occasional pieces act as punctuation within the space, adding a touch of spontaneity, humor or simply something diff erent. A little surprise. An interesting contrast which personalizes or livens up a space.

C.F. I like working with strong materials like stone or colored marble, as I did with the Biscotto table, or with blown glass, which brings color in itself. The Sucre pedestal table for example, sculpted in a single blow of bubbled glass, with a hexagonal base, is very simple in form but the material speaks for itself, especially when next to a settee, where it strikes a surprising note. Fairly simple formal registers, but with great attention to detail. They let the material speak. But they must no longer be too basic. One must fi nd the right balance by creating visual harmony within the room. This is the whole challenge of design.

Where do you fi nd your inspiration?

C.F. I like to tell (myself) stories. Drawing on whatever touches me. The l’Heure bleue light, for example, was inspired by the myth of Hemera, the goddess of daylight. Each day, she brings daylight to the world of men, and withdraws it in the evening. Hence this double
cloche, one transparent and the other blue, as if one is imposing day on night oneself. Or vice versa. Whether lit or extinguished, it brings light to the home, or removes it. As for the Convergence rug, this relates to my love of architecture. Here, it was sheets of architects’ tracing paper, transparent ruled sheets which are used to create technical drawings, which inspired my design process for this model.

C.F. There were many of these on the desk of my father, who was an architect. I had fun overlapping these to create designs, graphics, a play of lines and colors. The Biscotto pedestal table, meanwhile, was inspired by a simple little thing which we all do: dipping a biscuit in one’s coffee. Before it breaks, the soaked part changes color – hence the use of two diff erent colours of marble and a top which is evocative of
the shape of a biscuit. Then, the roundness of the Noctambule rug comes from the idea of the focal length of a camera which has been left open to capture the movement of the stars, something quite dreamlike.

A last question : how should you choose a decorative accessory ?

C.F. With your heart ! Because it pleases you, speaks to you. Especially because it matches your settee ! The items we keep are the ones which remind us of a moment in our lives. The ones we want to take with us when we move, pass down, etc. There isn’t really a rule. It’s better to tell yourself, “Let’s take this and put it with what we’ve got at home.” The short answer is, by falling in love with it.

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