The renovation of Jacques Grange's Parisian apartment in the Palais Royal

At the heart of the renovation is the sculptural staircase that now links the living area on the piano nobile with the private rooms above. Inspired by Man Ray’s spirals and Le Corbusier’s staircase for Charles de Beistegui’s penthouse on the Champs-Élysées, it stands in striking contrast to the flat’s classical proportions. Like the engine of a finely tuned machine, the staircase energises the space without overpowering it.

The décor distils Grange’s aesthetic, with furniture and artworks from different styles and eras coexisting as though they have always belonged together. Like any great collection, each piece reveals something intimate about the collector, speaking in this case about those of who have shaped Grange’s personal and professional journey.

A series of photographic portraits of Marie-Laure de Noailles by artists like Man Ray and Dora Maar pays tribute to the visionary patroness of the arts, whom Grange befriended early in his career and regards as his true mentor. An academic study of a male nude by Théodore Géricault, once displayed in Yves Saint Laurent’s apartment, serves as a poignant reminder of Grange’s enduring friendship with the fashion designer and his partner Pierre Bergé, for whom he designed extraordinary homes around the world.

Cherished pieces like a 19th-century Neo Gothic screen and Claude Lalanne’s whimsical ‘Choupatte’ still grace the flat. Still, contemporary additions such as a bright red console table by Hervé van der Straeten in the entrance hall and a sleek grey marble table by Marc Newson bring fresh dynamism to the interior, reflecting Grange’s cosmopolitan and ever-evolving taste. ‘I wanted the place to feel modern and light,’ the decorator notes, ‘without being contemporary in a cliché way or tied to any specific style. To me, decoration is all about unearthing the elective affinities between objects, even when they seem dissonant at first sight.’

The renovation offered Grange the opportunity to turn each space into an expression of his informed vision. In the master bathroom, he juxtaposed dramatic elements like a marble head by symbolist artist Adolfo Wildt and illustrations by Saint Laurent against a luxurious backdrop of palissandro marble.

When international photographer Ricardo Labougle began considering a book on Parisian interiors, Grange’s flat naturally came to mind. Their longtime friendship allowed him to capture the space in a deeply personal way. Reflecting on their bond, Labougle recalls: ‘I met Jacques Grange a few years ago when I photographed his house in Comporta. Jacques draws on his vast experience and sense of beauty in a way that defies the passage of time. Capturing any of the spaces he creates transports you to another dimension, allowing you to grasp the harmony and elegance of his timeless and unique vision.’