People Marianne Fabre & Richard Le Sand

Akar de Nissim’s products offer a medley of many styles, including influences from Asia and Brazilian architecture. Described by co-founder Richard to be “part contemporary, part heritage, a lot of craftsmanship and with a touch of sensuality”, these elements are masterfully unified by the husband-and-wife duo. The result is a lifestyle collection that oozes understated sophistication, so it’s them whom we turn to for a chat on living luxuriously.

The rare, the exclusive, and the exquisite. We don’t like overdesign, so luxury is simplicity – while using the best materials and working with the best craftsmen.

Have objects that are difficult to find. If you have six to seven well-made, magnetic pieces around the home, they’ll help highlight spaces and furniture. As each will tell a story, you’ll form a voyage in your home. This is why it’s important to travel and collect rare souvenirs. For example, we bought two rulers that were used to check the depth of rivers in the 1930s, 30 years ago in a New York flea market. They NOW feature an easily-readable typeface, and represent the start of typography.

Elegance is an attitude, but it’s also about creating curiosity. We like to mix brands and styles; we match our Vitra and Knoll pieces with antiques from the Art Deco period. Details, like the little brass additions, and sensual and organic shapes in our furniture, also create a sense of luxe. We always propose a cosy atmosphere with candles and fragrances, too.

Now, the lines between hotels, resorts, and residential property are blurred. Aman, known for its hideaway resorts, has opened in Tokyo, while Four Seasons is doing a condominium in New York. It’s more about your environment and the way you live – we see that people are lounging more, hence the popularity in low furniture – rather than where you live. We try to express this lifestyle in Akar de Nissim, too.