Parisian by Design: Interiors by David Jimenez | Diane Dorrans Saeks
Intro: Welcome to the one and only interior design book podcast, Decorating by The Book, hosted by Suzy Chase from her dining room table in New York City. Join Suzy for conversations about the latest and greatest interior design books with the authors who wrote them.
David Jimenez: Hi everyone. My name is David Jimenez and my new book is called Parisian by Design.
Suzy Chase: Parisian by Design is about the excitement of living in Paris. With weekends in the French Countryside and your design life on the Île Saint-Louis. Working and creating collections with top craftsmen, historic French companies and decorative artists. In the first chapter, we discover your glorious apartment on the Île Saint-Louis, which is one of the two natural islands on the Seine. Oh my goodness, can you tell me about how you came upon this place and what drew you to it? But it's pretty darn obvious.
David Jimenez: Thank you. I've got to tell you, I lucked out. I'm actually speaking with you from the apartment on Île Saint-Louis right now. And I had decided that I wanted something that was in an area that had more charm. I'd moved to Paris and fell in love with the immediate area that I was living in previously, which was in the 8th District, the 8th arrondissement. And that was really close to the Champs-Élysées. So if you can imagine, anytime I was coming home from a long trip and the taxi would take a left onto Champs-Élysées and heading up towards the Arc de Triomphe, I felt like, wow. Where am I? Feel so honored to be living here and so excited to be living here. But after being there for about three years, I missed the idea or this sort of the feeling of being in a neighborhood or an area of a Paris that had more to it, that had a pastry shop on a corner and a flower shop and the butcher and all of those things that you see in many districts.
But I didn't really readily find in the area that I was living in before. It was elegant and sophisticated and beautiful, but didn't have that Parisian charm. And I decided that I would start to search. And one of the places that I've been coming to for a long time is Île Saint-Louis. There's just some magic to the island. It's right in the heart of Paris and has access to the Marais, which is ancient and historical and beautiful. And then also very easy access to Saint-Germain-des-Prés, which is where all of the incredible shopping is. And so if you can imagine being in between the Seine River on both sides, because it's an island that's connected to Marais and to Saint-Germain-des-Prés by bridge and getting lost in the historic beauty of the island. These are all 17th century homes that have been established here.
And so, the first thing you feel is just this incredible connection to the magic and the spirit of what it's historically always been. And then it's full of wonderful, wonderful restaurants and cafes. And I do have a butcher and I have a pâtisserie shop. Then I've made friends with the florist and all of these wonderful merchants that have these great restaurants and locations here on the island. And then the people that live on the island. It turns the vibe into something that feels very villagey. You feel like you're connected because we're all Islanders and because there's just an appreciation, not only for the surrounding, but just the livelihood and the feeling of being able to give back to those merchants that are here on the street. So it's been an incredible experience.
Suzy Chase: Oh, I love that so much. I think that's why I live in the West Village in New York City. It has that same feel with the bakery on the corner and everyone's so tight and there are lots of creative people in the West Village. What sorts of people are drawn to your island?
David Jimenez: It's interesting, there are movie stars and artists, and surprisingly, there's also a strong influx of Americans that also live on the island. Occasionally you'll hear someone speaking English during the wintertime, because during the summertime we happen to be the destination in Paris for the most unbelievable ice cream. The name of the company is called, Berthillon, and it started probably a hundred years ago, right here on one of our corners. And by the way, the island is only equivalent to maybe three blocks, two blocks wide. So it's really quite small, but now I think there's maybe eight different locations on the island where you can get this ice cream. And so the word is out and during the summer, there's lots of tourists and a huge influx of people that come primarily for the ice cream, but also for the beauty of the space. But the occasional American during winter is always a surprise.
And so it's fun. It's fun to know that there's fellow Americans on the island. But what's interesting is what drew me to the apartment, the first time I walked in, I was blown away. The apartment is quite small. It's a classical pied-à-terre in Paris. Hardwood, Versailles parquet floors, which are original to the building. And so they're ancient and have this great patina after all the years. There's a fireplace. And what makes it unique is that there's these soaring ceiling heights. So they might be 15 feet tall with beautiful decorative molding. So there's something very stately and beautiful. There's also two huge windows that face directly onto the main street on Île Saint-Louis, where all of the energy happens. And so I stepped two feet into the apartment and thought, wow, this is heaven. It's so perfect. It was significantly smaller than what I had in the 8th, but what it lacked in size, it made up in heart. And the fact that I could walk outside and spill onto the street with all of these great merchants and now friends that I've made on the island, I thought, sign me up.
Suzy Chase: So tell me about your commute to the office.
David Jimenez: That's a great story. During lockdown and so that was a challenging time for the world, difficult time for the world. I had to rethink how I would go about doing what I do. And so at the time I was working very closely on a very large project in New York City. And I found that I just needed space. I needed more space to be able to spread out. I had a lot of samples that I was receiving and I needed more room. When you're working in a tight space, over the course of the day, it makes it hard to feel like you can get away from your living space to have a really devoted or dedicated creative space. And so I had a conversation with the building owner to find out whether or not there might be any opportunity of acquiring a space that was directly across my hallway.
And so it's located on the same level, same landing as my apartment. And it turns out that at one time, in the history of the building, each one of the levels of the building was in fact one single family home. And so my apartment at one time was connected to that apartment. And so what's interesting about that is that, when I walked in, it had the exact same soaring ceiling heights and all the same decorative molding detail, some changes that had been made over the years, but in general, the bones were the same. And so it felt, in a lot of ways, like working in a suite. Suddenly I had my living space and in the morning I can get up early with a cup of coffee and walk basically three feet across the hallway to my working space and studio.
And it's just become a ton of fun. It's been fun because I've got more room obviously, but it's also more space to dream. I can spread out, I can buy samples and bring them in and set them up. I can have newly upholstered pieces be brought in without being worried about running out of room or having to live with them until installation. And so it's been a really, really great working space on a lot of levels.
Suzy Chase: So what's the origin of your love of French design?
David Jimenez: Such a good question. I think it started because it was so different from what I grew up with and being surrounded by in the Bronx, actually. I grew up in a very loving home with incredible parents and a brother that I love very much, but our environment was very simple and my parents gave us everything that we wanted and did it through the very best possible filter that they could. And so I remember, I have very fond feelings, I remember memories of growing up and moving all of the furniture around the living room when I was about seven or eight years old and being encouraged by my mother. And so it became almost like a weekly occurrence for me. And I enjoyed it, I think as much as she did. But it was a very different way to grow up. And once I started traveling in my teens and then later on in my twenties and I had the opportunity to visit Europe and then eventually visit France and Paris for my first time, something resonated in my heart in such a profound level or profound way.
I was really touched. I was touched by the totality of it. I was touched by the lyrical nature of the music that is the language. And in fact it became very difficult for me later on when I decided that I would move to France and learn to speak, because it was so easy to get lost in the melody of the teachers who were teaching me and not focus on the actual learning part, because it was just so beautiful to me, the harmony of the language, the lyrical nature of the language is so beautiful. And then there was the aesthetic of the buildings and the incredible boutiques and the shopping and everywhere I went, there was magic. Everywhere I went, there was beauty. And I found that it just started to affect what I did and how I wanted to live and the things that I wanted to be surrounded by.
I started buying antiques. I enjoyed antiques that had a French aesthetic or a very European spirit. I looked at some of the talented, many talented interior designers from the past as references for what they did and what made their work unique and identifiable and spirited, and then found within that things that resonated with me and that I would take inspiration from and incorporate, and then eventually all of that, I think all of those things, it's funny, it's hard to pinpoint any one thing, but I think you carry all of those life experiences with you and the reference points that you have in your mind's eye and that you somehow remember, or are triggered as you're setting up a room or as you're making a purchase, or as you see things out in markets that you're considering, there's things that ring a bell or that strike you as being familiar. And they're familiar because these are things that you noted along the way that touched you. And the reference points that I think help inform the spaces that I enjoy creating and I enjoy putting together today.
Suzy Chase: I read a quote where you said, "to me, that's what makes a room feel interesting, things are all connected." And I think you just talked about it a little bit. That quote is true of your overall interior design aesthetic. Every single one of your projects is very consistent and very you. I would love for you to talk a little bit about that.
David Jimenez: I like spaces that are really warm and comfortable. And I also like the idea of spaces that feel personal. Usually what that implies is how things get placed in the room. And so you'll find things that are layered, a lot of the artwork oftentimes doesn't make it actually onto the wall in the way that it might be hanging on the wall. It might actually just be tucked onto a chair or tucked behind a piece of artwork on a mantle or a console in front of a mirror. And I think those are touches that create some consistency in the design projects that I enjoy working on whether, they're personal or for clients. I also like warm color palettes, generally neutral color palettes. Personally, I have a lot happening in the course of the day as we all do and I've work in environments that can be very pressing and sometimes high energy.
And there's something about coming home and being around a space that feels calm and being around a space that feels nurturing and that from the moment you open the door, you turn the key and open the door, you feel like this is your respite. This is a place of ease. And what I find is that neutral colors have a tendency to do that readily. And then what I like to do is incorporate some pops of color in what I do. So whether that's strong, turquoise color, or a vibrant jewel tone green, or a bold red, or even yellow, it might be influenced by a painting or an accessory. But I do like the idea of being able to accent rooms as well with some color, because I think it just adds some energy. But I think what makes my rooms identifiably my own is generally that they have a sense of ease and hopefully elegance as well.
I don't think I set out to make a room look elegant, per se. But I think with the pieces that I acquire, that I love, and some of them are more casual or contemporary nature and clean line and then there's other pieces that are more refined and have beautiful detailing on the arms or the legs and might be European or French inspired pieces. I think all of that helps create a mix that feels fresh and feels exciting in a room.
Suzy Chase: I love that your Instagram page says dreamer, designer, curator. I have a short timeline of your life/career. So you were born and raised in the Bronx. You got a job at the Gap here in the city. And then six short years later, you became the chain's Visual Merchandising Manager. They moved you to San Francisco. Then you helped a friend redecorate their home, which caught the eye of an Executive at Pottery Barn, who gave you a position there. Then you went to Restoration Hardware and lo and behold, your next move was not to Paris, it was to my hometown, Kansas City. You lived in two of my all time favorite places in Kansas City. Hyde Park, which is a neighborhood and the glorious, Sophian Plaza, a building. Both homes are included in the book. Can you talk a little bit about your homes and your time in Kansas city?
David Jimenez: Yeah, Kansas City was a surprise and I look back on my time there now, and I feel so incredibly blessed and grateful that I had the opportunity to make that move. If anyone had told me previously, prior to moving to Kansas City, that I'd be living there, I would've thought, there's no way, because it just wasn't in the cards. It certainly didn't seem an obvious destination for me. But I had this opportunity develop at a time when I was least expecting it. And I said, yes. Arriving in Kansas City was, bar none, overwhelming and daunting because I arrived knowing no one, other than the people that I would be working with. And I could not have been more graciously received. I remember the day. Okay, so this is a big deal, right? Move-in day. I was moving into this beautiful home, in an area in a part of the city called Hyde Park.
For those of you that don't know Kansas City, it's a spectacular part of the city. It's minutes away from downtown. And what makes it unique is that it's full of these gorgeous historical homes. And each home has a very unique aesthetic, but they're all beautiful and ancient. And I happened to purchase this home built by the architect Kelby Surfiss and he built it for himself and for his mom in the 1900s. And spared no expense in putting this place together. It had gorgeous Dentil molding and these Doric columns and gorgeous hardwood floors throughout and a portico. And it sat out on a piece of property that was like three lots in size. So really large, very, very handsome home and estate. And frankly, unlike anything I would've ever imagined that in my lifetime I could own, because it was so grand and so special. And I remember I arrived with many trucks of furniture, and when the last truck pulled away, about 30 minutes later, my doorbell rang.
I opened the door and there was this incredibly kind and very sweet neighbor with a plate of cookies who said, you don't know me, but we know you, we heard you've just arrived from New York City and from San Francisco. And we're so happy to welcome you to the neighborhood. And she handed me the plate of cookies, which was so incredibly sweet. But it didn't stop there, because for the next couple of hours, every so often I would get a ring at the doorbell. And I was completely overwhelmed by the generosity and the warmth of my neighbors. But that was just the beginning because it turns out that everyone that I had the pleasure of meeting while I was in Kansas City, was like, that there is an incredible openness and unlike the Coasts, which there's nothing wrong with the Coasts, so I grew up in New York and lived in San Francisco, you tend to be a little bit more guarded and reserve some distance, I think.
And in the Midwest, it's not like that at all. I think there's just a real ease and just desire to connect in an authentic way, in a very quick and fast way. And so I love it. And I have friends there that I still have today, friends for life. Plus, I also want to mention this, because many people may not know this, but Kansas City also happens to be, Suzy, you can speak to this as well, a hub for culture. It's incredible. The appreciation for the arts and what exists there, The Opera, The Symphony, The Ballet, is spectacular. And I don't think I've ever worn a tux more often than I have for Black Tie events than in Kansas City, because there's such a sense of community, but also of celebration and some wonderful, not only dinner parties and galas, but really incredible fundraisers. So yeah, it was an amazing, amazing time.
Suzy Chase: Well, what I don't think people realize is there's a lot of money in Kansas City. So they really support the arts.
David Jimenez: Yes. Absolutely. And there's the real intent on the arts. And I hadn't mentioned the museums as well. The museums are incredible. Anyway, I can go on and on. It's just a great city.
Suzy Chase: Oh gosh, I could go on and on too. I miss it so much, but I love New York City. So, the Sophian Plaza was right across from the Nelson-Atkins Museum wasn't it?
David Jimenez: It was. And so after living in this incredible home in Hyde Park for several years, I decided that it was a lot of space and I wanted to downsize. And I decided that I would move to the Plaza, which is an area of the city that's closer to a really beautiful shopping district and was directly in front of this gorgeous park. And so my view at the Sophian was into the canopy of trees, basically. I was on the third floor, into this gorgeous canopy of trees and walking distance to the museum, literally across the street from me. And one of the things that I loved about that particular apartment is that it felt like being in a 5th Avenue apartment, if that at all resonates, there was something about the scale, the size and the ease of being there. You walked into this small little entry that then unfolded into a larger entry that then took you directly into this beautiful oversized living room that then had easy access to a sitting room that turned into a secondary space that had a fireplace that was on the left side.
And on the right side, it transitioned into a dining room that then led you to the kitchen. And so it was the most symmetrical and symmetrically perfect environment for entertaining.
Suzy Chase: One thing I really love about this book is you take snapshots, so to speak, of particular parts of a room or a detail, and you tell us where you sourced each item. I think that's such a generous gesture as an author. Lots of times I flip through design books and I wonder where they sourced that lamp or sofa. I love this.
David Jimenez: Well, I appreciate you saying that. And I will give all of that credit to Diane Dorrans Saeks. So let me just give you a little bit of a quick background on how this evolved. I had the pleasure of meeting Diane at a party held here in Paris by Timothy Corrigan, the very talented Timothy Corrigan. And it was at the American Ambassador's apartment here in France. And it was a launch that Timothy Corrigan was having for a new line of fabric, Perennials. In the course of the evening, Timothy introduced me to Diane. I'd never met her before, but I had many of her books, one of which had touched me profoundly and it was called San Francisco Interiors. And what made that book impressive to me was first of all, the beauty of all of the projects that she featured, but being able to get lost in her words, what an incredible, incredible author and she is passionate about design, has an incredible design background and can articulate the nuance of things with such beauty and precision.
And so from the onset of the book, so we met, we had a really great instant connection. We didn't leave each other's side after having met that entire evening, stayed in touch. And later on, she proposed the idea of developing a book. And if you can imagine, I feel incredibly honored to, not only be able to have my first book with Rizzoli, who also said yes, very, very quickly in the process, but to be able to do it with someone like Diane. And so Diane from the very onset, she was clear about certain things that we would do to ensure the success of the book, but that she also does out of the thoughtfulness for the reader. And she had mentioned that in all of her books, she puts a lot of time and consideration into ensuring that there's clarity and context for each one of the images and that we would walk through each of the chapters as if it were a personally guided tour by me, taking you through the spaces.
And so she brings that to life beautifully through her words. And we, I've got to say, obsessed over the captions where it was possible, we would credit the person where I purchased the piece or the gallery to ensure that, as you're reading the book, you know where these pieces came from, but also, and maybe more importantly, if you want something similar, you know where to go. And so that was a really fun part of putting the book together.
Suzy Chase: Yes. You also opened up your notebooks to, not only reveal where you purchase authentic French paints, you also guide us where to look for color inspiration, how to find treasures at the Paris flea markets, how to create a French tabletop, floral tips and an enormous French source list. I mean, wow.
David Jimenez: The source list was Diane's idea and she contributed to it as well. And the source list is not limited to France alone. There's actually sources all over the US and all over Europe. And really the sources were entirely based on what were some of the insider locations that I've had the pleasure of being able to, either purchase beautiful pieces at, or galleries that have gone for inspiration or museums that have also been incredibly inspiring. And then who are the artisans that have assisted in bringing these bespoke pieces to life and where are they located. And so it's a robust source, 10 pages, total. A whole source book section, basically. And we put a lot of energy and time into editing it and ensuring that it was not only accurate, but also really representative and indicative of the richness that you see represented within the book.
I really, really, really opened my Rolodex and went through and said, okay, let's put it all out there. And then the piece on chic paint colors, that was a ton of fun to write. Diane said, listen, I think it would be great to talk about paint colors. She said, it's obviously something that you do often in your projects. And there's these colors that are very specific that you use in your projects. Can you tell me more about that? And can you share that with the reader? And in fact, can you go in a little deeper to share more about what influenced you and touched you, related to color in general in France, and how you go about color? And so color can either be really simple or really complicated. And for most people, I think it's very complicated. There's so many shades of a color and it's so nuanced.
And then there's so many incredible places and sources to purchase color. It can be daunting. And so, one of the things that I do in that piece, which is a lot of fun to write and to put together was to give you a really good sense for where the color inspiration came from. And some really terrific places in France that inspired a lot of the color choices. And then I put together a very detailed list that includes, not only specific colors by vendor or by paint manufacturer, but then also where to get them. So if you are embarking on a new project and need some inspiration for colors, it's a really, really, really terrific resource. And then there were things that we put in, in the book that were about fun. So the pleasure of styling flowers, Diane had a wonderful interview with Madame Vitchen, who is responsible for all of the flowers and the beautiful floral creations at the Ritz.
And then styling, which is something that I'm really passionate about and have worked extensively with a really wonderful French stylist. Her name is Noémie Barré she's also in the book giving a couple of her tips. And so there's a real sense of collaboration and a real joy. And I think every one of those pieces that become the totality of the book, and there's another really fun piece, another great piece on shopping the flea market. So if you've ever been a little intimidated about going to a Paris flea market, I've got information on some basic ways to go about it so that you don't feel uncomfortable approaching a vendor and know what to say and how to say it, because so much of it in France is really about that initial engagement.
And so there's lots of information on shopping the Paris flea markets in the book as well. But then the features on all of the artisans and the spotlight that we put on these credible talents that I've had the pleasure being able to work with in the past and develop products with, to be able to share that with you and share the context of that through their beautiful ateliers or spaces or boutiques or shops or galleries, really adds a whole dimension to the book beyond beautiful interior photography or interior projects.
Suzy Chase: You've said, "in the way they dress or decorate their homes, the French have an innate ability to create an intoxicating mix of finesse and quiet swank". When I read that quote, I immediately thought of your gloriously, tiny working kitchen. I'm mildly obsessed with it. Could you please describe it?
David Jimenez: Thank you. The French, I've got to say, I've got so much respect for. How the French have this innate ability to make it look effortless, make all of it look effortless. The way that they dress, the way that they entertain, the beauty in how they assemble their spaces and their homes. And yet they're always so incredibly comfortable and warm. But there's this underlying chic and so it's been incredibly rewarding for me to make friends along the way here in Paris, but that tiny little kitchen is the kitchen here in the Île Saint-Louis apartment. One of the things that I found historically happens in French apartments, and this may not be for all French apartments, but certainly I would say the majority of them, they tend to have really large living spaces, decent size bedroom spaces, and then notoriously very small kitchens. And usually the kitchens tend to be very narrow sort of galley style kitchens.
And from the onset I did what I love doing, which is that I like easy access storage. And I also think there's a great charm and beauty that comes in showing the things that you have. And so in most of my kitchen projects, I tend to, either design them without cabinetry doors specifically, or if there were doors, I remove them and then you update the shelving or the body, the cabinetry to make sure that it's in good shape. But I usually have all of my dinnerware and glassware exposed, partly because I like how it looks. It's also a very efficient way to entertain if you need a platter, you know exactly where it is, because you can find it easily.
And then I wanted to, in the interest of keeping things accessible and easy to use, I thought it would be really great to have a brass bar that had all of my copper pots hanging on it. And what I love about that is, anytime you put copper pots on a bar, or you put them out on display, it's like jewelry. And so in this very, very small space to have the luxury of being able to have all of those copper pots out gleaming and at the ready for any dish that I might be preparing, just elevated that small space and made it somehow cozy because the pots layer over each other, but also just added a little polish and shine that makes it, I think, a little sophisticated and fun.
Suzy Chase: So I know you fell in love with the Dove Gray, on your first visit to the original Christian Dior store in Paris. Was that the color inspiration for your kitchen?
David Jimenez: Yeah. That visit to the Christian Dior store was really meaningful. It touched me in a lot of ways. The original store was, in many ways like walking into a parlor, it just had this very French and very opulent aesthetic. And it had lots of smaller rooms, which is ultimately the reason why I think they went through the significant remodel that they've done. And in fact, the space today, the store on Avenue Montaigne is dazzling, because it's such an ode to the brand. I think there was something really magical about the fact that Monsieur Dior had assembled that space himself. And so, the romantic that I am, I think it really touched me. And there was this shade of gray, Dior Gray throughout the boutique, also on the exterior of the boutique. And it's a color that you look at and you go, wow, it's this really classical Dove Gray, not too dark, not too light. It doesn't shift. Sometimes gray can shift a little warm and get yellow or a little blue. And this particular gray was really dazzling.
And in my mind suddenly became so associated with France and with Paris. And so I've used it quite often in projects and every time I do, I love it so much. And I enjoy using differing shades of gray. But it has been a big influence in many of my projects from Kansas City to San Francisco. And even here in Paris.
Suzy Chase: Where can we find you on the web and social media?
David Jimenez: So on the web, you can find me at David Jimenez Studio. On my Instagram, it's also the same, it's @DavidJimenezStudio. So I try to make it pretty easy.
Suzy Chase: This book is the blueprint that gives us all the ability to draw inspiration from Parisian design, to incorporate in our homes, no matter where we live. Thank you so much, David, for coming on Decorating by The Book podcast.
David Jimenez: Suzy, thank you so much for having me. It's such a pleasure to share this time with you. Thank you.
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