Andrée Putman, chic French design in 6 works

The name Putman alone evokes a certain idea of French chic. A chic that is not flashy, but sober and elegant. Andrée Putman is a singular figure in French architecture and design, immediately recognizable by her lanky figure, asymmetrical haircut, and always impeccable look. She left behind a remarkable body of work, marked essentially by her enthusiasm for interior architecture and a pronounced taste for discreet refinement that leaves nothing to chance. A look back at a career that was built late, through 6 emblematic works.

Andrée Putman
© studioputman

Born into a bourgeois family of bankers and notable, Andrée Putman (1925-2013) destined in a 1er time for music, encouraged by a pianist mother. However, the rigidity of classical music education curbs her ardor. One element of her childhood, however, arouses in her a taste for beautiful things, architecture in particular. As a child, she spent a large part of her summers at the Abbaye de Fontenay, a magnificent Cistercian complex bought by her grandfather in 1906. Later, she would explain that she was "nourished" by the geometry of the place, and in particular the play of light.

Starting from nothing, except for a 1st Prize in Harmony from the Conservatory, Andrée Putman gradually developed a passion for painting, architecture and decoration. She begins by collaborating as a journalist specializing in "home" and "decoration" for several magazines including Femina and Elle. In 1958, she became a stylist for the Prisunic chain of stores and married the collector, editor and art critic Jacques Putman. Thanks to him, she met artists such as Pierre Alechinsky, Alberto Giacometti and Niki de Saint Phalle.

In 1971, she co-founded the company Créateurs et Industriels with businessman Didier Grumbach, and introduced talented young designers including Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. 7 years later, she created her company, Ecart, which made a name for itself by reissuing design furniture from the 1930s (René Herbst, Robert Mallet-Stevens, Pierre Chareau, Eileen Gray, ...). Then, she began a fundamental shift towards space design: in 1984, she designed the Morgans Hotel in New York. She gained international fame and her career took off. On this occasion, she affirmed certain principles of the "Putman style": the famous black and white checkerboard, simple lines, pure structures and minimalist but classy decoration.

For the Morgans Hotel in 1984, Andrée Putman imagines and designs bathrooms with a simple porcelain stoneware laid in a black and white checkerboard pattern, a cheap material. An audacity that launched her signature. 2 on either side of the bathtub are arranged 2 metal basins, boat cabin style.
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A view of the Morgans boutique hotel, design by Andrée Putman. For the Morgans, she invented the concept of a boutique-hotel. On the floor, we find the porcelain stoneware in checkerboard. A pattern that she declines throughout the hotel: on the carpets, bedsides, in frieze in the corridors and even in the elevator.
© bestinteriordesigners

Morgans Hotel, interior design salon, design by Andrée Putman. In 2008, the decorator and interior designer modernized the hotel again, staying true to the minimalist spirit of the 1980s design.
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Interior of Morgans Hotel, design Studio Putman.
© nicolasbordas

A suite at Morgan's Hotel in New York, interior design: Andrée Putman, 1984.
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In 2009, Andrée Putman created the "Morgans" Chair for the American brand EMECO. This chair was specially designed for the Morgans Hotel in New York City during its 2008 renovation, 25 years after the hotel opened.
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After the Morgans adventure, Andrée Putman went on to design interior architecture projects: she designed hotels, including Le Lac in Japan, the Im Wasserturm in Germany and the Sheraton at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport. She also designed boutiques for the brands Balenciaga, Bally and Lagerfeld. In 1984, she designed the office furniture for Jack Lang, then Minister of Culture. From 1983 to 1990, Andrée Putman embarked on a major challenge: the creation of the entire interior design and furniture of the Lainé warehouse, a former industrial building completed in 1824 and which houses the Centre d'arts plastiques contemporains de Bordeaux (CAPC).

Mezzanine of the CAPC Musée d'Art Contemporain de Bordeaux, interior design : Andrée Putman, 1983-1990. Floor lamps, floor lights and waxed concrete. Andrée Putman signed a furniture of great timeless sobriety, in connection with the beauty of the place.
© Arthur Péquin, 2015.

Furniture for CAPC in the museum's Atrium, design Andrée Putman/ECART. Teak benches, meeting tables, Japanese hanging lamps, carpet, 1990. Mallet-Stevens chairs, 1984 edition.
© Arthur Péquin, 2015.

Single Library, 1984, design: Andrée Putman/ECART for the CAPC musée d'Art contemporain de Bordeaux.
© Anne Garde, 1990

Médiathèque du CAPC musée d'Art contemporain de Bordeaux, layout and furniture: Andrée Putma/ECART, 1990. Consultation desks, desk lamps and floor lamps. Andrée Putman conceived a minimalist design where rigor, elegance and emotion reign.
© Anne Garde.

With the interior design of the CAPC, Andrée Putman proved a great artistic intelligence to conceive a furniture in phase with the spirit of a very particular place. In 1993, Air France naturally thought of her to renovate all of the elements making up the interior of the Concorde. After all, if Andrée Putman embodies a certain audacious elegance "à la française", the Concorde represents the jewel of French aeronautics. The 2 convey an art of living and are made to get along.

Interior of Concorde, design: Andrée Putman. One can obviously recognize the trademark "Putman style" with a black and white color scheme on the floor.
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For the Concorde, Andrée Putman did "Putman": elegance, sobriety, attention to detail, timelessness. Values that correspond well to the Air France style.
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Complete set of dishes for the Concorde created by André Putman for one person, mid-1990s.
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In 1997, Andrée Putman created the studio that bears her name, specializing in interior architecture, of course, but also in design and scenography. In 2000, Andrée Putman shows another facet of her protean talent. For the French silverware and tableware company, Christofle, she designed the Vertigo line of flatware and objects. A design in her image: a simple and pure aesthetic combined with the utilitarian function of objects. She completed her collaboration with Christofle in 2005 with a jewelry line, named Idole, for which she once again declined a "twisted" ring, which she had created for the Vertigo line. According to Christofle: "a strong idea of Parisian chic, at once totally timeless but always in the air of time.".

Vertigo silver-plated metal centerpiece, Christofle, design Andrée Putman.
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Silver metal tray, Vertigo line, design: André Putman for Christofle.
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Silver metal tray, Vertigo line, design: André Silver metal salt and pepper shaker, Vertigo line, design: Andrée Putman for Christofle.
© christofle

Christofle Idole collection necklace. Design: Andrée Putman. Idole is a sleek collection of solid silver jewelry and accessories developed around the iconic ring created by André Putman.
© christofle

Andrée Putman continues to string together major projects. In 2001, she signed the conversion of the former 19th century Pershing mansion into a delightful contemporary boutique hotel, Pershing Hall. Behind the building's Second Empire façade, the hotel houses a vast interior courtyard with a 30-meter high plant wall designed by Patrick Blanc. Andrée Putman revamped the place to make it a quiet and discreet hotel during the day, but lively at night with a slightly kitschy lounge atmosphere. She creates atmospheres that are both hushed and vibrant. As for the room decor, it remains cozy and contemporary for a soothing atmosphere.

The famous green wall of the patio of the Pershing mansion completely renovated by Andrée Putman in 2001. The place is unfortunately destined to disappear to become an office building.
© thecercle

Interior view of Pershing Hall Hotel. Chic and refined spaces by Andrée Putman.
© architonic

Pershing Hall Hotel bar, layout and design: Andrée Putman.
© architonic

Pershing Hall Hotel Room. Layout and furniture: Andrée Putman.
© architonic

A bathtub with ball feet, a classic that Andrée Putman just so happened to have created for Pershing Hall. Here, the photograph is from an apartment in San Sebastian (2005).
© ideat.thegoodhub

In 2008, Andrée Putman returned to her 1er love: music. She designed for Pleyel, the oldest French piano brand, Voie Lactée, a magnificent piano. It is truly a unique luxury object that mixes the world of classical music and design. A love match between classicism and modernism. Since 2007, Olivia Putman, Andrée's daughter, has been at the helm of Studio Putman and continues to keep the family DNA alive: the search for great refinement, a sense of detail, a focus on light, and an awareness of the intrinsic beauty of simple materials...

Piano Voie Lactée, design Andrée Putman, 2008. The exterior and interior finish is made of a glossy black lacquer. There is an unlimited series and a limited series of 8 for a luxurious version using rare materials.
© pleyel

Voie Lactée piano, Andrée Putman design for Pleyel, 2008. The inside of the lid reveals a hand-painted midnight blue and indigo Milky Way with a constellation of stars and the cardinal points. Black and charcoal gray checkerboard lacquered partition holder and lid stick.
© pleyel

Piano Voie Lactée, design Andrée Putman for Pleyel, 2008. A work of art...
© pleyel

François Boutard

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