Pennod 2 04 Wal

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-Designer, Leah Hughes,

-keeps me company during the series.

-In this programme...

-..Christophe Pillet's masterpiece

-in Paris.

-The colourful Fronlas hotel

-in Llandeilo.

-In South Africa, a hotel which

-blends nature and design perfectly.

-Offering Zen by the Seine...

-..Christophe Pillet

-went from designing furniture...

-..to designing Hotel Sezz, a gem

-in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.

-Hotel Sezz is a French joke.

-This is in the 16th Arrondissement,

-or the 16th area of Paris...

-..so seize became Sezz.

-There is no lobby here...

-..so they've dispensed with

-that air of formality.

-Someone greets you at the door

-to welcome you into the hotel.

-That barrier between you

-and your room has disappeared.

-The public areas in this hotel

-are situated here around the lift.

-You come to this area

-to read newspapers and magazines.

-This is the bar where people

-eat their breakfast in the morning.

-It's a multi-purpose space.

-The building's shape is reflected in

-the club chairs around the tables.

-There's champagne

-chilling in the fridge.

-This is an area which can be

-made private, using these doors.

-It could be a conference room.

-The furniture is different again,

-but the design is cohesive.

-What do you think of it?

-What do you think of it?

-

-It isn't what I expected it to be.

-It looks traditional

-from the outside.

-It looks like

-a typical Parisian hotel.

-It's very chic inside.

-It's certainly very sleek.

-The interior certainly

-contrasts starkly with the exterior.

-The colours and the style...

-..express Christophe Pillet's

-vision of Paris today.

-He has used a grey palette.

-There are different shades

-of grey here...

-..with flashes of red and green

-to represent the energy of Paris.

-I had no idea he designed

-all these pieces of furniture.

-Yes, he not only

-designed the interior...

-..he also created the furniture

-and everything else here.

-He designed

-this wonderful chandelier...

-..which follows a static,

-horizontal design.

-It's interesting to see how

-he has divided the space into areas.

-In the back room, you can see the

-same furniture and the same shape.

-There are also

-two oversized pods in there.

-There's two of everything, and

-it gives the design a homely feel.

-Is the symmetry a masculine thing?

-Is the symmetry a masculine thing?

-

-Men certainly can't multitask!

-We're in one of the best rooms

-in the hotel, on the seventh floor.

-We're in the roof, as it were...

-..which explains

-the architectural features here.

-The striking thing about it is the

-way the bed almost seems to float.

-There's a desk and a phone there.

-Behind me is a stone wall which

-is set out in overlying strata.

-You can see some

-fossilized creatures here and there.

-It stands alongside

-this subtle, clean, modern design.

-The result is striking.

-Over here, in the utility area,

-you have a bath.

-It's a bath for two,

-with a cushion at either end.

-It must take

-most of the river Seine to fill it!

-You've done everything else together

-whilst you've been here.

-What better way to end the day

-than here, sipping champagne...

-..looking at the Eiffel Tower?

-What inspired this design?

-It's a very masculine design.

-It looks like a bachelor pad.

-The curtains

-are made of a pinstripe fabric...

-..and everything is quite dark.

-There are many colours

-from the same palette here.

-We must talk about the most

-amazing feature of this room.

-The exhibition area!

-The glass wall separates the two

-areas to create a unique feature.

-I'd be happy to lie on the bed,

-watching someone else bathe!

-It's fine, as long as

-you're with the right person.

-I think this is beautiful

-in its own right.

-The marble and the walls

-are wonderful.

-But I struggle with

-the designer's determination...

-..to force guests

-to exhibit themselves.

-I have a problem with that.

-If you had a modesty curtain here,

-it wouldn't be so bad.

-There's no escape!

-The beauty of Hotel Sezz is that

-Christophe Pillet designed it all.

-He created the furniture, the

-interior design and the products.

-It's testimony to the fact designers

-can tackle every aspect of design.

-Yes, he's created a design

-full of hard surfaces...

-..but it's also

-cosy and comfortable.

-Yes.

-We're outside

-Fronlas hotel in Llandeilo.

-It's a solid, Edwardian house

-in an ordinary street.

-But there are nods to

-the interior style out here.

-Its colour is unusual.

-The plant pots have been precisely

-placed on either side of the steps.

-The sign is very distinctive.

-Something about its style

-and about the lettering...

-..tells us it's going to be

-unusual inside.

-What am I doing

-in a bed & breakfast in Llandeilo?

-Quite simply, size isn't everything.

-It's quality that counts.

-This is the sight which greets you

-when you enter the building.

-It's simply furnished.

-Subtle colours are used here.

-The pictures on the walls

-are of the local area.

-The lights stand out

-against this cool canvas.

-This multifunction room

-is a dusty moss colour.

-It goes brilliantly

-with the black and grey furniture.

-You can sit and read here...

-..or choose a DVD.

-You could even have a drink...

-..before you head out

-to sample the delights of Llandeilo.

-It's very tasteful.

-Yes, and it's dressed

-quite sparsely.

-Your attention is drawn to

-the fine furniture...

-..and the strong, horizontal shapes.

-The dark colours emphasize this.

-It's easy to forget there are

-some original features here.

-Yes, and they work really well

-with the contemporary furniture...

-..and this fantastic,

-modern lighting.

-They've respected and restored

-the skirting boards...

-..the cornice

-and the four-panel doors.

-It sets the standard

-in this old townhouse.

-There are no personal photographs

-on the walls.

-No, the personal elements

-have been stripped away...

-..so you know it's a business.

-The graphics on the doors

-reminds you this is contemporary.

-This is a very fashionable boutique.

-The furniture is very interesting.

-Yes, it's very modern and yet,

-it has a retro appearance.

-There are Kartell lights

-in the hallway and in here.

-This is a Tom Dixon lamp,

-which looks like a 1960s piece.

-The orange is fantastic

-when it's switched on.

-It works well with the black

-and the ebony furniture.

-I wonder what on earth

-you like about this room, Leah!

-The colour is stunning!

-It goes fantastically well

-with the mushroom brown colour.

-It's an intense colour.

-It's captivating.

-I'm glad you're sitting there.

-If you were standing by the bed,

-I wouldn't see you!

-There's a kaleidoscope of pattern

-on the wall.

-There are flowers...

-..and circles, which are replicated

-in the light and in the mirror.

-I love the fact you can see

-through it and it's totally unique.

-Yes, it was individually designed

-by Colliss & Quinton.

-They create murals,

-rather than wallpaper.

-What came first?

-The wallpaper or the light?

-The unity between colour and pattern

-makes it a successful design.

-As you've already noticed,

-each room has its own colours.

-This is room number three and its

-colours are greens and pale brown.

-If it were simply that,

-it would be pleasant enough...

-..but this is the

-cherry on the icing on the cake.

-This is the cat's pyjamas.

-The design

-created especially for this space.

-It's totally unique.

-These details

-make this a successful design...

-..such as the use of the wallpaper

-to line the lampshade.

-That makes this design as effective

-at night as it is in daylight.

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-Next, we go on safari

-to The Outpost hotel.

-This hotel is in a remote part

-of Kruger National Park...

-..in South Africa.

-At first glance, this hotel

-doesn't seem too promising.

-There's a grey, corrugated roof

-along the top.

-There's a hint of sophistication

-in the way this wall was cut.

-It was built by skilled workers.

-It contrasts well with the

-brick wall with the concrete screed.

-The two walls form a funnel

-which sucks us in, like a hoover!

-It promises better things.

-Well!

-When someone mentions a safari

-lodge, you don't expect to see this!

-I expected a straw roof

-and some poles!

-There's a level of sophistication

-and design expertise....

-..you'd struggle to find in a city,

-let alone out here!

-The contrast between this

-contemporary, subtle design...

-..and the nature which surrounds it

-is truly awe-inspiring.

-It's incredible.

-We're in a national park...

-..so there must be strict

-building restrictions in place.

-Yes, and those restrictions

-shaped the design.

-We're high above the ground,

-minimizing the impact on the land.

-This also creates these open spaces.

-It's effective and unique.

-The bedrooms, or the living spaces

-as they're called...

-..are dotted around the hills.

-Yes, and the path from here to

-the living spaces is raised high...

-..and it's built around the trees.

-This is an unusual

-and effective touch.

-What about the colours in here?

-What about the colours in here?

-

-Some are traditional.

-You expect to see canary yellow

-and terracotta in South Africa.

-These tables are wonderful.

-Yes, those fantastic table legs

-look like tusks.

-Yes, they're quite novel.

-They look like elephants

-who are about to walk away!

-Other than the poles,

-the thing which defines this area...

-..is the way

-the furniture is set out.

-There are three walls here,

-in essence.

-One there, and this one,

-where the fireplace stands.

-The bookcase forms another wall,

-though you can see through it.

-It feels like a drawing room, where

-you'd sit by the fire after a meal.

-These vases have been set out

-in a very artistic fashion.

-The furniture has similar markings

-to those which you see on the floor.

-This is a huge space...

-..but this area feels like

-a cosy nest.

-There's a blend of irony

-and history in this area.

-These square pouffes are covered

-in the skins of Nguni cattle...

-..the local breed of cattle.

-Down the centre,

-there are low benches...

-..on which sit a lion and a lioness.

-There are

-snake and buffalo carvings, too.

-These are the animals

-you'll see here.

-Unlike other hotels, where the rooms

-are all bunched together...

-..these are dotted along the hill.

-This is the same polished concrete

-flooring used in the main building.

-There's a tusk-legged table here -

-the chairs and stools are the same.

-There's unity in the design.

-Over here, to the right,

-there's a big sofa.

-You sit here to enjoy the view.

-That in itself

-would have been enough...

-..but where is this view?

-Well, if you want to see it,

-you must press this button.

-The most amazing thing and possibly

-the whackiest idea I've ever seen...

-..is that this room

-has only one wall.

-There are no windows here, either.

-All you have

-are these canvas screens.

-They lift to leave you

-at one with Africa, on a balcony.

-There's Africa, in all its glory.

-This is the biggest luxury.

-You can stay in this simple,

-minimalist living space...

-..and be this close to nature

-at the same time.

-The rooms are similar in appearance

-to the main building.

-Yes, design of the living spaces and

-the main building is very honest.

-The structure is clearly visible.

-You can see the concrete

-and these posts.

-It's very honest.

-Its construction is there

-for you to see.

-There's a lot of this!

-There are horizontal

-and vertical lines.

-It's geometric,

-which contrasts with nature.

-If you ignore the luxury,

-it's quite an industrial structure.

-Yes, it certainly hasn't been

-over-designed.

-Even the blue of the sofa

-is a natural colour.

-It blends into its surroundings,

-which then leads your eye outside.

-I've already

-ran out of superlatives...

-..but the very thought of having

-a bath here is utterly jaw-dropping.

-Imagine lying here,

-in a bath full of bubbles...

-..watching the contents of

-Noah's Ark amble across the river.

-It's a surreal experience.

-This may sound a little strange...

-..but experiencing this pure,

-aesthetically perfect design...

-..is as incredible as the experience

-we'd have if we went on safari.

-Yes, this ingenious design

-is an attraction in itself.

-It's an homage to minimalist design.

-The Outpost

-is featured in design magazines...

-..and people come here for this

-rather than a bush adventure.

-S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones