If you’re familiar with my design work you know that I love color! Whether it’s bold pops or brightly painted walls, I believe that when executed well, the use of color can completely energize a room. But as much as I love color I also appreciate elegant spaces with neutral palettes that are thoughtful and come alive with interesting textures and materials. I came across a recent project by French Architect Joseph Dirand that perfectly illustrates this idea in context and it moved me to explore his work a bit further. Now I’ve developed a total design crush! Dirand’s work is elegant and minimal featuring mostly modern, clean-lined furniture juxtaposed against traditional interior architecture. Even though his spaces are mostly neutral, he beautifully incorporates subtle strokes of color which give his spaces just the right amount of warmth and energy. His work is sophisticated and he clearly loves using a sultry mix of materials like plush velvets, leather, suede and deeply veined marble surfaces. His projects also evoke a slight sex appeal so it’s no wonder why he’s the favorite architect of choice to design shops for high-fashion brands like Balmain, Balenciaga and Givenchy. I’ve selected a few of my favorite images from his portfolio to share with you below. Enjoy the decor porn! 😉