Laurence Beysecker is an interior architect and founder of the studio Maison Amarande, with a career spanning Paris, Stockholm, Hong Kong and now Lisbon. Her practice focuses on the creation of contemporary spaces that value the relationship between architecture and everyday living, combining tailor-made solutions with a current design approach, guided by close attention to detail, materials and light. In this dialogue, a residential project in Lisbon unfolds, exploring the permeability of open-plan living, the dialogue between interior and exterior, and how curatorship and collaboration with QuartoSala contributed to shaping an apartment with character and comfort.
Design em Lisboa: What was the initial brief for this project and what resonated with you from the start?
Laurence Beysecker: The client wanted to create a New York loft style apartment with a large open living space connecting the interior of the apartment to the multiple terraces. She wanted a contemporary design with clean lines and elegant and sober materials like wood, fluted glass, terrazzo, metal all used in a very refine way.
DL: Did you bring elements from Lisbon’s architectural language into the project, consciously or intuitively?
LB: The building was built in the 80s, so we did not think at all in incorporating any typical and traditional Lisbon’s architectural element on the contrary, we decided to emphasize the modernity.
DL: How did the existing architectural features of the space influence your design decisions?
LB: The space was initially partitioned with many different separated rooms, kitchen, office, etc… and we wanted to have a fully open living space in a “loft” style. Knocking down walls and installing fluted glass doors where needed is a great tool to let the light passing through the apartment from one side to the other.
DL: Is there a detail – a material transition, a lighting solution – that became essential to the identity of the project?
LB: I am a bit obsessed with fluted glass doors, I think it is great to let the light filtering but giving privacy at the same time. I create a shadow dance behind the glass. Also, it was a tool to let the light passing through the apartment from one side to the other. The other important element are the bespoke bronze metal mesh panels dividing softly the entry from the living room. They have a strong impact when you get into the apartment.
DL: How did you curate the furniture and objects for this space?
LB: The original idea of the New York loft playing with materials like stone, wood, metal and terracotta touches throughout the apartment was the baseline of the furniture selection.
The B&B Italia Paul sofa in a soft thick velvet fabric is a key element of the living area with a strong impact. Then, all the other elements needed to vibrate and dialogue with this strong element. For example, the Leucos floor stacking light with the brownish glass block pieces fully connect with the sofa.
We love exploring all the richness of local craftmanship available and to create for each project a different bespoke design using ceramics, stone, rugs, cork… We like to collaborate with our designers and craftsmen to produce unique pieces that will make our design more interesting.
DL: How did you approach the dialogue between fixed architectural elements and movable furniture pieces?
LB: We have used a mix of the same materials dark wood, bronze metal and glass for architectural elements like the metal mesh partition panels, the doors, the TV cabinet, etc… as well as for the loose furniture like, the tableware dresser, the stunning Leucos Stacking floor light in a variety of warm colours glass blocks, the Acerbis Menhir coffee tables in glass, this unity creates a strong harmony in the apartment.
(The metal mesh partition panels were made in a bronze finish to create a light screen partition when entering the open living space of the apartment. We connected those panels with the few living space fluted glass doors using as well a bronze metal frame. Those materials are also the component of the tableware dresser).
DL: What role did QuartoSala play in shaping the spatial narrative of the project?
LB: As usual, Quartosala was very supportive regarding the sourcing of the right pieces, responding very promptly to all the questions related to finishes, samples, and making great suggestions according to the criteria of the search.
DL: Were there specific design qualities within the QuartoSala curation that aligned naturally with your vision?
LB: Our account manager at Quartosala, Ghislaine Ribeiro has with time acquired a very good knowledge of our taste and style allowing us to directly spot the right pieces for our projects.
DL: Did any piece from QuartoSala become a central anchor for the space? If so, why?
LB: Yes, definitely, the B&B Ray sofa with the stunning terracotta velvet fabric which is one of the center piece of the living space and the 2 chaise longues from Flexform to comfortably watch TV also with a beautiful taupe leather colour.
DL: What balance were you seeking between custom-made elements, contemporary design and craftsmanship?
LB: We always try to combine the 3 in the right proportion in order to design an interior with soul. It is something we do not fully plan but results from our inspiration and intuition.
When we need a specific piece in terms of dimensions for example that we know we will not find a ready-made piece of furniture on the market we obviously go for a custom made one using the skills of our talented craftsmen network. In this project, it was the case for the dresser in metal and fluted glass. We had a very precise idea of the design. Same thing for the dining table that needed to have very specific dimensions to connect with the kitchen island and we definitely wanted it to be in burnt wood.
We usually go more for contemporary design for lighting pieces.
Art is what gives life to a space as it is the expression of artists’ emotions. And I think being surrounded with other people emotions that have been carefully chosen allow us to find peace and balance in our home. With Art you can dream, you can meditate, you can escape, you can travel without physically moving.
DL: What kind of living experience did you imagine for this project?
LB: Our clients wanted to connect the interior with the exterior, this is why we did the same terrazzo floor into the apartment as on the terraces. They also have a large family that they love to gather including friends participating to the cooking, this is why we have created an open living space with the dining area directly connected to the kitchen.
DL: What do you hope people feel when they enter this space for the first time?
LB: We immediately feel warm and cosy vibes with the presence of the wood all around and the textiles elements, like curtains and rugs. We have the feeling of entering into a cocoon suspended in the sky and overlooking the city as the apartment is located on the 8th and 9th floor.
DL: How does working in Lisbon influence your design compared to other cities where you have lived and worked?
LB: We love exploring all the richness of local craftmanship available and to create for each project a different bespoke design using ceramics, stone, rugs, cork… We like to collaborate with our designers and craftsmen to produce unique pieces that will make our design more interesting.
DL: How do you see the contemporary design landscape in Lisbon at the moment?
LB: They are more and more Portuguese and International designers choosing to settle in Portugal which scenery is very inspiring for their work. For example, to name a few, for the lightings, we are collaborating with the talented Martinho Pita and Amande Haeghen. Also, the large number of foreigners with high net worth arriving in Portugal is increasing the level of expectation in terms of design and it stimulates the designers creativity.
As an example, the Lisbon by Design exhibition in May illustrates perfectly this trend with a great level of design pieces.
DL: What directions are you currently interested in pursuing in future projects?
LB: I am working on giving more and more voice to Art into my projects, I believe Art is what gives life to a space as it is the expression of artists’ emotions. And I think being surrounded with other people emotions that have been carefully chosen allow us to find peace and balance in our home. With Art you can dream, you can meditate, you can escape, you can travel without physically moving.
I would also like to get more projects in the countryside particularly Alentejo that I cherish in order to be more connected to Nature.
Laurence Beysecker is an interior architect and founder of the studio Maison Amarande. Trained at the École des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, her career spans over two decades of residential and commercial projects developed between Paris, Stockholm, Hong Kong and, more recently, Lisbon. Her professional path began in furniture design – deeply influenced by a journey to the Philippines – leading to the founding of a Paris-based company dedicated to the creation of exclusive pieces produced in Asia, before evolving towards full-scale Interior Attracted by the city’s architectural heritage and creative potential, Lisbon became the place to settle. Through Maison Amarande, international experience is combined with a refined sensitivity to local context, bringing together tailor-made solutions, natural materials and a carefully curated approach. More than an interior design studio, Maison Amarande stands as a creative atelier where heritage, contemporary design and art meet.
Laurence Beysecker is an interior architect and founder of the studio Maison Amarande, with a career spanning Paris, Stockholm, Hong Kong and now Lisbon. Her practice focuses on the creation of contemporary spaces that value the relationship between architecture and everyday living, combining tailor-made solutions with a current design approach, guided by close attention to detail, materials and light. In this dialogue, a residential project in Lisbon unfolds, exploring the permeability of open-plan living, the dialogue between interior and exterior, and how curatorship and collaboration with QuartoSala contributed to shaping an apartment with character and comfort.
Design em Lisboa: What was the initial brief for this project and what resonated with you from the start?
Laurence Beysecker: The client wanted to create a New York loft style apartment with a large open living space connecting the interior of the apartment to the multiple terraces. She wanted a contemporary design with clean lines and elegant and sober materials like wood, fluted glass, terrazzo, metal all used in a very refine way.
DL: Did you bring elements from Lisbon’s architectural language into the project, consciously or intuitively?
LB: The building was built in the 80s, so we did not think at all in incorporating any typical and traditional Lisbon’s architectural element on the contrary, we decided to emphasize the modernity.
DL: How did the existing architectural features of the space influence your design decisions?
LB: The space was initially partitioned with many different separated rooms, kitchen, office, etc… and we wanted to have a fully open living space in a “loft” style. Knocking down walls and installing fluted glass doors where needed is a great tool to let the light passing through the apartment from one side to the other.
DL: Is there a detail – a material transition, a lighting solution – that became essential to the identity of the project?
LB: I am a bit obsessed with fluted glass doors, I think it is great to let the light filtering but giving privacy at the same time. I create a shadow dance behind the glass. Also, it was a tool to let the light passing through the apartment from one side to the other. The other important element are the bespoke bronze metal mesh panels dividing softly the entry from the living room. They have a strong impact when you get into the apartment.
DL: How did you curate the furniture and objects for this space?
LB: The original idea of the New York loft playing with materials like stone, wood, metal and terracotta touches throughout the apartment was the baseline of the furniture selection.
The B&B Italia Paul sofa in a soft thick velvet fabric is a key element of the living area with a strong impact. Then, all the other elements needed to vibrate and dialogue with this strong element. For example, the Leucos floor stacking light with the brownish glass block pieces fully connect with the sofa.
We love exploring all the richness of local craftmanship available and to create for each project a different bespoke design using ceramics, stone, rugs, cork… We like to collaborate with our designers and craftsmen to produce unique pieces that will make our design more interesting.
DL: How did you approach the dialogue between fixed architectural elements and movable furniture pieces?
LB: We have used a mix of the same materials dark wood, bronze metal and glass for architectural elements like the metal mesh partition panels, the doors, the TV cabinet, etc… as well as for the loose furniture like, the tableware dresser, the stunning Leucos Stacking floor light in a variety of warm colours glass blocks, the Acerbis Menhir coffee tables in glass, this unity creates a strong harmony in the apartment.
(The metal mesh partition panels were made in a bronze finish to create a light screen partition when entering the open living space of the apartment. We connected those panels with the few living space fluted glass doors using as well a bronze metal frame. Those materials are also the component of the tableware dresser).
DL: What role did QuartoSala play in shaping the spatial narrative of the project?
LB: As usual, Quartosala was very supportive regarding the sourcing of the right pieces, responding very promptly to all the questions related to finishes, samples, and making great suggestions according to the criteria of the search.
DL: Were there specific design qualities within the QuartoSala curation that aligned naturally with your vision?
LB: Our account manager at Quartosala, Ghislaine Ribeiro has with time acquired a very good knowledge of our taste and style allowing us to directly spot the right pieces for our projects.
DL: Did any piece from QuartoSala become a central anchor for the space? If so, why?
LB: Yes, definitely, the B&B Ray sofa with the stunning terracotta velvet fabric which is one of the center piece of the living space and the 2 chaise longues from Flexform to comfortably watch TV also with a beautiful taupe leather colour.
DL: What balance were you seeking between custom-made elements, contemporary design and craftsmanship?
LB: We always try to combine the 3 in the right proportion in order to design an interior with soul. It is something we do not fully plan but results from our inspiration and intuition.
When we need a specific piece in terms of dimensions for example that we know we will not find a ready-made piece of furniture on the market we obviously go for a custom made one using the skills of our talented craftsmen network. In this project, it was the case for the dresser in metal and fluted glass. We had a very precise idea of the design. Same thing for the dining table that needed to have very specific dimensions to connect with the kitchen island and we definitely wanted it to be in burnt wood.
We usually go more for contemporary design for lighting pieces.
Art is what gives life to a space as it is the expression of artists’ emotions. And I think being surrounded with other people emotions that have been carefully chosen allow us to find peace and balance in our home. With Art you can dream, you can meditate, you can escape, you can travel without physically moving.
DL: What kind of living experience did you imagine for this project?
LB: Our clients wanted to connect the interior with the exterior, this is why we did the same terrazzo floor into the apartment as on the terraces. They also have a large family that they love to gather including friends participating to the cooking, this is why we have created an open living space with the dining area directly connected to the kitchen.
DL: What do you hope people feel when they enter this space for the first time?
LB: We immediately feel warm and cosy vibes with the presence of the wood all around and the textiles elements, like curtains and rugs. We have the feeling of entering into a cocoon suspended in the sky and overlooking the city as the apartment is located on the 8th and 9th floor.
DL: How does working in Lisbon influence your design compared to other cities where you have lived and worked?
LB: We love exploring all the richness of local craftmanship available and to create for each project a different bespoke design using ceramics, stone, rugs, cork… We like to collaborate with our designers and craftsmen to produce unique pieces that will make our design more interesting.
DL: How do you see the contemporary design landscape in Lisbon at the moment?
LB: They are more and more Portuguese and International designers choosing to settle in Portugal which scenery is very inspiring for their work. For example, to name a few, for the lightings, we are collaborating with the talented Martinho Pita and Amande Haeghen. Also, the large number of foreigners with high net worth arriving in Portugal is increasing the level of expectation in terms of design and it stimulates the designers creativity.
As an example, the Lisbon by Design exhibition in May illustrates perfectly this trend with a great level of design pieces.
DL: What directions are you currently interested in pursuing in future projects?
LB: I am working on giving more and more voice to Art into my projects, I believe Art is what gives life to a space as it is the expression of artists’ emotions. And I think being surrounded with other people emotions that have been carefully chosen allow us to find peace and balance in our home. With Art you can dream, you can meditate, you can escape, you can travel without physically moving.
I would also like to get more projects in the countryside particularly Alentejo that I cherish in order to be more connected to Nature.
Laurence Beysecker is an interior architect and founder of the studio Maison Amarande. Trained at the École des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, her career spans over two decades of residential and commercial projects developed between Paris, Stockholm, Hong Kong and, more recently, Lisbon. Her professional path began in furniture design – deeply influenced by a journey to the Philippines – leading to the founding of a Paris-based company dedicated to the creation of exclusive pieces produced in Asia, before evolving towards full-scale Interior Attracted by the city’s architectural heritage and creative potential, Lisbon became the place to settle. Through Maison Amarande, international experience is combined with a refined sensitivity to local context, bringing together tailor-made solutions, natural materials and a carefully curated approach. More than an interior design studio, Maison Amarande stands as a creative atelier where heritage, contemporary design and art meet.
