S. Levaillant

It?s a gorgeous example of the ornate style After months of interior renovations, Villa Majorelle, the famed Art Nouveau residence in Nancy, France, will soon reopen to the public. Architect Henri Sauvage designed the gorgeously ornate house at the turn of the 20th century for furniture maker Louis Majorelle, who wanted to use the home, in part, as a display for his work. Like a proto home showroom, Majorelle filled the house with his furniture, as well as pieces from his artist friends.
Majorelle gave Sauvage mostly free rein on the project. ?I worked there for two years, redesigning my work a hundred times over?,? Sauvage wrote at the time. ?I offer this, my first client, this fine artist?the expression of my heartfelt gratitude for the unheard-of freedom that he gave me. Despite my young age, he never imposed a budget limitation nor his personal ideas on me.? The home?s stone facade is decorated with details like a sculptural drainpipe, multiple chimneys with ceramic detailing, and dramatically shaped windows and balustrades. To get inside, visitors pass through a floral patterned wrought iron door, setting a lavish tone for the rest of the house.

Philippe Caron

A grand curved staircase carved from oak and lit by stained glass windows is the first thing to greet visitors. Sauvage designed the rooms with classic Art Nouveau flair?decorative scenes are painted on the curved walls in the dining room, where there?s also a grand cer...