Anaïs Fernon

À la fraîcheur de la situation

On this June morning, on the second floor of the Ancien Évêché in Toulon, the small, east-facing back room is bathed in Mediterranean sunshine. The atmosphere is scorching. In line with the corridor and the narrow Rue Garibaldi, a gentle breeze passes through.
It’s all about the interface, the window. The popular Provençal pearl curtain is reinvented here. Two layers of curtains follow one another. The first, a fire screen, is adorned with mirrored aluminum tassels. It reflects direct rays outwards and stops any pests. The second, made up of linen cords and limed terracotta bars, is drip-fed with water. The air passing through is humidified and transformed into a gentle breeze. On the walls, the gradient́ of ochres gives a glimpse of the rising warm air, and invites you to stand close to the glazed earthenware floor. It’s pleasant to gather around this water hearth, seated on low cork stools. At the far end of the room, a reused marble banquette stores the night-time chill and releases it during the day. Lying down, the body gently acclimatizes to the cool. Listening to the rattle of the air and the lapping of the water feeds the idea of freshness.
Without a doubt, we know where we are. Materials and colors evoke Provence. An interior located. The décor is not layers of fiction, but layers that amplify reality. Far from the illusion of a better elsewhere, it’s time to refresh what’s already there.