Charlotte Biltgen is an interior architect and designer. Her ambition is to create living spaces, connecting space and furniture. Meticulous about details, she works with precision, inventing by playing with lines and contrasts. In constant pursuit of balance, she avoids confinement to rules and dislikes repetition. Discover her journey, inspirations, and her approach to creation:

Can you tell us about your journey?

I’ve always been passionate about interior decoration. At the age of 15, I would select design pieces I liked from interior design press and magazines, creating trend portfolios.

After completing high school, I joined the Camondo School for a 5-year program, including a preparatory year. There, I learned about classic architecture and furniture design. I had access to training as an interior designer. In this sense, I’m deeply rooted in French culture; I conceive and design a space and its furniture as a complete work of art. Therefore, I can embrace a place and everything that happens within it.

After my studies, I worked for a year with Sylvain Dubuisson, and then joined India Mahdavi’s team two years after her agency’s opening. I stayed there for 13 years. As the head of the artistic direction for hospitality and restaurant projects, I also designed the entire furniture collection. This highly enriching experience allowed me to work on a wide variety of projects, scenography, and furniture creation. It was both fun and creative. I was part of the creative work around a true DNA of colours, shape play, and cultural fusion.

How would you define your style?

In 2014, I decided to establish my agency. I distanced myself from India Mahdavi’s universe, but I preserved the love for work, forms, mixing curves, tensions, and contrasts drawn from different worlds.

I enjoy working with shapes, lines, and textures. The layering and interplay you can create with these elements inspire me. My plaster tables with helical fluting are a good example of this. I place great importance on details, which I work on with great care and precision. I gradually moved away from India’s very colorful universe.

My work revolves around the quest for balance and the play of contrasts. I don’t want to repeat myself or confine myself to rules. I aim to be free and continually inventive.

What is your connection with artisans?

I collaborate with many artisans and draw inspiration from these partnerships. I appreciate the craftsmanship technique, the dialogue that occurs during collaboration, the open-mindedness, and the discoveries it brings. Each artisan has their unique way of perceiving and conceiving things. Their relationships with tools, techniques, and creativity are always different, and I enjoy connecting with their diverse perspectives.

Photos – © Romain Ricard, ©Rodrigo Rize, ©Thierry Depagne, ©Philippe Garcia