Wood: ‘‘It is inquisitive, blending easily with leather, metal, glass. Like flour in a recipe. You need it for all your sauces. And it exists in all grains! It adapts itself to all the rooms, contributes to all ambiances. What seems old-fashioned for some can also be revisited, like violet wood. At Le Strato, look all around, it is there even if you don’t notice it.’’

Gold: ‘‘Mademoiselle Chanel used to say: ‘Remove the last accessory you chose as it is usually one too much’. A quotation illustrating the lesson, don’t overdo it! With Aimé, we love to work with gold, toning it down, softening and giving it a slightly greyish touch. Far from bling-bling, it blends into the hotel decor in modest touches, like this gilded radiator...’’

Mix & Match: ‘‘Combining styles, materials and eras is pretty much our trademark, the opposite of the total look. We love curiosity shops: a contemporary painting, an 18th-C. statue, mirrors to play on perspectives! Les Deux Chalets can be summed up as apartments for collectors with eclectic tastes.’’