“One, two, three, four…”

David Meitus, owner of Studium in New York City, is counting up the number of pieces by French furniture manufacturer Hugues Chevalier currently displayed on his showroom floor.

The pieces are Art Deco inspired, initiated back in 1978 as designs for the carriage trade in Paris. The wood is sycamore, the leather comes from the same tannery used by Hermes, and the silhouettes are exquisite. Each piece is made by hand.

“Five, six, seven, eight…”

And while it may be possible to find a single piece here or there, Studium has a lock on the collection in the states. That’s because back in 1996, when Chevalier was seeking an exclusive showroom in New York, Meitus stepped forward. He had four or five of the firm’s pieces on display already, mingling among other brands. And if he wasn’t the first choice by Chevalier, he was certainly the successful one.

“Nine, ten, eleven, twelve…”

Last year he created a dedicated space on a stone floor, with a rotating art collection on the walls, just for the line. It’s the only branded space in North America for Hugues Chevalier, a line favored by Cartier, Catherine Deneuve and the French prime minister. It crosses over regularly between residential and office use.

“Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen…”

The sofas, chairs, consoles and tables appeal to people who want something modern and simple, with a sleek, luxurious feel that’s not necessarily contemporary. Like a good watch, the inside of each is as strong as the outside. The pieces are known for looking and feeling good, with a certain sense of quality and warmth.

“Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen – and twenty,” Meitus says with finality.

And it’s all done very well, but not too well.

“It’s a high-end product, but not catastrophic,” he says. “It’s a good value, without insane prices.”

And it’s available, in a 20-piece collection, all at Studium.

For more information, go to http://studiumnyc.com/

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