Striking wallpaper that makes this Parisian sitting room sing

Bright colours and bold patterns bring this space to life.

An overlooked corner of this room on the ground floor of an elegant 19th-century building on Paris’s Left Bank has been transformed into a cosy, salon-like space, thanks to a hand-painted wallcovering by de Gournay titled Voyage of the Pacific.

Painted on Deep Rich Gold gilded paper, the vista depicts a Capt Cook-style seafaring adventure along tropical coastlines dotted with palm trees and exotic birds. ‘This is part of our existing collection and it lent itself perfectly to this space,’ explains Harald Donoghue, director of special projects for the firm. ‘The uninterrupted far wall was the perfect space to bring to life the narrative.’

A muted sea blue called Jamestown from Benjamin Moore was used on the walls; it underlines the theme of crossing oceans, but also adds a sense of calm sophistication to the room. The banquette was designed bespoke by Dudgeon Sofas to fill the space. ‘We wanted it to feel expansive and generous, allowing people to gather together,’ says Mr Donoghue.

It is covered in Pienza by Clarence House, a neutral leaf repeat with green, blue, brown and black details (through Turnell & Gigon). The cushions were made with de Gournay’s in-house velvet to match the walls. The table, rug and armchairs are antiques; the latter upholstered in Firenze, a woven flame stitch by Teyssier.

‘In daytime, natural light filters into the room from the side window, but, at night, the wall lanterns pick up the golden colours in the wallcovering,’ says Mr Donoghue. These are by Vaughan.