To meet the most extraordinary requests, the YMER&MALTA Studio brings together the finest French craftsmanship and innovation to recreate, bespoke and on demand, its poetic universe.
Text by Marielle Brie de Lagerac
Art and Object Historian
At the dawn of the twenty-first century, under the guidance of its artistic director Valérie Maltaverne, the studio patiently and resolutely set out to revive French craftsmanship and restore it to its full elegance. Marquetry, saddlery, marble, glass, porcelain, tapestry, and mirror-making are pushed to their very limits, surpassing their historical boundaries. In doing so, new forms emerge, imbued with a gentle timelessness, shaping interiors designed both for living and contemplation.
Special Commissions
Each collection created by the studio is the result of the unprecedented refinement of a particular technique. For this purpose, every artisan invited to collaborate with YMER&MALTA is universally recognized as outstanding in their field. Under the direction and discerning eye of Valérie Maltaverne, they extend the possibilities of materials, following designs with organic, singular forms, the immediately recognizable signature of the studio.
Thus, each creation bearing the YMER&MALTA name can become the starting point for a special commission. In close collaboration with the client or architect, a new design adapts to particular desires or interiors. Careful sampling drapes the new piece in a natural delicacy that creates the illusion of effortless inevitability.
For example, the mirrorMirage mirror lends itself to this playfulness, carrying reflections into swirling forms whose movements may be chosen. Likewise, through a special commission, the Eagles table can reach such proportions that it challenges the cabinetmaker who once believed such scale impossible. Everything becomes possible, from existing collections or from the visions of patrons.
Bespoke Creations, Unique Pieces
n the heart of the Batignolles district, spared from the bustle of central Paris, Valérie Maltaverne welcomes visitors into her home, the intimate setting of the YMER&MALTA house. Shielded from view, the space invites calm and serenity. With a carefully selected clientele, the artistic director sketches pieces and gives form to the dreams of a privileged few.
The time required for creation may sharpen anticipation, yet this essential time ultimately leads to the perfect piece, when the magic truly takes hold. The design process, moments of dialogue with the patron, and the selection of materials recall all the virtues of slow-made craftsmanship and consecrate YMER&MALTA creations as genuine works of art. Entire spaces may be composed and interiors transformed, achieving balances that transcend time.
Museums Give YMER&MALTA Carte Blanche
Directors and curators recognize the unique capacity for creation, transformation, and innovation embodied by Valérie Maltaverne and her studio. From the Noguchi Museum in New York to Aubusson and the Mobilier national, for whom, a decade ago, the studio’s director became the first to revive the role of the ensemblier, YMER&MALTA has been entrusted with the delicate task of paying homage or bringing traditions back to life.
Consistently acclaimed for their quality, originality, and technical mastery, these collections stand as the flagship of a vision that has only recently become accessible to private clients, architects, and interior designers.
