The apartment has the most wonderful view of a 17th- century Parisian square, so Alidad left the windows uncurtained in order to maximise this to the full. Juxtaposition of old and new is core to the success of the finished look. Here two Louis XV chairs, complete with their period covering, are juxtaposed with a sofa that Alidad designed himself. The console table is from his own Velvet collection. On the walls is a modern gold damask, which imbues the room with a sense of comfort and luxury. Antique fabrics are narrower owing to the size of the looms used, so Alidad has used yellow braiding - as would have been used in previous centuries - to imitate where seams would once have been concealed. A panel of green 19th-century damask adds an additional layer above the bureau, against which paintings and objects are displayed. Paintings hung on fabric have a very different feel to those hung on paint.