IMPRESSIONS MAGAZINE

Looking to live a little of Lebanon’s fabled glory days?
Have a passion for the fashion for all things from the 50s, 60s and 70s? Then this brand new gallery will make you feel like you’ve died and gone to retro heaven. Filled with fabulous retro modern furniture classics (mostly made or discovered in Lebanon), this gallery is hip to the hilt and if you have the cash spare-dangerous to boot. Before you know it you’ll be trying to explain why your baggage allowance has to include a voluptuous 50s fake yellow suite and matching semi-psychedelic carpet of sun-like circles in orange/yellow/crimson ($1,000). Just too much too resist.

Watch out in particular (if they’re still there) for a pair of Jean Royere (famous French designer of the time who decked out the St George Hotel, one of Beirut’s chi-chiest places pre-war), matching muted red and grey armchairs (they’re designer classics), $20,000 for the pair.
Can’t afford that? Well there’s a sofa shaped rather like a reclining nude in soft red for $7,500, far-out carpets, wild lampshades, a to-die-for tableau optique by Y.Turralde (1978) for over $6,000 (see picture), deliciously warm and curvy armchairs. Love the fake white pair that owner Souheil Hanna’s says are “like sitting in a rabbit”. $6,000 for the two.

Prices are not as steep as they may appear –this is the domain of cutting edge style. Hanna’s been pounced on by European and American antiques dealers who he says “haul them off and charge five times the price”. It’s easy too see why. Hot. Very.