The latest Van Clef & Arpels boutique in Paris’ Place Vendome constitutes a witty wink at the grandeur of France’s ancient regime. In the firm Jouin Manku’s hands, wrought-iron latticework and hand-carved boiserie meets CNC-milled limestone and engineered solid surfaces. The color palette–white, cream, beige, gray, brown, and gold–is used in unexpected ways, such as plaster walls that resemble linen and a laminated plastic table top that resembles lacquered wood.

In the watch salon, an upholstered armchair is simultaneously proper (with its precision upholstery and fine leather) and unfussy (in its unusual proportions).