The Droulers Perspective

How did your separate interests in interiors begin? How/why did you decide to start working together? 

We learned everything at Villa d’Este. This iconic hotel at Lake Como once belonged to our family, where our grandmother and later our mother took care of its interiors, making it one of the symbols of the glorious dolce vita. We were surrounded by marvellous fabrics and handcrafted furniture, chosen meticulously for this hotel where we grew up together. Our mother Roberta transmitted to us her passion for interior design and her continuous search for beauty. Our roots are well anchored in all this, and we decided to start our separate careers in the creative field. Virginie studied Graphic Design at New York’s Parsons School of Design and started working in the city, whereas Nathalie studied Architecture at Politecnico di Milano. We both worked and lived in New York at the beginning. When we decided to move back to Europe, to Milan, we thought to combine our expertise in the creative fields and founded our studio. We understood right away that working together made us stronger. We realized that no one could be a better partner than one’s twin sister. Although not always very easy, we then found a perfect balance where we are very harmonious, both in the distribution of duties and in logistics. 

How does a project usually begin? For example, do you have a method? What inspires you? 

We both have strong personalities and usually projects start with different points of view. Nathalie loves to define spaces and light, whereas Virginie starts to think of interiors and details. Our inspiration always starts from an intensive dialogue with our clients, then the project’s location—its colours, light… Of course, being good twins, we usually start with totally different views but somehow find a common way. We have a shared moodboard enriched through a constant exchange of ideas between us. We are real detail maniacs. Sometimes a very small detail can be a starting point, sometimes an extra-large piece of artwork. 

How would you describe your style? 

Our style is a union between past and present. We grew up with the rationalist architecture of Como, the classicism that comes from Villa d’Este, and great Milanese master architects like Gio Ponti and Portaluppi. We love mixing cultures, combining décoration à la française with a curious eye towards the East, experimenting and daring whenever possible. Our aesthetic is always evolving, but we aim to create timeless spaces in perfect equilibrium between classic and contemporary.