How Beirut-born studio david/nicolas is turning traditional wood paneling into a sophisticated vessel for modern hi-fi culture

In the hushed confines of a private apartment on Milan’s Via San Maurilio, the traditional boundaries between interior architecture and technology are beginning to blur. Here, Nicolas Moussallem - one half of the design duo david/nicolas - has turned his own home into a living case study for the studio’s latest iteration of La Boiserie. Unveiled during a mid-summer listening session in June, the project showcases how modular craftsmanship can adapt to the rigorous demands of contemporary hi-fi systems without sacrificing the aesthetic soul of a room.

Rooted in the classical French tradition of decorative wood paneling, boiserie was historically used to lend rhythm and proportion to grand interiors. David Raffoul and Nicolas Moussallem have reclaimed this heritage, transforming it from a static wall treatment into a fluid, customizable framework. It is a defining element of their practice—a spatial language that elegantly absorbs cabinetry, shelving, and bespoke furnishings into a single, continuous gesture. For david/nicolas, craft is not an exercise in nostalgia; it is an evolving process designed to accommodate the textures of modern life.

The studio’s latest advancement addresses a common domestic dilemma: the visual clutter of high-end audio equipment. Rather than treating sound technology as an afterthought or a hidden utility, La Boiserie acts as an architectural skin that embraces it. Dedicated cabinetry modules house vinyl players and mixers, while a complex technical infrastructure of cabling is concealed behind walnut and oak panels, maintaining the room's visual coherence. In a move that respects both form and function, speakers remain exposed to ensure acoustic clarity, while integrated shelving serves as a curated display for growing vinyl collections.

The choice of a private residence for the presentation was intentional. By placing the system within a lived-in environment, the designers demonstrated that high-fidelity sound should be a natural extension of one's lifestyle. A listening session curated by Drums and Chants provided the soundtrack, while a selection of abstract works from Cadogan Gallery - featuring artists Elise Ansel, Richard Zinon, and Ramón Enrich - offered a visual counterpoint to the wood’s geometric precision. The result is a domestic space where music becomes the medium through which the architecture is experienced.

“La Boiserie has always been conceived as a framework,” explains David Raffoul. “Integrating hi-fi equipment was a natural evolution because music is an intimate part of domestic life. By developing this in Nicolas’ own home, we explored a solution that adapts to the specific habits and aesthetic preferences of the individual.”

A Global Perspective from Beirut

Since founding their studio in Beirut in 2011, Raffoul and Moussallem have built an international reputation for balancing imagination with a rigorous logic. Now operating from offices in Beirut, Milan, and San Francisco, their work - spanning high-profile collaborations with Carpenter’s Workshop Gallery to furniture for Tacchini and Pierre Frey - is underpinned by a commitment to enduring quality. Theirs is a philosophy that views the home not as a museum of the past, but as a thoughtfully designed vessel for modern living, enriched by the depth of tradition.