His parents were Antoine Paul Selmersheim, an architect, and Madeleine (or Marie) Victorine Louise Eugénie Naples.

[1] Selmersheim worked at La Maison Moderne of Julius Meier-Graefe, whose showrooms displayed rooms decorated in Art Nouveau style, with designers such as Henry van de Velde, Victor Horta, Charles Plumet and Maurice Dufrêne.

[2] By the start of the 20th century the partnership of Selmersheim and Plumet had become the leading Art Nouveau company in Paris.

He discussed a complete room that Selmersheim had designed, including the structure, decoration and furniture, which succeeded by relieving the inhabitant of the need to concern himself with making his home habitable.

[5] Gustave Soulier considered Plumet and Selmersheim were truly innovative in their furniture designs, which combined workmanship, elegance and functionality.