Maison Observed

The three words that defined the major themes of the Maison & Objet show in January 2004 were color, lamps, and ethnic. Vibrant hues are still a hallmark of this international fair, attended by more than 64,000 visitors this year — an 8 percent increase over January 2003. Orange, purple, and various shades of the green-blue range dominated the scene in solids, stripes, and pop art and floral patterns on textiles, furnishings, decorative accessories, and fashion accents. The presence of so much orange may be a surprise to American visitors, as the color has something of a down-market image on this side the Atlantic. But as used by French and other European designers, orange provides upscale appeal in products as diverse as ceramic vases and handbags.

Portable lighting — both floor and table lamps — was showcased by a wide range of vendors. Ceramic, wood, bamboo, glass, crystal, and metal were a few of the materials used in lamp bases. Meanwhile, brightly colored lamp shades came adorned with beads, crystals, feathers, papier-mache, and other decorations to create mixed-media works of art. On the more sober side, white, ivory, and linen shades were paired with dark wood or earth-toned ceramic bases to create handsome fixtures well suited to the Euro-contemporary style of the furniture lines on display.

Ethnic images were also prominent throughout the six halls of Maison & Objet — and not just in the Ethnic Chic section — located at the Villepinte exhibition grounds, midway between Paris and Charles De Gaulle airport. La Reine des Pres, a vendor of lighted decorative objects, featured a unique garden stake made from Chinese cloth and bamboo topped with a scholar's skullcap and a long pigtail. Antique Mandarin images appeared on footstools, cushions, throws, and door pendants exhibited by designer Sylvie Schmitter's company, Iosis.

Elsewhere, period portraits of Eastern pooh-bahs and photographs of the more prosaic folk and landscapes of Asia were rendered as attractively framed wall decor. The Buddha and the elephant-head god Ganesh were represented in many garden ornaments, and African masks and carvings found new life as home decor items. (Coincidentally, the Chinese leader Hu Jintao was on a state visit to Paris at the time of the Maison show, and the "red carpet" was rolled out in his honor. Paris was aglow from Chinese lanterns at Galeries Lafayette department store to the Eiffel Tower, which was illuminated in red at night.)

Overall, the buzz at the show was very positive. One Canadian vendor remarked that the January 2004 Maison & Objet was "much better" than the September 2003 edition, which faced serious challenges from the SARS scare and Europe's unprecedented summer heat wave. It was our first visit to the show in two years, and the growth in the number of exhibitors and buyer attendance was noticeable, making for somewhat crowded conditions, especially on Saturday and Sunday. The next edition of Maison & Objet takes place September 3–7, 2004.