Parisian Getaway

Last month Stephanie Roe, owner of Mima & Company in Doylestown, PA, and her husband Gary visited Maison & Objet in Paris, as well as a few artisan studios outside of the city. The show took place September 5–9 She shares her experience with us and tells us what’s new, what’s hot and what’s going on in retailing in the City of Lights. 

I was so excited to experience my first trip to France and also attend Maison & Objet in Paris within the past week. Since I don’t know how to speak French, it went better than I expected. It was amazing how well people converse when necessary. 

Arriving at Maison & Objet on Sunday, I noticed how huge the show was, but with wide aisles and booths clearly marked, it was easy to find vendors. The show was very busy, lots of buyers and vendors looking quite happy writing orders. 

Color trends to watch for are lavender, grey, red and touches of yellow. Lavender and every shade of it, was in everything possible, including tabletop, lamps, bedding, pillows, furniture, florals, etc. Reds are still very strong in all facets of home accessories. There were an assortment of hand painted tables, chairs and buffets. 

The Garden & Nature Inspiration was also evident with lots of product featuring butterflies, bugs and under glass domes to show off your treasures. 

The look of kitchen appliances is also changing. You will be able to purchase refrigerators with art and floral motifs on the front and forget about your plain old washer and dryer – they are now available with rhinestones on them. 

Besides going to Maison & Objet, Gary (my husband) and I were able to tour 7 artisan studios in the Centre – Loire Valley Region of France and then meet with the Artisans in the Chateau de la Bourdaisiere-Montlouis from the 14th century. We got to see fabric being made of the finest silk threads inspired by designs from the 17th and 18th century, wallpaper being recreated from hundreds of years ago, handcrafted and painted furniture, sculptures of metal and plaster, one-of-a-kind porcelain and ceramics, sofas and armchairs being created from start to finish and furniture from the 17th and 18th century being reproduced with exceptional quality. 

While browsing the shops (you have to always look and check), we noticed that the shops got the maximum from their spaces using every corner available. Most shops were so tiny but they did not skimp on courtesy and packaging. All stores presented you with your purchase in an exceptional bag or tote which just seemed to complete the package. One shopkeeper thanked us for allowing him to do what he loves most – to sell. Besides a huge amount of patisseries and cafes, stores ranged from personal care products, shoes, clothing, jewelry, lingerie, antiques, music and an assortment of home accessories and electronics. 

Walking the streets of France was no easy task with the cobblestones from so long ago but if you ask if it was worth it, the answer is definitely yes. The weather was perfect, so it is a great time of year to go.