It was a case of the sacred and the profane in Paris at Maison Et Objet this past January. Nôtre Dame Cathedral, closed for several years after its devastating roof fire, was open again—and quite dazzling. Having not been inside for probably 25 years, I was struck both by the impressive cleaning it had received, but also by its size and shape. It’s a gasp-worthy moment to walk through the front door. While there had been an hours-long wait and I had made a reservation in advance, there was no one waiting when I got there and I simply breezed right in (after a very thorough security check, of course.)
At the Maison et Objet show at the Parc des Expositions on the outskirts of Paris, vendors from all over the world showed the latest in furniture, accessories, and more. There was much to see, including special exhibitions by Designer of the Year Faye Toogood and others. As always, the young designers stood out for their innovative and fresh approaches.
Notable Trends from Maison Et Objet
Trends spotted (which I also noted at Déco Off) included creatures of all sorts (snakes, griffins, gargoyles, insects) that seemed to tap into our collective fear and discomfort. I also spotted new takes on Delftware, as well as an innovative take on using (sustainable!) horsehair to make decorative objects.
Below are a few highlights from the show.
Serax always has something interesting to say / show, and this year was no different. These abstracted owls by Marni touched on the creature theme as well as the surreality theme. Also at Serax, these scented candles topped with mythical beasts by Bela Silva.
New takes on Delftware seemed to be everywhere, and none was more interesting than the Mazzo Blue collection by Arian Brekveld for Royal Delft.
These ethereal vases are actually horsehair, obtained in a way that allows the horses to live. They’re by Dahye Jeong from Korea and were part of this year’s Rising Talents exhibition. They are woven on wooden molds using a centuries-old technique.
The Neo-Primitive Chair is by Lee Sisan, also from Korea and also part of the Rising Talents awards this year. His work is made from collected raw materials (including metal and stones) and assembles them in ways that preserve their purity.
Snakes and snake prints were also found both in 3D representations and on fabrics and wallcoverings throughout the city. The company also offered many new examples of new interpretations of blue and white, like these owls above.
And, finally, I saw insects both friendly and fearsome appeared on a series of trays from Plumeria Home.
Story by Stephen Treffinger
Cover photo courtesy of Serax
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