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It’s been an exciting couple of weeks for design devotees. Tens of thousands of industry aficionados, including yours truly, congregated in the City of Light for the fall edition of Maison&Objet and Paris Design Week, where we unearthed an array of innovative designs that will be shaping interior trends for seasons to come. From argyle-patterned folding screens to painterly panoramic wallcoverings, here are some of the most memorable looks from the fair and beyond.
At Maison&Objet, the “Open House” exhibit—curated by the fall edition’s creative director, Amélie Pichard—explored the possibilities of interdisciplinary design. The multiroom display was modeled after the fair’s new six-sector layout, and showcased imaginative installations such as a dining table outfitted in fast food–style tableware by porcelain manufacturer Non Sans Raison and a salon featuring a mountainous, upholstery-free chaise longue with button-tufting by Studiolow and a figural statue on loan from the Musée Rodin.
Parisian designer Emma Batsheva’s Bal Tash’rit collection was on full display at Galerie Joseph for Maison&Objet’s five-venue Factory showcase, which featured works from emerging brands at galleries around town. Available in three vegetable-tanned colorways, the circularity-charged series features eight laser-cut pieces partially made from discarded Italian leather, including a walnut-framed lounge chair; a cylindrical floor lamp; an ottoman with side handles; and five beguiling flower-shaped baskets.
French design studio Les Crafties debuted “Holy Craft” inside India Mahdavi’s Tiny Room exhibition space. Made entirely by hand at the brand’s atelier in Sète, the collection—on display through September 25—features three vibrant folded screens clad in colorful stretched canvas, including a dizzying harlequin-printed stunner, a graphic argyle-esque number, and a bold striped-and-dotted style.
Jonathan Adler made a splash at the fair with the brand’s whimsical, seaside-inspired Sirena series. The collection spans 16 neon-charged tableware offerings bedecked in lifelike carapace and mollusk motifs, including a scalloped seashell–shaped salad plate, a coral-covered trinket tray, and a set of tortoise-esque soup bowls.
This year’s “Rising Talent Awards” showcase at Maison&Objet paid homage to German avant-garde design. Highlights included Haus Otto’s cartoon-like Zooom rug (which is so plush it doubles as a daybed); Studio Œ’s transportable Dopo stool; Marie Luise Stein’s tubular Thonis chair; and winner Gabriel Tarmassi’s undulating, hand-carved Cabinet for a Dreamer.
Argentine design made major waves throughout the City of Light last week. Maison&Objet brought together up-and-coming brands, including traditional rug weavers Buenos Norte Argentino and recycled leather goods manufacturer Vacavaliente. Meanwhile, the Factory exhibit at Galerie Joseph featured the works of more than a dozen rising Argentinian makers, ranging from lighting brand Oblumo to artist Delfina Velar de Irigoyen and a collaboration between designer Agustina Bottoni and heritage textile company El Espartano.
Phillip Jeffries’s Heritage collection was on full display on Rue Jacob. The debut reimagines dozens of traditional patterns as 23 contemporary wallcoverings in an assortment of versatile colorways, with eye-catchers such as the tapestry-esque Midsummer; the striated Chamberlain Stripe; the plaid Graceful Grid; and Avon, an enveloping mural adorned in a lush woodland lake scene.
Giobagnara’s booth at the fair was brimming with high-end Italian-made eye candy. Noteworthy releases from the Genoese brand include the Groove pedal bin, a leather-wrapped wastebasket with a removable inner container for easy cleaning; and the marble Sorrento side table, an elliptical wonder offered in five sumptuous stones: white Arabescato, black Portoro, brown Eramosa, green Guatemala and Travertino.
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Japanese lifestyle brand Kinto previewed the Tre series at the Cravan lounge in the historic Saint-Germain-des-Prés district. Drawing inspiration from the design trifecta of balance, elegance and unity, the launch boasts two minimalist resin vases—one double-ended style and one designed with a gently curved triangular opening—available in multiple sizes and three frosted hues, including golden amber, silvery smoke and translucent white.
The “Guatemala, Designs by Hand” installation at Galerie Joseph during Paris Design Week was a sight to behold. The exhibition included the works of 15 dexterous Central American design studios, with head-turners such as Estudio Fábrica’s Silla Fútbol, a spherical marvel fashioned from recycled soccer balls and polyester jerseys; and Estudio Cálido’s mushroom-shaped, pumice stone Somos Fungi lamp.
Maison&Objet unveiled its latest Craft installation, in a space devoted entirely to handmade furniture and decor. In addition to LiveHorn’s sculptural acoustic speakers and Bourg-Joly Malicorne’s hand-painted tableware, standouts from the showcase include French glass artist Matthieu Gicquel’s textural, wabi-sabi pieces and Italian maker Paolo Santangelo’s characterful ceramic creations.
The fair’s “Future on Stage” installation celebrated the works of three emerging international brands. Drobe, from Oslo, Norway, offers a colorful suitcase that extends into a full-blown wardrobe for simplified packing, while Paris-based Yüssée creates edible floral pieces based on the 24 Chinese solar periods. Hilo hails from Monaco and designs sleek, drill-free storage solutions with modular shelves.
At Parisian department store Le Bon Marché, luxury mattress and bedding atelier Tréca Paris teamed up with French design studio Uchronia for the 1970s-fueled Marguerite. The fully upholstered round bed boasts an undulating, flower petal–esque headboard and is swathed in squiggly-lined, bright orange Prelle fabric for a truly retro look.
At the fair, Zemonsta Design’s magnetic Switch & Match lamps drew me straight to its booth. Featuring powder-coated shades like cobalt blue and bright orange, the interchangeable LED lights come in a medley of playful shapes that can be combined—or separated—to create a one-of-a-kind configuration.
