Paris Déco Off and Maison & Objet 2023 Recap: Seashell-Embellished Wall Covering, Fringed Silk Seating, and 25 Other Highlights We Loved

Paris was abuzz with activity this month as design insiders roamed the halls of the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center at Maison & Objet and popped into fabric showrooms in Saint-Germain-des-Prés for Paris Déco Off, seeking inspiration, taking in newness, and digesting trends. Fresh finds filled the booths and the streets, with notable debuts across every imaginable category: a seashell-embellished wall covering, fringed silk seating, endearingly scalloped umbrellas, and so much more. Find AD PRO’s standout moments below. 

Installations 

Provence-based wicker furniture and lighting maker Atelier Vime debuted its new collection in a 1920s stained glass window and metal workshop factory. The installation was a haute bohemian dream between the intricately woven wicker pendant lights, seating daintily displayed within the industrial interiors, and a particularly striking scalloped pelmet from which Braquenié fabric draped a bathtub. 

The Invisible Collection teamed up with Mobilier National—the French decorative arts preservation institution—for an installation that blended the best of the new with the best of the old. Standouts included cloud-like floor lamps by Diane de Kergal, an arced chair by Maison Leleu, and a sinuous table by Rodigo Rize. They were all peppered throughout the incredible Féau Boiseries workshop and gallery. 

Around the city more installations stole the hearts of the design community, including the beach-chic island fantasy that was de Gournay’s showroom (an impeccable seashell-embellished wall covering included), the modern lighting vignettes at Designheure, and the sculptural and conceptual furniture at Theoreme. 

Maison & Objet standouts

We had some note-worthy show newcomers. Guadalajara-based handmade furniture brand Mexa Design’s brightly hued outdoor pieces packed a punch, and Stockholm studio Stamuli opted for a more candy-colored approach to its geometrical tables, chairs, and mirrors. Fellow newbies Themis Z—the endearing Greek tabletop brand—showed its cult-favorite wares, and Amsterdam-bred &Klevering exhibited its pillar drinks tables and the kooky-wavy pieces every Gen Z design aficionado is dreaming of.

L. Drucker’s children’s furniture is a perennial highlight at the show—the French label’s woven high-chairs in spirited color combos could charm anyone. Maison Masarin’s raw linen assortment is the peak of chic when it comes to bedding and table dressing. Lobster’s Day’s scalloped umbrellas transport one from the bustling halls of the fair to Slim Aarons poolside splendor. 

Paris Déco Off and Déco Home notables

We’re still mulling over all the debuts shown in Paris, but those that linger in our minds have one thing in common: rich pigmented color! Rug maker Dierdre Dyson’s new Angles collection, for example, includes 10 designs that play with dimension, color, and geometry to prismatic extents. At Clarence House, the new Kaleidoscope trimmings soak wonderfully saturated hues into a series of solid cords and tapes. Elsewhere, Farrow & Ball launched its most matte finish yet, Dead Flat. Suitable for all surfaces (including walls, woodwork, and metal), “the super matte quality has the incredible effect of making our colors look even richer, especially the darker shades,” says Farrow & Ball creative director Charlotte Cosby.

In fabric and wall covering showrooms along the Seine, leafy and shrubbery scenes took over. Arte’s Les Forets wall covering, No. 9 Jim Thompson’s Forest Fruits fabric, and Fabricut’s Bella-Dura collection of indoor-outdoor fabrics offer exciting prints for designers’ tool kits in 2023.

One lesson from the latest fabric and wall covering collections? Archives can serve as fresh a source as any modern discovery. Take it from Morris & Co.’s Emery Walker collection—a renewed study into worlds of the Arts and Crafts heroes—or from Pierre Frey’s masterful revisiting of heritage label Bracquenie’s archive in honor of its bicentennial anniversary. 

Other notable launches include Loro Piana Interiors’ latest mohairs, which delivered the ultimate luxury moment with stunning jewel toned hues that must be felt to be believed. Pierre Yovanovitch shared the studio’s incredibly chic new sculptural sconces, sophisticated sofas, and organically shaped tables. 

Collaborations

For its spring 2023 collection aptly titled Far West, Perennials teamed up with Texas hotelier Liz Lambert. Inspired by her homes in Todos Santos and Marfa, Liz created the dreamiest striped fabrics that imbue the particular romance and spirit of the American West. The regional inspiration continued at Hartman & Forbes, where Erinn V. brought some California flair to Paris to her new collection of woven window treatments that conjure up dreams of Montecito mornings. 

Multidisciplinary design collective Uchronia worked with silk specialists Prelle on pieces that blend the new and old takes on French design. In a series of new debuts, fringed silk in a sherbet color palette wraps the bases of stools, quirky shelving units, and more. Elsewhere, Christofle collaborated with designer Alya Tannous to create striking glassware full of whimsy and movement. 

An American in Paris

Fabric house Schumacher invited guests to its newly unveiled showroom, the company’s first-ever Paris outpost (9 rue Jacob). “The French are revered for their exceptional taste, style, and appreciation of craft and beauty, so it seemed only natural for us to return to France and come full circle,” says Dara Caponigro, creative director at Schumacher. “We are in a unique position, being an American company with French roots in the heart of Paris, and already we’ve received the warmest welcome from French designers.”