Properties in France - Vingt Paris Magazine - France property for sale

Charlotte Perriand At The Petit Palais

Text: Christine Stinson
Image: AChP

“I have no argument  with the beauty of historic and antique furniture, but copying the past is an indication of a decadent society...”

Le Corbusier, Knoll, Eames, Jacobsen, Jeanneret, Prouvé and Perriand. The reputation of Charlotte Perriand (1903-1999), the Parisian-born photographer, architect, furniture designer and urbanist, resides easily alongside the heavyweight 20th century designers. Notably Le Corbusier and Jean Prouvé, although throughout a 66-year career she may not have benefitted from much intense scrutiny outside her native France.

Working within design collectives in the 1920's and 30's - as an architect, designer and  professional photographer - she adapted studio photography to the demands of the design studios she worked for, as well as to more daring interior design challenges including murals and wall art.

Her work, religiously catalogued and archived throughout a prolific career has now been revisited and exhibited to maximum effect in the richly curated exposition Charlotte Perriand: De la photographie au Design at the Petit Palais.

Astier de Villatte

Text: Aran Cravey
Image: Sophie Delaporte

Beyond the basic plate/bowl/cup trio of everyday tableware, I’m a mere Simpleton when it comes to the subject of ceramics. The finer points of teapots and terrines are lost on my "form-follows-function" sensibilities, but even my plebeian sophistication took a double ooh là là upon seeing the treasures at Astier de Villatte.

The Parisian born design studio appeared on the scene in 1996 at the Paris interior design fair, 'Maison et Objet'. It was there that creators Ivan Pericoli and Benoît Astier de Villatte first showed their elegantly crafted, 18th century inspired furniture. However, it was the milky white glazed, black terra cotta ceramics made primarily as decorative accessories for their tabletops that brought the duo worldwide popularity. Mixing old world, French country charm with modern day durability and sophistication, Astier de Villatte has become the design darling among style savvy jet-setters, inspiring a cult following with their candles and home fragrances.

Hermès Takes A Left Bank Leap

Text and Images: Aran Cravey

No few times have I strolled passed the Hermès store on rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré and dreamt of living in the luxurious, fairy tale worlds of style displayed in their dazzling windows. Just as Holly gazed longingly into the 5th Avenue windows of Tiffany’s, imagining a world where nothing bad could possibly happen, I too had envisioned life à l’Hermès as an island of chic serenity. While the lavish vignettes from behind the glass teased with the promise of refined divinity, though, the commercial chaos of its interior never quite fulfilled my fantasy of quiet sophistication.                                        

 So when I heard that a second grand outpost would be opening on (gasp!) the Left Bank, my hopes were revived!                      

After over one hundred and seventy years, Hermès is finally making the leap across the Seine, in addition to taking a bold step towards a more modern approach to their iconic style. The airy, new tri-level store on rue de Sèvres in the 6th arrondissement was originally created to house the swimming pool for the Hotel Lutetia during its grand dame era of the 1930’s. 

Musée des Arts Décoratifs

Text: Tiffany Tang
Photo: Bathroom designed by Armand Albert Rateau

Situated in Louvre’s nineteenth-century Rohan and Marsan wings is the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, a museum of decorative art and design that houses over 150,000 objects, showcasing collections of antiquities and modern designs from the Middle Ages to the present day. The collections encompass a vast diversity of decorative objects including furniture, tableware, carpets, stained glass, wallpaper and porcelain.   This diversity is a testament to the quintessence of the French art of living from the ancient times, as well as sophistication in craftsmanship and creativity.

Maison et Objet: Italy 1- Belgium 1

Text: Christiana Konstantinou
Image: Aerodynamic Library, Morph in Design

This season's Maison et Objet - the largest home furnishing fair in France - closed its doors this Tuesday, January 26th. While the general mood was in theory "crisis", the show was in reality rather successful. True, less smaller designers could afford the trip, but those who were there gave a good lesson to the French design industry. Hall # 7, titled "NOW!" was a beautiful display of fresh, new ideas, with the Italians dominating once again. Contemporary furniture from the neighboring country literally stole the show, proving once again their superiority in European design. On the opposite side, the "real Parisian" contemporary style - a mix of real/fake antiques and white-washed/grey tones is no longer the unique privilege of Blanc d'Ivoire.  Numerous Belgian brands like Flamant and Chehoma seem to have taken over the market, competing both in price and quality with the "Parisians". Beware!

Astier de Villatte Creates a Shakespeare and Co. Notebook

Furniture and ceramics designers, Ivan Pericoli and Benoît Astier de Villatte, spend their childhood in the region of Rome, Benoît at the Villa Médicis, and Ivan in the countryside, but they only met at the Beaux Arts academy in Paris. Both paint portraits, draw and received prestigous prizes from the Beaux Arts academy. In 1996, without knowing anything about  “les arts de la table,” they created  their first “dream objects,” furniture and fruit dishes inspired by old objects found at night on the sidewalk, at Emmaüs or at the flea market in Vanves.

Their first stand at the Salon Maison et Objets in 1996 had a wild ambiance and four years later, the famous Boutique Astier de Villatte at 173 rue Saint Honoré opened it's doors on their furniture, dishes, glasses, cups, roman scarves, blankets, but also practical jokes and peepshows.

Their most recent collaboration is a new notepad for Paris' favourite bookshop Shakespeare and Co. Check out their website - it matches the eccentric character of this fabulous Parisian brand.

Boutique Astier de Villatte
173 rue Saint Honoré
75001 Paris

The first "bric-à-brac de quartier" at 104

Text: Joanna Bronowicka

As part of the agreement signed with the City of Paris, the association Emmaüs Défi will create ten "bric-à-brac de quartier" in the capital. The first one of them opens on Wednesday, January 13 at 3pm at CENTQUATRE. Not only does it sell the most useful objects for best prices, but it is also a great place for people who like bargain-hunting. The inhabitants of a given neighborhood can bring their donations, such as furniture, dishes, household appliances, clothing or trinkets. By buying at Emmaüs Défi you are helping people in great difficulty to get back into the work market.

CENTQUATRE
104 rue d'Aubervilliers
75019 Paris
Open Wednesday to Saturday, 3pm to 6pm
Donations accepted Wedensday to Saturday 11am to 6pm

December's Vide Greniers

Looking to cozy up your home this winter? or maybe that special holiday gift?
Here's an agenda of upcoming brocantes and attic sales to dig into.

Saturday, December 6, 2008
PARIS 04 - BROCANTE VIDE GRENIER
PARIS 13 - Brocante Bd Blanqui

Sunday, December 7, 2008
PARIS 04 - BROCANTE VIDE GRENIER
PARIS 13 - Brocante Bd Blanqui
PARIS 14 - Attic Sale boulevard Edgar Quinet

9ème Salon Emmaüs

This year, the 9th Salon Emmaüs will be held at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.

All proceeds will go to actions carried out to defend the rights to housing, education and health, financing health insurance in Africa and education in Latin America. There will be more than 120 booths selling a number of used to truly unique items.

It will also surely be a hotspot for all you fashionistas out there, as they'll be emphasizing clothing and accessories, notably rare designer pieces.