Maison et Objet Paris is one of the most exciting trade fairs and interior design shows on the design calendar!
Held twice a year in Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center, it brings together decorators, interior designers, art galleries, craftspeople, makers and stores all under one roof.
What is Maison et Objet?
The event showcases 3000 brands and designers from across the interior design, home décor and lifestyle industries and is divided into two sections, Maison (home) and Objet (Object).
The 5-day fair is packed to the brim with installations by famous names and talented designers, sets big and small displaying decorative pieces, textiles, furniture and fragrances.
It also includes talks by craftsmen, architects and artists and plenty of spaces to relax and eat.
If you love design and in particular, home décor, as much as I do then Maison et Objet is a must-see!
This year, Maison et Objet wanted to encourage people to (re)connect and have built the program around the inspiration theme “New Luxury”.
Uber Luxury
New technology and fine crafts come together to help develop fabrics that are adorned with silk and LED threads and furniture that can be cleverly integrated into smart technology.
The luxury sector is increasingly looking for ingenious ways to become more sustainable with its materials.
Finding responsible ways to combine indulgence, comfort and aesthetics, luxury brands can play a central role in providing eco-friendly, local and artisan products and this was evident at Maison et Objet.
Lux Populis
Lux populis takes its inspiration from pop and street culture which has been driven by a generation that lives on reality TV, Instagram and TikTok.
Social Media and reality TV can have a huge impact on people’s home décor choices (think that rug by La Redoute that has its own Instagram page!) and has the ability to make high-end items fly off the shelves!
Maison et Objet has a dedicated zone called Signature which features exceptional items from design and creative brands such as Missoni Home, Maison Dada and Roberto Cavalli.
One of my favourite luxury brands, full of designs for the future, was The Invisible Collection.
It is the first online platform to sell a curated selection of pieces by interior designers and handmade by talented craftsmen.
Contemporary and beautiful, these bespoke furniture pieces really stood out and are key to future trends.
Continuing with the luxury theme, one of the most popular sets at Maison et Objet was the Eichholtz set.
The Dutch brand is the epitome of an exquisite elegant global lifestyle and has furnished thousands of hotels worldwide.
Theo Eichholtz started the brand in his parent’s garage 30 years ago and has grown into an ultra-luxurious design office that produces furniture, accessories, lighting and outdoor furniture.
Eichholtz is the essence of uber luxury.
With their contemporary design, soft curves, boucle and natural materials, these beautifully crafted products combine comfort and sophistication.
So much to see, so little time
When I arrived at Maison et Objet, I headed straight to the Home Accessories zone and it was clear that sustainability, biophilic and eco-friendly design was at the top of the agenda.
Every corner you turned, there were plants, natural materials like bamboo and rattan, beautiful pottery and tableware design and tropical prints.
If you want to find out more about biophilic design, check out my blog post here.
Lighting
From paper-made lanterns to outdoor rattan lighting, lampshades and lights mimicked the natural world and had a strong bohemian influence.
Soft furnishings
House linen had its very own section, a wonderful exhibition of natural and neutral colours and all the colours of the rainbow in equal measures.
Soft furnishings are the cherry on top when it comes to designing a room, getting your colour scheme and textures right with house linen is just as important as choosing a sofa or bed.
This is where your home décor personality can really shine and there was plenty of inspiration at Maison et Objet!
Some of the exhibitors in the Home Linen section included Passion for Linen, Kutnia and one of my favourite bed linen sets – Caterina Quartana from Italy.
Home Accessories
I felt this Maison et Objet section was very much Scandi-led with pottery in neutral colours and colourful candles taking centre stage.
Many items mimicked the curves of nature with imperfect lines and texture.
For me, the stand-out set had to be Deluxe Homeart with its remote control, and real flame-like candles!
Definitely the most realistic candles I have seen and they are ideal for indoor and outdoor use!
Cookware
This is where eco-friendly and sustainable design really shone through!
Materials like marble, stone and mango wood were in abundance and perfectly imperfect tableware drew you in.
In the Cook & Share section, there was everything you need to prep and cook and entertain guests.
And finally…
I spent a good 6 hours walking around Maisons et Objet and probably only saw around a 1/3 of the Trade Fair.
With over 3000 brands showcasing their products, you would have to spend at least a good 2 days there to take in all it has to offer.
Unfortunately, I had to get back to central Paris to catch my Eurostar to London, but you can’t go to Maison et Objet without a quick visit to Paris itself!
I spent a wonderful couple of hours on my own, walking around all the tourist sites on an unseasonably warm March afternoon.
Paris is a busy city with lots of traffic, so walking is a fabulous way to get around and discover the hidden gems down small alleys and parks.
I kept mainly to the River Seine, starting from Notre Dame, walking past the Pont Neuf, Pont des Arts and Pont Carousel, taking in the beautiful architecture of the Louvre and the Musee D’Orsay and down to the Eiffel Tower.
I thoroughly enjoyed my 24 hours in Paris and at Maison et Objet.
The trade show itself was hugely inspirational with a lot of insight into designs for the future in our homes, gardens and at work.
The stand-out trends had to be lots of natural materials, curves and imperfections.
It also showed how we can be a bit more mindful in the home in our ever-changing world.
I just know that next time I am lucky enough to go to Maison et Objet, I will plan a much longer trip!
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