Paris may be the city of love and light, but it’s also the city of design, where fashion, art and decor are worshiped so devoutly that they’re almost a religion of their own. Everyone knows Paris’ design scene is constantly evolving and inspiring with its mix of timeless antiques stores, modernist galleries, and iconic and cutting-edge boutiques. But how to choose which are worth the visit? Paris Design Agenda rounds up the best furnishing and decor-minded emporiums.
See also: PARISIAN CHIC: THE DECOR OF PARIS APARTMENTS
Au Bain Marie
Setting the table takes on new meaning at Au Bain Marie, an unexpected treasure trove on rue de l’Université in the Latin Quarter. The intimate shop is overflowing with one-of-a-kind tableware and entertaining essentials, from antique silver ice buckets and cutlery to crystal decanters.
Galerie du Passage
Located in an atmospheric retail arcade built in 1826, Pierre Passebon’s Galerie du Passage is a top stop for connoisseurs of rare 20th-century furnishings and objets d’art. The two-story space is the place to find quirky antiques with personality, from midcentury ceramics to the animal-inspired furnishings of Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne.
Galerie Kreo
A favorite of contemporary design collectors the world over for more than 16 years, Galerie Kreo specializes in limited-edition furnishings and objects created in collaboration
with such blue-chip industry names.
Merci
Few shopping destinations have achieved the cult status of Merci. Beyond a discreet courtyard in the Haut Marais, the reinvigorated 18th-century building on Boulevard Beaumarchais features a varied assortment of gifts for the design-inclined, from fashions to metal bistro chairs.
India Mahdavi
The eclectic furnishings on display at India Mahdavi’s 7th arrondissement showroom and neighboring boutique inspire wanderlust at every turn—fitting given the Iranian-born interior designer’s peripatetic background. Colorful cane-backed folding chairs, pattern-woven baskets, and tessellated cement tiles make ideal souvenirs for those who can’t carry away the Murano-glass lamps and accent tables.
See also: PARADIS DU FRUIT BY PHILIPPE STARCK
From palaces of fine art, like the Louvre and the Musee d’Orsay, to modern art galleries, like the Palais de Tokyo, and from the high-fashion temples of Chanel and Louis Vuitton to the funky home-grown boutiques in the Marais, there’s something for every design-conscious visitor in Paris. Here, even the food and hotels are stylish.
