Our third day, halfway through the journey and already, at night, a myriad of lines, forms, colours and materials conjure up a dream world that plunges us all into the sweetest dreams. So it is with wide smiles that we meet up at 111 Avenue Beaumarchais to explore the Marais. Today we will be covering Bastille-République.
The first name we come to is like a heartfelt cry – Merci – and a meeting with a special guest of this first PDW, Japan, via the SUGAO exhibition, Essential design in Japan. The name of the exhibition says it all. SU is the Japanese concept of aesthetics defining the simple, the unadorned. GAO represents the idea of the essential, of a design stemming from the very essence of Japanese culture. Not to mention ingenuity, as demonstrated by this folding table. The sobriety of perfect style for a fantastic start to the day. Although, given the exhibition’s partner, also worth discovering, we decide that sobriety is perhaps not the most appropriate word. But Whisky Suntory is certainly excellent.

We head a few metres up the avenue and arrive at Acabas. The clue is again in the etymology. In Brazilian, Acabas means the buttresses stabilizing some of the largest trees in Amazonia. Acabas supports the most promising and unusual artists. What they have in common is that they all put material at the heart of their work. It sometimes makes you feel as though you are on the outside.

Out of curiosity we hop on the metro to Parmentier station, to the Jean Nouvel Design studio, which is presenting the agency’s projects for the autumn.
We go back to Bréguet-Sabin and over to Rue Amelot, to the Studio des Collections. This is a committed and responsible exhibition. All these designs address a specific need, while also respecting the environment. From very traditional work such as that of Fredericia Furniture, to the most recent proponents of craft values (Naver and Giulio Marelli) as well as the youngest designers (Massproductions and Refer&Staer).

Next we visit Rue Bréguet, still in the 11th arrondissement. In his workshop Pierre Bonnefille presents a unique piece, Infinite Screen. This is what the programme has to say about this work: “An endless polychrome screen with sequences of colours and random materials.” And if that seems a little confused to you, that’s understandable, as that is how you’ll feel standing in front of this unique piece. Pierre Bonnefille creates in situ specially for the venue. The work fits into a classic environment. Materials, colours – everything is unique and tailored to the surroundings. We all come out with the feeling that the work was created for us, that it is unique to us, touching us at a deep level.

Now it’s time for Hi Matic on Rue de Charonne. This is a fantastic space in its own right and has a lot in common with PDW: colourful, innovative and totally dreamlike. The façade makes you wonder if you’ve taken drugs. But we’d all like to live in a world that looked like this building, especially when you get inside, although we’ve come for one room in particular – the Double Side modular chair, created by Matali Crasset in collaboration with Philippe Chapelet and Patrick Elouarghi, which is both a chair and a desk, work and leisure, concentration and relaxation. Practically a life summed up in an object.

We are now getting close to the Place de la Bastille as we arrive at the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine – number 74 to be precise – and an address which has become a must: the Lieu du Design. For Paris Design Week, it has been taken over by the Particule 14 association. An open association with a cultural objective, which seeks to promote design among amateurs and professionals. The exhibition, organized specially for PDW, has been arranged by Cédric Martineaud. The layout design is intended as a map, containing works by eight designers, each with five creations. The overall impression is extraordinary since each designer as well as each object is presented as a fabulous eclectic mix. It is a journey, without the need for a visa, jet-lag or introspection. We get the feeling he has lived several lives.

Again in the 12th arrondissement, just around the corner from the Bastille, Sentou is opening a third premises. A sumptuous former loft apartment with a large glass roof where Pierre Romanet, the man behind the venue, sets out a colourful world combining Design and Art of Living packed with cosmopolitan must-haves: lights by Isamu Noguchi, furniture by Design By O, ceramics by Brigitte de Bazelaire, M400 staircase by Roger Tallon, etc. along with all Sentou’s exclusive creations and productions. The M400 staircase fascinates us for several long minutes, giving an impression of walking in the footsteps of astronauts, of walking on the moon, of climbing towards the future as you mount these chrome steps.

Overcome by hunger, like high-level athletes we decide to look for sustenance at La Maison Rouge, by the Seine. Rose Bakery Culture is decorated with an interior design called the “Jardin des Antipodes” which gives a hint of what to expect – plants hanging upside down from the ceiling like something out of Lewis Carroll. It’s almost enough to make you lose your appetite. Almost.

We walk a short way to help us digest and find ourselves at Lago, where we have our sights set on a specific work – the worldwide launch of the new LAGO packaging designed by Exyzt, if you please.
We continue along the Avenue Daumesnil to the Via gallery and its 60 exceptional pieces. This is the second year of the “Objets d’exception : design & métiers d’art” (Exceptional objects: design & artistic crafts) exhibition, pairing up design talent with age-old knowledge, to produce unrivalled details and finishes. It has all been perfectly thought out, giving the impression that there is no chance involved in the design of these objects, no compromise between comfort and aesthetics. It would appear that perfection certainly does exist.

Our day is coming to an end. Two very different and geographically remote destinations remain. Two groups form. One – the most sweet-toothed, will go to Le Purgatoire – 54 Paradis in the 10th arrondissement, a loft venue designed by Alain Cirelli and an especially fun place during PDW with its exhibition by designer Charlotte Brocard, On ne joue pas à table (Don’t play at the table). Samplings are on the agenda, along with games and the use of the artist’s utensils. A light, intelligent and amusing end to the day. Perfect for big children, since, as you may have gathered, the instruction « don’t play at the table” is explicitly to be disobeyed.

Our second group, keener to stay up, head for Mama Shelter near Père Lachaise. This urban kibbutz offers a very original musical programme. The interior was designed by Philippe Starck so completes the day perfectly. Sets by artists and DJs will celebrate the venue’s design which is totally intimate and mixes genres, from a lounge to a provincial café. A nice, relaxed (or not so) drink to round off the day and an opportunity to talk even more about design, aesthetics and what we have seen today.

Our second day. Having wondered around the legendary Saint Germain district, here we are in the Golden Triangle. A stunning setting to welcome the very best of international design. Our brains are still taking in what we saw yesterday and we can’t wait to see what today holds in store.
We are standing on the most beautiful avenue in the world, the Champs Elysées. Number 42 to be precise – an address not to be missed. Here stands an impressive futuristic glass tower known as Citroën C42, designed by Manuelle Gautrand. The brand’s international showroom with its tree of cars and, in the entrance, the Citroën Lacoste.

Returning towards the Place de la Concorde along Avenue Matignon and the Grand Palais gardens, we come to the Motor Village a space dedicated to Italian automobile design. Le Nolita restaurant and its Terrazza annex are hosting an exhibition there called « Italian Design » with such prestigious brands as Cappellini, Poltrona Frau and Alcantara. The interior design is by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Le Nolita is offering its special “Italien Design Food” lunch or dinner menu all week.

We take a few steps along the Avenue Matignon to leave the world of cars for a moment. Just next door is Ligne Roset, our second visit to this designer. What can they have left to offer us after the Bouroullec brothers’ Ploum sofa? The results of an incredibly diverse year involving collaboration with 33 designers, relaunches of historic pieces such as works by Pierre Paulin from the early 1970s as well as seats by Saint-James, Simple Bridge and Simplissimo seats by Jean Nouvel. This is also the première of Philippe Nigro’s outdoor collection – classic, modern, the whole history of design is laid out before our eyes. An aesthetic frieze.

We head past the gardens showing the first yellowing of autumn, bringing us to the Rue Goujon and La Maison des Champs Elysées. This splendid and very special mansion invites you in to its restaurant, La Table du 8 and to try a specially created cocktail only available during PDW. The hotel’s 57 rooms and suites, 10 drawing rooms, the restaurant and its terrace have all been redesigned by the Martin Margiela fashion house.

We cross over several streets to come out in a world famous avenue, Georges V. A stone’s throw from the Crazy Horse is interior design firm Luxury Living, which certainly knows a thing or two about luxury. Its 900m² showroom contains pieces representing the collections of Fendi Casa (for example, the Plaza contemporary chair or Urano 2 bed) and Kenzo Maison, which is reinterpreting Oriental culture with Riscio, a modern rickshaw, or Alice, a pouf resembling a precious stone.

Further along the same avenue lies Renoma Café Gallery. This timeless space is located in the heart of the Golden Triangle. Résidences Décoration magazine has taken over the Renoma Café to create a buzz with its “street art” interior design by François Delclaux. A real journey to 1950s America including, among other things, an incredible photo exhibition. None of us had any idea that Marilyn had posed nude alongside James Dean. This walk is certainly eclectic… we are like children at a theme park.
Ladurée Bar in the Rue Lincoln, an extension of the store on the Champs Elysees, blurs perceptions of home style, innovating without betraying the spirit of Ladurée. And the decor alone is worth the trip, irrespective of our taste buds. We feel we are submersed in an aquarium, on stools of coral. The resulting ambiance is so intimate it is almost foetal.

Now we head to the amazing Place des Etats-Unis where one of the leading names in Paris awaits us – Baccarat, which is celebrating 170 years of its iconic Harcourt glass. A brilliant exhibition providing an opportunity to exclusively present the new Palais Royal box. Our last two visits plunged us into a century and a half of history. PDW is a time machine whisking you back to explore beauty and knowledge.

After the incredible light prism of the Baccarat glass, our pupils hardly have a chance to rest before a visit to Rue Copernic, to where light is more intense than anywhere, Barbier Luminaire. The showroom has been completely redesigned and the art of contemporary lighting is at its zenith. Several collections are presented for this season, Stéphane Davidts and Oty-Light.
La Pâtisserie des Rêves’ second shop in Paris, listed in the Paris Design Week guide, also offers the same brioche duo. This time we focused on the Origami collection. Designed by Olivia Giacobetti, this is a range of sweets evoking childhood memories. Marshmallows, lollipops, caramels, nougats and barley sugar take you into the secret world of your memory to sample the joys of nostalgia regained! One of us went for the Paris Brest cream pastry, which has been named the best Paris Brest is the capital.
On the Avenue Hoche, the Royal Eclaireur has been designed along the lines of the Hotel Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris, by Philippe Starck. It contains all the hi-tech gadgetry you would expect from the Eclaireur, such as the Z Chair by Zaha Hadid for instance.

Cinna, on the Boulevard Courcelles, boasts some stunning models. Philippe Nigro’s Entailles sofas, Didier Gomez’s Belem, Patrick Jouin’s Lou, the Grillage armchair by François Azambourg, Evangelos Vasilei’s Kermes dresser or the Oka bookshelf by Kazuko Okamoto. After a trip through the 19th century, we find ourselves plunged right back into the 21st century. For a silent moment, we all wonder if we will be know what period we are supposed to be in when we get home tonight. But beauty is ageless after all.

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This is the event everyone has been talking about for months. Now it’s here – the major week of design in the capital. Like fashion, design now has its own week and will be welcoming the public. More than 100 participants have come together to promote creativity and appeal to the curiosity of visitors from around the world. Since it’s impossible to choose, we decide to see everything. Today we head to the Saint Germain district.

Our team meets up mid-morning. For no particular reason we decide to meet at number 282, Boulevard Saint Germain, in front of Cassina. At the foot of a typically Parisian building the storefront is sumptuous. There we find the Biblio Veliero bookcase by Franco Albini along with the Tre Pezzi Wool, a goat hair armchair. We all become total fans. Like a few other participants during Paris Design Week, Cassina is treating Parisians, exclusively and for the first time in France, to a presentation of its new products from Milan.

Moving away from the Seine, on the corner of Rue Grenelle is Stepevi. For Paris Design Week, this century-old firm has teamed up with Pudelskern to offer us the Mirage collection.

Walking up the Boulevard Raspail we find Edifice with its famous coloured chairs by Monica Förster, Florinda. Moving on a few paces is Alessi with its brand new collection, including a first: jewellery by Mario Trimachi.

We then head to Rue de Varenne, where Ligne Roset is presenting its new collection. The Bourroullec brothers’ sofa, Ploum. A sofa with such natural lines it resembles a cloud, promising downy comfort. We are all set to flop down for a read or a nap.

But mustering our strength we leave and cross over to Rue de Varenne, eyes wide as we are drawn to a sign promising dream pastries: La Pâtisserie des Rêves. This gives us a chance to rest our feet, but not our astonishment. A special creation for Paris Design Week is on the menu, the brioche duo created by Olivia Giacobetti. A base of brioche puff pastry and a fine brioche ball, garnished with yuzu cream and with a centre of strawberry purée… delicious. Like the whole Origami collection of sweets with their flavours reminiscent of childhood… Remember the taste of a kiss from your mother… or your first Christmas by the fireside…

We return to the Boulevard Saint Germain, to Cappellini, celebrating the first anniversary of the Milan firm’s move to its pink showroom. We particularly like Giulio Cappellini’s Burkina Faso module. The whole team asks in unison how a designer’s crazy mind can produce a work of such strict geometry. Like a collection taking us back to childhood games of Tetris.

Now we head over to Solferino metro station to discover young Parisian brand Mondomio, which is celebrating its first year by presenting faïence work by Andrea Branzi for SuperEgo.

Following the Rue du Bac towards the Seine, we find ourselves at Poltrona Frau. This is a firm which is centuries old which, following the Milan trade show, is presenting its Ghostfield transparent sofa. Very disconcerting. Expertise laid bare. Straightforward sensuality. As well as the majestic Paola Navone bed, Lelit. We are all delighted with this creation, which is as simple as its name.

It would be hard to avoid the Marina Life gallery which is covered in pink tape. Amid an inspired decor, Marina is presenting flamboyant rugs by Emmanuel Pierre with the ever-present ambition of transforming reality into something more beautiful.
Then, crossing over the Esplanade des Invalides, on to the Hôtel Thoumieux, where Jars has set up a “lab” to present its expertise in materials, colours and form.

Near to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs lies the Odile Texier store, offering a chance to recharge your batteries. A world of luxury, relaxation, classicism and good taste. Three artists – Guillaume Piechaud, Mathilde Pénicaud and UschiSchmitt-Landanyi – are taking advantage of this incredible setting to present their works. Unique pieces of sculpture – all treading the line between art and interior design.

Now to Moissonnier and Cascade, passing close by the Rue du Bac. At Moissonnier, a label which supremely masters the art of combining new and old, we find the Grand Canal standard lamp, sure to be a future classic.

It stands 2.20m high and is customizable. An impressive wooden tripod. At Cascade, a specialist in hi-tech baths incorporating home automation, we discover some fine pieces in Corian® for the room of the home which best integrates comfort and practicality.
On the corner of the Rue Bonaparte, at Triode. Three designers – Pierre Gonalons, Arnaud Lapierre and Simon Naouri – have focused, specially for PDW, on porcelain and glass work, producing three lighting creations.
Now to Aesop, the Australian manufacturer of body products. This up-and-coming brand, always at the cutting edge, presents Pulp 2.0, an art installation from Studio Jo Meesters, the result of research into the mixture of water-resistance properties and the use of recycled paper.
Now we head over to Rue Vaugirard and the Desio showroom. Anaïs Allard and Didier Versavel submit the results of their work involving leather, with these crumpled leather pieces, inviting visitors to adopt them, containing the intimate and dominant essence of the material transcended by their work.

A definite must-see, close to the Palais du Luxembourg, is David Hicks, an English interior designer. He revolutionized London design’s colours and form during the 1960s and 1970s. He is presenting the LAQ home collection for PDW.

To finish up, we head to the Catherine Memmi store, which is celebrating its 18th year in French furniture design. Timeless furniture – elegant and simple.

A day spent in the world of interior design, a plunge into the intimacy of creativity, constant wonderment and the discovery of a hidden world. In other words, a truly extraordinary day. And to think we will be starting all over again tomorrow.