On an overcast grey January day we travelled to Paris to soak up all things interior – we weren’t disappointed!
With two exhibitions running side by side, we started our interiors journey in central Paris, hopping from showroom to showroom at Paris Deco Off , where some 150 brands welcome you to their showrooms to preview what’s new for 2025.
Wondering the streets of St Germain-des-Pres and the iconic Rue Du Mail bedecked in enormous pendant fabric shades, I enjoyed conversing with Tricia Guild in the Designers Guild showroom reminding ourselves just how good their collections are. Their latest ‘Kawana’ Terracotta print and wallpaper caught my eye – wonderful for a sunny sitting room or garden room, whilst a geometric embroidered braid ‘Kushime’ makes for a defining leading edge detail on plainer linen curtains.
Other showrooms that included Casamance, Elitis, Pierre Frey and Manuel Canovas, all delighted. We loved the rich palette of ochre, burnt orange, cranberry and raspberry that oozed warmth and sunshine on a chilly overcast Paris day.
Textural wallpapers that mimicked plaster, parquet and giant painterly murals all inspired.
The next couple of days were spent trawling the inspirational aisles of Maison et Objet.
This enormous exhibition never fails to inspire and impress. I guess we’ve got more familiar with the suppliers over the years but we always come away with a years’ worth of inspiration!
Our desire for cosy retreats and to connect with nature felt to be an enduring theme and one that we wholeheartedly embrace here at Ashton House Design. Immersed as we are, in the beautiful West Country, this couldn’t be more appropriate for our interiors. The palette combines warm ochres, rich terracotta, dusky pinks and soft greens.
Gentle organic shapes always find favour in our projects – crescent shaped sofas, rounded armchairs and circular coffee tables.
The exhibition continues to celebrate craftsmanship – across furniture, lighting, seating, place settings and accessories. It is increasingly important to invest in furniture and accessories that will truly stand the test of time. Invest in furnishings that spark joy and of the best quality to suit your budget.
With so many of us enjoying indoor/outdoor living (in spite of our climate!) we savoured a plethora of practical and stylish solutions, may included slip and loose covers. The combination of materials – powder coated aluminium frames with textural polypropylene rope – ideal for the harsh coastal climate.
We are now immersed in several exciting new projects and are already drawing inspiration from all that we’ve absorbed in Paris. We shall look forward to sharing these with you during the course of 2025!