shops

Slightly Obsessed with Ben Pentreath

I just bought a ticket to London for February so I’m already thinking about all the places I need to visit, including Ben Pentreath.

If you aren’t familiar with it, it’s a home accessories and antique shop full of interesting-looking pieces sourced from around the world

and its owner just has impeccable taste.


This photo of his salon has been making its way around the blogosphere and it’s no wonder:

I love so many of the individual pieces but it’s the feeling this room evokes that really gets me. (If you missed any of my prior posts on the topic of decorating by feel, you can find them here and here.)

Here’s the same room designed slightly differently:

I can’t wait to see the store in person but if London isn’t in your future plans, you can shop online.

(Photos: 1-2,4.FT 3.Livingetc 5-6.Ben Pentreath)

Tips FROM THE RIGHT BANK: Favorite Home Decor Shops in Paris

One of the questions I get asked the most is: “Where should I go shopping in Paris?” Obviously there are thousands of places (there are entire books dedicated to this topic) so the answer really depends on what you’re looking for, your style, budget, location, etc., etc.

A while ago, I put together a list of antique and vintage clothing shops in response to a reader’s question. To supplement that list I’ve compiled all the home decor store recommendations I’ve made over the past year or so here. (These are the stores I’m visiting on this trip.)


The Collection
Boutique showcasing home decor items and furnishings created by European designers.
33, rue de Poitou, 3e


Caravane
6, rue Pavée, 4e
19 & 22, rue Saint Nicolas, 12e
Furniture, lighting, decorative objects, linens and textiles with a global flavor.


Sentou Galerie
29, rue François Miron, 4e
26, boulevard Raspail, 7e
Fun, contemporary furniture, housewares, and gifts representing a wide array of designers.


Cire Trudon
The world’s oldest -and arguably the best – candle maker established in 1643. Yes, 1643!
78 Rue de Seine, 6e


Khadi and Co.
37, rue Debelleyme, 3e
Clothing and home textiles made of hand spun traditional Indian cotton.


Tombées du Camion
Some call it junk, others call it found objects. Either way, this place has a lot of it.
17 rue Joseph de Maistre, 18e


Emery & Cie
Fabric, wallpaper, paint, rugs, tiles, hardware ….. to die for.
18, passage de la Main d’Or, 11e


Astier de Villatte
Exquisite ceramics beloved by all.
173, Saint Honoré, 1e

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Marche Saint-Pierre
Mega fabric store.
2 rue Charles Nodier, 18e

I already blogged about the store, Merci, almost two years ago here. I don’t think I have time for it this time but if you haven’t been, I definitely recommend it. I also posted earlier about  Cote Bastide, Blanc d’Ivoire and Habitat.

Oh why, oh why does the $ to € exchange rate have to suck so badly right now?!

***Dont’ forget the giveaway of Irish blessing prints closes today at 6:00pm EST.***

Pretty Things from Denmark via Ireland

I received this beautiful package from my friend Lorna yesterday. In case you don’t know about Lorna and her charming online shop, Garrendenny Lane, you should. It’s named after a lane running through her family farm in the Irish midlands where her business is based. (Doesn’t that sound so idyllic?) My package included a stack of UK magazines (including a copy of Munster Interiors in which FTRB was featured this summer) as well as an adorable floral luggage tag and napkins from the Danish company Greengate. Here are a few pretty pages from Greengate’s winter catalog:

For great gifts and home accessories from Greengate and other European companies, visit Garrendenny Lane. She also has a blog full of design ideas and inspiration.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Tips FROM THE RIGHT BANK: Antique & Vintage Shopping in Paris

Today, we have another reader question and it comes from someone many of you may know: Julie Khuu from Design Star 5.

QUESTION

Dear Ally,

We’ve corresponded in the past and I just wanted to touch base with
you and get your thoughts. If you’re not super busy, I would love to
get your expertise on vintage shopping in Paris. I’m scheduled for a
trip in Nov. and dedicating my entire 5 days to shopping for clients
(and myself :D of course).

I’m staying in the Marais and have already planned on spending a Sat.
at Les Puces. Do you have any other fave haunts for furniture,
accessories, and clothing? I completely trust your style and taste and
know that you ARE the gal to ask.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you sooooo much Ally. Keep
up the fantastic work!!

-Julie Khuu, Haute Khuuture

ANSWER

I wish I could personally take you shopping but since I can’t :( I guess this list will have to do!

Antiques

As you already know, Clignancourt (or Saint-Ouen) is the granddaddy of all the “Puces.” You could easily spend an entire weekend there:

Marché aux Puces de Clignancourt (avenue de la Porte de Clignancourt, 18th)

The other two well-known markets are smaller and a bit more low-key:

Marché aux Puces de Montreuil (avenue de la Porte de Montreuil, 20th)

Marché aux Puces de Vanves (avenue Marc-Sangnier et Georges Lafenestre, 14th)

A few other places worth checking out:

Louvre des Antiquaires (2 place du Palais Royal, 1st) – exquisite, high-end.

Village St. Paul (rue St. Paul, behind the church, 4th) – a series of courtyards filled with retro items.

Le Grenier de Jupiter (corner of 85 avenue de la Bourdonnais & 201 rue de Grenelle, 7th) – beautiful unique pieces.

Vintage Clothing

Didier Ludot (20–24 Galerie de Montpensier, Palais Royal, 1st) – world famous and with good reason. It’s a must-stop.

Ragtime (23 rue de l’Echaudé, 6th) – also high-end, everything in perfect condition.

Studio W (6 rue du Pont-aux-Choux, 3rd) – small with an amazing collection of accessories.

Free P Star (8 rue Ste-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie, 4th) and its sister store (61 rue de la Verrerie, 4th) – jampacked, very popular.

Casablanca (17 rue Moret) – big, hip, affordable.

Quidam de Revel (26 rue Poitou, 3rd) – this may be my favorite.

Adom (56, rue de la Roquette, 11th) – have to dig a little but good bargains.

I think this will be more than enough to keep you busy for five days. If possible, try to leave some time to just wander around too. You never know what you’ll discover. I hope you have a great trip!

If you have a question related to design, travel or Paris, please click here. Your question may be included in this feature.

(Photos: 1&2.From the Right Bank 3.Free’P'Star)

Lanvin, New York + Guest Post

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In my guest post yesterday, I mentioned that Alber Elbaz is one of my favorite designers. He can do no wrong in my eyes so I was so excited to see these photos from the brand new Lanvin store in New York.

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I love the decor. Since I love his designs so much, I would have been surprised if I didn’t.

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A wall of Lanvin shoes. I have no words.

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Speaking of stores, I’m sharing some of my favorite places to shop for the home at Odi et Amo today as part of Averill’s “Shop Like a Blogger” series. Stop by if you’d like to see where I’ve been spending my money!

(Photos: WWD)

Liberty of London/Merci

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If you missed the boat on all the Liberty of London goodies at Target like I did (all I got was a lousy candle and a picture frame), you can still get your hands on some of its collaboration with Merci (the store in Paris I blogged about last year). If you’re willing to pay the hefty international shipping charge, that is. Some of it is so delicious, it might be worth it. See the whole collection here.

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Speaking of buying things, I just bought a Panton chair for our dining room as a mate to the single one I had. If anyone in the Atlanta area is looking to buy a Panton, the lovely person I bought it from has 2 more white ones for sale at $300 for the pair. They’re only very slightly used and in pristine condition. If interested, email: tischlorentzen@me.com.

10 Corso Como

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10 Corso Como, the coolest concept store on earth, only has 3 locations: Milan, Tokyo and Seoul. So you can bet I am hightailing it there ASAP.

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Between the store,

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the bookstore,

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and the cafe,

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I’m setting aside a good part of the day!

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I’ll let you know what I find!

The Inglenook Decor

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I’m very pleased and proud to announce a new sponsor today, The Inglenook Decor!

The Inglenook Decor is an online home décor and accessories specialty store that carries both one-of-a-kind flea market finds and new, unique items. Their products are described as “sophistication meets hip and cool” and “clean lines meet intricate styles.” I would have to agree on both counts! Here are just a few of the things I’m coveting:

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Salon chair plaque.

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“Shanghai Links” needlepoint pillow.

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Antique lidded jars.

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Linneas Lights candles.

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De Lyon wall clock.

There is a lot more loveliness on the website so be sure to stop by. With products falling into the categories of Modern Vintage, French Chateau, Rococo, and Shabby, there’s something for every taste.

The owner, Maureen, also has a great blog.

So go forth and shop and have a great weekend, everyone! My mother’s in town so I’m busy, busy, busy! See you all Monday when I’ll have a new (to me) designer that I think you’re all going to love.

Merci, Paris

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This weekend I finally got around to downloading the photos from my trip. Don’t worry, I’m not going to subject you to a “Look what I did on my vacation” slideshow. (You can go to my Flickr stream for that! ) Instead, I wanted to show you my photos of Merci, one of the coolest shops in Paris. It sells highly covetable housewares, furniture, clothing and books in the most amazing space. And the best part is that all profits go to charity. How fantastic is that?

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It’s located at 111 boulevard Beaumarchais in the 3rd arrondissement. Highly recommended if you’re visiting Paris!

Favorite Paris Shops: Côté Bastide

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Before moving to Paris, I had known Côté Bastide for their great bath products. But after walking into their shop, I discovered it’s a whole lifestyle. I sometimes fantasize about a vacation house in the French countryside and it would basically look like a Côté Bastide shop.

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Favorite Paris Shops: Habitat

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(habitat.fr)

Another one of my go-to stores in Paris was Habitat. I just love it. (And I’m loving their current all white display!) It’s where I went for things like frames, kitchen utensils, shower curtains  . . . practical things but that were designed and made well. I can’t think of an American equivalent so I would describe it as the Conran Shop in aesthetic crossed with Crate & Barrel or West Elm in practicality and price range.  There must be something like Habitat here  - what am I overlooking?

Favorite Paris Shops: Blanc d'Ivoire

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One of my favorite stores in Paris is Blanc d’Ivoire. It was my go-to shop whenever I needed linens or something for the table because I knew I’d always find something I liked, something very French. They have beautiful furniture as well. Before we moved, I had a list of stores that I had to visit to stock up on goods to bring over with us and Blanc d’Ivoire was one of them. I’m planning a trip back to Paris this spring and that got me thinking about all the shops I used to love. I’ll post some other favorites this week.