#french-polishing

#french-polishing

"A visit to the Palace of Versailles is truly a walk through history, not to mention one of the most beautifully preserved palaces one can visit."

The UK dumps 149m pairs of shoes in landfill annually. This is unacceptable when the vast majority can be fixed. Sometimes all it takes is a small gluing or stitching job, and you're only paying £4 then those shoes might last for another 12 months or even longer.

I like to create a small universe. From the master plan to the doorknobs, from the trees planted outside to the way people will sit and eat and dance inside, you create and control a whole microcosm.

In the UK and the US, it is often crystal clear when your new home is classified as a heritage home or period property, but in France it can be less obvious. You could be breaking the rules simply by installing new windows. So how can you check that your big plans aren't going to upset anyone - or worse, break the law?

Designed in close dialogue with the Prado's conservators, the coats meet strict functional requirements essential to restoration work. They are constructed from high-quality, non-reflective materials that prevent any glare from interfering with the surface of a painting-an essential consideration when working millimeters away from a Velázquez or a Bosch.

There's something about trendspotting in France that just hits differently. Maybe it's the Haussmannian architecture, which provides such a charming backdrop that you almost don't even notice you're literally running from showroom to showroom. Or maybe it's the fact that some of the brands on display truly are new - and in some cases, not even available stateside yet. Whatever the reason, I look forward to Maison&Objet and Paris Déco Off, two furniture- and textile-forward events in Paris, each January.

Furniture made from mycelium or algae can decompose in five years, sure, but a well-made antique armoire outlives empires because no one throws it away. Columns takes that logic seriously. Handcrafted in solid oak, natural leather, and horsehair, the pieces are built to last a thousand years, which sounds like marketing hyperbole until you look at the joinery, the hand stitching, and the material choices. This is furniture designed to be inherited, repaired, and remembered.