Maison France Event

On Thursday afternoon, I headed uptown to check out the first annual Maison France event in midtown Manhattan. Maison France was hosted by the French Trade Commission and included vignettes of inspiring French decorative arts. I was able to interact with many of vendors and speak with them about their products. I captured some photos of some of the beautiful work.


As a design student, I am always looking to find something new and chic that I could possibly use in the future. At the Maison France event, I fell in love with the gilded and painted Cordovan leatherwork of Atelier Meriguet-Carrere. The striking Cordovan leatherwork (which can be used for wall coverings, furniture covering and folding screens) give a true regal sentiment to the room. The gilt leather comes in a variety of pleasing patterns and can be completely color customized to your liking. Look at some of these stunning examples!


As I uncovered more about this craft, I discovered that this type of leatherwork has a very long history dating back to the 17th century. It is then that this craft was developed and flourished throughout Europe. The leatherwork follows the great French decorative tradition of illusionism – think trompe-l’oeil. These artisans could skillfully create eye-tricking illusions of wood, stone, cloth and much more. During the reign of Louis XV many of these manufacturers set up their businesses in Paris as this became a popular interior design element for the wealthy. Today, Atelier Meriguet-Carrerre still relies on that experience of the past, using time tested methods passed down from generation to generation. Using old methods to produce skillfully crafted materials is something that is rare in today’s technologically advanced world.