Taking the time to take care
Published on 9 December 2022
Take care! is the latest theme being showcased by Maison&Objet, with Elizabeth Leriche and François Delclaux set to place gentle, slow-paced living on a pedestal over in the 'What's New?' zones.
“Take Care”. What’s your interpretation of that mantra?
Elizabeth Leriche The first thing it made me think of was the need to inhale an enormous breath of fresh air! Take Air! The need to breathe deeply... accompanied by the notion of just how vital it is we get on with saving our poor mistreated planet!
François Delclaux: We need to hurry up slowing down! It is, of course, a figure of speech, an oxymoron, as well as being about urgency, a quest for meaning that is rippling through society. And that includes within the hospitality sector.
How can objects and materials be the vectors for that intake of air?
E-Leriche: Anything that evokes airiness - fluid, light, transparent or openwork materials - inspires us to take a moment to catch our breath. Take Pulpo’s blue glass shelves or Bina Baitel’s fluted glass console, for example. Artisan creations encourage contemplation and nurture our need to disconnect.
F-Delclaux: It all starts with choosing products that are certified as being eco-responsible and that rely on short, sustainable supply chains. I’m thinking of the bed linen manufactured by Les Pensionnaires in Portugal who support the circular economy, for example; or the small home furnishings from Gabrielle Paris that are underpinned by sustainable and ethical collaborations; or Bandit Manchot’s bags and pouches that are crafted from upcycled leather.
Slowing down, catching our breath. How will you capture that at the trade fair?
E-Leriche: By employing staging that features suspended paper pavilions: perforated paper printed in a palette of graduated blues evoking the sky and the horizon; or panels of recycled paper that resemble delicate lace or flaunt a relaxing orange hue, inviting us to simply slow down.
F-Delclaux: By boarding the train! It’s firmly back in fashion, and at Maison&Objet, it whisks us off to three destinations where we can explore three different vibes that blend artisan objects, natural, comfortable materials and, above all, are free of flashing lights! Silence is a luxury.