close

Objects of Design #331: Caravane

caravane princess and pea divan
caravane princess and pea divan

Bonjour, ça va et comment allez-vous? It seems that the entire world (well, a significant proportion of my Twitter timeline) has gone to Paris for the weekend to mooch about the design show Maison et Objet and instagram pictures of themselves next to various stylish bits of furniture.

Meanwhile, I sit in rainy London furiously (and I mean that literally as well as busily) researching and writing a three-part series on, guess where? Yes. Paris. Now that, ma chère Alanis Morisette, is irony. Not rain on your wedding day. No, that’s not irony that’s just weather.

caravane.fr lighting
caravane.fr lighting

Anyway, Paris, city of light where we are not. If we can’t go to Paris then I thought the next best thing would be to bring Paris to us. So here you are. Pour yourself un grand cafe au lait, send a small child out to the shops for a croissant and let’s have a browse around Caravane.

This bohemian French store was opened in 1995 by Françoise Dorget and is a mix of handcrafted objects, modern pieces and lighting which seems to have a uniquely French feel to it. This, as I have discovered is down to the French ability to mix old and new in an unexpected and completely stylish way.

cushions, rugs and curtains from caravane
cushions, rugs and curtains from caravane

It describes itself as being dedicated to the urban, cosmopolitan shopper. Which is so (how I like to think of) me. And, I recently heard a whisper that they are opening a shop in London, so soon we can all be a little bit more urban and cosmopolitan.

 

Kate Watson-Smyth

The author Kate Watson-Smyth

I’m a journalist who writes about interiors mainly for The Financial Times but I have also written regularly for The Independent and The Daily Mail. My house has been in Living Etc, HeartHome and featured in The Wall Street Journal & Corriere della Sera. I also run an interior styling consultancy Mad About Your House. Welcome to my Mad House.